Tangled in Notes

Chapter Twenty

This is not how things are supposed to be. I shook my head and continued to mop the floor I was cleaning. “Julia!” I looked up and saw my boss looking for me. I raised my hand. “I’m here, ma’am!” I yelled and she motioned me to come to her.

“What is it, ma’am?” I asked wiping my wet hands in my apron.

“Our shop will be closed next week. So you won’t be working here for seven straight days with us.” She said and I froze for a moment. But I needed to come up with money this and next week for the tuition fee. I sighed and smiled instead.

I got back to my apartelle with a heavy heart. I scratched the red bump over my left arm, next to my elbow. “So unfortunate.” I mumbled and knocked myself down my bed. Joshua’s sister party on Sunday, task for the club on Friday, Second session with Jared on Saturday. God, how can my schedule be this tough.

Friday.

“Can’t you think of something better?” And I always end up getting scolded by Jared. “Think of a more catchy headline, will you? Because just by looking at it, no person would gain interest in reading this piece of junk.”

I scoffed as he continued talking me off.

“Are we clear?”

“Hm?” I turned to him. “Crystal!” I raised an ‘okay’ sign and looked down as soon as he averted his gaze. “Grumpy midget.” I stood straight once again when he turned to me with a frown.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing!” I smiled and he just rolled his eyes. “Next.” He said and I started to walk away. He never gets good. He’s always in a bad mood. Tsk.

“How does it feel?” I turned and saw Joshua grinning at me. “How does it feel to get lectured by the president?”

I smirked a little glancing at the poor member next to me. I sighed and turned back to meet his eyes. “I feel like I’ve been yelled for a year now. It’s hectic.” I answered and he smiled. “What about you?”

He looked up then back to me. “Well, I don’t usually get scolded by him. I sometimes rearrange songs with him so we kind of get along with each other than the other members. Including Sean.”

“Oh.” I glanced at Jared as he started talking in front of the member right at the moment. He looked really professional. I guess he’s just doing his responsibilities as the president of the club.

“Just a reminder—” My attention turned back to Joshua when he began talking. “—about the party on Sunday. I still hope you can come.”

I smiled and nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

“Great.” He smiled.

“Is it a formal or just a normal party that you can wear anything casual?” I asked nearly forgetting that. Good thing my memories not that granny for my age. Hehe.

“It’s a formal party. You know, we planned this together with my parents for Will to surprise her and get engaged with each other.”

“Oh! Wow! It’s an engagement party?” I asked surprised. Awesome. I’ve never been into parties except last year which was Armin after school party. It was horrible. People were drinking God-I-don’t-wanna-know drinks and it was just— HORRIBLE.

“Shush.” He leaned closer to me and chuckled. “You’re the only one who knows about this for now. I didn’t want the members to know about this.” He smiled and I nodded. “Then I guess I’ll keep my mouth shut until Saturday.” I joked and he laughed.

“Julia.”

I turned and saw an unfamiliar yet familiar face in front of me. He was a part of the club and the boy group of the club. I just couldn’t remember. He had blonde hair and his eyes were slightly big. His face was badly small as well. “Yes?”

“Someone’s waiting for you in the guest room.”

I was shocked. Who could’ve visited me right now? “Oh. Okay. I’ll go check it out.” I replied with a smile and the guy walked away with a warm smile too.

“I’ll see you around then.” I turned to Joshua stepping backward. I chuckled. “You too.” He smiled for the last time and finally walked away. I walked out of the conference room and headed to the guest room which was just two doors to the left away from where I was from.

I carefully opened the room and saw someone sitting there. The girl turned to me with an amused look and I was relieved. “Belle?”

“Julia!” she stood and ran to me pulling me inside the room.

Some were also there and they were mostly from the minor positions. “What brought you here?” I asked as we both sat in an empty table.

“I need to tell you something.” She started and I waited in anticipation. Surely it was about Armin again. She never talks to me except about him so what topic can I think of other than him?

“Go on.” I said and she sighed.

“I need your help. I asked Armin to be my partner for our presentation in English and he said yes but apparently, I wouldn’t know how to act if we do the presentation on Saturday.”

