Chapter 4

Stay with Me

            Shin Hye is standing outside of the rehearsal studio owned by the jerk, Lee Hong Ki, breathing for about how many times now since she laid her feet on that ground. She’s thinking twice whether this is really the best time to go get her guitar or not.

            “Aigoo, baboya, Shin Hye-ah!” she hit her own forehead as she breathed some air. “You are already here. What are you still thinking!?”

            She bit her fingernails as she finally decided to make a step closer to the door of the studio. She pushed the door gently but it didn’t access her to an entrance. She tried several times but the door seemed to be locked now.

            “Aish,” she whined a little, poking her own head. “You are really nuts, Park Shin Hye! Why don’t you try to knock?” she talked to herself as she scratched her own head, messing her hair. She sighed once more before she decided to knock on the door.

            “Hong Ki!” she called out but no one seems to hear her. “Hong Ki. Lee Hong Ki, are you inside? Ya, jerk!” she called several times, almost losing her patience. But still, there was no response.

            “Aish!” she grunted once more, puffing a huge breath of air. “How could you be really stupid and impulsive Park Shin Hye?! You are really a fool for going all the way here without any concrete plan! Hong Ki might not be here at this time. Remember that he was nowhere to be found, right?” she angrily told herself. “But is he really out as of this time? Where could be that punk be?”

            She heard a tinge of worry in her voice. She sighed. Well, she maybe has to admit that fact that she went all the way here not only because of her guitar but because she also wanted to check up on that Lee Hong Ki. He looks really broken and lost. And she could not take it to let a soul in this world to feel lonely and worthless, because when one has life, he has to explore it and do the best way we can to live it to the fullest. Life should not be taken for granted and lived in a wrong way. Every second counts, so we have to make the best out of every second, minutes and hours we have. Because when we know it, it’s already time’s up.

            “He is not here,” she said while sighing deeply, finally giving up. “I’m really such a fool to go here.”

            With that, she turned her back to the door and decided to go home immediately. But her eyes circled widely when someone just suddenly hugged her, leaning unto her to keep himself standing. She can even feel his hot breath brushed unto her neck as the guy’s head is buried into her neck. That gave her goose bumps and she shrieked and panicked at the same time.

            She pushed the man hardly and yelled as loud as she can. But the man seemed to have no strength at all that he just stumbled on the ground when she did that. And to her surprise, the man was nonetheless, Lee Hong Ki!

            Her eyes grew larger as she looked at the poor state of the jerk in front of her. And it was like automatic that she went down on her knees and inspected the poor Lee Hong Ki. She cupped his face and wiped the sweat forming into his fair-skinned face. She tossed his hair aside, and stared at him with worry in her eyes.

            “Hong Ki? Can you hear me?” she asked, tapping his face gently. “Are you okay?”

            She didn’t receive any reply from him, but only a groan. And that feared her. He really looks like a mess. She leaned a little closer to him, giving herself more access to his face so she can inspect his situation more. She felt his breath touched her cheek, and she smelled the scent of alcohol in his breath. And that explains why he looks so messed and has no strength at all.

            She can only shake her head. She doesn’t know if she has to pity this guy with his state right now, or if she would be annoyed with what he did to himself. But well, she was left with no choice but to help this punk.

            “Hong Ki, wake up,” she tapped his cheeks but he only groaned and didn’t bother to open his eyes even just a little. “Aish. Look at this! This is what happens when you drown yourself into alcohol, babo! You can't even help yourself!”

            She looked for Hong Ki’s keys on his messed up things so she could open the door of his studio and also get her guitar inside. She found several keys and tried each one in the door. Luckily, the door opened in no time. And without any choice, she helped herself in carrying Hong Ki inside the studio. She put his other arm on her shoulder as she supports him with the other arm. She let him lean unto her as she dragged his heavy body inside. It was a tough job for a petite lady like her. She had many struggles, and there were times that she seemed to be tumbling down already. But, however tough it was, she managed to drag Hong Ki inside.

            She was panting when she laid Hong Ki’s body just anywhere in the floor of the studio. She let herself breath more before she stood up of the floor and walked over to where she found her guitar. She grabbed it and readied herself to go. It seems like she had already helped him enough tonight. At least, he won’t be sleeping outside.

