Ilhoon's History
The Way She ShinesWhen Ilhoon woke up, the sun was already setting. He sat up and ruffled his bed head, making it worse. He looked at his hand and a new bandage was changed. He's a heavy sleeper so he didn't stir when it was being changed and cleaned.
He looked at the bed beside him and there was a girl sleeping with her back face to him. He ignored her and tried to get off the bed.
Eunkwang heard the bed squeak so he walked around the curtain. "Are you alright?" he asked, helping him off the bed.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better," he replied. With Eunkwang's help, he hopped around the curtain and in the corner of his eye, he saw the girl stirring in her bed.
"Hyunjoo told me what happened," Eunkwang started, grabbing Ilhoon’s attention. "I thought you were scared of heights. Why did you help her?" He gave him the crutch and they walked outside the infirmary, closing the door behind them. "Because I told her I would,” he answered.
"Because you told her you would?" he raised an eyebrow. Ilhoon nodded. "Then did she tell you to meet her on the rooftop everyday?"
He shook his head. "I went there on my own will."
"You, making a new friend and ignoring your fear isn't like you,” his brother told him.
Ilhoon shrugged. "I guess she's someone special." Eunkwang shook his head. "I guess you're someone special to her too. She was waiting for you at the infirmary while none of us could get out of class. She got tired and passed out on the bed next to yours."
Ilhoon stopped in his tracks. "That was her?" Without an answer, he hopped back to the infirmary, hoping she would still be there. "Yah! Come back!" Eunkwang shouted in the hallway.
Ilhoon burst into the room and opened the curtain. "Hyunjoo?" She wasn't there. The two beds were now made and there was no sign of her anywhere. Tired, he sat down on the bed. His hopes of seeing her disappeared but he still smiled. "Thanks, Hyunjoo. Thanks a million."
The next day, when Ilhoon came in the classroom with crutches, the girls went crazy. He smiled, signaling that he was okay. He looked at Hyunjoo, who was staring at his ankle. He tried to hide it behind his foot behind his other. She smirked and looked up at him. He looked away and his heartbeat began to increase. *What's wrong with me?* He hopped to his table where Minhyuk was.
"You alright?" Minhyuk asked while he was sitting down. "I'm fine," he assured.
"You shouldn't meet her anymore." Minhyuk warned.
Ilhoon furrowed his eyebrows. "Why not?"
"You’re getting hurt because of her."
"It was my fault I got hurt. She didn't do anything," he growled. "I'll keep seeing her, even if you don't like it."
Minhyuk sighed. "I don't know what you see in her. This is the first time you've put in the effort of being someone's friend. You've always pushed people away, what's so special about her?"
Ilhoon looked stared at Hyunjoo's back. "She...reminds me of myself. Just like I was before, she pushes people away too. I want to be her friend because she'll be able to open up and gain good friends, just like how Eunkwang hyung made me open up to you guys. If she stays like this, she'll regret it."
Minhyuk softened. He knew how Ilhoon was like before. Minhyuk was Eunkwang's best friend since childhood. When he came over to Eunwkang's one day, he met Ilhoon. He looked upset and uncomfortable.
---
Minhyuk was invited to Eunkwang's place for a surprise he had for him. He arrived at his friend's house and Eunkwang immediately pulled him in. "I have a very cool surprise for you!" Eunkwang excitedly whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" Minhyuk whispered back.
"I don't know!" he laughed. Minhyuk shook his head at his weird friend.
"He’s in the kitchen." Eunkwang led the way. "Who?" By the way Eunkwang was speaking, he thought he bought a dog or something. He was completely wrong.
Ilhoon was sitting in the kitchen and Eunkwang's mom was making lunch."Hello ahjumma." Minhyuk bowed.
"Oh hi, Minhyuk. I'm making lunch right now, have a seat." He sat down but he met an unfamiliar face in front of him. "Hi," Minhyuk waved. Ilhoon just stared at him making him awkwardly put his hand down.
"Minhyuk, this is my brother, Ilhoon." Eunkwang happily announced, draping his arm around Ilhoon's shoulder. He looked up and scowled at him. "I mean...my friend." Ilhoon still gave him a dirty look. "Fine, he's my acquaintance but he's gong to be my friend and then my brother, soon."
Minhyuk was confused. Eunkwang's mom laughed, "Don't worry Minhyuk, you'll understand soon. All you need to know is, Ilhoon is going to be part of our family, whether he likes it or not. She smiled at Ilhoon, placing the plate of ddukbokki in front of the boys.
"Dig in Ilhoon!" Eunkwang encouraged. "Mom makes the best ddukbokki!" H
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