“Relax. It’s not like he bites or anything but stay calm and collected.” I advised and she nodded.

“But— I feel so excited, nervous, tensed! I don’t know what to feel!” she fanned herself and she looked like she was fangirling over Min. Geez. He’s not THAT handsome but consider a 46%. That’s just it.

I chuckled. “You can do it. I’m sure he likes you too.”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned red. “Really?”

Uh oh. Should I tell her what he really said? I smiled awkwardly and nodded. “Y-Yeah! Of course! W-Who wouldn’t like you? I asked him his reaction if someone likes him and he told me he’d be thankful and that he’d try to like her back.”

“AHHHH!” she squealed. “Okay. Okay. I really hope you’re not lying right now.”

God. I’m so sorry about this, Ysabelle. Okay. Keep yourself together and be the best liar like how you really are. “Why would lie to you about something like this?” I asked without hesitation and smiled after.

“I do hope he’s try to like me. I really like him.”

“Y-Yeah.” I hope so too.

Saturday.

I was waiting for Jared to show up in front of the gate where we usually meet during sessions. I frowned and looked at my watch. 9:06 am. “Ahh…” I mumbled and felt a strike of pain in my brain. I closed my eyes and looked down. Since when did late appeared in his library? I suddenly thought.

I clenched my teeth in frustration and fixed myself ready to leave. Good. Ditching a poor pitiful girl was really nice of him. I started walking away from the academy and the air rushed through my face my thigh felt a vibration obviously from my phone. I picked it up from my pocket and read the sender’s name.

Jared.

I creased my brows and suddenly felt emptiness in my stomach. I was hesitating whether to or not to open the message. Partly because he didn’t show up today and partly because the message might be a made-up excuse of him for not—

I rolled my eyes and clicked the ‘Open’ icon below the sender’s name. I waited for it to show and I could see his last message before. I pressed my lips together as I read the message.

Jihoon, g.m

Can’t meet you today. Something came up. –jihoon

I let out a frustrated sigh and locked my phone back to my pocket. I continued walking with my arms crossed. “Gee. A simple ‘sorry’ would’ve been enough.” I groaned in temper and stomped away.

I reached Toy Empire after a long fifteen minute walk and met my boss in the counter. “Oh. I thought you won’t be going here every Saturday?” my boss asked and I smiled gently.

“It’s been cancelled, sir so I couldn’t do it for this Saturday. Is it okay if I work today? I’m so sorry for the inconvenience.” I bowed and he smiled with a nod. “Of course you can! We’re in need of two more hands.” He winked and I nodded stepping away.

I went down the basement to wear my usual uniform – the mascot – Why couldn’t Jared meet me today? What might’ve happened? – Geez! I’m overthinking things! Get out! GET OUT! I shook my head and went back to the ground floor. I slipped my huge mascot head and headed out the store.

I had flyers in my hand yet I wasn’t giving any to people who were passing by. He seems off these days. I wonder why? Why am I even worrying about something not addressed to me?! This is seriously crazy.

I focused myself on my purpose here and started handing flyers to the people. Some were just throwing it away even after I handed them one and I was somehow hurt because it was my job; and they weren’t even peeking a glance at it. I sighed, frustrated.

I turned and when I was about to turn back, it prevented me to because I caught sight of someone bothering me since this morning.

“Jared?”

I looked closely. It is him. I smirked and stepped my right foot – wait. I gulped hard and studied his face. He was wearing this gloomy face; the type that was frowning but I could clearly see he was sad of something. It was an expression that tells me not to bother him. Maybe something made him be sad like that.

He stood from the chair he was sitting on (which was the café shop next to our toy shop) and I stepped back when he walked pass me and sat by the bench across our store. I stared at him not caring about the current environment. He was just looking straight with a blank face right now.

Without even thinking, my feet dragged me next to him making him look up to me. He was giving me a what-do-you-want look. “I—” I paused. He shouldn’t know.

I carefully raised my big heavy coated hand and managed to show an ‘are-you-okay?’ gesture. For a moment, he stared at my unseen eyes and sighed looking down. I walked across him and planted my palms over his shoulder.

