“WHAT are you doing here?” Koby snarled at him.
Hapi entered the restaurant through the backdoor, which led him to the kitchen. He knew in advance how his friend would react to that. For Koby, his kitchen was a sacred place, and someone like him who doesn’t know how to cook was not allowed to enter the premises. But he did not care at the moment.
“Who’s with Sapphire?” He pulled Koby by the collar of his chef uniform.
“If you really wanna know, why don’t you go to the dining area and see it for yourself?”
He pushed Koby away. “Mark this day! Don’t you ever ask me any favor that has something to do about Amethyst!”
Koby laughed at him.
“I’m dead serious, Koby.” He scowled at him.
“Fine!” Koby raised his hands as a sign of surrender. “Sapphire’s with Rinbie right now.”
“Are you kidding me?” he snapped.
“Uhm… no.”
Hapi marched to the door that leads to the dining area. From there, he took a peek.
His eyes wandered, and soon he was able to see Sapphire and Rinbie dining at a corner table. They were talking to each other happily over a meal. Watching Sapphire smile at another man made his heart ache. Suddenly, it was hard to breathe. Hapi felt like his heart was being squeezed.
Goddamn it! Why does it have to be Rinbie of all people?
He turned around and was startled to find Koby next to him.
“So, how are you feeling now, my friend?” Koby asked.
Did he really have to ask? Of course, it hurts! But Hapi would not admit that. Not in front of Koby because he was Rinbie’s friend too.
I feel betrayed!
“Nothing.” His fists clenched.
Koby looked at his hands. “Really? They why are you—”
“I just find it annoying that my slave isn’t answering my calls. I gotta go.” Hapi sauntered towards the door.
Love hurts… love scars… love wounds… and marks… Any heart… not tough… or strong… To take a lot of pain… take a lot of pain…
Hapi turned around at once when he heard that particular song. It seemed to him that his friend was teasing him.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Koby?”
“Huh?” Koby’s brows furrowed. “Oh, my phone’s ringing! Someone’s calling me.” He fished his phone.
The song stopped playing when he accepted the call.
“Damn it, your ringtone is so annoying.”
Hapi stormed out of the kitchen.
HE STAYED inside the Students Affairs office after the meeting.
Hapi was not on his usual self after seeing Sapphire and Rinbie dining together. His jealousy was consuming him since yesterday. He was not able to sleep well because of that.
He sent Sapphire a text message, summoning her to the office. They need to talk now and settle the misunderstanding, or he would go crazy.
A smile curved on his lips when he heard the office door creaked. So, he turned in the direction of the door, only to be disappointed when he saw Amethyst instead of Sapphire. she sauntered towards him and sat on the table.
“What’s with the long face, Hapi?” Amethyst asked as she flipped her hair.
He washed his hands over his face and plopped down on the swivel chair. “Nothing.”
“Then let me give you a headache.” Amethyst tapped on her phone and then showed him a picture of Sapphire and Rinbie eating together.
Hapi groaned and pushed her hand away. “I’ve seen that in live-action.”
“And you’re not doing something to get your girl?” She snorted.
He gaped at her. “Whoa…”
“What?”
“So, you’re finally acknowledging Sapphire as my girl?”
“Well…” Amethyst crossed her arms over her chest. “I still don’t like her. But what can I do if my favorite cousin whom I love the most likes her?”
“Then do me a favor, hmm?”
“What favor?” She raised a brow.
“Please, stop bullying her. She’s not doing anything wrong. Give her a break from that hard life that she’d gone through. Please, do it for me.”
“I’ll think about it,” Amethyst said before leaving the room.
Hapi pinched the bridge of his nose. His headache was getting worst.
He was about to go to the infirmary when his phone rang.
“Yes, Koby?”
“I just saw Rinbie heading to the CAS department with a bouquet in his hand!” his friend informed him.
He stormed out of the office and headed to the CAS department. Hapi was checking every classroom that he passed by.
And then his eyes caught Rinbie exiting a room at the end of the corridor. Rinbie did not notice him because he went straight to the staircase.
Hapi waited until he was finally gone before he went inside the classroom. The students were all looking at him when he came in, but all he cared about was the bouquet of flowers Rinbie left on Sapphire’s seat. He took it with him outside and threw it in the nearest trash bin.
Rinbie!
His fists clenched so hard he could feel his nails dug on his palms.
Rinbie better finds another girl because Sapphire belongs to him. And he would not mind getting his knuckles bloody just to push him away from her.
SAPPHIRE was washing her hands inside the restroom when Amethyst came in. Her senses told her to leave immediately, but her feet would not move for an unknown reason. She just pretended not to notice her.
But Amethyst did not do the same. She even got closer.
“You like Hapi, don’t you?”
“E-eh?” She turned to Amethyst abruptly.
“It’s okay to hide your feelings for him.” Amethyst turned to her with a smug smile on her lips. “However, denying it would make you look like a hypocrite.”
Sapphire winced. Does hiding and denying the fact make a difference?
But she could not pay enough attention to what her cousin said because her mind wondered why the wind suddenly changed its course. She only pulled out of her reverie when her phone started buzzing inside her pocket. Her forehead knotted upon seeing Rinbie’s name flashing on the screen. When did she save his number on her phone?
Ah, he must’ve saved it in the restaurant when I went to the restroom.
“Hey…”
“Did you like it?” Rinbie asked.
“Like what?” She has no idea what he was talking about.
“Oh. You haven’t seen it. I left a bouquet of flowers on your seat. I hope you’ll like it.”
“W-what?” She was shocked. “Why did you give me flowers?”
“Because you’re beautiful…” The next thing that she heard was the busy tone.
Amethyst turned to her with mouth wide open. “Seriously, Sapphire?”
She stormed out of the restroom and headed back to the classroom.
But there was no bouquet of flowers on her seat. Was Rinbie playing with her? Sapphire looked around. Rinbie could have mistaken someone else’s seat as hers.
“Looking for something?” said a familiar voice.
She turned in the direction of the voice and found Hapi leaning against the doorframe.
What is he doing here?
“Nothing,” she said coldly.
“Are you sure?” Hapi sounded fishy.
And then, the realization hit her. She marched towards Hapi and grabbed his uniform’s collar.
“Did you get it?”
“Yes.”
Sapphire rolled her eyes. “Where is it?”
“I threw it away.” He smirked.
“You have no right to throw it away because it’s not yours in the first place!” She pushed him away and marched out of the classroom.
Hapi followed her. She pulled her so that she could face him.
“Don’t look for it, Sapphire,” he begged.
“What the hell is wrong with you Hapi?” She was starting to feel annoyed.
“I’m certain the Rinbie’s courting you.” His lips pressed together.
“It’s none of your—”
“I’ll stick my nose on it! I don’t like it! I hate it!” She gaped at him. “I hate seeing you together! I’m jealous, Sapphire!” he said without breathing in between his sentences.
Then, Hapi pulled her for a kiss.