[23. Crush]
On Monday morning, Dae woke up to Aroon’s alarm and simply lied awake on the bed for sometime. He had slept a lot the previous four days and he was not at all feeling sleepy. He got out of the bed and walked to his bathroom deciding to take a long warm shower after which he felt pretty energetic. After getting ready, he quickly prepared his bag.
While he was about to exit his room, his glance fell on his teddy bear which was still lying at a corner of the room, torn. He averted his gaze, trying not to look at it but he couldn't. He felt his heart ache seeing his friend lying like that. After all what did it do to deserve this? He kneeled down and took it in his hands.
'I am sorry. I w[24. Razor blade]That evening after class, Dae was hurriedly walking out of the university campus to catch a bus at 4:20. There were only a few people here and there. He was late because Miss Anna asked him to help her carry the sonometer to the physics lab. Most of the Students had already left the campus. As he neared the parking lot, he heard some footsteps behind him. He turned just to get harshly pushed to the bonnet of one of the cars parked in the parking lot. He groaned from the pain even though he fell on the car's bonnet with his bag protecting his back.He looked up with a thudding heart to see Aroon and his two friends standing in front of him, circling him. He felt scared, really scared. He looked around. There was no one. The three of them
[25. Rope]The morning sun beams peaked through the thin white curtains in the room, tickling Dae's eyes. Still reluctant to open those beautiful yet puffy eyes, he squirmed a little trying to take his hands out of some heavy bondage holding his hands tightly to his body. He felt a pleasing warmth coming from the left. 'Ron', he whispered softly and hugged the bear lying next to him, still his eyes closed. Suddenly he remembered something and quickly opened his eyes to see the living bear sleeping peacefully, hugging him tightly.Dae tilted his head up to see Aroon's face so close to him. He realized he was previously sleeping with his hea
[26. Park]Dae stood there once again on the road staring at Aroon's car rolling away from him like on the first day to C.U. He looked at his watch. It's already late. He don't really want to get a scolding from the professor and moreover he don't want to go to college. College does not give him happiness like his school. His high school was a place where he could relax and be happy. But he can't even breathe when he is in C.U. Both home and college are equally hell. Dae really wanted to escape from his life and end everything in a second.'What about stepping in front of one of these cars and ending it right here?'Dae was harshly pulled out from his thoug
[27. Badminton Coach]At evening, the football captain of C.U was sitting on a side bench in the ground along with his best friend, tired after practicing for about an hour. The inter college sports match is next month and so they needed to practice a lot. Since they didn't practice in the morning, they skipped the last period in order to practice. Also Aroon needed to coach the new players since he was the captain. After playing for an hour, Aroon announced a 15 minute break and all the players were now resting on the side steps and benches. Aroon was sipping on his water bottle when Oak noticed something. Oak slowly stood up and pat
[28. Pancake]"Dae..we still have time left. What shall we do now?", Phet asked looking at his watch as they came out of the theatre."Mm..can we just walk and then maybe have an Ice-cream?", Dae asked."Yeah..sure, come on.", Phet said grabbing Dae's hands. They walked hand in hand and Dae was just amazed looking at all those big shops, restaurants, bars, Hotels and buildings on both sides of the road. That was all new to him. He had never walked through the streets like this. Nobody was there to take him out. He had wished so many times to hang out with Aroon but...
