Tinkle

Chapter Three

"Aye.", Ben nudged me by my sides.

I squirmed a bit and glared at him.

"You kept looking at Evan since yesterday.", he said and squinted his eyes at me.

"Don't tell me you like Evan?", he asked, which he sounded a bit loud so Evan turned his head towards us, probably thinking Ben called him.

"Why, Ben?", Evan asked.

"Ah, nothing.", Ben shook his head. I just hit his arm and left him at the cashier.

The boys have been visiting here since yesterday, Mr. Jun isn't even bothered that the boys are loitering at the convenience store. Well, they would buy some food and eat at the tables on a corner, but still, they're staying for too long. There's new face that came with them—Jorge.

Why do people put the items on the wrong aisle when they won't buy it? It's like putting back the books at the wrong shelf.

I took the milk cartons that was sitting on the noodles section.

I was startled when someone took a milk carton from my hand.

"I'll take this, thanks.", he smiled at me.

Evan.

I nodded and smiled.

He was about to walk away when I spoke, "Do you guys have plans for later?", I asked.

He nodded, "We're going at the city for festival.", he smiled before he added, "Would you like to come?", he offered.

Come to think of it, it was a chance to get close to him or to his friends, another thing is, I can watch over him if anything happens.

"Uh, sure. I don't have plans for the night. And tomorrow is Sunday.", I said and nodded.

He nodded and smiled before walking back to his friends.

I continued arranging the aisle of milk cartons and smiled to myself. I went back beside Ben who's scanning the items a customer took to buy.

My phone rang and smiled to myself when I saw the caller ID.

"Excuse me.", I said and went on a corner to answer a call from mom.

"Mom.", I greeted.

"Seoji, remember to come home earlier at 6pm, okay?", she asked.

"Uh, mom? Why?", I asked her.

"It's lunar eclipse tonight at 7pm.", she said.

I shut my eyes and sighed. I totally forgot about it.

I was too fed up by Evan's tinkle.

If I'm out at eclipse, it's like one foot on the grave, and if something happens to Evan, he's one foot on the grave, too.

I sighed in frustration.

"What's the matter?", she probably noticed I've been sighing since earlier.

"Nothing, mom. I'll call you later.", I said and she was the first one to hang up.

I don't know what to do, I was fiddling my fingers.

"Seoji!", I turned my head as Albert called.

I sighed and shoved my phone on my pocket.

Walking on their way, they kept their eyes on me.

They looked kind of weird as if they're planning on something.

Tinkle.

I halted when I heard that unfamiliar tinkle.

It wasn't a simple tinkle. It was loud, and it was a clang, like those of the church bell.

I stared at all of them when everything started to look like the time slowed down.

I noticed neon red strings connected on their necks.

"Seoji, you okay?", Ruben asked out of concern.

I felt a pang of headache.

I placed my wrist on my temple and hissed through the pain.

I looked at them as they started to worry.

"I-I'm fine.", I smiled and nodded at them.

"That scared me.", Ruben said.

"Are you sure you're okay?", Jorge asked. I nodded and smiled.

I was about to walk towards them when I heard my phone rang.

It was unregistered. I also noticed that it was a foreign number.

I answered, "Hello?", I asked.

"Seoji!~", an enthusiastic greeting was heard over the line.

"David?", I asked.

I looked at them and gave me a confused look. I ignored them.

"Hey, where are you?", he asked.

"Uh, at the-", I stopped when someone stormed inside the store with his ever so energetic voice.

"Seoji!~", he said and ran towards me and hugged me. He didn’t have to ask me on the phone if he knew.

I smiled and patted his head.

"David?", Evan asked, surprised.

"Oh, guys, hello!", David said and smiled.

"You know them?", I asked. He nodded.

"Forgot to tell you I have other friends. Hehe.", he said and smiled cheekily.

"You traitor.", I said and pouted.

"Sorry, Seoji.", he said and hugged me from the side.

No wonder we barely have a long bonding moments, he was having some good time with this guys.

"I see that you get along with them.", he smiled at me.

"Guys, this is my girlfriend by the way.", he said and snaked his arms over my shoulders.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Stop lying--", I was cut off when Steve spoke.

"Is she the one you've been talking about since then?", he asked, bewildered.

Don't tell me they're believing him?

David nodded and they sighed in disappointment.

I smacked his head playfully.

"You're telling weird things behind my back now?", I said and he just pouted.

I glared at David and went back to work.

---

"How's your week?", I asked as I sat on a chair across his, our table was just beside the boys. They're listening to us.

That doesn't matter, though. They won't understand.

"It was hectic, Seoji. I never knew there are a lot of people who's in love.", he said and shook his head.

"My ears nearly blasted from the continuous ring.", he took the pink bell necklace from the inside of his shirt and tugged on its bell pendant slightly.

"How about you?", he asked as he rested his chin on his palm, and sipped lazily on his banana milk.

"Just fine. Earlier, it rang really loud, and also neon red strings on their necks.", I said and looked at his expression.

He stood up from his seat and yelled, "What the heck, Seoji!", he yelled. Why is he yelling?

My eyebrows furrowed not to his yelling, but he just cursed.

I can't paint what was David's expression but I can say that it doesn't mean any good.

***to be continued