𝑫𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 [ 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚔𝚒 ] 「 18+」

32

Laugh, and the world laughs with you

Weep, you weep alone.

The small bubble of happiness he desired, popped in front of his eyes; worse, it was his own fault.

He stood in front of the mirror, practicing smiling. Isn't that pathetic?

He tried, but the smile just wouldn't reach his eyes like it used to, possibly because he can't fake a smile, he can't mislead himself into thinking he's fine. Maybe because he can't deceive himself into thinking he's fine, he actually isn't.

Tomorrow is what he hates and despises, but tomorrow is also when he needs to be the happiest.

His parents' marriage... he doesn't want to be there, but everyone else, even his mother, expects him to be.

He gripped himself, trying to keep himself together and not shatter like a broken mirror or his broken heart.

He wanted to laugh at himself, at his predicament, at his parents, at everything that had brought him to his demise, but he couldn't bring himself to accept it.

He can't believe that tomorrow he will be Ni-ki's brother, no acting, no roleplaying, just stepbrothers legally.

He moaned as unshaded tears blurred his vision, stinging and burning his eyes.

"ugh... stop"

He begged his tears to stop, spent two hours getting dressed up to at least appear alive and respectable, because guess what? Today he will receive his stepfather's coworker and her daughter, who flew back to Korea from Canada to attend their wedding.

He wanted to bang his head somewhere and die; perhaps death sounds best in this situation.

There are so many things he wants to do, but as usual, he has to suck it up and pretend until he has fooled everyone.

He adjusted his long-sleeved shirt, which suited his slender body nicely, and placed his phone into the pocket of his vintage washed jeans. This is the best he can accomplish today, and this is how he can appear. He isn't in his right mind anymore.

He padded out of his room, not before bowing to Kale, who flickered his tongue and ignored him, and then walked downstairs, immediately regretting his decision when he met the single person he wanted to avoid the most.

" morning Riki.. "

He softly greeted the younger who was busy playing games on his game console, not even batting him an eye.

" morning "

The younger greeted him back nonchalantly. He wanted to cry out loud, but he doesn't know. All he knows is that he brought it on himself, and he does regret it.

"where's mom and dad?"

He asked to try again, hoping that the younger would at least give him a quick glance, but his gaze was fixed on the screen, too concentrated to care.

He shrugged his shoulders with a tiny "donno" and returned to gaming. Maybe Sunoo wanted to shatter the gaming console and throw a tantrum like a five-year-old since he wasn't getting the attention he craved the most.

Oh, maybe he'll do precisely that or worse, so he decided to leave quietly. Cursing himself and the entire universe in his twisted thoughts.

The drive to the airport was short, and he honestly doesn't understand why Mr. Nishimura asked him to pick up their guests when he could have sent a driver instead, but he'll do anything to please them, right? He has always been a people pleaser. Trying to please his mother and friends? However, because they are aware of his flaws, it may be ineffective.