15: Reality

     Zico leaned to the side, staring at the picture frame on his bedside table.

     A picture of Zico backhugging Seyoung laid under the dim lamplight, looking right back at him. A light smile crept up his face as their memories circled his thoughts. It was the best moment of his life and a memory he would take to his death.

"Are you okay?" Mingyu asked as he shifted from his bed to face Zico.

"You didn't sleep?"

"No," he shrugged. 

"It's all in the past," Zico sighed and looked to the ceiling. "She's not coming back."

"You like Suzy noona, don't you?" Mingyu asked, looking at Zico who stared back at him.

"N..no," Zico coughed. "Why would I like her?"

"I don't know if you noticed or not, but when you asked that question earlier, it was really obvious."

Zico sighed and rubbed his face roughly. "Shut it Mingyu."

"Just admit it bro," Mingyu shrugged. "You've been making it hella obvious for the past few days."

"I did not,"

"I wasn't going to say this," Mingyu eyed Zico funnily. "But that day when you rescued Suzy from Jooheon and piggybacked her all the way to the dorm, everyone knew you had a thing for her okay."

"That's not what happened-"

"That's what always never happened Zico," Mingyu nodded with a smirk. 

"I've let you off loose lately haven't I," Zico threw a cushion at Mingyu who punched it away.

"I'm serious dude," Mingyu nudged Zico. "If you like her just go for it."

"She's just being nice to me," Zico turned the lamp off. "I don't want to mistake her friendship as something bigger."

Mingyu stared at Zico pathetically. "You're acting all tough on the outside but you're just a scardy cat on the inside."

"Want to die?"

"You better make your move before Nam Joohyuk makes the move," he shrugged. "There's already rumors going around saying they're dating."

     ----

     Zico sat on the couch, dark circles covering his eyes.

     He couldn't sleep because there were so many thoughts that kept him awake through the night. He watched as Suzy sat next to Jieun, trying on different necklaces and earrings from Jieun's magnanimous jewelry chest.

"Did you stay awake the whole night?" Suzy asked Zico who looked like a hot mess. 

He only nodded, staring right at Suzy.

"Why do you keep on staring at her like that?" Jieun asked with a tone. 

"Shut up you midget," Zico spat back. 

"Why are you so pissed off in the morning?" Suzy asked with a frown. 

"What's with the jewelry serenade?"

"Is this pretty?" Suzy held up a star necklace and held it against her neck. 

"No," Zico said with a smile. "Your neck's too thick."

"Why did I even ask you in the first place," she rolled her eyes.

"Suzy's going on a date today," Jieun said with a smile. "It's important for her to look extra pretty."

"Date..?" Zico murmured as Jungyeon burst out of the girls' room with a bunch of outfits in her hands.

     "Doesn't pink go better with her skintone?" Jungyeon chattered as she held the clothes agaist Suzy and compared each color. Zico watched as Suzy's face lit up brightly; he had never seen her smile that broadly before. 

Jungyeon glanced at Zico and held up the two outfits.

"Which one looks better?"

"They both ." Zico said with a forced smile and walked into the boys' room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"What's with that bastard?" Jungyeon blurted.

"Maybe he likes you Suzy," Jieun said.

"No way," she laughed. "He's just like a little brother to me."

"There's no way," Jungyeon nodded. "He's probably still not over Seyoung."

"That's true," Jieun agreed, holding a pair of earrings against Suzy's ears.

     Suzy bit her lips, forcing a smile as she thought of Seyoung. No one except for Zico and Taehyung actually witnessed her death; and because she saw how much Zico was hurt from it, it wasn't something she could joke about lightly, or joke at all.

"Zico," Suzy knocked on the boys' room.

"What?" Zico kicked the door open, staring at Suzy who looked so beautiful from all the pampering.

"Can I borrow your bike?" 

"Why?"

"I'm meeting Joohyuk by the Pendulum but it's a little far."

"I'm not lending you my bike so you can go off smooching with another guy."

"I'm not going to smooch with Joohyuk-"

"The entire Rubicon thinks you guys are practically dating," he said sarcastically. 

"Please," Suzy begged. "We're friends, right?" 

Zico lost focus as he stared at her smiling face that looked extra beautiful today. 

"I'll take you," Zico sighed as he grabbed his jacket and walked down the stairs.

"You don't have to do that I can just-"

"You're wearing a skirt," he paused and looked back at her. "Unless you're planning to showcase your underwear to all the men here, just shut up and follow me."

"Fine.." Suzy shrugged.

     Zico kicked the chain off the bike rack and pulled out his bike, sliding out the extra seat behind him.

"I don't have all day you know," Zico rolled his eyes, gesturing for Suzy to sit behind him.

