His Serendipity || •PJM• ✔️

Arcade of Chaos

Caira

"Please don't be late this time."

My voice echoed into the phone speaker, yet no response came. Jimin had already hung up. I knew law school wasn't easy, but Jimin had promised to come. His family missed him. I missed him.

The adoption count was up to five. Billy, Carl, Gage, Rena, and me. Mom and dad refused to stop adopting, but at least they had the decency to adopt Rena when she was older. She was twelve, which was my age when they had adopted me. She could take care of herself well enough. That gave me time to handle Gage and his nonstop stomach issues no doctor had a proper solution for.

My head hurt more than it had before; however, I knew it was because of the arcade. The flashing lights and swarms of people made me nauseous, maybe more nauseous than Gage had ever been.

The arcade was huge and had black carpeted floors with sprinkles of pink, neon green, and blue all around. It was like a party got thrown on the floor. Along with that, there were countless beeping machines and kids running around with snot all over their faces. Parents rushed after them, but there was no use.

The air was filled with laughter, chatter, and coins hitting metal. Scratching noises frazzled my mind, and my vision wobbled more than my body did. Rena, who was aware of my condition, kept me steady. She had been my rock ever since she had been adopted. For someone so young, she knew more than most. My ex-classmates had less emotional maturity than her, and they had been high schoolers.

"Where's Jiminie?" Billy asked in a whine. Carl asked the same, and Gage was focusing on not being sick.

I gathered the kids and brought them to the corner, which was less crowded and also had Jimin's favorite games. "He'll be here soon, don't worry."

Pac-Man was there, and it was one of Jimin's favorites. Growing up, Jimin had taken me to the arcade and taught me how to play it. I ended up scoring higher than him, though part of me believed that was because he had let me win. He had a habit of doing that then calling me his superhero.

I taught Billy and Carl how to play Pac-Man while Rena kept an eye out for her older brother. He was supposed to meet us in the back, but he wasn't there yet. He had five minutes until he would be considered late.

Five minutes passed.

Ten.

Fifteen.

Twenty.

Thirty.

The forty minute mark neared, but before it could hit, I saw fluffy black hair and puppy eyes followed by a black turtleneck, matching trousers, and dress shoes. He had dangly cross earrings and glossy lips along with rings and a silver chain necklace.

He wasn't wearing his watch.

"Yo," he said as he approached. "What'd I miss?"

Screams rested on the back of my tongue, and I kept them there. Jimin didn't need to be berated in front of his siblings, though I would have a word with him later for being late... again.

Rena answered on my behalf. "Pac-Man."

Jimin tucked Rena's red hair behind her ears and pecked the top of her head. "I bet you're beating your brothers, aren't you?"

"No, I was waiting to beat you."

"That's my girl."

Jimin and Rena took turns playing Pac-Man, and much to my surprise, Jimin was trying. He got a high score, but Rena defeated him. He called for a rematch, and once again, Rena beat him. By the end of it, he had his tongue poked against his cheek and his jaw clenched.