The Rebound

1

"Why haven't you eat dinner?" He asked, while his head is on my lap.

"I am on diet." I noncahalantly answered, as I played with his hair.

It is longer than what our society usually take as a tidy-cut for male. But he wouldn't care about it all, never. That's just how he is, I know.

Talking about knowing him, I am pretty confident that I know him best. After meeting him 13 years ago, I just couldn't help but having interest in him. Noticing his little habits and preference, not because I am observant, I was just trying to understand him. All to have his heart. But no matter what I did, it just didn't work.

Not even now.

When he is in my house, laying on my lap, drinking from my favourite mug, taking shower in my bath room, everything we have done. He is physically here, but his heart is somewhere else.

I know, he knows.

I stay, nevertheless. Despite his warn, and the heartbreak. I stay.

Just having him around is enough for now. I cannot imagine myself without him. I have no purpose if it's not him.

"What else is that for? You're fine!" He woke up, and scanned me head to toe now.

"It's fucking 1 AM, Dean. I might wake up with bloated face if I ate now."

"Why didn't you do it earlier?" He asked again.

"I am studying for my TOEIC."

"For?"

"The certificate is useful to apply for a job."

"You are planning to get a new job?"

"3 years is enough. I am done putting up with that crappy office and such perverted manager."

"Ok, whatever." He nonchalantly answered.

Never really interested in my life, or any choice I made. As long as I am here, for him, whenever he needs.

It's okay for me. I am aware of this relationship anyway, the terms and condition, the bad, and the good.

There are probably no good coming from that for me, but that's my fault. I am the one letting myself being used as his rebound, now I am harvesting the seeds I sow.

-----2 years ago-----

"She left me. I begged her to stay, but she left." He said, over 3 bottles of soju, few cans of beer, and drizzling tears from his eyes.

This had become a habbit for the past few years.

Him standing at my door at 2 AM, pressing the bell repeatedly, showing his face and bags of alcohol in his hand through my camera.

Me, always opened the door and let him pour everything out with the help of the liquid. Ranting about how his girlfriend are too inattentive towards him, befriending other man easily.

At some day, he came all stressed and didn't say anything until he ducked down the whole bottle of soju. If that's the case, then he broke up with her. Only to get back a few days later.

But that night was different. It seems like there's no way back for them.

"She said she loves another man." He said, breathlessly, between his sobs.

"Is she cheating on you?" I ask calmly.

I knew. I knew it. I saw her with this particular friend a lot of times. Our high school friend, who currently got into Hayi's office.

"She loves him, but they're fully aware of my presence. So they keep their relationship within the boundaries. Until she couldn't take it anymore."

"Do you really believe that?" I asked. Which made him looked straight into my eyes.

I asked the wrong question. It's Dean and Lee Hayi. Of course, there are nothing as distrust between them. No, I mean for Dean towards Hayi. He's definitely smittened by her, blinded.

"She wouldn't do that to me."

This.stupid.and.miserable.dude.

I didn't say anything, as he cried his heart out.

Deep down. I knew he actually knew what's going on, but his love towards her made him denied it. The hunch and suspicions, were washed away. 

I wouldn't say their relationship was healthy, they hurted each other. Dean's possessiveness, and Hayi's obsession towards her career, which made her ignore Dean from time to time. They're the sweetest when things are good, but that could quickly escalated into heated conversation, and fight.

He cried for the rest of the night, only to stop when he fell asleep on my sofa.

"Stupid! Why would you torture yourself that way, when I am here all the time." I muttered as I covered him with a blanket.

When I was about to go, his hand suddenly reach mine.

"I know, right. I also don't know why." His eyes fluttered open, but it's obvious that he's still heavily under the influence. But I responded, still.

"Why do you make everything so complicated?" I asked.

"I don't love you, I can't do that to you. You are so precious to me."

'And what do you think you are doing to me? You wouldn't have heart to hurt me this way if I am really that precious for you. You wouldn't come here and rant about how much you hate and love your girlfriend, from time to time, when you know how I feel towards you. This is the worst that anyone can do. You use me.'

But instead of letting it out, I just muttered softly, "Let's stop here. You would forget about it once the sun's up anyway."

I pushed his hand away and proceed to my room. It's my turn to cry.

After that day, I never heard him getting back together with Hayi. She was with a new man, got married the next year, and moved to a new city. And up until this day, Dean still came to my house, from time to time, crying over her when he's too drunk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello I am Verdure, and this is my very first published story here. It's been a while since I write, years to be exact, life is catching up real bad on me, I barely have time to imagine a story line. If not for the self-quarantine period, I bet this story would never start in the first place.

This is not going to be a long story, probably 5-10 chapter. I choose Dean as the main character here as I like him a lot, and I don't know his image just seem to fit with the story. And I am not putting Lee Hi as the bad girl here because I hate her, it's just she seems to be the artist that got paired up with Dean in a lot of fics. That's all, no hard feelings.

So... welcome to the short journey, and hope you enjoy it. Stay safe and keep healthy during the pandemy!