Twenty

“Soori”

“What?”

“Nothing”

Resting his elbows against the counter, Kai watched her cook his favorite food. Though a simple and cheap dukkbokki isn’t that much, but he had good memories of it. The spicy aroma that entered his nose made him crinkle a bit but nevertheless he liked the smell, and most especially when Soori’s cooking it.

Old habits die hard. He loved pestering her when she’s into a serious mode. It made him want to crave more attention from her. And in her usual reactions, he got used to the way she’d ignore him.

Outside, the sky turned dark indicating that a rain or a storm might occur later. He can no longer see the sun when it hid beneath the obsidian clouds. It’s probably six in the afternoon. Time passes by so quickly. He still remembered the first time he met her. She was an ordinary girl to him, part of the common girls he’d run around in school. But then, fate made her special for him.

It suddenly grew cold in the room as the rain started pouring down. Little droplets of water hit the windows and created a melodramatic feeling.

“When you’re finished eating, I’m gonna kick you out, arrasso?” At long last the food is finally ready and Kai immediately placed himself. The faint smoke of scent from the food made his stomach growl in impatience.

The rain suddenly went louder in their ears when both of them didn’t utter a word. But Kai felt the awkwardness starting to set in, so he thought of some ways to start a conversation with her.

“Soori-ah” She looked up. “Why do you hate me so much?”

Her eyebrows furrowed and Kai started to like that expression on her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, most of the time you ignore me. You hate my guts. You hate that I’m a jerk. And when I say I’m not you’d just ignore me like you always do. You never seem to be impressed of me, well, except for my dancing skills, but even so you—“

“Okay! Okay, I get it” She’d had enough of his babbles.

“So, tell me why.”

She sighed. “I don’t technically hate you, but..”

“But? Go on” He motioned his hand

“I don’t know” She whined.

But Kai was just messing with her, he didn’t want to know the true reason or else it might hurt him a little bit.

“But I’ve been thinking about what you said…last time” Soori an ample amount of air. “And I know that you’re just joking around. I don’t want to think of anything else because I might—“

Joking around? He finally said what he wanted her to know and she called that joking around? When will she be able to take him seriously? From the beginning of their meeting, he felt as if she’s so far to reach. He felt that the words he uttered for her was just for nothing. A joke.

“Umm, Kai?” She wondered what kept him quiet. Kai also stopped eating and it bemused her a little bit.

But then Kai, still damaged from what she said, ignored her until he finished eating. The rain still didn’t stop and the coldness of the room maybe either coming from the weather or from Kai. Soori wasn’t used to this side of him. Cold and distant.

The weather’s getting bad. Lightning flashed often and thunder rolled after it. And worst of all, Soori hated it. She often has bad dreams whenever the weather’s like this. She didn’t want to be alone. The thunder’s getting louder and she could hardly focus on anything as the lightning beamed. Anybody would do as long as its company. But Kai isn’t anybody; maybe he would make her feel better.

“Thanks for the food…I guess” Kai was at the door now, waiting for some response from her. Even at times like these he wanted to make her need him, like he needs her. But no words uttered. His foot began to rise as the electricity immediately went out. And at the same time lightning blazed forth.

Soori’s eyes widened in fear. Sweat formed in her temples when she frantically raked her brains on what to do. Leaving her no choice, she rapidly grabbed Kai’s arm.

“K-Kai?” He felt her soft hand grabbing him. Instantly, he turned around to look at her.

“Could you…stay for a while?” Her voice sounded shaky. Her body trembled but she did her best to hide it from him. It’s no use, it’s clear to him now that Soori’s afraid. Even if she appears to be strong, inside, many weaknesses lay in her.

“Okay.”

The lightning went back again, with a stronger might than before. Soori felt ashamed to let him see her weakness again. Her eyes closed with the distressed she felt.

Seeing her this way made his heart soften. He knew the feeling of being scared. It made you feel weak, hopeless and tired. The anger and irritation he felt earlier vanished at the sight of Soori clinging on to him as if he’s her only lifeline. He knew he had to do something.

“Soori?”

She gulped, still closing her eyes. He saw his scared self in her. And when he was like this, no one was at his side, comforting him. His friends never knew that he even got scared. Maybe Lay, but he wasn’t present always.

Her trembling body took his attention.

“Come here” Taking her hand from his arm, he pulled her towards him. A hug was all she needed, he guessed. A hug can do sorts of comforting. Maybe even helpful than words.

Soori didn’t resist from his grasp and let herself fall onto his chest. It was broad and comfortable. He hugged her and his hand caressed her hair. She could even feel his lips touch her hair with a gentle gesture. Her hands that were pressed against his chest, found itself moving and eventually she hugged him back. She felt his shoulder blades and knew that Kai wasn’t a boy. He was a man. A man that let her feel secured against the weaknesses she showed.

I could hear his heartbeat, pounding every second.

His scent made her want to snuggle more. She unconsciously buried her face and made herself comfortable. The thing she’s scared of seems to disappear and never seemed to come back. At this point, she knew just how Kai made her feel protected.

*****

Their backs rested against the wall, and only the candle illuminated the place. The electricity still hasn’t come back. Kai didn’t want to leave her alone. And Soori too, didn’t want him to leave.

“I’m sorry if I troubled you” She sighed. She hated showing her weakness; it makes her look incompetent about anything.

“Haha, no. It’s even a pleasure to have you seeking for my need” He looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. The candle highlighted his face at the right angles. His nose, though not that straight and long, looked perfect. His eyebrows went entirely engulfed the tracing of his eyes. And his eyes were black, and it shined endlessly. The way he ruffled his hair. The way he looked at something. The way he looked at her. It seemed dreamlike, and delusive.

He shifted his gaze on to the ceiling. “You know about what I said the last time when it rained and I was here.” He chuckled briefly. “None of it was a joke.” His smile was gone. The smile she was afraid to admit that she liked, was gone.

“I wish you could take me seriously sometimes” She grew nervous and flustered.

“I wish you’d look at me sometimes”  He  looked down. But then his smile returned and she was relieved to see it again. It meant that the Kai she knew wasn’t gone. But it’s slowly fading away.

“I like you” She stopped breathing for a minute. He said those words earnestly but he was kind of hurt. Even without looking at her, Soori knew just how true those words were. But she still didn’t want to believe it.

“I just want your reply”

“I-I don’t..know”

Huhu, I know I'm so bad because I haven't updated for like a century. I'm sorry

You know the reason, same old freaking school devouring my free time with projects, projects and more projects

Hope you like this chapter lol, even though I think it . like yeah.

Comments are highly appreciated :)