Joaquin’s Chapter

Joaquin De Pinili’s POV

“Iho anak, sigurado ka bang hindi ka na babalik sa Busan?(My son, are you sure you’re not really going back to Busan?)” my father asked, standing in the hospital’s doorway.

I nod while packing my things inside my bag “Wala naman akong babalikan duon Pa(I have nothing to retrun to in there anymore Pa)”

“Ibig sabihin ba nun babalik ka na sa Jeju?(So that means you’re going back to Jeju?)”

“No Pa, I will stay here in Seoul, maybe I’ll stay here for good” I folded my last shirt and put it in my bag. Today I am finally discharge from the hospital after the couple of weeks recovering my wounds, though I am already healed and can work again there is still a part of me that still aches and still wounded

It is the wound that Jennie left, and I think I can no longer be healed. The wound was stab deep into my heart, creating a scar that would forever be marked in my chest and the only woman that could make the pain go away is Jennie

But I’m probably much too late right now

She was already happy with Lisa

No let me repeat that

She was always happy with Lisa right from the very beginning

Even when she was with me, on my side, for four years

Even when it is me who’s by her side from the beginning, it was still Lisa in the end.

And I am just a nobody that came in the picture and stole her away, hoping she will return my feelings in that four years of being with me but fucking hell who am I kidding? I knew from the start that I will never be that person whom she wanted to spend her life forever with, it was Lisa.

I knew I already lost the game from the start, or maybe I already lost even before the game started.

And you know what losers do?

Cry and move on

I did, the whole heaven knows I  already did. They witnessed how I cry each night in silence when Jennie run, no not run rather came back to Lisa and decided to spend the rest of her life with her along with their daughter Lily.

And the next step? I don’t think I can do it

I don’t think I can still move on

I really love Jennie, I do

As they say there are two kinds of people who are in love: the lucky one and the unfortunate one

Well when you’re in love with somebody and they return your feelings back consider yourself lucky, congrats bro

But for me? I am one of those unfortunates, risking my heart into a person I'm not even sure if she will like me back or will love me back.

Loving someone requires a lot of risk, and I just betted my life and everything into one woman and look what I’ve got, I gain nothing and instead my heart was returned to me broken in the end

Love can make people very happy, but love can also   destroy hearts

Well people who got heartbroken will tend to fix themselves anyway

I am so sure I will forget her anytime soon

“What are we doing here Suho?” I lingered my eyes on the dancing neon lights

“We’re partying obviously, you need to loosen up man! You’ve been working two consecutive overtimes already. You need to rest!” he shouted and give me a shot of mixed drink

I occupied the seat next to him and chug down the shot, the hotness and bitterness combined of the drink causes my throat to heat way down to my lungs

“This is hard, I will get drunk”  I gave the shot glass to him

“Well that’s the main point here man, let’s get drunk!”

“I can’t, I have a shift tomorrow”

“You’re in the night shift, you can rest the whole day man. Come one, loosen up!” he handed again a shot of strong drink

I laughed and remembered drinking several shots, then dancing with couple of women in the middle of the dancefloor, making out with a blonde in the couch and closing my eyes while she was giving me a blow in the dark alley of the bar

“Fuck!” I cussed hard when she fucking deep throat me, I grab a full of her hair and leaned my head on the wall, closing my eyes as her tongue and warm mouth sending waves of pleasure in my body

In just seconds I came, fucking hard. I grab her shoulders and stands her up, then banging an empty room and started banging her there.

-
“Fucking shit my head hurts” I mumbled and wash my face on the sink

Fucking Suho lied I have the whole morning to rest, now my head’s gonna blow in any second

“You okay Joaquin?” Mina asked, my workmate stationed in the nurse’s station the same as me.

“I’m not, my head hurts” I massage my head, Mina flashed a wide grin while playing with her pen on her lips

“Well that’s because you’re such a party animal”

“What?” my face frowned

“I saw you yesterday night at the Blue Bar, along with your friend”

“So you were there?”

“Yep, me and my friends meet up there, you know, to catch up since we barely see each other blah blah blah..“ she started to endlessly talk, while I just slumped my head on the chair

Seconds after I felt her poke my bicep "What?"

“You know you can take a rest tonight, I will have Wendy to cover you up”

I lift my head “Really? She will do that?”

“Yeah but you owe us a dinner though” she winked

I chuckled and gets my things “Tell Wendy thank you for me Mina, I’m going now”

“Have a good rest Kin!”

I shivered at the nickname she called, Lily used to call me Uncle Akin and it was Jennie who started to call me that way

I removed the thought out of my head and put my coat, then making my way into my car, driving myself home to have some goodnight rest

-

“Yes Pa?”

I push the cart and stop in the meat and vegetables section

“I’m calling to check up on you my son, you're.not calling me anymore”

I laughed, getting one cabbage and carrots then puts them into the cart “I’m fine Pa, I’m sorry for not calling these days, I’ve been busy”

“Busy huh?With what son? With women?”

