"And I'm still standing here, staring at your back."
Chapter 4
"Nean?!!"
"Yes, it's me." Nean chuckled, "What are you doing here?"
"I am with my friend." Plan looked around, trying to find Jinu but it seems like she had been swallowed by the crowd far in front of him. "And looks like he is gone." Plan sighed irritably.
Nean laughed, "That's how you walk in the annual bazaar. It's always like this every year. Always crowded."
Plan was still looking for Jinu, hoping that his best friend and editor finally realize that they were separated and then separated and then return to look for him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked Nean when he felt that the latter had no intention of leaving.
"Me?" Nean laughed.
This guy is really cheerful and laughs a lot...far different from Mean.
"I'm a free man. I heard that there was a crowd here so I came to see, that's all."
"PLAN!"
"!!!"
Jinu shouted when she realized that she was far apart from Plan. She treaded through the crowd to approach Plan who had been pulled over with Nean near the shoe booth.
Finally Jinu managed to near Plan and gasped for breath, "Phew! It's so crowded, we can't even bargain comfortably..." Then Jinu was stunned when she realized that there was an extraordinarily handsome man standing beside Plan.
"Hi." Nean smiled pleasantly. It seemed Nean knew that he was seen with a look of awed by women. "I'm Nean, acquaintance of Plan" He said while stretching his hand forward.
Jinu returned the helping hand as if hypnotized, her eyes staring at Nean.
Nean was amused then stepped away, "Looks like you've found your friend." He patted on Plan's shoulder gently but intently, "Next time be careful." He muttered then waved and walked away.
Jinu didn't even blink until Nean disappeared from her sight.
"Wow!!...*heart eyes*" She stared in amazement then turned to Plan with an accusing look, "Tell me where did you find that handsome guy. He said he was your acquaintance, right?"
T/N: Jinu, my dear, Nean is a human and not a gift coupon!!
Plan chuckled at the interest Jinu was showing in Nean, "He is the twin brother of the cafe owner I told you about."
"That handsome? ... And there are two people?" Jinu was quite surprised and shook her head, "Great! I, who for many years in this city, have never been fortunate to find a man with such physical appearance and smile as perfect as that and you've been here for a while, you've met two handsome men."
T/N: Noooo!!!! Jinu....shoo shoo!! Nean is mine!!!!
Plan chuckled, "Ah! You are exaggerating." He looked around and said, "Let's go home, I'm tired."
Fortunately Jinu didn't refuse.
"I met the man."
Nean had just came to visit the Garden Cafe and met Mean in his apartment. The elder twin was immediately alerted when Nean mentioned the 'man'.
And sure enough, Nean immediately threw a question that Mean didn't like at all.
"Is he the reason you never go back to your house and always stay here?"
T/N: Gotcha!!!
Mean put on a hard face, "What do you mean?"
"Well...You're acting out of your way, your servants at home say you never sleep there and always spend the night in the cafe. And you also greet that guy." Nean shrugged when Mean threw a sharp gaze at him, "I know that info from the man whom I collided with. He said that you greeted him when he first visited the cafe. He believes that it's the culture of the cafe for the owner to greet a customer." Nean glance turned serious, "You know that it's not right? You always hide behind the mysterious owner of the company, you've never greeted customers before. That guy is the only one you greet."
"Can you talk to the point and not beat around the bush with your silly analysis?" Mean interrupted curtly making Nean chuckle.
"Well, the conclusion, you are attracted to that guy, Plan." Nean looked cautiously at Mean, "So do I."
Mean's eyes immediately burned with anger.
"Don't Nean!"
"It can't be helped? We always seem to be blessed with a curse of having same feeling towards someone. What if we do a game like our childhood? The game, 'he will choose you or me'? It seems fun", proposed Nean half laughing.
In an instant, Mean moved at lightning speed, grabbed Nean's shirt's collar and pushed him to wall.
"This is not a game, Nean. I am serious, if you want to play with Plan, you have to face me first."
Nean let Mean press himself against the wall and looked at Mean, smirking.
"Mean, have you forgotten? You already have Sean."
T/N: Ouch!!!
"It does not prevent me from pursuing Plan", said Mean harshly.
That made Nean laugh out loud, not caring about Mean's angry eyes.
"It's doesn't prevent, you say?" Nean let go of Mean's hand that clutched his collar and stepped away. Still laughing, "Of course it's very deterring that you have a fiancée and you are about to get married. That was your own choice because of your stupid sense of responsibility!! So you can't have any relationship with Plan!!" Nean looked at Mean, his eyes filled with a challenging look, "But I'm different, I'm a free man."
