I still haven't told Ben that the person I was friends with is Baekjin Na. It was decided after school that in order to celebrate Gray's discharge from the hospital, we'll all go to Ttossski chicken, but unfortunately Gerard couldn't come today, it was just me, Alex, Ben and Gray.
We here at a crowded overflowing place outside our school territory and I was calmly looking for Ben. I peeped through the crowds of walking people but couldn't find. I suddenly spotted a Grey bag, standing beside the entrance of an alley.
"What's wrong..?" I muttered as I made my way there, I spotted Ben and Alex, maybe...clustered around someone?
"Hey Ben, what's going-" I stopped as I witnessed who was the people they were facing, amidst the busy street.
I saw Ben standing and his hands were clenched in a fit and the person he was talking to was-
"Jake.." I muttered as saw him, Timothy and Dean facing Ben...they looked angry.
"Selena? What are you doing with this fucker?" Dean asked enraged and suddenly grabbed my wrist, to pull me to his side.
"Wait-" I was about to say but Ben grabbed his forearm and said
"Where do you think you're taking her?" Ben asked as a vein popped on his forehead in slight anger and Dean looked pissed.
"Ben is my brother" I muttered under the surmounting pressure of both the groups as sparks were practically flying between them.
"What?" Jake looked at me, and raised his eyebrow questioningly...is he in a bad mood?
Dean shook his hand from my wrists and Ben suddenly grabbed my hand, his large hand clutched mine and it was suddenly applying pressure, something that I can't, of course,never shook off.... what is this idiot doing..?
"Sel,you know them?' Ben asked me in his usual voice.
"They're friends" I said and Ben released my hand and inhaled and said them
"Where do you think you're going, you owe us an apology"
What just happened here? I was looking from Jake to Ben, to figure out what was going on.
Suddenly, Jake scowled as his eyes were fixed at Ben, I gulped at him as I held Ben's shirt in fear.
Is he really the Jake I knew..? He seemed so different.
He declared
"I'm Jake Ji from Daehyeon High"
I looked at him in surprise as silence fell and only the buzzing of the crowd can be heard.
"Jake, what's up with you..?" i muttered as I was really perplexed at the situation and his behavior.
At that time, he forced a smile at his face and looked at me, then that smile turned into a grimace as he looked at Ben and said
"Hate to break it to ya, we gotta go, we have plans we can't be late"
When they were gone, Ben didn't say anything but stared at the ground, his head hung low.
"What...was going on here?" I sighed and looked at Gray for explanation
"The glasses guy was trailing us, Alex found him and question but his cap friend came up and thought we were ganging up on him, he kicked Alex aiming at the chest, that's when Ben came up" Gray explained to me and I gasped.
"Ben asked for an apology but they didn't....I guess" I concluded as I felt tense.
"Are they really your friends?" Alex asked
I nodded in response.
"Don't tell me there are other union friends of yours?" Ben asked as he looked at me.
"Well...yeah" I said
"Who?" Ben asked
"Baek...jin Na" I muttered in a low voice as their mouth hung wide open except Gray.
"WH...AAAAATTTTTTTTTT??!!!!1?!?!" they both shrieked in unison.
The people were gaping at us and murmuring.
I explained him everything except the kiss and the ganghak part and I didn't mentioned the 'I like this bitch' also.
Silence hung in the air and those two stared at me with wide eyes and open mouths.
Gray finally said
"You're in for trouble"
*
"I'm tired" I muttered as I was walking to the exit gate with Ben after our school got over.
"Where are Alex and Gerard?" I asked yawning, why am I so sleepy?
"I don't know" Ben pouted and crossed his arms.
"Whatever, It's your duty to cook dinner today" I said as I watched the sun was sinking and the rich golden light was distributed all around the sky, it was brilliantly orange.
"Stop watching the sun, lets order today" Ben said happily on the prospect of ordering.
"No, .......I'll make dinner today" I said in defeat.
He suddenly patted my back and said
"I'm thankful to have ya"
The students were murmuring loud as they were enthusiastic to return home after school. I asked Ben.
"Ben.....do you enjoy fighting?"
He turned his face and looked at me. He sighed and smiled
"No, never" he replied and looked in front.
I softly smiled to myself, heaved a sigh of relief. He will only fight to protect.
We two stepped out of the school's exit and I noticed a tall figure leaning on the wall. He had red hair and apparently wore glasses, he wore certain school uniform....it isn't our school...Have I seen him somewhere?
That tall red head approached me and said
"I'm Kingsley Kwon, I came from Yeongdeungpo Union, are you Selena Park?" he asked me, extending his hand to shake.
"Uni...on?" Ben gaped at him in horror....I heard from Alex , Ben had a tussle with Baekjin...
"Miss Park, Mr Na wants you to work at union, you applied to the vacant job under Mr Na, will you take up the post of a co-manager secretary in union?" he asked extremely formally.
I gazed at Ben, he stood silently.
Kingsley fished out a bundled paper from his bag and handed it to me.
"A contract..." I muttered and the I scanned it, the salary will be 30,000 won?!! Damn....should I sign up?
I looked at Ben and he seemed calm, he asked me
"Do you want to do?"
"I don't know" I muttered. He ruffled my hair, I looked up at him, he replied
"You should do, all you do is laze around"
I said to Kingsley
"I'll consider it"
"You should give me an answer by 7 tomorrow, see you" his tone suddenly changed and he turned to go.
"Ben..." What should I exactly say to him?
"Do it, Sel" Ben said and flashed a grin, whether it was forced or not, I didn't know.
*
I sighed, looking at the sky, sitting at the rooftop and gazing at the turbulent clouds hovering way above me.
"What should I do..?" I leaned against my back on Ben's old, brown battered wing chair, I wish I were a cloud.
"Hm? You?" I jumped at the voice and turned my head to see that it came from rooftop's entrance, I saw Gerard standing there, holding two cans of juice.
"Hi" I waved to him and he handed me the can.
"Thanks" I muttered and sipped the sweet drink. He stood besides me.
"I heard from Ben, you got an invitation to work at union" Gerard said and looked down at me and I nodded.
"I'm hesitating" I muttered
"Just grab the opportunity, when you can" he said and gazed at the storage room roof, which seemed to be the entrance to the terrace as well.
"Wanna climb up there, the view's amazing" Gerard asked me and I looked at that, the iron ladder stuck to it's wall, leading at the top of that squared shaped storage entrance.
I climbed it after Gerard and I grabbed Gerard's hand and strong wind brushed my face and my legs started shaking as I looked down at the ground and area surrounding it, what if I fall....?
Everything seemed small from here, like bits scattered on the ground and the the sky with its white candy like clouds seemed endless and the wind blew without any care and obstruction.
"W..wo..w" I said breathing in the view. I was calming my hair down as the air was basically riding on its own wave.
"See, you were scared before, but you came anyway, you don't regret coming here....same will happen if you join the union, maybe you won't regret" he muttered as he looked ahead and his hair waved, revealing his right eye....why does he cover them?
"What about you all?" I asked apprehensively, as I know their relations with union aren't good.
"Selena, whatever you do, we'll all be standing here" he said to me as he smiled softly and ruffled my already disheveled hair.
I didn't know what he meant by 'we'll all be here' but when he said that, something sprang in my chest, if he wasn't here...? what would've happened to me ? Would I have been the same?
My insides throbbed , I wish this moment stays as it is.