Chapter 35 - I'm Ready

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only waiting for a certain time to explode, but for the meantime, he was hidden, when discovered people get scared that they will throw him away somewhere else to save themselves. and he doesn't mind because he know that someday he'll explode and hurt a lot of people. So maybe it's better to scare them away so bad that they won't go get a closer look or dare to touch you just so they could throw you away when they realize that it was too late. No time to fix it and cut the wires to stop you from exploding.

He looked back and saw her crying. He's never seen something he pushed away before. an echo inside his mind suddenly went on repeat.

"You think everything's going to break you as if you're not breaking the most innocent hearts around you."

It was something that his brother told him when he first told Hyunbin to never tell people that they're brothers because it embarrasses him.

He's so embarrassed of himself that he turned his back from his brother, breaking his heart. It wasn't Hyunbin who told him to be someone else, It wasn't his brother who compare himself to him. It wasn't his brother who's drawing him to compete with him but he people around them. They say it out of boredom. They only say it to compliment Hyunbin. To make him realize that he's doing well as a son, an older brother who's a really good role model, but they said it harshly and they say it everyday. They thought all their doing is complimenting when they're actually insulting someone to compliment.

It's simple. If a person is handsome, simply tell him he's handsome. Stop saying 'you're so handsome compared to your brother.' or 'Your brother will never be as handsome as you.'

If a person is intelligent, then tell them that they're intelligent and never bring up another person. As if that's so hard.

Hyeop stood there staring at Doyeon crying. She didn't even care that someone might see her with her make up all smudged on her face, or for anybody to hear her ugly crying voice. Hyeop was left with no choice but to help her up and throw his handkerchief on her face to wipe those rears.

"Spoiled brat." he muttered, "You still think that crying works to get what you wanted? That's fucking immature. Grow up. It only makes you ugly." he insulted but Doyeon's heart was pumping so hard right now that it could break her sternum at this point. He helped her up.

Kwon Hyeop helped her up.

"My grandfather used to tell me that the only reason why I was not as handsome as my brother is because I was a cry baby. Every time I smiled, he said I was ten times more handsome. Too bad, I have this resting bitch face syndrome. I look like I'm angry or rude on my relaxed face. It's because I cried too much as a child. Don't make the same mistake or you'll be the ugly child." Hyeop babbled but Doyeon's not listening with her pulse beating like a sledge hammer at the moment.

She's smiling though. Hyeop was assuming that she got the idea. But she still looks awful with her make up all smudged like joker.

Hyeop took his handkerchief to completely wipe off her make up. He was surprised to see her innocent face. Now she looks like an innocent high school student. He fake coughed, looking away. "Aigoo! Look at the time. I need to go." he said walking away but Doyeon held him tightly. "Treat me food. You're so rude today, you even made me cry. You scared me when you grabbed my uniform and shook me." she made a puffy face to wake Hyeop's conscience.

"Fine." he agreed, but realize that he's not with Daniel, which means that Seongwoo's card is not here. He dug into his pocket and saw few money enough for one meal on Hotline Bling, if he wants to walk home. And there's no way that Hyeop would walk home.

This is still enough for tteokbokki. If little princess doesn't want cheap food, then he'll finally get rid of her. "Follow, me. I know the perfect place to take such a beautiful girl." He's back with her usual sarcasm. He dragged her outside campus, just a little more walking and they reached the tteokbokki stand.

"Go ahead and take what you want. I'll pay." he said in his really strong Busan satoori. But the girl just swallowed and glared at him as while he started eating a fishcake and ordered them two soups, served in cups.

"Are you really this poor, that you eat on a stand?" she asks.

"Poor you." Hyeop had this sorry expression. "We live in Korea and you haven't tried street foods. Haven't you been listening to Mark Lee? Foreigners fly to Korea to learn history and to try Korean customs." Hyeop even brought up his favorite teacher into this diss battle.

"Mark Lee? His nationality is Canadian. What does he know about Korea?" she said sassily reminding Hyeop that this girl in front of her was still Doyeon.

"Yet he's more Korean than you. just shut up and eat will you?" he said shoving a piece of tteokbokki inside his mouth in the process.

Doyeon has no choice but eat. Surprisingly, it tasted really delicious.