     "What's so hard about just lending me your bik-" Suzy was cut off as Zico grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the seat behind him. He cycled off with great speed before Suzy could say another word and tried to hide the smile that was creeping up the corner of his mouth.

"I thought we just have to go through the entertainment district," Suzy asked. "Why are we going through the forest? Doesn't this take longer?"

"I need my morning air," Zico said with a small snort.

"What?" Suzy slapped his back. "Why are you taking me on your exercise?! Joohyuk's waiting for me-"

"A girl's supposed to be 15 minutes late on her first date."

"Yeah well at this rate we're going to be 30 minutes late you freak," Suzy seethed. 

Zico snickered as he cut a corner, cycling further away from the Pendulum.

     Zico circled the forest twice and slowly headed downhill toward the Pendulum. From afar, he could see Joohyuk standing next to the water fountain near the Pendulum, walking back and forth as he looked up at the large clock in the pendulum. 

Zico slowly cycled toward the Pendulum square and stopped near the fountain. 

"I'm an hour late you freak," Zico slapped him on the back.

"You should be glad I gave you a ride."

"It would have been faster if I walked here," she hurridly checked herself in the handmirror and rushed toward Joohyuk who smiled as he saw her approaching.

     The short laughter that was on Zico's face died down as he watched Joohyuk put his arm around her and walk out of the Pendulum square, into the other departments. He smiled bitterly and sighed, getting on his bike. 

"Isn't it those two?" two girls gossiped as they walked past. 

"Yeah, Nam Joohyuk and Bae Suzy."

"They're like a match made in heaven," 

"But doesn't it for them? They're both going into the game this time."

"They're not in the same district either, huh."

"They're Romeo and Juliet," they laughed as they walked past Zico.

     Zico cycled back to his district, thinking about what the girls had said.

---

     Zico sat on the couch, staring at the door.

It was already very dark outside, and Suzy was nowhere close to coming in.

He sat up as the faint sound of footsteps climbing up the stairs. Suzy walked into the dorm with a bright smile on her face, humming as she closed the door behind her.

"You're not sleep-"

"Do you know how late it is?" Zico blurted.

"It's not even that late," Suzy said awkwardly. "Why're you getting angry for..?"

"You need to stop hanging out with that bastard," Zico glared at her. "And at this late too."

"Don't call Joohyuk a bastard," Suzy said firmly. "He's the person I like and the person I want to protect."

"Protect my ," Zico scoffed. "We're going to a battle against him Suzy."

"What's wrong with you today?" Suzy frowned as she walked toward the girls' room.

"I'm not done talking," Zico grabbed her wrist and pulled her roughly, pushing her on the couch.

"Joohyuk and I have been special to each other back at home-"

     "This isn't home Suzy," Zico said, irked. "This is a battlefield. We're constantly in war and we can't trust anyone here except for ourselves. But what do you think you're doing holding hands with the enemy?"

"Joohyuk's not an enemy," Suzy said angrily.

"Oh yeah," Zico nodded fervently. "He's not an enemy. He's a pig; a savage."

"Shut up!" Suzy screamed.

     Everyone walked out of the the room at the sudden noise coming from the common room.

     "Get it together Bae Suzy," Zico scoffed. "Do you really think that bastard is going to hold your hand and risk his life for you in the game? Don't be ridiculous. He's going to use you so he can get out with his partner. Are you just plain stupid to realize that or is it your thing to get both of us in danger-"

Slap

Suzy slapped Zico across the face, her eyes filled with tears of anger. 

"Joohyuk may be a savage to you, but to me he's not someone you can talk so easily about. Do you understand? When I was struggling here, when I couldn't find any other way out, he appeared infront of me like an angel. Do you understand? 

Suzy hesitated.

"To me, he's Seyoung."

Zico was speechless as he looked into her eyes that were b with tears. 

"Park Kyungri," Zico said monotously. "That's Nam Joohyuk's partner. You've seen her before; the girl who hit the knife bullseye on the first day of training. Even if, we say, Joohyuk tries to somehow magically defy the rules of the game and save you instead of her, do you think she'll leave you alone?"

Suzy glared at Zico.

"She's going to kill you before you take another step. And when you die, it's over for me too."

Suzy wiped the tears off her eyes and glared right back at him.

"You," she said. "You want to do it, being friends with me?"

Zico looked into her eyes, confused. 

"If you want to be my friend, act like one."

Suzy pushed past everyone and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. 

"Good job brother," Mingyu nodded. "Good Job."

Thanks for tuning in everyone!
Feel free to check out my other stories if you liked this one!

Finding Father (Click the title)

Dr.Death (Click the title)

Eraser in my head (Click the title)