04

[Warning: in some scenes of this chapter has cussing of words, and may be unsuitable for young readers, however, I've put asterisk in all of the unsuitable words that'll be mentioned]

Luke's POV

This morning, my parents dropped me to my old small house, they said I will be doing this all on my own. I needed to be

independent somehow, I should know how to do hard work.

'It was still the same'

It was the same apartment I stayed last year when I was a freshmen, before it has a cement pathway up to the door but now it has vines and grass and whatever stuff is there. The house is still stable but the other window from the attic is broken

'There's a hole in it!'

Who would be an idiot to throw a thing, that it made the window broke.

"Son, this is your credit card, and your visa will expire in a year also, but we have it covered, now all you do is--" Dad cleared his throat, "Are you listening Zyrill?" Mom finally spoke and bought me back to reality, I wasn't listening to them, because my eyes was shifted to the small house in front of the car.

'I was thinking about, what would happen to me, if I live on my own now?'

"Alright, my choice is at the best spot, you must work hard to eat and pay your bills. Don't worry about your tuition, now all you need to do is, how to furnish that house and to pay bills okay?" Dad stated, "Be brave son, we will visit you every month, after you're settled, go straight to your school and find Mr. Jung Ford, also don't forget to clean your wounds and don't be a tripper for Pete's sake! You're a sophomore now and please, please, please! Don't ruin your image; OUR image! This is for your own good we, your parents, we are also busy these days because of our business trips and--"

I did not let Mom finish her words because their reason is the same, I'm sick of it,

"Yeah! You're busy about your company promotions and much business stuffs, and for the fact that you lack out of time for your own son! If this is how you would treat me in the future, then you should have abort me in the first place!" I paused

"Hah! Image? What's the point of that Image if the both of you destroyed it already and that is.. not taking your responsibility as my parents, you always force me to do this and to do that, even though I don't want to, you only used me as your weapon to be fame, I strive hard to play football and I became successful, but even a compliment hasn't escaped your lips, all you care is the money. To be honest, I lost the game last week, I knew that I lost, but the both of you used your power and money to make me win in that game, the opponent; they knew it was planned and that's when they decided to beat me, and punch me, until I was dead, and I wish I were. And now what? You say that I was the tripper, and got all of this, this and this?!" I pointed my wounds and their faces was obviously shocked of what I'm doing now.

"If you want to win the money from a football game, then do it yourself! Bullsh*t!" I slammed the car door and kicked the gate that was already open, my mind is really hot for now. I opened the front door and slammed it close, I dropped my things on the floor, I faced the dirty white colored wall, and punched it several times. I felt no pain, no pain at all! Just then when I saw a stain of blood, I still kept on punching until I was tired and stopped.

I didn't expected those words to come out of my mouth, things were getting harder and harder each time. Actually, this is where I lived for 5 months, it was easy at first for the reason that, my parents live with me before, and now? As if I've been abandoned by my mom and dad, they sent me here to Seoul because they wouldn't let the public know that their son is a tripper, yeah that's right, a f*cking tripper!

My blood is boiling, yeah Luke, it's best if you'll be alone for a moment and never show yourself to them, in fact they don't want a son like me, who ruins their IMAGE!

I hastily grabbed my things upstairs, then went to the second door, I could smell the dust and peace floating through the

whole house, and it's irritating, for the reason that I spotted a framed picture of the four of us

'My parents, me and my loving sister'

"If only you were here" I whispered while staring at the framed picture, I quickly grabbed the picture and turned it upside down over the nightstand beside the bed.

This house used to be our vacation house, but days passed our parents decided for us to enroll in the schools here in Seoul, at first I have double thoughts, I don't know the culture of Korea, they might laugh at me, but my sister was the one who said that I'll be alright and will get the hang of it.

The reason behind this mess, was really complicated.

~FLASHBACK~

I got my headphones in both of my ears and I was happily walking while I was moving my two feet as if I'm playing football, I was more than happy that, my grades were higher than I thought. My first 5 months was the best! I wonder why my sister didn't go to school.

I was half-way from the house, when I was thinking about that though, and I could already spot a....

