Choi Haseul

When I sat on that chair, YongGuk greeted me shyly. We were both awkward around each other for obvious reasons. I was fidgeting my book in my pocket while YongGuk was smoothing out the surface of the table. Daehyun  bursted in laughs, making us widen our eyes at him." Oh sorry but it's so tense between you two. I'll leave you a bit of intimacy don't worry. "

The atmosphere did feel lighter after his appearance. YongGuk grinned to me. " You look horrible. "

I gasped. " I fell in the stairs!! " All the left side of my face was  bruised. Plus my band aid. I looked clearly horrible.

" Yeah exactly what I am saying. Why did you do all of that ? "

I shrugged. " I wanted to show her. How easy a mistake is made. He pushed me in the stairs and I could have made a big deal of this. Saying he is a violent guy that tried to kill me. Why not ? I think that's how she understood how she messed up your life. "

YongGuk looked at me a bit surprised and didn't say anything for long seconds. He had a long sigh. " You shouldn't get angry at her. She's vulnerable. "

I rolled my eyes. " Vulnerable ? She looked like a spoiled wife that gets everything from her husband. It made me sick to witness all of that. "

His eyes locked with mine and my willpower disappeared. " I'm asking you that as a favor. Please, stop being mean with her. "

The man in front of me looked really sincere. He really wanted me to treat her better. But it was insane, after all the things he suffered from because of her. By any chance, did he still love her ? Even when she's married and pregnant ? I stayed silent, rumaging about this. YongGuk hand reached my face." You got a bruise on your face. "

" The stairs were huge."

He grazed his fingers on my bruised brow bone and had an audible sigh. " Please take care of you. "

I coughed for a bit and he removed his fingers from my cheek, gently resting it on his knee. " I'm lending you a book. " I chose the new book of Joel Dicker. I read every single book of him and loved his writing. YongGuk flipped though the pages and smiled.

"You liked it ? " YongGuk asked politely.

" So much. He even came to South Korea to a book sign and got invited on TV;. So I got my book signed."

I showed him my autograph and the photo of the author. YongGuk had a pout and I was confused for a while. " So you like that kind of man ? "

I widened my mouth at that question and nodded suddenly shy. " Well ... he is charismatic. "

YongGuk sounded kind of amused and dropped the subject, we talked about poetry and he even  learned some lines by heart. " Poetry really soothes my soul. I never thought I would enjoy poetry so much. "

I smiled. " I'm glad you do. I'll make sure to bring another poetry book next time. "

When I left I felt better than I did those weeks without coming, indeed it really became part of my life to visit YongGuk.

*

Bang YongGuk

Himchan came to visit me and had a chuckle. " Did you hypnotise HaSeul by any chance ? She've done all of these things for you that's whaouh. "

I became nervous. Wasn't HaSeul embarassed of her feelings for me ? Did she boast about it with people ? Gosh, sometimes I didn't understand her. " I never told her to do such things, she does whatever she wants. "

Himchan nodded before bursting in laughters. " I'm joking. HaSeul always looked so sad when I met her. And now she is an sunshine. "

I didn't know how to react. HaSeul sad ? She was most of the time always chatting about lighweight things and mostly talking about books.  It was as if Himchan was talking about a different person. "Haseul sad ? She's very lively."

Himchan smiled. "When she came to our building for the first time, she filled up the papers and answered our questions with short answers. Our members had to pass a sort of interview. She was really awkward but somehow we decided that she would do a good job at listening people and that with time she would become more friendly."

"Is is allowed ? I mean you don't have rules agaisnt that kind of situations ?"

Himchan took some time to know what I was talking about. I rolled my eyes and he finally get it. "Ah you mean that, it never really happened before but she's an adult and we can't give her such rules. Anyways next week, maybe you won't even be an inmate anymore. Oh I almost forgot !! I had papers for you to fill in. "

Himchan took his bag and I waited for me to find the good file, he was a busy person now, and his bag was full of files he needed to read, sign, fill or give to other people. He wasn't bored all day like me. Himchan worked hard and when the weekend was there, played hard. He lived to the fullest. I couldn't help but feel envious. As he finally found the suitable file, he shoved it in front of me. " You should choose a way of housing. If you got out of here, and want to get in our association