Ch. 3
When I Met YouChapter 3
“You looked lost and scared, so I will bring you home. I could give you food and place to take a rest, at least for tonight because I don’t want you to go home in the weather like this. Not when you are afraid of thunder. Right?” –he said when we walked to his home. Once again, he smiled at me and I felt my heartbeat increased again. This wasn’t right.
“But, I…” –I tried to denied it, but when I thought again, he was right.
“What?” –he looked at me. I shook my head as I tightened my hold in his hand.
We arrived in his house after walking 10 minutes. His house wasn’t so small or big. Warm and comfortable. That was the first thing that came to my mind as I entered his house.
“Sorry, it’s not big. But, yeah, this is my house.” –he said, I nodded, taking off my shoes.
“You can wait in my room as I prepared your dinner. And you can shower if you want. Come here.” –he led me to his room. He took my suit before hanging it behind the door. Then, he rummaged in his closet to find some clothes for me, pointing the bathroom, and leaving me alone.
I took a look at his room, wandering around. From the room, I could tell that he loved music and I could see he was a bright and genius student from the walls full of achievements hanging on. My eyes landed on one photo on the table, a woman and man figure standing side by side with a little kid around three years old. This must be his parents. He has beautiful eyes from his mother and cute nose from his father. Just from the picture, I could tell that he was a filial son and this was a happy family. Unlike mine. I let a sigh before going out to go shower.
I sat down on his bed, not really know what I should do. Then, I heard the door clicked open. The boy or Youngjae, should I call him, was peeking his head.
“Hey, are you done? Come on, let’s eat.” –he said. I stood up and followed him downstairs. He prepared a lot, well for me there was a lot of foods.
“Sorry, I just have these foods. I hope you don’t mind.” –he said as he took his seat. I sat across him. We began eat slowly. I took a glance at him sometimes. We finished after a while.
“T-thank you for the food. That was great.” –I said. He smiled at me as he took my plate away. I didn’t used to wash or clean by myself, but I felt bad if I let him did it since he cooked for me.
“Let me.” –I said to him as I took the plates from him and pushed him slightly. He chuckled. I began washing the plates.
“You know, you really awkward. I can tell that you’ve never washed a plate before, right?” –he said, still chuckling.
“By the way, we haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Youngjae, Choi Youngjae.” –I looked at him, giving him my best smile. “So, you are Youngjae. Okay, Youngjae-sshi, I’m Jaebum. Im Jaebum.” I said, pretending that I didn't know his name. Why didn't I know his name if he has walls full of achievement with his name printed on. He gasped as he heard my name being said.
“No way! Don’t say that you are the heir of Im Corporation that owned a big mall in the center of Seoul City? Just call me Youngjae because I think you are older than--” –he covered his mouth. I chuckled even though I felt slightly embarrassed by his sudden words.
“No. That was my father’s, not mine.” –I answered him.
“Oh, come on. Still. I heard about you, a lot. From my friends. You’ve graduated from Korean University, right, Jaebum-sshi? Business and management?” –he kept talking. Usually, I hated when someone talk so much. But, with him, I didn’t know why, I just felt right and wanted to kind of hearing more of his voice.
“Yeah. How did you know, Youngjae-ah?” –I asked pressing on his name, faked my uninterested tone, still focusing to wash a bowl.
“Who doesn’t know you? All people around Seoul must be known you.” –he grinned.
“But, you don’t.” –I said. I could see a slight blush on his face. Cute.
“Hey, it’s not that I don’t know you. I just don’t know your face. We never met before and you’ve never seen in any magazine.” –he said, pouting. I laughed. He looked at me, dumbfounded.
“Why are you laughing? Is there something funny?” –he asked innocently.
“No. Just… just you are funny.” –I honestly told him. I never laughed so hard before. He pouted. I took a look at him as I finished washing the plates.
“But, really, Youngjae, how did you know me?” –I asked again curious. I began to get used to call his name. Youngjae. He looked up at me before smiling.
