Unfinished Talks

Devin didn't know how to respond to that. His first intent was to lie but that wasn't like him. Ryu knew it better than anyone else and maybe it was the first time in all these years that Devin had ever done something so serious behind his back. 

Ryu felt it was wrong to confront him so easily and massaged his head to calm himself down. The latter kept staring at the dressing over the wound underneath his exposed chest, to a bit on the side of his shoulder. 

"She did that huh…" Devin asked with an open jaw, staring at it. Ryu covered his shoulder and scoffed. More like he 'let her' do it.

"Well that's not what I was asking you Devin. Why?" 

Devin sighed to his question not knowing what to say. He took the cup again and whirled it around.. 

"Because… I felt bad for her." 

"That's not like you…" Ryu muttered, gazing down at his lap. Devin was silent. 

"That's not how you are. You never did things behind my back." 

For the first time in long months, Devin saw that familiar expression back in Ryu's eyes. He almost was at the verge of thinking that Ryu had completely changed after a long time of not seeing each other. He didn't know this single action from his part could actually affect him. Devin felt glad and sad at the same time. They basically grew up together.

"Ok fine she did it by herself." Devin said casually but was met with a pillow straight to his face. 

"Devin!" Ryu exclaimed, feeling half helpless because his shoulder hurt. Devin smirked and took the pillow in his hands, leaning back comfortably over the couch. 

"You think I've not noticed? I've seen the way you look at her like you've known her. Tell me the truth." Ryu got up, tilting his head to a side as his eyes shot daggers at him. 

Such precision. Devin gave up internally. He wasn't the son of a mafia lord for nothing… 

"It's nothing, good lord! Stop looking at me like that!" 

Ryu wasn't convinced but he gave up asking. Devin was just as stubborn as he was so there was no use trying. 

"I won't hide things from you anymore." 

Devin had a promising look as he said that. They weren't children anymore but Ryu was ready to accept it in the form of an apology. 

"But please don't torment her. I know you're not the kind of guy to do that…" Devin hesitated, scratching his head. 

"She's probably scared. So please be patient with her." Devin looked up at the ceiling as he said that, not wanting to appear all soft… Ryu was looking at him with an unwavering glare. 

"Patient? You haven't seen me as patient as this. No one will. If anything she's the one tormenting me." Ryu said so, pointing his index finger at the wound as he recalled Darah's savage screams the previous night. Maybe he hadn't gotten used to getting wounded during fights in a long while so this wound felt a different kind of painful for him. 

Upstairs, Darah was feeling heat surge within her body. She hadn't felt this weak before and the medicine felt like it had only the effect to put her to sleep and nothing more. The more she tried to listen to their conversation, the more tired she got so she got back into her room and sat on the bed end. There wasn't any argument going on between them so she figured Devin was fine. She wanted someone by her side, at least Lyra. She had seen Mrs Ruo pass by quite a few times but didn't have the courage to ask her for her phone. The lady was probably in fear after Ryu broke it to shreds the last time but bought her a new one immediately. 

______

Lyra was in daze after she had bagged the role in the latest movie with the man of her dreams, the rising youth star Mathew Lee, but the only problem was that she was cast as the second female lead, which meant heartbreak. 

Lyra got so into her script that her real tears broke loose and even Allen Dao, the agent who requested her to RnB was wide mouthed at her performance along with the casting director. Maybe it was her emotional capacity that made him realise that she was going to be cast as the weeping second lead. Nevertheless, she was happy about her role. Lyra had wanted to share the news with Darah but was instead fixed and focused on practicing the lines. Suddenly a message popped up on her screen… It was from Allen. She smiled wide as she read it.

Don't feel tensed! You'll do great!

Lyra blushed reading it but another notification popped up and it was her boyfriend, Kevin. She pretended to not see it and kept replying to Allen. But the notification popped again, annoying her. 

'I told you not to text me again! We are over!' She typed angrily.

Lyra felt uncomfortable around him the last time she went to the movies. He looked the least bit interested in her and was a shady person over all. He never shared his family details or his interests. It was just about hanging out with her and it quickly got tiring. She knew better than to keep up with a dying relationship.

One the other side of the phone, Kevin slammed his fist on the table, turning away from his phone to take a snuff of white powder over the table. 

"We'll end you soon Lyra Sheng. You and your worthless brother will be dead."