"The taste got you speechless didn't it?" Hyeop asked and she agreed nodding. She's not puzzled if he's also enjoying this, because she's feeling a little happy now.

...

"I already put up a sign not to pick the peaches." Doyoung told Daniel who's now scanning for the sign that this teacher was talking about. He saw it, but since he won't be able to do this again that the sign was already there, he picked the last one, pissing the teacher off.

"You already saw the sign. Do you need a school handbook to learn about the rules?" Doyoung asked the kid.

"I know the rules." Daniel said offering a peach to calm him down but Doyoung didn't accept them. He's done with this kid.

"Then why do you break them?" he asked in anger.

"It's nothing personal. I just want a different food than those pizza." Daniel answered him before running. Youngmin followed him just in case he makes a bigger damage that requires payment.

He was doing a good job following him when Daniel stopped in front of a lake and started taking off his shoes, then his new sweater from TY track. Is he planning to drown himself? Is this going to be a brutal suicide? Damn, Daniel is a sadist after all.

As an older brother, Youngmin can't just let this happen that he moved faster to grab him to stop this nonsense. "Kang Daniel! What do you think you're doing?" he asked in between pants.

Daniel turned to him and smiled as if everything was great. "Umma always told me not to swim when your stomach is full." here he goes again with that annoying excuse. All this worries for nothing but to fulfill his evil mission of disobeying his mother. "She also used to tell me not to swim when it's cold out. Since she's not here, I wanna try it." he said before diving on the freezing water. Good thing Youngmin had let go of him before he jumped, or he might be shivering on the water as well.

"Well, have fun catching cold. Don't expect me to not call your brother." Youngmin threatened before taking Daniel's shoes as a prank before running away. Daniel was frozen.

Yep, he's literally frozen. He didn't expect that the water would be this cold, and the cold wind wasn't helping either. "Yah! Lim Youngmin, That's my fucking shoes you just took." Daniel yelled.

Youngmin threw Daniel's his socks while waving his shoes on the air. "Umma always told me not to take things I don't own. I wanna try it!!! It's not just you who lived a restricted life." he shouts before running again.

Daniel managed to get out of the water and wear his clothes but his shoes are in Youngmin's possession. That ass better run, because if Daniel caught him, he'll be sorry. and by sorry, he meant dead. He'll be dead.

The two ended up on the dorm still chasing each other. "Better not break anything." Daehwi warned while cooking. By now he's used to them, so he's not so considerate and polite anymore. They've been acting like kids who just experienced freedom for the first time.

"Guys stop it." Seongwoo tried to make them stop but they're still running around until Daniel sneezed.

"Sorry what was that?" Youngmin asked mockingly, just in time for another sneeze. "That's why your mother told you that you can't swim when it's cold." he told him like his the dumbest person on earth. "Wait till I tell Dongho hyung." Youngmin annoyed him even more before snatching Daniel's phone away to call his brother.

He ran towards Samuel's room to make sure that crazy Daniel won't interrupt the call when he saw Samuel busy dressing up. "What's up duck?" he asked, while waiting for Dongho to answer.

"I'm meeting Somi." Samuel told him.

Youngmin looked down on the floor when he heard her name. It was slowly turning into an awkward conversation when Dongho answered. "What do you want Daniel?" he asked with a really tired voice. Must be a bad time.

"This is Youngmin. Daniel caught cold for swimming in the lake when it's freezing cold." he finished, just in time when Daniel finally picked the locks.

"You really think locking the door would save you?" Daniel asked laughing like he's out of his mind. It scared the hell out of Youngmin. Did the devil just possessed his cousin or was that the devil inside of him Who's always been waiting for this moment to come out? He's confused.

Daniel looked like he's capable of real murder, that's before he sneezed and looked like a little kid again.

"Was that him?" Dongho asked on the other line. "Wait for me. Let me just change clothes and I'll come over. Give you guys some meds for flu, fever, and cold. Do you need vitamins too?" he asked, but even if they say they don't, he'd still give them a lot anyway.

"Your brother is coming." Youngmin said in victory. Evil Daniel has been defeated. Technically, not yet. Not until his brother gets here anyway, but he still looks like he has given up.

