Page 11 of Paradox
I act interested. “Really? What did he do?”
“Practically disowned himself.”
“Disowned himself?” I repeat, staring Jin right in the eye.
“He dropped out of college, left our parents a note, and…”
Tek continues to ramble on, but I’m overwhelmed by the anguish on Jin’s face, and by how powerful it makes me feel. “You,” I mime to him. “Are my slave.”
His chin hits his chest, but as I stand, he grips the front of my jeans and nods.
I pull the phone away from my ear and push the microphone into the palm of my hand. “You do whatever I say.”
“Okay,” he whispers back.
“No lip. No pushing my buttons.”
“Okay. I promise.”
I bring the phone back to my ear. “Look, Tek. I’m sorry to hear all that, but I’m not sure why you think I’d know anything about your annoying ass little brother.”
“Yeah, I know... I guess I’m just desperate and didn't know who else to call.”
“I suppose I should feel flattered,” I tell him with all the sarcasm I know he expects, while at the same time grabbing the back of Jin’s sweatshirt until he’s standing. “But I need you to consider me unreachable for the next three months.”
“But what if—”
“Goodbye, Tek.”
I hang up the phone and drag Jin with me as I walk into the kitchen.
“Th–thank you.”
“I didn’t say you could talk.” I hold a bottle of water against his chest until he takes it. “That’s all you’re getting until I decide you deserve some more.”
He looks at it then back to me with his eyebrows pushing together and a hundred questions dying to spill out of his mouth.
Dragging him back to the door, I take down a battery lantern from a hook beside it and pull him onto the porch. Handingthe lantern off to him as well, I make a point of closing the cabin door behind us. Letting go of him, I take the five bottles of soju from the front of his backpack, then shove it at him. “A downpayment for my good deed. Now get.”
“I thought you said—”
“And I thought I told you not to talk?” Exasperated, he jerks his head towards the cabin. “I agreed to keep your secret. I didn’t say you were staying in the cabin.”
If looks could kill, my head would be rolling across the porch. Unable to keep my laughter inside, I pick up the axe and jab him in the back with its blunt side. Down the steps and around the side of the cabin I direct him as he continues to look back at me.
Taking the lantern from him, I turn it on and walk towards the old, original cabin. The door opens with a loud creek, and I hang the lantern on a nail and wave inside like there’s anything in there worth looking at. “Home sweet home.”
Jin takes a step forward, then two straight back again. “I’d rather sleep on the porch.”
“And I’d rather you not be here. But as long as you are, this is where you’ll be living.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No, no, no,” I correct him with a smug grin and a shake of my head, then proceed to take his backpack off of him and force the axe into his hand. “What isn’t fair is that you have a whole pile of firewood to chop before you go to sleep.”
“But—”
“But you better get to chopping, if you don’t wanna make me mad.”
