Define 2: An Abundance of ‘Whats’

After that encounter, Aya had spent the night pondering about what his message meant. Yes, she was quite taken back with it. She wondered why he wanted her, as he eloquently stated ‘ off’. She knew the reason that it was perhaps, much more that he did not want to work with her with the report.

It was something more.

This Aya knew. She did have the ‘word’ explanation for it. But she knew. The way his deep orbs looked so protected with a metal wall. It was as if the transparency in those were giving transparency to a barrier.

It was as if almost he was scared that she would touch a sensitive flame in his black soul.

This was partly the reason why Aya did not burn the dark blue journal. It was her key to something. Something that Kai had hidden inside that defense. And Aya was determined to find it out.

The next day, Kai was not seen anywhere but nobody seemed to notice this though. Everything was normal for the teachers, students and other staffs that had grew a fanbase for Kai. It seemed like nothing precious to them went missing. That morning Joonmyeon-songsaenim approached her that he wanted a unique report, something out of the box and then he went running to somewhere else before Aya could even say something. So, that afternoon, after class, Aya returned to the library picking up books to use. She waited for Kai to come whilst, taking rough notes and drafts from the books. The library had already closed but no Kai was seen entering the library. Aya went home disappointed.

The following day, a Wednesday, she had not seen Kai all morning as well. She had free period that morning so, she went to her abandoned classroom to spend the fun there. She brought the books with her, hoping to take more notes. She did though but not for long since she got really distracted about the whole Kai thing.

The enigma he was is a blackhole of nothingness.

But, Aya was not going to give up.

She closed the book and fished her journal out of her knapsack and laid it on the desk. Aya removed the pen from the spiral loop and turned to a clean page. Uncapping the pen, she took a deep breath before putting it to paper.

‘He’s keeping it. The translucent eyes are a barrier to something bigger.’

Aya was expecting he wouldn’t come again. She hadn’t seen him whole day so it’s the perfect conclusion. But she still came to the library though. She was almost through her facts, so far, none of those were what you call unique. They were, the same ideas written numerously but rephrased in many books to what the publishers ought them to be so that they may seem original.

What did Joonmyeon-songsaenim want as a unique report? She was not good at this. 

Then a very familiar boy walked in the same aisle as before. Aya’s mouth slightly gaped open at the shock of his presence. He still had the same tousled hair, undone tie but this time, his pants were averagely neat and he wore his school vest. He still looked bored but confident. This time though, the level of his boredom compared to the other encounter was a bit minimal.

It was as if he was sober now.

Aya straightened her composure, not wanting to look like a fool again. She sat postured, trying fixing her mass of a mess of what you call as her hair but as usual, it was not fixable. He took the same seat in front of her. His eyes still had that translucence but the coldness was washed away. His expression almost seemed serene only that his jaws were hard.

“Listen, I’m sorry for the other time,” he said, voice coming in actually sincere and gently. “Got a little ahead of myself. I’ll try that it won’t happen again next time.”

Yes, the ever great Kai had apologized to her. Sincerely. Well, what do you know, he was human after all. Aya could only nod shortly before returning on her notes. She was fine with his apology, she was not, in any means, asking for his help for the report. He said it himself; she could do it her own.

And she was not in any means, feeling irritated towards him.

No, she wasn’t. Pfft, Evil-Aya entered the scene.

She felt his probing eyes watch her as she dug her head deep to the book and her notes. Her eyes were shifting from the book to her notes. Her right hand writing while her left hand turned the page. It was starting to get distracting. It was as if he was burning holes on her head.

Aya gripped her pen and closed her eyes for a moment.

“You’re gonna need more than that if you want to please, Joonmyeon.”

Her eyes flew open, the grip on her pen loosening. She looked up to him, meeting his deep scrutinizing eyes. She didn’t want to happen what happened last time, so Aya did the honors of looking away.

“It’s facts,” she lamely said fixing a glare at the nearest plant.

“People know all the facts.”

“What do you reckon should I do then?” she said, writing again.