At the living room, they were surprised when Woojin popped out of nowhere with Donghyun, rapping 'Tough Cookie' by Zico. Why is he here? He's not even changed his clothes yet. he's still wearing his uniform.

"Park Woo!!!" Daehwi greeted.

"Wait, How did they get inside?" Seongwoo asked. Woojin shook his key chain with his copy of their key.

"Jihoon let me have his." Woojin answered before taking a seat beside Jihoon. Donghyun went for the small bookshelf to check out the Youngmin's books.

Jihoon gestured his most famous aegyo on Seongwoo to save himself from the nagging later on. "Jeojjang!" he said with a wink. As expected, Seongwoo melted at his cuteness.Who would resist he kid?

"Look, if you're going to do this to me, can I at least talk to Woojin's mother and tell him that he's here. She's got to be worried sick. I bet you haven't gone home yet." Seongwoo gestured him to give his mother's phone number, but instead, Woojin handed him a glass.

"I'd like some water please. Thank You hyung." Woojin told him, before grinning at Jihoon with one of those 'Let's-plot-world-destruction' looks.

"I don't tolerate things like this. It's late and your parents should know that you're safe." In the middle of Seongwoo's speech, Samuel cam out of his room all dressed up and you can smell that he took a bath and used all the shampoo and soap.

"I'm going, don't wait up." Samuel didn't even say where he's going or who he's going out with. Where would they look for him if he still hasn't reached home by curfew? To whom would hey speak to if he's missing?

"That's your cousin right? Start with him, then you can nag me all you want." Woojin told him, leaving Seongwoo speechless.

He only walked towards the kitchen to help Daehwi cook. "I'm a fucking failure as the eldest in this house." he muttered. "Daniel caught cold, Hyeop's still out, Samuel's out, Somi's nowhere to be found and I can't even control them." he added while cutting some mushroom.

"Don't they hate being controlled?" Daehwi asked. "Don't you hate being controlled? Trust me, the last thing they need is control." he comforted him.

But it's not like Seongwoo would listen to him. Daehwi himself was out of control. He cooks, eat, leave the house and come back at dawn all tired and sleepy. Does he go to the library with his keyboard? of course not. Does he have a study group? None. Because his only friends that they've met are this Park Woojin and Donghyun. They do know that he knew Seonho too, but nobody know how.

"Daehwi, I won't come tonight." Woojin came to the kitchen to get his own glass of water. "RAINZ are going to race tonight. I wanna see if I can beat Eunki." He asked permission. But what exactly is he talking about. What is this race? Who's Eunki? Perhaps, Hong Eunki again?

Daehwi nodded without an emotion, Woojin hugged him right away. "Maybe the little chick will be there. He said he's going to take his Taiwanese friend to Hollywood." Woojin said in his best aegyo, hoping to get away from trouble.

But what are they talking about? What little chick? What Hollywood? Would Daehwi go to Hollywood? Are they supposed to go to Hollywood tonight? But it's a long flight! Why doesn't anything make sense? What is with this dorm. Every time they enter, it seems like nothing makes sense. You can just tell people to walk backwards and they'll do it. You can laugh as loud as you can but there's still something weirder, like Kang Daniel taking out the ice creams and ice on their chest freezer then started to fit himself inside.

What the f-uck! What is he doing again?

Did his mother told him not to go inside the freezer? If so, then he must've done it before for them to forbid him from doing it. But this is just crazy.

"Kang Daniel, explain." he spat breathing heavily to calm himself down.

"This is how you scare the cold away." he said before chewing on ice. The sound of the crashing ice made Seongwoo more and more irritated. How can this silly kid scare the cold away if he's sitting on a freezer?

"Ding! Dong!"

The doorbell rang. Well at least people still know how to ring the doorbell, unlike these freaks who pick locks, climb the building or have a spare hey the they don't even live here.

"I'll get it, I'll go check up Samuel and Somi too." Young min told them before getting the door. It was Dongho, and he's holding two paper bags to his chest. Youngmin and Jinyoung helped him carry them. He prepared the citrus fruits for Daniel but then he saw his brother inside the freezer, eating ice cream while Seongwoo's trying to get him out of it. Seongwoo's only wasting time and effort because no matter how hard he exert force, there's no way a person that skinny can lift a taller guy that's entirely built with huge bones and muscles.

