-Chapter Four-

Played

It’s funny how you will find yourself in the middle of its wicked game. You’ll desperately escape, you’ll run away without noticing that you, yourself is joining and playing its cruel game.

He bit his lips for the nth time trying to suppress his giddiness as he walked his way to the school cafeteria trailing behind his friends. He stopped as he started tapping his cheeks while shaking his head and scolding himself earning suspecting stares from his friends. He just straightened and fake a cough as he bounced overtaking them entering the cafeteria first. His friends glanced at each other before letting out shrugs.

Jiyong quickly grabbed his own tray as ordering his usual meal. He then grabbed one apple from the basket placing it on his tray still with a grin plastered on his lips. He then proceeded to their usual table placing his tray on the top of it taking his seat still smiling stupidly while unknowingly emitting a happy aura. He was staring at the apple on his tray as he started chuckling softly while his friends kept their eyes on him as they took their seats.

‘Dude,’ Daesung called as Jiyong lifted his gaze on him. ‘Please tell us if we are going to start worrying about you,’  he added placing his hand on his shoulder. ‘Daesung oppa is right, you are starting to freak us out,’ Minzy added staring at him worriedly as everyone nodded in agreement. Jiyong stared at them disbelievingly as he pushed Daesung’s hand off his shoulder as he broke into laugh. ‘Guys, what the hell?’ he laughed shaking his head grabbing his chopsticks as he started eating.

He was about to open his mouth and eat when he started smiling again and even broke into low chuckles that made his friends glance at each other before staring at him. ‘I’m fine, in fact I’m perfect…’ he trailed off as he stared at them with a wide smile. ‘Everything…’ he trailed off as he placed down his chopsticks staring at the blank air dreamingly. ‘Everything is perfect… really perfect… so perfect…’ he continued as he kept saying the word perfect over and over again while sighing and looking like a love sick puppy. And for his friends he looked worst than a love sick puppy.

Hyunseung and the others just glanced at each other worriedly before staring at him for a long time. Jiyong was just eating and chuckling at the same time. He would shake his head, bit his lips then just be quiet all of a sudden and it was totally driving them out of sanity. ‘That’s it! Dude, I think you are not okay, we need to get you home quickly!’ Daesung exclaimed as he stood up and started pulling Jiyong’s arm as the latter just stared at him like he just lost his mind.

 Jiyong quickly pulled his arm from him hissing. ‘Aishh! Don’t ruin the moment okay?’ he said as he started stuffing his mouth with food as he started chewing it. ‘I said I’m okay… perfect even,’ he added as he took a long sip from his orange juice squeezing its tetra pack. ‘Now, now, now, you guys eat,’ he said gesturing his hands for them to eat as he continued eating.

His friends just stole glances at each other before staring at Jiyong. They then started eating still with eyes not leaving Jiyong. They swore each second he was getting worst and they were inch close into tying him and forcing him to rest before they could even think of sending him to some asylum. Jiyong just kept on eating oblivious to the worried and suspecting stares his friends were giving him as he kept on chuckling, smiling, biting his lips and shaking his head.

‘You know what we should just eat and stop worrying about that idiot,’ Bom finally broke her silence as she let go a deep breath and started eating. ‘Hey who are you calling idiot?!’ Jiyong exclaimed at her. ‘You obviously,’ she fired back rolling her eyes. ‘Idiot,’ she hissed. ‘Yah!’ Jiyong exclaimed tapping his hand on the table as everyone let out a laugh knowing he was back to himself once more.

They were in the middle of their meal when Daesung suddenly received a text message which stopped him from eating.  ‘What is it oppa?’ Minzy turned to him as they all stared at him waiting for his answers as he was reading the message he received. ‘Shoot!’ Daesung exclaimed biting his lips as he grinned happily at them. ‘What’s happening?’ Jiyong asked.

Daesung quickly stood up as he slipped his bag on his shoulder. ‘I have to go. Mr. Kim finally accepted my application to be his student assistant,’ he grinned happily to them fishing his apple and taking a bite from it. ‘Really!?’ Hyunseung asked hyped and happy for him like everyone else except Jiyong who seemed to be at lost just glancing at his friends back and forth as they talk about Daesung, student assistant and Mr. Kim like someone won in lottery.

‘Wah! Congratulations oppa! I’m so happy for you!’ Minzy said smiling. ‘Congrats Dae! Work hard!’ Bom smiled at him. ‘Congrats! Congrats!!’ Hyunseung chanted clapping his hands knowing that Daesung really needed the said job. ‘I don’t know what is happening here but congrats,’ Jiyong said still looking confuse making his friends chuckle.

‘Thank you guys, I have to go now. And don’t worry Minzy I know Ms. Lee will accept your application too!’ Daesung said as he waved them goodbye before jogging his way out of the school’s cafeteria. ‘Don’t worry Minzy you’ll get accepted to!’ Bom said tapping the lady’s shoulder as Minzy nodded. ‘I hope so!’ she said as the started talking and being excited once more.

‘Ahh!’ Jiyong shouted as his friends quickly stopped talking and stared at him. ‘Can someone just tell me what the hell is going on!!’ he exclaimed. ‘Did someone win the lottery? Is there a storm? Or did Park Taehwan drown in a swimming pool after having cramps!? What is happening!?’  he shouted in hysterics.

Their table was consumed by silence then his friends started laughing at loud as he just hissed in annoyance, grumpily crossing his arms over his chest while pouting like a child deprived of lollipop by his parents. Hyunseung just tapped his back as Jiyong childishly pushed his arms away. ‘Okay fine we will explain this to you slowly because your brain might not be able to take it,’ Bom laughed. ‘Whatever old hag,’ Jiyong hissed making Bom throw her deadliest glare on him while thinking ways on how to boil him alive.

Jiyong just stuck his tongue on her. ‘Why you!’ Bom hissed as Minzy quickly held Bom making her sat down before she could kick Kwon Jiyong’s soul out of his body. She just let out a loud hiss while rolling her eyes. ‘Okay so tell me what happened,’ Jiyong said changing the topic. ‘Well as you can see the tuition in this university is not really friendly… meaning studying here is damn expensive,’ Hyunseung started. ‘Ah-huh,’ Jiyong nodded like a child as he listened to Hyunseung though he doesn’t really understand him.

He doesn’t even know the basic tuition fee or the entrance exam fee or any fee of the school since he was offered with full scholarship in which his parents’ only expense would be his fare and allowance and his art supplies and such. 

‘But we still study here anyways,’ Hyunseung said chuckling. ‘Ah-huh,’ Jiyong nodded once more making Minzy giggle as she find