“I don’t care if I’m hurt as long as you’re not.” Jiyong let out a weak smile and struggled to sit up straight. Chaerin helped him up while trying to contact her sister. “I was worried about you. I’m so sorry. I was foolish to leave you here alone.”

“Whatever. Everything’s fine. I’m still in one piece! I even beat the out of this maniac. Clearly, I proved that to you.” Chaerin said all in one go before she was finally connected to her sister. “Minzy-ah??” Chaerin cried. “Please be here!! I’m with Jiyong. He’s hurt!! Huh?? Where are you? I’ll send you the picture of this place okay? Just ask Daesung to drive. Okay?? Hey! Yeah, I’m fine.. I’m fine. Bye!” she pressed the end button and turned to Jiyong. “They’ll be here soon. Hang on.”

“It’s not like I’m dying… don’t overreact.” Jiyong said.
“You’re bleeding a lot, Jiyong!!!! If it wasn’t for me, I bet by now, you’d be mistaken as an overripe fruit!!!” Chaerin burst out. Jiyong was being an when she’s damn worried about his condition--- poor condition. “You think you’re so strong? Then tell me why you’re covered with blood, with wounds and with dirt right here and right now!!! Is that something you’ve wanted to earn? Hell no!! Kwon stupid Jiyong!! Stop being an . Just shut up and wait for Minzy and Daesung!! We’re going to clean you up. Damn it!”

Jiyong grew wordless at Chaerin’s outburst. He didn’t expect that reaction coming from her. Sure, he’s hurt. But seeing that she’s so affected by it, gave him the idea, Being hurt like this, does it hurt her too?  He decided to stay quiet and wait for their friends. Luckily too, the stars never stopped circling Taecyeon’s head. He was still knocked out on the ground during the time Minzy and Daesung came to Jiyong and Chaerin’s rescue.

Jiyong insisted not to be taken to a hospital. It’s all the same… the first aid kit. The only difference is that they’d be using their name and kit to clean up my wounds and we use just the kit. Chaerin was supposed to help Jiyong but she ended up cooking dinner. Minzy, oppositely, took care of her best friend and apologized for being “mean” to him.

“It’s just that… what kind of seriously concerned and frustrated dongsaeng wouldn’t go nuts if her older sister disappeared? We’ve been separated before. I don’t want that to happen again!” Minzy told Jiyong as she carefully covered his wound with a band-aid. “Do you ever know how she got back here?”

“No,” he replied. Jiyong was all ears as Minzy shared Chaerin’s story.

“Well, as you know, we have the same dad and different moms. My mom died when I was still little and when our dad died, her mom remarried  and abandoned me. Her mom wasn’t very fond of me since I am no child of hers. I was the child of dad and another woman. She loathed me. Then, Chaerin unnie, upon going to another country, chose me over her parents. It was a “her or us” decision making and she picked me.” Minzy counted with her fingers and stopped at 2. “She worked 25/8 for 2 years in a small food chain in order to save money and return to my side. Several times, she had collapsed due to fatigue. She endured everything!” Minzy smiled bitterly as she looked at the ground. “Recently, her mother found out about us… that we’ve been reunited and we’re living with each other again. Her mother got so furious that… she disowned Chaerin unnie. It may seem to us that she’s not hurting; that she’ fine. But, I know best, trust me. Chaerin unnie’s bottling everything inside and I also see that she’s living with that constant pain. She loves her parents very much, including her mother. Her mom might be cruel to me, but to her… she’s treated like the most precious princess ever. But now, she isn’t anymore. That’s because of me…”

Jiyong suddenly felt something heavy weighed down his heart.

Lee Chaerin.

The girl whose life he swore to ruin.

The girl he tried so much to push in a living hell.

The girl he tortured and made fun of…

She is already suffering but he’s pushing her to the limit by making her life worse…

Cruel and despicable, that was how Jiyong described himself in his thoughts. You’ve known Lee Chaerin. How can you act that way?  There are so many things unknown to him. He doesn’t even know her favorite food, her painful experiences, her childhood story… everything about her seems like a question mark. Since they met, he had been giving her a rough time, for he made sure that hell was to be given in her life.

---

Chaerin, upon setting up the table, immediately went to call Minzy and Jiyong. Daesung had to leave early since he still has to “lead” bible study sessions.

“Yah. Are you two done? We should eat now.” Chaerin called Jiyong and Minzy as she continuously tapped the wall with her fingers. She heard her sister shout back Coming!  so she proceeded to the kitchen first. Chaerin sighed as the picture of Jiyong bleeding occupied her mind once again. He risked his life in order to save mine.

“What’s for dinner, chef? It smells nice! Oooooh!!” Minzy commented as she entered the room. Jiyong followed closely behind.

“It’s roast beef.” Chaerin replied, her eyes fixed on Jiyong. “Beef, cause it’s been a long day.”

“Haha yeah!” Minzy sat on her usual seat, ready to pig out on the delicious food in front of her. She was about to slice a part of the beef for herself, but stopped when she noticed that the two weren’t seated yet. “Heyy!! I’m hungry! Let’s eaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.”

“Let’s eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.”

“Where are you two?”

“Jiyong oppa? Chaerin unnie???

Minzy sighed. Where are they?

After a couple of minutes, she suddenly heard Jiyong ask. “Deal?”

“What deal?! I’m hungry!! I said Let’s eat! I’m not asking for a deal! Come on!” Minzy remarked when her oppa appeared back to her sight. “What? Jiyong oppa you don’t need to shake Chaerin unnie’s hand if you’re touched by her cooking. Just say thank you. And please, have mercy on your dongsaeng. I’m really hungry. Let’s eat now! Ne?”

