I serve the final piece of bacon on the plate, done making breakfast which I have to admit was tedious. Firstly, because I unceremoniously woke up with a terrible migraine from a lovely dream. Before Justice Smith and I could be pronounced husbands, it was interrupted by my mother demanding that I wake up to make breakfast for the family.
I swear she lives to torture me.
By the time I'm sitting at the table with the rest of them, all the bacon has been wiped off the plate, leaving oily crumbs behind.
I look around in confusion realising that this is the second time this has happened. Every time I'm about to take my bacon the plate will suddenly be empty. I glance over at Chu Hua with suspicion. She would do something as heinous as this. She is probably still upset that both Ji Ho and I ganged up on her this morning. She has been ignoring us since.
When I see that Yang Jin has a big mouthful of something crispy and crunchy and still has two pieces of bacon on his plate, I instantly bet all my chips on him. He is also trying way too hard to keep a neutral expression on his face.
"Where's my bacon?" I ask, glancing directly at him even though I'm asking the entire family.
He doesn't even look up, guilelessly smearing butter on his toasted bread. Trying to play it innocent, I see.
Just as I'm about to call him out, my youngest brother suddenly raises his hand and signs sheepishly, "I took it."
That makes me double-take.
No, that can't be. Ji Ho would never do something as atrocious as stealing my bacon. Especially because the tiny smirk on my older brother's face says otherwise. He probably thinks I'm not looking at him. But why would the younger mongrel protect his older mongrel of a brother who forgets his name on certain occasions?
"You stole my bacon?" I muse monotonously.
I give him a look which screams whether he thinks I look like I was born yesterday. Without even hesitating, he nods and blinks at me innocently.
I glare at him for covering for Yang Jin. Then I look at his plate and discover that he hasn't eaten his bacon like he always does. He always eats it last. It's just one of those habits, saving the best for last. Unlike my parents who eat everything all at once, Chu Hua, Ji Ho, Yang Jin and I all save meat to be savoured last.
I smirk devilishly as an idea pops into my head. "Then I guess since you stole my bacon, I'll just take yours."
His eyes widen in panic and he tugs his plate towards him. "What? You can't take my bacon."
"Why? You took mine," I voice to him. "It's only fair that I take yours."
"Leave the child alone, Seong Jin," my father says sternly, but I don't even take heed to his warning.
He isn't as intimidating as my mum is. Now, if my mum scolds me into leaving the child alone, I will undoubtedly listen. She is the bad cop between the beautiful duo I call my parents. Franklin is more likely to give you more money for your monthly allowance if you happen to get lost after going to the city without anyone's permission. My mum would cut off all the channels I watch as punishment. I end up missing episodes of American Dad.
Since it's my father… it doesn't matter what he voices sternly.
"Since Ji Ho stole it, then it's only fair that I get his bacon."
"But it wasn't m—" Ji Ho turns to look at Yang Jin in shock who's giving him the stink eye through the corner of his eye.
Yep, it's definitely Yang Jin who stole my bacon.
"If you want bacon so much, then take mine," Franklin offers, smiling at me in amusement.
"Yeah, take Daddy's," Ji Ho signs, nodding his head profusely. "Not mine." He shakes his head again.
"Did you steal my bacon?" I ask Franklin, giving him a look which says that he shouldn't even think of lying.
"No."
"There's your answer to me wanting your bacon. I want Ji Ho's one since he took my bacon."
"Yang Jin, get up and go and fry bacon for your brother," Amma finally inputs, taking her dish as well as my father's and giving them to Chu Hua who is more than happy to take them to the kitchen for them to be washed. The way that child likes doing chores so much isn't normal.
Yang Jin looks at our mother in disbelief. "Why should I fry him bacon if Ji Ho is the one who stole it?"
"Do not test me today. When we head to the ranch I want to be in a good mood. Now go!"
Yang Jin immediately stands up and heads to the stove, sullenly to unwillingly fry some bacon for me as he's been ordered to do.
"We're going to the ranch today?" I ask, scowling as I recall that today's the thirty first.
