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Chapter 62 - Once It's Cleared

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The young man is sitting with his arms crossed. He is glaring far away. He is totally upset about what happened earlier because of that person who caught him.

"Jino..."

Realizing that it is that person's voice, his glare turns to the owner of the voice. "What do you want!?" He looks away again, refusing to attend to the person who sits on the chair across him. "How did you even know my name?" He asks once again.

"You only have five minutes, Lee Sungmin," the police officer reminds Sungmin who nods at the former who closes the door behind him.

Sungmin returns his attention to Jino. "Look, Jino, I-"

"You aren't going to apologize, right?" Jino finally meets Sungmin's eyes. "How can a person like you not mind your own business!?"

"I won't apologize," Sungmin says. "But I am here to talk to you."

"What for?" Jino stands and hits the table. "Look. I don't care who you ing are. I don't care what you want to talk to me about but I am not going to take any from you."

Sungmin stands and raises his voice. "I didn't waste my last chance of tardiness to receive that kind of treatment from you!"

"Why are you here then!?" Jino yells. Sungmin breathes in and out simultaneously to calm himself.

"This is very important. I am not going to apologize because this is your fault in the first place. I am also not going to scold you or whatnot because I know you are old enough to think and to make decisions. I am here to talk to you about your brother," Sungmin says. 

Jino looks confused. "H-How did you know my brother?" Finally, his voice turns a little softer. Sungmin sits on his chair and crosses his legs and arms. "Do you know where he is?"

"I know where he is, but tell me why you did that first."

"I thought you're not going to scold me?"

"I'm not. I just want to know the reason why you tried to steal? You know what, I knew you weren't a notorious thief because you are weak for such," Sungmin smirks. Jino furiously glares at Sungmin who chuckles at the younger's action. "You're weak. Stop pretending you're not and don't give me that 'how-dare-you' look on your face because I know weak people when I see them."

"Why do I even have to explain to you? I don't even know you. I-"

"I am Lee Sungmin. I am a senior student from Daehyun University. I have a father who is a lawyer, a mother who is a police officer and a younger brother who is three years younger than me," Sungmin introduces himself and Jino just blinks at him. "Now, are you going to tell me why?"

"You're a stupid fellow," Jino comments. "But you are pretty funny for a flower boy."

"What?" Sungmin asks, trying to clarify what Jino has said, and he immediately reminds him of Kyuhyun's personality. Wow, this is really Kyuhyun's brother. "I don't want to receive that comment from you, you twerp."

"That introduction is not enough." Jino tells Sungmin who raises his left eyebrow. "Tell me where you live, your exact address, your phone number."

"You're a jerk," Sungmin laughs. "Just like your brother. Of course, I won't give it to you. Am I that stupid? You might just ask your friends to stand by near my house and beat me once I get home."

"If you're not stupid enough, then you would think that I had no friends," Jino says. "Fair enough, I will tell you who I am. I am Jino. I am in middle school. My parents are not here right now, they are searching for my brother-"

"Searching?" Sungmin asks. He furrows his eyebrows. "I thought you're-"

"Lee Sungmin, you're time is up," the police officer enters the room. "You may leave now."

"Wait, can I have another five minutes-"

"Don't you have classes? Your mom tells you to go to classes now," the police officer says. Sungmin snaps his fingers and remembers that his mother is on duty on that police box right at that moment. She will be pissed if she knows that he would undergo detention later because of his tardiness. "Damn," he curses and turns to the police officer. "How long would you detain him here?"

"Only for this day. Once his criminal record is finished, he will be freed because he is a minor," the police officer says. "I believe, he'll be out first thing tomorrow morning."

"Why do you even need to interview me? Just tell me where my brother is," Jino tells Sungmin who turns to Jino. "I don't mind spending the day here. I don't have parents to go home to anyway."

Sungmin gulps. He really feels pity for Jino. But if they are the ones who are searching for Kyuhyun, then Kyuhyun is lying to him? "Jino, you may be alone in life right now, but I am here to help you and your brother. I will go here later."

Jino gets startled when Sungmin smiles at him and the latter goes out from the interrogation room.

○●○

No matter how fast he ran, he was still late.

And he was called by the teacher for his detention after classes for a week.

He is pissed, but what he is thinking now is Jino. His mind is flying somewhere else, even during his classes. His mind does fly every single day he is in school, but this is far worse.

"Sungmin, are you alright?" Ryeowook worriedly asks him. Sungmin smiles at Ryeowook and nods. "I notice that, even if it always happens, you seem worried about something."

"This is nothing, Wook," Sungmin assures his bestfriend. "Ah, tell Manager Han that I can't go to work because you know, detention."

"Why are you even late?" I saw you earlier, and you were actually pretty early. Did something happen? Ryeowook asks again.

Sungmin nods in reply. "Well, I got caught between running after a thief and running after the school bell. I chose the former."

"You are such an idiot, Sungmin. You could have let the thief go and let the police officers capture him," Ryeowook recommends. "But then, it's you."

Sungmin smiles. "This is a different case, however."

○●○

"Sungmin's not going to work?" Donghae frowns at the news. "Ugh, my life is ruined."

"Overacting." Kyuhyun comments as he gets an order from the counter. He then leaves again after that.

