In Which We Started as Friend

Yoon Bomi

With heavy steps, I strolled along the corridor, reaching my place which only an inch away.  I really needed to lied on my bed, resting my stiff back and numb legs.  I weakly opened the door and walked inside.  I was surprised as Chorong unnie was standing in the living room with a worried look.

“Why?”  I asked, pretending to be cool although I actually worried about her expression.

“Mmmm, it’s stuck…”  She answered ambiguously.

“What?”  I frowned, questioning about her utterance.

Instead on answering, she turned around, letting her back on my direction.  Observing her back-zipper dress, I finally knew what she was talking about.  I approached her and reached my hands out, pulling the zipper down with so much care.  I did not know that those fragile shoulders had bear so much anxiety—trauma—fear—and pain.  Listening to her close friends and cousins, I was pity her for the whole struggling.  If she allowed me, I would be her half—to share the pain—to share the joy.

“Bomi-ya…”  She said softly.

“Eum?”  My hands still on the zipper as it was a bit stuck.

“I am sorry about earlier—I was too rude and emotional.”  She murmured.

“It’s okay, Unnie…  I was also teasing you too far.  I should not do it.  To compare—to talk about your personality…”  I replied in low voice.

I was done her dress.  She turned around, facing me directly.

“I also hate myself—for being this way—for being someone who has explosive emotion.  To be frank, I don’t want to be like this…  I am trying to get better, but it is not as easy as I think.  To be someone whom I’ll greet often, I am really sorry, Bomi-ya…  To live with me means that you’ll be scolded frequently—to suffer of my swinging mood—and receive my rude acts.  But, believe…  I really don’t mean it.  It just naturally released.”  She rattled sadly.  I could see her eyes were turning red, holding back the tears.

“I got it, Unnie…  I haven’t known you well—that’s why I still confused how to treat you.”  I tried to soothe her, hesitating to her shoulder.

“When you get to know me step by step, you’ll know how to socialize with a person like me...”

“I’ll try to get to know you…  Everything about you…  Please open yourself for me—don’t hesitate to tell me about everything.”

“I am sorry to put a burden on a stranger like you…”

“What?  Stranger?  We’re housemate, Unnie…”

She finally smiled after hearing my utterance.  I suddenly forgot about how tired I was—how I really wanted to lying on my bed.  To be with her was much more refreshing.

“Mmmm, does your offer still valid?”  She asked hesitatingly.

 “What offer?”  I stared at her, furrowing my eyebrow.

“Your offer to be friend—Friend who have no secret—friend who will protect each other—who will listen to each other.”  She answered anxiously, shifting her gaze anywhere but my eyes.

I was being the most blithesome person when I heard her words.  I did not care whether she was being sincere or not—even she did not mean it, I already flew away to the sky and hardly to come back to the ground.  For a while, I blinked my eyes, trying to understand if it was real or not.

“Do you really mean it?”  I asked in disbelief.

She nodded solemnly and stretched a smile on her face.  Looked so damn cute.

“I don’t mind if you want more than just a fried.”  I smirked, approaching closer until we were only an inch away.

“What are you doing, Yoon Bomi…”  She stuttered, rendering me to even more.

“I am trying to kiss you…”  I said in lower voice, trying to sound seductive.

I noticed her eyes widened and she started to blush.

“Yaaaaaaa!!!”  She pushed me away rigidly.

I was chuckling away seeing her reaction.

“Hahaha…  I just miss your dolphin scream, Unnie…”  I burst into laugh—louder when I saw she was dumbfounded.

She turned her heels away and headed to her room, revealing her through the ped dress.

“Should I help you to unclasp your bra too?”  I yelled, giving a mischievous smirk.

She glared at me—and if it was a movie, there would be fire around her sparkling eyes.

“You’re crazy!”  She snapped before entering her room, leaving me while giggling on the living room.

Tiring of laughing, I walked toward my room, lying on the bed as soon as I entered the room.  I did not have any energy left to wash myself.  With the dirty and sticky clothes on, I crawled to the unconsciousness, regaining the energy for another unexpected day.