[29. Silver Knife]"Aroon...enough. let's go now.", Oak said dragging Aroon out of the bar.Aroon pushed Oak away. "Oak..leave me...I am not at all drunk.""Aroon...I swear you are going to have a head ache tomorrow. Remember you have to attend a meeting tomorrow.", Oak said and pulled Aroon into the passenger seat of his car. He then took the key from Aroon's pocket and hopped into the driving seat."So..what ? And I am not drunk at all. I can drive.", Aroon spat back as Oak buckled the seat belt."So what !?”, Oak asked unbelievably. “ You still don’t know the seriousness of this matter. Either you won't be able to attend the meeting and you
[30. You are a flirt !]‘ Hey Dae, are you okay? Please pick my call. This is urgent.’Dae stared at Chau’s message. He felt a bit nervous. So he called Phet before texting him back. "Phet..get up..P'Chau texted me.""What..!? The basketball captain!?", Phet immediately jumped up from the bed."yes.", Dae replied."Show me.", Phet said and Dae showed him the message."Dae..What does he need to talk to you this urgently?""He had asked me to come for basketball prac
[31. Practice]At early morning after bidding Good bye to Nin, Phet and Dae started for college. Nin seemed like she wanted Dae to stay at their home for some more days." Hey it's not a trouble at all. Dae, you said, your Dad will be back only by next week. So you are alone at home, right ? You can stay here till then.", she had said with a smile. But anyway Dae refused her offer thank fully. He didn't want to trouble her in any means.Dae felt so happy, as he sat in the passenger seat, enjoying the ride to college. The previous day was such a Joyful day. And he slept peacefully, cuddling with Phet. Everything feels so good. He was smiling, looking out of the window." Why are you smiling ?", Phet asked without turning his face." I am just so happy.", Dae said turning his face to Phet." How did you see I was smiling ?"" I saw your dimples.", Phet smiled. " Dae, I am so happy that you are in the college basketball team. Woah ! You are
[167. I will be with you.]The drive to Sky Park is only 20 minutes. The boys sits in the back seat of a cab, peering out of the windows at the bright lit malls and shops on either sides of the highway. It's almost 7 Pm and all the shops has been brightly lit with colourful lights.'Fake Love, BTS' is playing on the radio in the background and Dae tries humming along with the song whilst carefully observing the Seoul city. The driver, who is probably a guy in his late twenties also sings along with the song in a low voice whilst vigorously shaking his head. Aroon just sits and enjoys the cool wind whipping through his cheeks from the taxi's open window." Are you two a couple ?", the driver suddenly asks stopping his singing and glancing at them through the mirror. Both Aroon and Dae is surprised. Not because the driver asked them that question but because he asked in English." Yeah..", Aroon replies. The driver just smiles in response and starts
[166. Ice rink]Dae sits in one of the side seats of a bus to Seoul with the older's phone in his hands, his eyes glued on the phone screen, his lips curved upward and his dimples visible as he reads the rest of the comments under their post. There had been a lot of new comments, the morning and new comments are appearing every minute. Most of them are supportive and Dae can’t help but feel extremely happy. Whenever he comes across a negative comment, he quickly skips it. He doesn’t let his mind get affected by the negative remarks.Aroon sits beside the younger, carefully watching his expression, smiling slightly whenever the younger’s smile widens a bit more. The boys had left Min's apartment only half an hour ago, after having the breakfast Granny min prepared for them. “ Enough Bun.”, Aroon says after sometime. “ You will get a head ache if you read while traveling.”“ Oh..really?”, Dae tilts his head and asks. “ Yeah I think I am s
[ 165. Overcame Fear]It had past midnight. Dae lied awake looking at the dark ceiling above him, his eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to make some important decision regarding his relationship with Aroon. The older was sound asleep beside him, still one of his strong arms caging him protectively from one side." Aru..", he suddenly called shaking the older. He needs to tell the older something urgently. Out of nowhere, he has suddenly got some strange yet strong courage, a courage to do something, something daring. He needs to do it right now or what if he loses the courage tomorrow morning?Aroon groaned in discomfort as Dae called him again. Dae reached his hands to the nearby switch board and soon the lights were turned on. Aroon's eyelashes fluttered in irritation at the sudden lightening that filled the room along with the younger calling his name whilst shaking him. " What bun ?", he asked slowly opening his eyes." Aru, I have took one impo
