WORD by jkeira: Prejudice – n. preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience


~PREJUDICE~

"The first time I saw you, I had no idea who you were," I told him over a cup of coffee in my kitchen table.

It was a rainy afternoon and Gray-senpai came by for coffee right after a photoshoot. We haven't seen each other in two weeks due to conflicting schedules, he with his band and I with EO. I don't mind keeping in touch with him with just texts and calls but face-to-face interaction is just different.

"Because you didn't have TV back then..." senpai said, looking at me with playful eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry for living under a rock!"

He looked at me with curious eyes. "Hey, what was your first impression of me?"

"What? Why are you asking me that?" I asked. If I were to be honest...

"I don't know... I'm just curious." He smiled at me. "So? Will you tell me?"

I gently put down my cup and breathed out through my nose, preparing myself for a long list of words.

"Narcissistic, self-righteous, proud—"

Gray-senpai choked on his drink, flushing. "Hey!"

"Ignorant, childish, pretentious, adulterous—"

"I'm not adulterous!"

"Stubborn, know-it-all, jealous—"

"Haven't you heard of the saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover'?!"

"Insecure, two-faced, irresponsible aaand stupid."

I noticed that by the end of the last word, he was angry, but more embarrassed. The tips of his ears were pink as he slammed his hand on the table.

"Wasn't it you who wanted to talk first impressions?"

"I didn't think you were so against teen idols...!" he reasoned. His facial expression reminded me of a panda bear.

"I was young and ignorant back then," I told him, trying to calm him. I might have gone a wee bit overboard.

"But still! It hurts that you think of me like that..."

I came over to him to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulders. "N-Now, now, my impression of you changed since then..."

The rain poured heavily outside, covering Magnolia in a curtain of icy droplets. The first lighting flashed in chorus with the thunderbolt. Surprised and a bit scared, I jumped, my hands clutching the sleeve of senpai's shirt. Four years and I still haven't completely gotten over that. I'm fine with not being under the piano but the noise still shakes me quite a bit.

Gray-senpai watched as I shivered and hid behind his chair like a child. He smiled playfully at me and chuckled.

"I thought for sure you'd be fine with the thunder now..."

"It's not that easy," I said, breathing in and out at a steady pace. "It's been like this for years now. It's not something that can be changed over night."

He laughed silently, through his nose. He reclined on his chair, head resting on the back rest. "The first time I saw you in this situation," he started, "I said, 'Hey, if she's not constantly making harsh comments, she can be cute'..."

"You mean back at Levy's 18th?"

He nodded.

"I've always thought of you as a she-man but at that time you were like a wet kitten."

"Don't make it sound pitiful!" I said and covered his face with my hands. If I tried, I could suffocate him then and there.

Gray-senpai took my hands and laid a few soft kisses on them. "I think that was when I first realized I like you..."

I was speechless; I can never retort to his sentimental statements. I tried to pass them off as jokes before but then he makes more of them. And frankly, even just a bit, I might... like it?

"I really didn't like you back then," I said and he stopped kissing the back of my palms; he, instead, wrapped them around his neck.

"Just because I'm famous?"

"No, that's not it." I disagreed, "I guess... this is what you would call 'the prejudice that breeds love'?"

"Well, since you put it that way..." he chuckled.

The lightning flashed again and I closed my eyes in reflex. And moment now, I would hear the loud boom of the thunder.

"You don't have to be afraid when I'm here, Lucy..." he said, feeling me jolt. I hesitated for a moment, but then embraced senpai from the back tightly.

I never really liked him in the beginning. You could say that he annoys me; he's narcissistic, proud, childish, jealous and insecure—but I guess that's what made me like him.

Let's just not tell him that, okay?


jkeira: Was that okay? Oh, I hope I got it right! _ This was actually one of the hardest words so I hope it turns out okay!