Face (표정) ✓

Chapter 6

[Encore]

The game is finally starting. A rush of adrenaline is flowing in my body. I can't wait to find out more about my inmates and their reactions when I expose myself. If it works, then I can consider myself lucky. If it doesn't, I'm doomed. My reputation at Haute Heights might be seriously damaged and I'd have to move again. I need stability. I can't always live with the fear of having to move out.

I blink, trying to control my emotions. Time to spill out secrets, I guess.

"Since I'm the host and came up with the rules, I'll start," I decide. Without hesitating, I turn to Lily. "Lily, I'll ask you a question first, and then I'll move on with the others. After everyone has answered, we'll decide who goes next, okay?"

She nods. "That sounds a good idea."

"Well. My question is, when we met and I told you I moved from South Korea, you were surprised, in a rather pleasant way, I'd say. Why?" I scratch my head, realizing that I should've delved a little further in her past, but I'm still hopeful that we're trying to clear the air in a civil manner.

"Because I haven't met a... let's say..." She hesitates, to which Ashley and Wendy both raise an eyebrow. I'm sure they believe she's going to make the wrong choice of words; I, on the other hand, have faith in her and her honesty.

She goes on. "I haven't met a new face, let even a Korean, for a while until you came. I mean, until I had the chance to talk to you. My family is quite close-knitted and, as a result, I didn't interact with many people until I left home," she explains.

"So, where does your family come from, then?" I ask out of curiosity. "You're not of pure Korean descent, or am I wrong?"

"You're actually correct. My paternal family has Chinese descent. My mother comes from South Korea, though." Now I know why Lily looks and sounds so familiar. I can relate to her sense of uneasiness when she meets a fellow Asian. I understand what her family probably had to go through in order to be accepted. And I'm sure this applies to every minority in this country.

The USA are not for everyone.

This must change, one way or another.

***

Lily is an open book. The way she opened up to me made me realize that trying to get the others to talk isn't going to be as easy. First of all, they're a lot more prejudiced and full of bullshit. Secondly, they're not as willing to listen to me as Lily. Well, if I have to be honest, I feel like Wendy or Lee would listen to me. The others wouldn't.

This is why this game is so important to me. I can't let their own skeletons in the closet eat them up. And I can't keep hiding my own secrets forever.

Last, but not least, it's a good way to know people better, delve into their feelings, show that we somehow care about each other. Well, this in my dreams. Then, there's reality, which makes everything more difficult.

By the time I savour the pleasure of knowledge, Ashley shakes me off of my thoughts by questioning rudely, "Who's next? We're not supposed to dilly-dally."

I storm off. "Excuse me? Dilly-dally, you say? Sharing secrets takes time and self-reflection, you can't just pretend to sort out matters as quickly as you think." She glares at me as I say that, but I don't pay her any attention. I'm so sick of the glare game. Why can't they just accept the reality?

Before she can rebuke me any further, I move on with the next question. "Kasey, I overheard you in a heated conversation with Ashley a few days ago." He snorts as I mention that detail. He's not happy that I caught him in the middle of that specific argument. He and Ashley must hide something big.

"Now, I'm sure Ashley won't be happy to hear your answer to this question. But, honestly, how are things going between you two? I've already noticed some animosity and I don't want to think for the worse-" He raises a hand to cut me off. Whether he thinks I'm talking too much or I'm gloating at his unease for the question is not my business. Everyone is supposed to answer, that's part of the game.

"Daejung, do you really think Ashley and I are dating?" he asks, catching me by surprise. He obviously got to the point.

"I mean, it's either that or you're best friends. You two seem to rely a lot on each other, am I wrong?"

He shakes his head. He knows I'm right. Still, he precises. "We're friends, nothing else. We met in college and have been living together since then. Even when we moved out of campus, we still shared places."

"Oh, cool. And where did you study?"

He groans, clearly not willing to tell me everything about his college life. Not that I asked that precisely, I just want to know where he studied. Period. "Nothing really impressive, just community college." He shrugs, but it's obvious he's ashamed. I thought he'd attend a top class university. This doesn't demean his value as a person, of course.

"Good. Did you spend time with other people beside Ashley?"

"There was this girl, Brittany Hubbard, who passed me notes on a regular basis. We texted a lot and even went on a couple of dates together. We lost touch after graduation, unfortunately." He sighs in pain, to which Ashley first glances at him, but then turns to me with a threatening glare, as if his pain were my fault.

I turn to her. "I'm not sure his suffering comes from me, Ashley, so I don't see why should point fingers at me. Love struggles are normal, especially in such a delicate age." I don't know why I'm talking. I've never had a serious relationship. I went on dates with girls and always got turned down. The only girl who paid me attention, in the wrong way, is Lee Daehwa. But I'm sure hers is pure obsession, not love.

"And, you, Kasey," I continue, "you need to clear your head. Try digging deep into your heart to find out if you still have feelings for that girl. Feel free to vent your frustration. Open up about your struggles. Don't keep them to yourself," I advise, to which he gives me a shy smile.

On the other hand, Ashley is unhappy. As his best friend, she expected him to tell her everything. Instead, here he comes, spilling his big secret to an absolute nobody known as Sim Daejung, who also happens to know men better than she does. Poor thing!

She mutters something unintelligible behind her back, but no-one understands or cares about what she's saying. Still, I want to take advantage of the situation and have her talk. I'm sure she was the third wheel between Kasey and Brittany. I'm also sure she has been taken for granted once too much.

So, I ask, "Ashley, I feel like you've been left out too many times, and today is no exception. Even Kasey opened up about his struggles to me before you. Do you really trust him? Do you really think of him as a friend, someone you can share your secrets with?"

She gives me a hard stare but doesn't answer. Getting her to talk is going to be hard, but I can't let her be consumed by envy all the time. She has to find out if she can still count of Kasey.

The time of the truth is now, or never.