Bab 25: Untold...
Hold me tight, loosen me up now.
To see that beautiful moonlit face of yours, I wish for nothing else to light up my day.
'Kiss me.' He said, in a casual voice.
A gush of adrenaline streamed down my arteries, roughly pushing all drops of blood towards my cheeks to attain a heated red shade.
'W-what?' Gosh! I wished so bad to kill myself for the stutter. Endeavoring to brush the vibe all off with persistence, I tried to act impassively which utterly, I failed. That let the blonde haired boy attain a glow of teasing smile on his face.
'O-oh-oo, did I just get you flattered?' he wiggled his eyebrows, intensifying my will to tear that face of his apart, 'You are so red like a tomato right now.' Short giggles escaped his mouth.
'Haha, so funny I am dying!' I box showed my teeth in sarcasm. 'Well, you must accept your punishment. Where's my kiss?' He spoke his words so bluntly again. I abruptly pushed his leaning figure away, 'Geez, get out. I don't kiss all kind of people.'
He simpered nonchalantly, 'You are getting one in a million chance, Y/N. Girls would die to be in your place right now.' My eyes rolled themselves without requiring any manual effort, 'Sure, sure..'
'Also, you would be very lucky to get me as your first kiss.'
What?- As if being able to read my mind through expression, he spoke next moment, 'Ah, so my guess was right....' Before he could widen the hilarious smirk to the most cognitive way, I have a massive roll of eyes, 'Hmph, not really.'
'So you have had your first kiss?' 'Of course, I have!' I replied in a lightning fast mode. 'Who was it?' He arched an eyebrow.
'A pole! Which was much more handsome than you!' I yelled abnormally loud, 'Just drop this off already!'
'Okay fine, if you are not going to, then,' he grabbed my arm. 'you are coming with me.'
'Wait but, where?' I asked trying to keep up my pace with the jogging male who hastily replied. 'Just come--'
> > > > > < < < < < <
'Big Hit???' I looked at him, confusion through my stare, to which he nodded and replied, 'Yes.' 'Why?' I lowered my neck questionably, 'Isn't it a weekend?'
'Ya Jimin-ah,' With my gaze shifted towards the entrance, I saw the red-haired guy running out with the usual sunshine smile worn on his face, being followed by the youngest. 'Hyung,' Jimin called, 'I succeeded grabbing our manager noona.'
'Aye, annyeong Y/N-i!' Hoseok stood in front of me cultivating his smile bigger, 'And happy birthday!!' I returned a polite smile, 'You already texted me that. But anyways. thank you.'
'I got to know about your birthday just this morning. We only woke up from sleep with all of a sudden Jimin saying that it was your birthday,' He pouted, 'If only you had told us before, I would have brought you a nice gift. I feel guilty...'
The look on his face was sincere, caring, and warm, it should've made me feel precious for being surrounded with as such people who welcomed me truly, but not a drop of it was able to touch my core. I don't think I deserved it, at least from someone who is in no way in a place to be my close someone other than being a forever enemy. Although, I decided to keep on the must-to-do politeness bringing out its symbol smile.
'But still, I brought you something,' He brought his hands forth to reveal a nicely wrapped box in purple, 'It's not anything too big. Don't open it now. Wait until you return home, okay?'
'This one's from me.' Peeking his figure out from the hyung's back, Jungkook reached out to handover his something, the revelation of pink shyness was persistent on his face. I smiled due to the overall cuteness. 'I really don't require gifts, but yet you brought me so, I am really thankful.' I made my courteous bow.
'Were you working on your mixtape today though?' Hoseok nodded in reply, 'Yeah, it's a lot of work ya know,' he delivered with a smile, 'but finally the track is coming to someplace. I finished early today. Jimin said he wanted to hang out together later.'
A light of excitement glinted on the maknae's eyes, 'Hyung, let' go then. I know the perfect place. It's gonna be fun.' Without waiting for anyone to follow, he rushed his figure out running at an incredible speed. 'Alright.' Hoseok followed him. 'What are you standing for?' Jimin's fingers getting laced around my wrist again made me look up in question. 'Oh, didn't I mention?' He stood for a second in a smile, 'You are sticking with us today. I hope you are okay with that.'
'When did it get fixed? I wasn't told...?' 'Since it's your birthday, we are going to treat you. Now let's go!'
'But you don't have to--' I was cut off by the male's hush. 'Stop declining. You lost the bet, you are supposed to do what I say, remember? And besides...'
'We are friends now, aren't we?' Leaving me drowned with the last sentence he spoke, he followed the rest of his hyungs.
