Chapter 6: Smile At Stranger and You Just Might Change a Life
The hall bustling with humans like any other morning, people are busy with their own problem, focusing on their goal each day. And just like any other thousand souls living on earth, the boy is also busy with his goal, his problem, and his journey. Every human will walk forward from anything, from pain, past, lies, and anything. Because humans have glimmer light in their heart and dream, thus they will achieve it, by all means. But what will happen if you walk with that past dangling at your ankle? You are walking forward, but isn’t it getting heavier?
A humming melody comes out from a thin lips, the melody of humming dancing around just the same pacing with the melody that is playing on the boy's ear. His legs supporting his body to walk through the busy hall around all the faculty. His presence passed all the other souls' bodies, avoiding them like they are some kind of plague. For the boy, these faceless dolls that stand here and always have been there, as if they are frozen in time, because this is his routine, it’s always like this. Nothing will change at this point, and he will be continuously walking into oblivion.
>>>>>>
Today is as mundane as any other days, but people oddly enough still feel excited. Some people walk and run, some in the same direction as me, some walking in the different direction of me. The interior design of the building always starkly differs with how it looks outside, the building always maintains the strong and stern old fashioned looks, while the inside is full of modernization. The big main hall shape is circular with eight straight branch halls to other sections of the building, the wall colored in a mix of white, gray, and black.
There is a big screen hanging in the middle of the pillar of this hall building, they always broadcast campus news and activity there. This University took so many modern approaches, but it is for the best, it is quick and easy too, I have no complaints. As I’m memorizing the building infrastructure, a great force spins me around from behind.
The force was great that I almost lost my balance, if not because the force itself kept me in one place and helped me to stand up. When I saw the owner's face, my mood immediately plunged and turned sour, for god sake why did I meet with him again?
“Did you know what you were doing?”
I pull out my earphone from my ear, I can’t really hide my irritated voice, and I can guess my face can’t hide it either. The man just smiling a goofy smile, it’s stupid.
“Sorry! Ah! And good morning!”
He put both of his palms together gesturing sorry, and bowing his head toward me.
“I have been calling you for few times but it’s seem you can’t really hear me, so I was planning touch you or shake you little bit, sorry I didn’t really aware how much force I was given”
I deeply sigh, he really can’t be helped, I was about to throw a tantrum at him, but again, despite his feature, he is after all my junior.
“Well never mind then, sorry about that”
I just waved my hands, signaling that it wasn't a big deal. When my feet try to bring me walk again, his big hand holding onto my shoulder keeps me in my place.
“Wait! Wait! There's something I want to give to you!”
He hurriedly opens his bag, his eyes sometimes keep coming back to look at me, watching me, as if I’m going to go from him. He mumbling to himself, seems like he having trouble
“Ah! Here it is!!!”
And at that moment he immediately took my hands and gave me a lunch box. My eyes kept moving back and forth between his face and the thing in my hand, and my eye brow just squinted together.
“What… is this?
His smile is getting wider than before.
“That is cinnamon roll! I ask my little sister to make it for you!”
And his chest puffed, showing how proud he is.
“So, what does it have anything to do with me?”
He took and held my hands that were still holding onto the lunch box, while his other hand placed at his heart.
“Because you helped me! I have been searching for you for a few days to show my proper gratitude, but today is your lucky day! Just on that exact day I ask my sister to make this for you!”
I take aback by his word, help him? When? And how? I do not even remember all that stuff.
“You helped to settle down with my class! Don’t you remember? At the canteen!”
Both of his hands are still holding the plastic lunch box.
“What! I didn’t! That is mere advice! Anyone with the right mind can give that much, furthermore, you yourself should have known about that stuff too!”
I quickly retorted back, this is ridiculous, that kind of advice more like common sense, nothing more and nothing less. Bold of this guy to think that was some kind of significant help.
“You helped me nonetheless!”
“No! Take this back!”
I shoved the lunch box to his hard chest, yet he seems unwavering. His hand shoved back it again to me, and it kept happening back and forth. I do not care whether this is some kind of pointless war, but meddling with him doesn’t seem like a good idea. With great force he pushed the box back at me and locked my hand close to my body.
