play pretend° taeyong

// chapter nine

"Yah? Why aren't you eating up?", Ten asked out of the blue.

I held up the chopsticks he gave me and was kicked back to my senses. I blinked twice before I could regain my natural sight.

Ten sat right across me. His face contorted in bafflement and I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Are you on drugs? How the fuck can you doze off like that and laugh the next moment?", Ten whined. "You're not depressed, are you?" he added, with a concerned look.

"Yah, I am okay. I just have a lot of things going on in my mind-"

"-Like Taeyong?", he interrupted, raising a brow as he gnawed on a piece of grilled beef. He giggled in such a way that it would sound more of a ridicule rather than a meaningless joke.

I deeply sighed and looked down on my bowl of untouched rice and empty plate. Ten hissed through gritted teeth and hastily took out the plate in front of me as he placed pieces of meat on top using the tongs. Afterwards, he put back the plate and jutted his lips into a pout, saying: "Hey, eat up. You've lost too much weight since the last time we met. I can't believe you've forgotten your health because of that shitty guy."

"I know, right?"

I scooped about three pieces of meat inside my mouth and just hardly munched on them as I felt the its flavorful taste melt.

"Damn, Man. Could you at least tell me some details about you and Joseph? You know, it's just a slap in my face if you're going to keep it all to yourself."

I paused from chewing and sighed, swallowing the meat afterwards.

I cleared my throat and began to place raw meat onto the pan. "You see. . . A month before he broke up with me, he opened up to me about starting a new life. He . . . Uhm. . . Suggested that we get engaged—"

Ten choked on his food and loudly coughed in his seat, banging his chest with his hand. "—What the fuck—How old is he?"

"26." I answered, embarrassed. "And then what?"

"Uhm like I'm still 20? I think it's too early for me to be in chains? Aside from that, my family was struggling to pay our debts and my father's medications as well. I had to work overtime and had to get into others jobs just to earn thrice than I usually do. Joseph didn't really take it well. He thinks I intentionally made myself busy—made my time little, so I couls avoid him and his plan. True, I was but I never had the intention of disregarding it. In fact, I was thoroughly thinking about it."

"Then?" , Ten curiously said.

"He . . . Went to L.A., saying he would find there a place for us to stay; a home. Of course, I was shocked. He was fulfilling the plans without my consent. I was greatly flustered and pressured. And at that time, Father's condition was crucial, meaning, more debts and expenses. More debts and expenses, more work loads. And more work loads, less time for Joseph.", I continued.

"It actually maddened him. He. . . Insists I was doing everything on purpose, to escape him. But I didn't, I swear. I let him understand. Gladly, he did but then in a little while, he was feeling a little distant and strange ever since. And then boom—"

Ten rolled his eyes and groaned, "He broke up with you. Wow, pathetic of him. Who is he to just dump you like that?"

Frustrated, I stabbed a fork onto the cooked meat and bit it off like how wild animals do. I hardly chewed on them whilst Ten tried to empty his can of soda. "I mean. . . I know I can be a bitch sometimes but does he really have to end it like that? Isn't he going to extend his patience? Understand me a bit more?", I grumbled.

Ten mischievously grinned at me and teasee, "Eeeeeh. Forget him. He doesn't deserve you. You got yourself a human elixir anyway. He can definitely be the perfect cure for your broken heart.", wiggling his thick brows.

"Hopefully, he wouldn't be much of a work like Joseph. I didn't undergo so much just to end up with the same ending.", I sighed deeply, looking a little disdained.

"But Han, what if he's the one? Are you gonna back out?"

Momentarily, my heart skipped a beat.

"W-what?" I trembled.

"Oh? You're blushing!" Ten exclaimed, pointing a finger directly at my baffled face. "I am not!", I defendes, raising my voice as I gained the attention of othet costumers.

"Don't you feel the warmth of your cheeks? Because I would—", Ten leaned forward and strongly squeezed both of my cheeks. I boisteriously shrieked whilst pushing Ten away from me. I flamboyantly wriggled my body in attempt to at least loosen his grip. "Yah!", I scowled as I kicked Ten's shin.

"Yah—You're harassing me. That's child abuse!"

I disgustingly eyed him from head to toe and snickered, rolling my eyes. "The only child-like about you is your height." Taken aback, Ten returned a look of disgust. He raised his brow and said, "We have the same height, you whore."

I stuck out my tongue and chuckled. On the other hand, Ten was exasperated. "You know, for a 20-year old, you act like you're 15. Wake up, would you?"

"Eh, so you're not?". I gave Ten a knowing look and he responded, "I'm 22 and I believe that I act my age."

"Act my age my ass, bitch. You just farted on my face to wake me up. You call that being an adult?"

Ten unattractively snorted, finally smiling. And not a momen to soon, he hides his teeth behind his lips. His facial expression softened and the way he looked at me felt different.

"Hana. . . No matter what happens, I am here, okay? Don't hesitate to call me. If you ever have the need to beat up someone, tell me. I'll do what it takes to keep you from pain."

"—but why?", I interrupted,confused yet relieved.

"Because I owe you my life. You were also there when I was at my worst. What kind of a friend would I be if I just watch you suffer on your own?"

--

"Waaaah, that was one of the best meals I've had in my life—", Ten cheerfully announced as we made our way out of the tent. He rubbed his belly and flashed me a smile of satisfaction. He showed me a gesture of approval and cheerfully said, "I want to go there again."

Giggling, I replied, "You always say that after we eat out.".

"Eh? i don't!"

Ten and I startlingly halted for we saw Taeyong standing about a few meters from us. He looked. . . Disdained alright. He has his hands on his waist and he has been shaki his head as if something huge disappointed him. And then he started walking, blabbering.

"—How rude of you filthy humans! You didn't say you were going to eat! I've been looking for you guys for like two hours and then wow! You're as full as a bull? I can't believe this!", He scoffed as he got near in front of us.

"With a body liks this , I have to eat enough  food." He added, showing his skinny arms to Ten, who's probably amused at how Taeyong speaks and moves.

Taeyong then purposely raised his arms even closer to Ten and I's faces, looking at us with pituful eyes

"No wonder you two are paired up. You're both lost puppies in the woods"