Hyun Jae
"Yes, dad. I'm doing fine." I reply to my dad who's been on call with me for the past twenty minutes. Of course, mom has also taken turns to talk. It's been a routine for them to show their eagerness to check on their son, whom they've thrown overseas.
"You know, I can't believe you much when you say you're fine. But as Anna dear also said the same, I guess you're really doing fine."
There he goes again. Always believing his 'Anna dear' more than me.
Hmph.. I suppress my sigh.
"That to be said, is there any problem with your health lately?"
I flinch.
What's with this question? It's not like asking me about my health but it sounds more like a presumption that my health might not be well. I frown.
Does he know about my headache?
"No…? But why do you ask about it suddenly?" I couldn't hide my curiosity.
"...Is there a reason needed to ask my son about his health?" His reply came a beat later. But it isn't convincing for me. As if seeing the frown on my face, dad let out a laugh.
"You still overthink about little things my son! Go on, don't think too much and take care of yourself, alright?"
"Yeah… alright." And I held the phone to my ear in silence, waiting for him to end the call.
As soon as the call ended with a beep, I slumped down on the sofa, holding my head. Bits and pieces of the incident at school started to rumble in my head like a broken film.
Ari crying. Me coaxing her. My sudden headache. Her frightened face. Us hugging. Kathy commenting on us like some paparazzi.
I groan.
This is bad.
Ari hasn't spoken a word to me after that. Not that I was in a mental state of talking either. We're both doomed. I haven't even gone online since then. To be honest, yes I'm afraid of what I might see or what I might hear. And on top of that—
Urgh!
This goddamn headache!
I get up from the sofa and walk toward the bedside table, almost tripping over the carpet. I'm a limping man now? I just want to smash my head down for this terrible pain. Instead, I take two pills and gulp them down through my raw throat.
My body gives in and my back falls flat on the mattress in seconds.
Isn't there too much going on in my good-for-nothing life?
First of all, my strange health condition and my dad's sudden sightseer ability (?). I've consulted multiple doctors. And none of them were able to point out the cause of my headaches. It's not migraine, it's not brain tumor, it's not even for insomnia. It's just a terrible pain behind my eyes.
And secondly, this school's drama which I never auditioned for.
Fuck!
But eventually, I clutch the broken pieces of a crystal, which was crafted into a pendant; inside my pocket.
I promise, I'll fix it.
My own voice rings inside my head. I sigh. My chest feels hollow and heavy at the same time.
***
'Ting-tong'
'Ting-tong'
'Ting-tong'
"Who on earth…" The first thing I do after regaining consciousness is curse the hell outta the person who came unannounced at my apartment.
It's almost seven in the evening. I never sleep at this hour. The aftereffects of the pills might've made me pass out.
'Ting-tong'
"Jesus Christ.. COMING!" And I run to the door to see whom I've invited in my nightmares to have dinner with.
'Click'
The door clicks open as I unlock it and now I can't say if I'm awake or still unconscious and having a nightmare. My mouth tries to fall open but I keep it shut with all my remaining fragile strength.
"...."
"Now I'm not even allowed to set foot inside?"
And that cold as an iceberg voice proves himself that it isn't a nightmare but a horror movie. As Kye Yon stands there crossing his arms and looking at my disheveled appearance with a smug face as if mocking me in his head.
Why the hell is he here?
###
Kye Yon
This room has an odd combination of showpieces and furniture. The majority of this room is a grey and white color combination—a signature color pattern for any millionaire house. But somewhere scattered between the brooding modernity is… pink?
There are pink wall hangers, some 'cute' plushies and pink socks? Seriously!
"I didn't know you were such a softy." I say in a deadpan face but the amusement in my voice gives in.
"Huh? What?" The so-called handsome guy tears his eyes from the computer and looks at me. He's in his joggers and got less than little time to put on a jacket over him before I pulled him into work.
"I mean your room." I gesture toward his 'belongings'. "Since when did you start having 'pink syndrome'?
He takes his time looking all over his room. Then laughs awkwardly. I arch a brow.
