Remark

Superman

Marcus wasn’t able to respond anything after what Jonah told him and I couldn’t even speak myself because I was so speechless. I don’t know why my mind thinks it’s wrong but I wasn’t doing anything to stop him from stating all that. Maybe I partly wanted Jonah to actually do it just because I wanted Mark to finally stop trying to talk to me and talking to me means getting to see his face, getting to see his face makes me want to punch him over again – the way I did the first time he leaned his face closer to mine and well, just piss him off basically.

“You’re not going to ask me why I did that?” he suddenly asked and completely asks the question I’ve been meaning to ask but my mouth appears to be sealed this whole time. We stopped by in front of a fancy looking boutique and this time, he stops in front of me so I won’t keep walking away from him.

I turned to Jonah and wait for him to answer it himself without me actually telling it. “I’m pretty sure you have a reasonable excuse for doing that.”

“But you’re not mad though.”

“Because my mood’s too good to be mad.”

He chuckles and frees my hand from his tight grip. “Don’t worry, Nami. I’m not really going to court you.”

“I know,” Kind of anticipated that. “So you just wanted to piss him off, right?”

“What? No!” He shakes his head deliberately. Oh. I thought he was pissing him off like my mindset. “I told your ex I’m courting you so he can push himself to try and win you back in his life. He’s not your loss you know. It’s more like you’re his loss.”

I smiled sheepishly and looked down.

“I mean if you’re not protesting, I might as well just do it?”

I glared back at Jonah and crossed my arms.

“And I forgot you can’t take a joke. I was kidding,”

I sighed and looked away trying to catch a glimpse of him even if I know it was impossible since Jonah literally dragged me to the other side of the mall but I still was hoping I could see him and his reaction after he found that out.

Jonah and I were on our way back home and it was already getting darker. I was in the passenger seat spacing out of the window and couldn’t help but think of Mark and what his plan would be now that Jonah literally made fun of him in front of me. If he would just let Jonah court me or if he would really win me back like what Jonah hypothetically planned out the moment he said he was courting me in front of his face.

The car pulled for a stop and I see my apartment building outside. I immediately unbuckle my seatbelt, opened the car door and stepped out of his car. “Thank you for today, Jonah. I really do appreciate it.” I smiled at him.

“Anytime,” he smiles back so I finally close the door and proceeded to my building. “Nami,” I turned back around and saw Jonah’s half body. Arms stretched against the upper top part of his car door. He flashes me a weird smile for a good three second before finally saying, “Do me a favor and take off your jacket the moment you reach your unit.”

My brows creased in confusion. “What? Why?”

“Good night, Nami. Stop thinking too much. It’s not good for you,” He wheezes before bringing his body back inside his car and drives away.

Take off my jacket?

I was going up to my apartment still wondering why Jonah wanted me to look at my face. And how is that a favor? I frowned and removed my jacket but to my surprise, a paper suddenly flies down the floor. I bent down to reach for it and read the words inscribed. For a moment, I felt like I was receiving a note the way I receive them from my locker.

The way your ex looks at me is so intense I’m beginning to think he’s more interested in me than he is with you.

I laughed shaking my head in disbelief. Mark really was staring into Jonah so deep he could drown but I’m sure he doesn’t mean what he wrote here. Jonah’s a really funny guy and I really admire him for putting up with my attitude despite not knowing each other long enough to trust one another.

You don’t deserve that frown. You deserve all the love you give. -CM

I was starting to anticipate my locker ever since I received this person’s messages. I feel like this person was secretly spying on me. I know it’s not legally okay to be constantly watched by someone but I don’t hate this person for that. I look around and hope I’d see someone watching me but all I could see were students passing by each other not caring about me. Or the sender’s just a really good actor.

I sighed and walked out of the department. Hikaru stands outside and waves at me when he noticed me. “Hey,” he greets and closes the book he was reading, sliding it inside his shoulder bag. “What’s that?” He points at the paper I was holding and I show it to him. “Another note? Is it from the same secret locker person?”

I nodded. Hikaru knew about the notes. I told him, of course. I don’t have Mark and Sophee with me now to share everything with. I only have Hikaru. “Do you have any idea of who it might be? I’m really starting to get very curious of who this person might be.”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” he arches a brow but I shrugged. “You should know who it may be coming from? You’re the only one who knows who.”

“But I don’t any clue. It’s just CM? It doesn’t even make sense.” I flicker the note in my hand. “Or it could be you trying to act innocent.” But he shakes his head. “Or someone I never knew but somehow knew me?”

“Or it could be C something Mark?”

Mark? “I don’t think it’s him though.”

“One thing’s for sure,” I turned to Hikaru. “It’s a guy who likes you.”

I frowned and slipped the note inside my file case. “A guy? Really?”

“You don’t actually think it’s a girl right?” I shrugged and he makes a face. “A girl can’t possibly leave you secret notes in your locker. Girls aren’t that courageous and creative in telling their feelings. They just go for what they think is more convenient for them,” I don’t reply anything and decided to drop the topic before we start arguing over something very petty like how we always are, Hikaru and I. “So what’s with you and that senior of yours?”

“Jonah?”

“Nobody calls their seniors by their first names, Nami-chan.” He gives me a teasing glare.

“He’s okay with it, Karu.” I tell him and hint that it was only normal for Americans to drop honorifics and just go with the flow of life. “And nothing. He’s a really good senior to me. He’s a friend if not colleague. I don’t see any malice between our close relationship with each other,”

He scrunches his nose. “People don’t know that though.”