            She looked at the sleeping form of Lee Hong Ki. He is silent and already sleeping, but he didn’t look peaceful at all. And that seemed to pinch her heart a little. She can't help but to feel pity for him. That gorgeous face doesn’t deserve the mess it has tonight.

            And that very face also seems to be calling her. And she didn’t know what drag her to walk near him, but she just found herself doing so.

            She leaned a little closer to him. “Good night, Lee Hong Ki,” she whispered as she stood and straightened herself up readying herself to walk farther away from him.

            But something stopped her from doing so.

            “Don’t go…” Hong Ki uttered in a husky and rough voice. His eyes are closed, but his hands are holding unto hers real tight, as if he wouldn’t let her go. “Stay with me…”

            “Hong Ki… I…”

            She saw Hong Ki slowly opened his eyes. “Please? Just… Just stay with me…”

            Just stay with me… Stay with me…

            Hong Ki’s voice roared on her ears. It kept on repeating in her mind. And his eyes, they are full of emotions as he stared at her. It was pleading. It was asking for someone to take care for him. And that was the very first time she saw that kind of emotions in his eyes. She blinked her eyes with the sudden surprise that action of Hong Ki caused her. Did she really hear it right? Did she really saw it right?

            “W-what?” she gasped. She was almost left unspoken. She didn’t know what to say.

            She heard Hong Ki grunted a little as if he was feeling some pain. He didn’t utter a word again. He just slowly closed his eyes once more, still holding her hands as if he won’t let her go. As if telling her to stay with him…

            She sighed deeply. Her eyes lingered on his very face. And she saw what a mess he looks at the moment. He was so helpless, so weak. Broken. And it disturbed her. It disturbed her heart as she felt a little pinch in it. There’s a voice inside her telling her to help him. She wanted to help him, not just in his drunken and helpless state, but also in coping up with everything he is into.

            She sat on the floor and moved much closer to Hong Ki who’s still holding her hand. She gently tapped his hand and then smiled

            . “It’s okay to loosen your grip now, Hong Ki. I won’t go, promise. I will stay with you,” she whispered as she gently and slowly pulled her hand from him. And as if he heard her, he already let go of her hand, trusting her that she won’t leave him.

            She stood up on her place and inspected the whole studio with her eyes. She saw a door on the other side of the studio so she walked slowly towards that door, which turned out to be the passage way to a room. There is also another door inside of the room leading to the bathroom. The room was spacious enough for a single person. It already contains the essentials of a house as it has already a small kitchen inside. It must be where Hong Ki stays, sleeps, and rests.

            She walked to the bathroom and got herself a basin and poured it with clean tap water. She also got a towel. Then, she returned to the still sleeping Lee Hong Ki. She helped herself lift him up with all the strength she has and managed to get him in into his room. She laid him down on his bed, and began tracing his face with the towel she soaked into the water. She took his shoes off, even his jacket to make him feel comfortable on his sleep.

            When she was done making Hong Ki more comfortable and clean now than what he seemed a little while, she went to search on his messed up stocks if he has a medicine for hangover. Fortunately, there was one remaining. She immediately got a glass full of water and let Hong Ki drink the powdered medicine so he wouldn’t feel too much headache when he woke up in the morning.

            When everything was already fine, she sat on the small spaces left on the side of his bed. She stared at the sleeping state of Hong Ki. And she smiled. He looks better now than the mess he was couple of hours ago. And she wished in her heart that he no longer be a mess deep inside his soul. She hoped to see him open up soon just as the way his eyes opened up for some vivid emotions when he was telling her to stay. Because it pains her seeing him this way.

            “If you would only understand life—how fast it is, and how many opportunities open up each time…” she murmured softly. “Sometimes, people have to lose their selves in order to find them again. I hope you find yourself soon, Hong Ki,” she said before her eyes’ vision turned into a blur and fell into the silent calling of the night.