Friends, huh? A family...?
Such a big hollow word to say...
>>>>>>> <<<<<<<
'Let's hit it!' Seemingly, the twenty-year-old boy was no longer in his real age, rather had turned back his time to a mere teenager's the moment we stepped in through the double glass door to his 'perfect place'. His struck eyes were glued to the screen with mouth wide open, following each movement of the beatmaps he needed to collect, his fine delicate fingers sealed on the controller in the hold. Another groan he made failing to catch some more beatmaps, failed me too from holding my laugh back. He wasn't distracted for a bit.
'Y/N!' Hoseok called soon, waving his hand in this direction from the other side of the neon light affected room. Lacking entertainment from the maknae, I decided to join the other twos for the moment. I found the males engaged in a match with the boxing machine. And both were currently in a fight.
'Jimin, I clearly saw you cheating right now. Stop denying.' Hoseok spoke furiously. With the blonde bangs swaying, Jimin heavily protested, 'How come will I be cheating? You are accusing me just because you got lesser points, you are the one who is not being fair, hyung.'
'Well you hit it twice, I saw! I looked away for a moment to call Y/N and you hit it again. There is no way there can be this huge difference between your and my hit.'
'Only way there is, I am stronger than you.'
With the continuation of their nonsense argument, I leaned against an arcade machine on the side to enjoy the conversation. Two men in their early 20's fighting over a silly issue on who is strong and who is not- well it was fun to watch. Though it was a weekend, the place wasn't flooded with too much of a people at the moment, making it easier for the members to enjoy their moment in peace, babble, and squabble too.
Visiting the arcade store was a really long time ago activity I did. Last time, maybe, when I was perhaps, a really small kid...? My childhood story was not too glorious, neither was my teenage or adulthood one. If said as a book, it wouldn't take more than two or three pages to finish the full story. I was never the lucky one who got to spend a lot of time with friends, neither with family.
Growing up, I buried all the desires down marking them as a child's recreation work, which my child self couldn't. So, even though coming to this place now, couldn't push my shoveled-deep-in spirit up that much. However, the childish three boys were enough to get that job done. The side of them which was unimaginable, too much contrasting with the dark and cruel side I imaged them as in my mind. Understanding and analyzing them was, therefore, getting more difficult with the passage of time.
'Let's just start it over.' Tired Hoseok pushed the button to restart their game. 'I will win this time too.' Teaser Jimin rolled up his sleeves to show off his defined arms. My eyes didn't hesitate to steal a glimpse of their naked form. The Korean-beautiful skin with signs of muscularity was definitely one of the strongest features he owned along with his cute shape, and undeniably one of the reasons that compelled me every time to accept that one thing.
He was attractive...?
Well, maybe he was. "Maybe". Just a little.
'Like what you see?' In a jiffy, I looked away to hide the blush from awkwardness rising on my cheeks. He laughed out loud. 'Y/N, why don't you pay a punch too?'
'Sure,' I agreed, 'I will stay in the line.' 'Okay. Hyung, you go first.' He said rolling down his sleeves to their positions. Before the white fabric could slide down till his wrist, I spotted something. A small bruise, roundish, red, fading and so, hardly noticeable. My observing and experienced eyes did the analyzation, letting the tongue leave a tsk in wonder.
Old gunshot wound. My my, how many things I am left more with to discover, especially about this guy...
As my turn came, I fisted hardening both my knuckles together and hit the bag. The red neon numbers scrolled to give out my score, allowing the males to get surprised.
'Wow, impressive.' Both stated. Jimin exclaimed in shock, 'You don't look that strong.' I just shrugged as if it was nothing. Men like fragile women, someone they can protect so that they can show off their power of domination. Strong women are hard to handle. The sooner they knew, the better it would be.
'Gosh, I was really hungry..' Hoseok stretched his arms letting out a small huff. The sun had left the sky already giving its final goodbye. The continuous playing and day of excitement were finally over, all were now gathered to this fancy place in order to appease their appetite.
'Since Kookie is paying for all of us today,' Hoseok patted Jungkook's back, 'Let's not worry about how much to order and start eating.' Ignoring the young male's glare in reply, he focused on the mass of food lying in order in front, taking in the aroma of deliciousness. 'Masisseoyo!'
