Dark Secrets

Chapter 10: 'Cause When You Look Like That (1 of 2)

I don’t know why am I nervous talking to the guy with sunglasses that I just blurted out everything which I shouldn’t have said at all.

Maybe because I’ve been hanging out with Troye too much that I got his behavior towards handsome men.

“Are you attracted to Pluto?” Alessia asked when Troye and her is driving me to my apartment.

“What?! No! Of course, not!” waving both of my hands to deny. “I barely know him, so why would I be attracted to him?!”

“Sweetheart, attraction is what you feel for someone’s physical appearance.” Troye responded as he glances at me through his rearview mirror while he’s driving. “If you know him better, that won’t be attraction but affection.”

“I saw you glancing at his direction most of the time, Desa.” Alessia keep on teasing me about the meeting earlier.

“I’m just a bit distracted, alright?” stuttering. “He’s wearing sunglasses indoor and it gets my attention.”

“Ah right, we haven’t asked why VP is wearing sunglasses.” Troye turn his head on Alessia who’s sitting at the passenger seat.

“I’ll ask Diso tomorrow.” Alessia replied to him. “Going back to our topic.” she looks back at me. “I’m telling you Desa, Pluto’s eyes are what girls go crazy for, not the shape or color, but the way he looks at you, it’s like he’s piercing through your soul when you meet his eyes and you can’t do anything but froze.”

“Exactly my sentiments.” Troye raising his right index finger. “He’s an angel in a meat suit, he’s kind-hearted, quiet, shy and very gentle … it’s just that it’s hard for him to express his feelings except for when he loses his temper.”

“Oh yeah, we have to warn you with that, Pluto has the shortest temper out of all the members of SOS, but still he’s the hottest among the gentlemen … right, Troye?” Alessia smiling at Troye.

“Absolutely! He doesn’t like to be disturbed when he’s sleeping. So, if ever you saw him asleep just leave him alone, gosh, I still remember that day when he threatened my life because I accidentally bumped onto the table and made the books fell on the floor, I literally trembled as if I committed a grave sin.” Troye said.

“As for me, I didn’t know that he doesn’t like raw seafood specially oyster, he made a fuss at Caracciolo that we should close the restaurant if we’re only serving raw foods to customers.” Alessia continued. “He’s blunt when he’s mad but he’s chic, so I can’t stay mad at him for a long time, also he apologized to me after he cool down so we’re good.”

“Maybe I just distant myself from him, I don’t think we’ll get along, I don’t want to cause discomfort to everyone when we collide.”

“Up to you, but he’s not that bad as you think, he’s a good guy just don’t make him lose his temper.” Alessia said.

“We’re here.” Troye announcing our arrival.

“Thanks for driving me home.” getting off from the backseat of Troye’s car. “You two take care on your way home.” waving goodbye.

They welcome me to SOS as their member but it doesn’t mean I have to be friends with them, I can’t be too attached to anyone again because I might bring death if I get close others, it’s a fair trade anyway, my ability in exchange for the resources they have.

A lot of supernatural books are in their headquarter and I can use it to solve my own mystery.

The next morning, it’s a Monday so I got no time to dilly-dally after I wake up, I cannot be late on Professor Lee’s class ever again so I have to be in the classroom on or before the class starts.

Best thing about college is there are no bullies, you can do whatever you want and people won’t care because they’re all busy with their own lives, it’s just that some people wanted to pry on someone else’s business, spreading rumors and talking behind others.

I’m cold to everyone in the campus that’s why they all think that I’m arrogant and only befriend foreign seniors, because they see me hanging out with Troye and Alessia, but these people are all talk anyway and I couldn’t care less about their crap about me.

When it comes to my part-time job, I’m warm to people around me because I’m being paid for having a pleasing personality, that’s what I have in mind whenever I’m getting along with everyone.

Just like in the university, I’m at Caracciolo to work and not to make friends, it’ll be the same to SOS, I’m just using them for my benefit as they use my ability.

When I thought I already have 3 roles to play, a student, a part-timer, and a member of a secret organization, it suddenly occurred to me that I just joined a dance club at the university.

Saturday morning, when our PE instructor told me that I should join the crew on practicing.

Miran Ra, my PE instructor is also the adviser of the dance club, and everyone calls her Coach, so am I now starting today.

The dance crew welcomed me warmly after Coach introduced me to everyone, they’re all bombarding me with questions when someone arrives that got them all tensed.

“Newbie, you should warm up too.” the girl beside me uttered.

“Oh, alright.” I don’t know what’s going on but I just stretch my muscles like everyone else.

When the man walks to the front, everyone is automatically on their position and I just took the corner at the back since it’s my first time to learn their choreography.

Taller guys are in front of me, either this is an advantage for me because I won’t be notice when I made mistakes or disadvantage because I barely see what the instructor is doing in front and I’m just copying their steps.

The music starts to play and it’s kinda familiar to me, it’s the same song that I danced into last week in my prelims.

I’m following the guys step in front of me when suddenly the two of them got different moves so I just followed the guy on the same column as me but I got caught because of him.

“Kim Sooro!” a deep voice of a man shouted the name of the guy in front of me. “Are you confused where your left and right?!”

“Sorry, I won’t commit a mistake again!” he bowed his head in 90 degrees that exposed me hiding behind him.

“What the …” the guy in front almost cuss in English when he saw me. “You! Why are you here?!!” he’s talking to me through the mirror.

“I’m Desa Ha. Coach told me to join the practice.” I replied.

“10 minutes break!” he shouted. “You, come with me outside.”

“Is he going to scold her?” Girl A “But it’s only her first day and she doesn’t know the choreography yet.” Girl B “Good luck!” Girl C.

