♥ Joon: Rival ♥
Lady Love
♥ Joon ♥
It's a little bit late for me to realize that the guy who asked the direction to Heart Garden is actually the same guy I saw at the bookstore with Ai, the one that made Ai changed her attitude coldly.
"His name is Lee Byunghun. We took the same course at Le Cordon Bleu. He used to be called as 'Joe' for short."
That's the only explanation she gave to me about the guy named Lee Byunghun. I didn't ask anything on my way to Heart Garden with him since I didn't remember who he is until I talked to Minhyuk.
I was in a complete surprise when I saw Minhyuk fainted through the window. The cafe was closed and there were only two of them inside. Ai was in a shock state when Minhyuk just fell down without any warning.
Apparently Minhyuk was drunk. When I helped her to bring Minhyuk to her room, she told me that she had no idea that he has zero tolerance for alcohol so she thought Makgeolli would be fine for him.
Ai prepared a glass of water for Minhyuk and asked if it's fine for me to wait for him to wake up. She said she wanted to talk with her friend for a moment downstairs.
Now that I remember about their mysterious relationship, knowing that Ai still has feeling for someone I don't know, I start to suspect him as the one Ai talked about.
Was he her boyfriend? What kind of past did they share that made Ai, the Lady Love who gives encouragement to every requester, unable to move on from their memories?
"...still love you."
I freeze on my stand upon the words I just heard. I am only three steps away from the first floor, hidden by the wall.
It's a girl's voice, meaning... Ai?
"Therefore I'm not going to ask why you returned here or why you showed up in front of me. I'm not going to care about the reason you lied to me or left without telling me anything," Ai speaks with monotone. "Please don't change anything, Byunghun."
I clench my fists unconsciously, feeling impatient for what kind of reply Lee Byunghun will give to her. Why does Ai sound so desperate?
"I can't change anything, Ai," he responds with calm tone. "You have every right to ask me. You have every right to hate me. You have every right to hurt me. Just the same way I have the right to keep loving you."
His confession causes me to drop my jaw in silence. How could he just say the word of 'love' so smooth like that? Either he is a player or...
"Stop with the sweet words," Ai states and I can't figure out what kind of expression she is putting on right now. "I met a lot of people in the past year and I'm kind of immuned with the sweet talk already."
There are silence in the air for four seconds before Byunghun says, "Sure, you can refuse listening to whatever I say. I'm not going to blame you but you-"
"No!" Ai screams and, as if I'm alarmed, I rush out from my hiding spot to check what happens to her. Apparently Byunghun doesn't even touch her. She just closes her ears, an action to show how much she wants to avoid listening to his words.
Byunghun's eyes stop on me, "Ah, Joon."
As her hearing catches my name, Ai opens her eyes. She is surprised for sure, "Joon? What are-"
She clears , lowering her hands and pretends that nothing happened just now, "Is Minhyuk awake?"
"Oh...," I nod randomly, feeling awkward to stand here, facing the two persons who shared one chapter of life together. "He's awake."
"Good," Ai retorts shortly. "I'll check on him."
"Ageusia," Byunghun speaks a word that I don't understand at all which I'm pretty sure Ai understands.
Because she stops on her track and turns to face Byunghun with shock all written on her face. Actually it's not shock. It's more like disbelief and fear combined in one.
"That's the reason why I left," Byunghun smiles faintly. "That's the reason why I couldn't tell you the truth."
He bows slightly and leads himself to the door, muttering politely, "Now I shall take my leave. Good night, Ai, Joon."
Lee Byunghun leaves, I stand still, Minhyuk is still somewhat tipsy, and Ai...
She suddenly sat down on the floor as if the word 'ageusia' made her go weak at the knees. Moreover a tear escapes her eyes, rolling down on her cheek, "It's a lie..."
"Ai?" panic gets me and I quickly squat down next to her, trying to think of something. "What? Why do you cry? Are you-"
"Ai?"
I lift up my head to see Minhyuk at the top of staircase. He walks down the stairs carefully, landing down safely at Ai's other side, "What happened? Why... Ai?"
"Why?" Ai mumbles to herself, not even bothering to look at me or Minhyuk. She bites her bottom lip, dropping her gaze, "Why didn't he tell me? Why... It's impossible..."
"Ai," Minhyuk holds her shoulders, trying to make eye contact directly with her. "What's wrong? Why are you crying, Ai? Ai, wh-"
All of a sudden, she stands up, gazing at the door which Byunghun just walked through, "I must talk to him. It can't be real. I-"
I was going to stop her from going anywhere in that kind of state but my cousin is faster than me. He pulls her wrist and, once he stands up, he keeps her unmoved as he hugs her tight.