“Please… I really want you to have it, I really want to thank you, and my sister worked hard to make this for you”
The smile that was plastered on his face is wiped clean, it is now a frown of sadness.
“Please, I guarantee, it tastes good…”
I stood and looked at the box again, this time I took longer to think. It will be such a waste, no matter what, his sister made this thing. If I reject it, what will she feel? Nobody should be put into that position; where they think they are less than anyone else just because of bias rejection. I know it too well, those feelings, those poisonous thoughts.
I took a big inhale and exhale, this is not fair for me and his sister.
“Fine… I’ll try it, but you should stop doing this kind of thing…”
“Great! Thank you! I promised you it would taste like heaven!”
He grabs both of my shoulders and shakes me like I’m some kind of rag doll, the power he has just unbelievable.
“Stop it! I get it, I’m going to taste it”
He white teeth showed once more.
“You won’t regret it!”
I want to wipe that smile so bad.
“But, how am I going to give this back?
“My faculty is just beside yours! It’s fine! We definitely cross one another”
He is stupid.
“No, this campus is still big even you just count two building, also the odd we meet each other is pretty low, you told me yourself you’ve been searching for me in few days”
“Yeah that is right… I didn’t think this through”
Clearly you aren’t.
“Uh… How about you share with me your contact senior?!”
Even more troublesome option you give it to me. However, it is not like there is any better option, there is no way I can wait for him and bring this lunch box every day until I finally meet him again.
“Fine, I’ll give it my email to you, that should be enough right?”
“Yeah! Anything should be fine!”
This is the second time I meet him, and every time I always feel like I’m exhausted beyond belief, it feels like I have been running on campus for 3 hour straight.
“What is your name senior?!”
Could you stop screaming in the morning? Your attitude is like scorching sun, it is painful.
“Joshua Kim”
“I’m Chad Harley! I’ll be in your care!”
Exactly, what a burden.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The boy sat down on his seat, his hand playing around with the plastic box that was given to him a few moments ago. Contemplating whether he should open it at this moment or just ignore it. The man that gives it to him is such an oddball, he is unpredictable just like that Maya girl, they both seem doesn’t understand personal pace. But what makes the boy even confused is; why he attracts this kind of person lately.
Chad is such an unbelievable person, and the boy can’t completely comprehend how the bigger man acts. The poor boy can only think of being annoyed and rubbing his head. Thinking that all these days can get wild in short times is really unbelievable.
While he is focusing by himself, letting his mind drift and daydream elsewhere, someone at the back looks at him and decides to approach his solitude.
>>>>>>>
“So I’m right, it is you. You take this class too?”
I’m looking up to the source of the voice in the front of me. She stands there while holding her bag with her other hand, and books with the other. Her clothes look casual, the color navy blue fits her skirt bottom, overall her attire looks simple, but must be expensive without question.
The girl proceeded to take a seat beside my table, without asking me whether it will be okay for her to sit beside me. But, it’s not like I can do much, I’m not owned by this campus. It would be nice to sit down with a stranger that would not initiate conversation.
What is her name again?
Ah yeah, the artist girl, Kristin.
“It’s nice to see you again, especially that we got same class”
She rested her chin on her palm, looking at me with a smile plastered on her face.
“I guess…”
I smile without looking at her, just keep my eyes at the box in the front of me.
“Is that yours? Are you bringing a lunch box every day?”
She seems interested in the object that I see right now, all I can do is shake my head.
“Kind of… yes and no”
It’s hard to explain, better to keep it simple, and I can see her face frowning with my vague answer.
“It’s nothing really”
She shrugs with my answer toward her, and proceeds to keep smiling at me.
“You are the weird one… why do you take this class? This is pretty less well known subject”
“I’m just here trying to add more credit, the more the better”
Her eyes grew bigger when she heard my answer.
“Despite how hard it will be?”
Now is my turn to shrug.
“That must be a way around it, or at least loophole”
“If there isn’t?”
