Six

Lay saw her today, reading her book in an isolated part of the library. He doesn’t want any attention from girls nearby. If they flatter him, he’d just politely smile. He believes that a girl’s emotion is as fragile as a butterfly’s wings. Don’t let them experience any heart break. Just keep a safe distance and act nice.

Striding towards that girl means he would have to interact with her. It’ll be weird to just randomly sit across her.

“Can I sit here?”

Soori gawked at him. She was unsure of what to say so she nodded nervously. She observed that Lay was not having his curly hair today. But he still looked composed.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

Soori couldn’t concentrate on reading her book anymore. This angel is obviously  messing with her mind right now.

“Ah, yeah. I’m waiting for Kai.”

Ah, their tutorial session. Lay also didn’t understand why Kai has to flunk his grades. Kai’s exceptionally good with school work, even if sometimes he won’t go to school and stuck around in his condo. Lay knew Kai since they were a child. He was not as rich as Kai but somehow he understood how he feels. Constricted, confined, captive, by the image he has to uphold as told by his father.

Lay chuckled. “He’s annoying you lately huh?”

Soori eagerly nodded. “Yeah, and sometimes I don’t even know why”

“Please excuse him; he’s…a special friend.” Lay fixed his eyes on the table.

“Are you two..er..close?”

“You could say that.”

“SOOOORRIIIIII~” Soori immediately went back to her cool composure. Kai approached them on their place.

“Oh, Lay, man! What are you doing here?” Kai was skeptical as to why his friend and Soori are talking. But hey, he has no right to control who has to talk to her. As long as he can bug her, then it’s fine.

“Just discussing some books with her” Lay stood up. “Anyways, I have to go. Bye” He waved to both of them.

“Weird.” Kai muttered as he sat down beside Soori. He made it a habit not to sit across her. If he wants to see her annoyed face, then might as well be a little closer.

Soori rolled her eyes and gave him the so called “activity of the day”.

While Kai was into his work, which Soori found amusing, her thoughts wandered off to Lay. From what they’ve been talking about earlier, Lay cares about his friend. Though Kai can be a jerk sometimes, she can see that Kai’s not that bad. Okay, well, except for his annoying side.

She eyed Kai. He was working without any difficulties. Who knows, Kai might be even smarter than her. She refused to accept this fact. She refused to tell herself that she’s not that really smart. But she works hard.

“Here, I’m done.” Her thoughts were broken on a bored Kai.

She then proceeded to check it. Come to think of Kai’s real name in Kim Jongin, then why is he calling himself Kai?

“Why are you calling yourself Kai?”

Kai put his hands at the back of his head and leaned more on the backrest of the chair. “Because I’m cool”

“Seriously, Kai”

“Okay, okay fine” he resigned his hands in the air. “It’s because, my dad gave me the name Jongin.” His tone changed to somewhat anguished. “For once, I want something that doesn’t involve him.” Silence. “And it’s a cool name, most suited for me” He immediately changed from a like a lost child to a jerk in a matter of seconds.

“Do you hate your dad?” Soori can’t help questioning him.

Kai was startled by that question. No one ever asked him this. And for a moment there, he doesn’t know what to say. He decided that it might be better to stay silent.

“It’s okay though.”

He looked up. “Okay?”

She nodded. “To hate your parents”

That was the most hilarious thing she ever said. He started laughing, emitting this barking gestures. For a while, Kai was tensed but now it vanished. This girl sure is weird.

“Why would you even say that?”

“I don’t know, maybe because I do that sometimes. But I still love them.”

Love. Kai experienced love from his mother but not so much on his father. He was always a busy man.

“So if you hate me, does that mean you also like me?” Kai teased.

“Shut up.”

*****

Friday night finally came, after a hard week. Soori flopped on her couch. As she was drifting to sleep her phone rang. She was too lazy to get up so she struggled to reach her phone from the table.

Finally she reached it and answered the call.

“Soori-ah! It’s umma, are you doing okay?”  Her mother’s voice seems so soothing.

“Neh umma, I’m fine. How about you, two?”

“Yes, we’re doing fine dear.”

After minutes of constant rambling from her parents, Soori finally ended the call. Everything seems silent right now. Back to being alone, without anyone to talk to. Minah haven’t contacted her lately. She was probably busy with stuff. Moving isn’t easy after all.

Her phone beeped again.

Unknown number. After some reluctance, she answered the call.

“Um, hello?”

“Sorry to disturb you.”

“Lay?” How did he get her number?

“Yeah, listen. I tried stopping him but he won’t budge.” Soori was pretty confused right now.

“What?”

And then the line went blank. But her doorbell rang. She had a very bad feeling about this. If something bad is going to happen, she wishes she’d survive this.

Putting her hand on the doorknob, she cleared out any signs of negative thoughts. She finally opened the door, which revealed the person she hate the most: Kai, and oh, goody, with some of his friends.

Yay, here's the update. Though it's short, I hope you like it :)