lyricist°l.jn [editing]

chapter twenty-three: mask

  Haein turns his head to his childhood bestfriend that sleeps on the massive couch of their studio.

  "You wanna sleep here so suddenly? But this is my area!" Haein jokingly refused but, Jinkyong only spared a smile.

  "Yeah, I know it's your area even though, we paid for it together but, I really miss staying overnight here like how I used to. Just an abrupt nostalgia, you know?" Kyo bluffed without flaw that even he would've been fooled if he didn't know her for so long.

  A sigh leaves him and he pulls down his headphones. "What really is going on around you, Jinkyong?"

  His leg shakes in his chair as he tries to think of what can cheer her up and finally, an idea involving more of a who surfaces in his head.

  "Jeno... I'll tell Jeno to come. She'll be ecstatic when she sees him," Haein says and exits the space for a bit to call the said person.

-

  Jinkyong jolts under her blanket and the dead silence that welcomes her awake, makes her sit up and look around the studio.
"Haein?"

  Seeing him nowhere, she picks up her phone from the ground to text him but he beats her to it by swinging the door open.

  "You're awake already. I went to buy some food for us because I haven't eaten yet and I don't reckon that you have either," Haein says and lightly kicks the door behind him- lazy to shut it properly and sits on the couch facing her.

  He puts down the bags of food and drinks and Jinkyong stares at him before slowly lowering herself onto her seat as well.

  "Did you tell anyone I was here?" She queries and he takes out the bucket of fried chicken.

  "No," he answers shortly and she's just about to sigh in relief when. "But, I did tell Jeno that he should come visit the studio because you were feeling a little down. Thought you might wanted the company, you know?"

  Crack!

  Her tranquility shatters much more terribly than her laptop did. "You...what? Why did you tell him?? H-he can't see me like this!"

  "Relax, Kyo. You look fine," Haein insists and looks at her frantic eyes as she abruptly stands and panics.

  "N-no, I don't! Right now, I'm-Iㅡ" she groans and combs her hair back stressfully.
"You shouldn't have told him!"

  As she frantically looks around with her glossy eyes, mind in a disarray and hands trembling, an old memory surfaces in Haein's head.

  "Vulnerability is a weakness. Once others see even a second of fragility, they'll take that as an opportunity to bring you down.
  "Make no mistake. Do you understand, Jinkyong?" A younger Jihan spoke to his daughter who was merely a small, primary student.

  Little Haein peeked at them from the door's gap and watched as she nodded sombrely.

  "Good. Now, go back with practicing the piano," Jihan ordered then, left- completely oblivious to the boy who slipped into another room to hide.

  Only after the adult was completely out of sight did he exit and he approached the music room where Jinkyong was in.

  Sad sniffs were heard from inside and he could see her wiping her eyes rapidly to rid off any proof of tears as she sat on the stool- legs dangling as the chair was far too big for her.

  Creak~

  The door made a slight sound when Haein accidentally pushed it with his weight and right that moment, he heard her gasp before she turned.

  Unlike how she sounded before, her face was radiating with joy- a broad grin worn and eyes scintillating.

  Whether by the tears or genuine glee, Haein was unsure.

  But he was certain of one thing as he stared at her. That the smile she wore was a thick, hard stone mask,  impenetrable and acts as her shield yet, excruciatingly heavy to carry.

  One day, it'll either fall off due to its weight or drag her down along with it.

  "I'm sorry," Haein apologizes and envelopes the girl tightly- halting the shiver of her figure. 
"Don't worry. I'll tell him that everything's fine. He said he had a shooting to do anyways, so I don't think he's on his way yet."

  Hearing his assuring statement, her breathing starts to calm and her warm eyes start to cool as she shuts them and he gently pats her back.

  People often say, 'history repeats itself,' even when sometimes, we're against it from happening.

  So it's no wonder that this time, although, instead of Haein, Jeno is the one who stands outside the door- peeking through its gap to watch the two's interaction with a face of shock and quivering, loose fists.

  His lips part as his heart aches grievously and he takes hesitant retreating steps with the world spinning around him.