She quickly retorted.
“Then I just going to force my way out of it”
She chuckles with my answer, she even goes her way out to tap my shoulder, and I guess my answer is more like a joke to her.
“Force your way instead of running away from the class?”
“What used to run, after all this is my decision, I made it”
Her laugh went away in an instant, and her face changed into something amused.
“Oh wow, is that so? Such gentleman”
And proceed to laugh at the top of her lungs.
“You really are different”
Her body leaned toward me, and her face was just an inch away from mine. I can see her eyes up this close, the bright and clear color of it can be seen up this close. Her perfume is really soft, like a small flower yet there are many of them, as if you are walking at the hydrangea garden.
“Then, help me with my study, classmate”
Her eyes wink at me.
“Just don’t get in my way and be nuisance”
I can see shock from her face, her mouth open up like fish out of water. But suddenly she laughed so hard that almost the entire class looked in our direction. She called me weird and different, aren’t her behavior shown more than mine?
And a few moments after that the class starts, everyone comes back to their focus as soon as the lecture steps in. Kristin weirdly smiles after our conversation, not sure what she is amused about.
“Ugh! I can’t understand the material at all! What was that all about?!”
Kristin pouting and pounding her leg below the table. I shake my head and clean up my stuff readying myself to leave the room.
“Hey! Wait!”
I only managed to leave a few steps away from her. I take a deep breath and roll my eyes before slowly turning towards her.
“What…”
She looked at me with glassy eyes, almost puppy like look.
“Please help me to study~”
Who do you think I am?
“No”
His mouth opened once again, this time her face looked like in shock. Once again I try to step away to leave her only to have her grab my arm and shake it.
“Please! At least explain some of stuff, just make it easier to understand”
“Fine, I’ll give you 10 minutes, whether you get it or not, I’ll be out”
I quickly sat down and opened all my notes, she better be prepared, the hell is coming.
After 10 minutes passed, her head was hanging low, and her face looked dejected. Seems like all those quick lectures take on her. I can’t really blame her, I have never known as someone that good with teaching. However, it’s not like I care, she asks for it.
“How come you can absorb that much with only one and half hour lecturer?!”
“This is Basic E-commerce, most of this just common knowledge, what are you even talking about”
I raised my left eyebrow, disbelieving how she can’t take any of the simplest explanations. She wasted my 10 minutes of living.
“This is bad!”
And suddenly she is crying, and that is definitely a fake one. And I’m right, soon after her expression turned different, all smiley and happy.
“Well, I will ask for more private lectures from you next time then!”
“Suit yourself”
With that I walk out and leave her behind, if she asks for a short cut from me, she gets the different one coming. Either you are going to learn in a hard way or your way to ask from me is futile, either way, nothing will be pleasant to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The boy walking slowly while his hand plays the lunch box, he still can’t figure out what he can do about it. He doesn’t have any foreshadowing that he will get entangled with people in this way.
Eat it?
Certainly
But how does it taste? And the cake inside is not really something you can call as “one person portion” but throwing it away will be such a waste. He keeps thinking should he give it to random people? But how about if this cake is not really a good one? People can get sick, He can get sick, and that is what he thought to himself.
He walked passing around the campus, the tree lined up like a cage, their leaves all gone, and their color turned into darker almost dry brown. The sun slowly sets and comes down, the color of the sky changes constantly. The boy can hear and see how people around campus are getting less and less crowded. Some of them walked toward the gate alone, some together with their friends. The laugh and the noise are no longer a problem but he is still walking with headphones on, listening to the melody that gradually matches the sky.
He was still walking and while at it, still holding the box, still contemplating. Until suddenly a sweet yet bitter fragrance hit his nostril, when he looked up, looking to the source, he saw a campus coffee shop. There are not many people in there, most of them are students that take night class. And he thought to himself.
Why not taste the cinnamon roll with some hot chocolate?
Won’t it be delicious?
So he went, enchanted with habit of his.
