The Inferno Hearts

Laundry King

It's been two days since the incident. Unlike the mentioned day, things have been going great. Jin hadn't invited me and Danielle yet, I'm guessing his schedule and workload from college assignments must be the reason as to why he possibly couldn't find time for this. I'm still surprised at how Jungkook escaped sleekly from Jin finding out and I agreed to help.

Since that day, we haven't picked any fights or resumed on the payback streak. However, I can't help but feel guilty for burning his textbook. For the past two days, I have been nearly tempted to buy him the book and slip it in his bag and pretend nothing had happened. But, that's not my way of doing things. Besides, he did crash into my car, didn't he?

Jungkook's face from two days back, after I hid the fact about his car is another thing I can not forget. That image is a kind reminder that sometimes even the worst of people can do unpredictable things. He smiled at me with a tint of.............. gratitude. It was only for a second but I saw it in his eyes. Hiding the fact that he had gone to the service center from Jin was a cause of gratitude? The feeling was foreign to me. It didn't sit well.

At the moment, it's the end of the school hours. I'm waiting for Danielle to show up at the parking lot so that I can drop us home. I finally spot the brown-haired girl, the length of her hair hidden from the hood of the light pink hoodie clothed on her. She smiles upon spotting me and jumps a little too excitedly.

"It's been peaceful, these two days, don't ya think?", I remarked, much to the change of look of disbelief on Danielle's face.

"You mean, it's been boring these two days", Danielle fires back in a casual tone. I drop the topic.

"You have any homework?", I inquire.

"No, I guess I was lucky", Danielle smiles.

After we enter, my car keys triggering the ignition of the engine, Danielle's finger punches on the stereo and the songs that blared from it were barely heard by our off-key tones of our voices singing to the songs. It made a 15 minute drive pass by like a 5 minute drive. Before we know it, we have reached our apartment. I switch off the engine and Danielle grabs my bag along with hers, a jubilant spirit inculcated in us.

"Feels like Friday", Danielle comments, both of our bags in her arms as we walk up to the elevator.

"Hate to break it to you, it isn't Friday", I regretted those words as they left my mouth.

"I know, don't ruin the mood", Danielle whines, her expression instantly changed into a frown.

"Just two more days to a Saturday though", I remind her, trying to lighten the mood. She instantly smiles. "Can't wait for that", she squeals as the elevator door opens to our floor.

As we walk to our apartment, which by the way is pretty far, even from the nearest elevator, the picture of Jungkook's face from then creeps into my head like a replay. He looked as if he was going to stop and put an end to the payback streak we have had from last year. That seemed least likely to happen, especially when you know Jungkook. at first, but after witnessing the gratitude in him, maybe I don't know him well. Maybe, just maybe, he could be nice after, I thought as I fished the key of the apartment and unlocked the door keeping in mind Danielle's preoccupied hands.

I let Danielle walk in first and I enter promptly after her. The sunlight from 3 pm wasn't as strong or brilliant as at noon but it was sufficient to filter through the significantly large windows in the hall, lighting up the room.

There was one thing I had noticed ; the tiles of the living room were unusually glazing. It seemed almost unnatural for the sunlight to reflect off the awfully smooth tiles. The atmosphere of the apartment was eerily engulfed with the odour of... laundry detergent and......... fabric softener. One thing I knew for sure was that neither I nor Danielle use that brand of detergent.