24/7 Anime//Kim Yeongue

Haruto's Route 1

W

It was a Saturday morning and you decided to spend your time in the comic shop. Your index finger traced the spines of the manga's, looking for the next book of Gakuen Alice. When you reached the end of the shelf, you walked into the next aisle. 

There was a tall boy in the aisle, looking familiar to you. His hair was covered in a beanie and his face was covered with a black mask. He was clad in black, his body bent down slightly as he read the spines of each manga. As you studied him, it finally clicked in your mind. "Haruto?" The said boy jumped, looking at you like a deer in headlights. "You like manga?"

Haruto shook his head vigorously, stepping away from the shelves filled with manga, the ones he was just intensely staring at. "Why would I like manga?" he blew it off, "I came to look for some Japanese language books." You playfully rolled your eyes, irritating him. 

He opened his mouth, about speak, but stopped when you looked up at him with curious eyes. Your eyes sparkled in the bright light that hung above you both, your pink lips slightly parted as you waited for him to speak, but nothing came out. You smiled cutely, your eyes scrunching up slightly as you took steps closer to him. 

You turned to look at the manga's he was looking at before you distracted him. "Naruto? You like Naruto?" Haruto didn't say anything and instead avoided your gaze, a hue of pink dusted the apples of his cheeks. "I have the whole series at home, I'd let you borrow some if you'd like." 

Your eyes flickered with amusement when you watched him feel tempted by your offer. You continued, "If you don't want anyone to know that you like manga's, your secrets safe with me Haruto." Haruto looked down at you, looking a bit relieved until he put up his persona again. 

He huffed. "You better, I could make your school life a mess with just a snap. I am the prince after all." You deadpanned slightly, letting say what he wanted to say at the moment. "Do you like manga Hayoon?" You nodded your head. 

"Yeah, I'm looking for the second volume of Gakuen Alice," you told him honestly, watching as his face lit up slightly. He coughed, trying to hide his excitement, but you could read him easily.

"I actually have that series back at home," he watched a bright smile spread across your face, your eyes lighting up with excitement as you looked at him in admiration. You jumped on your toes, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. You hands clasped with each other, fingers lacing each other.

"Can I please please please borrow some?" Haruto gave you a thinking face, tapping his finger against his chin. He looked down at you. 

"I've never let anyone borrow any of my manga's," Haruto confessed, "But I guess you're an exception." Your heart fluttered hearing the statement, feeling warm and fuzzy like the moment you walked home with Mashiho. You smiled like a fool, throwing your arms around him and hugging him tightly around his waist. You felt him tense under your touch, your sudden hug catching him off-guard, but he soon melted into the hug and patted your head lightly. 

Is this what it feels like to have friends?

The two of you decided to head over to the shared house and read manga's there. Haruto unlocked the front door, letting you go in. The house was...chaotic. Shouting was heard everywhere from where you stood, boys chasing each other, boys yelling at each other and others just sitting around like this was a normal occurrence. Which it probably is.

"Oh?" Mashiho looked at you as he walked down the stairs, his face flushing bright red immediately. "H-Hayoon, hi." He spoke quietly in the loud house, but you read his lips. You smiled kindly, waving a hello to him. Another boy walked out from the kitchen, instantly making eye contact with you. 

"HAYOON!" his yell of your name turned everyone's attention on you as he smiled a toothy smile. "I'm surprised Haruto brought home a girl, and it's my favorite classmate!" You smiled awkwardly at him, not recalling a moment of speaking with him. Sure, you saw him in class, he's the boy who sits next to Haruto, but you've never spoke with him. 

"Haruto brought home a girl? I thought his arrogance would scare women away," a boy joked, earning a glare from Haruto. You laughed slightly, bowing politely as you greeted everyone. "I'm Hyunsuk by the way." 

You met everyone in the room, only 26 boys in the room, two of them you've talked to and one of them who claimed you were his favorite classmate. You turned to look at Haruto, growing impatient and wanting to read Gakuen Alice as soon as you could. "Haru-" your words came to a halt, your eyes glued onto the boy who just walked up the stairs, not sparing you a glance. 

"DID SHE JUST CALL YOU HARU?!?!" Hyunsuk screeched, jumping around like a maniac. "Are you dating?" he asked, taking your shoulders into your hands, forcing you to pull your eyes away from Yeongue and at Hyunsuk. Haruto's glare bored into the back of your head, a nervous laugh leaving your lips. 

"I just came here for some ma-books," you told them, watching as disappointment fill Hyunsuk's face. He pulled away from you with a sigh, beginning to sulk. Haruto, who you knew was surely irritated with the whole situation, grabbed your wrist and dragged you up the stairs, ignoring the playful shouts from the others. 

"Ignore them, they're annoying when it comes to girls," you watched him scrunch his nose. You laughed at his reaction, but your eyes peeked into an opened bedroom. It was for a split second, you saw a scene that you didn't think would affected you so much. Yeongue laughed happily with Haeun, the two cuddled up on a bed as a laptop was set in front of them, probably watching a movie. 

Haruto pulled you into another room, the layout similar to the one you had just peeked into. Your joy drained from your body, a familiar empty feeling taking over once again. He lead you to take a seat on a bottom bunk, which you did, letting him find you the second volume. You bit your lip, spacing out. 

Why did it bother you so much, you weren't sure. You never spoke to Yeongue nor was he kind to you, yet he was kind to your twin sister? It felt all to familiar, so did you care so much? A sigh escaped your lips. "Are you going to take it?" Haruto's low voice brought you back to reality, or this reality. You hummed, taking the manga from his hands. 

"Uh yeah, thanks," you muttered quietly, feeling the bed beside you dip. Haruto sat beside you, his shoulder brushing yours. It action reminded you of the shouju anime you watched in the past, but to you, this was nothing like those shouju animes. 

Your heart didn't flutter, you didn't feel warm and fuzzy, you didn't feel anything. You just felt the familiar feeling of numbness. It reminded you of three days ago, right before you came to this strange reality. As depressing as it sounded, you genuinely missed it. "Are you okay?" Haruto set his hands on your shoulders, forcing you to look at him. A weak smile crossed your lips, but you knew he read you easily. 

"I'm fine," you assured him, but he wasn't convinced. He gave you a stern look, a strong gaze that screamed authority, his eyes filled with dominance. 

"Don't lie to me," he growled. Your sad and empty eyes stared into his. 

"I want to go back in time," you told him, watching as his eye brows cock up, "You can't lose something you never had. I didn't have anything back then."