Chapter 12:

With widened eyes, Sora stared at the man who just claimed to be Seungyoon’s father. Shock was written all over her face.

“Who are you?” The man asked curiously.

“Sora. Kim Sora. I’m Seungyoon’s classmate.”

“Classmate?” The man nodded and shifted slightly, the smile still plastered on his face. “Is Seungyoon there?”

“Y-Yes, inside. I-I’ll see if he can come right now.” Sora replied in a stutter.

The man made a step towards the door at the same time when Sora wanted to close it. Both of them stopped in their tracks, surprised eyes met equally surprised ones.

“May I enter?” The corners of his mouth lifted themselves up.

Sora returned his smile with a sweet one. “I’m sorry. I’m not really in a position to give permission since this isn’t my place. I need to ask Seungyoon first.”

Once again, she attempted to close the door but the man blocked it yet again.

“I know since we don’t know each other, you’re wary. I can totally understand you! But still, I’m his father. I do think that I have the right to enter, no?” The man asked slowly in an amused tone as if to make sure the stupid girl in front of him will understand it. The polite smile was still present. “Can I then at least wait inside just here at the doorway? You’ll still be able to keep an eye on me.”

“Uhh... okay...” Sora reluctantly agreed before stepping aside to let the man enter.

As he said, he stayed at the doorway as Sora made her way across the room to Seungyoon’s bedroom. With a quick last glance back at the man, Sora disappeared in the inside, calling Seungyoon who was in the bathroom.

The man let his gaze wander around the place. He spotted the few books on the small table in front of the couch, a stack of papers, the pile of DVDs next to the DVD player. The kitchen corner was clean and tidy as well as the rest of the room.

How unusual...

His eyes fell on the shoe rack next to him, everything was properly put away. There was nothing to complain about, the room looked impeccable.

Was it her that made it like this?

Suddenly, something on the shoe rack caught his attention.

The apartment key with a wooden elephant as a keychain.

The man reached for it with a small smile on his lips.

There was a commotion inside the bedroom as a furious looking Seungyoon stormed outside. For a split second a shocked expression crossed his face before it was replaced by a furious one again.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He snarled as the stood in front of his father. “What the do you think to simply enter my house?”

“Language, my son. You don’t want to scare your young friend over there, do you?” His father eyed Sora who stood at the doorway of his bedroom. “It was her who was so nice to let me in. Kim Sora, isn’t it?”

“Cut your ing small-talk. If you don’t want anything, then get the heck out!” Seungyoon placed himself in front of his father’s eyes, taking his attention away from Sora.

“You’re too vulgar, my son.” His father said in a dispraising tone as his eyes fell on Sora yet again, ignoring his own son in front of him.

Sora who was able to read the atmosphere well gave the man a blank stare before turning around and closing the bedroom door.

Seungyoon balled his fists at his father’s actions and gritted his teeth. Hearing the shutting of the door, he finally let go of his restrains and cursed at his father.

“Get the out right now before I call the police on you!”

“You want to call the police on me?” His father chuckled. “Do you know who I am? Do you know who you are? You with your dirty past want to call the police to help you to throw me out? How ironic...”

“Shut up, you bastard! ” Seungyoon pushed the man backwards to the door.

“Know your place.” His father opened the door and exited but not before turning around once more to give him one last grin. “An interesting friend that you have there, Seungyoon.”

Seungyoon slammed the door close and staggered to the couch. He felt like all the energy left his body and he slumped on the couch. He hugged his knees and buried his head under his arms.

He felt sick.

A soft clicking sound followed by approaching footsteps indicated him Sora’s arrival.

“I’m sorry. I think it’s better we postpone the movie until next time.” Seungyoon whispered.

For a second, he wasn’t sure if Sora heard him but then he heard some shuffling around him again and a door closed. Suddenly, something soft was wrapped around him.

Surprised, Seungyoon lifted his head to come face to face with Sora who settled next to him. She took the blanket from his bedroom and draped it over his shoulders. Sora didn’t say a word as she firmly took his hand in hers and squeezed it. With her other hand, she patted on his comfortingly before she faced to the front again. Not once did her eyes meet his.

“It’s okay.” She murmured again and again. “It’s okay, you know.”

Seungyoon could only stare at her. She didn’t say anything more nor did she do anything else but to hold his hand, yet Seungyoon couldn’t feel any more relieved.

He felt so strangely comforted, his vision started to get blurry. Slowly one single tear drop slipped down his face as he buried his head on his knees again. Soon more and more tears followed as Seungyoon cried his heart out.

Finally... after such a long time.

Someone who understood what he needed. Not many comforting words, not many sympathetically gazes, not many consoling actions, only a hand to hold his, only a presence staying next to him while he needed his own time.

Seungyoon couldn’t help but bring out a chocked chuckle as he remembered the last time when he cried that much was almost ten years ago ...

Ten years ago with his mother at his side...

Ten years ago with a broken heart...

Ten years ago because of the same person...

The evening still ended in a light and warm tone. Both of them proceeded with their plans of eating pizza and watching the movie.

After a storm, comes a calm. Right? No actually it’s the calm before the storm…

Seungyoon and Sora had much fun with the action-comedy movie which brought both of them hurting stomachs from too much laughter.

Later that evening at exactly 9 o’clock, Seungyoon accompanied Sora outside his apartment building where they waited for her car.

When it finally arrived, Sora hugged Seungyoon tightly as if she wanted to say more to him than just ‘goodbye’.

Seungyoon returned the tight hug but opposite Sora, he voiced out what he wanted to tell her.

“Thank you.”

When Seungyoon returned inside again, he locked his apartment door and threw his key carelessly on top of the shoe rack.

There is one thing that Seungyoon came to realize that evening.

There was one thing that his mother would always tell him when he was young which he never quite understood, no matter how often he tried it. At that time, he could only scratch his head in confusion while it became a memory.

“Friends are able to understand each other even without words.”

“Yes?”

“Joo, it’s me again. I need you to look up another person for me, please.”

“Of course. Who is it?”

“Kim Sora. She is in the same class as Seungyoon.”

“Alright. Student information is quick to be found, I’ll send you everything soon.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh... by the way the report of the doctor you’ve been searching for is almost ready. There aren’t that many which fitted your detailed description which you sent me per mail. Only one managed to score a perfect 100 percent. I’ll bring it to you soon.”

“Good, thanks. I’ll see you later on.”

Memories.

Bad memories flooded Seungyoon’s mind when he opened the brown rectangular-shaped case which was inside the package that was lying in front of his apartment door when he came home.

His unbelieving eyes stared at the object lying inside when a piece of paper between the strings caught his attention.

Seungyoon.

I won’t stop trying. Please understand that I care so much about you.

I saw this some time ago and I remembered how much you loved it and how happy you were with it.

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