TAXI?!

What the heck is going on?!

I pulled my earphones from my ears and ran towards the house, I stopped beside the taxi that is in front of our house, and then I heard my mom yelling and my dad's deep voice shrieked "Therese! Listen to your mother at this instance!" Dad's powerful voice made me jump a little, "Say something! Where are you going? I didn't tell you to leave!" Mom's begging voice was the one that echoed through my head.

LEAVING!?

I was dumbfounded of what I heard, I was rooted on my position and that's when I saw my sister, her left hand has her luggage that was taken by the taxi driver and her right hand has her phone, I didn't speak because I don't know what to say, why is she like this?

She looked at her phone for a second then turned her gaze to me, her eyes was all puffy, her nose was quite red, while she sniffs a little.

"Where are you going?" I breathed out, looking into her eyes, she is in the verge of crying again, I wanted to calm her down, she placed her palm in the right side of my face, "I'll come back okay? Be brave, I'll get back to you when time comes, bye" a tear was visible in the side of her eye.

I wanted to pull her back but I can't, I wanted her to not go away, but.. I can't.

'I'll wait for you'

Just then, Mom came running towards the taxi but it turned the ignition and got away, Mom was crying in Dad's arm.

After that day, in the next morning, our parents decided to go back to America and continue my studies there, that's when

we left this house to look for my sister.

END OF FLASHBACK

I felt sleepy after remembering all those things and took a glance on my wrist watch "8: 43?" I breathed out and immediately laid myself lazily on the bed, the moment I surrendered my body over it, the dust went everywhere

*cough* *cough*

"I'm still waiting here for you, Therese" I whispered

I decided to take a nap, just a nap! I'm still tired from the flight and I have to rest my mind, it might blast out. I set my alarm from today's time up to 11:00 am, and closed my eyes.

**

'Let's Marvin Gaye and Get it on!' [Marvin Gaye: Charlie Puth]

I groaned after hearing my very loud alarm sound, I noticed the sunlight that shined through my window, it was aesthetic and mesmerizing.

I got up, took a shower and did what I needed to do. I grabbed my wallet, my phone and the papers need for my enrollment, when I glanced at the mirror, I was like a man, finding a job.

I got outside and locked the doors, that's when I noticed a car, a black SUV, in front of my house, really?! I looked around but not a shadow is visible, aside from the middle aged lady beside my house that was watering her Sunflowers.

'I should ask'

I came closer to her fence, "H-hello, Good day Ma'am" I asked in English, and luckily she understood, "Who parked this car h-here?" I pointed the car and she smiled, "You must be their son, here you go" she reached a pair of car's keys that I immediately grabbed and she smiled again, "They gave that to me some hours ago, and I give it to you, my grand daughter is right, you are handsome" she said smiling , that made me want to ask about the last sentence she said, "Right, about what Ma'am?" I asked, "Earlier she said that, she was with the same airplane with her Idol, she was so happy that she got to be with the same airplane with you" she exclaimed,

"What's the name of your grand daughter, Ma'am?" I asked, "She is Shin Rae Hee" she smiled, "I hope I'll get to meet her s-soon" I smiled back at her and it was some seconds before I could thank her and went near the car.

'They even had the guts to give me this one, huh?'

I went inside and it was brand new, there even has a letter beside the driver's seat

'Dear Son, Since you're not in the mood right now, we should at least give you this, we'll visit you every month, be responsible enough. -Mom and Dad'

I hissed while reading the letter that they obviously wrote. Even Therese would be annoyed, and that's when one question has made my mind up

'Why did she left? To where? When is she going back?'

I shrugged the feeling after thinking those things that made my heart ache again. I drive my way to the university, and luckily I still didn't forgot the location, when I got there, the security guard bowed when I opened the window.

'The campus changed'

Before, it has no cherry blossoms along the way, it only has chairs and tables, but now it was slight colorful because of the flowers and the thick bushes. I stopped by a parking lot and got outside.

