Withered - Chapter 25: Chapter 25

|PAST|
January 22, 1992
"Riku!! I said MOVE!" Shouted a brunette girl holding a rolled-up newspaper, trying to reach behind the boy's back where her another immature friend was hiding.
"Guys, guys stop it! And Daisy yah~ please calm down a bit" Riku pleaded, standing in between both his friends. He was exhausted, dealing with them. Just a moment ago, everything was calm. They were in his house just wasting a Sunday. He was reading his books, too engrossed with it until he didn't aware of his surroundings when suddenly Heung Min ran towards him along with Daisy chasing after him.
He endured the stinging pain as he took the hit while trying so hard to make any sense of why they always ended up in this childish situation and why he always ended up being the victim. Heung Min stuck out his tongue, mocking the girl as he gripped tighter onto Riku's clothes while bending a bit to avoid a hit. It triggered the girl much more causing her to walk away then soon disappeared from the boy's sight.
They left dumbfounded. Heung Min stood properly and step forward "Loser!" He shouted as he laughed while holding his stomach. Riku was more than ready to scold his best friend when suddenly a flying shoes hit his forehead. He fell backwards and the last thing he heard was a gasp.
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Riku eyes fluttered open and he woke up. His head aching as he scanned the room. Soon he learned to know that his head was resting on Daisy's lap while the girl caressing his hair with an apologetic smile. Riku returned the smile and start chuckling as he glanced to his side, witnessing Heung Min staring at him with a worried face. For some reason, he kinda gets used to whatever position they were right now. Once a week, it always likes that. Always.
He sat up slowly with the help from Daisy, supporting him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to hit you. I was aiming at this dumb rascal!" The girl pointed at Heung Min who only rolled his eyes.
"So, what actually happened? Why are two fighting?" Riku asked with a defeated sigh as he leaned back on the couch. "I made a domino building, patiently spending hours on it but this sprout over here! Just destroy it" Daisy shoot a glare at Heung Min, whereas the guy scoffed and stare at her back with disbelief look.
"Did you just called me 'sprout'? You ostrich twin!" Heung Min rebuked. And with that remarks, another fight started. Luckily they only throwing hates and shouting at each other, both didn't give a damn on what was the other saying. They stopped at the same time to catch a breath.
"Okay, now, now. Why did you even knock down the domino building?" Riku propped his chin in the palm of his right hand while his left was holding tightly Daisy's hand. "It was unintentionally! she asked for an apple and I threw it to her but it hit the building instead. If she's not lazy enough to get it on her own, then nothing of this would have happened" Heung Min raged while running his fingers through his hair, he's about to say some more when Daisy kept mouthing something, teasing him but he set aside the thought as Riku stared at him blankly "...Umm anyway, you good Hyung?"
"I'm fine, well only a small bruise. Just wondering when will you guys be nice to each other. I'm really having a severe headache whenever we met" Riku confessed, massaging his temple.
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Mr Myoui let out a small laugh as he stares blankly at Momo and Sana who's busy making a domino pyramid in the living room. They look so focused on it and it somehow shook him to see his daughter so serious. He glances at the wall clock then to his daughter. Secretly leans forward to takes an apple from the fruit bowl that sits on the table. He throws it which perfectly hit the dominoes.
"W-ha DAD!!!" The girls shout in unison.
"Strike! Haha!" Mr Myoui laughs.
"Riku, that was mean" Mrs Myoui glare at her husband before taking a seat beside him. She then continues her knitting. Mr Myoui only chuckles nervously, it's rare for his wife to call him by his name. So, whenever she does, he always finds it terrifying.
"W-well, I didn't know you kids into domino these days" Mr Myoui states.
"Jeongyeon Oppa bought it as a gift. The day after Mina introduced him to us. I feel bad for him" Momo whispers the last sentence. If anyone asks, she is actually in Jeongyeon sides. The guy is kind, funny and sweet though she knows that her opinion is not important but deep inside her, she still rooting for Jeongyeon.
Mr.Myoui clear his throat and look away "Why don't you kids hit the bed. It's getting late already" He says with a slightly demanding tone. Both Momo and Sana clean up the mess then walk themselves upstairs.
Mr Myoui sits on the edge of the bed, doing nothing but biting his lips and staring into space. "I do not agree with your decision, but I understand why you did so. To pair Chae with Mina" Mrs Myoui ruffles his hair sending him back to reality. He looks up and smiles softly at his wife. "..anyway, look, I knitted a baby hat to give to Mina" She shows him the things she had been working for the day.
Mr Myoui takes it, he holds the hat tightly as he remembers a memory that he wants to forget but not at the same time. "You still not over it aren't you? It's true the saying A first love always occupies a special place right?" Mrs Myoui raises his chin so that she could look at him in the eyes.
