CHAPTER 11
2271 Words
(Switching Gears)
"KAI," called Jinro to his buddy once again when they trudged near the bar entrance, holding his shoulder.
"Oh, come on, Jinro. Your father told us to hang out and that's what were going to do. Besides, we look like eighteen already."
They were still seventeen, considered as under age persons to enter such place where only adults were allowed.
He has been staying in the Philippines for quite a while now. He grew up in Japan and only took vacation whenever his father told him so.
As of this time, it was the longest time that he stayed in the country. His father wanted him to be with Kairen, who was always getting caught in trouble.
He persuaded him out to party after his girlfriend gone missing. He just wanna have fun because soon, the Kairen will be sent to Japan to continue his studies.
He kept wondering if he, too, would return to Japan? He just follows his father's orders to keep himself close to this guy.
All his life, he was trying to impress his ambitious father. But it looks like that wasn't enough. And he can't blame him because he is a yakuza. His priority is the family where he belongs, not the real family.
"See? What did I tell you?" Kairen bragged about letting them in. He was also the one to choose a place for them to sit. He raised his hand to order something to drink.
Not long after, a waitress in a black and red uniform came near to their table.
His eyes looked up to see the waitress upon recognizing her cute voice.
"Ah, you're ..."
He can't be wrong. This is one of his classmates who suddenly dropped out because of the issue she faced. According to the stories, this girl was a p********e working at a bar to support her studies.
"You really work here?" he asked.
Of course, he remembers her beautiful face. How fierce yet innocent kind of face.
"You guys know each other?" Kairen asked.
"I'll just come back when you already ready to order."
She would have left without him touching her hand. Her strong eyes focused on what he did.
"Excuse me. I still have work to do."
He can't do anything but let go. He doesn't even why did he held her in the first place.
It is true that the girl is working at a bar. Not a p********e but as a waitress. The news about the girl was wrong.
His eyes were fixed on the girl, who moved to the next table after theirs. He stood up when he saw the young woman whacked the notebook she was holding at the old drunk man who was planning to touch her.
"Is that how you treat your customers?!" the angry old man complains.
"Just look who's talking!" the girl fought back with the same disgruntle tone.
"You filthy b***h!"
Before the hand of the man landed her face, he run towards them, blocking what the man was about to do. He defended her. He also didn’t know why he did that. Maybe, because it is really wrong what the old man is doing. Or he didn't want anyone to destroy the girl's pretty face.
Not long after, a bouncer came to take the man out so it can't make any ruckus anymore.
"Thank you," the girl said in a low voice. "Is there anything I could give you in return?"
"Ah, a few bottles of beer would do," Kairen mumbled.
"Your name. We've been in the same class. If you don't remember, it's only been about a week but you disappeared right away. I don't know your name yet," he asked.
"Charmaine," she said then smiled sweetly.
He found out that her family owned the bar. She just don't want to tell it in public for it won't make any change on what other people will think of her. She just let people think of her as a p********e.
They became friend. And as days passed, his heart began to fell for this girl. He was probably the happiest man when she gave him the sweet 'yes' when he asked her out.
They began dating. She was the one who made his every day special. She made him happy and feel appreciated, the feelings he had long hoped for. This girl was the one who painted colors to his dark world.
But because they were still minors, their parents forced them to separate, especially on the girl's side. Even though he said and swore that he would marry her, they still won't agree to their relationship.
That resulted for him to get wasted for the first time. The thought of her staying away from him is very painful.
But he does not want to give up. Now that he found the word "love", a word he did expect to discover in the world where he grew up. Drunk, he drove fast to get to the girl he loved. He had to say he was willing to let go of everything and dedicate his whole life to her. Because he couldn’t live without her. He knows they are still young but he knows what love is, even if it is what they call a young love.
But because of drunkenness, he found a huge obstacle before he could finally see the girl.
The car he was driving sped off. It rolled several times before hitting the large electric pole.
They said that if the person in the car was still alive, it would be a miracle. With that state, it is impossible.
That caused him to sleep for a very long time. It was as if he was dead in his disastrous situation, for a machine is the only thing that's keeping him alive. He could have passed away any time but why doesn't he.
It was as if someone was still waiting for him. Someone that's keeping him alive, not something. A family? A friend? A lover? That, he doesn't know.
He forced himself to open his eyes, waking from a deep and long slumber. And he just did.
His eyes settled first on the bright white ceiling of a room he cannot recognize. And what is worse, is that he cannot even recognize himself.
"BRYAN!" Kairen shouted at her, to stopped what she was about to do.
He grabbed her arm just as she was about to pressed the pass code of Chang's apartment.
Jinro and Chang are inside that house.
The car was gone when they went back from the shore. It was taken away by Jinro and Chang. They got no choice but to walk because they left both their phones, in the car, that they suppose to use to call a cab. Good thing, Kairen still had his wallet, using his money to get a car upon finally arriving at the main road. They just walked alone in the middle of the night in about more or less than two kilometers.
"Let them talk. Let them spend the night together," said Kairen.
"My friend was just drunk so she agreed. But she was angry and didn't want to see that guy again."
