Chapter 3 : Selfish

“The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.”

It's a fiction

Before you continue.

Here's the previous story

Chapter 2: Selfish

https://read.cash/@tommyshelby/chapter-2-selfish-6852ffeb

Chapter 1:

https://read.cash/@tommyshelby/chapter-1-selfish-bfb470ae

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Continuation...

Jongdae was searching for Joana. Finally he found her at the corner of the basketball ground.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/40462096631124278/

He went near to her and sat beside her. She was sobbing and Jongdae handed tissue to her. She managed herself and got a grip on her emotion.

"You know what, I just want her to be as normal as she can, I wanted her to be active like before. Well she might not, but she should give it a try!", tears started forming again into her eyes.

Jongdae patted on her shoulder, remaining silence.

And she shared their story..

Basically Joana and Zian are childhood best friends. Their fathers were friends and business partners as well. But in a plane crash Zian's parents died while she was staying back for her high school exam. And then Joana's father, Mr. Chae became her father figure and Zian started living with them.

Last year while going back home aftrer class, they stopped by a restaurant for lunch. And when they came out, waiting for their car to arrive, they went through a rash car driving incident. The car was at such a speed that it was about to hit Joana. But Zian stepped in to push away Joana. And unfortunately, couldn't save herself! And it wasn't possible to get her eyesight back, because the tissues were badly damaged.

Zian has been a bright student always, and was about to pursue her career in abroad. And things happened!

" I felt so guilty that it took me a lot to face her.", Joana bit her lip, "And from then I stick to her like her shadow and I hate that cane in her hand!

Damn! All I wanted her to be happy, how she used to be in such cultural events! But I ended up hurting her! ", she covered her face in between her palms.

Jongdae patted on her back and assured, " I'll take care of it!"

And finally Zian agreed because of Joana. When Jongdae and Zian were busy in practice, Joana brought lunch for them or sometimes they went out to eat altogether. They started becoming opened to each other.

Jongdae helped Zian to hold onto herself and supported her while they had their practice going on.

There were moments when Jongdae kept looking at Zian and felt lost. Her brown hair across her shoulder, slender hands and beautiful fingers that moved over the dots over the page, he started finding rhythm in her every single thing. He kept smiling more than before when Zian was around him.

And Zian started to feel ease since Jongdae was helping her in every little single thing. As if he was babysitting her. Zian started realising that Jongdae is someone very caring and a beautiful person.

Days went away and the awaited event was there. The play was performed. Both Jongdae and Zian were doing well. They were sitting near to each other and Joana was also with them at the backstage.

Everyone was appraising Jongdae's voice as well Zian's.

And then he started singing a song that Zian had no idea about in the practice period because he never sang this one before and he tuned it by himself because technically it wasn’t a song either-

[She was a little girl

Her world was very small

A hut was nearby

For her to rest a while

The hut had magic world

That kept her getting called

And the butterflies flying around

Cotton clouds were floating, found.

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"Zian! " Joana became surprised as well Zian and Joana kept saying, "Isn't it the poem you wrote, I..", Zian squeezed on her hand to make her shut.

The audience started praising, so the others from the backstage also. And Zian got tears in her eyes. All she could think how beautifully he just composed the music and sang it like it had been already a song itself! She became short in words when she wanted to praise him.

" You just made that poem into a song! I mean how did you..I'm..I'm just speechless! Just wow!", Zian had her tears of joy.

"You did bravo, Jongdae! Great!", Joana gave him a hi five.

Jongdae started blushing, scratching over his neck, " I just loved it when I heard you reciting this. And I wanted to surprise you with this. I'm so happy that you loved it Zian!"

The day was very eventful for their department. So they went home the moment the program was wrapped up.

Joana was feeling restless to ask Zian about the song.

"When did he hear that Zian? Tell me!" Joana and Zian were sitting on the bed. And Zian had to share the story.

"Ahh..he sings the poem that you like, he cares for you and all. What is going on Zian? And he was looking so damn good today! " Joana chuckled!

"Joan, stop your bullshit, ok? You and your all stories!!"

"No seriously! Let me give you his facial geography!", Joana became so enthusiastic, " His wavy golden brown hair is neatly brushed always, his dreamy beautiful eyes and sophisticated voice are pretty enough to woo away girls. His pale skin becomes pink when he blushes and he keeps scratching his neck. The sound of his laughter resembles to any joyful kid. He looks so squishy then, trust me!

