Dark Secrets

Chapter 8: On the Way Home (2 of 2)

“Yeah, that’s true. You made a wise choice. I’ll leave you now to fill up the form and give the paper to me once you’re done.” she said.

“Yes, ma’am.” I nodded at her as I take my seat on the chair in front of her table to fill up the registration form.

SOS is unofficial club in SNU so it won’t give me any merit at all but joining the dance club I could at least continue ballet.

When I submitted the form to the PE instructor, she told me that I’m already dismissed from the class after she checked my form.

I still have 2 hours left before the social welfare class, so I just went to the park to get some nap before lunch.

Students just sat on the grass and lean on the trees to study, talk, or whatsoever they want to do on their free time, but me I only want to take a nap under the tree.

I woke up from a delicious smell of curry and when I opened my eyes a familiar young man is sitting right next to me having his lunch.

“You’re awake.” the young man uttered. “You hungry?”

“Diso??” I moved away from him immediately when I realized I’m leaning on him. “What are you doing here??!”

“This is originally my spot but I share it to you.” showing me his lunch box. “Hyung made a lot of curry and we’ve been eating it for 2 days now, it’ll be a waste to throw it away. Will you help me with this?”

“Well it smells delicious, are you sure you’re giving your lunch to me?”

“I’m positive. I don’t think I can eat curry anymore.” giving his spoon and fork to me. “Take it.”

“This is still edible right? And the smell isn’t deceiving me??” being suspicious since he said he’s having the same meal for 2 days.

“Geez. You don’t trust people easily.” he ate a forkful of curry in front of me and swallow it after he chew within seconds. “Do you believe me now?”

“Haha. Thanks.” taking his lunchbox from him and the spoon. “You’re a student here?” taking my first spoonful of rice and curry.

“5th year medicine student.” he replied while opening a plastic of bread that he took out from his bag.

“Ah, sunbae.” I almost choke when I heard that he’s way too senior.

“Hey, are you alright?!” he gave me a bottled water as he pats my back. “Were you that surprised that I’m a medicine student??”

“A little.” still coughing after I drink his water. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be too casual with you, I thought you were just around my age.”

“Well I’m turning 23, two months from now. Am I that too old??”

“No, no, I didn’t mean that you’re too old. It’s just that I should be talking to you politely since you’re older than me.” tapping my chest.

“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’m not too traditional, also my friends are all foreigners so I’m used to talk casually even though most of them are younger than me. I really don’t mind at all.” smiling at me.

“Sorry, I read in the book that Koreans got this kind of discipline and I don’t want to offend anyone unintentionally.” I uttered.

“I get it. You lived in Canada for 11 years and you just got here last year, so it’s understandable that you’re not used to Korean custom.”

“How did you know, I lived in Canada??” getting suspicious of him.

“Your shirt when we first met. That’s made from Canada, right? With the red maple print. Also, your accent, I told you my friends are foreigners, I got a classmate before that has the same accent as you, you’re speaking Korean with Canadian accent.” he explained.

“Ah, I think, I’m gonna go now. I still have Social Welfare class to attend to. Thanks for the curry by the way and the water.” stand up abruptly and walk away from him.

(Diso Point of View)

“Sh*t. I f*cked up.” I mumbled when Desa walked away from me.

When Alessia and Troye told SOS that they found ‘The Eye’ everyone of us was thrilled to meet the person.

It was Adam’s idea to do a background check first and we found out that she was a survivor from a terrorist attack in Vancouver stadium and apparently the only person who was unscathed.

She lived in Canada for 11 years and her family was very unlikely to come back to Korea but because of death threats that they received from their neighbourhood as they all convinced that Desa is cursed and brought death to everyone around her, the Ha family flew to Korea and stayed at Suncheon.

Apparently, Desa’s mother, Jung Yoo, is from a family of shamans, so we concluded that she got her ability from her mother’s family.

She originally wanted to be a doctor like her father, Ha Yoo Ahn, but she didn’t make it to the cutoff and become a nursing student instead at the same university where every members of SOS studies or studied, for those who already graduated.

The fact that she lived in the haunted attic at the apartment in Dobong il-dong, made us more interested to get her in SOS, aside from her mystery in Canada, so when Alessia and Troye told us that Desa was working on the case for the ghost in her apartment, we permitted them to assist her, as they persuaded her to join us.

Pluto was adamant at first to make Desa our 13th member, I don’t know what’s wrong with him but he got pale when he saw Desa’s photograph, even though he’s sun-kissed skin.

He won’t tell his reason for it’s personal to him but for the sake of SOS he eventually agreed to let Desa in, he actually helped her on taking the person involved in the case from California to Seoul.

However, when Alessia and Troye told Desa about SOS, Desa also told them that she doesn’t only see ghosts, she also sees how people die, ‘death premonitions’ as what the old books called it.

The reason I went to Caracciolo the very next day after they completed the case for the lady in white at the attic.

I only came to observe but when I first saw Desa in person I couldn’t help but to stare at her, she’s prettier in person than her photo.

She got the big dark-brown eyes, cute button nose, and pouty lips, like she came out from comics.

I’m not into physical features really. I like someone that is consistent and true. I don’t like it when they hide their true selves and later reveal the true them.

But this girl, there’s something about her that makes me want to get closer, like a thread pulling me or a force pushing me down to her.