_______________

            Shin Hye felt that there’s a pair of eyes staring unto her. But she is very lazy and sleepy to open her eyes and mind who it was. However, she felt someone fidgeting the tiny strands of hair that covers her face. And to her surprise, she didn’t felt alarm at all. In fact, she found that a little relaxing that it makes her feel sleepier. And that urged her to open eyes and see for herself who the owner of those eyes is. Her eyelids are still heavy but she still managed to open her eyes slowly. And that made her met the deepest brown eyes she ever saw. Those familiar chinky brown eyes so used to look into and try to see beneath… But something tells her that there’s something different in those eyes today. And that made her heart thump out of her chest before she already recognized it.

            Those chinky brown eyes met her gaze for a couple of seconds like the world stopped and paused for a moment.

            Hong Ki gulped a little before he took his eyes away from her and focused it on another object.

            “What are you doing here?” Hong Ki asked her.

            Realizing what’s happening, she fixed herself and straightened herself.

            “Oh, sorry,” she apologized as she combs her hair with her fingers. She smiled awkwardly, and got herself up of her place. “I didn’t know I already fall asleep.”

            “What are you doing here?” Hong Ki’s voice now returned to its old tone—irritated. “Oww~” she heard him groan a little as he touched his aching head.

            She laughed a bit at him. Then, she went over the small kitchen inside the room, and poured some hot water into the mug, knowing that he has a terrible headache due to his hangover.

            “I really find it funny when people forgot what they did after they sober from being drunk,” she said, shaking her head. “Here, drink this coffee. It would lessen the pain in your head,” she told him with a smile on her face. Hong Ki, surprisingly, didn’t refuse to the coffee she made for him.

            Hong Ki slowly sipped the mug of coffee. And as he’s doing this, she carefully watches and examines him closely.

            “Some also says that it isn't true that drunk people doesn’t know what they’re doing when they are in the influence of alcohol. Which among the two is true, Lee Hong Ki?” she asked curiously.

            Hong Ki gave her a sharp glance behind the mug and then turned his gaze into his coffee, as if he was avoiding something. She wants to laugh hardly at his expressions. He looks cute when he’s being ashamed.

            “You’re back on yourself,” she grinned at him. “You look fine now. I guess, I must go ahead already,” she said, gathering her things in her hand.

            She turned her back on him but when she was about to turn the knob of the door, she heard his voice.

            “W-wait…”

            It sounded hesitant. But she still faced him. And the look in his face confirms the hesitation in his voice. Hong Ki is not even looking to where she is standing, like he was avoiding it.

            “Yes?” she asked, curious of what he’s about to say.

            Hong Ki sighed a little before he pull of a word. “Ahh… Have breakfast first before you go,” he said in his irascible voice, making it sound like a command.

            Hong Ki’s voice, his actions, and his words seemed to be contradicting each other. And that made her a little confused.

            “W-what?” she knotted her forehead.

            “I said,” Hong Ki looked at her. “Eat here first before you go.” And that pinned her to where she is standing.

            He then got up from his bed and walked slowly to the little kitchen he has in his room. He opened some pack of noodles and prepared the things needed for his cooking.

            “Have a seat, and wait. This would take some minutes,” he told her. And with all the shock her mind is absorbing at the moment, she obliged with his command.

            She sat on one of the two chairs found near the table. And as Hong Ki is doing his stuff, she is watching him closely. And she smiled to herself. Learning everything that is happening now, Hong Ki’s been surprising her with his hidden characteristics and attitudes.

            “I think this is already done,” Hong Ki informed her about the noodles. He then poured some in two soup bowls and served it on the table in front of her. Having smelled the aroma of the food, she felt her stomach growling with hunger. She absent-mindedly grabbed the bowl from Hong Ki’s hand and held a spoon.

            “Oww~” she groaned when she felt the spoon hit one of her fingers. She then saw the cut on her finger, and remembered it was injured from last night, and forgot to cure it.

            “What happened?” Hong Ki asked when he saw her blowing her finger. And much to her surprise, Hong Ki grabbed her hand to see it for himself.

            “That’s nothing. It was just a cut I’ve got from a broken plate last night,” she told him when Hong Ki stared at her with accusing eyes.

