Date: September 2, 2018

Jin’s POV

                I was weak in the knees. Not the kind of weak that sends your heart fluttering after looking into the eyes of your lover. I really wished it was, though. Unfortunately, it was the kind of weak that left your entire body convulsing in pain. It was the kind of weak you felt after losing a game of League. I never knew a girl that small could kick that hard.


                 “Are you gonna leave now or what?” she rudely demanded as I stood there holding my crotch to contain the pain. “This is my spot. Learn not to trespass next time.” She pushed past me when she realized I was unmoving and reclaimed her seat. I watched as she rapidly type her login information into the computer and happily sighed as her desktop came to view. Her background was a photo of Rammus from League of Legends.


                 She plays too?


                 I looked back over my shoulder towards the counter at Mr. Nahm, who shrugged at me and resumed his mobile game. Annoyed at his apathy and betrayal, I hurried over and hissed, “Man, how could you let her do that to me? I thought we were homies. Plus, I’ve been playing here for so long!”


                 “Be nice, she’s a girl. You gotta be nice to the ladies if you want pus–”

                 “Please don’t,” I interjected as I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply trying not to think of the vulgar sentence he was about to complete. He ertedly smiled at me, acknowledging that I was just about done with his antics. “I just don’t think it’s fair that she gets to claim a spot in a public gaming cafe. Everyone knows it’s first come first serve, and I should get to sit where I want.”

                 “Son, if you wanted to claim a spot I would’ve let you do the same,” he said. “All ya had to do was ask.”

                 “What? You’re saying if I wanted to, I could ask you right now and–”

                 “Nah, too late. If I gave you special treatment too, what kind of an owner would I be? All the other players would flock to me asking for the same. She’s also a really good gamer, so a lot of kids come here to watch her play. Early bird gets the worm – guess you’re stuck eating poop,” he slapped his knee and cackled evilly at his own joke. “Now get back to playing and quit complaining. You ain’t ever been taught how to be a gentleman by your umma?”

                 I ignored the stinging sensation that came of his question and returned back to the stations. Just to spite her, I chose the seat right next to the little midget and logged onto my computer hoping she’d be annoyed at just my presence – but she was unbothered. From behind, I could hear the guys quietly cheering her on; sneaking a glimpse at her profile, I watched as a devilish smirk played on her lips. Her hand-eye coordination was like no other – everyone here knew me as one of the best gamers, but as she violently clicked at the screen and watched as every monster died under her wrath, I knew she would probably beat me at every match.

                 “So, uh,” I nervously cleared my throat, “You play League, too?”


                 “Shut up if you don’t wanna die,” she grumbled, eyes tightly glued to the screen. I watched as they quickly darted back and forth, following her next targets.


                 I gulped.


                 What are you so nervous about? You’re a good gamer, too. Maybe you can form an ally with her? Then you’ll both be known as the best players in – wait, what the hell am I saying? This midget kicked me in the nuts earlier. Nope, nevermind.


                 “How about this – we’ll play a match against each other and if I win, I get to – ”


                 My phone sent out three intense consecutive vibrations, signaling that my father was calling.


                 I picked up the phone.


                 “Jin, where are you? We need to discuss the stock options – the market is looking pretty good right now. Come right away,” he sternly ordered.


                 I swiveled around in my chair, making sure my back was turned away from the girl. “I told you, I don’t want to,” I hissed under my breath. “I have my own plans.”

                 “If you want to be an independent thinker, you’re going to have to be financially independent as well. If you don’t come now, I will stop paying for your classes,” he threatened. “Son, I need your help. I’m not going to live forever; someone needs to watch over the company when I’m gone.”

                 “You have other sons,” I answered bitterly.

                 “We’ve been through this before. None of them have the drive that you do – I trust you the most Jin. While I do love your brothers, it’s difficult to teach them with such a busy schedule. And now that their mother is gone, I have to juggle everything. You have to understand – “


                 “Maybe you shouldn’t have abandoned mom then,” I coldly cut him off and ended the call.

                 Every call from him sent my blood boiling. It’d all be the same every time.


                 I quickly turned back to my station, put on my headset, and logged onto League – completing disconnecting myself from the rest of the world. For the rest of the evening, I kept myself occupied, match after match. At some point time, I look out the window to find the sky pitch black and decided that it was about time I headed home. As I pushed my chair back in and headed towards the door, I glanced at the girl through the reflection of the windows.