Jiyong and Chaerin exchanged glances before joining Minzy for dinner. They sat across each other quietly.

“Also unnie, tell us how you escaped from the creepy guy!” Minzy threw her a request.

“That’s simple.” Chaerin said while putting a big spoon of brown rice on her plate. “I met a man who’s easily pleased with little things. That in exchange for my freedom. Haha.” She flattened the rice and smiled. The two gave her questioning looks, causing her to breathe out heavily.

“What do you mean Chaerin unnie?”

“What did you do?”

Minzy and Jiyong asked together.

--

“GET THAT OUT OF MY FACE!!!!!!!” Taecyeon yelled as he almost kicked his friend in the face.

“Chill, hyung! I only want to feed you…” Wooyoung pouted like a child and took the food tray away from his friend’s reach. When Taecyeon looked away, he whispered “Who are you to resist the deliciousness of the chicken in front of you?!”

“What’s up anyway? Why are you feeding me?!” Taecyeon asked, pissed at nothing in particular.

“I’m just concerned about your health, hyung. You should feel honored.” Wooyoung narrowed his eyes although it originally looks narrowed. “I.WAS.SHARING.MY.CHICKEN.” He left the room and shouted for their other friends’ help. “YOU FEED THIS GUY!!! I’M DONE!”

“Tsk, he must have found a new chicken supplier.”

--

“I can’t believe it. That’s foolish of him. Hahahha, but, good for you!” Minzy said before jumping onto the chair. “All it took was a month supply of chicken!” Chaerin nodded in agreement and rested on her spot. Tonight, the two sisters planned to do a movie marathon in the living room. So they camped out of their rooms and rearranged the sofa chairs.

“I know, me too. I thought he’d ask for a night with me. I was so scared to death.” Chaerin sounded sarcastic, but she was dead serious.

“Unnie!!!” Minzy left her place in order to hug her sister. “That idiot Jiyong! If only he didn’t leave you in that place, then none of these would have happened. I mean, look at the situation now. You’re pretty traumatized although it’s not that obvious. Jiyong oppa’s hurt for being a weaky-doodle-doo. I~!!!!! Almost had a heart attack.. and Daesung was really scared as well!

Chaerin break free to face Minzy. “Don’t blame him. Actually, if only I didn’t ask him to drop me there, then none of these would have happened. It’s not his fault.” Her dongsaeng smiled mischievously and teased, “You give me the feeling that you’re taking the blame because you like him. Am I right, unnie?????? Do you like Jiyong oppa??? Come on! Tell me!!”

“Pshh!”

“Not answering, huh?” Minzy grinned and started to tickle Chaerin. “Unnie!! Do you like Jiyong oppa? Do you like my best friend? Come on, tell me! I think you’re cute together!! Unnie??”

“Minz---ahh!! Hahahah. Get off--- hey! Yah!! That’s rea—hahahahhha!! Oh my God. Stoooooooop hahah!~”

“I’ll stop only if you answer my question!” Chaerin ran away from Minzy but the active dongsaeng caught up with her and released a tickle attack once more.

“Hahahahha, heyyyy!! It’s --- hahahahha just stop it. Let’s watch the—hahahha movie T.T hahaha.”

“Do you like him?”

“….. hahhhahhhha..”

*more tickle*

“Do you?”

“WAHAHAHAHAH!!!”

*tickle tickle*

*Minzy stops*

“Hahahaha!! I!! I do..” Chaerin bit her lip as soon as her laughter died down and the answer came out from . “I m-mean…”

“I KNEW IT!!” Minzy immediately stood up and pointed a finger at her sister with an exaggerated arm movement. “So, is everything between you two settled?”

Whew. Good thing she had another meaning for my answer, Chaerin said in her thoughts. “Yeah, we’re okay! We already talked about it before our dinner earlier.””

“Oh, I see! I’m happy about that!!” Minzy smiled as she hugged her unnie again. Actually, she was more than glad to find out about their “Now-Friends” status. At least she won’t have to worry about them every second!

--

“Hey, are we good now?” Jiyong tightly held my wrist as he asked me seriously.

“Yeah, I think so.” I quickly replied. “Why?”

“I just want to have an agreement with you. I hope you say ‘Yes’. Kay? Whatever happens, don’t like me more than you should. Don’t… I mean… We just need to be friends, okay?” I was taken aback by his proposed agreement. It’s… absurd. Do you want that, Jiyong?

“I know you’re expecting for my ‘Yes’ but… can I ask why first?”

“I don’t know… just.. what do you say? Deal??”

I already like you, Jiyong. I don’t even know why. You’ve been such an to me, but, why am I feeling this way? Damn, because of you my cardiovascular system gets all worked up. I kind of partly hate it, you know. I’m not sure if I can live up to my word, but I’ll try my best. I think it’s also for the better. So… “That’s easy. Deal.”  I hope it’s really easy. Now I have to ‘un-like’ you. 

cr: mbracensomnia for the wonderful edit :D

--

Hey there +_+ Sorry for being such a fail author. I know I D8 forgive moi! It's been months since I've last updated and I think you missed out on some things (my life slash the thing you're not interested of lolol). Anyway, I am now at college (woohoo!) and I'm pretty busssssy. You know, school works. Plus, I decided to be a little more ~active~ now that I'm in college. So I joined orgs and this one sport that can be closely related to my number 1 loves, KWON GD. Take a guess!!! =) Hahahah. Any idea what 'sport' I am into? 

Here's my chapter debt. T_T