[164. Baby..patience ]Aroon sat on the bed, staring at the younger, sitting huddled up on the couch watching some cartoon on TV after having the ramen noodles cooked by granny min, his plump lips curved upward at the end and his dimples visible as he peered at the television screen. The younger looked so cute and hot in his new light blue shirt and cream short shorts.Aroon looked at his watch. It was almost 9 Pm. Dae isn't getting bored watching the damn cartoon. At last Aroon sat up from the bed, ruffling his hair and walked to the younger, the sweet smell of strawberries encasing him as he reaches near him.He slumps down beside the younger inhaling his sweet smell deep into his nostrils. But the younger is so immersed in the cartoon he is watching that he doesn't give him the attention he needed.Losing patience, Aroon grabs the younger's chin and turns his face to him, making him look at his eyes. Dae's heart rate suddenly speeds up at the way the o
[ 163. The old couple. ]Dae walks holding Aroon's hands, a smile sits on his face as he amusedly watches the infinite number of shops and stalls on either side of the road. A heavy plastic bag hangs on Aroon's free hand and it swings back and forth as they walks quickly through the street market of Cheonan. Inside it are the little stuff they bought from that market." Aru, walk slow.", Dae whines." Dae, it's going to rain soon. I think we need to walk 15 more minutes to reach the bus stop."" It's going to rain? How do you know ?", Dae asks confused." Look up at the sky."Dae looks up and sees the greying clouds above him rumbling with warning. Out of nowhere an ice cool wind blows and whips through their hair. A drop of water falls on Dae's nose tip." Aru..yeah..it's raining."Soon fat droplets of rain hits both of their forehead and Aroon runs holding Dae's hands to a nearby tiny restaurant. Standing there under the leak
[162. Baby goats]After almost an hour, Dae wakes up feeling hungry. He blinks his eyes thrice before slowly lifting his heavy eyelids, adjusting his dreary eyes to the morning sun rays rushing in through the open window. He slowly sits up straight, lifting his head from the older's shoulders." Why you woke up quickly ?", Aroon asks, his gaze on his phone, his fingers dancing rapidly over the screen. "There's one more hour to reach there. Sleep a little more.", he says slightly turning his head. Dae just hums in replay but looks out of the window deciding to watch the sights outside for sometime. The bus is now going through a city and tall buildings array on both sides of the road. Soon Dae notices the board of a restaurant and instantly his mouth waters seeing the variety food items on the banner. He feels extremely hungry after seeing the photo of the food items. He hadn't eaten dinner last night. But he feels reluctant to tell Aroon that
[ 161. Bus ride ]Dae squirmed on the bed, left and right trying to meet the familiar warmth. But he didn’t hit Aroon's body even after rolling about a lot. So he finally opened his eyes to figure out where the older actually was. He turned his face to his right and he was shocked. Abruptly he turned around to the left and there too was no one. Dae sat up on the bed in panic with a fast thudding heart. " Aru..", He called out frightened gazing around in the room. He looked over at the window and it's still dark outside. Dae started getting more nervous by the instant. "A..Aru..", He again called and this time it came out muffled because of fear. He was about to cry as no reply came.He only remember both of them running into a hotel, actually a motel at midnight after walking through the empty roads for almost an hour. He was really sleepy then and as soon he saw a bed, he fell on it and drifted into sleep, hugging the older. But now where is the olde
[ 160. Eloped ]It was really dark when Aroon landed at Seoul airport. He had changed the time in his phone from 5: 52 Pm to 7:52 Pm. And it had past 8:20 when he finally got out of the airport and got a taxi. Somehow he was able to tell the driver that we wanted to go to Daegu and fortunately the man understood him.Aroon took his phone and called Oak as soon as he hopped into the taxi.“ Aroon..be really careful. We will call you if there’s anything. And if your Dad calls you, pick the call. Or he will get suspicions. Bye then, take care.”, Oak said before ending the call.Aroon then placed the phone in his pocket and leaned back in his seat.The taxi driver, who was an young man, not looking anything more than 25 tried to converse with him in a English mixed Korean. And Aroon was able to comprehend something. His one week stay with Kim family had taught him a little bit Korean. He also tried to converse a little with the driver in an attempt to
[159. Let’s bring back Dae.]Aroon didn't have dinner. He sat on his desk chair thinking what to do next. An hour ago, he had texted Dae ' Are you okay ?' just to see whether he has his phone with him. The message was marked ‘seen’ after sometime but no reply came. So he understood the phone was either in Mr Kim’s custody or with his own Dad.' Dae isn't alright. Right now, he might be crying, lying in that room where we stayed. Or they might be questioning him. He is definitely not okay. He needs me.', Aroon suddenly took his phone in his hands and started searching for the next flight to Korea.There was a flight at 5 Am. The booking was about to close and he hastily went to book ticket. But soon he found that there was not enough money in his card. It was strange as the ticket doesn't coast that much. He checked the balance and found the whole money in his account has been withdrawn a few hours ago. Aroon felt totally helpless. He called O