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[Rei]

After a couple of days having my Southern grandparents around, which felt like a breath of fresh air, who have now returned home. I was so close to tagging along if it weren’t for the old man casting me stinky eyes. Damn. For a while, I thought that my Yakuza grandparents had called them over, but no. My Southern grandparents came on their own will. Grandma Eunsuh said, “Call it the instinct of a grandmother.”

The moment after Grandma Eunsuh realized what was going on within me, the lady brewed her own special drink called “Cleanse,” I asked her why and she answered “The purpose of this drink is to restart your system. Reboot, they say it. It cleanses your poisonous blood, replacing it with new fresh ones. We’re rejuvenating you.”

Originally, the drink tasted very bitter. Her words, not mine. So, she made it bitter-less and it tasted like tea without sugar. But despite how it tastes like – God damn – the pain I went through after drinking her “Cleanse” tea felt as if someone had kicked me on the head, stabbed my body with knives, breaking the bones of my legs to pieces, and numbing my entire body. It was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever gone through.

I passed out, yet again, for the second time that day. But once I woke up, I felt as fresh as the morning breeze. For the first time in my life, I felt the peace surging through every vein in my body. But it was too good to be true, the feeling dispersed into thin air when Tama Ojichan decided to rain on my parade. It’s sad, but what can I do? This is my reality!

We’re all – no – I’m grateful for them to drop by even if it was only for a few days, but they still managed to get on a bus and head up to see us, most importantly me. And I survived from this silent killer. So, thank you so much, Eunsuh grandmama.

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I was just minding my own business, wasting time in the library, when all of a sudden I feel someone’s presence lingering behind me. I don’t care who it was, but I’m going to drain the life out of them and elbowed their gut with force.

“Ooof!” The latter fell on all fours, his face paled. That single blow in the gut would’ve caused serious damages if I did it on a normal human being, but it was just Mark. He’ll be fine in a minute or so.

I like seeing him in pain. Wow! I’m a sadist! I just realized how evil I am, I swear, something’s wrong with me.

“You should never be out in the public,” His voice hoarse “You should be chained up in a cell with no food or water.”

I scoffed, eyeing him who was still on the floor withering in pain “You’d like that, huh?” Who’s the sadist now?

“Oh, you have no idea!” Finally, I heard him taking a deep breath. “I would’ve died if I was just a mere poor human.”

“And I’ll mark today as the best day of my life.” I laughed gleefully “Oh, excuse the pun.”

He scowled, “It was terrible!” Slowly getting up on his feet “You should just stick to being serious and moody.”

I chuckled dryly before flipping him the bird. I turn my attention back to the shelf of novels, my eyes gleam in excitement. I picked out a book, inspecting it with curiosity, deep down I know that I’m going to enjoy being in this book’s company.

“The Picture of Dorian Grey,” He reads the title, sounding almost surprised “Didn’t know you were into those dark romance literature.”

I smirked, “There’s so much you don’t know about me, Tuan.”

He scoffed “And I don’t need to,”

I had expected that, but what I didn’t expect was the tug of odd discomfort in my chest which I ignored it wholeheartedly. “Damn right you don’t. Now, excuse me.” I held the book firmly in my grasp, and with one mission in my head, find the exit.

Before I was able to do such things, he grabbed my elbow “Wait, please.” He let out a steady sigh “I didn’t mean it like that.”

I zero in on his grip which still remains on my arm. Why would he bother to correct his words?

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