ZELAN
I never felt so ashamed of Somi as I do now. The way she talks with Enyeok was so disrespectful. He didn't deserve it, she was being unreasonable. And after that talk, Enyeok locked himself in the room and refused to come out. The breakfast I made for him was cold and untouched on the countertop.
He didn't come out for lunch even though I called him several times. He said he wasn't hungry but how is that possible? He ate nothing till the morning. I sat on the living room couch wishing he would come out of that room so that I know he is okay. But he didn't. And it starts to make me nervous.
As the evening rolled by, I was restless. His bedroom door was still locked, and no sounds came out. I mustered all the courage that I had in me and finally knocked on the door, my heartbeat inflating.
The door opened at the second knock and Enyeok stood in front of me, dressed in a light blue sweater and baggy jeans, his brown eyes were lifeless as he looked me in the eye. Whatever the words I had at the tip of my tongue soared down my throat and deserted me.
"I'm going out. I've been looking for an apartment and I've found some that interest me." He shouldered past me to the living room. I froze on my feet, dumbfounded. It was his tone that shook me. It was…robotic. The smile he always kept on his lips wasn't there anymore.
"But— you can stay here as long as you want, you know? I don't really care—" The words died on my tongue as Enyeok turned around and stared at me blankly.
"Oh? But I don't want to bother anyone. Anymore." He stressed his last words as he gave me an empty look. He headed to the door and I followed behind him.
"Look, about what happened this morning, I'm apologizing for what she said. I don't know what came over to her." I stare at the back of his head until he looks over his shoulder at me. Unlike before, he had a gleam in his orbs as he held my gaze.
"About what she said? I couldn't care less about that. But I really don't want to bother you anymore, Zelan. I'm grateful that you let me stay here till now. And I guess I can move out pretty soon." He was about to put on his shoes, and before I knew it, my fingers curled around his wrist in a tight grasp. He halted in his way and looked at me wide-eyed. He really does have the prettiest eyes.
When he stares at me with that intensity, I forget what I was about to say. I gulped down the growing lump in my throat and said whatever the words came to my mind: "Don't leave."
The way I cringed at my own words, I wanna die. He took his hand off my grip and smiled at me, a bitter one. "Not that you care."
He spun around and slid out of the door without any further words. I watch him go with a weird tightness in my chest.
I don't know why I am suddenly feeling this way. I wasn't pleasant of having him in here in the first place. Yet, now I'm feeling lonelier than ever as I watch him go.
I walked back to my room and plopped on my bed, eyes training over the white ceiling above. He must be hurt by Somi's words. But didn't dad tell him that we need to get along and that's the crucial reason behind him staying here?
I run my hands through my hair and drag it down to my face, letting out an extended sigh. I blew up the best chance Dad had given us to get to know each other better. If we mess up the scenes because of our awkwardness, I'm sure as hell he would be so pissed.
I shut my eyes and try not to think anymore because It's strangling me. I don't know where Enyeok went or if he would ever be okay with me again. He must have thought that he was a nuisance to me, that Somi's words were actually mine.
I don't know when the sleep cradled me in its arms and lulled me, it was the ring of my phone that woke me up. I squint my eyes furiously as the brightness of my phone burns my eyes.
"Hello?" I said, my voice hoarse.
"What did you do, Zelan?" Dad's voice rippled through the phone making me grimace.
"What do I do?"
"Enyeok is saying he won't stay with you. I asked him a lot about the sudden change of his, but he said nothing. Yet, he keeps saying that he doesn't wanna bother anyone. " Dad sighed. "And why is that? Did you say anything to him?"
"What? No, I didn't. I was indeed against your decision of him staying here before, but now I don't feel anything, I was okay, even though he only stayed here for a day."
"Then, what is it?"
"It's Somi" I muttered, "She was so rude toward him. I think that's why he won't stay here anymore"
"The heck? And you didn't say anything? What was she doing there anyway?" He asks, and from the tone of his, I can say he's pissed.
"I did." I groaned. "Where is he now? Enyeok?"
"He found an apartment. He came to me saying he was moving out." He sighed again and went on, "However, I had requested him to stay with you for a month. Because by the next month, the stoot will be starting, I hope you'll guys be something more than strangers by then."
"And What did he say?" I try not to sound too enthusiastic but the chuckle Dad let out made me realize the other way.
"He wasn't ready at first but then he conceded, with one condition." He said.
"And what is that?"
"He'll pay you the rent"
"What?"