Dark Secrets

Chapter 21: When the Girls Talk Boys (1 of 2)

(Pluto’s Point of View)

The moment I saw Desa climbing down the stairs, I couldn’t help but stare at her beauty.

She’s wearing my sister’s gown that I thought was the worst dress she ever bought but Desa gave the clothes justice.

“What do you say about my masterpiece Toto?” Hestia pulled me back to reality after being trapped in my own fantasy world.

“She’s good enough for the party. Don’t you have something that looks more comfortable to wear.” I’m worried that Desa might get cold because of her sleeveless gown.

“We both agreed with this ballgown, she told me that earthy colors are her favorite.” she comes on Desa’s side and clings on to her arm.

Sometimes I envy how girls easily touch each other and I’m having that feeling right now to my own sister.

“Let’s go, Desa.” Hestia taking away my date to the party.

“Tia, she’s mine to take, your job is done here.” I shoved Desa in my arm and away from my cunning sister. “I’ll give you Forever, Michael in exchange.” offering her the Michael Jackson’s album that she wanted since last year.

“Really?!!” Hestia exclaimed. “You’re not taking back your words, right?! You’re giving me Forever, Michael??”

“Yeah, instead of sneaking in to my room and taking my album collections without permission. I’m giving it to you.” sighing.

“Oh my gosh! Haha! Thank you, Toto!” she hugs me as she jumps excitedly like a kid who got a candy. “Finally, I don’t have to go to your room to borrow that album.” walks off humming.

“Forever, Michael?” Desa asked me curiously.

“Michael Jackson’s last year solo studio album …” I glance at her and she looks completely clueless as to who Michael Jackson is. “Don’t tell me, you don’t know who Michael Jackson is?? The center of Jackson 5, the first African American performers to attain a crossover. The group who popularized the song ‘I want You Back’ on the ’70 also the ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’ and ‘I’ll be There’ that topped the US Billboard Hot 100 song chart.” I already explained everything but she’s still looking at me blankly. “Seriously, you don’t know anything about their music??!”

“I only listen to classical music so I’m not quite familiar with the band you’re talking about neither this Michael Jackson.” she said.

“Well I do get your music preference but why do I feel offended that you don’t Michael Jackson when you’re living in Canada that time. I mean US is just a neighboring country, while I’m here in South Korea and I heard everything about them specially their music that changed my perspective in life.” walking with her to the party hall. “I think I should educate you about him, Diso actually introduced Jackson 5 to me which Ace-hyung introduced to him.”

“Sure, if their music is that great, I’ll give it a shot.” She looks at my hand on her waist. “Is this really necessary? We agreed not to involved our families with our façade, right?”

“Ah, sorry.” I removed my hand from her immediately. “So, earthy colors are your favorite?” changing the topic.

“Yes, what’s yours?” she glanced back at me for a while. “Ah, I …”

“Black, red, and sky blue.” I answered her as she seems embarrassed when she realized what she asked me.

“Ah, that’s why you always wear black most of the time.” she chuckles. “How long are we going to walk until we reached the party hall? I think I’ll be lost in this mansion if it’s just me.”

“We’re here.” I opened the door that leads us to the ballroom.

“Oh wow, there’s a lot of people here and yet this hall is very spacious for everyone.” she clings onto my arm. “Please let me hold you for a while.” grabbing me with her cold hands.

“Why what’s wrong?” I glance at her worriedly.

“That man, who’s wearing a high rank officer uniform, he got a lot of company with him.” she’s staring at the general who always come to my parents’ party.

“Ah, him. He used to be a soldier at war and killed a lot of people.”

“Even women and children?” her grip tightens. “They’re mad at him.”

“For him, killing anyone who got caught in the middle of the war is like giving them salvation. Although there’s a chance they won’t die during the battle they’re just starve to death in the long run.”

“Still he shouldn’t give them a death sentence, what if those people really survived? He took away their chances to live.”

“A mercenary, that’s what he is. I also don’t like him at first when I heard his story from his own mouth but he’s doing charity work now”

“To repent from his sins? If that’s really true, then why would these souls surround him.” walking with me through the crowd.

“Not sure. Stop looking.” I turned her head to me. “Just focus on me, let that man be haunted for the rest of his life.”

“Not that I’m worried about him but the restless spirits around him.”

“Then what do you suggest we do about them? They’re bodies were probably buried somewhere we don’t know, I told you he was at war.”

“You’re right. I wish I can be as normal like everyone here in the party and not seeing things I shouldn’t see.” she sighs heavily.

“Come, I’ll introduce you to my parents.” diverting her attention.

“Hey, I’m telling you no tricks to your family.” she completely focuses on her situation at the moment.

“Haha. But they already see us, and you’re clinging like this at me.”

“Oh gosh!” she immediately loosens her grip and get her hands off me. “You should’ve told me earlier!” yelling at me softly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell a lie to my family, specially at Mama, she’ll caught me right away.” walking towards my parents’ position.

I can see how nervous she is while we’re getting near, she’s too cute that I want to tease her more so I hold her hand but I’m more surprised that she doesn’t retaliate and just follow my lead.

“Happy Birthday Mama.” I released her hand to give my mother a hug and kisses on her cheeks.

“So, you went out to picked your girlfriend up from her home?” Mama glancing at Desa. “She’s pretty, Toto.”

“I’m not Toto … I mean Pluto’s girlfriend, Mrs. Nevaeh.” Desa denied immediately. “Him and I are just close friends but not closer like he is with Diso-sunbae.” she explained.

“Oh, so she’s not your girlfriend yet.” Mama nodded. “You should work hard to accept you as her boyfriend, bringing her breakfast everyday isn’t enough, you should level up my boy.”

