🔞 어둠 Tales I: The Fragile Princess (7-25)

VII : Columbidae

Published on: March 28, 2021

After that announcement, my whole life changed. I still work as a guard at the Gallery, but the other workers there seem to be so.... scared of me. And I don't like it at all, but I have to deal with it because....

"I'm sorry Javier, but please pretend that you're Yhana's fiancé. This is for her own good, I'll raise your wage okay? Just please.... please play along. And don't worry about Yhana, I'll handle her." That's what Mr. Guevarra said.

If only I could disobey him and just say that I'm actually just her plain, simple, ordinary bodyguard. But I can't, although it is technically wrong, I can't. I mean there's got to be a reason why I need to do this right? It's not like he would just do it for nothing.....

"Hey Javier, what do you wanna do today? Let's get some fresh air come on!" Rona said as she tried pulling me off my chair. I whined as I try to yank my arm away from hers.

"Oh come on, I already invited everyone! You don't want to be left out now, don't you?" Her annoying devilish voice said, trying to make me get off my peaceful day and go insane again.

"Okay, the last time I hung out with you, we were literally chased by a group of people! Not only that! They were holding knives! We almost became someone's lunch because of you, clumsy idiot!" I said giving her the most humiliating flashback ever.

She stood quiet and slowly let go of my arm, she stood there for about a minute and held my arm again.... much tighter this time.

"Yeah, but this time. Carl and Lonnie are coming with us. There's no way something would go wrong with them!" She said, trying to find a dumb excuse to bring me along. I was about to refuse again when...

"Dude y'all are taking too long let's go!" Carl screamed from outside. Guess,  I have to join in huh?

"Yeah hold on! I got Javier! He's coming with us!" Rona screamed back, pulling me with all her might.

"Why did you even agree to bring them along? Aren't you tired of being a third wheel to those two?" I said, trying to get myself off of her.

"Oh shut up, why do you think I brought you along huh? I ain't that stupid bruh." She said rolling her eyes at me and literally dragging me towards Carl's car.

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We just came back from our little peaceful trip. It was fun.... that's for sure.

But it was also messy. Like we just ran through the fields, fell in a puddle of mud, and as we came out of it we found out that it was actually a police's property and we ended up having to run from a police. In muddy clothes. Muddy faces. And a muddy car.

That was based on a true story by the way.

"Why did I even agree to hanging out with you? This happens every. Single. Time, I hang out with you." I said nagging at Rona, who rolled her eyes at me.

"Not my fault that Lonnie's hat flew." She said trying to reason.

"What? And who was it that said that I should loosen my hat?" Lonnie bit back which instantly started a glaring contest between the two.

"Is it that much of a big deal? Why did you bring it up! Now how am I supposed to calm Lonnie down?" Carl whispered to me complaining. I didn't mean it though, it was supposed to be a joke. Didn't think that they would take it seriously.

The fight goes on and me and Carl were just watching, thinking of an efficient way to stop these lionesses from killing each other, when we heard a phone ringing. The two instantly diverted their glares to us, as we panicked trying to find whose phone it is.

"Oh it's mine, see, I'm just gonna answer it." I said nervously, slowly answering the phone as the two continued their fight.

The call was from Mr. Guevarra, he asked me to come to the Gallery to have a talk with him, giving me an excuse to leave the two lionesses to Carl.

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"Dude this has been going around for a long time now.... but do you have any idea who this Fragile Princess is?" As soon as I arrived at the gallery, that's what I met..... gossips about the same princess back at the cafè.

"The Fragile Princess? I've heard of her before! She was always the main topic of our campus almost every single day!" The person she was talking to replied.

I've been hearing that nickname for a while now. Must be hard being the princess they were speaking of.... I wonder who she is.

"Oh can you tell me about her? I've been hearing that nickname almost everyday when I get out of my house." The girl who asked earlier said. Looks like I'm not the only one who's curious.

I didn't want to eavesdrop though, so I went straight to Mr. Guevarra's office to know my duties for the day, the girls who were talking, stopped their movements the moment they saw me, and bowed, I bowed as well and smiled, they smiled.... awkwardly and went away.

I don't like how everything changed because of that one announcement at all, but what can I do? It's Mr. Guevarra's request after all.

"Mr. Guevarra? This is Javier. Can I come in?" I knocked and asked when I was already infront of Mr. Guevarra's office. I heard a faint "come in" so I entered, without further words.

"Good afternoon Javier, you're in time! I wanted to talk to you." Mr. Guevarra greeted, first thing as I closed the door.

"Good afternoon too, Mr. Guevarra. What may you want to talk to me with?" I asked after a little greeting with a smile, which he returned like always.

"Okay I know it's too much to ask, but can you stop calling me Mr. Guevarra? Call me Dad or Uncle instead. I know it's gonna be weird for everyone but some people are getting suspicious of you actually not being Yhana's fiancé and I--" He explained right away, as I tried to process everything at once when his voice suddenly got cut off by another voice.

"Then let's not fake it." The voice said. I looked at Mr. Guevarra thinking he was probably watching something or anything or whatever, but when it did hit me. I found myself having the same expression as Mr. Guevarra's.

A shocked face.

When I recognized that voice.

I looked back and saw the person I least expected to see today.

Ms. Yhana.

"Let's get engaged for real. I don't mind. You don't mind as well... right? Dad?"