Rename the White and Black

CHAPTER III – WHY HIM?

“What is he doing here? Don’t tell me, you live in the same roof?” Haji asked as he looked at me with his brows met. I patted my chest and sighed. He walked back and forth in front of me touching his chin like accusing me that I hid a secret to him.

“What? You mean – ” His words were cut and Kai added, “Yes, we’re living in the same roof, why?” He sat next to me and put his arm on my shoulder. I felt the warmth of his hand on my shoulder; making me shiver. What did he eat and all of this were happening? Was he jealous and treating me like this was a different side of him? Or it was a joke?

“Please, go, Haji. I will explain it tomorrow,” I said pleadingly and he left. I removed Kai’s arm around my shoulders and saw the tinge red of his face. Why did it turn to red? I felt hot at this moment and my heart was pounding so fast.

“Why did you put your arm to my shoulders?” I asked innocently. “You don’t like me, right? What you said is enough. I am ugly and I have a dark skin which you and other people dislike,” I went to the bedroom and changed my clothes. I prepared our dinner and most of the time, he did not eat again.

“Why didn’t you eat some of my cooked foods?” I frowned and he walked to me. I was stunned by his presence.

“I don’t. May be, you’re putting a love potion every time you cook,” he answered and left me eating alone. He was so mean. I was trying to be good at him but he treated me unfairly.

I was early to go to school for the cleaning schedule. I opened our classroom and started to sweep the floor. I was surprised to my classmate who entered the room. I thought she would help me but she sat on her chair and browsed her f*******:. After a minute, she asked me if it was okay to join her to get some things in the storage room. As I was in the storage room, the door was locked and I started to panic as I was searching for the button of the switch. It did not switch on as I clicked the button. It was dark here and I kicked the door but nobody was answering my call for help.

I was fooled again.

I was dumb.

I was just a useless tool.

I could not breathe. It was already ten minutes ago since I got in here. I wanted to go out. I punched the door but there was no response outside. I just cried for help and I remembered that this storage room was far from our room. Who could help me? It was just a moment of thinking something and the door was opened. I saw a shadow of a man standing in front of me. I smiled but to my surprise, it was Kai. My smile disappeared, fixing my uniform and he pulled my hand out of the room.

“You should learn how to take care of yourself. Stupid,” he said irritably and he left me alone. I ran after him and I blocked his way. He looked at my eyes calmly.

“Thank you, Kai.” I smiled but he ignored me. I followed him and put my eyeglasses again. My heart felt joy when I was walking beside him.

Haji and I went to the cafeteria for lunch. I ordered one cup of rice, one piece of chicken, a cheese burger and a pineapple juice. Haji started eating his beef steak with corn bits. I heard some murmurs around us but we ignored them. I saw Kai walking at the entrance of the cafeteria, making me to stop eating my food and I watched him walking near the counter. The student girls were watching him carrying his tray of food and sat at the other table, opposite to us.

“Hi, can I seat here with you?” asked by the student girl who pointed me as the cause of a commotion last time. The two girls beside her walked away and I saw her smiling at Kai. This girl was talking something to Kai but he did not respond. He just ate his food and nothing more about interacting with the girl, showing that he was not interested.

“Do you need water?” she asked, walking to a nearby corner which there was a water dispenser, she got two glasses of water with a smile on her face. She went back where she sat with Kai but he refused.

“Sae, you should finish your food. I almost finish eating mine and yours was not even touched,” he said as he took the last spoon of his beef steak. Kai did not finish his food and the girl was disappointed to what happened. He started to walk away and she hurriedly followed him. I should not be interested to them. Who was I to him? I was nothing but an ugly girl.

“What’s your problem?” Haji asked while looking at them walking away. I answered him like nothing was wrong. I took a bit of my cheeseburger and looked at Haji smiling. His brows met and smiling differently.

It was our afternoon class when all of the faculty have their meeting and classes were cancelled. Haji and I decided to stay at the garden. We walked around and we found something at the corner of the garden. It was a small old cottage. I invited him to go there but I accidentally slipped to the ground. He helped me while giggling at me. I pouted my lips and showed him the beauty of the flowers around the small old cottage.

“Smells so good,” I whispered while smiling at him. I invited him to the cottage and we sat there. At a long distance, I saw a man wearing a cap again, he just looked away and disappeared. Why did he appear again? My thoughts were cut by Haji.

“Why do both of you were living in the same roof?” he started. Yes, I did not explain it yet to him and I cleared my throat.

