" Like a dream yet
as if it's not a dream,
you are like in a dream "
Jaehyuk has already graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology, after going on to further studies and pursuing a Masters' Degree in Robotics, while Yuna had just begun her freshman year at an arts college, taking up practical music. Mr Kawazu had left his company and set up his own small tech company. All was going well in their lives.
One evening, Jaehyuk returned home and Mr Kawazu had been waiting for him eagerly.
"Jaehyuk! I have some wonderful news to share with you." He cried.
"What news?" Jaehyuk asked curiously.
"My team and I are planning to create one of the most intelligent and advanced humanoid robot called Hikun. We are currently looking for all the top engineers of their field to partner with us on this project. I would certainly want you to join us. With your intelligence and top-notch skills, I'm sure we can build a one-of-a-kind humanoid that could impact humankind!" Mr Kawazu explained.
A humanoid robot? Jaehyuk thought for a while. He did have plans on starting his own business here in Osaka now that he already completed his scholarship at the university. As much as he could, he wanted to stay in Osaka. This project could be a stepping stone for him.
"Sure, I accept." Jaehyuk concluded and shook hands with Mr Kawazu, who was beaming with delight.
"Wonderful!"
Just as they finished talking, Yuna had just returned from lectures. Jaehyuk's eyes lit up when he saw her, but then there was another person behind her.
"I'm home!" She called.
"Who's this?" Jaehyuk asked, walking to her side.
"Oh, this is Arthur Hamada. We were from the same high school but we only got close this year since we take the same courses at college. He's a very talented composer and one of the best students in our course!" She told them and smiled at Arthur, who looked flattered. "He'll be joining us for dinner today, if you all don't mind."
Mr Kawazu went up to him.
"You're very handsome, young lad!" He complimented. "Are you Japanese?"
"Er, yes. I'm Japanese-American, but I'm an orphan." Arthur explained curtly.
"That explains the blonde hair." Mr Kawazu chuckled and motioned them to have a seat. "I've prepared dinner tonight so you three just wait at the living room first while I get ready."
Jaehyuk narrowed his eyes at Arthur, who was now sitting next to Yuna on the couch. He took a seat on a separate chair and stared at him intently.
It was awkward silence as the three introverts sat there without a word. Jaehyuk had tried to speak a few times but in the end decides to back out.
"Er... Do you have a girlfriend, Jaehyuk?" Arthur randomly questioned.
Jaehyuk shook his head and stared at Yuna before replying 'no'.
~
Yuna was walking Arthur out of the apartment after the dinner when he suddenly turned around and held her hand.
"Yuna, I know that we've only started becoming close this year but I already feel so different around you. You're able to understand me and appreciate my quirkiness." Arthur took a deep breath before bursting out loud, "I like you, Yuna!"
Stunned, Yuna stared at him with her mouth agape. With tears forming in her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him.
"Arthur, I've never had a friend like you ever since I was a child. You never treated me differently because I didn't have a mother, and even though I'm not easy to interact with, you saw through my flaws. Of course, I like you too!" She cried aloud, hugging him tightly.
Meanwhile, Jaehyuk had secretly followed them down and was witnessing everything. Seeing them like that, he felt as if someone shot a dagger into his heart, piercing through it. Immense pain filled his entire body as he saw Yuna gaze into Arthur's eyes.
What did someone like Arthur have that made Yuna fall for him? He was almost certain that Yuna reciprocated his feelings, after almost ten years of living together. He hated Arthur, he hated everyone who caused him this pain. What was happiness? Jaehyuk didn't know anymore.
Returning to the apartment once more, he saw Mr Kawazu sitting by himself at the living room watching television. Sighing, Jaehyuk headed to his room and shut the door.
Collapsing on the bed, Jaehyuk stared at the ceiling. Something was gnawing at him from the inside, almost choking him. As he heard the door open, he heard Yuna squeal to Mr Kawazu. He opened the door slightly and peeked outside.
"... Dad, Arthur confessed to me!"
"How sweet! Did you accept?"
"Yes, Dad! I love him a lot!"
"I'm happy for you, sweetheart."
Jaehyuk's blood boil seeing the Kawazus rejoice. Why did they deserve joy and not him? His whole life, he never got what he wanted, and it was time that things changed. The project. He mustn't forget. He had now partnered with Yuna's father to work on a humanoid project that could impact mankind.
'This isn't over yet. I'll get my revenge, slowly but surely.' Jaehyuk vowed to himself before shutting off the lights in the room. 'If I can't have Yuna, no one else can have her.'
~
For the next few months, Jaehyuk endured seeing Arthur and Yuna go out on dates or come back home together for a meal. Everyday, it felt like his heart was being torn into pieces, over and over again.
Meanwhile, the project was going smoothly. Jaehyuk learnt all the different tips that Mr Kawazu shared with him about Hikun's software, showing him the ropes of this advanced robot. Its face and other features were currently modeled on one of the engineers' young teenage son. Jaehyuk worked hard and learnt quickly, gaining the trust and respect from the whole of Mr Kawazu's team.
"Jaehyuk, I must commend you about your work with Project Hikun. Ever since you've joined, the team has made significant progress in the research and I can see a lot of potential in this humanoid." Mr Kawazu told him as he drove them back home from work.
Jaehyuk nodded his head to acknowledge the elder. "I'm just doing what's best for the team."
"Of course." Mr Kawazu acknowledged. "Also, Arthur informed me about taking Yuna for a weekend road trip. He said he had rented a car and it's already parked at the carpark downstairs. I think the vehicle he rented is a little faulty but I don't have time to get it checked tomorrow before the weekend comes since I have errands to run. Would you mind doing your old man a favor and help me get it to the workshop for a quick check?"
A cunning idea had formed in Jaehyuk's head as he heard Mr Kawazu's request.
"Of course, Sir. I'd be glad to help."
To Be Continued...
just had the weirdest dream that asahi announced he was getting married and already had two kids... what the fuck- 😀?!
i hope these flashbacks will help y'all get an idea of what jae's character is like. to summarise, he's basically just an extremely intelligent and gifted child prodigy (he actually said this himself lmao) but because of his lack of parental love when he was younger due to their expectations of him performing well in his academics, he becomes very distant from others and bottled up his troubles, often feeling very lonely and depressed.
however, when yuna came into the picture, jaehyuk saw her as a hope that he could have true friends after all and slowly grows a little too obsessed with her, thinking that yuna reciprocated his feelings (he's a lot older than her in the book so it can be a little weird) and becomes very possessive and delusional to the point that he couldn't take the fact that she actually had feelings for her college mate arthur and has seemed to forgot their years of friendship while living under the same roof, which was what drove him to madness and caused the accident — 😀👍 yes, i'm sorry jae but your "i was a child prodigy" and "i don't have a mom" just inspired me to make you a villain here I STILL LOVE YOU :'D