SAD BOY [HHJ] ✔️

[ 06 ]

S I X
THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

"WAH... I WOULD LOVE to come home to this." Yeji gaped in amazement when she entered Kiyomi's house. Kokoro nodded along, her eyes flickering around her surroundings. "Tell me about it. I wish my parents were doctors."

The Australian girl had invited someone over for the first time since she was back in Korea. It was Friday and school had finished. Kiyomi thought of inviting her two new friends to her house. "Not really. If they bring money, they don't come home. I'm lucky if I get to see them even twice a week." She told the girls, who frowned sympathetically. Kokoro have an eye-smile: "That's okay now because you've got us! And Felix and Chan, and the rest of their group." When their names were mentioned, her mind immediately went to Hyunjin and the project they had to do.

"Hey, quick question. I got paired with Hyunjin for a project. But I don't know how to make it work because he doesn't talk and I'm definitely not doing all the work. Anyone got any ideas?" Kiyomi shrugged hopefully, watching the two girls a seat on the couch. Yeji pursed her lips, ruffling her hair out of her ponytail. "Why don't you do your project on something he can relate to? So he can talk more?"

Kiyomi raised her brows at the idea, taking out three bowls from her cupboards. "Not bad. But it's not like I can do a dance project for English." She told them, opening two packets of ramen as she boiled a bowl of water. Plopping the noodles into the water, her eyes averted to them. Kokoro sighed, resting her head on Yeji's lap. "How about poetry? It's similar to lyric writing. I'm sure he does that a lot with his group." Kiyomi nodded slowly, liking the idea she was given.

"That sounds perfect."

After five minutes, the ramen was done and divided into three broths, steaming vividly in the air. "Does anyone know why he's so closed off?" Kiyomi asked, making herself comfy on the pillow she sat on. The three girls were seated on the floor of her living room, not wanting to get any furniture dirty since they girl had just moved. "Huh? I thought you would know. Felix should know, right?" Yeji cocked a brow in confusion. Aren't friends meant to know everything about each other?

"He doesn't really know. He was telling me one morning that Hyunjin used to be pretty smiley and happy. But then he told his parents he wanted to become an idol and they didn't support him. They think that he's getting into fights to earn money or something. I doubt it though. I feel like he couldn't hurt a cat."

"Why doesn't he just get a job or something?" Kokoro asked after slurping her spicy ramen. Yeji looked over at her friend, pointing her chopsticks in front of her. "Maybe it isn't that easy. But it is weird. He looks pretty good. He could attract customers in fried chicken restaurants or ramen houses." She nodded to herself, ignoring the humorous looks upon the two Japanese girls' faces. Kiyomi finished chewing a bite of her food, pursing her lips in thought. "Don't you think something must be happening for someone to be closed? Like not wanting them to know something?"

"What secrets could be have? A hidden girlfriend?"

Kiyomi watched the two girls go over the options they had as they bickered. She wondered to herself if she could ever make him talk. It can't be that hard right?

• • •

At three in the afternoon, Kiyomi was in her oversized black hoodie and leggings, blankly staring at the clock on the wall. "Why haven't you come yet?" She groaned, laying flat on the couch. Her small figure took little space that the couch's surface was like a bed for her. A fake sob came out of her lips as she stood straight, about to get some food from her fridge. And just as she entered the kitchen, the door bell of her house rang.

The female's head whipped around, squinting at the door in suspicion. Two people could be behind that thick slab of glass. One was her annoying but lovely Australian best friend/neighbor. And the second was a guy who had his mouth shut. At this point, she couldn't care less who it was. She just wanted a source of entertainment to fix her boredom. Her feet took quick steps in her soft bunny slippers, rushing towards the door. Gently, Kiyomi opened the blinds of the glass door. Greeted by a familiar face, she opened the door slowly.

A small smile appeared on her face as she invited Hyunjin in. "You made it." She cheered silently, laughing awkwardly while the boy removed his shoes and put on the slippers available. His eyes flitted around the house, almost widening as he did so. Her house was a work of art. Modern and simple. Better than his. The two classmates walked into a room full of shelves of books. "This my study. We can study here."

"Her study? Whoa... she even has a study." He thought, taking a seat at a table that was placed in the middle of the room. In one corner, she had a bean bag for which he assumed she read books at. Otherwise the room was filled with books and stationery and pillows for chairs. It was a spacious study. He watched her bring a few pieces of paper as well as some refill and pens. "So... I was thinking... for the project— uh we could do a poem? And underneath it talk about each stanza?" She introduced her idea, moving her eyes from the paper to Hyunjin. He blankly looked at her, almost quizzically. A small sigh escaped her mouth.

"Look, Hyunjin. I'm not the type of person to do all of the work. I chose poetry because I figured it would be easy for you as you have had encounters with lyric writing. But for this to work, I really need you to cooperate and talk."

Hyunjin rubbed his lips together, nodding hesitantly while the girl stared at the paper with a straight face. "Okay. W-Where should we start?" He queried, clearing his throat slightly when he spoke. He watched a smile appear on Kiyomi's face, her eyes lighting up instantly when she heard his voice. "How about its theme?"

And from then, they had started to work on their English project. Together. At one point, Kiyomi had left the room to get them refreshments after telling him to take a small break. He stretched his arms out, a yawn flying out of his throat. His eyes traveled to the paper she was writing on. His slender fingers grasped the thin white sheet, eyeing the Korean characters. "For a foreigner, her Korean characters are so pretty." He murmured to himself. "Cute. Like her."

Hyunjin blinked to himself. He vigorously shook his head, slightly patting his cheeks. "Why did I say that? I've never said that about a girl."

And it was in that moment...
he should have realized that was screwed.