'You guys eat. I will be back in a minute.' I excused myself and got up from my seat. There was a long wide balcony secluded at the end in the corner of the left side. I proceeded towards there and brought out my phone. Liza had called me this afternoon. As I didn't pick up, she left her messages wishing me with her tons of fluffs and begging to forgive her being away to the countryside. Reading through her long texts three-quarter of which consisted nothing but meaningless syllables was tiring, but it did succeed to curve up a small smile on my face. Honestly, I didn't have that much of a friend. My co-agents and everyone else in the base were what to be called as business friends, none of them was literally anything more than that. So...it did feel good. I typed to send her a reply.
'Hey Y/N,' Jimin's voice made me turn back. 'Oh Jimin, I was just getting back-'
'No no, I just came thinking that I should give you my present already too. And I thought, giving you separately was a better option.' To my amaze, there was a small box held within his fingers and lifted upward. 'Open it.' His eager voice spoke.
Therefore, I took it from his hand and gently unwrapped the box. To my surprise twice in a row,
It was a charm bracelet. Looking almost alike to the one I owned. 'You told me to buy you another one, right?' He flashed a cute smile, 'So...how is it?'
'What's wrong?' He said in concern, noticing the dark dismal expression clouding on my lowered face.
It was beautiful. I was awed.
But there was another reason, for which my awe was not a happy one. Not. On this day.
'Don't you like it?' I bit my lip hard, trying my best to not let the unwanted teary feature gather in my eyes. I can't, no, I...can't...
'Y/N...' his tone got serious, the sharpness of his gaze compelled me to shift my head up.
'Jimin,' I muttered, too low yet enough for him to hear, 'that bracelet you gave me back...it was gifted by my mom.' My eyes were in the driest and normal state, 'And it's her anniversary today.'
It was all silent. I didn't want him to speak, but I didn't want the quietude either. Words and silence both were responsible to show off the pity one holds in mind hearing the other, whether heartily or not. I didn't want that, I didn't want anyone to even utter the sentence out loud or even silently to me- 'I feel sorry for you' when eventually, they never did. With all absence of the other side's person's words, my tongue continued itself revealing all that I wanted or unwanted to spill out, the stories I held, I gathered as my past experience, unknowingly why I spoke them out. The story of a teenage girl, in brief.
It was the day when she had turned 16. She was happy to reach her sweet stage. Her mom was glad for her daughter too. She was an improvident and surly parent, yet the only family who existed in her life. She wanted to give a surprise. The car was going at smooth speed, the radio was playing a beautiful melody through the speaker. The yellow light turning to green, she pushed the accelerator to proceed forward. That moment, a truck came rushing with its highest speed to smash the entire thing turning it into an unrecognizable form, specifically, to take away the last drop of hope taking a life away from someone's life.
When you are a child, you don't realize anything. When you are an adult, you are so stricken with the worldly world that you don't feel anything. But when you are a teenager...
Losing the only available closest person in life was painful. I was used to people leaving, family, friends... When dear ones leave, it hurts. But seeing them leave as nothing but a lying immobile body on a stretcher which carries only injured life-losing people, is more deadly. And I was experienced to it more than once. After she left, I was alone. My friends were there, my best friend, only to leave no sooner, in either living or non-living form. In spite of going through the worst sad incident of life, some people indeed live, but the trauma left by them which their persisting brains hold to prick, it is better to not to call them living. Even those who suicide are perhaps, stronger than them.
It doesn't take too much to turn a sunshine day of someone's life into the saddest day that he doesn't even want to pass. It was once a happy day of my life, now it arriving every year was like a needle stitching back and forth to poke the weak heart which was already bleeding for being stood in fault for her death. I was at fault, I was the perpetrator for the pass of two dear souls. Being away from her gravestone living miles distant to a different country, the agony was still able to cross the distance of the ocean to reach till here. And it didn't lose any strength in the path at all.
My head was facing down. My eyes were shifted to my fidgeting fingers over the wrapper I removed barely two minutes ago. There was a small drop of tear which had played trick to escape from my eyes. I honestly look so bad when I cry, but what mattered to me most was not the look, rather to not display the weak side of mine anyway. Sympathy was what I despised, and the person who gives it the most. And I was too used to hearing them.
So, I was waiting to hear those feeble void words once again. But when they didn't arrive, when the side before me darkened with a shadow and two hands sliding around me to shelter me closer, I wasn't ready for it.
He didn't speak a word. He just held me against the radiating warmth, by his chest as if to protect from all demons. His head rested on my shoulder, pressing me down by its weight. The hands never moved, the body never shifted, like he wanted to keep me held until the uncounted hour.
I hated him.
But...
I hesitantly placed my hands on his back.
'A listener is sometimes far better than a speaker.'
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone