Four | Dark Blue

Pastel Heart: The Fourth Chapter

 

“Excuse me,” Sehun said. “You,” he pointed at Suin, “met him and you didn’t tell me?” 

Suin shrugged, the smile on her face had vanished, “It was about twenty minutes ago,” she glanced at Sehun, “and I don’t really know that he’s the Chen you’re talking about.”  

Sehun gave Jongdae an apologetic look, but he didn’t say anything against Suin. He seemed like he didn’t even bother to protect Jongdae in front of Suin, and Jongdae felt a bit betrayed actually. He felt like his pride was being stomped and trampled by a girl who was actually the same age as him- he read that on the article. He clearly understood and acknowledged that the girl was the nation’s pride, but he was lost on why she seemed to be so fond of humiliating him.

Kyungsoo, who noticed how Jongdae’s jaw clenched, held Jongdae’s wrist while keeping his gaze at Suin. Kyungsoo had heard many stories about the artist, but he had never really encountered the real situation until now. Suin was notoriously known for her different ways of treating people. Kyungsoo could only judge the level of Suin’s queerness now.

“Sehun,” Suin broke the tense atmosphere, “I told you that it’ll be pointless. I’m leaving.” With those words said, Suin walked away as if she didn’t do anything wrong. Jongdae felt really upset that he had actually forgotten that Sehun was there, holding three albums.

“Suin’s not that bad,” Sehun began to talk, and he was arranging his words carefully so that he wouldn’t hurt the feeling of his favourite singer. It was useless though, since Jongdae already held something bad towards Sehun. “She has always been that way since she got famous,” Sehun added, and Jongdae honestly felt like Sehun was giving the wrong information; it was making Jongdae to turn against Suin more.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Kyungsoo stepped into the scene earlier before Jongdae, when he noticed that the latter was gonna carelessly blurt out something, “are you and Suin related in any way?”

Sehun giggled, “We’re cousins, and it was purely- not really sure about that- coincidental that we ended up being submitted into the hospital at the exact time, and placed in a room that’s just next to each other.”

“So you’re her cousin,” Kyungsoo emphasized the word ‘cousin’ with hope that Jongdae would realize the consequences if he was ever gonna backbite Park Suin. “We understand that Miss Park must be having a really hard time, considering the stress she’s under.”

At the last statement, Sehun went quiet and he was wearing a serious expression. He looked really different from the excited high school student who was being giddy for being able to meet his favourite singer personally. Kyungsoo wasn’t gonna lie; he felt a bit bothered by the sudden and significant change of Sehun’s expression. It wasn’t only his reputation as a manager that was being put at stake, it’s Jongdae’s reputation that he needed to take care of the most.

“Here’s your first album,” Sehun made a startling transformation and the giddy male vibe was back around him. Sehun handed in the album to Jongdae to be signed and Jongdae glanced at Kyungsoo, clearly confused. It wasn’t normal for them to meet that kind of people, and if Jongdae gotta admit, Sehun was quite good at controlling his expressions.

“Where do you want me to sign, and do you have a pen or marker?” Jongdae asked, despite being in the dark. He watched Sehun as the young boy pulled put a marker from the pocket of his pants.

Jongdae silently accepted the marker from Sehun before he put his signature on his first album. He made sure to make the slight curl on his signature a bit too artistic and curly to give an indirect confession to Sehun that he actually felt really special by the way Sehun was acting in front of him. After he made his finishing touch, which was adding drabbles and doodles here and there on the album’s cover, Sehun handed in another album. It was the same cycle over and over again until Jongdae finished his masterpiece on the third album of his that Sehun owned.   

“Thank you,” Sehun muttered, his eyes sparkling in excitement. “I must have saved the nation during my former life to be able to meet you.”

Jongdae felt a pang of pride in his heart but he played it cool, “It’s fine. It’s really nice to meet you.” Jongdae added the comment about the fateful incident with Suin in his mind. As far as inexperienced he was in doing public relation stunt, he knew the basic thing about not talking behind somebody’s back. That could only be done with Kyungsoo, but not a mere stranger- fan.

