Chapter 13: Saved by Love, for Real...
A Leap of Fate
"I like her...
because she's my... bestfriend." I sighed, then feel something break. Ah i know it, It's my lungs again. Why would my heart break right? I look at him, then smile a half baked smile to him, then he did the same. I know, everything's still not right between us.
"Why is it so silent here?" We all looked at the one who spoke. Mr. Jae Wook was on the door, holding a paper bag.
"Oh, Mr. Jae Wook, Wasseoyo" Everyone stood up from their seats and bowed down to him, then Jung Hwan gets the paper bag from him and put it on the kitchen counter.
"What are you guys up to that you were so silent? Are you ghost hunting?" He said as he sat with us and get from the bowl of mixed nuts and munch.
"We are just playing Truth or Dare, Sir." SunWoo said to him politely.
"Youths really.." He said then Eun Nel poured him a glass of orange juice then he drank on it.
"How's your meeting sir?" I asked him to lighten up the still awkward atmosphere.
"Actually, that's not a meeting. Its something that the elders pushed me to do so, Aigoo" He shake his head then finish his glass of orange juice.
"Whose turn is it now?" He asked then Jinyoung half raise his hand and nod.
"Okay, continue with your game then. Include me." He was sitted beside Eun Nel and Jung Hwan, meaning he's between the two. I saw Eun Nel giddily smile as Mr. Jae Wook's coat slightly brushed on his arm as he get from the bowl of mixed nuts.
The fox turned the bottle and it turned, then stopped at Mr. Jae Wook. We are all awed, some even can't believe that it's his turn already.
"That was fast! Kurom, Truth." The young man said cooly as he looked at Jinyoung.
"I think this is also everyone's question Sir. Uhmm, we are all curious why we don 't hear you speak of a girl or bring a girl even once in the bookshop. Don't you have any plans of getting married?" Mr. Jae Wook chuckled at the question. We all look amused as we waited for his answer.
"To tell you the truth, I went on an arranged date awhile ago. The elders want me to marry as soon as possible, they always say I'm already old and they want me to have someone who can help me with the bookshop, they all want me to settle down." Our focus was just on him as he continue to speak.
"They always arrange a date for me once a month, but every now and then I can't find the right one who I really want for a wife."
"But, did you have a first love, Sir?" Eun Nel said, curiousity drawn over her face.
"Jjak sarang? Of course I have!" he said then Jung Hwan poured him another glass of juice.
"Then, why don't you date her? Is she already married or, she's far away?"
"She's just near, actually. But I know we can't stay together." I saw him smile bitterly as he took a sip from his glass. I suddenly feel pity to this wonderful man. If I were his age I would accept him to be my husband, really. He got everything a woman would find for in a man, and even Noonas or older woman smile whenever they see him walk on the streets when he go out for a walk. I never knew he would be this pitiful when it comes on his love life.
"That girl must be sooo lucky!" I saw Eun Nel squint her eyes in jealous. I look at her and chuckle.
"Why can't you stay together, Mr. Jae Wook?" SunWoo asked.
"Mwoya, I think that's a 3rd question already!" Eun Nel exclaimed, omo she must be very jealous.
"Haha gwaenchana gwaenchana. That's okay. Well, we can't because.. It isn't just right for us to. She's.. very young for me." Whoa, so he likes younger girls. Eun Nel's face suddenly brightened up on Mr. Jae Wook's answer.
"You say awhile ago that she's just near Sir. How near?" I looked at Jinyoung, his face was so serious. I suddenly feel scared of him.
"How near? Hmm.." Mr. Jae Wook hissed. "Very near.. Very very near.." I looked at Mr. Jae Wook, then to Jinyoung. I felt something different as I saw him looked intently at Mr. Jae Wook. I held my arm as Jung Hwan asked another question to him again.
"Is she here on your neighborhood?" I saw Jung Hwan clenching his fist. Maybe he thinks it was Eun Nel, ah love really..
"She isn't, but she frequents here."
"Does she buys on your bookshop Mr. Jae Wook, maybe I know her" Ha Na finally spoke, she was still holding to Jinyoung's arm since awhile ago.
"Or she works in the bookshop?" Jinyoung suddenly asked which made everyone looked at him. He was very serious, I got more scared of him. Mr. Jae Wook just smile at him, I think there was sarcasm on his gaze to Jinyoung, then he finish his second glass of orange juice.
"I think you're asking me too much question kids. How about looking at the time? Its already 7pm, you enjoyed knowing other people's lives uh."