"Don't challenge me, Nean. You know what I'm going to when I'm angry."
"I know." Nean glanced cautiously at Mean but he decided not to back down, But Plan is worth trying for." Nean stepped out of Mean's apartment. When he reached the door, he turned back and smiled sweetly,
"Phi! Looks like a war is about to start..."
"!!!"
Mean stood there stunned, staring at Nean's departure. He scrambled his hair in frustration.
What he feared happened again. They are about to compete for a partner.
As if the burden of my problem is not heavy enough...
That night Plan came home late. He discussed about his novel at Jinu's place and forgot about time. Jinu proposed him to stay overnight but Plan decided that he should go home. He had trouble sleeping in his own room leave alone sleeping in someone else's room. However, Plan felt more comfortable resting at his own place.
As he got down the taxi and was about to enter the turnstile towards the lobby of his apartment, Plan glanced at the Garden Cafe that stood across the street. He hadn't been there for two days.
How's Mean?
That thought kept bothering him all day. His mind was always filled with an image of the man who was so handsome and looked so mature.
"Plan?"
Plan was shocked to hear his named being called. He immediately turned. His face went pale from what he saw.
Ohm??!!
The man looked messy and a little out of focus.
"I've been waiting for you here for a long time. Where have you been?"
T/N: And who are you to question him, Mister?
The tone Ohm's voice rose as if he could not control his emotions. When he stepped closer to Plan, the latter could immediately smell it, the alcohol that was thick and sickening. It was as if the man had spent the bight drinking cheap alcohol which produced that distinctive smell.
Plan's heart pumped in fear. Ohm was drunk. And it looked like he was drunk heavily. Plan began to panic when he realized that his surrounding was very quiet. There were only a few street vendors with dim lights and that too far in the corner. Plan was not sure whether those vendors would be able to hear him if he yelled for help.
Plan glanced at the Garden Cafe across the street. The cafe was still open. Even though it was 2 o'clock at night, it was still crowded. But unfortunately, all the visitor were inside being enjoying the slow and calming music.
There was no one to help Plan if Ohm got out of control.
"Why are you here again, Phi?" Plan asked carefully, trying to retreat and keep his distance even though the drunk man kept moving towards him step by step.
Step.
Step.
Step.
"Why?" Ohm laughed, "Because you are stupid and vindictive*" His voice rose again,
T/N: vindictive: - having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge
"You exaggerate the problem as if I made a very big mistake. You refused to forgive me and threw me away like I was trash."
T/N: Ohm?? Hello!!!! Yes, you! ~~ You ARE a trash... You poopy head!!!!
Ohm smiled sarcastically, "Maybe you never loved me. Because if someone loves me there is no way he won't be able to forgive me."
T/N: Ladies and Gentlemen, and the award for Ceiling-Touching-Nose Narcissist goes to Ohm!! *Applause* Did you purchase Plan from a supermarket with a 1+1 free deal? Like loving and forgiving for whatsoever the circumstances? Eh?
Oh my God! This guy is really shameless. Exaggerating the problem? Which partner in the world can forgive such behavior from his fiancee? And that too at a time when their marriage was just a few months away.
"I think you should better leave my life P'Ohm. I'm very sick of you and I can't possibly go back to you. Plan's tone was full of hatred as he could no longer control his emotions.
That provoked Ohm. The man's gaze was burning, filled with the alcohol he drank. He suddenly lunged forward and gripped Plan's arms so roughly that it hurt.
"Don't want to go back with me?" Ohm chuckled, his voice was frightening and the irritating smell of alcohol scared Plan and made him panic. But the man called his ex-fiancée was very strong. The more Plan struggles, the stronger he grips, the more it hurts.
"Pain! P'Ohm! You are hurting me!" Plan tried to struggle and started screaming.
Suddenly Ohm's body was pulled back so roughly that it almost toppled. His arm was pushed until he slammed the sidewalk.
Plan immediately recognized his savior.
It was Mean.
He was dressed in black from head to toe, that's why Plan was not aware of his arrival. But anyway, he was grateful for Mean to help him right in time.
T/N: I really fail to understand how exactly knights in shining armors come to know when their beloveds are in distress. Do they have danger detecting radar kind of thing?? Haha~~
"You? Again?" Although drunk, Ohm could apparently recognize Mean from that incident last afternoon. "Who are you indeed? Why do you always interfere with my fiancée?" Ohm rose from the ground and stood alert, ready to attack.
