[1] Mangoes & the book.
A Crazy Thing Called Love
Key’s POV:
Through the growing crowd, my eyes landed on a certain specimen. “Huh? He’s here already?” On the streets, I watched as he rode down with his shiny blue motorcycle. He won’t notice me. It won’t hurt to watch him from a distance. With those thoughts in my head, I casually strolled to a bench right in front of the restaurant I worked at. The light was red and he was smiling at the small family that was walking along the crosswalk.
As I sat down, I looked up at him. His eyes seemed to wander and soon enough, they landed on me. I didn’t have a chance to react because he then tore his eyes away from mine, noticing the traffic light turned green.
I sighed as my friends pushed their way through the crowded streets to get to me. “There you are!” Taemin hollered in my face. My face stayed blank as I continued to stare at the place where Jonghyun used to be. I looked out in the far distance, noticing his moving figure was still visible.
“Ahh, so he’s the reason why you’re always coming out here? To see him pass by?” Occupied with my own imagination, I didn’t realize Taemin sit down beside me. “HEY!” He suddenly yelled toward Jonghyun’s direction. “LOOK OVER HERE!”
Jonghyun stopped in his tracks, shock spreading through my features. How the hell was he able to hear that?! He turned around and searched for the source of the call. “Hey! Over here!” Taemin called out. The 2 other friends that tagged along smirked and joined in on the fun. They all charged toward my fragile little figure and distorted my face in hopes Jonghyun would see that. “HEY!” They all called again.
No matter how many times Jonghyun seemed to search for them, he couldn’t see. He soon gave up and continued to ride on his motorcycle.
“Aish, guys… Seriously.” I fixed my hair and grabbed a hold of my drink that I forgot I bought earlier. “You guys are lucky he didn’t see anything.” I released myself from their tight grip and turned around to walk into my restaurant, which luckily happened to be my house as well. Ignoring the complaints coming from outside the door, I dashed up the stairs and into my room, locking the door so no one will be able to bother me.
“Key!” My mom yelled, obviously annoyed with my unusual behavior. “Get down here! You still have a job, you know!” I could hear her loud footsteps advance closer toward my bedroom door and soon enough, you could hear her powerfully banging on it. It frightened me actually. It was as if the door was going to be broken down any minute.
“Mom, go away. I don’t want to talk right now.” My voice seemed to be buried under the loud thuds, but the banging soon disappeared and I could hear my mom’s footsteps leave from my hallway. I sighed in relief and immediately changed into my basketball shorts. Instead of talking to my friends and showing up at work downstairs, I plopped down on my bed, erasing all the troubles from my mind.
It was only a couple minutes after I fell asleep when I heard more knocks on my door. “Key! You have to work now! We have no time to be resting!” I pulled the covers over my head as I groaned, not wanting to be disturbed by her nagging. Silence soon consumed my room and I sighed in relief, heading back into a deep sleep. That was all ruined when the sound of keys jingling in my mom’s hand rang through my ears.
“Mom…” I groaned, curling my body and trying to get the sounds out of my head. This , ugh.
“Oh Key~” She sang, twirling the keychain around her finger, “Let’s go. You have work to finish. You just have to work for an hour. Your sister went somewhere and you need to cover her shift.” Without waiting for my reply, she hastily snatched the comforter that was wrapped snugly around my body and threw it on the floor. “Get up. Now.” She demanded and stomped away, leaving me in my bed half asleep.
Obeying my mom’s orders, I lazily rolled out of my surprisingly comfortable bed and grabbed random garments and slipped them on without thinking. “There you are!” My mom squealed when she saw me slowly tramp down the stairway. “Take that table over there, okay? Thank you!”
I unwillingly nodded and trudged toward the table, taking their order in a melancholy tone. The customer smiled up at me, although I could see arrogance and feign sincerity. “One American style dinner please. Oh, and a coke.” A foreigner, huh? I see. I swiftly jotted down their order and walked over to the kitchen to repeat it.
“American style? Mmm, okay. Got it!” As we waited for the food to finish cooking, I served him his drink. This went on with the remaining customers as I waited for my sister to come back.
“Thank you! Come again soon!” I bowed to the customer as they made their way out. Noticing everyone was occupied with their meals already, I plopped down on a seat, eyeing the door, anticipating my sister’s arrival.
“Ahh, excuse me!” A voice was heard from behind me. I noticed a small girl smiling up at me, waiting for me to arrive at her table. “Can I get a refill?” Nodding, I took her drink and glanced at the door once again.
I placed the drink under the refreshments booth and waited until it was full. As I took care of the drink, I heard the door open. I immediately heard the sound of my sister’s laughter invade the restaurant. “Mom! Key! I’m home!”
“Finally!” I exclaimed. I was just about to step in her direction, when I suddenly felt a liquid spill on my hands. “Huh? !” I yelled when I realized the drink was overflowing.
“What happened?” My sister, Amber, asked when she finally reached me.
I shook my head and shoved the drink to her direction. “Nevermind that. Just give this drink to that girl in the corner.” She followed my finger as I removed the apron from my neck and waist.
