Dark Secrets

Chapter 25: So, Baby … (2 of 2)

“Huh? Is that why I’m bringing a basket of food with me? You want me to eat with Pluto??” I’m getting confused. “Why??”

“Because I’ve prepared for two. He’s your friend, right? You must treat him well, sweetheart.” Mom smiling at me.

“Mom, Pluto got 8 men serving him. He probably got his own meals prepared by his own chef. What if the food you prepared for him will go into waste? A lot of people die from starvation.” I uttered.

“Then share them with others, why would it go into waste? Also, you don’t have to tell me that kind of matter. I’m the one who taught you to always finish your meal and never left a single food in your plate. I just want to cook a meal for Young Master but if he won’t take it then give it to others, don’t waste it.” Mom responded.

“Yes, Mom.” I sighed in defeat.

I’m going to the campus to practice but it looks like I’m out for a picnic because of the basket Mom told me to bring.

“Desa, are you going for a picnic?” one of the girls made fun of me as soon as they see me with the basket.

“I told my Mom that well be practicing until 7pm so she prepared a lot of food for me.” I replied as I put the basket down at the corner of our practice room and my bag on top of it.

“I wish I have a Mom like yours.” another girl uttered. “A mom who let me eat as much as I want and not the mom telling me to diet.”

“Don’t you get fat easily, Desa?” a girl beside me asked.

“Well, I was fat when I was a kid but since I started ballet at 7, I always had this figure no matter how much I eat. I burned them while dancing anyway so I don’t need to go on a diet.” I replied.

“Ah, that’s why you’re good you’ve been dancing since you were 7.”

“That actually grant my scholarship to the school I attended to from elementary until I graduated in high school. But now, there’s no such thing here in college. I’m only dancing as an alternative to PE class.”

“Yeah, that was everyone reason too when we joined on our first 2 years but now even if we’re on our 3rd year and some here are on their 4th year, the reason we’re still dancing is the competition we’re having. Because if dancing is our passion then we should be in the college of music and not in our current courses.” Krystal said, Pluto’s 1st dance partner during his freshman year.

“Definitely, agree. Dancing is just a hobby for everyone here.” Jennie added, Pluto’s 2nd dance partner during his sophomore year. “Everyone will have different careers once we graduated from college. That’s why the dance major students see us as their rivals.”

These two ladies are the goddesses in our dance club and they could be Pluto’s girlfriend in the first place but why the hell Pluto chose me to be his fake girl when he can have these two?!

They obviously like him too, because since Pluto broke up with me, they’ve been competing to each other to get the man’s attention.

When Pluto came, we started the practice 7 o’clock sharp by doing some stretching first to condition our body.

At 9am, we got 20 minutes break so I got time for the ham sandwich that Mom prepared for me.

I’m thinking of giving the other sandwich to Pluto but he’s too famous with the girls that they give him sandwiches too.

“I got an extra ham sandwich, you want?” I asked the guy beside me.

“Really? Thanks.” he took it from me right away. “I’m not as famous as your ex, so no one would bother to look at me.”

“Geez. Don’t say that. Everyone is special in their own way. It’s just that he’s very special, that’s all.” tapping his shoulder.

“Yeah, he’s lucky to be born that handsome, rich, and smart. He’s also a great dancer so who would not like him?” he added with a sigh.

“Let’s just eat and stop thinking of anything else for a while.” I just stare ahead blankly as I eat since I’m tired of dancing for 2 hours.

After the 20 minutes break, we continued again until we had an hour break for lunch at 12nn.

I bring the two chicken enchiladas with me attempting to hand it over to Pluto but when I heard that he’s coming with his group of girls out to the restaurant, I just keep it to myself and decided to eat both since I’m hungry.

“Oh, you’re here again.” Yuto looked around before he approached me. “Just making sure the King isn’t around.” sits beside me.

“Sorry about yesterday. I don’t know what his problem but he shouldn’t talk to you rudely.” I glance back at him.

“Men are territorial. If they want a woman, they won’t let any man go near their lady.” he turned his attention to my lunch. “That looks delicious, what’s the name of that dish.”

“Chicken Enchilada, my Mom cooked it. Have you eaten lunch yet? I got an extra lunch box if you want?” pushing the lunch box beside him. “I thought I could eat two but this one makes me full already.”

“Sure. Thanks. No one ever shared their lunch box to me before, this is the first and coming from someone I just met yesterday.”

“Here, I got extra chopsticks.” I handed it over to him.

“You have an extra lunch box and chopsticks, you were supposed to give it to someone, are you?” he smiles at me. “I know it’s not me but it’s mine now so I’m still grateful that I get to eat what you give.”

