Kim Min-ho POV (Point Of View)
"Wow, that's a lot to take in." Min-hyun said after I told him what happened. I nodded before my eyes landed on the object sitting on my bookshelf; the cracked snow globe that was given to me.
"But that can't be why he isn't friends with you anymore, I mean it's not your fault that his mother passed away. You were just a kid and also where was I when it happened?" Min-hyun asked in confusion.
I looked away from the snow globe and looked at him, "You went to America remember? I thought you would have come to Korea as soon as you heard Taemin's mum was dead." I said while looking back at the snow globe.
"I didn't even know she was dead. This is all new to me. Mum and dad didn't tell me anything." As soon as those words left his mouth, I turned my head sharply to him. "What?! They didn't tell you anything? But why?" I asked.
"I don't know but it's probably because they wanted me to focus. Now back to Taemin not being friends with you, what's up with that?" He said changing the topic. I sighed and shook my head, "He wasn't the one who stopped being friends with me, I was the one who stopped being friends with him."
"Huh, why?" My brother asked, his face filled with disbelief. "I felt guilty when I always saw him, his mum died all because of me. I thought it would be best if I stayed away from him because I felt like I was bad luck. But if you ask me, I think I only made things worse for him. I made him hate me more. I wasn't there for him and I am the reason why he turned out the way he is today." I rambled.
"Wait, are you seriously thinking it's your fault? Okay then with that logic, I guess Arin is the one responsible for her death because she dropped the snow globe after you told her to be careful with it, resulting in you chasing after it and Taemin's mum saw you and went after you when she saw a truck approaching and it's also the truck driver's fault because he didn't step on his breaks. He saw a child and a woman and instead of hitting his breaks, he decided to hit Taemin's mum and again, there's no way he would have been speeding in an elementary school environment." Min-hyun rambled out in annoyance.
"I still think I am the reason why he turned out to be how he is today." I said before letting out a sigh. "I don't understand." Min-hyun said with confusion.
"I was still close with him but it wasn't the same, I still had this guilt in me. He moved into his dad's house after his mum's death. I could tell he wasn't really comfortable with his dad yet but he didn't tell me that, didn't show his pains in front of me, and didn't even cry during his mum's funeral. He experienced hell when the news of him being Min Beom-jun's son and the heir to the Empire group. He got bullied by both children and adults at such a young age but I don't think those comments hurt him but he was hurt by my actions." I said fiddling with my fingers.
"What did you do?" Min-hyun asked, looking at my hands. "It's not what I did. It's what I didn't do." My eyes darkened as I remembered the past.
"What didn't you do then?" Min-hyun asked, lifting his eyes away from my hands. "I don't want to talk about it. It's getting late, you should go to bed or go out and have fun like an adult or something." I joked.
Min-hyun chuckled and shook his head, "Nah, most of my friends are in the States so you're stuck with me." I smiled before I remembered the reason why he isn't in the States and looked at him in guilt.
"I'm sorry, because of me you left your friends behind." I sighed. Min-hyun raised a brow in confusion, "Why do you keep blaming yourself today? Dad told me to come here because of the company and besides, I also wanted to come. I was starting to miss my baby brother and most especially mum."
The corner of my lips rose into a smirk, "So you didn't miss dad?" Min-hyun rolled his eyes, "I don't know if it's just me but dad has changed over the past few years, he seems to only care about the company these days, forgetting to spend some time with his family. 'The company this', 'The company that', 'Min-hyun, face the company, that's the only thing that matters', 'No, Min-ho can't come to your graduation, he has to focus on his studies'" Min-hyun mimicked our dad.
I stifled a laugh, "I badly wanted to come to your graduation but I couldn't, but since you're here, you'll come to my graduation instead."
Min-hyun nodded with a smile and stood up, "Well, gotta go. I'm heading to the office tomorrow and you have school tomorrow so goodnight."
I nodded and watched him leave my room and I laid back on my bed with a sigh, deep in thought, "I should have been there for him in the past, now he is like this because of me."
I closed my eyes, trying to forget the past but my heart was feeling heavy so I couldn't sleep and I took my phone from the nightstand and before I could stop myself, my finger taped on the messenger app and I taped on a number I saved on my phone which read 'Lee Ji-seo'
Me:
Hey, it's Min-ho.
Then I hit send. I stared at my cellphone in my hands and then, realisation hit me like a truck. "What the hell did I just do?!" I said in utter shock, staring at the message.
I was about to delete the message but then I realised that it has already been delivered to her phone but she hasn't seen it yet. Yet...
The message read 'seen' and I stood up, throwing my phone on the bed and paced my room. 'Ah, Min-ho, you're so stupid. Why did you send her a message?' I said, still pacing the room.
My phone buzzed with a text notification and I paused at the sound. Staring at my phone on my bed, I walked up to it and picked it up.
Lee Ji-seo:
Uh, hey? How did you get my number?
I read her text once then again, and again. 'Uh, yeah, she doesn't know that I saved it to my phone when I accidentally took her phone.' I bit my lip nervously and started typing.
Me:
Long story. I messaged you to...
I paused, "Why did I message her?" I sat on my bed, thinking of an excuse before I finally came up with an idea.
Me:
I messaged you because I wanted to ask you if you're free tomorrow.
Lee Ji-seo:
Depends... Why are you asking?
Me:
Since I am your tutor for history, I want to have a session with you tomorrow.
She didn't reply but my message read 'seen', "What's wrong? She has already read my message so why isn't she replying?" My brows furrowed in confusion. I checked the time on my phone and it read '11:30'
"Did she fall asleep?" I asked myself. I dropped my phone on my bed and walked up to the snow globe on my bookshelf and picked it up.
Lee Ji-seo POV (Point Of View)
I stared at the message in shock, "How am I supposed to respond to this?" I thought for a while before I went to my 2 remaining brain cells; Ha-ri.
Me:
Hey, are you still up?
My missing brain cell:
I was just about to tuck in. What's up?
Me:
I need your help.
I told her about the message I received from Min-ho and she didn't reply to my text message immediately.
My missing brain cell:
Tell him that you'll be busy tomorrow. You have to avoid him at all cost. You don't want to get into trouble with Arin.
Me:
Okay, so what should I tell him exactly?
My missing brain cell:
Just tell him that you will be busy tomorrow. There's no need to tell him what you'll be doing. Anyways, it's not a lie. You actually won't be free after school tomorrow. You have that shoot I told you about, remember?
Me:
Oh yeah, I remember. Thank you.
My missing brain cells:
What would you do without me?
Me:
I would suffer without you.
My missing brain cell:
Good to know. Goodnight.
I chuckled at her text and sent her a quick goodnight before returning to Min-ho's chat.
Me:
I just checked my schedule, I'm not going to be available after school tomorrow.
Kim Min-ho:
Why?
Me:
I have something coming up. Maybe next time?
Kim Min-ho:
Okay. Goodnight.
Me:
Yeah, goodnight.
I stared at the text then I let out a sigh. Then I realised something, "That's odd. It's been days since I had a chat with Toby. What's wrong?"
I went to his chat and sent him a quick 'Hi' but I didn't get a response. "He is online but why isn't he responding?"
I tried calling him but he wasn't picking up, "Maybe he's busy. He'll call me back when he sees my missed calls."
I let out a sigh and placed my phone on the night stand and tucked myself in but I couldn't help but stare at my phone in anticipation of his text or calls and my heart felt heavy.
"I hope he is alright." I said to myself before drifting off to sleep.