The tea she made for me was like a love potion, one sip and it made me someone who I’m not, I asked her to come back for me and she made me wait for her, which I’ve never done for girls before.

Fortunately, we’re heading on the same way, I lived at Chang-dong while she lives at Dobong-dong.

When I got off the train at Changdong Station, I waved goodbye to her but I do want to walk her home because it’s already late night, but she might think that I’m someone who’s taking advantage.

I lived near the train station with my older brother, Ace, who completely look like our father, as his Belgian features dominate more than Korean, while me, I look like our mother.

Ace is a pilot so he’s rarely home, but nevertheless he’s taking care of me since we lost our parents when I was 14.

They died from plane crash that’s why Ace chose to be a pilot, he wanted to be the very best pilot and never let anyone experience the tragedy we had from our parents’ death.

“You’re home!” Ace greeted me as soon as I entered our unit.

“Welcome back, hyung.” walking straight to the kitchen.

When I opened the refrigerator, it’s full of delicacies from his European tour that took him over 3 months.

“So, our new neighbor is a lady? What happened to the family??” Ace followed me to the kitchen.

“The mother and children went somewhere, the lady you met is the husband’s mistress. I don’t need to turn on the TV to watch drama because our neighbour is doing it live.” I uttered after I drink a glass of water. “How long are you going to stay this time?”

“A week. Either I go for international flights permanently or domestic flights temporarily next week, as long as I’m based here in Korea, it doesn’t matter where they put me in.” Ace said.

“Geez, it’s not like I’m a kid that you have to take care of.” taking out a box of chocolate from the fridge. “I’ll be 23 in two months.”

“So what? It doesn’t change the fact that I’m your big brother and you’re my little brother.” patting my head like he usually does.

Well, he’s 5 years older than me and because he got a lot of features from our father, he’s 6’4” tall and I’m just 5’10”.

No one believes that we’re born from same parents because of our huge physical differences but I got Dad’s blood and personalities while he got Mom’s, that’s why he’s so protective of me.

The next day, he prepared me breakfast and lunch box, since he’s at home, he’s doing all the household chores while waiting for me to come back home, I swear if he’s at home it feels like I’m with Mom.

Only that he got me trouble with his women, he doesn’t have serious relationship and he won’t get married, he wanted to be a bachelor for the rest of his life.

“Tell me, you’re not targeting the lady next door.” giving him a serious look as soon as he gets in to our unit.

“We only have one neighbor, so why not be friendly with them??”

We’re on the 11th floor of a high-rise, 15 floors apartment that has 2 units in every floors.

“Friendly my foot. What I saw earlier doesn’t look friendship at all.”

I went home straight after class and I caught Ace flirting with the mistress who broke a family.

“Haha. Let’s just say I’m teaching our neighbours a lesson.” Ace said.

“So, you’re done with good girls and you’re into bad women now??”

“Well, better to break the hearts of wrenches, than making good girls cry.” Ace smirks. “By the way, how’s school?”

“I’m confident that I’ll get high grades for the prelims. What’s for dinner??” checking the casserole on the stove. “You made a lot of curry, hyung. It’s just the two of us here.”

“I gave some to our neighbour and she’ll probably return the bowl to me tomorrow.” he turns on the stove. “I’ll heat this for you, you go ahead and change your clothes.”

“Thanks, hyung.” I walked off from the kitchen and climbed upstairs where our bedrooms are.

Our unit got 2 floors, 2 bedrooms upstairs with walk-in closets and shared bathroom, a guestroom at the first floor near the living room with only a wall that separates it from the dining room and kitchen that also has a toilet for visitors.

“Look at this brochure. I got it earlier when I went to the market.” Ace handed me a brochure of car models.

“I changed my mind, Hyung. I don’t want a car on my birthday. I still prefer commuting because it’s less hassle for me.” I look at the brochure. “Maybe on my graduation.”

“Are you sure? You don’t even use my car and let it get dusty at the parking lot.” Ace looking at me worriedly.

“I’m positive. I have to check the maintenance every day of your car before I use it, the traffic might stress me and I have to find a parking space for it at the campus. Unlike, when I’m commuting, there’s no traffic at the rail road and parking isn’t my problem.”

“Tch. Fine, do what you want.” wiping his mouth after he finished his dinner. “You still have exams for tomorrow, right? I’ll wash the dishes; you go and study.”

“You really are the best big brother ever!” smiling at him. “Thanks.”

“Anything for you, brother.” smiling back at me.

I never want to do household chores that’s why I always eat outside but it doesn’t mean I don’t do them.

Friday ends as well as prelims but I have to go back to Uni the next day to assist my professor in his experiment.

I always eat on time and alone at the park under the tree to relax myself for a while before I rack my brains again.

When I went to the park for my lunch, I saw someone taking a nap at my spot, and she’s the girl who enchanted me two days ago.

I sat beside her just in time before she falls to the side, I never been this close to a girl before that’s why my heart flutters when she leans on me, that’s the only reason, right?

“I must be hungry.” I took out my lunch box from my bag and when I see the same curry that I’ve been eating for days now I just sighs.

“Hmm … curry.” Desa uttered in her sleep that made me smile a bit.

I placed my lunch box in front of her to tease her but then she suddenly opens her eyes and she’s completely surprise when she saw me beside her, but I have to hold back my laughter from her reaction because I don’t want to be rude.

But that day, I messed up because I talked too much and forgot that she didn’t know who I really am yet.

-End of Chapter 8-