"We've caught Eujae!"

At Risa's cheerful voice, the three art students look up. They are in the University's main cafeteria, waiting for their friends so they all can have lunch together. It is not surprising to see Tem and Cloud with Risa. What's new is Eujae being with them.

Judging from Risa's iron grip on her friend's arm and Eujae's unsatisfied expression, anyone can easily figure out that someone was forced to be here. Tem and Cloud sit across Poll while Risa pushes Eujae onto the seat farthest from the male twin.

The group spends eating their lunch in silence, and when everyone is almost done, Cloud announces, "By the way, my mom decided to celebrate my birthday on Friday night. I want you all guys to be there."

Without missing a beat, Eujae answers, "I'm sorry, mate, but please count me out."

Poll scoffs. He badly wants to say something nasty but bites his tongue, remembering the incident in the grill restaurant. For the sake of their friends, he doesn't want the same thing to happen again.

"Eujae," Tem starts, her voice almost pleading, but is immediately interrupted.

"You know I can't, Tem." With a weak smile, Eujae shakes his head. "If we're done here, I'll walk first. I'm really sorry, guys." He doesn't even wait for any reply as he walks out of the room, leaving the group in awkward silence.

Seeing his friends' disappointments, Poll curses under his breath. Seriously? He'd kept quiet the whole time, behaving himself, just so he won't cause another problem for their friends. And yet, that jerk keeps on being difficult.

Unable to take the attitude any longer, Poll stands up, ignoring his friends' questions about where he's going, and runs for the door.

I am so going to give that jerk a piece of my mind.

As soon as Poll gets out of the cafeteria, he turns left and right, searching for a brunette head. He finds him on the pathway, turning on the corner that leads to the Business Administration College building. There is no time to think twice as Poll runs after Eujae.

It has not taken long before Poll catches up. The minute he's behind Eujae, he grabs the taller man's shoulder, forcing him to face him. He doesn't waste a single second as he seizes Eujae's collar to pull him forward. Without much preamble, Poll screams at Eujae's face, "What the fuck is your problem?!"

Understandably, Eujae is slow to react. He was caught off guard and must have been stunned when Poll charged at him. Wide-eyed, he stares at Poll as though the other man has lost his sanity. "I should be the one asking you that, Apollo." His voice is laced with disbelief when he speaks at last. Clasping a hand around Poll's wrist, he pries the hold off his shirt. He doesn't let go after that. Instead, he tightens his grasp on Poll's hand, fingers digging against the other's skin, as he demands in a grave tone, "What the fuck is your problem?"

Poll yanks his hand away from Eujae's grip and ignores the inflicted pain. He curls his hands into fists, his emotion never wavering at once. Defiantly, he stares back at Eujae. "My problem is you being overdramatic!" At some point, he stops being aware of the fact that they are still within the University premises where they may easily attract unwanted spectators. Repercussions be damned, Poll is too frustrated to give it any regard. "Can you stop discarding your friends already, jerk?! You want to ignore me, fine! But do you have to involve them in this too?!"

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that, asshole?" Eujae asks sharply. "They're your friends too, aren't they? Are you going to stay away from them in place of me?"

"And why should I?! I am not as dramatic as you!"

Eujae stops briefly. He stays silent for a while, looking at a loss, as he eyes Poll. After a moment of no reaction, he lets out a derisive laugh and aggressively runs a hand on his hair. "I'm pretty sure I've been doing both of us a favor by keeping my distance from you." Even his voice is unsteady as it keeps going up a notch with each word he speaks. "I'm done giving a fuck with you and all your shits. I don't even have it me to retaliate anymore. I'm trying my best to get out of your face, aren't I? But why does it seem like you're still not satisfied? Just what the fuck do you want me to do?"

It may not be the best time but Poll can't help but be awed by the way Eujae is acting weirdly. He has never seen him this rattled. Annoyed, yes, but never this confounded. Irate, yes, but Eujae has always gotten it under control in the end.

Not at the present. Eujae seems like he's at his wit's end this time. And still looking agitated, he finally snaps, "What the hell do you want from me?!"

Poll startles, seeing the fire leaps into Eujae's eyes. This is another first time. Eujae's rage, no matter how intense, has always been icy, not fiery. But right now, his angry stare is searing instead of biting.

Unsure if he's scared or just shocked, Poll remains motionless for a second. Indignation prevails in the end, and he shouts back, "Don't make it sound like I want anything from you! I don't fucking care what you do with your fucking life! I just told you to stop ignoring your friends!"

"And I told you that's not possible for as long as you're around them! I don't know what kind of game you're pulling this time, but I'm not playing anymore." Eujae is all over the place now, his frustration loud. "I don't want to have anything to do with you again, so just leave me alone, won't you?" He doesn't leave any room for further argument as he turns and walks away.

But Poll won't have any of that. "Don't talk like you're some kind of a self-important jerk! Do you think I want to have anything to do with you too?! Prick! Jackass!" He keeps yelling after Eujae and when a pair of male students pass by, looking at him nosily, Poll turns his glare at them, making them scamper away. Furious, he screams the first obscene word he can think of to call Eujae.

"Fuckboy!" In hindsight, even he should have known that using the word to describe Eujae is absolutely unreasonable.

He never thought Eujae could turn back and cross the distance in between them in an instant, but before Poll can throw another insult, the guy is in front of him again, roughly grabbing his shirt and thrusting him against the nearest post.

Poll closes an eye, wincing, as he feels the impact on his back. It has taken some time for his mind to process what happened. When he finally grasps the whole situation, he looks up to glare at Eujae, only to freeze when he sees the other's dark expression. Suddenly, he can no more deny the fear that he's feeling.

"I suggest you be careful with that fucking mouth of yours, asshole," Eujae hisses, voice dropping to a dangerous level. His grip on Poll's shirt tightens and he leans closer to get on his face. They are practically nose to nose now and Poll can see that the iced-cold emotion has come back into Eujae's eyes. His glare is a serious warning, as well as the cutting words that come out through gritted teeth. "If you don't have anything good to say, it's better if you keep it shut before I make you. My temper is already very limited when it comes to you, Apollo, and right now, I am seriously on verge of losing it all. Don't fucking test me."

Eujae shoves Poll away, letting him drop, sitting, to the ground. With one final glare, he turns his back again and stalks off.

Flabbergasted, Poll can only stare as Eujae walks away. He stays slumped on the ground, his breathing ragged and his heart beating abnormally. It is only when Eujae is out of sight does his mind start to clear.

He doesn't make an effort to get up. Bending his legs, he rests his arms on his knees and buries his face down. He feels pathetic for letting himself be overwhelmed. He could have just punched Eujae earlier but he was too shaken by that guy's actions. What was his problem?

What is their problem?

What the hell do you want from me?

Indeed, what does he want from that jerk? Why has he been so pissed with that asshole's recent behavior? Isn't Eujae doing the right thing by keeping his distance? Isn't it best if they stop involving with each other?

But why does it seem like you're still not satisfied?

Even he doesn't know anymore. Aggravated, Poll stands up hastily, and without a care if the whole campus hears him, he cries out loud, "Damn you, Eujae Castillo! Jerk! Asshole!"