"Kang Daniel what are you doing?" Dongho asked his brother.

"I'm scaring cold away." he answered before sneezing.

"Stop being stupid and get up from there." He ordered, folding his sleeves, higher to get his brother out of the freezer. Daniel just thinks of the most nonsense things nobody's ever seen in their lives.

Daniel rolled his eyes and sat in the corner, not planning to talk to anybody, still eating his ice cream and still sneezing.

"Get up and wear real clothes. Thick ones." Dongho told him but Daniel didn't move. "I'm gonna count to ten. One...Two...Three. Four....Five..."

Daniel stood up and wore clothes but still has an upset expression. "To scare colds, you have to show your body that you can bare colder things." he reasoned out but almost laughed because he knew to himself that that was bullshit.

"Sure, that makes sense." Dongho spoke with overflowing sarcasm before giving Daniel a lemon juice that he freshly squeezed himself.

"Since we have a guest, We'll go for tonight." Woojin announced before going out. At last. They must be so scared of Dongho.

Convenient for Seongwoo, he doesn't have to think about them and their parents anymore. "Wait for me." Youngmin said going out together with Woojin and Donghyun. he did say that he's going to check out on Somi and Samuel.

"Go find Kwon Hyeop too. That kid must be up to no good." Seongwoo told him.

"The kids are out?" Dongho asked Seongwoo. He nodded with a frustrated sigh. "Must be tough taking care of them, unless you're just like them, then you don't have to fix them because you're with them." he joked but only Daniel laughed, and only in sarcasm. It's tough looking out for these kids.

Daehwi took off his apron, placed food on his lunchbox, then grabbed his keyboard. Dongho was suspicious of him. Jihoon came to him and whispered, "Can I come?" he asked.

"No, Woojin won't be there tonight. They're going on a race." Daehwi explained.

"Race where?" Jihoon asked on a pouty face.

"It's underground. I can't tell you. Sorry." Daehwi apologized before getting his tumbler from the fridge.

Hearing the word underground made Dongho shocked. Where in the world did Daehwi gone to know these things. He seemed like a good kid and a smart one. Why would he get involved in things like this?

"You can race under the ground?" Jihoon asked innocently. This kid really is innocent and ignorant from things like this. Dongho's glad of that.

"It means it's illegal. They're going to race on a main road that's officially not closed down for the event." he explained but when Jihoon still looks confused, he glanced at the time to make sure he won't be late if he chatter some more. "It's usually just for a gamble. People bet on who wins, you get fifty percent of the total bets and you gain recognition. But since it's not legal, You're going to race on a road with the normal traffic in Seoul. It's not about how fast you can go, it's about how reckless you can be to win. People fracture their waist, arms, forearms, wrist, and back, some end up with permanent damage and others die. Sorry, I am truly sorry but I won't let anything like that happen to you. You might get arrested even by just watching." he apologized before going out.

"Ever noticed anything peculiar about Daehwi?" Dongho asked Seongwoo but he couldn't say anything. He's father did say a lot of information about his friends and the things he do but Seongwoo don't know that for sure.

"Nothing much. All we know about him is that he studies in Brand New Academy with Woojin and Donghyun, those kids you met earlier. And that he spends most of his time making music and playing the piano. Sometimes he would dance. He leaves at 8PM, and comes home at 4AM or 5AM." he told Dongho.

"Why, wanna fix him? You think he could become better a human being?" Daniel interrupted.

"Stop being disrespectful with you brother Daniel." Seongwoo scolded, knowing how it feels like being disrespected by a younger brother. That's how Donghan used to treat him, and it wasn't a good feeling.

"Funny, that's what umma always told me. But look around, she's not here." Daniel wiggled his brows to annoy Dongho but he didn't irritate him even a little.

Dongho was in pain looking at his brother this messed up. If only he believed Daniel that day when no one did, he would've felt a little bit at ease. Maybe Daniel would think about distancing himself from everybody. But it's too late now.

"Daniel, I wanted to apologize for not believing you and not defending you when you were accused of doing drugs. I taught you rebellion and I should've know what you're only capable of. Tell me honestly, was it because I drifted away too far? Was it because I left you alone and started to actually do my responsibility?" he asked, feeling regretful of being a bad example on his brother. He

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