CHAPTER 23: OUCH?

(Jiyong P.O.V)

Jiyong: Bom-ah, I’m fine. I swear…

Bom: Are you sure??? You’ve been shot for goodness sake!

Jiyong: You don’t have to worry now, I’m all good. See? *spreads my arms*

Then she moved towards me, and started hugging me tightly.

Bom: I’m sick worried you know! I can’t help but to blame myself for everything! I should have brought you home!

Awkward by what she does, I was speechless. Just then I saw CL standing in front of my bed…looking at Bom who’s now hugging me.

Jiyong: Ow…ow, Bom…*acts that it hurts*

Bom: *immediately unclasps* Oh, I’m sorry Jiyong!

Jiyong: Seriously, Bom. It’s not your fault. It’s fine…*tries to cheer her up*

Just then, CL butted in.

CL: Yeah, Bom. HE’S FINE.

Bom: Omo! CL-ssi! Hello there!

CL: *tries to smile back*

Bom: Ya…Visitors are allowed…right Jiyong-ah???

Jiyong: Uhm..yeah. Of course, waeyo?

Bom: CL-ssi said that…

CL: UHMMM! BOM-AH. I’m kidding, silly you. *tries to cover up herself*

Bom: Oh…well. I really think you should look for that criminal. Jiyong here is the victim, we can’t just let him free out there!

Psy hyung and the other maids nodded with Bom’s persuasive tone. But CL didn’t.

Psy: She’s right. Why don’t we do that, master?

Jiyong: No need! Uhm..it’s fine.

Bom: No need??? Are you insane? You were almost dead!

Jiyong: I’m alive, right? I’m fine now.

Bom: But someone has to pay for what happened!

Jiyong: But…

I looked at CL first, who’s now looking down at the floor. I can feel that she’s feeling guilty. She may have a high pride, but I can tell if she’s feeling a bit down…especially if it’s about something she didn’t mean to do. Looking at her all down, I wasn’t able to control what I was going to say…

Jiyong: It’s fine. It’s not your fault…

Then she looked at me, but I looked away.

Bom: What???

Jiyong: I mean…it’s not anybody’s fault. It’s an accident. No one wanted that to happen. So I’d like to leave that issue behind now. Please?

Bom: *sighs deeply* You sure there??

Jiyong: Absolutely.

I looked at her again, but she’s not there anymore. I wanted to get up from this bed and follow her but I can’t. I’m hopeless. The truth is…I can’t expose that I was shot…partly because of CL. I was saving her, okay. It’s not her fault, that I wanted to save her from that bullet. But I knew how these people would react…they would certainly blame CL for this and I don’t want that to happen. And besides, if I would reveal that man who shot me…they might found out about CL’s gang activities. Even though things are still confusing about the relationship between that man and CL, I knew I had to keep my mouth shut. I had to keep her safe no matter what happens…even if my life would be at stake.

Bom: Jiyong-ah…I should go. My driver’s waiting for me outside…

Jiyong: Thanks for visiting Bom…*smiles*

Bom: No prob, please make sure you’ll be fine…will you??

Jiyong: I will. *I reassured her*

Bom: *smiles* You get well soon, okay? Annyeong!

Then she left the room.

Psy: Master, I think Bom Agassi is right. We should find who shot you.

Jiyong: Hyung, I told you. It’s okay now.

Psy: But…

Jiyong: My decision is final. And please don’t ever tell this to mother. She might overreact. Are we clear?

They all nodded.

Jiyong: And, uhm…hyung? Can you get me a wheelchair?

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(TOP P.O.V)

TOP: CL sajangnim is not going to be here tonight you punks.

I gathered all of our recruits in our hide-out and they all sat down to listen to me. I stood up in front where CL’s graffiti of “THE QUEEN IS HERE ES” is at my back.

TOP: Today’s agenda…REVENGE.

No one spoke a word.

TOP: Remember what happened yesterday??? That was all HONGJUN’s fault. Yes, that HongJun who was defeated by CL in the one-lap race.

Recruit1: Are we here to get even???

TOP: Dang right. He messed with our leader, he messes with us.

Recruit2: But isn’t he dangerous or something??

I heard chattering noises with tones of agreement. Then I banged the table, loud enough for them to hear.

TOP: There’s no place for coward people here, understand? Now, if you can’t handle “dangerous” then I have to REMOVE you from here.

Everybody went silent.

TOP: HongJun’s an easy opponent. Once he gets what he wants, he becomes a good follower. Now, listen carefully and here’s my plan.

I’ve discussed to them how the plan will start up to how it will end. They were all listening intently and some asked questions, but I managed to answer them somehow. When I got finished, they all stood up ready for them to go home.

TOP: Remember people. NEVER TALK TO CL ABOUT THIS. Or else, we’ll fail.

They all answered “YES.”

I smirked, thinking of how will this plan work and become successful.

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(CL P.O.V)

Damn Bom. She always makes me uneasy. Why does she have to bring up about that someone who shot Jiyong?! It’s not even her business. Okay, so fine. I am guilty. I admit that I took the blame about Jiyong covering up for me from that bullet and my insides are killing me for it. But she didn’t have to in to other people’s businesses especially if she didn’t know what happened. Ugh, she’s just great..really great *detect my sarcasm there*.

I sat out to get some air from that confrontation. Those interrogations by Bom are killing me so I had to go out and let Jiyong answer her. Whatever he wanted to say, I don’t care. I just don’t want to hear him saying that he’s tied up with the situation that he had to save me. It’s making me more and more guilty. Sigh.

I looked at the clock and saw it’s almost 8 pm. Since I can’t decide what to do yet, I had to sit down for a while and stare blankly. Should I go in our hide-out? I’m sure no one’s there ‘cause I’ve announced that we’re on a hiatus. But…Jiyong might find out about it. And I’m pretty sure he’ll take the hide-out away from me in just one snap. Dang. I hate this kind of feeling! That feeling when I’m actually….

…..scared?

Just then I saw an arm with a can of carbonated juice in his hand. When I put my face up, it was Jiyong and he’s in a wheelchair.

CL: *raised my eyebrow*

Jiyong: Thought you needed company. *smiles weakly*