"Yes. Then we're going to get some Halloween costumes for the twins," she answers.
Chu Hua comes back to sit in her chair. Franklin reaches over to wipe the crumbs that are littering her face and she frowns, telling him that she can do it herself; she's not a baby anymore. Franklin tells her that she'll always be his little girl in his eyes, no matter how old she gets. Her twin hurriedly wipes his face just in case Franklin tries to do the same thing to him.
"I want my costume to be Adolf Hitler," Chu Hua exclaims with a happy smile.
We all stare at her, wondering if we misheard her.
"Just kidding," she bursts out into a loud guffaw.
My head shakes.
"Seong Jin, you have to go with them for trick-or-treating tonight."
"Why can't Yang Jin do it? He always goes with them."
"Because I'm busy tonight. I have to prepare for a job interview," Yang Jin inserts and presents me with my plate. At his words, I rear back in surprise. My brother, a job interview? Then he adds, sardonically in a horrible British accent, "Your bacon, good sir."
"No sir here." My voice deepens when my character blows out. "Only cowboy sheriff, Jimmy Thanga."
Chu Hua cringes at the name. "You know, Jimmy Thanga sounds a lot like chimi-changa."
Funny, that's actually how I came up with the name. They don't need to know that though.
"Just give me my bacon," I suspire in a defeated tone, grabbing the plate out of Yang Jin's hands. "Hey, this one has been bitten."
He smiles arrogantly and averts his gaze from my venomous glower.
Later that day, I'm sitting in the backseat of my car with Cameron who after greeting me, took out his phone and started playing Minecraft (which I have to say, is a peculiar game with bad graphics). Yang Jin is driving and Edward is in shotgun.
My brother and I refused to be in the same car, but then my mum forced us to hug it out and apologise to one another for the whole bacon-stealing scandal. I wanted to vomit my insides out when my body touched his. I'm sure he felt the same way.
"I don't get why you made such a big deal out of it," Yang Jin mutters out, narrowing his eyes into thin daggers which are all thrown at me through the rearview mirror.
I glare back. "I don't get why you took my bacon. Just because I let it slide the first time doesn't mean I'll let it slide every time."
"Aargh! You're so dramatic sometimes."
"Mrs Lee said that if you guys fight then I should tell her," Edward cuts into our banter, "and she'll force you guys to hug it out again."
"Cameron, buddy," Yang Jin calls. Cameron makes a noise of acknowledgement. "Why don't you quickly close your ears for me?"
"I'm barely paying attention to what you guys are talking about so whatever you have to say, I've probably already heard it, or I won't even care," Cameron replies. "Also, please don't use that patronising tone with me. I'm thirteen, not a toddler."
My lips twitch in amusement at the expression on my brother's face from Edward's brother's words.
It's the same look of astonishment I wore when I first spoke to him in the "patronising tone". He hates it when people belittle his intelligence. In a way, it reminds me of the phase that Chu Hua is currently going through. She suddenly thinks she's Miss know-it-all and the rest of us have a lot to learn from her. At first, it was cute. Now, it's just irksome.
"It's true," Edward says. "He knows every cuss word in the book."
"And your dad doesn't care?"
"There's only so much he can do, you know?" He lifts his one shoulder nonchalantly. "What did you want to say?"
"That I will cut you if you snitch like a little bitch."
"Oh, you wanted to say bitch like I've never heard it before," Cam comments dryly, without lifting his eyes from his phone.
"I don't feel comfortable with you saying that word, Cameron," Yang Jin says.
"You're not my mum," Cameron responds monotonously.
"Cameron, apologise," Edward reprimands him, turning around to glare at him through the seats.
He releases a breath and then apologises blandly, "I'm sorry that you got offended for not being my mum, Yang Jin."
Edward sighs in defeat.
I snort in hilarity.
"Seems like I'll have to cut two bitches today."
"Shut up, no you won't," Edward rolls his eyes at Yang Jin's empty threat.
Yang Jin retaliates by grabbing his head in a chokehold. Edward grumbles and tries to fight out of his hold, and I can't help the tiny smile that tugs onto my lips as I watch the scene.