He looked up once again with a really miserable look.

I bent down my knees as his eyes followed me down. I remembered holding flyers so I quickly removed my arms from my mascot hands and grabbed the pen I had in my pants. I had it before I wore the costume because boss wanted me to write his name in a package he was going to send.

I placed pushed my arms back to the mascot hand with the pen and started writing. ‘You dont look good L’

I stood once he read my message and sat next to him. His hands were locked together and as I look at his face, he looked like he was about to tremble into pieces. “How can—” he paused. “—How absurd it is to feel bad about someone you didn’t care for?”

‘?’ I wrote and he read it looking at me. I mean the mascot.

“I’ve been through worse situations. I’ve been through more but this was the most painful. I don’t even know why I’m feeling this way.” He buried his face in his palms and I stared at him pitifully. “My dad died yesterday.”

My organs all fell down hearing his words. No.

“My dad was a jerk.”

I creased my brows confused. How can he say that right now? His mom died, for crying out loud. He shouldn’t say things like that. How disrespectful.

“You might think I’m very disobedient right now, are you?” he turned to me with an obvious fake smile.

I nodded.

“Before my dad died, I caught him in a car with another woman. I didn’t know mom was didn’t want me to know but I did. He slept with that dirty woman in a condominium.” Oh. “I hate him for that. I didn’t know what to do when she told me I’d escort her to the wedding but I didn’t go.”

Huh?

“Sure, that girl was richer than my mom but she—“ He paused and crystal clear tear dropped from his right eye. “She’s just not good as Mom.” He shook his head

I wrote down the flyer. ‘If shes a good woman then why hate her?’

“I already told you, she wouldn’t ever be like mom. Never.” I growled and I crouched back. “I feel so guilty that I wasn’t able to say the right words towards dad. I guess it’s too little too late for me now. I just couldn’t bring myself to change my way to her. I just feel so angry over what he did.”

My eyes widened. I wrote a big ‘NO’ and he shuts his mouth up. I shook my head. ‘Youre right. You cant change yourself. DONT. You dont have to. You cant force yourself to do that either.’

I was relieved when he smiled and looked at me.

“This is stupid. Why am I even sharing this with a mascot just around the street?” He chuckled and stared at me. I crouched back in fear. I pulled the flyer up with a note, ‘Why?’ and he went back from his seat. “Thank you.”

I felt my heart beating fast. It was the first time he thanked me and I didn’t know why I felt so honored.

“You know, I was so miserable the whole day. I wasn’t even able to meet the girl I was supposed to teach.” He sighed. He giggled and I frowned. “Funny right? It’s funny how she wanted me to teach her something not professional.” He paused. “Anyway, I stayed at the house thinking it would eaves me back to my old self but it didn’t so I went out to fly it away. Still, it didn’t work.”

He looked up to the sky and his eyes went smaller because of the sun hitting them. He smiled forcing himself to look up and then turned to me. “I guess the next time I’m troubled, I’ll have to find a mascot.” He chuckled.

I stared at his beautiful smile. His smile was wide and his eyes were adorably cute. I just wanted to pinch his cheeks that time. I raised a thumb up and smiled even though he couldn’t see it.

“I was wondering—”

I froze when he turned serious.

“—what’s your name?”

I pressed my lips together and gulped hard. I was about to write a fake one when he grabbed it from me and placed it to his back. I bit my upper lip and looked at him. He can’t. HE MUSTN’T.

“Hey!”

I turned my head and saw Sally, my co-worker in the shop who was the cashier, yelled and I stood bowing. “Are you going to work or I’ll tell boss you’re out there making out with a guy?” she growled and I sighed when she went back inside the store.

I turned to face Jared and saw him already walking towards me. ‘I have to go. Sorry.’ I wrote and he nodded with a thin smile. “Thanks anyway. I owe you something for today.” He said and finally walked away.

I let out a deep sigh as I watch him walk away. Dang, Julia. Work. Set things aside for now. There’s time for everything. “Okay. Let’s do this.”