Chapter 34: Confession x Graduation Day
"You're here."
"Yeah."
"Sit."
Ethan wanted to celebrate and get wasted with his brothers at the Bar Cave. The reason that his band won the finals.
Jay was the one who's late because of lots of paperwork and business meetings at his company. He's still wearing a suit that he always wears when he's inside the company.
Hoon grunted. "You're three hours late, hyung. We've been drinking since we got here. Why don't you let your secretary handle those paperworks?"
"Idiot. I wish it would be that easy but those paperworks needs my signature." Jay said and sat in front of Jake.
"I still can't believe that it has been a year since we lost our dads." Jake utterred.
"Tell me about it. Time flies so f*cking fast." Jay agreed.
After a month of the funeral of their fathers, they decided what to do with themselves.
Ethan quit working from the Hybe company and he continued to be a musician in a band. Hoon didn't stop his passion from figure skating and teach children to skate. Jake was doing great from his photography skills and he was hired by companies all over the world and they considered him as a professional photographer.
While Jay did his father's last favor to him. To take over their company. So he's now the CEO of the Hybe company in Seattle, Florida, Seoul Korea, Setagaya Japan, and in Las Vegas. There are five branches of Hybe company and it's not easy to handle by himself. But it's all worth it to Jay.
"How's life, morons?" Ethan asked while playing the ice in his glass of vodka.
"Great." Hoon, Jay and Jake answered.
"How about girlfriends? Do you have any?"
All of them stilled on Ethan's question.
"Nah, I was waiting for my girl to graduate. And after that, I'll court her." Jake said.
Jay suspiciously looked at Jake. He knew the girl he was talking about.
Ethan nodded numerously. He's a bit tipsy. "Mmm hmm, how about you, young brother?"
Hoon shook his head. "I'm also waiting for my girl. I knew she wasn't ready for all that. She's been focusing on her studies and I really don't want to put a burden on her so yeah, I'm waiting. I'm still gathering all my strength to confess my feelings for her."
They heard Ethan chuckled. "What a coincidence. I'm waiting for my girl to graduate from college and finally confess to her. I'm such a coward not to tell her how I feel." He looked at Jay's direction. "Though I knew there's a man that she likes. She cries for that man." he drank the bottle of vodka. "And I'm telling you. No woman would cry if she didn't care or love that person. But sadly, I'm not that person. I really hope that it was me though."
Jay looked down. Yeah, I wish it was me also.
"Jay hyung. Do you have a girl in mind?" Hoon asked.
"Oh you mean that Charlotte Mitchell?" Jake said. "Nah. They're probably just playing around. I mean, she wouldn't kiss me back if she liked Jay, right?"
All the three of them except Jake, stilled while their mouths slightly parted.
"Hyung, that's enough, you're drunk already." Hoon tried to get the bottle of tequila in Jake's hand.
"Nope! I'm not drunk yet!" Jake didn't let go of the bottle.
Jay sighed and clapped his hands to get their attention. "How about we say all together the names of the girl we like?"
Ethan's brows furrowed. "Are you nuts? Why would I tell you?"
Jay gave him a flat face. "We. Not just you, okay? So it would be fair to all of us."
No one answered him.
"Oh, come on, it's just the four of us will know about this. Wait, don't tell me you're still a p*ssy when it's just us?" Jay smirked. He's threatening them.
Ethan, Jake and Hoon, blew a loud breath in defeat. "Fine."
"In a count of three?" Hoon asked.
"Yes. And then we'll say our girls' name." Jake instructed.
A deceptive smile never left on Jay's lips. Looks like they're all already drunk except him who's actually just arrived.
"Okay, one…" Ethan started.
"Two…" Jake followed.
"Three!" Hoon shouted.
"Riley!" And they all yield together.
The three of them stilled and Jay's smile fades when he heard the name of the love of his life.
"Wait, am I too drunk the fact that I misheard you two that you mentioned Riley's name?" Ethan uttered.
Jake shook his head and softly tapped it. "Yeah, me too. I think I misheard you guys."
"Ditto." Hoon agreed.
"Let's repeat." Ethan suggested. "Okay, one… two… three… it's Riley."
"She's Riley."
"Her name is Riley."
They looked at each other with astonishment in their eyes. For now, they're sure that they did not misheard each other.
"S-So all this time… we have the s-same woman we like?" Ethan was the one who recovered from the shock. "Wow. Just wow. Now I'm having a double heartbreak."