"I rarely see Sungmin these days. I hate it," Hyukjae comments as well. He is standing near the counter where Donghae and Ryeowook are, his arms crossed on it. Donghae glares at him, and Ryeowook chuckles. "Yesung is usually in his band practice, and I am alone here. I need to talk to Sungmin."

"Ugh, just go to Yesung and watch him have his practice!" Donghae annoyingly bursts. Hyukjae turns to him, puzzled. "You are always here. I don't know why, but you have no business here, right?"

"B-But you're all my friends now! Sungmin said so!" Hyukjae shouts. Ryeowook just sighs and gives Hyukjae his strawberry yoghurt. Hyukjae's mood suddenly gets light as he gets his yoghurt from Ryeowook. "Thanks!"

"Your mood suddenly changes," Donghae comments. "I thought you don't like strawberry?"

"Sungmin likes strawberry so I like strawberry too," Hyukjae happily scoops from his cup. Donghae scoffs. "You must hate me a lot. You always yell at me even if I am doing nothing to you."

"You only notice that now?" Donghae asks and looks away. "You know, Hyukjae, I won't be your friend. I will never be your friend."

"Donghae, you are going too far," Kyuhyun who just comes back tells Donghae. "At least treat him as our customer."

"Kyuhyun's right, Donghae. Hyukjae is a customer," Ryeowook reminds Donghae who sighs in defeat. He leaves the three and goes inside the employees lounge. Ryeowook turns to Hyukjae. "Anything else you need?"

Hyukjae shakes his head. "Nothing much. I actually don't know why Donghae is acting like that whenever I'm here. Did I do anything wrong?"

"No," Ryeowook answers. "Some things are just meant to be observed. I don't want to comment on that but I guess you need to figure it out yourself."

"No," Kyuhyun interrupts and faces Hyukjae. "I think you need to know why Donghae is like that to you. He likes Sungmin and you like Sungmin. I think it's enough for you to get the whole idea."

Hyukjae laughs hard as he puts his spoon on the counter. "Seriously though. I don't think it's the case. If he's that serious about Sungmin, why don't he confess to him directly?"

Ryeowook and Kyuhyun look at each other then to Hyukjae who gets his spoon and scoops another spoonful of yoghurt.

○●○

Donghae wants to avoid Hyukjae or else he's going to burst any moment. Hyukjae is really pissing him off. Now that the monkey knows what he feels about him, maybe it's time for the latter to go and stop bothering him and convincing him that he's also his friend.

But his best friend and Ryeowook is right. Hyukjae is still a customer. He vows not to take it to work. He calms himself and prepares to go out once again, apologize if he must. If Sungmin learns about that, he would surely be upset.

When he is near the door and he is about to pull it, he hears their conversation.

"Seriously though. I don't think it's the case. If he's that serious about Sungmin, why don't he confess to him directly?"

He steps back and closes the door after him. Hyukjae is right. He knows that there is a possibility that Sungmin knows his feelings already, but then he still needs to confess directly. Just like what Hyukjae did before. That was why he was feeling so mad at Hyukjae because even if they had only met in a short period of time, he was able to confess his feelings to Sungmin. He has long been there, but all he can do is to hate Hyukjae and love Sungmin from afar.

"Fine then. I will confess to Sungmin. Just wait and see, Lee Hyukjae."

○●○

"Yah, Lee Sungmin!"

His teacher calls his name, but he doesn't care anymore. Detention period is over and he needs to get out as soon as possible. Jino might still be in the police box, and he has questions for him. He gets his bag and before he gets out from the room, he shouts, "I'm sorry, Mr.Hong. I need to go now! See you tomorrow, goodbye!" He runs, despite of another call from the teacher.

His detention period is until eight in the evening. It will go on for about a week, so he is really angry because he can't work at the ice cream parlor for the whole week. No extra allowance for him.

He runs and arrives at the police office. He immediately asks the officer assigned there. "Where is Jino?"

"Someone bailed him out of the jail so that he could get out," the officer says. "I think it's his mother."

"Do you know where he lives or something?" Sungmin asks. "W-Wait, his mother?"

"Yeah. His mother was expressionless when she came here. I didn't think she cared about her son at all. But then, she paid, I guess I was wrong," the officer tells Sungmin who scratches his head. "His address? I don't think I can tell you."

"Please?" Sungmin begs. "I really need to talk to him."

"What do you need with him? What if you hurt him or anything-"

"No I won't! Just please, please, I beg you. Give me his address."

The police officer gives him a skeptical look before searching for his records. "You are lucky now, Sungmin. You are not contributing to the noise in the city now, so I will do this for you, just this once. If only you didn't hand him over to us," He browses his record and searches for Jino's address. "His address is here," the police officer pushes the record book towards Sungmin and Sungmin leans to look where the police officer is pointing at. "Just look for him."

Sungmin bows and grins. "Thanks!" He leaves the office and runs away.

Meanwhile, Donghae volunteers to deliver an order so he leaves the ice cream parlor. While waiting for the payment, he sees Sungmin running. He calls him, but Sungmin fails to hear him.

"Huh? Where is he going?"

Sungmin finally stops in front of a large mahogany gate. His jaw drops as he learns that the house is owned by Jino's family. "Wow. I can't believe this was where Jino grew."

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《C-1. No KyuMin. I know... BUT HAHAHAHHA C-1 C-1!!! So excited.》