𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑ this side of paradise

Chapter 4

-Love's so strong it makes me feel so weak

Stay well.

Stay well.

Stay well.

He had to stay well for Leon.
If he didn't, maybe he would disappoint him.
And he'd hate to disappoint him.

But still...
That loneliness was killing him.
What if his brother, in the future, would leave him? What if Leon thought he was lame? What if Matthias, in truth, hated him?
What if Lily really stayed with him out of pity? What if, in truth, he had to die along with his parents in that incident?

Emil shook his head, trying to concentrate on what he was doodling. Some cute mushrooms. And a small frog.
He didn't want to listen to Lukas at all. He was slowly loosing interest in anything, even in stuff he loved; going to that stationery store or to the library, playing chess, anything.

«Em, are you listening to me?» Lukas asked out of a sudden.

Emil raised his gaze, meeting his brother's dull blue eyes.
«no.»

Lukas sighed, impatiently.

«what's up with you?» he snapped, going to his side.

«I'm j-just tired» Emil lied.

The man trapped him in an awkward hug, before Emil could escape.

«w-why...?»

«You look sad,» Lukas murmured, «I read hugging sad people make them feel better. Is it working?»

«no»

«Well, then. Screw How to interact with people. That book is useless»

Said that he broke off the hug, «Emil, listen to me. If you ever feel gloomy, remember that I'll be there for you»

«thank you.»

-
That feeling was driving him insane.
He hated it! He hated himself, and his life, and everything else.

He grabbed his phone and unplugged the charger, then noticed he had some messages from Leon.

Emil couldn't help but smile.
He wasn't smiling a lot those days. Instead, he sometimes felt like smiling was the hardest thing ever.

L: heeeyyy Emmmm
how r u??
r u there??
EMILLL

E: yeah, yeah, am here

L: amazing
hru?

E: good

Yet another lie.

E: what about u?

L: same lol
how was homeschool

E: weird
i didn't listen at all

L: HAHAH

E: C:

Stay well.
Stay well.
Stay well.

L: these days my bro Yong Soo is getting less annoying ngl-
i'm kinda worried lmao

E: hahahshahssj

L: i'd block u if i didn't care about u

E: what? why?

L: I DON't TRUST PEOPLE WHO LAUGH IN LOWERCASE

E: ohh
i see

L: lol, lel and lmao are fine tho

E: k