The list of reasons why I like him so much just multiplies as the encounters we have accumulate. My entire family loves him, even Chu Hua. It's rare for my little sister to like boys. Perhaps she only likes Edward, because she's friends with Cameron, I don't know.
"Let go of me, Yang Jin. You're driving."
"Yang Jin, let go of him," I demand sternly.
"Oh, look who's come to the rescue of his boyfriend."
My eyes enlarge like saucers from his words and I glower at the back of his head, hoping he feels the lasers I'm burning into his skull.
"What?" Edward muses breathlessly, frowning in confusion.
When he turns around to stare at me expectantly, I avert my gaze awkwardly and catch Cameron also watching me curiously through my peripheral vision.
Fucking Yang Jin and his big mouth.
He needs to learn to put a filter on his mouth. He can't just say things like that. What kind of impression is that going to leave? That I like Edward probably. No one is allowed to find out that I have feelings for my best friend's boyfriend.
"I'm just joking with you. Why so serious, twerp? Chill out!" Yang Jin smacks him on his back and Edward flinches a little from the impact. "Don't you have a girlfriend already?"
After staring at me for a little longer, he turns back to face the front. "Yeah, I have a girlfriend. Who I love so…"
"Ha, love! Lemme tell you something about love, Eduardo..."
My eyes move down to my lap and my hands tangle there. To prevent myself from allowing the thought to formulate in my head, I bite onto the inside of my bottom lips. Hard. The physical pain only distracts me for so long.
A girlfriend that he loves.
I blink a couple of times. I think it's time for you to move on, I try to convince myself internally, but glancing up at the back of his golden brown, shaggy hair, I find that my constricting thoracic cavity doesn't comply with my brain.
I can't count the amount of times I have already said that to myself. That I should move on from Edward Conti. From perfect, kind, all-rounder Edward. From my best friend's boyfriend. I can't break her heart like this.
Taylor has once admitted to me that I'm one of the few people that she wholeheartedly trusts. I looked her in the eye, smiled at her and jokingly told her that I wouldn't even entrust her with five bucks. Truth is, I do trust her. Not with my life, but I trust her enough.
When I feel a cold device sliding into my palm, I am shaken out of my train of thought and focus on it.
"Are you okay?" it reads.
I gaze at Cameron through the corner of my eyes and catch the sympathetic look that is in his blue eyes. The blue eyes that his brother has, only his eyes are a duller blue from his blunt look. My lips try to produce a smile which reassures him that I'm fine, but it turns into a grim line.
The car comes to a halt and I look out at the ranch that we visit every time around this time of the year. As I have said before, this month is just thirty-one days for the twins to get spoiled rotten. Secretly, I feel like my parents love them more than they do us because they got to experience everything with them together.
Their first words. Their first time crawling. And then walking and running. Eventually riding bicycles. Yang Jin and I came into Franklin's life and wreaked havoc with puberty.
After we have all exited the car and Cameron is back on his phone, leaving the car to go and join Chu Hua and Ji Ho who are practically shaking in excitement, I grab the black cap that I can't seem to neglect at home and fix it onto my head. Yang Jin punches Edward in the stomach just for the fun of it and then skedaddles away. After recovering, Edward chases after him, yelling obscenities.
Will I ever get over Edward Conti?
* * *
Yang Jin flies onto the floor, clutching his stomach in pain.
My eyes widen in shock and panic as I dash over to help him. I throw the brush on the floor as Macy neighs and gallops away from him after having done the damage she wanted to. Yang Jin's moaning and groaning in pain on the ground, cursing the horse with so many profanities that should not be repeated to anyone who wants to keep their vocabulary clean. He grits his teeth looking down, face scrunched up into one of a pain-stricken grimace.
"Are you okay?" I ask, kneeling on the ground.
My eyes watch him with deep concern afraid that he broke a rib or something.
He looks up at me and then all of a sudden, he bursts out laughing.
I blink.
He throws his head back and laughs and laughs and laughs.
