𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑ this side of paradise

Chapter 17

— so if you're lonely, no need to show me

Again!

Four days and Leon didn't get any reply to his texts. It was worrying him so much; especially after finding out he used to self-harm.

His family must've noticed something was off, because they started acting sweeter with him. Even Yao! And they didn't even get along that well.

«here, have some more jiaozis» he said, putting in his plate other dumplings. Leon was kinda confused by the gesture, but still appreciated it. He loved dumplings, afterall.
All the chatter was kinda overwhelming.
Weird...
he loved noises, especially if they were loud.
He loved chaos.

Mei and Yong Soo were discussing about some gossip about a girl in their school. Apparently, she dated more than twenty guys in her whole life. Impossible...if she was their age — so around sixteen — how did she date twenty guys? Even Leon didn't date that much people.
She wasn't even that attractive. Maybe it was only Leon being the gayest person known to men.

Lien was just silent. She just enjoyed eating in peace and minding her own business. At least she didn't make those kind of questions only stalkers ask.

The others chatted calmly. Like normal people do during lunch.

Leon sighed, getting up from his chair.
Even those dumplings felt heavy, now.
Without being noticed by his oldest brother, he sneaked away and went upstairs, crawling into his bed.

Maybe he should've texted someone else. Know someone else. Befriend someone else.
Or maybe...

That day he found out he knew Leon's actual father, Emil sent him his contact. Leon never actually sent any text.
Guess that was the time to do it...

He scrolled up in the chat, sometimes stopping to re-read old texts. Oh, all those good (and sad) memories. Sometimes it was just about them chatting about their hobbies and intererts or discussing about news, other times there were only heart-breaking texts from Emil saying he couldn't take it anymore, and Leon trying to cheer him up.

"Your life is worth living"
Yeah...it was. Oh, God, if it was.
Leon repeated so many times that he would surely snap out of that dark period, but Em just kept insisting.

"My life is hell", "if I died it would be better for everyone", "I'm so sick of just about everything".

A wave of sadness joined his anxiety as he kept scrolling. Was Emil ok? Did anything happen? Seriously, what happened?!

Here the contact was.
The profile picture was simple.
It was a picture of three men. One looked a lot like Emil, but with wavier hair and dull eyes. That must've been Lukas. The other had strawberry blond hair and pale skin. The guy in the middle had to be Arthur, judging from the thick eyebrows.

He tapped "send message" and opened a new chat with the Brit.

He typed; "hey dad, it's Leon". Kinda awkward...

The reply arrived soon.

A: Hello, Leon
:)

He smiled.

A: Why are you texting me? Need anything?

«why did I text him...?» he thought out loud.

Literally...he just searched up the contact and texted...

L: no, just missed you :^

Yeah, that was true.

A: Lovely. I miss you, too.