"Are you really going in? Do you want to see them performinh some action?"
"What?!" Brianna raised her voice at what he said. He did not say it directly but she knows what he's talking about.
"Do you want me to repeat what I said?"
"p*****t!" She couldn't control herself anymore.
His forehead crumpled. "What did you just call me?" His eyes were glaring with piercing kind of look, shouting like she was in danger.
But she was annoyed that time.
"What do you call about you criticizing my bra?"
His eyes partly smaller than usual, staring at her, figuring out the things in her mind. "I just saw it under your bed because you're as messy as a guy, Bryan. And I'm just stating a fact. Your boobs are sma--"
"And what do you call your countless condoms?" she cut him off.
"Condoms?" Its forehead creased even more.
"I saw it on your car the day you let your friend pretend to be the Ayasaki heir." She snaped, folding her arms crossed.
"You saw that? Those were not mine," he assured.
"Those belong to you. I'm sure. I was the one who sold you those," she affirmed what she witnessed.
He seemed stunned, blinking a few times at what he just heard. "You knew me all along? You remember me then?"
"No. I just realized when I saw your condoms scattered in the backseat of your car. It would have been better if it was just one or two boxes, but you bought too many. That is definitely not normal. That is why I don't wanna marry you," she snarled.
Thankfully, she denied his proposal by the beach earlier. Business? He talks about marriage as a business. How is that even a business? No way! She's not marrying a p*****t. And she will not marry for business. That is why she keeps prolonging the time before their wedding. She made lots of excuses, hoping they will give up on a crazy arrangements.
Because this guy, in front of her, is crazy as hell.
He turned around, remarkably dumbfounded, combed his hair with his fingers before spinning back to her. He couldn’t help himself and suddenly laughed.
"What's funny?"
"It's not mine. It's not for me. I just bought them for Jinro. He asked me to buy those for him. And besides, what's wrong with buying a lot of condoms? I'm a healthy guy. Don't tell me, you're thinking that I'll be using that in one night?"
Her gaze automatically averted.
His face displayed an awe. "Baka [i***t]. Didn't you thought of it? You can store condoms. You just take them out whenever you needed one. Or perhaps, you don't really know?" He paused and then slowly drew a grin on the lips, looking so fascinated. "Ah, I get it. You're a virgin?"
"Wh--what?!" Flabbergasted, she utter. "Tss! You could say, you really are just a pervert." She turned her back on him. "So I should just open it," referring to the apartment door.
Evading his playful scheme, she pressed the passcode of Chang's apartment.
"So, you really are a virgin," Kairen teased her.
"Shut up, Karen!"
She entered the room to dodge the guy, but was instantly halted as her eyes shade in dark gray, when she heard the two in the living area.
Chang was crying as Jinro hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Charmaine. I'm really sorry. If only I had woken up earlier. If only I had remembered you earlier."
"I missed you Jinro. And I still love you."
Without any noise on her footsteps, she went back slowly, shutting the door quietly.
"What now, Bryan? Did you saw some action in bed?"
"Based on what I've seen, they really need privacy," she muttered, giving up the argument she has with this guy. She went down the stairs from the third floor where Chang's apartment is.
"I'm going back to the dorm."
"I'll drive you," he insisted, as he follows her.
"No, thanks. I'll just take a taxi," she rejected without giving him a glance.
"And when something happens to you? Our family will soon find out that I was with you before. If that happens, I'll be doomed. Just think about your grandfather getting worried."
"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" she halted upon arriving the gound.
Is he? Because if that's what he's pointing out, she's really damn guilty.
Kairen walked passed her, approaching the parked car that Jinro and Chang took earlier. It was parked in front of the building.
"Let's go?" he asked while his bent arms were placed on top the car. "You can stay in the backseat if you want. Oh! I forgot. Jinro's condoms are still there. I guess that'll make you sit beside me."
Until she couldn't do anything but sit next to him. Well, it's not the first time she will sit in front. She just don't wanna have a conversation with such an unbelievable guy.
Though, she was thankful that she did. She can continue organizing her money that she acquired earlier. She almost forgot about it when she left them on her seat.
"What the hell, Karen?!" she rapidly blurted.
All of a sudden, Kairen made a U-turn, driving abruptly back to the direction they came from, away from the way to her dorm.
She haven't put her seatbelt in the first place, making her jolted in her seat.
"Why are we coming back? I have to go back to the dorm!"
"You're not going home to the dorm tonight," he firmly stated while looking at the side mirror, tromping his foot on the accelerator.
"Why would I? What the hell are you planning to do?! Stop the car!" she nagged at him, jabbing his arms .
"He--hey! Stop it! Bryan, what the hell?! You're gonna get us killed. Damare! [Shut up!] Or I'll shut your mouth with my lips."
She frozed. Although she did not understand the single word he uttered, but she understood the last thing he said.
"You really are a p*****t!"
She was about to give him a hard punch but she stopped and bowed while her hands were protecting her head.
Someone just fired a gun at their car. She was sure, it was a gunshot.
"Kuso! [s**t!]" he cussed and started to make the road a race track.
- Writer