“Improvise,” She could almost hear him smirk. “Besides, it’s Joonmyeon’s job to teach the facts. Stating facts twice is not a very pleasant ear candy.”

Aya rolled her eyes. She dropped her pen and leaned back on her chair, crossing her arms on her chest. She was not sure where she got that boldness from. It was either from the fueled burning rage that she was unknown of that was building inside of her or was it from the cheesecake she ate earlier. “And what is your idea of improvising, Kai?”

She could see the smirk widening on his lips. “Chicken and coffee.”

“What?”

Twenty-two minutes later, Aya found herself sharing a table with Kai at café’ near their school, EXOTIC Café;. Turns out that the coffee was for her and the chicken was for Kai. He adored chicken, judging from the one full plate he ordered. Aya wondered how a local café; had Chicken in their Menu’. A café’ was for coffees and pastries not chickens.

“If you’re wondering, it’s because of me.” he answered her question.

Aya was not be surprised. Whereas she only came here once in a blue moon, he was probably here all his life with his friends or some girls he fancied to come along with him. She didn’t really care. He was special. Everyone did things to please him.

He was already in his fourth batch of chicken wing, five minutes after the ordered arrived whilst Aya was nursing her black coffee slowly. Sipping once in awhile and savoring the strong bitter taste it sent to her taste buds, giving her a tingly overdrive of sensation that only a great coffee could give. Aya was trying not to freak out how Kai knew that black coffee was simply her favorite. On the other side of the note, she was still quite not sure how this became an ‘improvisation’.

When he finished his fourth batch, he his thumb, even closing his eyes to feel the pleasure he was feeling. Whatever it was, Aya did not care as well because she tried not to look, for Kai looked so hot when he done that thumb- iness. She kept her reddening cheeks to herself by burying her face on her cup of coffee and sipping on it once more.

“What do you know about Renaissance Period?”

Aya burned her tongue; she winced and held the cup back. She wanted to glare at Kai but she knew, she was only good at glaring mentally. Specifically at Evil-Aya who was now smug because of the reason that Aya had agreed to Kai’s offer. She put the coffee on the table and leaned back on her chair.

“That it started in 1400s and—“

“Fact.”

“What do you want me to say then?” she muttered under her breath, sighing.

“Why don’t you try again?”

She looked at him lamely. “Italy was probably the center of it.”

“Fact.”

“I said ‘probably’ though.”

Kai smirked playfully at her. “That doesn’t count though.”

Aya groaned, she was getting tired of this. She just wants to rest and nurse her burning tongue to care. She just wanted to sleep or even work on that piano composition she’s recently been working on. Anything, just out of the company of Kai or other people. She just wants to be left alone in her apartment. So, she did the unthinkable, “Then oh, mighty and marvelous one. Please teach me, a very frail and lowly peasant what Renaissance truly is.”

His smirk widened to a grin. Aya was almost blinded at how perfect his teeth were and how cute he looked when he did such. Yes, he was very attractive. “Gladly.”

         “What?” she said.

Kai did not finish his chicken and he dragged Aya out of the café. She did not want to leave her coffee cold and unfinished but she was forced her way out, grabbing her knapsack quickly whilst the y beast had an iron grip on her right wrist.

She didn’t know where he would take her. Aya was sure it won’t be somewhere that would risk her purity. She didn’t know how she knew but Kai, even though he could be a pain in the arse sometimes, he seemed to be the one to trust with. She was stupid for knowing someone so little but trusting already but it was worth the shot.

A while later, they were walking normally now to the busy part of the town where all people were. It was crowded but Kai slithered through the sea of humans with some kind of expertise as if he’d been there a million times. It was hard to navigate but his distinctive hair helped her through it. Beads of sweat trickled her nose, chatters filled her ears, felt dry at the amount of people. She was not in any way, claustrophobic. Just…too ‘people anxious’. Many faces blocked her face, only a small speck of Kai’s hair was her life line out of here. She kept bumping onto people, apologizing to them multiple times and doing it all over again.

Then, he was gone.

She lost track of him and she didn’t know where to go. People thought that being in somewhere for a couple of months would make someone be familiarized with the twists and turns of the place but clearly it did not work for Aya.