The sound of his laughter resembles to any joyful kid. He looks so squishy then, trust me! And he was wearing matching with you, white", Joana made a stop.

So that's how does he look, Zian kept thinking! Because she had no idea how does Jongdae look, she was just aware of how beautiful human he has been only.

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Months have passed......

One fine day Zian was listening to some music with her earphones on. She didn’t know Jongdae has come over there. He sat for few moments then tapped on her shoulder,

"What are you listening? Let me hear!"

Zian choked out and flinched when he tapped her, and she hurriedly slid her phone and earphone into her bag. Joana was observing everything but kept silence and Jongdae felt a little awkward to Zian's reaction but he didn’t say anything.

"Let's go to library guys, I have to issue some books." Joana tried to avoid the awkwardness that was forming.

Zian got up but tripped and she tried to find something to hold onto and she clenched Jongdae's sleeve hem. Jongdae wanted to hold her from falling but he didn’t touch her. And Joana took care of her. An awkwardness between Zian and Jongdae was vivid by then.

A few days later Jongdae wanted to speak to Zian, alone. So Joana let them to. Though Zian was feeling a little uncomfortable,

"Yes, tell me please?"

"Did I do any mistake Zian, which made you upset?" he sounded so gloomy.

"No! Why would you? But why are you asking?" Zian got surprised to his question.

"You never call out my name, and you feel awkward when I'm around you. Something is wrong there!" the sadness was overpowering on his voice.

Zian stood still and she was struggling with her words. Finally she spoke, "There's nothing like that. You’ve got some misunderstanding. I'm getting late. I should leave now." Zian took few steps and fell on the ground. Jongdae ran to her, stretched his hand but she screamed, calling Joana's name. Joana saw everything from a far and she was just coming towards Zian. Joana ran to her, got Zian up from the ground. Joana looked at Jongdae for a few seconds and then left the place along with Zian.

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"I just want to know everything Zian, like E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!" Joana demanded to know. Zian finally spoke to her.

"And you know what, I wanted to ask you the same question which is very obvious -why don't you call him by his name, Zian?"

Zian started struggling with her tears, "Because, If I start calling him by his name, I'll start missing him more!", tears rolled down and she didn’t care to wipe off.

"Oh my poor baby! I had this hunch for so long. I wanted to ask you but I was scared if I might hurt you asking this. And it's absolutely ok to love. And he is so loving. I've seen him, you’ve realised it.", Joana sat infront of her, on her knees and started caressing Zian's hands.

" I don't want to be pitied Joan. I can't take that, you know!"

"But he doesn’t pity you darling! I've seen his emotion for you in his damn beautiful eyes. That's so precious. Let go of your past baby. Just embrace the present and let yourself be happy!"

"How can I ruin his life Joan, how? I'll be a burden to him at some point. I don't want to ruin him, and even if he has that emotion for me, it'll burden him and weigh him down after a period of time. Oh! I can't take it anymore, Joan!

This bare truth is cutting me into pieces, inside of me. I'm feeling too suffocated to breathe Joana. I want to leave this place!" Zian buried her face into her palms and Joana drag Zian into her arms to comfort.

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"Is she alright? " Jongdae was as concerned as like he's been always.

Joana smiled weakly, "She's fine. Just taking a bit rest."

Jongdae became silent. Joana broke the silence, "You love her, right?"

Jongdae startled and looked at her.

"Yes, you do! ”, Joana sighed.

" Let me tell you the other part of her story! She was in a relationship. They both applied for scholarship to study abroad. But that accident happened to her and everything was ruined. The guy broke up with her. And she was in devastation. The one she loved, left her just like this! So she can't have any pity in her life Jongdae!"

"Pity? Do you think I've ever pitied her? She didn’t even give me a chance to express what I've felt for her! Fine! I don't want to!" Jongdae was looking otherway. Joana knew it was legit for him to react also.

"She doesn’t want to hurt herself neither to hurt you! She doesn't want you to be bothered. Please try to understand! Don't hate her", Joana pleaded to him.

"I will not make things hard for her as she only thought of herself, the way she wanted to figure out by herself! Jongdae left Joana there.

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To be continued.

Authors note:

I just want to say thankyou for those to keep on reading my fictional stories. Even though this is my first time to write a story. Please bare with me guys.