Ethan knew that the girl he likes, likes one of his brothers. He did everything for her. He's always there for her in good and in bad times. When she's having a hard time. He's always present.
He really thought that he's worthy of her. For being at her side for years. But it turns out she likes the man who's not there for her in good and in her bad times and yet, she still chooses him.
Ethan chuckled. "I should've told you so soon what I felt for you long ago. When he's not around." he whispered.
He didn't feel anger or enyness towards his brothers for liking the girl he likes. Instead, he hates himself for being a coward. Afraid of rejection.
"There are millions of women in this world and yet, only one and the same woman stole our hearts." Jake laughed and drank the bottle of tequila. "Very coincidentally, right?"
Hoon agreed. "Yeah, I guess we're on the same boat here since Ethan hyung mentioned earlier that the girl he likes, likes someone else. So practically, Riley likes one of us." he put his finger below his chin. "Hmm, I wonder who it is."
Ethan secretly threw his gaze on Jay who's lying on his back on the couch while his eyes were closed. He knew that he wasn't asleep because his eyelids were moving. He was listening to their conversation.
"I bet it was me." Jake proudly said while raising up and down his eyebrows.
Hoon smirked. "You wish."
Ethan forces himself to stand up even though he's feeling dizzy and throwing up. "Let's go, guys. We have a lot of preparation to do."
Jake also stood up. "He's right. We can't be late tomorrow."
Hoon wore his leather jacket and stood up. "I'll drive. I'm the one who's really not that drunk."
Speaking of drunk, Hoon took one step forward to lead the way but ended up smashed with the table, making the glass of vodka shattered into pieces.
"Tsk. Clumsy." Jay murmured. He stood up and grabbed the keys that were hanging on Ethan's denim pants. "I insist, drunkers."
They didn't argue with each other and just followed Jay to the parking lot. Hoon, Jake and Jay decided not to use their cars and let it parked outside the bar. They're gonna return here tomorrow once they're sober.
"YOU READY?"
Riley nervously shook her head. "Uhm, yes, but I'm nervous."
Jake patted her shoulder. "Don't be. This is the day that you have to be the happiest person alive." He motioned his hand on her. "Look at you. You finally did it. You're finally graduating today." Jake smiled and hugged her. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You made it."
She hugged him back. "I will never go this far if it wasn't for you, my masters. Thank you so much."
Jake kissed her temple. "You're always welcome, Riley."
They went to their respective seats where the students and their guardians' seated. Riley waved at her grandma when she saw her glancing at her with a proud smile on her face. Her grandma is with her masters.
But her smile slowly faded when someone was missing.
Is he coming? I really hope so.
Riley focused herself when the ceremony started. The Dean welcomed all the people who attend this very wonderful event that is going to happen to the students. The moment they have been waiting for is going to happen.
"Riley, Jake is really handsome, does he?" Lotte whispered in her ear.
She chuckled. She knew that Lotte had feelings for Jake and she's shocked when she told her that they kissed at a bar and Jake thought that Lotte was her.
"Yeah, but Jay is more handsome in my eyes." She felt butterflies on her stomach when Jay's breathtaking smile suddenly appeared in her mind.
Lotte squealed lightly. "Oh my god, I'm so happy for you, girl!" She looked around. "But I don't see him anywhere though. Or maybe he's making himself handsome for you." She teased her.
She shook her head. "Nah, he's effortlessly handsome already so there's no need for him to make himself handsome. Just his presence is definitely enough for me."
"Owwwshii." Lotte teased her more while bumping her shoulder to hers. "You're so madly in love, my friend."
A sweet smile appeared on her lips. "I guess I am. And I'm hoping he likes me too."
Lotte shuts her mouth and stays silent. He didn't want to ruin Jay's plan for her. Guiltiness surrounds her system.
Riley only knew that she and Jay broke up already. But far from that, she didn't know that it was all a lie and pretended. That's why she suddenly felt guilty for not telling the truth to her. She's happy that Riley accepted her forgiveness even though she didn't know that she's still not telling her the truth.
She held Riley's both hands. "Sis, I'm really sorry for lying that Jay and I pretend that we're together." She bit her lower lip.
Slowly, Riley's eyes widened and she gasped for air. "W-What?!"
Lotte gulped when she shouted. She didn't mind the people around them that looked in their direction.
"I-I'm so sorry, sis." Lotte apologized.
Riley shook her head and stood up from her seat then ran towards the exit. She needs to find Jay. She needs to talk to him.
~amph1trite~