Death Formula | KTH ✓

16. And the Fourth Rule

"Soa."

My name rolled off his tongue like a marble rolling around the floor. The way his lips moved, the way his elegant eyes bore into mine and the way he pulled back just enough to look at me closely, I couldn't get the image of him out of my head.

"Listen to me carefully." He peered directly at me. "You cannot run away from your fear like this and you would not get someone like me always who would stay beside you. Soa, it's not him versus you rather it's a you versus you battle. For you to seek it with or without support feels noble and brave." I looked up at his face that was awkwardly enigmatic as though there was something I wasn't aware of.

"The fourth rule of death formula; break those shackles of fear that tie you."

Silence.

Silence enveloped us thickly as I stared at the boy who was yet again right. In those dark chocolate orbs, I could see a clear view of sincerity and truthfulness that brimmed and that was the moment I realized how much fear had taken my every inch like a Cuscuta over its host. The fear of losing him just like everyone. The fear of losing my mother and the undeniable fear of facing Hyunwoo, my living nightmare.

"Go and face him." I heard him say at last. Assuringly he stroked my back and jostled me lightly towards the prominent door of the workers quarter that etched fixed in its position.

For a second I mulled over the grandiloquence of the door that stood. Arched oaken, it appeared heavy and impassable as the way it stood up high. It was as if the door was advising me to be like it. Robust and immotile at times.

I will be strong.

With resoluteness and the will to persevere that was ignited in my heart, I walked out of the room with my head held up high. A desire to perdure this feeling forever remained determined in my headspace.

"Soa, are you okay?" Jimin galloped towards me. "I saw you going inside and before I could ask you something-"

"I'm fine, Jimin," I replied with a phlegmatic expression on my face. My eyes wandered around in search of Hyunwoo who, not minutes later I found him and his group of friends at a corner of the café.

Peeking towards Jimin who was yet looking at me with concern, I said, "I'll go and take their order."

I picked up the notepad and pen and crossed the room with long strides. My heart was promptly beating inside my chest, frightening my very soul but I decided to not muse over it and huddled all my focus on the scenario that awaited me. The closer I approached their table, the better I began to hear their voices.

"You know what did he say?"

"What?"

"He said, I'm not going to clean the class for you. You know what, I feel terrible now. I should have thrown some punches at him." The boy who spoke clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"If I were you, I would have knocked down some senses into him."

I cleared my throat evidently as I straightened my back. A stolid look on my face as I gazed at Hyunwoo. The said man was surprised to see me as I noticed his eyebrows arching upwards and getting back at its place once an evil grin revealed itself on his malicious face.

"I... I am here to take your order today. What would you like to have?" I asked as I diverted my attention towards my notepad. The pen in my hand suddenly felt heavy, nevertheless, I held it firmly as I paused for their response.

"So you work here," Hyunwoo smirked, gazing at me intently from head to toe. "Poor Mrs Han, fretting about you for no reason. She thought you were not attending school because you were sick or something."

"I..." I halted abruptly. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Hyunwoo amused at my response. Tilting his head, a smirk grew over his face like a teacher's checkmark, the faded red ink stretching up to portray his sinister personality. "Well is there anything you can give me?"

I sighed. My hands that held the pen and parchment tumbled at my sides as though the energy in me had completely drained. "Leave." I asserted.

"Woah! Since when did a wimp like you get the audacity to rule over me?" He stood upright in front of me and this time I did not step back.

"Is everything alright there?" My head whipped around to notice Jimin looking in my direction. His eyes narrowing as he watched us from afar.

"It's alright Jimin. Don't worry." I swiftly replied and turned my head in Hyunwoo's way.

And I did exactly the opposite of what one would do.

I smiled as I spoke softly. "You are one of those kinds of people who enjoy other's distress. Well, that is your personality and I do not blame you for it as I understand that people learn from their surroundings, in your case, it's your friends who have turned you into what your parents- ah, your parents, I bet must have tried their best to make you a better human but sadly you're not the product they desired. So regardless of what you did to me in past or you would do in future, I forgive you Hyunwoo."

When you're stunned, you're thrown for a loop: either by shocking news or a blow to the head. So when I saw Hyunwoo aghast, dazed as my words had officially rendered him speechless, I knew he was blown to the head.

"Let's go."

"But we didn't-"

"I said let's go." He snapped sharply at his fellow friend, shutting them with a glare and shuffled past me towards the door.

I watched his fading figure, diminishing as the distance grew with a warm genuine smile on my face. A smile that told me I had won this battle with myself not with arms and weapons but with words of sincerity.