People are chattering when I followed the young man whom I assumed as the dance instructor because everyone is terrified at his presence, he walked in a distance away from the practice room so I thought that he’s going to scold me but he doesn’t want to embarrass me from everyone.

I’m looking on the ground as I follow him so when he stopped walking, I bumped my head at his back that’s why I apologized to him immediately because I’m not paying too much attention.

“I get it that you got no other choice but to return here in Korea but do you really have to be in the same place with me most of the time?!” he exclaimed with frustration.

“Huh??!” I lifted up my head to look at him and saw a familiar face standing right in front of me. “You! You’re the one who saved my father 3 years ago!! Oh gosh! I can’t believe I’ll meet you again!”

“Are you kidding me?!” he looks annoyed. “We met last week. Don’t act like it’s your first time seeing me.”

“Last week??!” I furrow my brows. “I’m pretty sure this is the first time I meet you here in Korea.”

“So, you can’t recognize faces when their eyes are being covered?”

“No way! You’re Pluto, the ill-temper guy, I heard about?!” I reacted.

“I’m warning you, if you’re approaching me on purpose to blackmail me using the secret, I revealed to you 3 years ago.” he’s walking forward to me as he points his index finger on my face. “You and your family will get the taste of hell.” poked my forehead.

“Look, I don’t know who the hell you are, but leave my family out of this.” I pushed him away. “You guys made a background check on me, right? Which is actually I find offensive because that’s invading my privacy. It’s Alessia and Troye who brought me to SOS and Coach scouted me to be part of the dance crew. So, which part makes you think that I’m approaching you on purpose?!!” frowning at him as I put my hands on my waists.

“Fine! Let’s say that it’s all coincidences, still I mean what I told you before. Don’t you dare tell a single soul what I revealed to you 3 years ago. You don’t know what my family can do to you and your family, you better keep that secret to your grave.” he responded.

“I don’t care about your family secret. I only needed it to free my father, but if you or your family dare to touch my parents, I’ll send you all to hell myself. You know my curse, right?” threatening him back. “You know it’s possible for me to bring death to everyone.”

“Nothing is proven yet. So, you don’t scare me, princess.” he smirks.

“Pluto!” Dante make his way towards us. “Hey, spare the newbie, man! She’s a freshman too. Don’t be too harsh on our hoobae.”

“Harsh?? Haha.” he got an evil smile on his face. “You. I’ll teach you the whole choreography today if you can’t catch up with me, you’re out. I don’t want a cause of delay in my team.”

“Sure. Teach me everything in 2 hours. I got social welfare class at 12:30 so we have to do it fast.” accepting his challenge.

“2 hours huh?!” he sneers at me. “Let’s see about that.” smirks.

I don’t know where I got my confidence from when I told him that I memorize the whole choreography for 2 hours but I can’t back out now that it’s my pride on the line.

Pluto taught me all the steps in 3 parts until we completed the whole song for an hour and a half, now we’re practicing the dance continuously but I made different mistakes twice.

“Don’t you have another class to catch up?” Pluto uttered when I’m about to dance the whole song for the third time.

“But I still got 8 minutes left.” I replied to him.

“Go now. You’ve done enough for today, practice again next week.”

“But our deal is 2 hours, it’s not time yet …” it suddenly occurred to me what he meant. “Wait, does it mean you accept me in the crew?!”

“You’re better from what I expected.” he uttered. “Now, go to your next class. I don’t want this practice as your reason for tardiness.”

“You really are blunt.” smirks at him. “I’ll leave now.” walk out from the practice room. “I’m famished. Because of that practice I skipped lunch for today.” getting my bag from the locker.

I’m hungry and I’m tired so I couldn’t concentrate to the lesson, what’s worse my seatmate is eating secretly a chocolate bar.

After enduring for 2 ½ hours in class, if it’s alright for me to roll on downstairs I would because I’m completely drain and the nearest food store is 10 minutes’ walk from the building, I’m in now.

“Hello there!” Diso waved his hand to me when we meet at the hallway. “Are you alright? You look pale?”

I noticed the paper bag in his hand and I can smell sweet scents coming from it, I’m already at my limit.

“Diso-sunbae. I know this is too much to ask since we’re not that close but can you give one of those?” pointing at his paper bag.

“Huh??” he’s shocked at my shamelessness. “Sure.” he smiles at me as he handed the whole paper bag to me. “Here, take it.”

“No! I’m not taking everything.” I opened the bag and saw various sweets inside. “Which among these you like the least, I’ll take it.”

“Everything.” he answered coldly. “I was forced to accept it and I don’t like being forced, so you can take them all. I’m thinking of giving them away, anyway.”

“Then, thank you. Diso-sunbae.” bowing my head slightly to him.

“Don’t forget to drink water.” he walked past by me since he’s going to the opposite way.

I took out the rice cake from the bag first and eat while walking since I can’t be late for my part-time job at Caracciolo.

Maybe I’m too famished or I got used to munching sweets while walking that I almost finished everything in the bag.

I only realized it when I emptied the water bottle I bought from the store; the bag is almost full of garbage.

“Oh, you’re here.” Edna greeted me as soon as I entered the restaurant. “You went to Goong?” pointing at the bag in my hand.

“Ah no, I took it from my sunbae at Uni. I only asked for one sweet but he gave me everything because he was forced to accept it, he said and he doesn’t like it.” I replied.

“Is that sunbae a girl or a guy?? Although, it doesn’t matter because I know for sure that it must be a gift from someone that your sunbae doesn’t like.” Edna sighs. “Unrequited love.”

“Really??! Oh gosh! I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have accepted it.”

... To be Continued ...