Sakura…
Cherry blossoms…
My mind has never been so free until now. Today’s the day when I find a new place for myself. Korea is really beautiful. I hadn’t expected the luscious spring beauty to await me still. The soft, pastel pink blossoms as the special street pushes me to use my phone and click a few pictures.
Of course, the strangers leave me be. It seems common around here. What was uncommon was this unsettling feeling inside my heart.
Have I been followed?
If so, by who?
Zayn’s POV
11:42 pm
Sr Johnson residency
“Papa…” I approach him, but his lifted hand up tells me not to. Silencing myself to hear his words, I take a deep breath in. I needed to know why did he allow Cassandra to flee.
Or… how much does he know exactly?
Is he aware of our… things? I feel uncomfortable. He should have heard the truth from my mouth than Cassandra confessing our sins to him.
“I didn’t raise you brothers like this.” His words stab right through my heart. My head was lowered, I figured if I lift my head while he is here, it is as good as chopping it away from my neck.
“Papa… it was mutual.”
“And see where it has led to.” His unscathed anger moves me to tears. His tone was just enough for it.
“Papa, I need to know where Cassandra is. Please let me go with her. I’ll go anywhere in the world as long as I get to be with her. Dad… please.” I say, crying, looking into his eyes.
There befalls silence I cannot accept.
“Dad, answer me. Can’t you see how desperate I am-”
“Do you love her?”
How elegantly was I supposed to answer that?
The little girl entered the house with her little backpack from the orphanage. She was merely up to my shoulder when Papa took her in. So fragile, so shy like a kitten. As time grew, we grew up with her, but… it wasn’t merely her sisterly presence that made my head turn towards her.
I… looked at her as a girl, as a woman since the beginning of ‘us’. There was no excuse.
So I answer him.
“Yes.” Suddenly, my back has straightened out and I answer him like a commander in the military. Seeing my resolve, he sighs and opens his blunt box. It’s been a while since he took a puff. This rare occasion gives me surety that it’s a hard decision even for him.
“Alright. Follow her. Pursue her and don’t come back unless you’re with her. I don’t care how you manage to be with her, but,” The old geezer stands up and I finally see his hair under the light atop the desk. He’s become old, way too fast. He didn’t care to dye his hair either.
“If you dare hurt my girl,” he takes painstakingly slow steps toward me. The aura was enough to make me shed another tear and take a step back, “I will forget that you’re my son.”
The warning was powerful enough to make me crumble to my knees as I scream, “I accept that!!” And run away like a child.
It was too much for me. Everything indeed. High school, my grades, her, and this. I at least thought I’d let Louis know, but seeing that he has powers and can hurt Cassandra, I keep my mouth shut. My phone pings with dad’s message as it says,
I’ve got ten minutes to leave.
Everything…?
This must be one of the greatest tests of my life. In ten minutes, I was forced to forget about everything and everyone. I was not allowed to keep contact, because papa doesn’t trust me.
But I’m fine with that.
My life with Cassie will be fruitful and enticing as it will be. I love you, Cassie. Can you see my sacrifices? I won’t force you to acknowledge me, I’m not a man like that. I’ll make you love me at your pace.
When I wipe my tears and run back to dad to engulf him in a hug, he wets my shirt, the shoulder part. That was unexpected from a calm and composed man like himself. This proves that papa has done something else.
How did I conclude with that?
That’s because he still doesn’t trust me.
They say people have something called ‘the gut feeling’. It just happens. It’s an energy.
What gut feeling did papa have to send me to Cassandra? What was he thinking when he told me to abandon my whole life and start anew? Or maybe… he had been thinking about it ever since Cassandra told him the truth about us Johnson Family.
Is this how it’s supposed to be?
“Good morning, America! We have some juicy news from the Johnson’s family- the tech industry’s biggest tycoon- which will blow you to a frenzy! The young unnamed and unpredictable princess of the Johnson Family has revealed her identity at last!
She’s a high schooler, nothing out of the ordinary, but behold her when she dresses up because she’s nothing less than a princess herself. It won’t be a shock to say, the next Miss Universe title shall be hers at last! You say it, Georgie. Isn’t she gorgeous?”
“But who’s given us these pictures anyway?”
“Thanks to the girl who calls herself the best friend of our Deary Princess, Darla Stratton has revealed the girl’s identity! Thank you for sharing the intel, Darla dear. America shall be grateful to you.”