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Rubik’s Cube
Monday, January 13, 2014 @ Monday, January 13, 2014 | 0 yehet
Luhan sat alone on the common room windowsill of the 13th floor apartment. It was his favorite place, especially on rainy days like this. The ledge was rather thin, but so was he. His delicate fingers were moving on their own, shifting the interlocking squares of the Rubik’s Cube in a familiar pattern. He barely even had to look down at the puzzle, switching his gaze between it and the gloomy view outside.He sighed after completing the final turns. All of the colors were in the right place. If only I could say the same about my life. He haphazardly tossed the cube away, not watching as it rolled like an over-sized die. “Blue,” said a familiar voice. Luhan jerked his head around, startled because he thought nobody else was home. Kai was standing a few feet away, holding out the cube in his outstretched hand. “What are you doing here?” asked Luhan as he climbed off the windowsill. “I thought you went out to eat with the others.” “I didn’t feel like going.” Luhan rearranged the frown on his face so that it resembled a more neutral expression. “Blue,” repeated Kai. “Blue what?” asked Luhan, gently taking the cube from Kai’s hand. “It landed on blue.” “Okay?” Luhan wasn’t sure what to make of it. Kai looked up into his hyung’s face. “Kind of fits, doesn’t it?” “What are you talking about?” Luhan made his way to the fluffy sofa and let himself sink in. Kai sat down right beside him so that their thighs were touching. “You look blue.” “Are you okay, Jongin-ah?” “Are you?” Luhan turned to look up into his dongsaeng’s sad eyes. “What’s wrong?” Kai shifted his gaze downward and reached out to grab the cube. “Let’s play a game.” “You didn’t answer my question,” said Luhan, starting to get worried. “You didn’t answer mine either.” “But I asked first,” replied Luhan. “So I guess I win.” Kai smiled sadly. “That’s not the game I was talking about.” “What game then?” “The one I just made up,” said Kai. “My turn.” Kai threw the cube onto the floor. It rolled until hitting the leg of the coffee table. “Orange.” Luhan bent down to pick it up. “Orange what?” “You have to say something that reminds you of the color orange. Something important.” Luhan laughed out loud. “What?! What kind of game is that? What do you mean ‘something important’?” “When you rolled blue,” explained Kai, “I said that you looked blue. That was important.” “What do you mean I looked blue?” Luhan was starting to wonder if Kai was as sleep-deprived as he looked. He usually made more sense than this. Kai reached out and gripped his hyung’s shoulder. “You looked sad, sitting by the window, all by yourself.” Luhan couldn’t look him in the eye. “Orange,” repeated Kai. “Orange,” said Luhan, using his free hand to grab Kai’s forearm. “Orange reminds me of your bronze skin.” Kai sighed in exasperation. “That’s not something important, hyung.” Luhan smiled up at his dongsaeng. “What do you mean it’s not important? It reminds me of you. You’re important.” Kai’s face flushed so that it was even more full of color. “Okay fine,” he said quickly. “Your turn.” Luhan tossed the cube sideways so that it landed on the sofa beside Kai. “Yellow.” “Yellow,” repeated Kai. He paused to stare out of the window. “Well?” said Luhan impatiently. “Yellow. Like the sunny summer days we used to spend together, before our debut.” “Okay, this is just getting depressing,” said Luhan, wrapping an arm around Kai’s shoulders. Why don’t you just tell me what’s wrong, Jonginnie?” “No,” insisted Kai. “We have to finish!” “How exactly do we finish this game?” asked Luhan, somewhat exasperated. “When we’ve used up all six colors.” Kai reached for the cube and threw it forward. It travelled farther this time, stopping only when it hit the opposite wall. He climbed out from under Luhan’s hold and went to fetch it. “Blue again.” “But we already did that one,” replied Luhan. Kai walked back and took his seat, handing his hyung the cube as he did. “Okay, if there’s a repeat, then the roller gets to ask a question. And you have to answer truthfully.” “What!” exclaimed Luhan. “You’re just making stuff up as we go. That’s not even fair.” “I invented this