The next morning, I woke as I felt sore on my elbow.  I tried to move it was really hurt.  I barely move it.  I got up and walked toward the mirror.  It was bruised.  I had to hold it as I felt an unbearable pain when I released my right arm.  While holding the pain, I tried to recalled about yesterday.  I guessed my elbow hit the edge of the pillar in the basement.  No wonder I was a bit uncomfortable when I was playing the guitar yesterday.

I walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water.  I was struggling with the pain to get it when Chorong unnie approached me—approached the refrigerator to be frank.

“What are we going to eat for breakfast?”  I asked, leaning on the kitchen counter.

“You don’t wash yourself?”  She asked me back, observing from head to toe.

“I was too tired.”  I answered shortly.

“You are really slouchy…”  She winced, back away from where I was standing.

“I’ll take a bath after this.”  I said and walked away to avoid her upcoming nag.

Entering my room, I headed to my bed instead, sitting on the edge of bed while holding back the pain.  It was getting worse, and I could feel the muscle slightly tensed.  A knock on a door rendering me to walk toward the door reluctantly.

“You haven’t taken a bath yet?”  Chorong unnie said as she looked at me which still wearing the same clothes.

“I think my hand sprained.”  I said weakly.

“What?  Which one?”  She asked worriedly.

“My right elbow.”  I answered.

“How come?”  She held me, checking my right elbow.

“I felt slightly hurt when playing guitar last night, but I felt worse when I got up this morning.”  I explained, holding my pain when she was around my elbow.

“You probably sprained your elbow when saved me from the car last night.  You hit the pillar, right?  Oh, my God…  I broke your guitar—and now, your elbow!  I am really sorry, Bomi-ya…”  She muttered, could not hide her guilty face.

“It’s not your fault, Unnie…”  I appeased her calmly.

“I’ll help you to wash yourself, and we will go to doctor.”  She got up.

I looked at her, blinking my eyes in disbelief.

“I can do it by myself, Unnie…  I am not ready yet—to be in front of you…”  I said shyly.

“I didn’t say that I am going to strip you out…  I said that I will help you to wash up.  Clear your dirty mind!”  She yelled, passing me a towel.

“Arasseo, I can do it by myself—but, if I need some help—can I call you?”  I looked at her hopefully while ing my shirt.

“Sure, I’ll help you…”  She stuttered.

I hesitantly took off my clothes, and was struggling in pulling my jeans down.  She was standing still, watching me shyly.

“Are you going to watch me until tomorrow?”  I spoke sarcastically.

“Eung—I am sorry…”  She was startled before approaching me.

“Wha…  what should I do?”  She asked in trembling voice when stood in front of me.

“Pull my jeans down, please…”  I said softly.

Heat rose up on her neck, tinted her cheek bones.  I was a bit embarrassed too, saying something which sounded like a ual instruction.  I did not know what gotten into me.  I was okay when I kissed her—when I walked closer toward her—teasing her with such skin-ship, but at this juncture, I could not help but blushing and fluttering.  When she arched her back down, laying her fingers on the upper hem of my jeans, kneeling down in front of my covered-crotch to pull down my jeans lower—my mind became wild—and wilder as her breath slightly the seam of my leg’s skin.  I was a bit grateful to sprain my elbow, as I probably lost control and pushed her on my bed.

Don’t start your wild fantasy, Yoon Bomi.

“Can you sit down?  I need to pull your jeans off.”  Her sweet voice broke my fantasy.

I obeyed her, sitting on the edge of my bed.  She pulled it off, and I was deathly embarrassed with only my black and black bra under my ed shirt.  I stole a glance on her, and she dared not to look at me at all.  Her head tilted away facing the other direction.

“Can you help me with this shirt?”  The embarrassment crept out my head, rendering my face as a red crab.

“Eung—“

Oh, please…  Don’t whimper such word, it will make my lust getting higher.

She moved behind me and reached her hands, pulling my shirt carefully.  I held the pain when I had to slightly move my elbow to get my shirt off.  I was too embarrassed to move when I nearly in front of her.  When my head was busy with the way to cast away my embarrassment, I felt warmth hugged around my chest.  She was wrapping the