"I'm just----"
"But it's true. And I know what is it all about. Just don't blame yourself too much, okay? I'm not saying that you're not in fault. But, I'm certain that she forgives you already. She's that kind and sweet person." Mrs Myoui smiles "Now...where's my hug?" She spread her arms and shrug and playfully glares at his husband "You hurt me a little, you know. The fact that you still think about her"
Mr Myoui grins and chuckles before he stands and embraces her wife. "Jelly jelly much huh? I l--- Ouch!" He gets cut when Mrs Myoui pinches his arms. She rolled her eyes though her husband can't see her face. He secretly smiles after a dumb idea pops up to tease her wife. He pulls out and stares at her with that unreadable expression as he tries to suppress his laugh. "You know. I still can't forget her simply because she's the prettiest woman I ever met. Haha...ha...ha? Why are you looking at me?....like that?"
Mrs Myoui stomps on his foot hard causing him to kneel in pain "T-that's hurt" He fake crying as he sits on the floor, grabbing his left foot.
"You sleeping on the couch!"
*  *  *  *
Chaeyoung rests in the living room, leaning against the couch. He slowly placing an ice bucket where it hurts, don't know whether it works or not. Sighing, he groans as he gets into his feet. It's almost dinner and he needs to cook something. The maid will start working tomorrow, so as for today he has to do the works. It's not much trouble actually, he's kinda confident in cooking and already in tutor classes beforehand taught by his still-a-bit-mad-or-sulk mother in law. The only problem is what he's gonna do after he cook the dish? How he's going to approach the girl? Will, she eats it? Or will the plate fly and hit him instead? The last one is more likely going to happen.
He works in silence, moving and walking in an awkward way. It still hurts him down there. Carefully, left foot before right foot, one step at a time. He takes an exact one hour to finish the dish. A Chopped Chicken Salad. He decorates the plate with a final touch then clasps his hands together. Feeling proud of himself to not burning anything or turns the kitchen into a mess. He wipes his sweat that forms on his temple and removes his apron, gently places the dishes on the dining table then cleans the kitchen.
He takes a deep breath before he goes upstairs. An eggplant caught his attention as he drinks water for the ninth time. He smiles innocently before taking out the fruit from the fridge. With his woodcraft skills, he manages to successfully crave a small penguin; a carrot for the mouth and feet, sticking it together with a toothpick. He set his masterpiece on top of the dish, content on how it looks overall. Satisfied little cub he is, happily humming a song as he heads towards their bedroom.
Mina is lying on her back as she bites hard her lips, feeling mild to moderate cramping in her lower abdomen plus the pain in her right side. She breathes deeply, trying to fight it. Although she feels pain for almost the entire time, she still not use to it. Everything seems raw and new to her.
It's that time, where she's on the edge of falling asleep after continuously changing her position to find the right place where it less hurt. A rhythmic knock wakes her up.
She tries to ignore it but it gets louder and louder till the moment she feels like to murder someone. Though, she knows very well that she's in the weakest state and probably need a lot of help and for various reasons, she hates it. The idea of her looks fragile especially in front of him. She forces herself to sit properly, leaning against the headboard while tidying her messy hair.
With a final knock, the door swing opens revealing Chaeyoung with a tray of food. He's about to runs towards the girl, thought that something bad happens to her since there is no response. When his eyes meet the girl, automatically he breaks the eye contact and hangs his head in shame feeling the intense stare Mina give him. He silently breathes a sigh of relief, knowing the latter is fine. Slowly, he put the tray on the bedside table.
"I-I've cooked something for dinner" He mumbles as he sits on the edge of the bed. He takes the plate, places it on his lap with the intention to feed the girl. But all his effort comes to nothing when Mina refuses to take a single bite. She presses her lips together and looks away "I'm not hungry and please keep your distance from me" Luckily Chaeyoung is used to her soft voice, if it anyone else, they wouldn't know that the girl actually says something. He always thinks of it as an advantage but now, how good it would be if he's completely deaf. So, he will not listen to her answers or more likely her command and do what his heart wants him to do.
Chaeyoung back away and put the plate back in the tray "Please eat. I'll leave it here" With that been said, he steals a glance then storm off the room. Once the door closed, he falls helplessly on the floor, hitting his chest again in again. He chuckles bitterly recalling what the girl just said to him.
Distance. Mina's words are like a sword thrust, it wound him deeply by the tone she uses, or by the word she chose. It seems like they are nothing, but a stranger. The feelings are not only just a twinge of sadness whereas once, though they share a good friendship forged in the fire of adulthood and bonded through impulsive road trips, those spontaneous adventures, times where they need one another. No, It's more painful...
Since for Chaeyoung, it is not just friendship and Mina means more than a friend.
That fact torturing him, little by little.