“It doesn’t matter what people think. It never did.”

“You say it doesn’t but it always does.”

Right. “Can’t you just tell me I’m right?”

“Even if you’re wrong?”

“Even if I’m wrong.”

He looks at me unsurely. “Fine. You’re right then, I guess.”

“Thank you.”

That afternoon, after all my classes, I was heading to the cafeteria to finally grab something to eat. When I reached the cafeteria, there were a few students inside eating with their notebooks and materials. As I scanned for a table, I was called by an anonymous voice. I turned to find the voice and saw someone waving towards me. I looked closer and I see Jonah waving. He points at the table he was at so I pressed my lips together before dragging myself into his place.

“You can eat with us,” Us.

I looked at the guy next to him and he sends me a smile. “Ken, this is Nami. She’s a junior from my department. Nami, this is Ken. He’s from the Computer Technology department.”

“Hi Nami. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, senior.”

“Ken would be fine.”

I bowed my head in respect. Jonah pats the seat next to him so I took the seat and wasn’t sure if I felt comfortable eating my bread now in front of a stranger I just met. This is very awkward than I thought. I never imagined meeting one of Jonah’s friends and my stomach was growling so much, I need to eat this without getting improper. I open my bread and start eating like a princess when I was dying to eat it like a pig.

“So Nami,” Ken spoke making me look up to him. “Jonah said he’s rooting for you to be the next president of your department. You must be that good for him to trust you that much. I mean, Gail’s been a student leader for years but he never rooted for her.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I’m far behind Jonah’s leadership skills. He’s the best at it. No one should dare replace him.”

Ken gives Jonah a disapproving glare and laughs out loud which, for a moment, makes me wonder why that was his initial reaction but I remained quiet and decided to enjoy my course before I die from starving. “Take my advice and never eat a donut with this guy because if you do,” I see Jonah trying to stop his friend from talking but he doesn’t stop. “He’ll eat them like crazy.”

I looked at Jonah with a teasing stare and he shakes his head as if denying all of his friend’s statement. “Thank you for the advice. I’m sure I’ll be able to keep that in mind the next time I eat one.” I chuckled and finished my bread.

For a few minutes, we were just talking about random things and for the first time, I felt unstressed about everything that happened in my life recently. Ken was a very light person who’s very bright. I really enjoyed his company.

Jonah and I were walking out of the cafeteria to head home when he suddenly spoke, “Ken’s very friendly so forgive him if he’s too much for you to bear.”

I nodded with a soft wheeze. “He’s okay. He’s pretty funny.”

“Yeah. He’s actually the only person I really know here ever since I first started school. I mean, he’s the only person I can really talk to before since we’re both Americans. I guess that’s how our friendship started.”

“He’s not your best friend?” I asked and he immediately shakes his head with a loud snort.

“Oh no! My best friends are worse. If Ken was bad at keeping his mouth shut, my real friends just keep blurting everything that comes across their minds. They’re not the best quality of friends one should have but I love those lads.”

Oh.

“And they’re not with me here. They’re back in the States.”

I nodded. “Let me have the honor to meet them in person someday.”

“Nope.” He laughs. “I wouldn’t even have them anywhere near you for if they do, they won’t stop talking to you and I’m not even exaggerating.”

“The more I am eager to meet them.” I can’t even imagine the type of friends Jonah had. “They sound really fun to be with.”

“They are,”

Then there was silence. Mark came to my mind again. I hate myself for always bringing him up in my head every time I couldn’t think of anything else. I sighed. “Jonah?” I finally called him and started building up the courage I’ve been meaning to ask him yesterday. “Do you really think Mark would try and win me back?”

He doesn’t reply anything.

“What if he just lets me go and gives me up? Am I crazy for not wanting to give him up and not wanting him to give me up even if I’m the one who broke up with him? Why do I feel nervous? Why do I want him to actually win me back? Why do I feel nervous that he might not try and win me back? Am I crazy?”

He looked at me and smiled, shaking his head. “He will,”

I was surprised when he suddenly dragged me across him and stares deep into my eyes. He grip over my shoulder were quiet strong and I feel his strong will right now but I still couldn’t understand what’s running through his mind. “W-What’s wrong?” I asked nervously.

“Nami,” he says my name and flashes a crooked smile. “Do you trust me?”

I searched for answer through his brown eyes but I couldn’t see anything.

“Do you trust me?” He repeats his question.

“I-I don’t know,” I nervously replied and his grip tightens. “Jonah. What are you doing? I’m so confu—”

“Nami,” his stare intensifies. “DO YOU TRUST ME?”

That moment, I was drawn to his determination and the way his eyes were speaking to me. Like they were telling me to trust him. I just don’t understand why he was suddenly asking me this right now. “I do trust you, I guess.”

“Good. You can trust me, Nami,” My eyes widened when he suddenly leaned his face closer to mine that I eventually crouched back in surprise but he pulls me against him and keeps his face close to mine. I stared at him I shock and his eyes were on any part of my face but my eyes. They were just staring mine uncomfortably. I see him smile. “I told you to trust me, didn’t I? So trust me when I say I won’t force myself to someone who’s in love without another person,”

What just happened?

He finally pulls away and releases a sigh. “Your ex was looking this way. I had to piss him off even if he’s miles away. Sorry ‘bout that.” He grins. So Mark was watching. Okay. Now I get why he actually did that.