Stigma #3 » k.th ✓

twenty three

It was getting too dark out, signifying it's time for Clara to get home. I need to get her on the very next bus or else she's going to have to stay with me. Then again, that wouldn't be too bad. But the landlord will be on the lookout. Sanha might be there. Where would he sleep, then?

"What's your sister like?" She started a conversation, figuring we'd be here out on the bench for a little while.

"Mine? Lisa?"

"Who else would I be asking about? Unless you have another sibling I don't know about?" She had a skirt on, so I handed her my jacket first to cover up and she was taken by surprise for my sudden action. 

"Well, she's smart, kind and obedient. She's a natural brunette. She just likes dyeing her hair ever since she found out it was allowed." Let's see, what else is there to tell? "We were very close. We're still close now, but we don't get to spend as much time together, considering the fact we shouldn't let others know we're siblings."

"Why do you need to keep it hidden, anyway? Was there, by any chance, any bullying that happened to her?"

A brief moment to rethink about that sentence. “Once I went to her classroom and never saw her talking with anyone inside since majority of them hate her for an unknown reason. Turns out they hated her even more after hearing the rumor about me.” Both of us suffered high school; no way we’re suffering the same way in college.

“Yeah, but that’s high school. This time, people rarely care about reps.”

“I know, I know. Sometimes, people just tend to not want to risk it. I’m one of those non-risk takers.”

“It could be difficult, like what if Lisa needs a guardian and nobody signs it? Nobody for her to contact or else you get exposed.”

“Only the school admin knows about us. Let’s simply leave it at that.”

Clara admits defeat, letting the topic slip off.

“Why are you so curious?”

“Everybody is curious, Tae.”

“Okay,” And the subject has been dropped. Wouldn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “The bus is coming any minute. I’m only going to be able to see you tomorrow.” I pout in the middle of the sentence, which made her laugh a bit.

“Oh, you.”

Soon enough, once the bus got here, opening its door, I send off Clara, getting a wave as she found a seat in the second row, mouthing, “I’ll see you then.”

♠

Classes were starting and I almost came in late since the bus didn’t function well this morning. Another dysfunction is forgetting my classes don’t start ‘til noon today, so ha-ha, joke’s on me for forgetting to set the alarm clock. Thankfully and strangely enough, I run into Yoongi-hyung, who happened to be by himself inside the music room, playing on the piano.

Slowly, but surely approaching him; didn’t want to scare him off like that. Plus I think he’d be okay. It’s just me. I consider him as a close friend. I think he does with me, too.

“Hyung?”

His fingers seemed to have slipped and created a loud sound when he slammed the cover of the piano, turning around, as if he did nothing. “I-I wasn’t doing anything.”

“It’s just me.”

“Oh. Thank God.” He ran a hand through his hair, taking off his mask; he breathed as though he felt relived it wasn’t a stranger he seemed to be avoiding.