"It's okay, Ai," Minhyuk comforts her with closed eyes. He her hair slowly, "I'm with you now. It's okay. Nothing to worry about."
None says anything until a minute passes when Ai breaks the silence, "I need some sleep."
"Of course," Minhyuk lets go of her, smiling weakly. "Come on. You need a really good rest tonight, Ai."
However she rejects his offer to walk her to the room. She asks if I'm fine with walking Minhyuk back since she feels extremely tired. At least when she asks this, she doesn't look... soulless.
"Sure," I force a wide smile, fighting the monster called jealousy in my heart. "Have a good rest, Ai. We... I'll see you again next time."
She bids us a simple 'good night' before locking the door, letting me to have the time I need to clear up something with Minhyuk.
He once said that Lady Love is his friend, a companion whom he knew for quite a while. I thought they're college friends but, no, Ai studied in a Culinary School.
Then Ai convinced me with a lie, saying that he's her boyfriend and he didn't deny it either. He said it's because Ai asked him to pretend so.
He's always around Ai during most of the times since I became her requester. I thought it's because I am his cousin...
...but now, as if someone just cleared out the cloud from my mind, I come to a realization: Minhyuk has special feeling towards Ai.
Why did I just realize it now? How could I become so blind until now?
"Hyuk," I call him, ignoring the fact that he still doesn't look good due to the alcohol effect. "Tell me something."
"Hmm?" Minhyuk responds, massaging his forehead gently. "What is it, Hyung?"
We already walked half the journey to his house and I need a good explanation for this wavering heart; both because of Byunghun's confession, Ai's tear, and now Minhyuk's hidden feeling.
"Why do you treat Ai so special?"
Minhyuk stops walking, throwing me a confused look. He frowns, "Special? Didn't she say that every girl needs to be treated as good as possible? I'm trying my best to do her lessons."
"Lee Minhyuk," I stare at him, deciding to ask him straight to the point. "Do you like Ai?"
We exchange looks without words. I don't know what's running in his mind but, for now, I secretly hope he will not give me any kind of answer that will make me feel bad.
I am proven wrong later on.
"Even if I do, will it change anything, Hyung?" he asks me back with a slight smile. "I introduced you to her, remember?"
"Yes, to help my way to Miyoung's heart," I add, start to panicking a little inside. "My heart asks for someone else now, Hyuk."
He shakes his head slowly, trying his best to fight his spinning head, I believe, "Your heart never asks. Your heart leads you. It doesn't demand you or anyone to have anything. You want to win Ai's heart. I get it, Hyung. I get it."
"But I'm not your rival here even if I'm serious to chase after her," Minhyuk continues his steps. "You should be careful and aware of someone else."
I fasten my pace, frowning, "Do you mean Lee Byunghun?"
"Nope," he tucks his hands inside of the jacket pockets, smirking, "Yourself."
"You see, Hyung," Minhyuk keeps talking, not even glancing at me, knowing that I keep listening to every word spoken by him, "you're a good guy. You really are but it's ironic fact. No matter how good you are, you still don't get what you want."
"Yes, I like Ai," he states the fact that I don't want to hear. "Perhaps even more than that. It's just friendship at the start line. Curiosity, friendship, and, now, I guess I just want to be by her side."
I stop moving when he does so as well. He heaves a sigh before looking at me, "What do you want to do now, Hyung?"
I am speechless by his simple question.
What do I want to do?
Trying to convince Ai that I'm serious about my feeling for her? Putting both Minhyuk and Byunghun as rivals when I know exactly they have known Ai longer than I have? Give up?
I don't know.
"I can go back by myself now," Minhyuk walks to me, patting my shoulder twice. "Until you know which direction you want to take, I can't really help you, Hyung."
"Oh, right," Minhyuk suddenly remembers something. "It's just a secret that two of us know. Let's keep it as a secret safely. I'll see you later then, Joon Hyung. Good night."
He walks away alone to the direction of his house while I am still stunned with everything.
First Ai stated she still loves someone else then her possible ex-boyfriend showed up, mentioning a word that I don't understand, Ai cried, Minhyuk stated that he likes Ai, and I don't know what I want to do.
No.
What should I do really?
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Author's Note:
Last updated 12 September 2013. It's 24 November 2013 today.
I'm truly sorry for the rare update but I will try my best to cope with it. ;)
Feel free to drop comments or mention me @AFFkyuri91 at Twitter. :)
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