School Canteen

"How are you feeling now?" Crystal asked Rayan when he entered the hospital VIP room the next day.

Rayan swallowed hard as his breath becomes heavier and warm tears started pooling his eyes. He didn't understand why this woman makes him weak all the time. "Like you care." He mumbled as he looked away from her.

Crystal sighed deeply. She was trying hard to control her temper. "Mr Rayan. I am your doctor. Of course, I care."

"Come out of your profession and then answer this question." He asked even though he knows nothing was the same. Nobody was the same.

He noticed the sadness that crossed Crystal's eyes just now. She cares. She still cares though she pretended she doesn't. "I don't." She lied.

Rayan let out a faint laugh but didn't say anything. Everyone just lies to him. What is he?

Crystal raised her brows. "Why do you laugh?"

He just shook his head. After a while, he looked into her eyes. "How are you?" He broke the silence.

Crystal gulped, trying to gulp the pain away that was creeping her heart. "I am fine." No, I am not. Not at all.

Rayan tried to look deeper into her eyes. She didn't need to answer. She was so easy to read. "Okay!" With that, Rayan closed his eyes, swallowing the harsh breath. He didn't have the courage to talk about the past, to solve everything and start again.

He didn't even know the thing that happened between them if it was right or wrong. If wrong, What was wrong actually? That day, their meeting in the canteen again? If it hadn't happened, things were better now, right? At least, she wasn't like this, hiding her pain, fighting herself.

---

10 years ago...

Nick brought his friends to the canteen in the lunch break and kept telling them he was hungry. As Rayan, Daniel, Nick, and John entered the canteen, everyone stood up and stared at them amazed by them. They were always together and the most famous, rich, and handsome boys in Empire high school. Every girl was crazy about them.

Nick and John walked to a girl and Nick started flirting. "Hi pretty. Are you new?"

Rayan and Daniel looked at each other and sighed together. Rayan grabbed Nick's uniform and Daniel grabbed John's uniform, pulling them towards the table.

"Today Nick will pay the bills," Rayan said as they sat on the chairs.

Daniel smirked. "Serve him right."

Nick furrowed his brows and looked at the cash counter. But as he looked at the cashier, his lips curved with a mischievous smile. "That's good. I will be able to talk with her. That girl from the club. I didn't know she studies here."

They turned to the cashier. When Rayan saw her, his heart almost dropped to his stomach. She was really beautiful.

Daniel turned back to Rayan, "Your niece?" All of them laughed, remembering the moment at the club. Rayan's mood was so bad yesterday.

"I remember she is our junior. She got a scholarship and transferred here one month ago. Her name is Crystal Kelly. Best friend of Sunbin and Alex. Lee Alex, the heir of the LG group." John informed them about her like a radio.

Rayan looked at John. "What about her family?"

John started describing more about her. "She is from a middle-class, Muslim family. But she has her own pride, she is hard-working, smart, brilliant, popular among boys."

Everyone turned their faces to Rayan, stunned when he spoke. "Today's food is on me." Rayan walked to the cash counter to pay the bill first.

"Four plates," Rayan ordered the food to the cashier who was not looking at him. Crystal put the number on the computer and looked at him. "60, 000₩. Cash or credit?"

Rayan narrowed his eyes when he saw no reaction on her face. She didn't remember him! "Cash." He said as he gave her 100,000 won.

When she gave him the receipt with the change, Rayan just took the receipt. "Keep the change."

Crystal shook her head. "I can't. I'm not the cashier." She said politely. She can't take the money.

"It's okay. Take it. I have a lot of money. Don't you know me? I'm Rayan Parker. And I know you need money." Rayan smirked and turned back to walk back to his friends.

But stopped in the midway when Crystal put her hand on his shoulder, calling him. "Excuse me." Everyone in the canteen stopped talking and looked at her. No one in this school dares to talk with him like this.

Rayan's brows creased a little and he turned to her. "Yes."

Crystal held his hand and put the money on his palm. "It's a school canteen. It's a self-service system. I'm not even serving you, so I can't keep this. If you have so much money and want to continue your Charity works, you can just put it inside the charity box." She said before going back to the cash counter, making everyone stunned by her.

