Chapter Five: Envy

Envy n

wanting what somebody else has: the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else's success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions 

• Enc

---o0o---

                “Oh…. my…” Myung-soo said while putting down the telephone.

                “Why, what is the problem?” Sung-gyu asked while eating the scrambled eggs he cooked for their breakfast.

                “Mom is coming home this afternoon,” Myung-soo said.

                “Aren’t you happy about that?” Sung-gyu said, “At last you’ll be able to tell her your success in the contest.”

                “Yeah, but,” Myung-soo looked around and motioned the surrounding. Sung-gyu looked around and he understood what Myung-soo was trying to say. “The house is a mess,” Myung-soo gave him a small nod before scratching his head.

                “Go to school,” Sung-gyu said, “I’ll do the cleaning.”

                “O?” Myung-soo moved closer to Sung-gyu, “Really hyung? You will do that for me?”

                “Of course,” Sung-gyu said, “This is the only thing I can do to repay you for giving me a place to stay.” Myung-soo ran behind him to give him a back hug.

                “Nomu Kamsahamnida, Sung-gyu hyung!” Sung-gyu tapped Myung-soo’s shoulder and in return, he hugged his hyung tighter. Weirdly, Myung-soo just felt like it was a natural thing to do.

                “Hyung, I’m going,” Myung-soo said right after the usual school bus was heard.

                “Okay, take care,” Sung-gyu said. After Myung-soo left for school, Sung-gyu decided to start with the chores, first with the dishes.

                Myung-soo would usually tell him every night that he will be doing the dishes. Last night, he didn’t, and so Sung-gyu had to battle with tough, already hard rice bits and already foul smelling food left on bowls.

                Second, the laundry. Angels have superior intelligence, true, but Sung-gyu had never washed clothes as an angel, so he needed some help from housekeeping books. He was able to get Myung-soo’s old books.

“Separate colored from white clothes...” Sung-gyu muttered while dropping the clothes into the washing machine and flipping the book to the next page. As he flipped the book, a picture fell from it to the floor.

Sung-gyu picked it up and looked at it. It was Myung-soo and Sung-jong’s picture during their first year in middle school, clearly seen from the uniforms they were wearing. Myung-soo had a peace sign on both hands, while Sung-jong had his right arm around Myung-soo while his left pinched Myung-soo’s cheeks.

Sung-gyu traced the smile that Myung-soo had in the picture. They looked so happy that Sung-gyu felt something weird inside of him.

“I wish I was sent to earth by natural process,” Sung-gyu tapped Myung-soo as if he was poking the real boy. “If I was born and raised with you, would it be me who was smiling with you in this picture?” he said. Sung-gyu placed the picture back on the book and the washing machine. His next stop: the shelves.

Sung-gyu took a rug and dampened it a little. Then he started wiping dust off the shelves, television, cabinets and every little thing that was placed on each. He even took out all of the books from the shelf and dusted each one before returning them to its proper places.

While moving through the house, Sung-gyu came across a shelf filled with tiny figurines and action figures. At the top of it was another picture: Myung-soo with his mom and his best friend Sung-jong. It was a picture of Myung-soo’s seventh birthday. Myung-soo was at the center of the picture, wearing a red shirt and a striped party hat. In front of him was a huge cake with seven candles. Beside him was his mother hugging him, while on the other side was Sung-jong who blew the candle for his friend.

Sung-gyu wiped the picture and the top of the shelf before placing the picture back. He moved down to the action figures. They were a variety, starting from all the power rangers, to the latest Naruto Shippuden figures.

Sung-gyu took one of the Naruto figures, the one wearing a long red coat and red eye liner. He inspected the figure, focusing on the eyes. “Is that a frog eye?” He flipped the figure and found a note stuck on the bottom. It read: Myung-soo’s birthday, 2012, from Sung-jong.

Sung-gyu took another figure and saw another note, “Myung-soo’s birthday, 2010, from Sung-jong.” Sung-gyu took another, and another, and another, only to discover that the whole shelf was dedicated for Myung-soo’s birthday gifts from Sung-jong.