She tried to tip-toe and see through the wave of people. No such luck found. She was starting to get uncomfortable. Very. She could feel her own perspiration making its way down her face. Steam was clouding her face and the words filled her ears. She felt…dizzy.

‘Unnie!’

‘Hey, how much is this anyway?’

‘…Omma! Where are you?’

‘We do this for a living…’

Words were muffling one another then suddenly she just stood there. Pale. Many faces were shuffling heri sight. It was like a as if she was watching a black and white movie. The noise became so vivid but the intensity was so sharp that it made her feel like that she’d be going deaf it didn’t end soon. Her face became numb. Tears sprang. No, she wouldn’t cry. No…

Just when she was about to break down, someone pulled her out. Then, her eyes met those familiar deep translucent eyes. Only now, she saw something else. It was so comforting, so assuring, so…caring. Was it compassion? His face contorted to worry. The warmth in his eyes enveloped her heart, it was tickling her. She couldn’t make up the words he was saying but the new emotions she just witnessed from him were enough to reassure her.

“What?” she weakly smiled.

Turns out that the way to calm Aya down is ice cream. They were now lounging inside a private karaoke joint Kai dragged her to. Music was playing on the background. No one was singing, just eating ice cream. Kai munched on his ice cream, a flavor estranged to Aya while she took pleasure on the basic vanilla. She liked it that way though.

“You claustrophobic?” he asked, downing his last spoonful of ice cream.

Aya grimaced, he eats like a pig. She shook at the thought and his question, “Nope.”

“Then?”

Aya furrowed her eyebrows at him. “What do you mean, ‘then’?”

“Then why was your hair more of a mess than it already is back there?” he grinned deviously.

Appalled by the hair comment, he threw the nearest water bottle at him. He laughed gleefully at the reaction he got. Aya wanted to choke him until his soulless self dies out but that would probably be illegal so let’s save that for later. She ate a spoonful of vanilla ice cream sulkily while the prick laughed at her demise. “I’m people conscious.” she muttered under her breath. But since she was yes, muttering, hopefully Kai hadn’t understood that. It seems that she was successful in that department since Kai’s furrowed his eyebrows giving her an impression that he was confused.

“Sorry?”

“Wait.”

Aya had only realized now that he actually laughed. Like laugh as in laugh. She almost started to believe that the only mouth movement he knew was to smirk ily and grin deviously. Oh my. She widened her eyes in recognition.

She looked at him, with a gaped mouth. Kai shot her a demanding look. Her index finger was pointing at him accusingly. “Y-You…oh my gosh—”

“What?” It was more of an order now than a question.

“You laughed?!” she gaped like a fish out of water. “You just actually did?”

Kai shrugged leaning back to the cushion chair. “You’re one of them then.” His voice suddenly became emotionless.

Aya was drove out of her stupor. She looked at his face; his face once again had this mask. This time, it was a mask void of any emotions. His eyes turned two shades darker. It was only now that Aya realized how she shouldn’t have voiced out her stupidity. The guilt she felt was only for a given time since it was suddenly replaced by curiousity.  Who was ‘them’ exactly?

“Them?”

Kai shook his head and turned to her. Giving her one of his signature smirks. Aya wanted to ask him further about it but he already grabbed the microphone and set some things she was too fazed to deal about.

He pushed the microphone to her. “I say we have a karaoke contest.”

“Nothing good turns out whenever I sing,” Aya said unabashedly. Sidestepping the ‘them’ issue he had brought up. Aya Han did not want to further ruin the mood but she will not, sing in a karaoke. Ever.

“Just one around, yeah? Come on!” he grinned, deviously.

She looked at him blankly. Then Kai suddenly came up with an idea, she started poking Aya’s side repeatedly. Tickling her, that was. She tried to scoot away but Kai suddenly keep coming closer. He taunted her playfully; Aya had the weaknesses of merely giggling and gasping him to stop at her predicament. She tried pushing him away. But of course, she had been always limp and too un-athletic.