“Hey, I just got here! I have to put my stuff away!” I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I ignored Amber’s irritating protests. As she was about to open to speak again, our mom exited the kitchen with a bitter look on her face.
“What’s going on here?” She pulled the both of us toward the kitchen, not minding the dozens of eyes that were awkwardly watching their fight. “Key, what happened to you?” She asked when she noticed the small stains from the drink that spilled earlier.
“Nothing. I was simply telling Amber to take her shift back because I have something to do.” I took a sharp intake of breath and clenched my fists slightly.
“Amber, just go work. Key, you can leave. Cool off a bit. You get mad easily.” Our mom explained as she turned her back to us and continued with what she was doing.
I nodded and turned to Amber. “Merong.” I whispered, and then jokingly stuck my tongue out at her. Before she could whine, I ran out of the kitchen and out the restaurant door, dodging all the people blocking my way.
As I stayed in front of the restaurant door, I contemplated where I should go first. After much thinking, I finally decided – ice cream. “Where can I find ice cream?” I sighed and looked both ways, searching for the ice cream place.
“Oh, so it’s over there?” I looked to my left and saw a picture of an ice cream sticking out. I stuck my hands in my pockets, fiddling with the money that I kept in there. The journey there didn’t take long.
“Thank you.” The employee placed the ice cream cone in my hand. I stared at it in awe as I wondered how long it has been since I’ve eaten one of these. “Oh! Yummy!” I exclaimed when I took a giant .
Before heading out the door, I bowed and thanked the workers once again. Knowing I had no other place to go, I decided to walk back to the restaurant. With my right hand, I untangled my earphones and plugged them into my ears, slowly drowning myself in my music. I was so engulfed with the song that I didn’t realize someone climbing the tree above me.
“What the?!” I screeched when someone fell from the tree, landing perfectly on both feet. “Wait… you… uhm… what?” I stuttered as I gestured toward him and the tree.
My heart started to beat faster when I noticed who the person was when he finally revealed his face. “Mango?” Jonghyun smiled brightly as picked it up.
I looked at the tree, confused. So that’s where he got it… “Mango?” He asked again, ushering it toward me. I smiled and tried my best to stay calm.
“Thank you.” I grabbed the mangoes from him, our hands slowly brushing against one another. He acknowledged it and bowed before turning away to go home.
I glanced at the mangoes he gave me. He gave me mangoes! I took one last look at him before turning around continuing on back to my house. I stopped in my tracks when I heard his voice again. Thinking he was talking to me, I turned around, smiling. “Ye--?” I stopped when I saw him offering mangoes to someone else.
Oh… so it wasn’t only me… Who am I kidding? He doesn’t even know my name. He doesn’t know I exist.
Frustrated with those distressing thoughts, I looked down at the floor as I continued to trudge toward the restaurant. Many pedestrians seemed to notice my mood. I appreciated the care some of them showed me, but there was no need. I politely refused their help with a bow and continued walking, glancing behind me every now and then.
“I should just give up.” I sighed and entered the restaurant, automatically stumbling up the stairs into my room. My mom questioned my depressed façade; my mom’s actions were always predictable.
“Kibum-ah!” Assuming it was my mom, I harshly told her to leave. “Kibum! It’s Amber!” I hesitated before tip-toeing toward my door.
“What do you want?” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. Her perseverance to get me to tell her my secrets impressed me, but it wasn’t enough to actually make me do it. It took multiple tries but soon enough she gave up.
“I want to talk to you!” Amber called out behind the door. Instead of opening the door for her, I stomped toward my bed and sat down. My legs were crossed and I pouted my lips; the perfect image of a little child that didn’t get what he wanted. “Fine.” She replied, finally feeling defeated.
Assuming she was going to walk away after her surrender, I fell back on my bed, the springs causing me to bounce up and down on the mattress. “Here.” I heard her whisper. Confused, I lifted my head slightly and noticed a book being slid under the peak of my door.
“What’s this?” I asked myself, silently getting up so she wouldn’t notice. I reached over to get the book, my eyes examining every detail. “What the hell is this? I don’t need it.” Without delay, I unlocked the window in front of my desk and tossed it out. I heard it land on the hard concrete with a thud, making me smile in satisfaction.
As I sauntered over to my bed, my sister’s gasp was heard through our paper thin walls. “Key! How dare you throw the book out the window!” My soft chuckle was suppressed by Amber’s loud complaints. I rolled my eyes as I sat down in my bed, pulling the covers from its folded state. I slid inside, noticing the stillness coming from Amber’s room.
As soon as my eyes drooped down, I heard hushed voices coming from my half open window. “Hey guys, look what I found!” The rustling of their footsteps were sonorous; I couldn’t ignore it.
“Hush, I’m trying to sleep in here!” I yelled, the automatic diva spilling out of me just for that moment.
“Sorry.” The person replied, still talking in his hushed tone. “Dude, we could use this book to help you get your girl!” The boy, I assumed, was telling one of his friends as they disappeared from my presence. The boys seemed familiar, but I was literally half asleep, so I wouldn’t even care.
I sighed in relief when their faint voices faded into the distance, leaving me to drift peacefully into a amiable slumber. I hope nothing interrupts me this time.
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