Chapter Thirty Nine

~ Deranged ~

        Kyungsoo took one look at the sad sight and sighed. He scrunched his eyebrows and thought if he should go and talk to the poor thing. After a few seconds, he shook his head. It may be partly Kyungsoo’s fault but he’s not responsible for comforting the idiot. With a huff, he went on with serving in the eatery.

        When he came back into the kitchen, ready to cook another customer’s meal, he found that Chen still hasn’t moved from his forlorn position. With his knees folded to his chest and his head tucked between them, Chen sure made Kyungsoo uncomfortable especially since he situated himself on a corner in the room.

        But Kyungsoo doesn’t really want to approach him, so he just shrugged and continued with his work. The clang of pans and sizzle of oil a few moments later was what might have caused Chen to break his silence suddenly in a very loud manner.

        “Why?” the idiot exclaimed, startling Kyungsoo and making him burn a couple of his fingers on the pan. “Why do I drive people away?”

        The cook’s left eye twitched a little in annoyance but kept his quiet. Ignoring Chen almost always works.

        “First, that person from Gelo. Then, Kai! Why are they scared of me?” Chen cried out with frenzy.

        He hoped that the noise wasn’t disturbing the people eating in the eatery. Or else he will have to throw the owner’s brother out, which will be awkward for all of them. Especially because he’s sure he’ll be violent about it. He’d been living with this kind of wailing ever since they’d gone home from a day of work at the eatery and had found no Kai in the house a couple of days ago. He’s got a lot of pent up frustration against Chen.

        “Kyungsoo, tell me! Is it the way I speak? Or is it my face?” Chen asked with a sob. “No, not my face. I can’t change the way I look. Help me, Kyungsoo! What should I do?”

        “You’re overacting.” He said simply, calm and quiet. “Tone it down.”

        “Oh, no! Not you, too. I’m annoying you and you’ll leave me!” Chen stood up from the corner to grab at him, making him burn his other fingers. “Don’t leave me! No man is an island, Kyungsoo. I’ll die without friends!”

        Kyungsoo sighed for the second time. Perhaps it’s time to have the owner throw his own brother out to avoid future injuries.

        ~~~

        Chen was still pouting when it was time to close the eatery. He had spent the whole day annoying Kyungsoo instead of working, which was why he was still here. His brother had heard his hysterics in the kitchen and had barged in to drag him away from Kyungsoo. Chen had been reprimanded and forced to stay behind after closing to help clean up the place. So her