Not long enough, Kai had her pinned down on the cushion. The tickling had stopped. Aya looked up to him, the grin flashing away from her lips. Her face was flushed from the incessant laughs she had and it suddenly increased because of the compromising position they had. Kai had a steady look, something unreadable on his eyes. He was reading her again.

Aya got really uncomfortable again. 

She cleared in the same time, swallowing the lump on . How she managed that, she didn’t know. Evil-Aya was corrupting her mind by sending mental images on how she could do many things in the position she was in. The real Aya shoved the thought away and gently pushed Kai away. Kai, who seemed to be jarred away from what he was doing earlier, got off her and slid to the other side of the cushion.

Kai gave her a mocking look. “You’re ticklish.”

Aya flushed more. “J-Just get over it.”

She wasn’t able to see his face but she knew that he was smirking. Then suddenly the music had changed to a minus one. It was a familiar song. It wasn’t Korean as well. It was English. Aya had to look up at the monitor. The title was there and it was ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars. An American artist she was very familiar of.

Aya gave Kai a surprised look. “You know Bruno Mars?”

“Who doesn’t” Kai shrugged. Then, he pointed to her the microphone. “The song’s about to start. I’m not singing it, you are.”

She shook her head. No, she was not in any way going to sing in front of him. Last time she checked, he was particularly a stranger and it was bad to sing to in front of strangers. “No thanks,” she said bitterly.

“We’re not going to get out of here if you won’t.” The song started.

Aya answered him with silence.

“I’m going to kiss you if you won’t grab the microphone and sing.”

She shot him a shocked look. Aya narrowed her eyes at him who was giving her a challenging look. A small part of her incoherent mind was telling her not to so that Kai would kiss her. The bigger coherent part was stuffing the stupid thought away from Evil-Aya’s grasp that the villain may use it against her. She sighed in defeat.

‘There he goes again with his devious grin’, she rolled her eyes. Aya snatched the microphone from him and looked at the damned thing hesitantly. Never in her years would she ever break her stranger code because of Kai.

Yes, she had a stranger code and that was not to do stupid things such as singing in front of someone she barely knew. She looked at the monitor and brought the microphone near . Then, a few seconds later, she joined the song.

When see your face

There’s not a thing that I would change

‘Cause girl you’re amazing

Just the way you are,

She sang the first few lines with hesitation. But, who was she kidding? She just absolutely loved Bruno Mars’ works. Not long enough, she started singing aloud not caring if Kai was there. Actually, she temporarily had forgotten about Kai. The rhythm of the minus one music drummed with the musician heart within her. She had forgotten that she was not where she usually sung (i.e: in the shower) but in the karaoke. The message of the song was just so simply too beautiful to ever care about something else.

Just the way you are

Yeah eh~

That was when Aya was pulled out of her trance. Suddenly realizing what she had done, she turned red. She felt her nerves on an embarrassing overdrive. Well, she could just wish the ground open up and eat her alive. She had trouble looking Kai in the eyes when she passed the microphone back to him.

“93. Not bad,”

She looked at the monitor and score did say ‘93’. Aya broke out to small smile before sinking back in her seat. “Thanks,” she said in a whisper voice before fidgeting with her fingers.

Aya then felt him shift close to her. She could feel again that deep probing eyes bulleting her head. She avoided his gaze as her stomach churned from the thought of his hawk eyes. “Quit staring,” she mumbled.

“You have good voice. What are you so embarrassed about?”

“I..I don’t have a good voice.” She quickly chastised in a small voice.

“Yes, you do.”

Aya quickly dodged anything that would further the topic. She looked up to the monitor wildly. “It’s your turn now. You are going to sing, aren’t you?”

“It’s only fair.”

Kai then switched few buttons. Aya watched him as he did. After that, he smirked playfully. “But, there has to be a consequence though.”

“There won’t—“

“Of course there will be. I arranged the contest.” Aya wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.

She raised her hands in surrender. “What is it then?”

“Whoever loses, owes a dare to the winner.”

“Fine.”