>>>>>>
The moment I step into the shop, I can smell the fragrance much stronger. And there is Jazz music playing in the background creating a calm and soft ambiance. There are not a lot of people inside, some focusing talking with one another, some focusing with study perhaps assignment, some casually enjoying the atmosphere.
“Welcome to Green Leaf!”
I heard the barista greet me, he smiled and nod at me. I walk slowly toward him, the more I come closer, the stronger the fragrance becomes. He helps me with my order, politely asks me to wait while my order is in the making.
I stepped aside from the counter, folded my arms and leaned down to the self. My eyes linger on the calm orange lamp that hangs from the top of the roof, there is some small and colorful plant placed on some self.
I can see…
Petit pink Calibrachoas.
Dark red Geranium.
A bright blue Myosotis
All of them mixed together, it’s pretty and calming, the person in charge knows how to create a good ambiance for this kind of place. A calm, lonely and solitude bliss for people to spend time.
Mom always has Myosotis at her garden, she always picks some and brings it to the small pot to the inside of the house. There are some other flowers mom always likes to keep. But most of the time mom likes to change flowers each season.
“….. Ready!”
The voice of the bartender's success dragged me back to reality, I took the plastic glass that was put beside me, sip the content immediately. But something just seems odd.
Why it tastes bitter, there is sugar, but not sweet enough.
Ah, what kind of chocolate is this?
Am I forgetting to tell the barista I did not want dark chocolate?
Is this even dark chocolate?
I bring the glass to my eyes level, see carefully what is this, this isn’t mine, this is coffee, I order a chocolate cream latte. No wonder the taste caught me out of guard, disgusting even. What kind of order is this? A strong flavor of coffee can be smelt from the straw.
“Uh! I’m sorry sir, that wasn’t yours!”
The barista spoke to me, showing me an apologetic look, feeling a little troubled.
“That Macchiato is ordered by this gentleman”
He pointed me to the person behind me, and I followed his direction. The moment I saw that person, we locked eyes, looking at one another, the tall figures put both of his hands in his pants pocket. He wears a black and gray checkered suit, with black tie around his neck, the blazer not buttoned, it somewhat looks casual on him. And I confirm my eyes by reading the name on the plastic surface.
ALBERN
I almost dropped the thing, feeling stupid and idiot. My mind was flying around and made me unaware of my surroundings. The coffee that I just drank was meant for Albern, not me, which is why it tasted different.
“I… I’m sorry, I’ll pay for this, I will order new one for you”
I frantically try to take my wallet out, I’m quite panicking due to the embarrassment, despite how the shop looks empty for now. Before I can do much I can feel someone reaching me. I see Albern smile at me, his hand grab my shoulder.
“No need, everything is fine”
His hand is still on mine. But his face facing the barista with politeness.
“Let me pay for this one, and what this boy ordered? Put it in my tab”
I startled.
“No! No-no! That is mine, let me pay yours, it was my mistake anyways! I’m the one who is not paying attention!”
He let out light laughter from his lips, that raspy voice reach my ears, and I felt my chest tighten up, maybe because of the anxiety that I feel right now. He tapped my shoulder lightly and shook his head.
“It’s fine, don’t think about it”
“So what is his order?”
The barista checked the note again carefully.
“It’s chocolate vanilla latte”
“Okay, just bring to usual table”
He gave back his attention to me.
“Instead pay me back how about we have a chat together? It won’t hurt isn’t it?”
It’s already come to this, what else can I do?
>>>>>
Both the man and the boy sit opposite of each other, enjoying their drink that is placed at the front of them. At one table a strong and bitter fragrance dances between the older man, it fights back in the fort with the boy sweet at the calm smell that comes out from his glass. They both stay silent just how they first meet, there is not much that changes, they are after all just strangers.
They are accompanied by the color of the sky that becomes orange, yet it is getting darker. The lamp getting brighter, the soft red orange color starting taking cover the great sun duty. The sky starts sparkling with stars, and the wind starts getting colder outside. Their shadow gets colored by nature, becomes one and entangled.
