failures III » kpop ✓

CHAPTER 2

Why did you choose him?

Everyone kept repeating that question and I wasn't completely sure how to answer it and put it in to words that would make sense to others. I was starting to become a dead shell that people tried to fill however they preferred, but now, something inside me started moving again. Something different from the rage that often sparked out of nowhere, grew like a wildfire and escaped out of my control. It was a special type of curiosity that I didn't think I could even feel towards another human being. I wasn't expecting my father to actually agree to my request, especially not after the silence that followed his own confused 'why Byun Baekhyun', but he ended up saying yes. Perhaps there was something on Baekhyun's application that convinced him, perhaps it was just because of the agreement that reigned our detached relationship.

If you do something for me, I will do something for you.

We measured our love for each other with favors, sometimes smaller, sometimes bigger, that we did for each other. As if we were two businessmen, instead of a father and a daughter and our blood relation was nothing more than a miserable contract. Things have always been like that between us.

The windows of the villa were always open these days. Spring came early and the employees were enjoying the lazy afternoons that they could spend basking in warm sunlight instead of working. My father's intense schedule and my disinterest in giving them any real tasks, gave them a lot of free time to carry chairs outside, play cards in the fresh air and read magazines. Their laughs and chatter always ceased when I tried to approach them. I was an outsider in my own home and I was an outsider among them too, so it was no surprise that jealousy brewed in my heart and darkness covered my eyes as I watched them welcome Baekhyun with open arms. I was purposely allowing myself to feel the unreasonable anger that followed once I realised that he was late to his first day of work, even if I knew that there were no real plans for that day besides him moving in to our villa and familiarizing himself with his new home.

'' The brat chose you as her new tutor? '' the French cook spoke in her heavily accented Japanese and burst in to laughter. I instantly regretted always praising her homemade bread, soufflés and even the ratatouille that my father loved to eat. I thought that she liked me, but the amused expression on her face clearly showed otherwise. She continued giggling as she stared at Baekhyun, who seemed somewhat embarrassed and uncomfortable under all of the questions that the other workers were bombarding him with. His eyes shined once he saw the house manager Mina, who lit up one of the slim cigarettes that she always smoked before she made her way in his direction, smiling and ready to lead him in the villa.

Hopping off the window sill and picking up my book in one hand and my crutch in the other, I slowly limped out of the building's main library. My current condition was making it hard for me to move quietly, so it was dumb of me to get surprised when Mina heard me and told me to step out of my hiding place. Instead of listening to her, I tried to move back, only to trip on a carpet and land on the ground. Squirming and massaging a now hurt spot on my forearm, I slowly raised my head and looked directly in to Baekhyun's enticing eyes.

A smile and a wink. Both mocking. '' Are you going to keep falling down at my feet like that? Are you trying to tell me something, girly? Send me a message? ''

'' I don't care about your peculiar taste in jokes, mister Byun and I'm sure that Sachi doesn't really mind either, but I recommend that you tone it down when the master is home, '' Mina spoke up, but my eyes stayed focused on Baekhyun. He was leaning over me and watching me, before he suddenly took a hold of my wrist and pulled me up on my feet again. His disagreement was obvious when he turned back to Mina, but she quickly shut it down with one of her fierce smiles and sharp responses: '' Didn't you say that you'd do anything for the amount of money that the master is offering? Our house, our rules, mister Byun. Try not to be annoying. Trust me, I already have more than enough annoying people to deal with. ''

'' Are you trying to insinuate something? '' I asked, pretending to be offended. Baekhyun combed through his dark hair and opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again when I suddenly pulled on the sleeve of his jacket. '' What's your name, chief. ''

'' First of all, don't call me that, '' he said and I scrunched up my nose and covered my forehead with my hands when he suddenly flicked it. Another smile graced his plump lips. '' Second of all... Didn't you read it from my application? ''

'' I did, but I want to hear you say it and introduce yourself to me. ''

His smile grew wider. He seemed to like my boldness. Or at least find it amusing. '' It's Baekhyun. Try not to call me 'mister Byun'. It's all I've been hearing around here and I feel like it already aged me for at least twenty years. ''

No one ever called him 'mister Byun'. At least not where he was from. In the neighborhood of Yugagata, one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods of Tokyo, he was just Baekhyun. The Baekhyun, who everyone saw grow up in front of their eyes, always helping everyone who needed him, but at the same time also constantly getting in to fights. Doing odd jobs around the enormous apartment complexes, boxing in their shabby gym, hanging out with friends on the basketball court that long lost and never regained the basket that you needed to actually play the sport. He was still just Baekhyun even when things got bad and his figure disappeared in the night, forever engraved in everyone's memory because of the echoes of gunshots, body bags and the flashing reflections of red police lights.

Now here he was, in a completely different world, standing in a hallway that was bigger than his entire apartment. And this was just the path that lead from the kitchen and two other rooms that were used by the housemaids. I was watching him turn his head left and right, eyes scanning the paintings that were hanging on the walls, the fine china that was stored behind glass cupboards and sniffing the air that always either held the smell of fresh food or laundry detergent. All of a sudden, his gaze landed on the book that I dropped earlier. I half expected him to make fun of me for it, but instead, he picked it up and loudly read the title: '' The Catcher in the Rye? ''

'' You know this? ''

Rolling his eyes, he hit me over the head with the book and asked: '' How dumb do you think that I am, girly? I'm the teacher here and you're the one that needs me. Stop acting so surprised whenever over the fact that I actually know things. ''

'' My father dislikes books, '' I blurted out, ignoring the warning glare that Mina shot in my direction. Her grip tightened around the clipboard that she always carried everywhere. She acted as a harsh house manager and she cared too much about my father's opinion on her. It was too easy for her nerves to get the best of her and somehow she always ended up chainsmoking cigarettes, massaging her forehead and complaining to another worker about a headache that never seemed to leave her for more than a couple of hours.

Baekhyun handed me my book back and stuck his hands in his pockets. '' Good thing that I don't have to like a man to work for him. ''

He asked Mina for a cigarette and she grudgingly handed him one before she told him to follow her. Sparking a flame with his lighter and complaining over the weakness of her favourite brand, instantly made her regret her decision and she quickened her steps. Her low heels were clicking against the wooden floor, together with the sound of Baekhyun, who dragged his feet as he walked, while I was following closely behind and leaning against my crutch.

My old copy of The Catcher in the Rye was under my arm and sunlight was reflecting in my eyes.