“So Myung-soo likes anime, a lot?” Sung-gyu said before placing the last action figure he dusted off. “If I was growing up with you, would I be the one giving you all of these gifts?” Sung-gyu smiled and proceeded to his next chore: room cleaning.

He started his work on Myung-soo’s mother’s room. It was a simple, white colored room. What gave it a twist were the lime and pink curtains, and the photos framed on the side. All of which were Myung-soo. Myung-soo in the park, Myung-soo in the beach, Myung-soo in the theater; Sung-gyu found it heartwarming. At least Myung-soo’s mother didn’t usually miss important events in her son’s childhood life.

After some dusting, Sung-gyu went working on Myung-soo’s room. Since Myung-soo would usually sleep in his art room with him, all that Sung-gyu had to do was a little dusting and vacuuming. While fixing Myung-soo’s bed, Sung-gyu noticed a black leather covered notebook under one of the pillows. Curiosity must have taken him, since Sung-gyu took the notebook and opened it instead of letting it go.

It was Myung-soo’s diary.  Sung-gyu flipped it open to the page of the last entry. It was dated three weeks ago; a week before Sung-gyu came into Myung-soo’s life. Sung-gyu read the diary entry that went on like this:

Dear L,

The seniors tried to bully me again. It was a good thing Sung-jong came to

 help me. I’m really thankful that I have a best friend like him. Even if he was on the

skinny side like I am, he’s not a coward. I learn a lot from him. I really like him. I love

 him as a brother. I wish we could be together forever, so that I can protect him too,

until we both grow old.

Sung-gyu closed the notebook and clutched it tightly. He closed his eyes and bit his lip. For the first time he felt a strong feeling inside of him, and it didn’t feel good.

---o0o---

                Myung-soo and Dong-woo sat in a bench outside their school waiting for their friend Sung-jong to return from the teacher’s faculty room.

                “Should we wait for him inside?” Dong-woo told Myung-soo, “there were a lot of news about kidnappings lately.” Myung-soo smiled because of his friend’s statement. Sung-gyu was right, Dong-woo is an angel.

                “Let’s go,” Myung-soo clung his right arm around Dong-woo’s neck and pulled him inside. Suddenly, Myung-soo’s phone rang so they stood on the side near the entrance of the building.

“Yes mom, I’ll be home earlier,” Myung-soo said through the phone, “and I’ll prepare dinner for us.”

                “Oh, don’t mind it my dear, I’ll just buy something on my way home,” Mrs. Kim said on the other line.  “Oh, by the way, bring Sung-jong with you, okay?” Myung-soo was slightly moving to look inside to check on Sung-jong.

                “Well, I’ll try mom, maybe I can also bring a new –” Myung-soo saw an unexpected sight that cause him to stop abruptly.

                “Myung-soo? My dear?” Myung-soo wasn’t able to speak up right away. “friend. I’ll call you later,” he said before ending the call. He walked forward to confirm what his eyes were seeing.

                Sung-jong was talking to a female teacher. Behind them stood the man from before. The black royal army man. He just stood there, but Myung-soo could feel that he was looking straight at him. He just felt that familiar uneasiness.

                “Yah Myung-soo!” Dong-woo suddenly called Myung-soo making him lose sight of the man. When he looked back, he was already gone.

“What are you looking at?” Dong-woo walked over and looked at where Myung-soo was staring. “Oh, Sung-jongie!” Dong-woo called loudly which gained him a few glares from the rest of the students and teachers in the lobby. Myung-soo chuckled because of that, but it didn’t change the uneasiness he felt. Did I just see a dark angel? Why am I seeing him always these past few days?

Myung-soo told the two about his mother’s request, and Sung-jong was more than happy to accept it. Dong-woo was a bit worried that Myung-soo’s mother might not like him, but was equally excited as well.

The three arrived at the house and all were mesmerized with what they saw.

“Myung, did you just hire a maid?” Sung-jong said, “I’ve never seen your house this clean when you’re mom is not around.” Suddenly, Sung-gyu emerged from the kitchen.