Rayan who was standing there, dumbfounded blinked his eyes. He still can't believe what just happened. She was so rude! How can she be this rude to Rayan? To the heir of the empire group!

Before the situation got worse, Rayan's friends came to him and pulled him to the food buffet. Daniel patted on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Let's eat." They knew his anger was going to bust out soon.

Crystal put the next payment from the student and looked back when someone wrapped her hands around her waist. "Ely. Are you done?" She asked with a soft relieved sigh. Ely is the cashier of the canteen. She requested Crystal to stay here instead of her because she wasn't feeling well. She said she'll be here after taking her meal.

"Thank you. Crystal. You can go now." Ely grinned. Crystal is the most helpful student in this school.

Crystal took a glance at that arrogant Rayan before leaving the canteen.

After eating Rayan and his friends came out of the canteen. Daniel always played his piano alone in the music room at lunch break. Nick went to chat with her girlfriend. Rayan and John were walking on the field as always. The school is the largest school in the whole of Korea.

Crystal, Sunbin, and Alex were walking too. Alex noticed Sunbin was searching for someone. She was looking around. "Searching your crush?" He asked.

Sunbin bit her lower lip and turned to him. "Where is he?" She asked with her puppy eyes. She knew Alex knew where is he.

"Playing the piano in the music room," Alex replied with a soft smile.

"Thank you." Sunibim grinned. "Crystal let's go." She held Crystal's hand and ran to the music room of the school where Daniel used to play his piano.

"What about me then? Yea.." Alex shouted.

The place was always so quiet. No one comes here at lunch break expect Daniel. Sunbin and Crystal stood far away from him so that he couldn't see her. A soft melody of the piano was filling the room. It was overwhelming. Crystal closed her eyes and felt it.

"I didn't know Rayan's niece was the one who comes here and listen to it like a thief." Daniel stopped, looking at the corner of the door where Crystal was standing.

Crystal blinked her eyes confusedly. Who is Rayan? And who is his niece? Sunbin? Does she have an uncle? She turned her to look at Sunbin. But she wasn't there. Crystal widened her eyes and looked back, searching Sunbin. She was running. She ran when he looked at them.

Crystal sighed and started taking steps backwards to walk away from here. But stopped when he spoke.

"Don't go. Come here."

Crystal sighed deeply before coming in front of him. "Actually,  my friend is the one..."

"I know. Kidding with Rayan's niece." Daniel smiled.

Crystal clenched her jaw. She tried to remember if she has any uncle named Rayan or not. "I don't have an uncle named Rayan."

"Are you sure? You called Rayan uncle yesterday night." Daniel remembered her.

Crystal itched her jaw, trying to remember. "Ah! That! His name is Rayan. Actually, I didn't see his face. So I just call him uncle what my mind told me." She explained.

Daniel laughed softly. "Do you like playing the piano?" He asked.

Crystal nodded. "Yes. But I forget how to play. I leaned it a long time ago."

Daniel patted on the empty space beside him and looked at her. "Try it."

Crystal shook her head. "I can't. I really forget."

"I'll help you." Daniel smiled.

Crystal now sat beside him, "Don't regret." Daniel laughed softly. "I'll not. What song are you going to play?"

"You'll tell me the name when I'll finish." Crystal put her fingers on the piano. Taking a deep breath, Crystal's fingers started playing on the piano. An overwhelming melody filled the room again.

She was playing chords D, Bm, G, A, playing those notes with her left hand, and arpeggiating the chords on her right hand.

Daniel looked at her who was so into playing the piano, she was playing it like a professional. She didn't forget, she just didn't have the confidence because of her nervousness.

When she finished, Daniel averted his gaze from her. "Unchained melody by the righteous brothers." He told the song's name.

Crystal smiled and nodded. "Yes. You're right."

Daniel turned to her again. "You played better than me."

Crystal shook her head. "No, you're so good. And I just remember this one. I forget technics."

Daniel pursed his lips. "Do you want me to help you?" He offered.

Crystal's lips curved into a wide smile. "Can you?" As Daniel nodded, Crystal bowed. "Thank you, Daniel ."