'It's lunch time, and I didn't even had lunch'

I have my phone, my wallet and papers with me, and went straight to the admin's building, a lady came in towards me,

"Annyeonghaseyo, gwanlijaui yeyag doen yagsog-eun mueos-ibnikka?"she stated smiling and bowed [translation: Hello, Sir what's your scheduled appointment here in the admin?]

"Luke Zyrill Hale" I gave her my name and she went through her clip board with papers in it, then she looked at me and bowed, "Welcome Sir, Mr. and Mrs. Hale paid your tuition already, your adviser will be Mr. Jung Ford, just visit his office and you'll have him to sign your papers, have a nice day!" after she said those words, she left and went to a room.

'Aren't she going to show me the way? I will tell the president to fire that person'

hastily went near my car, I opened the car door and went inside, I turned the air conditioner. If this time is their lunch time, then, where does the students eat? All I could remember from before when I studied here, I always eat outside the campus all by myself, I was all alone that time, I had friends when I started training for football and won leagues and became popular,

I got outside the car and tried to find Mr. Jung Ford's office, I first went to the sophomore's building, I didn't get curious about, where does the students eat? In fact, they had their own cafeteria already, In each building has it.

I was walking this morning inside the campus, and I'm lost; considering, I've been here last year but for only 5 months.

After Pre-Lim exam, my parents decided to fly back to America soon, most of the structures of the school has gone different, I mean like ALL OF THEM! and I can't even remember where my room is before, there should be a small tree here, and a tall pole there and a pathway between sophomore's and freshmen buildings.

I wanted to ask questions but the campus was really quiet, all you could almost hear is the tweeting of birds, the wind that crashes softly at your skin, the tingling sensation made me more nervous

'How am I suppose to find the office of that Mr. Jung Ford?'

I was dumbfounded and was not thinking clearly, my mind was all 'Where is this, what is that, where am I really?' This is the same university I enrolled before but now? I couldn't even remember where the canteen is and--

Wait! I spotted a human being

'Of course Luke, she's a human being! Stupid!'

She was walking across the quadrangle, and she is meters away but walking towards a direction while I was hiding behind near the thick bushes, I'm wondering about the words that I should say 'Hello, I wanted to know where Mr. Jung Ford's Office is'

'No! Luke, it's not English that you must say, it's Korean! Yes, Korean!'

I slightly smiled but frowned for the reason that I DON'T UNDERSTAND KOREAN WELL! How am I suppose to talk to her?

I didn't notice myself that I was already following her, my sweats was slowly dropping from the side of my face.

That's when I got shocked when she turned to face me, her eyebrows were knitted together, my reactions were changing, I'm angry and shocked at the same time, her eyes has blazing fire in it, but not that long when she turned her heel and walked away.

"Hey!" I shouted because I know she's not Korean.

She turned around. I felt slight gladness when she turned around. "Mwo?!" [translation: What?!]

God, no! She's Korean?! But how? Her face is American, for heaven's sake! I scratched my head and went near her.

"Dangsin-eun mueos-eul wonhabnikka!" She yelled [translation: What do you want!]

I don't understand! Is she mad at me? To hell with that! "I don't understand Korean that much so don't yell at me like that!" I lied.

"Na hante soli chiji ma, neon nal molla!" [translation: Don't just yell at me, you don't even know me!]

"I said, stop that Korean language!" I screamed again, I should be sure that she is an American girl "What do you want?! You screamed at me, you don't even know me!" She said in straight English.

'I knew it!'

"So, will you please stop screaming?! Dude, your saliva is all over my face! Yuck!" She said and it embarrassed me a bit.

"I don't know Korean that much! So don't talk to me in Korean when you can even speak English!" I lied, "For heaven's sake, we're in Korea!" she has taken me aback

'Actually she has a point'

"Can you just show me where is Professor Jung Ford's office is? You talk to much!" I shrieked

"Sorry, but No! A big fat ass no! Why would I help you!" she screamed at me.

'That hurts, it made my heart to tear apart. woah! rhyme'

"So? Would you please stop wasting my time? I've got a quiz to take, tsk" She turned around and walked ahead of me, my mouth was wide open because of her words, I could feel my knitted eyebrows and my panting.

'Who would take a quiz at lunch? Stupid! You're suppose to eat!'