"Oh that… it's not me who changed the look of this room."
"Then who?" No, I'm not curious. But I definitely wanna know who made this tuff guy into these?
"It's.. ah.. it's my.. girlfriend, you see." His face has reddened. Holy shit.
"I didn't know a girl could change you like this, Kiril." I stare at him in disbelief.
"Shut up, brat! A man in love can do anything." He says with a dreamy smile.
"Bullshit."
"Anyway, it's none of your business." He rolls his eyes and starts typing on his keyboard again. "You won't know this unless you get a girlfriend for yourself, kiddo."
"If getting a girlfriend means I've to add ugly stuff in my room and fail in the final year of high school.. I think I'm better off being single."
"Hey you, don't bring up that 'fail' thing again! Show some respect to me. I'm elder than you for fuck's sake!"
"Respect my foot." I lean on the chair and place my legs on his table. He snarls at me. "Though, I think I owe you for failing. You were quite the good rival of mine in popularity. Now I'm the top one."
"You're such a brat. And I'm still top in looks alright!"
"Heh." I smirk at him. "Now, now, don't fret over and finish the task. You're still the heir of Beckinson Jewels."
He hums. I let my mind wander a bit in the meantime.
A girl can change a cool guy like this, you say?
But how can a guy like me ever be changed? I'm well aware of my personality—cold, arrogant and definitely charismatic. And I'll be a softy? Hah! That can never—
"Well, is this girl your crush or something?" Kiril interrupts my thoughts.
"What? Why would she be?" I ask, annoyed.
I've actually assigned him to clear off all the posts and everything related to the reel of Hyun Jae and Akari. And he thinks Akari is my crush. Typical.
"Then why are you nagging me to wipe this shit of 'Jack & Rose' thing? Is that boy your boyfriend or something? I didn't know you were a gay."
"Fuck you man!" I stare at him in disbelief. "They both are nothing to me! They're Anna's so-called 'friends'!"
"...."
What? You were that easy to shut up? Good.
"Pfft.. haha!" He starts to laugh. "Oh man! It's that Norris girl?! Why didn't you tell me before! I knew there was something between the two of you—guess I was right!"
I should say something right? Or better—I should just knock him out. But why am I just staring at him? Kye Yon!
"We're nothing, freak." I finally managed to say. "I need Hyun Jae on my basketball team. I'm doing this as a bargaining chip."
"Oh is that so?" His eyes crinkle on the corners. "You don't like that girl?"
"I hate that girl, you pervert."
"Yeah, yeah, I see." He pulls out the wires and shuts down his pc.
"What? You're done already?"
He turns to face me. "Yep. All clear. And…"
"And what?"
"Your ears had turned red when you mentioned her name." He grins.
"You—" This time I was seriously going to knock him off but the door to his room suddenly burst open and a disastrous scent of coffee filled the room. Goodness! Who wears this much perfume!
"Hey, Kiril sweety!" A girly voice chirps in.
'Kiril sweety'!?
I was this close to burst into laughter when my eyes landed back on Kiril and I had no choice but to gape at him.
He's smiling like a psychosis patient and looking at his 'girlfriend'.
"Meet her, Kye Yon." He walks over to her. "She's Soo You, my girlfriend."
She smiles at me. "Hello."
"Uh.. hi." I don't say anything more. I can't say anything more.
She sure is pretty, looking like those manga characters who'd smile even if someone slaps them. Ahem.. that was a bit harsh I guess.
"Well, I think I should leave now." Andbleach my eyes. That man kisses her right in front of me!
***
It's almost seven in the evening when I reach the apartment. I hope it's not the wrong address. And if it is, then—of course that'd be my fault for trusting Anna Norris.
Twelfth floor.
I ring the bell and wait there standing outside the door like a gentleman.
…..
Fuck being a gentleman!
I start to ring the bell violently after three gentle attempts. Is this guy deaf or something?
And just when I'm about to bang on the door, it clicks open. I immediately fix my posture—crossed arms and leaned on the wall body.
Hyun Jae stares at me in disbelief.