I chuckled “No silly, I’m busy with work”

“That’s what you always say” he laugh on the other line “Anyway, are you spending your summer again here?”

“Yes Pa, I’ll go home next month” I said, pushing again my cart and stopping in the stalls of toiletries. My phone was on my right ear

“Okay, I’ll call you, I’m going back to work now, bye son” he hung up

I put my phone on my pocket before getting boxes of tissue, then putting it again on the cart. I moved next to the stall when I felt my cart suddenly bump into something and heard a kid’s loud complain

“Ouch..” I looked down to see a young boy massaging his butt

I squatted in front of him and made him stand up “Are you okay young man?”

He arrange his light blue bonnet and looked at me

My eyes widened a little bit, why does he look familiar? And those eyes, lips and chubby cheeks, wait aren't all of that- Jennie’s?

“Stop staring and don’t touch me” he shoved my hands away

Shock I stared at the young little man and let out an annoyed scoff “Didn’t your parents told you not to be rude at people?”

He glared at me “My mommy told me not to talk to strangers”

“Well you’re talking to me now, and I am Joaquin. So we’re not strangers anymore" I laughed, then patting off the little dirt on his clothes

“I said don’t touch me!” he shouts and slaps my hand

“Whoa wait there young man, I’m just removing the dirt on your clothes” I gesture my hands on the air

“Hmp! I don't need your help” he snob and tap his clothes in his own, then crossed his arms. His right hand was holding an Iron Man figure, I laughed at the cute sight “Where are your parents little man? Are you lost?”

“Nooo, mommy is in there” he pointed the section of canned goods “I’m looking for lollipops because she won’t buy me some. She said it’s not good for my teeth and eating lollipops may cause cancer, which is I think is a lie because noona is eating so much sweets and she’s not dead yet”

I burst out laughing. For a very young age, he definitely talks so well and really smart. 

“What’s funny? You should stop laughing or I’ll call Jin to file a case on you, you’ll be sentence to death”

“What?” I asked shocked, not believing what I just freaking heard from a possibly four year old little boy

“I said you should stop laughing or I’ll file a case on you” he glared at me

I laughed once again “What case are you filing for me then?”

“Exaggerated offensive laughing and for being an imbecile”

My grin disappeared and my mouth immediately dropped open, “What did you just say kid?”

“That you’re an imbecile?” he raises his one eyebrow while flashing an innocent expression. So innocent that it made me wonder if he knew the meaning of the word that he just said?

Did a freaking young boy just call me a fucking imbecile?

Who taught this kid? I will demand a two page back to back letter of apology from his parents.

I patted his head with my hand, “You can’t talk to elders like that young man, and most importantly you can't file a case on me yet”

“But my mommy and daddy can, they are both lawyers”

Oh that explains it

“I will tell your mommy you’re sneaking out to get some lollipops then, and she will be mad and will file a case on you for disobeying her and you’ll be spending your time in the prison for the rest of your life” I scared him

He widened his eyes immediately “No! Don’t tell mommy! She's so scary! She's like a dinosaur! A  living godzilla!”

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing , well I guess he is still a child. And as if I know who is his mommy anyway

“Want to get some in secret then? I won't tell your mommy” I asked standing up

He lifts his head up to me, then flashed a wide smile. His lips were like Jennie's “Really?”

“Well yes, I will help you because I am kind, but we need to make it quick before your mommy will find out okay?”

He nods twice  and suddenly jumps “Okay!”

“What’s your name young man?” I asked, pushing my cart and the young boy started to walk by my side.

“I’m Louis”

“Okay Louis, let’s get your lollipop”

-

It was already two in the morning when I get out from the hospital to buy myself a coffee in the Starbucks nearby

I seated on the two seater table and relax myself as I sip my coffee. The busy streets of Seoul is in front, watching each cars pass by the streets

“Uhm Sir excuse me for a sec” I glance on my side, only to saw a woman’s face seating beside me

“What is it?”

“Can I kiss you?” she bits her lower lip and suddenly cups my cheeks “Wai-t miss what are you-

I felt a tender lips on mine, I widened my eyes looking at the woman closing her eyes and kissing me. Surpised I held her shoulders and pushes her away from me

Before I can speak she moved closer and suddenly draped her hand on my arm and leaned close, the side of her breasts touching my chest

“What are you doing miss?”

“Shh! Shut up!” she hissed, then looks at her back

“You’re weird, can you please get off me?” I shoved her hand away from me

“I won’t, please bear with me for a second and pretend to be my boyfriend? Please? I need your help”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you are kind Joaquin” she smiled wide

I paused and blink my eyes, stunned that she knows me.

I studied her features. Almond colored eyes and pink pouty lips, long straight black hair and bangs.

“Joy?” I asked in shock

“Yep, remember me Joaquin?” she leaned close even more and captured my chin with her index finger, her other arm is still draped on my arm

Of course I remember her

Joy

My childhood friend, my neighbour, my classmate, my first crush

My first heartache when she suddenly moved to serve some wealthy family along with her parents  outside our small province

My first love way back in Jeju.