“It was my grandfather’s wish before leaving. He has a lung cancer.” He was surprised to what I said. He looked at me in the eyes and I looked away.

“This means, you’re both in an arranged marriage?” he asked as his brows met while bitting his lower lip. I nodded looking at his eyes again, he crossed his legs and seriously said, “Are you happy with him or not?” He put his finger at his chin.

“I don’t know. The most important to me is to make my grandfather happy before he leaves,” I sadly answered as he held my hand to his and said that I should never give up. My heart was cheered and I saw the sincerity in his eyes.

“Thank you, Haji.” I smiled and hugged him tight at this moment. He was my one and only best friend who really cared for me. I thanked him for cheering me up.

“You’re welcome, Sae.” He was happy and hugged me back.

It was five o’clock in the afternoon when he went home with me. I invited him to have a snack as a thanksgiving to him for comforting me. I saw Kai went to the room without any facial expressions while this i***t was making fun of me. He said many jokes and stories that made me laugh for thirty minutes. He really made my day and I noticed that Kai did not go out of the bedroom.

“Okay, I’ll leave. May be, I’ll make your future husband jealous if I stay here for long,” he teased me and my hands slightly whipped his back few times.

“Get out! We don’t have feelings for each other,” I said against him, pushing him at the gate of our house and he laughed boisterously. He pointed at my face saying that it turned as red as a tomato. I laughed and we said good-byes to each other; seeing him walking away gave me a feeling of relief. Why did my body react? I felt hot sweats around my upper body with a red face.

Kitchen. I cooked fried chicken and a mushroom soup paired with french fries. I prepared the dishes and started to eat. How I love this french fries! Cravings solved! I waited for Kai to share a dinner with me but he never came again.

When I finished my dinner and washing the dishes, I saw him walking next to the table and sat. I was watching him as he was tasting the fried chicken and I saw his face even more. His skin was fair, his pointed nose and I noticed his rosy lips. His shoulders were broadly fine with his muscles but wait, what was I thinking? Was this for real? He ate my prepared dinner! I smiled secretly as he used his fingers to eat the fried chicken.

He looked at me serioulsy and said, “What are you smiling at?” My smile disappeared and shook my head as I looked again of the last plate placing to the cabinet. I washed my hands and sat opposite to him.

“Thank you for eating the food I cooked,” I said happily, smiling at him but he kept silent. When he had finished his dinner, he went back to the bedroom.

I went to take a half bath and changed my clothes again. I saw him sleeping on the bed and I was enchanted with his handsome face. He moved a little and I felt small drops of sweats around my face. I went to my bed on the floor since he did not allow me to sleep on the bed. How mean! He was enjoying the cushion while I was here on the floor sleeping. I put my blanket above my head and sleep.

I woke up blushing because of this handsome man in front of me. His eyes looked innocent locking it in my eyes. My heart was pounding so fast as I realized our face met an inch. I blinked many times, holding my breath and his eyes looked deeper on mine. He went up and I did the same.

What was he doing at my bed? What if he did something to me? I covered my upper body as I assessed my whole body system. I sighed for a relief that I was okay and nothing hurt anywhere on my body.

After I took a bath, I prepared four toasted breads filled with tuna spread, fluffy omelette and two cups of coffee with creamer. I invited him to share a breakfast with me and he followed to the kitchen. That thing made me smile, making my heart skipped a beat and my blood rushed faster through my whole body. I felt my sweats through my forehead, arms and neck. I wonder why he suddenly changed. May be, he had pity on me because I was just useless ugly girl. I felt sad as I remember all of what he said.

I sighed for a relief when we had finished our breakfast. He did his homework at the living room and I, on the study table. I thought this weekend could be our free day but it was not. I should focus on our projects too, not about Kai. I should stop this feelings from now on. It should not be him.

I was watching him from afar. He was busy reading a book. How could he be kind to me? It was unfair that I treat him good but he remained so stuck. What if I would make a way to be close to him?

He looked at me, making me looked away at him and I yawned. I was showing that I was exhausted and I felt his eyes watching me. I peeked at him and he was busy with a book again. I was curious about the book he was holding so, I went to the kitchen and put some cookies in two bowls. I prepared two pineapple juice and one piece of cake. I gave him his snack and I peeked at the book he was reading. It was a book all about love. He hid it before I read the title of the book. I frowned at him and I went back to the study table with my cookies, a piece of cake and pineapple juice. I need to eat the foods I was craving for. I need to make sure I would read that book.