“Oh, you’re home!” Sung-gyu said.

“Angel hyung!” Sung-jong ran to Sung-gyu and shook both of his hands like a playful child, while Dong-woo fist bumped with him. Myung-soo remembered that his friends knew him as his cousin Angel.

“Hyung, why are you still here?” Myung-soo walked to enter the kitchen, “Mom could–”

“Surprise,” Myung-soo’s mother was already in front of the dining table, digging fork into spaghetti. “Come, Angel cooked spaghetti and I tell you… it’s the best spaghetti I ever tasted in my entire life.”

“Thanks auntie,” Sung-gyu said before laying out four more plates. Myung-soo, on the other hand was still baffled by what was happening.

“Myung, sit down and have your dinner,” Sung-gyu had to lead him to a chair while Sung-jong and Dong-woo didn’t need any assistance. As soon as the plates touched the table, Sung-jong and Dong-woo directly went for the serving spoon and grabbed a plate.

“By the way, Myung-soo,” Myung-soo’s mother cut him from his analysis, “Why didn’t you tell me your cousin came here? And why did you let Angel clean the house for you?”

“What!” Sung-jong said before turning to Myung-soo, “You did that?”

“Huh? No!” Myung-soo said, his head was messed even more.

“Auntie, I volunteered to clean the house,” Sung-gyu said. “Since Myung-soo let me stay here. Maybe Myung just forgot to tell you about me since he was always busy.”

Myung-soo’s mother nodded, and said “Yes, my busy, busy child. Was there something that I missed when I went abroad?”

“Myung, tell her about the contest,” Dong-woo told Myung-soo which brought the boy to a blush.

“Mom, remember the class pageant that I told you last month?” Myung-soo’s mother nodded tentatively. “Well…”

“Auntie! He won!” Sung-jong suddenly interrupted Myung-soo which surprised Mrs. Kim and the rest of the people on the table.

“Yah! I’m supposed to be the one to break the news!” Myung-soo said, “And, I’m not the only one who won… We’re partners, right?” Sung-jong raised his palm and Myung-soo gave him a high five.

“My baby, I’m so proud of you!” Mrs. Kim stood up from her seat and came to hug Myung-soo.

“Mom! Don’t do that in front of my friends. I’m not a little kid anymore,” Myung-soo said while struggling to get away from his mother’s hold.

“Fine, but as soon as they leave, I’ll give you a bear hug and pinch your cheeks like how I used to do when you’re little,” Mrs. Kim said as she returned to her seat after giving up. “Do you have a video or even pictures of the event?” she said.

“My cousin have the whole video of the pageant,” Sung-jong said.

“Jongie! You’re the best!” Mrs. Kim ruffled Sung-jong’s hair and judging by the reaction, Sung-jong liked it. “Aww, I wish my son wouldn’t remove my hand when I do this to him,” Mrs. Kim said. Before Myung-soo could even retort, Sung-gyu suddenly said something that surprised Myung-soo.

“Auntie, before we forget, I would like to ask about my schooling,” Sung-gyu said. Myung-soo looked at him as if saying, “what are you talking about?” but Sung-gyu just smiled before looking at Mrs. Kim.

“Ah, about the records that you will use to enroll, I’m sure we’ll be able to do something about it,” Mrs. Kim took out her phone and started dialing, “We know how hard it is to have everything you worked for be lost on fire. I’ll contact some people for you.”

Myung-soo gave another questioning look, but Sung-gyu just smiled at him even more which made him lose it. Myung-soo grabbed his hyung’s arm and pulled him up to his room.

“Sung-gyu hyung, what are you talking about?” Myung-soo said, Sung-gyu was standing in front of him, “Are you insane? What if people find out that you are not my cousin? And hyung, how can you lie like–”

Sung-gyu gave another of his hugs. When will this angel stop surprising me?

“I want to be with you too, just like Sung-jong, or Dong-woo.” Sung-gyu said before letting go, “I want to spent my life with you.”

That moment Myung-soo was dumfounded. Should he be happy? Or should he be worried already?