Sehun blushed as he hugged the three albums, “If you don’t mind, we could hang out together. Most of the times I don’t have anything to be done, anyway and I really want to befriend you.”

Before Jongdae even managed to think of a polite reply, Kyungsoo spoke first, “I’m afraid that’s not possible, Mister Oh since Chen’s probably gonna get discharged after a few days.”

“That’s a bit,” Sehun paused to think of a correct word, “unfortunate for me then. Guess I’m just gonna depend on the company of a television to entertain me.”   

“You have a television in your room?” Jongdae asked, his voice showed a sign of interest. Kyungsoo dabbed Jongdae’s body with his elbow, but Jongdae chose to ignore the act.

“You don’t have one in your room?” Sehun asked, clearly confused. “I thought that each room has one.”

“I had one, until it was taken away,” Jongdae answered.

Kyungsoo quickly pulled Jongdae away from Sehun, “Mister Oh, the both of us are-“

“Going to the restroom for a while,” Jongdae cut Kyungsoo’s words, and it was him who was leading the way now. He dragged Kyungsoo with him to the restroom and he made sure that Sehun wasn’t following them when he closed the door.

“What are you planning on doing,” Kyungsoo whispered, clearly trying to get into the dramatic mode. “Who knows if that kid is a stalker? He might be one of those scary stalkers and you’re giving yourself in too easily.”  

Jongdae ruffled his hair, “Just this time, Kyungsoo. Give me a chance to feel a real relaxation and do things that I’m actually allowed to do.”

“He’s just a fan Jongdae. You can’t be attached.”

“That’s my point, Manager Do,” Jongdae retorted. “He’s actually one of my very few fans, and I wanna show him my appreciation instead of disappointing him. Have you seen his face? He’s being genuine, and I doubt that somebody who has the Park Suin as a cousin would go that low to be a stalker.”  

“You’re not thinking properly,” Kyungsoo whispered, this time, even airier than before. “You’re depressed,” he stated, “and you need me to tell you that you’re not doing the right thing.”

“Stop, Kyungsoo,” Jongdae said. “This is our third argument in just today.”

“So you’re expecting me to just watch you making a wrong decision? You want me to pretend as if you’re excellent at contemplating about this kind of things?”

“I don’t know, Kyungsoo,” Jongdae said, “I’m too tired.”

Jongdae opened the door of the restroom, totally ignoring Kyungsoo who was repeatedly calling his name. Jongdae felt too tired, and he didn’t know why. Kyungsoo and him were always in an argument, yet Jongdae barely lost his temper before. There would be raised voices and cold gestures occurring between the two of them, yet Jongdae was never one to lose the grasp on his anger.

Suddenly, everything felt too burdensome. Suddenly, even Kyungsoo was giving him the pain as well.

Jongdae feigned a wide smile when he saw Sehun who still standing on his initial spot, “Did we make you wait too long?”

Sehun replied, “It worth it.” He stared into Jongdae’s eyes, and it was obvious that Sehun was anticipating an answer, “So, are you gonna hang out with me?”

Jongdae heard the echo of Kyungsoo’s voice in his mind, yet his answered was still the same, “Of course, it’s a good way to kill my times.”

Sehun showed the way to his room and Jongdae just followed the lead. Truthfully, the possibility that Sehun was a stalker never occurred in Jongdae’s mind until Kyungsoo pointed it out. Jongdae gave himself a reasonable distance from Sehun, just in case the young boy was gonna turn insane. Jongdae actually pitied himself for being a hypocrite; he refused to let Kyungsoo assisting him, yet he was still using Kyungsoo’s piece of thoughts as his shield.

“We’re here,” Sehun said as he opened the door to his room. Sehun was about to let Jongdae in when he saw something, “and Suin’s here as well.”

Sehun frowned in worries, probably worried about how Jongdae was feeling especially after the unintentional- Sehun believed- that was thrown by Suin.

“I don’t know who allowed her to load her painting stuffs here,” Sehun glanced at the canvas which was put right in front of the window. ‘That’s gonna be really disturbing.”

“Move,” a voice from their back suddenly appeared and Sehun jumped in shock. Jongdae, who was mysteriously wasn’t wavered by the voice, stood still while turning his head to face the voice’s owner.