“Listen to your Mama, son.” Papa taps my shoulder. “But I don’t understand, what you don’t like about my son?” he turned to Desa who looks stunned with a sudden question from him.

“Uhm … your son is perfect Mr. Nevaeh, it’s just that I’m not ready for a relationship yet. I want to focus on my studies and graduate first in college before I think about anything else.” she answered like she already gets the picture of what my parents are portraying,

“She’s a good girl.” Mama approved of her. “She could’ve said that it’s your temper but she put the problem on herself.”

“Mama, really?? You’re embarrassing me.” scratching my forehead.

“I’m just stating the facts. I told you, hijo, if you don’t change that attitude of yours no matter how much we turn you into gold and take you higher, there are some girls like her who cares about the inside rather than outside.” Mama lecturing me in front of Desa.

“Ma, please, not now. It’s your birthday, you should be celebrating this evening happily.” standing at her back to give her an embrace.

“Tch. This boy, why are you acting like a shy little girl now, behaving like a baby when I’m telling you about your personality.” Mama tapping my face slightly as I rest on her shoulder.

“Happy Birthday, to my beautiful mother.” kissing her cheek.

“Thank you, my baby boy.” Mama turned to Desa. “I haven’t caught your name yet, dear, Toto here doesn’t tell anything when we asked him about the girl, he’s seeing every day at the med campus.”

“I’m Ha Desa, first year nursing student at SNU.” Desa bowed her head slightly to my parents.

“Nursing, huh.” Papa nodded. “Our second child, is a nurse now.” he changes his expression when he remembered my sister, Hera.

“Ah, Desa. Why don’t we join the others to their table?” taking her away before she senses what’s going on.

“Sure. Happy birthday, Mrs. Nevaeh.” Desa greeted my mother first before we take our leave. “Is that nurse …”

“Shut it.” I cut her off right away. “Why are you so fast in comprehending matters that doesn’t concern you but you’re so slow when you’re the one who’s involve??”

“What do you mean, I’m slow?? Are you saying that I’m dumb?!”

“Oh, you finally get it!” making fun of her.

“You!” she clenched her fist and raised it to hit me but she held back when she realized that we’re being surrounded by a lot of people. “Your parents know that you’re bringing me breakfast every day?”

“They know everything about their children even if we do things secretly.” I responded. “There they are.” I spotted the gang gathered in one table at the garden.

“Desa!” Alessia comes to Desa right away. “Did Pluto forced you to come here to the party?”

“He actually dragged me out from the restaurant after he excused me from manager.” Desa replied to her without hesitation.

“But darling, I like your ballgown, you look like a golden princess.” Troye commented on Desa’s dress.

“Hestia-unnie gave it to me even these shoes.” Desa responded to Troye. “She’s so beautiful like a goddess that I just stare at her most of the time while she’s dolling me up.”

“I know right.” Troye replied. “But the fairest of them all, isn’t here at the party, Pluto’s older sister, Hera.”

“Speaking of sister, Demeter got married and gave birth two months ago, Pluto??” Alessia turned to me.

“A week before my birthday, she had a civil wedding with my brother-in-law Zeus Ceres, an English man with Korean birth mother. It’s a complicated story but that’s the end of it, my oldest sister, Demeter is no longer single and she’s a mother now of my favorite niece Persephone.” I explained to them.

“It should be me.” Matthew reacted. “I’ve been pursuing Demeter for a long time since I met her. How did that man get her easily?!”

“Matthew, let’s just accept it, she’s a goddess and were just humans, she gets to choose whomever she wants to spend the rest of her life with, and that human is the luckiest man on earth.” Adam said.

“Adam’s right, us men can pursue however we want to but it’s up to the women if they accept us or not.” Ross responded.

“Gentlemen just be happy for, Pluto’s sister, she got her own family now and you three need to move on and find another woman.” George stated as he knows that the three used to pursued Demeter but Matthew is the only one who won’t give up easily.

“Luke, where are the others?” I asked Luke who’s sitting silently beside Alessia.

“Chasing after girls.” Luke replied bitterly while listening to Alessia and Troye talking about my brothers.

“That guy who look like a universal star and politely greeting the guests, that’s Poseidon, Pluto’s older brother, and the most handsome among them.” Alessia eyeing at my brother. “He’s very considerate of others like a living saint, that’s why he’s my ideal man.” sighing dreamily as she keeps her eyes on her standard.

“He’s not that perfect.” Luke commented. “Pluto said that he likes joking a lot, but his jokes aren’t funny, right?” he turned to me.

“Mmm. His jokes are so lame that he’s the only one who’s laughing.”

“Maybe his jokes are for highly intelligent people, he looks very smart to me.” Desa also have loving eyes to my brother.

“Desa, you really are my ally!” Alessia commended Desa.

“The second daughter and son of this family are the best when it comes to good looks but the first daughter and son are also outstanding.” Troye added. “Speaking of which, that’s my baby boy, Zeus, he’s so cute, right? I really want to touch those soft cheeks.”

“Troye, are you having wild thoughts towards my oldest brother??”

“Sometimes.” Troye didn’t hesitate to answer. “I like his hands the most they are beautiful, he’s childlike but he’s actually a genius, Desa. He’ isn’t licensed electronics engineer yet but he already created a lot of inventions since he was a child.”

“I do agree that he’s a genius as he made toys for me and Don when he’s only 5, that’s when he started making things but he’s more into electronic devices. He’s bright and cheerful but he’s a mess.”

“I see.” Desa smiled as she already knows what I meant. “I’m hungry, I’ll just go and grab some food.” stands up to go to the food table.

... To be Continued ...