“Good food is meant to be shared.” watching him take his first bite.

“Mmm. This is delicious. Is your Mom a chef?!” he exclaimed.

“No, she’s just good in cooking, specially baking.” satisfied with his expression on Mom’s cooked meal.

“Wow! This is really great.” he continues eating. “I should be having lunch with my team right now by the field but I take a chance to find you here and you really are here.”

“Why do you want to see me?” I glanced back at him.

“Because you look like my younger sister.” he took his wallet out from his pocket. “Here look at my family picture.”

All of them are wearing the traditional Japanese costume in the photo. “Your sister is so cute, are you sure that she looks like me?”

“Don’t you look at yourself through the mirror? You’re pretty. That’s why thinking about those boys around my sister makes me want to go back to Japan.” he furrows his brows.

“Because you’re like one of those boys that’s why you’re worried about your sister?” I laughed at him.

“Ah, so you’ve heard of me, huh.” he chuckles. “What can I do if girls want to have s*x with me? I’m just being considerate of my fans by giving them special service.” shrugging his shoulders.

“You’re not even denying it and proud about it instead.” shaking my head. “Are you happy on what you’re doing with girls?”

“Well we’re having so much pleasure while we’re on it.” he replied.

“That’s not what I want to know. Let’s have a decent conversation here, alright? What I’m trying to say is if your truly happy?”

“No. I miss my Mom and my sister so much but I’m stuck here with my Dad.” he suddenly has teary eyes. “My Dad took me here in Korea while my Mom have my sister in Japan after they got divorced.”

“Sorry to hear that, you must be having a hard time coping up.”

“That’s why I’m dedicating myself to soccer and to graduate at the business course that my Dad decided for me. Soccer is for my sanity and graduation is for my freedom.” he uttered before he continues to eat again. “Why am I even sharing this to you?”

“Because I look like your younger sister?” trying to lighten up the mood. “Should I call you older brother?”

“Pou …” he suddenly coughs but he covered his mouth immediately.

“Here.” I gave my water jug to him. “Are you alright?” patting his back. “Sorry I didn’t mean to make you choke.”

“I’m fine.” still coughing. “I actually like it, but you don’t have to call me older brother. Yuto is fine.”

“Sure. Yuto.” calling his name cutely.

“Gosh. Why are you calling my name like that? Are you hitting on me, Desa?” he gets back at me by calling my name cutely too.

“Ah, so that’s how Japanese call my name. Hahaha.” I feel comfortable around him and I don’t even know why.

After we had lunch together, he left me when one of his teammates found him and before the guy walk towards us, he dragged his teammate away as he promised to bring me ice coffee later.

I rinsed the lunchboxes first and refill my water jug before I go back to the practice room.

There’s still 23 minutes left before 1pm and only few of us are back, I’m full and I can’t do a lot of movement yet so I just sit still at the corner until I feel my eyes getting heavy so I closed it for a while.

When I woke up, I just feel my head leaning on to something beside me and when I look at it, it’s Pluto’s shoulder.

“What do you think of this position?” Pluto asked me as he shows the arrangement he drew on the paper.

“It’s good everyone has their exposure to the audience.” I replied quickly as I sit properly. “How long I’ve been out?” looking at the clock. “Gosh, it’s almost an hour.” I noticed everyone stealing glances at me and Pluto so I tried to stand up and keep a distance from him.

“Where are you going, we’re not done yet?” he uttered coldly.

“H-Huh?” I look at him confusedly.

“Come back here and tell me what you think about the line-up.” gesturing to sit down beside him again.

I hesitantly go back at my position earlier and lean towards him.

“Why are you doing this to me? If you’re mad that I slept then just scold me in front of everyone not like this.” I whispered to him.

“Everyone already watched us earlier while your sleeping on my …”

“I don’t think that line up will work.” I suddenly changed the topic. “That’s too close and considering the dance steps on that part everyone needs a bigger space to move.”

“Hmpf.” he laughed at me. “Then we should adjust the steps to make this line up possible. Everyone, let’s get into position.” he shouted.

“Seriously, we’re adjusting the steps instead of the line up?” doubting his sudden decision.

“You’ll know why I’m insisting at this positioning later.” he smirks.

“Desa, are you two really broken up?” Krystal asked me as I get into my position between her and Jennie.

“It looks like you two are dating again.” Jennie added.

“We really broken up, him and I are just friends now.” I defended.

Why does he have to sit beside me and let me sleep on his shoulder while everyone is watching us?!

It’s like he’s announcing that we’re back together with his actions.