“Seriously, Suin,” Sehun groaned, but he seemed to be keeping his complaints to himself. “What are you gonna do?”

Suin snorted, “Are you a fool? Of course I’m gonna paint; what else are these brushes for.” Jongdae’s existence remained unnoticed- or Suin probably just didn’t care.

Sehun kept his lips sealed this time, “I’m so sorry about this,” he apologized to Jongdae.

“It’s totally fine,” Jongdae answered, although he felt a slight anger in him. “We can just turn on the television and watch anything.”

Sehun blinked his eyes, “You’re gonna stay?” he asked, because he actually expected for Jongdae to wrap things up and just settle in his own room. “You’re not gonna mind Suin?”   

Jongdae hesitated, “Not really. I mean, she’s gonna focus on her painting right?” he said while staring at Suin who seemed really busy setting up her painting equipments. The equipments were set perfectly without any glitch, and Jongdae was really convinced that Suin was an expert. Suin’s movement was really smooth, that Jongdae started wondering if Suin had any health problem.

“It’s because of Auntie Park,” Sehun said, as if he had read Jongdae’s mind, “she wanted Suin to take a rest.” Sehun turned his face at Jongdae before he curved a smile, “I got a feeling that it’ll work.” Sehun then shook his head, “Oh my god, I can’t believe that I’m actually having a conversation with you.”

Jongdae chuckled good-naturedly, “So the treatment was actually a moment to relax?” Jongdae asked, and he was suddenly reminded of Kyungsoo. He felt a bit heavier in his heart when he remembered how upset Kyungsoo looked.

“Oh, you were there as well?” Sehun widened his eyes, and he narrowed his eyes when Jongdae nodded his head. “Auntie Park’s really sly sometimes.”  

The sound of chair being dragged against the surface of the floor disturbed the conversation between Jongdae and Sehun. Jongdae looked at Suin’s direction to find the girl already having a brush wrapped around her fingers, the tip of it already dipped in the colour of dark blue. Suin’s short hair was tied into a pony tail, but since the length of her hair wasn’t the same, a few strands of hair fell at the sides of her face. Her sleeves were rolled up, and Jongdae noticed how the girl’s fingers were moving the brush freely to create a masterpiece.

Sehun the television, “They’re broadcasting the news now,” he said before he pressed the button to increase the volume. He put the remote beside on the couch before he looked at Jongdae, not forgetting to add the hint of crimson on his cheeks, “You can sit here,” he referred to the space beside him.

“Is she gonna be okay?” Jongdae asked while settling himself on the space beside Sehun. “Doesn’t she feel like the volume’s too loud?”

Sehun laughed, “She’s too absorbed to notice the sound.”

Jongdae was actually surprised, yet he actually had expected that.  

“Oh, it’s a news about you,” Sehun said, and he pressed the button on the remote to increase the volume. “It’s really recent, I wonder what it’s about.”

Jongdae furrowed his brows, because he knew that he hadn’t even agreed to record his fourth album. He wondered if it was possible that Kyungsoo had planned something behind him.

Singer, Chen, twenty-six years old is found to be in a fatal condition due to the tiny little mistake that he had made. The said singer was submitted to the hospital for having a foreign thing, which apparently happened to be a rusty needle, in his flesh today after a solo performance for a private event. The source said that the information about Chen’s current condition was released just now. 

“You’re dying?” Sehun asked, the horror was intense in his voice.

Suin stopped moving her fingers, and she stared at Jongdae’s blank expression. The dark blue on the canvas suddenly appeared to be the brightest colour.

 

 

Author’s Note

Hello again, guys! I’m trying to complete this story asap since this is my entry for a writing contest. I’m not sure about the number of chapters, but I got a feeling that it will be less than twenty chapters. I’m so sorry for the super long introduction. We’re finally getting to the phase where Jongdae and Suin are gonna have more interactions. The past chapters are mainly to introduce and go into details on Kyungsoo’s and Sehun’s character. From now on, there are going to be a lot of JongdaexSuin.

Words count: 2.222 K

Written on 06^th November 2014