"Former fiancée." Mean said calmly. His body was taller and stronger than Ohm. He held a black belt in martial arts, facing Ohm was very easy for him. "You better get out of here and not interfere with Plan anymore otherwise you will have to face me."
Ohm widened in anger, for a moment he seemed to think of attack Mean. But he opted out of it when he saw killing flames in Mean's eyes. He would lose if he fought that guy, somehow he knew.
With a cynical* glance, he eyed Plan, "It turns out that you forgot me so easily. We just separated for a while and you found yourself a new man. Maybe you are not as clean as what you have shown so far." After throwing a condescending** gaze, Ohm half staggered towards his car.
T/N: *cynical - concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted standards in order to achieve them; **condescending - having or showing an attitude of patronizing superiority
Mean made sure Ohm entered his car and left before carefully touching Plan's shoulder. Plan seemed tense and frightened even though he tried to be strong.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Plan just felt his whole body trembling when everything was over. He looked helplessly at Mean, "I'm fine." The answer sounded hoarse. Suddenly his leg went limp and Mean had to support him.
The man embraced him gently and respectfully.
"Let me take you upstairs." He said calmly directing Plan in to the lobby of the apartment and stepping into the elevator.
At the front of his room, Plan realized his mistake. He could not let Mean enter his apartment.
This man could be psychopath!!! Yes, a psychopath who targets people who live alone by themselves!!!! Right?
I...uh thank you..." Plan leans on the door. He tried to be polite and let go of Mean's grip on his waist.
Mean raised his eyebrows, "You are limping and trembling." He said calmly, "I'll take you in."
"NO!"
"!!!"
Plan almost screamed and felt embarrassed when Mean looked at him as if he was possessed, "I...I can go in by myself, thank you."
He searched for his door's key card in his backpack but couldn't find it. Panicking, he rummaged through his bag but still couldn't find it.
Mean was waiting there staring calmly at his panic without words.
After looking for long, Plan raised his head frantically, "The key is not there." He muttered weakly and wanted to cry, "Maybe ....maybe I left it at my friend's place..." His vision turned hazy and tears started rolling down his cheeks. Actually, this was not a problem, he just needed to contact the security or the reception below and request a backup key card and then would be able to open the door.
Plan just needed an excuse to cry, the harsh and degrading treatment had hurt him deeply. And even though he tried to appear strong in front of Mean, he still felt pain.
Without a word, Mean grabbed his head and pulled it to his chest.
T/N: KYAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Shh...cry."
He whispered softly and immediately Plan's defense fortress came crashing down. He cried and cried, as hard as he could, for the first time in so long. Spilling his pain, spilling his anger, his hatred, everything that happened between him and Ohm. He spilled everything on Mean's chest, the man he had just known for a while ago.
Quietly, Mean wiped Plan's hair from his forehead. When Plan was a bit calm he pushed Plan's shoulders gently and whispered softly.
"Here...give me your bag, it looks like you were too panicked when looking earlier."
Obediently, Plan handed over his bag to him. He searched through it carefully. And in an instant he found the keycard which was tucked at the very bottom of his backpack.
Mean put the keycard into Plan's palm and smiled softly.
"Enter and rest." He whispered.
Planed wiped his tears and stared at Mean.
"Thank you." He whispered hoarsely.
Unexpectedly, Mean pulled Plan back into his arms and then kissed his forehead. "You are welcome." Then the man turned around leaving Plan without words.
T/N: No, pls don't touch me. I am sensitive....*sniff*
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To Be Continued
T/N:
So, the curse shows itself again and both the twins are now attracted to our sweet Plan. Does it mean there would be a war between the brothers? Whom will Plan choose or is he even interested in choosing 'any' of them? Finally, Plan spills all his pent up emotions and feelings in the handsome cafe owner's chest. But he is still wary of him. Will Mean be able to break Plan's emotional wall of defense? Stay tuned to know more.
Also, kindly 'voment' and let me know your thoughts, any shortcomings or suggestions for improvement in my writing style.
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Don't forget to checkout my new book- "From the Darkest Side- MeanPlan ver". It's certainly not fluff. 'A dark romance' I must say. *creeps* Thanks!
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Word of the Day
"Zephyr"
Yours Truly's Thought of the Day
"Sometimes giving a shoulder to cry on provides more comfort than sympathetic words."
Question of the Day
"Do you believe in fate?"