I just kneel in front of him, wondering if there was a joke I missed. Maybe it was an inside joke. Or maybe he got kicked so hard that he doesn't know what's happening. Maybe he's delirious. Maybe the kick made him lose his senses…
"Hyeong, gwaenchanha? Should I go and call Amma to check on you?" I am already on my feet, ready to go once he gives me the go-ahead.
"No. I'm… I'm fine. It's just," he chuckles again and now I'm seriously worried that he isn't of sound mind anymore, "it's just that I was… thinking… I have been quite a jerk. Then the horse jerked me." He bursts out laughing again, holding his stomach and trying to stop when the pain gets too much.
I give him a weird look. Then my face scrunches up in bemusement. "The horse… what? That makes no sense at all."
"Exactly!" he exclaims, and more chortles splutter out of his mouth.
"Yeah…" I nod in concern. "I'm gonna call Amma."
While my mum's checking on Yang Jin's state, Ji Ho asks him a bunch of questions as per usual and Chu Hua sits on his feet, head resting on his knees (you know, she's probably the only person he likes after Ji Ho messed up this morning). Our little brother is sometimes way too inquisitive for his liking and I'm too smart and morally bound for his taste. Chu Hua is just… Chu Hua.
Cameron has been forced off his phone by Amma and is now riding a young mare.
I brush Macy's mane while she glares at my brother who is receiving medical attention, because of her.
At the time, I was worried because of the way he was laughing maniacally. For a second there, I was scared that we would have to admit him into an asylum from his delirious state, but now as he glares back at the horse and me, I know that he is going to be just aye okay. Just to be sure though, I did ask him multiple times.
"Are you okay, Yang Jin?" I yell again.
And just like the last six times, he ignores me and pouts stubbornly.
"Yeah, he's gonna be okay," I tell myself.
Swiftly, I haul myself onto Macy's saddle, pushing my hair back away from my forehead. After that, I push my cap on and look into the far distance where Edward is struggling onto his horse.
For a while, I have to press my lips together so that I don't laugh at him out loud. This is actually his second time here and he still has trouble getting on the horses. One of the instructors heads over to him and shows him how to get on the horse. Eventually, after much struggle he does.
Dust covers the entire area, blowing into the air weightlessly.
The crowd stands on the sidelines, watching us in curiosity. The crowd being Sadie and Gina whom I turn to give an intense look to. Sadie humours me by fanning herself, but Gina just watches me unimpressed. I turn back to the brown clothed boy, his own hat balanced on his small head. A fake moustache, so blonde it could be mistaken for yellow, touches his upper lip.
"This town ain't big enough for the both of us," I call out loud enough in a cowboy accent and wait for his response.
"This is stupid, Seong Jin!"
"Don't break character, Edward."
He rolls his eyes skyward and drawls out in a defeated manner, "Then I guess one of us will have to leave, Sheriff Thanga."
I smirk, a signature move of mine. "We draw at three."
"You expect me to loose off with you on the horse? What if I injure it? You know, unlike you, I respect animals. Especially gentle giants."
"One," I begin to count, deciding to ignore his rambles.
His moustache twitches in frustration. He knows, as well as I do, that it's Jimmy Thanga's rules.
"Two," he counts, fingers twitching at his waist, near his gun holster.
Three, I end mentally.
Quickly, I pull out a pistol from my waist.
He sees my movement and his eyes widen. He makes a move to reach for his gun, but it's too late.
Jimmy Thanga has struck again.
I aim at him and shoot the sheriff right in the middle of his forehead. He freezes in the horizon, eyes widened in so much flabbergast you would think he'd seen a ghost. His face quickly pales as the colour drains from it. Blood trickles all over the white of his skin. The ground soon approaches him as he falls off the horse.
"Oorah!" I whisper and tip my cap at his dead body in respect. I mean, he was pretty cool for a sheriff.
"There. I did it. Can we just ride the horses now?" Edward shouts, dusting himself off. "Sometimes I really worry about you, Seong Jin."
"What? That was fun."
"This is why you don't have a boyfriend," Gina exclaims.
"Oh, fuck off!"