EN Destiny

13. Tommorow I'll Trust

  Eunchae taps her pen on the table. After the articles she couldn't stop thinking about it. The summer break ended and school term began. She did not say anything to anyone yet because she don't know what she will do next. She dont want to cause rumours to circulate and scare the students. Everything is boring. She can't seem to wrap her head around what she discovered. The topic her maths teacher is explaining right now is also something she learnt before too.

  "Pass the ball over!" A voice from the school field caught Eunchae's attention. Her table being right by the window on the second floor of the school building gives her the perfect bird's eye view.

  Seems like right now a physical education class is ongoing. She was about to lose interest untill a familiar face appeared.

Niki. Her eyes spots him in the crowd. Wearing the school's track suit he looks really good.

  She could feel her heart thumping against her chest.He has been occupying her thoughts all summer.He was running after the ball attempting to snatch it away from his classmate. Eunchae can't help but to watch the way he moves. The way he run and how his hair flows with the motion of the wind. She tries to pull away but she can't seem to do so. It is as if her eyes were not hers. Like a magnetic pull, it trails to wherever Niki go.

  The easiest way is to ask him about the article but it would be ridiculous. How is she going to explain herself that she tailed him to the library and spy on him like a creep? That is nuts.

  She watches Niki keenly.The group cheers as he scored a goal. He kinda look different when he is carefree. Just happy to be there smiling and laughing. Unexpectedly, Niki look up straight at her. Eunchae was taken aback by the sudden eye contact, but she don't feel like looking away. From afar, she could see his lips curl into a small smile. He raises his hand and waves.

  Eunchae looks at him weirdly, hesistantly raising her hands and waving back. Wait why is she waving back now? Eunchae put her hand down abruptly and turn to focus on the lesson. She can't believe she just waved at him. What the hell is wrong with her? Since when are they on friendly terms?

  The bell rang indicating their lunch break. Usually, Eunchae would have lunch with Yunjin but turns out Yunjin fell sick on the last week of school. So now that leaves Manchae alone sitting underneath this big oak tree. Eunchae pulls out the bento box that her sister Sakura made for her. The weather was nice that day, a perfect balance of sunny and cloudy. She stretches her body and plop herself on top of the grass. She don't really mind eating alone since its calming and she love her some peace.

  " You're eating alone today?" A sudden voice behind her almost made her spat her food.

Right there standing behind Manchae is Niki looking at her stifling his laugh. Her reaction might have been a little to comedic.

" Nope, I am eating with someone, can't you see?" Eunchae rolls her eyes.

  "Okay if you say so."

  Eunchae gave him a blank face. He laughs.

  "Do you mind? If I join you?"

  Eunchae paused. Him joining her for lunch? She would say she mind but this could be the chance to ask him    about the school. That is if he is going to open his mouth about it.

  " I don't own the school, you can sit anywhere you want,"

    "I'll sit here then."

   Eunchae could feel his presence right next to her. He pulls out a sandwich that looks like bought from the 'konbini'. (translation: convinience store)

  They sat in silence for a while. Eunchae thought that it would be painfully awkward but somehow it is comforting.

  "How long do you think this school has been around?" Eunchae decided this question would be perfect to start the ball rolling.

" Quite some time I think, why?''

''Nothing, just wondering.''

''Aren't you the school president? How could you not know the school's history?''

'' I know, but there are some things I don't know,'' Eunchae glares.

"Damn, chill. I was just joking," Niki takes a bite of the sandwich at hand.

  A silence fall on them, making Eunchae realise the close proximity of his arm beside her.

  " What I heard is that the school is an old building. Used to be a school before they change the name," Niki's voice linger.

  He is opening up?

  " Do you know why they change the name?"

  Niki turned to look at her.

  "I heard a student died."

He is telling her the truth. Just like the article.

" Really, how come we were not told about this?"

   "I don't know , if they tell the truth don't you think it would affect the school's reputation?"

   " I guess so."

  " Are you not eating?" Niki nodded towards her bento box that is half full.

Before Eunchae could react his hand extended and and reached for her onigiri that was only bitten once.

" HEY, MY ONIGI-" her mouth dropped ajar, "ri".

  " Look Eunchae, do you think this school is 'clean'?" Niki asked standing up and brushing the bits of grass on his pants.

  "What do you mean by 'clean'?"

  " You know what I mean. There are reasons why things happen. And sometimes things just don't seem the way it is."

Eunchae stares at him processing what he just said. Did he know that she followed him to the library?

" Anywhere, where there is power, there is greed. If power falls in the wrong hands, it is fatal," Niki gave Eunchae a thin smile.

  "I hope you will realise that some things are meant to be looked at in a different way."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Eunchae countered.

"No. Nobody did."

  Eunchae sighed out hoping that it would relieve her heavy chest. Eunchae would love to care about what was Niki's next move. But what she discovered now is a bigger problem. She could feel in her stomach a rabbit hole has just been opened.

  And she needs to find out more. Eunchae looks at Niki.

" Is this why you do all this?"she asks," is this why you pull all those pranks?"

She stare at him. Eunchae could feel that she hit the target. But somehow she don't feel like she won.

His deafening silence is enough to tell her the answer. But instead of feeling happy that she caught him. Why is she feeling hesitant?