                 Her head subtly turned to the side, and her eyes were just barely fixated on my back. She listened as I pushed through the door, sending the Christmas bells ringing into the darkness.

Jisoo’s POV

                 “I’m home!” I hollered into the house as I closed and locked the front door behind me. Fumbling over my own feet, I somehow managed to messily remove my shoes and kicked them to the corner wall.

                 My mother rolled out in her wheelchair with a blanket scarf draped over her knees to keep herself warm, “Hey sweetie, how was your day?” She opened her arms for a hug. I rushed into her embrace and stuffed my face into her neck, deeply inhaling in the smell of her lavender shampoo.

                 “Eh, it was so-so,” I replied as I walked off into the kitchen to find something to eat, my mind playing through all the hapless events that happened today.

                 Helen, our housekeeper but more so a beloved aunt, playfully smacked me on my behind as I crouched down into the refrigerator, rummaging for something I could turn into a quick meal. “Why are you home so late? Here, let me make you something to eat.”

                 “Just uh, been studying,” I lied. “Mom, is dad– “

                 “No,” she curtly responded. “He’s never home anymore. If you’re going out to the backyard, remember to layer up. It’s getting cold outside. I’m going to bed first.”



                 Helen quickly finished up the sandwich she was assembling and wheeled my mother back into her room. I hurriedly gobbled up my late dinner, threw on a hoodie, and grabbed my katana from my closet. Careful not to make too much noise, I grabbed my tennis shoes from the front and quietly slid open the kitchen door, giving me direct access to the backyard.

                 The first puff of exhalation from my lips formed a soft white smoke, contrasting against the dark skies. I watched as it quickly dispersed under the light of the full moon. I checked my phone. It read 10:42 pm. I had a good hour of training before I needed to rest for the night.


                 In front of me were a hundred wooden stakes, firmly planted into the ground. Loosely attached to each of them were hay dolls that were assembled by Helen while I was gone. Today, a few stakes were empty – assumingly because Helen had left her task to help my mother with something midway, but that was a non-issue. The corner of the yard usually held a couple of extra dummies, so I went ahead and assembled them onto the bare posts and recentered myself.

                 Tonight, I didn’t need any other source of light other than the moon – and that was just how I liked it. I put my wireless earpods on and selected my usual playlist titled “Mom, it’s not just a phase,” which was a compilation of really emo tracks and anime openings that made me reminisce about my childhood. I began loosening up my joints with a few stretches and in-place jogging.


                 As soon as the chorus of “Taking Off” by ONE OK ROCK dropped, I began charging at the dolls – slashing at them mercilessly. The sound of my blade whistling against the wind sent my adrenaline rushing; the more dolls I cut through, the hungrier I felt for more – it was a euphoric trance. It was only when I cut down the last one did I regain a sense of reality, feeling droplets of hot sweat roll down the side of my temples. I speared my katana into the ground and kneeled down to catch my breath – music still playing in my ears, but now slightly muted by the loud vibrations of my heart beat.


                 After cooling down for a little while, I began practicing my katana cut techniques until I felt my arms surrendering under the weight of my sword. It was then that I brushed myself off and headed back inside, washed up, and prepared myself for a well-deserved slumber.


                 I climbed into bed and made sure my alarm was properly set for tomorrow’s lecture at 10:00 am – which I personally didn’t want to go to, but was obligated to so that I could reconcile with Jennie. I then briefly checked through my social media platforms to see what my former high school friends were up to nowadays, but quickly exited the apps when I realized they lived a starkly different lifestyle from mine. Suddenly, I felt a tinge of nostalgia and began longing for the days when my family life wasn’t so fragmented. My dad was never home, my mom was homebound due to her health conditions, and my brother was in the States studying to become a doctor. It wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on, but as isolated as I already was, coming home to a quiet house was something that drove me absolutely insane.


                 I grabbed my phone and texted my brother.


                 “Hey Namjoon, what’s up? Just finished training over here.”


                 A few seconds later, I received a reply.


                 “Nothing much. Getting ready for rounds at the hospital.”


                 Another one came shortly after.


                 “You’re thinking again huh? Go to sleep Jisoo. Everything will be fine.”


                 He was right. I was thinking too much. I chucked my phone back onto the couch beside my bed and waited for exhaustion to knock me out.