>>>>>>
The embarrassment still lingers, as like any other event that happened previously. Maybe next time I need to pay more attention, it would be hard for me if this kind of thing keeps on happening. I still do not have courage to see him on his face, my eyes, in fact go everywhere but his direction.
After a while he takes something from his blazer, he shows that thing in front of me. His lips form a smile and a raspy voice slips from that lips.
“This is yours isn't it?”
“Ah yes… sorry”
I took the pen and quickly put it inside my bag. He took a back little bit from my answer.
“Sorry? For what? For the coffee? Is all good, never mind”
“No, I mean, that is too, but I mean the pen”
He frowned but his smile never left his face.
“It should be me the one that apologizing, I borrow your pen”
“I guess…”
Sitting down with him without anything like this, the suspension really killing me, can I just run away?
“The sky looks beautiful isn’t?”
I look up at the sky, the dark color mixed well with the light, yet every human knows, soon the darkness will take over. And I remembered something, the lunch box, but will this be okay? I slowly open the lip, and push it slowly to the middle of the table, to signal him that he can also have it.
“Are you? May I have it too?”
“Yeah, I figured it out, why not? You bought me the drink, so at least let share this cinnamon roll together”
His eyes showed something, but his smile was still there, however, for some reason, there is a glimpse of something coming out from his face. And I've not managed to pinpoint what it is.
“Don’t mind if I do?”
His eyebrow raised and his smile turned into teasing one, his tone also changed into something else. He took a bite to the cinnamon roll, same as me. At that exact moment the sweet flavor exploded in my mouth, but I enjoyed it, it felt good. I guess Chad wasn’t lying, his sister does know how to make this thing.
“Do you like it?”
The moment I heard him speak, I stopped for a moment, I just nodded without looking at him as a sign of approval. Without me realizing it, the cinnamon roll all gone without trace, what a shame, it was a good one. I wasn’t aware whether he took more bite than me, but he definitely took some bite, I guess. And somehow I can smell another fragrance, a sweet yet heavy smell, there is a portion of brownies on the table, is it his? When did he order it?
Without me realizing it, my mouth already watering, I quickly push it back and swallow the saliva. I quickly put the back of my palm and covered the side of my mouth, I felt like something about to come out.
“It looks delicious and sweet isn’t?”
He speaks while taking a sip of his coffee. I nodded once again, it does look appetizing, and maybe I should order it too.
“Eat it, you can have it”
My head quickly rose up, meeting his eyes, but his mouth covered with the cup, I can’t read him at all. When he puts the cup on the table, I can see a soft smile from him.
“Don’t be hesitate, dig it”
My hearts say no, but for some reason my hands quickly reach to the plate, but before I reach it, his hand pulls away the plate to his side. My eyes quickly look up to him, I feel like an idiot! Why did I trust him?
I can hear a soft laugh from his lips, but I do not have any interest to even see him < I just look at the window, to the sky.
“I give it to you, but you have to tell me your name”
My head whipped back, and I quickly replied back with my hands and stole the plate as quickly as I could.
“Joshua! Joshua Park!”
He quickly let go, and I quickly savored the taste, once again something touching my tongue. Something playing with my mouth, the inside felt really delightful, it’s been a while I didn’t taste this.
I miss it.
I want it.
I want to embrace it.
But what is this?
“Does it taste good?”
I quickly nodded, without looking at him, I just focused on whatever happened right now, savoring the wet and the sticky texture inside my mouth, the sweet mixed together.
>>>>>>
The older man looked at the younger boy with an amused look, feeling funny and interested in how he was acting. He has never seen something or someone like this before, the way the boy acts makes him think of something, but he himself can’t put his head around it quite right. Without the boy noticing, Albern kept ordering some other dessert, and let the boy sit in the front of him have it, he for some reason felt content by watching the boy. The boy seems in oblivion, but Albern doesn’t care much about it, he keeps feeding the boy, hoping something will happen with the boy.
And it happened, the boy suddenly showed the most breathtaking scenery that Albern had ever seen before. And at that moment, he thought to himself:
“I do not know you, but you are amusing… ”