Aya rolled her eyes. Kai turned around and pressed play on the button. The beat of the music started playing. It was a song Aya was unfamiliar of. But she knew it was Korean judging from the foreign composition of the notes. She hadn’t heard him sing before. Kai usually just danced and did nothing more other than that. And they weren’t on the same Vocal class.

She watched him as he started singing. Yes, it was Korean. Aya could barely understand the lyrics of the song. But, it didn’t exactly matter. He had a different singing voice and the way he sung, it just came natural to him. Aya was once again fazed by him. He didn’t have that voice of like Lee Taemin from her Music Composition class nor did he have a voice of a dying walrus. It wasn’t forced nor was he trying hard.

It was normal.

And normal was perfect him because he was always amazing with dancing. It’s like, at least, he was mortal and that he didn’t have to perfect with everything he did. This side of him was new. Almost was it non-existent. It was nice to see him like this.

The song ended. Aya couldn’t help but smile. The score stated a perfect score of ‘100’ but it didn’t matter to her. It didn’t matter if he won the ‘contest’ she didn’t know they had. A perfect score was perfect to this normal side of him.

“What?” he asked demandingly while giving her a look of confusion.

Aya could break to a small smile.

Their karaoke mania lasted for an hour. It was only Aya who was singing a lot and Kai was jamming with her. They sung various English songs. It made Aya so nostalgic. It was as if she was thrown back from where she originally belonged. She had repeatedly broken her stranger code but she hardly cared.

Aya enjoyed every bit of it.

The both of them were walking again. Luckily, Kai knew a route out of the town with less people so she didn’t have to break down again. The night had already conquered the sun and it was bit chilly. Kai was kind enough to treat her a cup of black coffee before they started walking somewhere again.

Aya was walking behind Kai while sipping on her coffee. He had his hands inside his pockets. She didn’t know where he was leading her but again, she didn’t care. Aya knew that it would be worth it. If Kai had given her so much fun, nostalgia and happiness then, he was definitely worth the shot. Plus, she did yes, trusted him. He hadn’t done anything to break that trust yet.

No matter how much of a mocking and manipulative bastard he was, she had witnessed compassion in him. She had seen and heard how he laughed. She had witnessed a normal part of him. She had felt how he cared. He was still human. And that he wasn’t all dark.

Besides those, Aya had not seen the bigger part of him. The way those eyes looked like their holding back something made her wish that he would just let that part of him show. It made her wonder why was he holding back and it made her ponder more why did he showed this small part of him to her.

Why her?

Was it because they were supposed to do a report together? They were strangers. Why would an exalted man like him spend some time to a girl she barely had seen all year? Aya was not sure.

He suddenly halted to a stop. She almost bumped onto him. Aya’s forehead scrunched to confusion before she side stepped to stand beside him. She looked around. This part of the place was familiar and she knew this because this place was just a block near her apartment building. Then, she saw what was in from.

A playground.

Kai suddenly walked towards the swing area and sat on the first of two swings. Aya followed on his tracks and took the second swing. She looked at him. He picked up a stone and clenched it on his right palm. His face was once again unreadable and she couldn’t quite see his face because it was covered slightly with his fringe.

“I thought you left.” He said.

Aya tilted her head in confusion. He actually thought she left? Aya didn’t know whether she would be angry or embarrassed. She answered him silence.

“They always do.” He added before throwing the stone somewhere. The stone hit a roof judging from the sharp sound Aya heard.

Aya was once again curious. Who were ‘they?’. She thought about his words. ‘They always do.’ Who were they exactly? Did he mean that ‘they’ were the ones who left? Who always left him then? She didn’t know what to say neither did she want to voice out her confusion.

“Who are you?”

It only hit Aya now that she spent three hours with him without him getting her name. What? She didn’t know if she should be bothered by it. He should be the one who should be bothered by it since he spent three hours with a complete stranger without knowing the name. Aya had already known his. Who wouldn’t? Everyone in school talked about him. He was always the news. “My name’s Aya Han.”

“You new?”

“Not much. I’ve been here for months.”

“You have an accent. I can tell.”

Then why would you have to ask? Evil-Aya remarked, sarcasm dripping in her voice.