game.” “Fine then. I forfeit.” “You can’t forfeit. That’s another rule.” Luhan brought his palms to his face. “So my question is,” began Kai, pulling at his hyung’s forearms, “why didn’t you go out to eat with the other members?” As Luhan brought his hands down, he felt Kai’s determined gaze boring into his eyes. “I wasn’t hungry,” replied Luhan, all too quickly. “I said you have to answer truthfully,” replied Kai, not letting up his intense stare. “That is the truth!” exclaimed Luhan. “How do you know when I’m hungry or not?” “Your stomach has been growling this entire time,” answered Kai, undeterred. “No it has not!” responded Luhan, just as it did once more. Luhan looked down at his abdomen, as if to accuse it of betraying him. “I’m still waiting.” “I didn’t feel like it!” said Luhan, more loudly than he normally spoke. “That’s why I didn’t go!” “Why didn’t you feel like it?” asked Kai. “You’re only allowed one question!” exclaimed Luhan. “The rulebook says I can ask follow up questions if you don’t answer the question completely.” “WHAT RULEBOOK?” yelled Luhan. He was starting to lose his temper, which almost never happened. The worried look on Kai’s face was enough to calm him down. “Look Jongin-ah, I’m sorry, but I just don’t want to talk about it, okay?” “You have to tell me, hyung. Please.” Luhan sighed. “I’m allergic to shellfish.” “What?” “I’m allergic to shellfish, and they all wanted to go to a seafood restaurant.” Understanding hit Kai like a blow to the stomach. “Hyung, why didn’t you remind them?” “I didn’t want to get in the way. Besides, they should know by now.” “I don’t think they meant to hurt you, hyung. I’m so sorry. Even I didn’t remember. It’s not like you to get sad about something so silly.” “I know, Jongin-ah. I was being ridiculous. I’ve just been so easily upset lately.” “Why, hyung?” “No,” said Luhan authoritatively. “You’re only allowed one question.” He threw the cube, sideways again. It landed beside Kai, green facing up. “Green,” said Kai quietly. “It better be something really important, Jongin,” threatened Luhan. “After that last round, I’m not letting you get away with anything short of your deepest and darkest secrets.” “Fine,” said Kai, rather calmly. “Green reminds me of how jealous I feel when you spend time with someone else, without me.” “What!” Luhan was not expecting such brutal honesty. “What are you talking about?” “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” replied Kai, turning away. Luhan reached out a comforting arm and pulled his dongsaeng back towards him. “What’s wrong, Jongin-ah?” Kai brought the back of his hand to his eyes. “It’s not your turn to ask questions.” He reached over and gave the cube another toss. It landed on blue again. Luhan let out an exasperated sigh. Kai turned to look at his hyung once more. “Who’s your favorite member?” “WHAT!” Luhan nearly jumped off the sofa. “You have to answer truthfully.” “Jongin-ah! How can you expect me to answer something like that?!” “You have to.” “No I don’t! I have had just about enough of this ridiculous game! Why would you ask me that?” Kai’s eyes had filled up, tears threatening to fall. “Isn’t it obvious?” Luhan felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He couldn’t find the words to respond. “Who is it, hyung?” whispered Kai. “Who’s your favorite member?” Luhan reached up and wiped his dongsaeng’s tears as soon as they fell. “I can’t answer that.” “You have to tell the truth.” “I don’t have a favorite member, Jongin-ah. That is the truth. You have to believe me.” As Luhan let go of his face, Jongin looked down towards the cube. “Your turn.” Luhan hesitated before tossing it once more. “White.” “White,” repeated Kai, still looking down. “White reminds me of you, hyung. And how brightly you shine, especially when you smile. It’s almost blinding.” “Jongin-ah,” said Luhan, reaching out to hold Kai’s hand. Before he could get to it, Kai had tossed the cube, one last time. “Red,” he whispered, as the tears fell from his eyes once more. “Red,” repeated Luhan, throwing his arms around Kai’s neck. “Red reminds me of how much I love you.” tell me if u're the owner of this fics Labels: “I invented this game.” |
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