ZELAN
"You just listen to me, Zel. Please, let him stay there until he finds an apartment." My Dad's voice rippled through the phone and unpleasantly hit my ears. Being woken up when I finally took a hold of the sleep that I'd been chasing after for days is the last thing I needed. And the reason behind his call at this hour of the night is not helping at all.
I hold back a sigh that is trying hard to escape from my mouth as I listen to him. I can understand his concern, But what he saying now is hard to swallow.
"I won't stay with a stranger, dad. You know me. You know how I get with the people I don't know. Don't you know that it's hard for me?" I dipped the back of my head further down on the pillow as I held my phone to my ear loosely since my hands can barely wield the weight of it because of my drowsiness.
I heard him sigh on the other side of the line, "I know. I know, But where does he go? It's just until he finds an apartment, Zelan. I thought you would be kind to help him."
"Dad, didn't I say that I would help him? But not in the way you wanted me to"
"He won't eat you up alive if you let him stay there, Zelan. If that's what you are afraid of."
I took a deep breath. I was never good with people I don't know. I'll be restless every second I spent with them. And that's the very reason why I don't have any friends at college or at my work. Because I don't know how to make them. and people think I'm weird.
But it's a disorder of mine.
"Don't act like you don't get what I am saying, Dad." I clench my jaw as I screw my eyes shut. Dad behaving like he can't comprehend my feelings is the worst feeling I can possess.
"I'm sorry. I'm not forcing you on anything. Do it your way. I just thought you would be ok with En. It's not like he's a complete stranger to you." He sighs and I guess it's the ninety-ninth one in the span of…Ten minutes.
As he said, Enyeok is not an alien to me. I've seen him quite a lot since he works for my dad. And my dad seems to like him way more than he likes Somi, who has been friends with me for years.
I know Dad is not an easy man for anyone to tame. He is tough. if Enyeok got a good side to him, he must have something in him. I can sense that.
"Zelan, I can assure you that En would never give you hard time. He's a good Man. Just let him stay there. His Home is barely five blocks away from yours if I'm guessing it right." Dad says and I sigh.
"God, OK! I would let him stay here. But I would be staying with you in the meantime."
"You for real, kid?" He sounds so done with me.
"I'm not staying with a stranger—" Dad doesn't let me finish
"He is not a stranger. We both know it." He says
"Ok fine. Not a complete stranger but I still don't really know him. We don't even talk."
"Then isn't this a better chance to get to know each other?"
"Dad—"
"Just think about it. You've read the novel, no? You know how romantic it is. You know the bond between the two characters." He took a deep breath, "Zelan, I want to add almost every single scene in that novel to this movie. You and En need to be something more than just strangers if you are going to star in this movie together. The shoot will be starting by the next month and there's only very limited time to get to know each other. And I'm saying it again, it's a very romantic movie. God, I can't stress it enough."
"Of course, I can be friends with him Like I've been with all of my other co-stars, Dad! And for your information, I had done a lot of romantic movies and I know I did it well." I drag my hand to my face and rub my eyes.
"Ok. But staying together can do magical things."
"Yeah, you are right. It can ruin the peace of my mind." I scoff.
"Come on, Zelan. Don't be impossible."
"Dad, you are the one who's being impossible now! Why don't you just understand?" I snap.
The line went silent.
And I know I did upset him.
"Ok. You don't have to feel so burdened by anything. It's not like I'm not happy to have En here with me and Garam. I'll take care of it." He hangs up.
I feel bad.
Really bad.
Was I overreacting?
Making my Dad upset never sit well with me. Every time I feel like I did something to upset him, I would not find peace until I made up with him and he says "I love you".
I know it's so silly. But I can't help it. No matter how much older I get.
Just like that, now I'm calling him back to tell him the only thing that he wants to hear now. Yes, that's how easy I am. But only for my Dad, though.
" What is it?" He asks, hardly trying to hide his annoyance.
"I'll let him stay."
"Oh, you do?"
"Why? you don't want me to?"
"Of course, I do." He laughs, "You have to always make a scene before you agree on something, huh?"
I roll my eyes even though he can't see me, "Say it."
He laughs so hard that I can hear Papa asking him what is the matter.
"I love you, bubb" He managed through his chuckles. "Ville's Street no.4. Just pick him up from there as soon as you can. I mean right now. Go. I'll give him a call and say you are coming for him, ok?"
"Coming for him, huh?" I chuckle.
"I love you," He says, not laughing anymore. This time his words have this sweetness that I am craving to have a taste of.
"Love you too" I whisper as a smile took over my lips.
As soon as I hang up the call, I put on some sweatpants and make myself a little presentable. I grab my car keys from under my bed after the ten-minute-long search for them.
When I drive past the unfamiliar neighborhood, I felt my anxiety ripening inside of me.
I slow down my car when my gaze fell on the figure standing in the nook of what I think is a bookstore with a suitcase clutched in their hand.
It's him.
As I get close by, I can see his brown hair glistening under the street light as his head hangs between his shoulders.
I heard my heart thudding against my ribcage as I halt the car right in front of him. He flinched and took a few steps back away promptly.
Taking a deep breath, I roll down the car window. letting myself show.
deliberately, I turn my head to his side and hold his gaze. His eyes are puffy and bloodshot as they hold mine in them and refuse to let go.
For a while we both stare. My heart beats like a background melody as it fills my ear.
No one said a word until I gulp around the growing lump in my throat and let the words out of my mouth, "Get in."
And he did without a word.