Aya could only nod in response. A pause was there. Kai picked up another stone and threw it somewhere. She didn’t know if it already landed or nor, there wasn’t any sound.

“Why?”

She didn’t know what to answer. She didn’t like telling the reason to other people. Especially to someone she did not know well. Kai was not an exception to that. Just because she spent some time with him doesn’t mean she’ll spill some beans to him. Aya merely shook her head for an answer.

“ Major?”

Aya hesitated for a moment. “Music Composition.”

“You compose?”

“I’m not very good at it.”

Then, Kai gave her this look. A look so blank that almost made her feel so jittery. She then, missed the smirking bastard earlier. Where is he anyway? The playful and mocking him was so much better than this cold and emotionless one. This one was just plain scary.

“Lacking self-esteem, eh?”

Aya rolled her eyes, sipping from her coffee. “I noticed.”

“You need to step up sometimes.” He said, averting his look away from her. “Everything’s a food chain. You either be the predator or the prey. You either chose to be the one that stands above all or the one that gets eaten and humiliated. The entertainment industry works that way.”

Yeah, because not everyone is as good as you, she wanted to say but instead closed . But of course, he was right. Aya was lining her career in the entertainment industry, only the best gets to stand out. She knew that she will be having a hard time to be in that stage. But, Aya was not like Kai. She was not aiming to stand out. She was aiming to be able to do her best without pretending someone she didn’t want to be.

That was Kai. He aimed to be someone on top and that is why he’s not himself. Aya could see it in the way his eyes were holding back. But it’s not entirely his fault. The people that adored him turned him to something he didn’t want to be. And it always gets so confusing sometimes. Because once an entertainer, it’s not all about you anymore. It’s always about pleasing other people resulting to hiding your real self inside of you in order to create the picture the people wants you to be. That was the thing Aya believed on.

Aya did not want to turn out like that.

“I’m content though,” Aya said in a small voice, looking down on her cup of coffee. “Predator or prey, I just want to be someone I want to be. I’m working hard to be able to do my best not to be on top. I don’t want to turn out paper, Kai.”

Aya turned to look at him only to see that he was looking at her as well. The wind had brushed the hair that was covering her eyes to the side. They were there, once again, looking at each other. But, Kai was not searching. He was simply looking at her and Aya was simply giving him a serene look.

He nodded and stood up. “It’s dark, we should go.”

Aya nodded, standing up.

Kai had asked if Aya’s house was near. Aya answered yes. She told him that she could go home by his own but Kai merely gave him a hard look. She didn’t have the guts to say something more and grudgingly gave him the directions. Kai walked beside her, his hands tucked behind his neck.

The walk was silent between them. She could almost hear her own breathing. But, Aya was glad enough that it was. She was tired of talking. For the record, today must be the longest hour she talked adding the singing she did earlier. suddenly felt scratchy.

They halted to a stop when they were finally in the apartment building. She stood there awkwardly. “Thanks for walking me home.”

He nodded, about to turn his back to leave.

“Wait.”

He turned around to look at her again. Aya bit her lip before taking a deep breath, “I had a lot of fun. Thanks.” She offered him a small.

Kai smirked. “I know.”

“Yeah,” she rolled her eyes. “You can go now. Take care.”

“I still can’t though.” His smirked widened to a sly grin. “I remembered something. You owe me.”

Aya’s eyebrows furrowed. “Huh?”

“A consequence for being the loser in our karaoke contest. It involves me and you tomorrow after class.” He vaguely said. “Good night” then, he turned his back.

Before she could even realize what he said, he already turned his back and walked away. Aya gawked . Open and closing it like a fish. Of course, how could she forget the fact that she lose to him.

 Wait…

The consequence involved her and…him?

“What?”

***

From the Author:

I just want to say thank you to all that commented, subscribed, viewed and supported this story. You know who you guys are. 

All of you are awesome! <3 <3 <3 Like really, you made my day TT__TT

Here's Chapter 2. Let me know what you think of it ^^

P.S: Just the way you are was a random pick XD I'm the worst -__- Please don't kill me T.T

Love ya'll! <3