Chapter 10

Black cat

“L-love?” I’m not too sure whether I heard Chaeyoung right or I misunderstood her, and I don’t know what I want to hear either.

“If I have to tell you straightforwardly, then yes, you’re the one that I love.” Chaeyoung looked dead serious.

Love. Love isn’t something you can just say as you please. You shouldn’t say you love something when you’re not even sure about it. It’s not something you should play with. When Chaeyoung used the word ‘love’, is she being careless? Did it came out of anger?

I was too dubious to think of what to respond. From the past years, a fair amount of people had told me that they like me, but nobody had ever told me they ‘love’ me. There’s a huge difference. There is. “Chaeng….” Perhaps I was too overwhelmed that I was only able to utter her name, but Chaeyoung’s frown only grew deeper. Her eyes showed that she was hurt, and I don’t even know what to say.

She shook her head, and took off, leaving me standing at the restroom. 

Chaeyoung never told me she liked me. She never hinted me that she liked me. Or maybe she did, but I wasn’t able to notice. Still, how did she expect me to react? It felt like my mom just told me that I was a boy and my entire life was a lie. Okay, maybe that’s a bit too much. 

Before I can get back to the cafeteria, the door suddenly opened and in came Jisoo with an asian kid. She didn’t notice that I was inside and continued with what she as doing. She was holding his collar and the guy looked terrified. It’s no rocket science to figure out that she’s back to bullying again. People do take time to change, or maybe they don’t change at all.

Jisoo must’ve noticed me when I made my way towards the door. She immediately let go of her grip on the guy’s shirt, which was now wrinkled. “_-____.” Why is she even stuttering? It’s not like she promised me that she’ll stop with the bullying. 

I stared at her for a second, making her feel uncomfortable that she couldn’t look me in the eyes, and then I walked out of the restroom, the place where a lot of things happened. It’s a historical place.

“______! If you can’t focus then the team doesn’t need you there! Go to the bench!” Mia shouted, her voice echoing through out the gym, which became quiet for a couple of seconds, as if the world stopped and then after a second the buzzing continued. I didn’t even feel embarrassed. I didn’t feel anything. 

“Hey! You don’t have the right to shout at her!” I looked up and saw Jennie, her arms crossed, glaring at Mia. 

Mia copied Jennie and raised an eyebrow. “I have the right. I’m the captain.” 

“Well you better not do it again cause next time, you’ll be dead.” Jennie walked past Mia, intentionally bumping her shoulder.

Mia was right though. I was out of focus and I’m messing up our training. We only have a week and a half to prepare for our game and yet here I am with my mind floating to a certain someone.

“Are you okay?” Jennie sat beside me, placing her hand on my shoulder. If a while ago she was a dragon spitting fire, burning people alive, now she looked like a puppy looking at an abandoned puppy. I’m the abandoned puppy. I’m that pathetic puppy.

“You didn’t come back after you went to the restroom earlier. Did something happen?” She my head, just like how my mom used to. It felt nice but not nice enough for me to remove all my useless thoughts.

“I’m just tired.” Jennie was called by their captain so she didn’t have any choice but to go back to practice. While me, I stayed at the bench for the whole practice.

Should I call Chaeng? I haven’t seen her after what she told me. How can she just tell me that she likes me and then leave me after? She’s cruel. 

I held my phone and contemplated whether I should call her. That’s probably for the best so we can talk it out and yeah I should do that. Okay, breathe in breathe out. But wait, why am I even nervous? It’s just a call. Here we g—-

“Let’s go.” Jennie placed her arm over me, dragging me out of the gym. You know what? I’ll just call Chaeyoung later.

I stopped resisting since there’s really no point, she’ll drag me even if I said no. “Where are we going?” 

“Nowhere. We’ll see—-Oh!” Jennie skipped over to the Cotton candy vendor who makes flower shaped cotton candies. 

I used to love cotton candies when I was a kid and mom would always reprimand me and say that it’s bad for my teeth. Those sweets caused me to wear braces for a couple of years. It’s horrible.

“The pink one tastes better.” Jennie whispered after she ordered the pink one. The vendor sells blue, yellow, and pink flowers. 

Seriously though? “They all taste the same. It’s just food coloring.”

Jennie rolled her eyes and pouted. “You always burst my bubble.”

“I have to make sure you’re aware of the reality.” I flicked her forehead, making her pout even more. She’s adorable. Seriously. 

“I don’t know what’s reality. I’m always dreaming and it feels like I’m in heaven when I’m with you.” Her usual smirk appeared, and oh god why does she have to make me cringe ugh.

The vendor gave us the cotton candy and we paid for it. “You’re sweeter than this cotton candy. I’m going to have diabetes.”

She placed her arm over me again and leaned in dangerously close. “Then stop eating the cotton candy, have me instead.”

Geez. I shoved a piece of cotton candy on . “Shut up and just eat this.” 

We walked side by side, not really knowing where to go, when we stopped by a claw machine which had the characters from we bare bears. I don’t watch them but they’re extremely cute! 

Jennie held my cotton candy and I inserted a coin. First try, fail. Second, fail. Third, fail. Okay, if I lose again this time, I swear I’m gonna burn this claw machine——UGH!

“I can’t watch anymore! You’re so bad at this.”

How dare she! It’s so hard! “Then you try!” I took the cotton candies from her and let her try it. If she gets it in one try, then I’ll consider myself as a pathetic hapless kid.

But Jennie couldn’t. now where’s you’re confidence! Wait. I just said —-oh god I said it again. But okay, it’s completely normal, right?

Another coin was inserted and for the sixth time, Jennie’s attempt to get even just one bear failed. I could only laugh at her and laugh even more when she looked like she was so done.

“You know what? I give up. I’ll just buy you one next time. This claw machine is a scam!” She kicked the claw machine and ended up hurting herself even though she tried to act like she didn’t feel anything. Jennie and her pride.

Jennie walked me home while continuously ranting about claw machines and how it’s a cause of poverty in the country. She’s dwelling too much on the claw machine and her failure that she looked like a whiny kid.

For a moment, I was able to forget about Chaeyoung and her shocking confession.

To my surprise when I got home, mom was already sitting at the living room. I thought she said she was busy and couldn’t pick me up at school?

“Hey mom! Why are….” I was about to hug her when the look she was giving me is telling me that I’m in trouble. I’m quite sure I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Sit down.” Be humble, sit do—— okay this definitely isn’t the time to sing that song. I bit my lip and sat down carefully at the sofa. The room feels so cold.

“Don’t you have anything to tell me? I want to hear it directly from you.” Mom’s voice was calm and… eerie. There’s definitely something wrong. But I don’t what is. Or maybe this is about the shirt.

“Well, last Monday, coffee was poured on my shirt. I guess, it stained?” Is that why she’s mad? Cause if not, then I don’t know anymore.