After 2 hours of non-stop dancing, Pluto gave us another 20 minutes coffee break just in time for my visitor to come at practice room.

“Desa.” Yuto holding 2 plastic cups of ice-cold coffee in his hands.

“You really came. I thought you were just joking earlier.” I’m about to grab the cup that Yuto is handing over to me when Pluto took it and have his sip first. “That’s coffee.”

“I know. I’m thirsty so I can drink even this coffee.” Pluto doesn’t seem to like the taste but he tried so hard to keep a straight face.

“Hmpf.” Yuto laughed a bit. “I already drank on mine, but if you want, we can share it, I don’t mind at all since we already shared water from your jug earlier.”

“Hey, what part of stay away from her and she’s off-limits you don’t understand?!” Pluto get in between me and Yuto.

“You said she isn’t yours. So, what gives you the right to tell me what to do?” Yuto responded to him.

“Ah …” I come between them and took the coffee from Pluto. “I’ll just share with Pluto, thanks for the coffee Yuto.” gesturing to see himself out as Pluto might lose his temper.

“Anytime. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Yuto smiles at me.

“Mmm.” I nodded at him as I sense Pluto’s heat behind me. “Bye.”

“Hey.” Pluto put his hand on my shoulder. “Didn’t I warn you about him yesterday?” he turned me around to face him.

“He’s not that bad as you think he is.” taking a sip of the coffee. “You don’t like it’s taste, right? I got strawberry cupcakes; you want?” I walked past by him towards the corner where my basket is.

“I’m not my oldest brother whom you can take on easily by desserts.”

I took the cupcakes out from the basket. “So, you don’t want it?”

“You think I’m a kid?” he sneered at me.

“Fine.” I turn to Dante who’s standing near me. “Dante-sunbae, do you want a strawberry cupcake?”

“Ah … sure. Thanks.” Dante is about to take the cupcake from me when Pluto snatched it away and took a bite immediately.

“I thought you don’t want it?” looking at Pluto confusedly.

“Did I say I don’t want it?” he uttered as he take another bite.

“Geez. You two. Are you sure you broken up?” Dante looking at me and Pluto. “You look like flirting to me.”

“Pluto and I are just friends that’s all we can ever be.” I responded.

“So, you’re saying that you two are never going back together?”

“Yes. I won’t be in a relationship … again, until I graduated.” I almost tell him that what Pluto and I had before was a lie.

Everyone is staring at us and I just declared that I’ll be single until graduation as well as my relationship with Pluto.

“Friends, huh? Can ex-lovers be just friends??” Dante turning to the members to get an answer.

“Yeah, they can. Like men can be just friends with women. It’s not impossible, right Desa?” Pluto turned to me.

“That’s right. I’ve got a lot of friends that are men and Pluto isn’t different from them.” I defended.

“She’s friends with Luke and the others as well as Diso, but am I not different from them?” Pluto asking me for confirmation.

“Well I’m closer to you than the rest but yeah, you’re no different.”

He didn’t reply and just finish the strawberry cupcake silently without saying a word but he looks dejected.

We resumed the dance practice after 20 minutes break with commotion and had our last 20 minutes break at 6pm before we wrap up everything by 7pm.

“Macaroons?” Pluto sit beside me when I take my position at the corner. “Can I have some?”

I took another box of macaroons from the basket and gave it to him.

“It’s all mine?” he glances at me.

“Mmm.” I nodded. “To be honest, Mom prepared this basket for me and for you. I got 2 of ham sandwich, chicken enchilada, strawberry cupcake, and these macaroons.”

“Wait, you mean that ham sandwich you gave to Kon earlier was supposed to be mine?!” he raised his eyebrows at me.

“You saw it? Well, you’ve got a lot of sandwiches this morning so I didn’t give it to you anymore.” taking another macaroon to eat.

“Still you should’ve given it to me. What about the enchilada??”

“Ah … I gave it to Yuto.” I anxiously replied.

“What?! You gave my chicken enchilada to that jerk?!!” he raised his voice that made the others to look at us.

“Will you lower your voice, please?” scratching the back of my ear. “Yuto isn’t a jerk. I may not have the same ability as Troye to determine if someone is telling the truth or lie but he’s sincere.”

“What do you mean, he’s sincere? Did you fall on his tricks?!”

“Geez. He’s not hitting on me. He just sees his younger sister on me.”

“Younger sister, my foot. He’s just making it up to trick you.”

“No, he’s not. He even showed me his family photo. I’m telling you he’s not as bad as you think he is.” tapping his shoulder.

“Whatever.” he sighed. “You mean it? We can only be just friends?”

-End of Chapter 25-