            But much to her surprise, Hong Ki grabbed her out of her seat and brought her to the kitchen sink. In not just a second, she felt the running water kissed her wounded finger.

            “If it was wounded last night, you should’ve cured it right after,” he told her as he is wiping a clean cloth on her hands. He then grabbed an alcohol in the medicine box not far away and put a generous amount in her finger.

            “Ahhh~~ Aish,” she protested in pain.

            “This is just a disinfectant so just bear with it,” he said.

            “I know. But it just hurts.”

            Hong Ki blew some air in her finger before he grabbed a Band-Aid from the medicine box. He carefully put it into her finger.

            “There you go,” he said as he slowly turned to her. Their eyes met, making her pause. “You can now eat properly, I guess.”

            Hong Ki walked pass to her and claimed his seat on the table. And she was left standing still on her place. She stared at her injured finger with a band aid. And she can't help but to smile. Hong Ki is gentle.

            She cheerfully went back and sat on her chair. She saw Hong Ki munching on his own food.

            “Thanks, Hong Ki,” she said with a smile. As a response, Hong Ki just shot her a glare and didn’t say anything. He just continued eating his noodles.

            “Eat now. Your food’s getting cold,” he told her. With that, she turned herself fully on her food. She took a spoonful of noodles in .

            “Uhmm… delicious,” she commended the food.

            Hong Ki stared at her unbelievably. “You’re such a kid. It’s just a simple noodle and yet you act like it’s the most delicious thing on earth,” he commented.

            “But it is really delicious,” she argued.

            “Then, I wonder what your reaction will be if I cook something really delicious. Maybe you’d cry because of happiness,” he said sarcastically.

            “You know how to cook?” she asked curiously, not minding his teasing a while ago.

            Hong Ki nodded proudly as an answer.

            “Really?” she asked in amazement. “I didn’t know you are capable of doing something nice.”

            Hong Ki glared madly at her because of her statement. She grinned at his annoyance and pulled out a victory sign with her fingers.

            “I was just joking, Lee Hong Ki,” she explained. “But anyways, how did you learn how to cook?”

            “It’s a necessity,” he answered. “I grew up alone so I had to do things for myself.”

            was left open with his answer. It was a surprise. But it was more surprising that Hong Ki really did answer her question.

            “But why? Where are your mom, and your dad?”

            Hong Ki stared at her for a while. It’s as if he’s deeply thinking whether to answer her question or not.

            “Are you done eating?” he asked, instead.

            “Ah, yeah,” she answered, knowing very well that Hong Ki was avoiding her question. At the end, he still chose not to answer her.

            Hong Ki got their used utensils and brought it on the sink. He didn’t utter anything once more. But this time, his silence made her feel uncomfortable. Awkwardness is in the air.

            “Uhm… Would you like me to help you with the dishes?” she asked.

            “No. Your hand is injured,” he replied. “Go home now, Shin Hye.”

            Her lips automatically curved into a smile when she heard him utter her name. That was the first time she heard him call her name, not in an angry tone like what he used to yesterday. And it sounded so nice in her ears.

            “Okay,” she nodded in agreement. She gathered her things in her hand and readied herself to go.

            She was about to grab the door knob of his room when he told her something.

            “Be back at 3 o’clock.”

            “Eh? What?”

            “Do I always have to repeat myself on you?” Hong Ki shot her an irritated look. This temperamental being, really… “I said, be back at exactly 3 o’clock. You still have guitar lessons with me, unless you don’t want to continue it?”

            She stared blankly confused at him for a couple of seconds before she finally understood his words. They have guitar lessons today! Which means… he’s not quitting as a guitar coach to her! It was indeed a surprise. And that made her feel happy. She felt her heart celebrating inside her chest.

            “Just tell me if you don’t want to continue it,” she heard him say which snapped her back into reality.

            “Ah, no… no… I still want to continue…” she said, even waving her hands in the air to emphasize her statement. “Okay, I’ll be here at three.”

            “I hate late comers so you better be not late, okay?” Hong Ki warned her. And she eagerly nodded her head as excitement is rushing through her veins.

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Chapter four is freshly done! I hope this one was good!

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