Chapter 17: A Past to Consider
1570words
"So, you're saying I should not be around him because he... caused trouble before?" she asked with an unsure voice.
Ayo crossed his arms, his face tense. "It's not that simple, Eki. Kunle gets… involved in things. Things that can be dangerous."
"Dangerous how?" she pressed, suspicion hardening her gaze.
Ayo stopped for a moment, avoiding her eyes. "Hmm, you might say he is good at getting into trouble, and the people who get involved are not very… friendly."
Eki scoffed. "Sounds vague. Look, Ayo, thank you for your concern. But I am not a delicate flower needing a guard. I can care for myself."
Ayo's jaw tensed. "This is not only about keeping you safe," he said, with a short flash of something like anger in his eyes. "It's about protecting you from him."
The anger in his response made Eki feel more curious. It was obvious this wasn't just about Kunle making trouble; there was something deeper, something personal that touched Ayo's reaction.
"Alright," she conceded, forcing her voice to remain calm. "Tell me, then. What happened between you and Kunle?"
Ayo let out a deep sigh, and his shoulders fell as if he were holding something very heavy. "It is a long story," he spoke softly, "and it is not one I like to think about."
Eki waited patiently, a flicker of empathy softening her earlier frustration.
Finally, after staying silent for a long period, Ayo began to speak. His voice was gentle and carried some regret as he shared their past with Kunle—stories of big dreams about becoming musicians, strong bonds formed because they loved music so much, but then gradually getting involved in small crimes and coming across dubious individuals.
As Eki listened, she discovered a different aspect of Kunle, an artist with many problems who felt more at ease living on the fringes of society. The more Ayo spoke, the better Eki understood why there was concern in his eyes when they were at the market.
Still, even when she remembered the troubled Kunle, his heartfelt music and their strange connection were unforgettable. The memory stayed vivid in her mind.
"So, you're telling me he's bad?" Eki asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Ayo shook his head. "Not bad, Eki. Just… complicated. Lost in a world of his own making. He used to dream big, just like you."
His words touched Eki a lot in her heart. She had dreams too, but those dreams were looking more and more difficult to reach because of the competition with Yemi and the worries about the investor.
"Maybe," she said with a strong voice, "that is why I felt something when I looked at him. Maybe inside him still has that dream, something worth saving."
Ayo's face had both frustration and worry mixed in. "Eki, there is nothing left to save." He's gone too far."
Eki stared into his eyes, feeling even more determined. "Maybe," she replied, "but I will not give up on people so fast."
Ayo's face showed he was upset for a bit, but then he sighed like he was giving up. "Okay," he said. "But if you do get involved with Kunle, be careful. Very careful."
A knock on the door interrupted their serious conversation. Eki jumped, startled by the sudden sound.
"Who could that be at this hour?" she muttered, walking towards the door.
Peeking through the peephole, she suddenly stopped breathing. There was Kunle, his face lighting up with a shy smile. He held a worn guitar case in his hand.
Eki's heart was beating very quickly inside her chest. When she looked at Ayo, she saw both surprise and worry together on his face.
Eki," Ayo whispered, his voice laced with urgency. "Don't open the door."
Eki's head had many feelings – curiosity, happiness, and a little bit of worry because Ayo was being very careful.
She looked at Ayo, and with a question in her eyes, she did not speak. His face still had traces of worry.
Eki walked near the door and took a deep breath, with the sound of the lock echoing in the quiet room.
As she opened the door, Kunle's smile widened, revealing a flash of white teeth.
"Hey Eki," he speaks with a warm voice, making me feel calm. "Do you maybe have one extra string?" My E-string just decided to take a vacation."
Eki gazed at him, her head swirling with many emotions and dreams combining like a storm. Ayo stood behind her, body tense and eyes squinting as he observed Kunle.
Eki hesitated, "A spare set, maybe. Please enter."
Kunle's smile became wider as he moved forward, stepping past her to go inside the flat. He took a quick look at Ayo, who was still standing by the door with an expression that seemed full of emotions mixed.
The tension felt very strong, like air full of electricity. Eki closed the door and stopped the city noise, making the uncomfortable silence in their small apartment easier to notice.
"This is Ayo," Eki finally said, gesturing towards her friend.
"Ayo," Kunle acknowledged with a curt nod. "Fancy meeting you here."
Ayo just made a gurgling sound without saying a word, his eyes fixed on Kunle's face. Eki felt trapped between them, the silence from their past making the atmosphere feel dense and heavy.
"So," Eki interjected, hoping to break the tension, "you're a musician, huh?"
Kunle's eyes became gentle when he looked at her. "Yes," he said, with a little pride in his voice. "I have been playing since I was young also. Mostly, I teach myself, you know, learning from the streets only." I started playing when I was very little. Mostly, I learn on my own in the streets.
He opened his guitar case, showing an old instrument that had been played many times. The strings seemed tired from countless hours of use and strumming. A sad feeling comes from old wood, every scratch and dent has a story to tell.
"The song you played at the market," Eki asked with much interest in her voice, "it was so nice. Where does it come from?"
Kunle's eyes moved away from her, and you could see some sadness on his face. "It is just something small I wrote a few days ago." Memories, you see?"
He stopped talking, then the silence came back around them. Eki had many questions in her head; she wanted to know more about the story behind the music very deeply. But the serious feeling in that room made her keep silent instead.
Just then, Ayo cleared his throat, breaking the spell.
"Understand," he said, with a short tone in his voice. "I must go now. I have destinations to reach and duties to finish."
Eki's eyes had doubt inside, but he did not turn around to meet her questioning look. He gripped his bag firmly and moved towards the door.
"Alright," Eki said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "See you tomorrow, Ayo?"
He gave a non-committal answer and proceeded down the hallway, abandoning Eki with Kunle.
The quiet became very intense again. Eki kept watching Kunle, who was now looking down at the ground with no smile on his face anymore. He seemed to display a kind of gentleness that was not seen earlier, which is different from his tough personality in the past.
"So," Eki finally said, trying to lighten the mood, "about that spare string…"
Kunle looked up, a flicker of hope rekindling in his eyes. "Yeah, about that."
Eki goes to a small storage cabinet. She opens the drawers and looks inside, searching until she finds an old dusty box with guitar strings. When her eyes turn back around, her heart skips a beat.
Kunle was nearer now, his eyes fixed on her face with such intensity that she felt a chilly shiver go through her. The music from the market entered her mind, and this unusual melody combined with an odd attraction towards Kunle.
"What is it?" she whispered, mesmerized by his dark gaze.
Kunle did one motion; he moved his hand slowly and very cautiously. His fingers gently reached her fingertips. When they touched, it felt like an electric current going through her body. At that moment, all the warnings and tension went away; even Ayo being there did not matter anymore.
"Eki," he spoke quietly, with his voice so gentle that it made her shiver, "I have something important to tell you... it's about the task."
Eki's breath caught in her throat. Project? What project?
Without her query, Kunle moved nearer and his lips hung close to her ear.
"They may not be like they appear," he said quickly. He paused, gazing into her eyes, and then gently added, "Me also."
The world changed in ways that felt strange to him. Who were these people, and what was he talking about when mentioning this project? And what did Kunle know that could alter everything?
Just when Eki was about to ask something, there came a loud knock from their house door. This noise makes both Eki and Kunle quickly move back, surprised by the sudden interruption in the quiet.
"Eki, I beg you!" Ayo's voice came from the other section, full of anxiety. "It's the police!"