“I am a student in Korean University too, majoring in music. So, I heard about you from my friends. Like you are one a kind student and so famous around other students. Your name was surrounded by rumors though until now, like why didn’t you dating as long as you were in university since you can just pick a girl to be your girlfriend because being with you is one of their dreams. There was a rumor said that maybe you are a ga-“ –he gasped, covering his mouth, realizing what he said.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to talk about it to you.” –he quickly said as he lowered his head.
“No, it’s okay. I have no problem with that rumor. That was just a rumor, right?” –I said as I took his hand, squished it slowly. I didn’t know what possessed me, but sure it wasn’t like me talking so calm and smooth like this, full of affection. I thought that if it wasn’t Youngjae, I probably has been raged out and punched them right on the face since they talked bad about me.
Youngjae looked up at me and smiled, “Yes, that was a rumor. And I heard you will engage with a chebol’s daughter also. So, that rumor wasn’t true, right?” –he asked innocently. I sighed. He quickly added, “I’m sorry that I intruded to your private life. Ignore me.”
“What if that rumor was true? And-“ I was about to answer him when I heard his mother’s voice calling for him.
“Jaebum-sshi, just sleep on my bed. I’ll be right back.” –he said heading to his mother’s room. I stood there, frozen. What did I just do? I left the kitchen as I headed to Youngjae’s room. The room of his mother has the door slightly opened and I could hear their voice. I stopped there for a while. His mother was asking him about who was the guest and I heard Youngjae told his mother, the full story.
“He was the one that I told you, Mom. The phone guy that I met in the bus a few days ago. He was lost here so I brought him home. Is it okay, mom?” –Youngjae told her mom. I could felt their affection towards each other as his mother said, “Of course. You have to be good to everyone. Do not only try to be good, but be good, Youngjae-ah. Do you have any interest at him?” –his mother asked. I could felt my cheek burned up. “Mom…” –Youngjae whined. His mother chuckled. They have similar laughed.
“Youngjae-ah, I don’t know how much time I had now, but I want you to be happy. Find someone that can make you happy and it doesn’t matter to me who he is, as long as you can be happy with him. That way, I can leave you freely. Do you hear me?” –his mother was coughing. And I could tell that Youngjae was panicking.
“Mom… Mom... are you okay? Please, don’t say that. You would never leave me. I know it. You will always with me and I will always with you, Mom. I-I love y-you. D-don’t ever leave me.” –Youngjae began crying. Watching this scene, I felt like crying also. I felt bad for Youngjae. I didn’t want to hear more, so I took my step to his room.
I lied on his bed thinking about what I heard just now. Youngjae was a bright kid despite he has his own problem. I never felt so grateful that I still had my parents although they didn’t always with me and too busy with their work. Youngjae. I muttered his name and sat right when I saw the door was opened. Youngjae entered the room.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. You can always sleep first though.” –he smiled apologetically to me. I smiled back to him, scratching my head as I watched him searching for his clothes in silent.
“I’ll be in shower. You can take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.” With that, he left the room. I lied again on his bed. I lost track of time and I guessed I felt a sleep fast. I didn’t know the time when I woke up hearing a faint cry not too far. I lift myself up and found Youngjae was crying in his sleep on the floor.
I never think that he had such a big problem and a sad life, more than me. I always thought that I was the one that have a bad life. I took myself down, sitting beside him as I shook Youngjae’s body gently. Youngjae shifted a bit and found my hand. He held it tight. I kept soothing his back with my free hand, calmed him down. After a while, when Youngjae wasn’t sobbing anymore, but he still asleep, I lift his body and moved him to the bed.
I was about to sleep on the floor when I felt Youngjae grabbed my hand. I looked at him shocked because he was awake.
“Uh, did I wake you? Sorry, Youngjae-ah.” –I said. He shook his head.
“Where are you going, hyung?” –I shocked again, not because he asked me, but because I heard him calling me ‘hyung’.
“I-I will sleep on the floor. You can have your bed.” –I smiled to him. He shook his head again.
“No. Don’t. Sleep here with me, hyung.” –he sniffled. I froze, but he grabbed my hand again, slightly pulled me to him. I sighed and positioned myself beside him. I heard him saying ‘thank you’. I looked at him, he has his eyes closed. I watched his sleeping figure before I realized that he still had his hand on mine. Night never felt this long before.
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