"Sir, answer that question. That would be the last question! Please.." Eun Nel said, then everyone except Jinyoung pleaded.
"Is she working on the bookshop? Hmm.. that would be a secret." Then he smiled to me, no, to us, no maybe I got it wrong. He smiled meaningfully, then stood up and open the lights outside. It's already time to go home. We all followed then I get my coat from the couch and put it on.
"I hope that's me he's referring to, omo that would be sooo nice if I found out that it was me who his first love is!" I laughed at Eun Nel beside me who stares at the ceiling dreamily.
"Annyeonghi gyeseyo Mr. Jae Wook" We said then bow to him.
"Jeolshimi ga kids. Guys, accompany the girls arasseo?" He smiled then waved us off.
"you I'll go first, that duck might follow me, kurom ga." Eun Nel said then ran away as quickly as she can. I just smile and shake my head.
"Oh, where did Eun Nel-sshi go?" I looked at Jung Hwan who was turning his head side to side searching for the run away bride. "Did you see her, you -sshi?"
"Oh, ani. I didn't saw her." Sorry Jung Hwan, I would say it next time when Eun Nel already cooled her blood to you.
My sight was suddenly fixed to Jinyoung and Ha Na who are talking to each other. Mwoya, they're like quarelling couples, such an eye sore. I can hear Ha Na insisting the fox to walk her home, but the fox was just reasoning out so that he couldn't. Now he's getting out of his responsibility to his girl, jinjja.. That's why I don't like him to be my guy, just a bestfriend.
My heart suddenly feel, hurt? Mwo? My heart was hurt with what I said? Maybe I have really gone crazy that even my system was affected. I waved bye to Jung Hwan and Sun Woo then start to walk home.
I plugged my earphones then put my hands inside the pocket of my coat. Whoa, this alley I have to walk is really dark. I continue walking, when I sense someone was following me. I didn't look who it was, I know that's only Jinyoung. I walked faster, when the person behind me do the same. This fox really..
I plugged out one of the earphones in my ear then listen to the steps behind me. Weird. They are different from the fox. I stopped, then turn around.
No one? No one was following me? But I really heard someone was behind me.
I continue walking when I feel that someone's following me again. I quickly turn around, then I saw a pot of plant moved, like someone was hiding from it. So this fox wants to play Hide-and-Seek? We're not even in good terms today, he thinks I would play with him?
I continue to walk when I suddenly feel my gut instinct. This is not Jinyoung, because if he is he wouldn't continue doing this, following me if he knows I'm angry at him. I slowly tilted my head to the side when I saw a tall man in my peripheral vision. I think his face is covered with a mask. I walked faster, mwoya I'm getting scared.
I turn on another alley which is dimly lighted. I swallow. Should I run? But if I run this guy might stab me or something. I want to call Jinyoung, but he's going to save me again if I do, and that's like asking him to save me when I said to him awhile ago to mind his own life. I swallowed my saliva again and feel my hands getting clammy. I walked as fast as I can, and I can feel the man behind me doing the same.
I feel him almost near me. I continue to walk as I bite my lip, a cry would escape from my mouth in any moment. I swallowed for the nth time while I look on my feet as I walk and walk. God I hope when I turn my head up I'm in our house already.
"you !" I looked behind me, then...
"Mianhae I'm late." I heard him say near my ear in his ragged breathing. I look at the man who was following me, he was now walking on the other direction. I held on the fox's coat tightly then cry all the scare out of my system.
"Ssh.. uljima, I'm already here." He was caressing my back, I can't stop myself from crying, I was so afraid that I thought I would die. I embraced him tightly and buried my face on his chest.
"I thought he's going to, I thought he's..." I can't speak clearly because of the lump in my throat. I continue crying while Jinyoung was hugging me tightly. I snuggle to his warmth.
"Gaja, I'll walk you home." He said then he let go of his hug on me and wipe my tears with his thumb. He sat on my front, telling me to ride on his back.
I looked at him who's now kneeling to the ground, his back facing me. This guy always think of me even though I'm always a brat to him. I put my arms on his neck and he carried me on his back. I lean onto his shoulder as he start to walk, I can still feel the scare in my heart. I held to him tightly.
"Such a kid, aigoo.." I can sense he's smiling slyly as he said that.
"Gomawo." As I faintly said those words to him, a tear fell from my eye. I always fight over with this guy without any reason, and there he is, saving me from every circumstances I fail. And though I hurt him with the words I said to him earlier, he didn't hesitate to save me.
"Whoa, jotda... It feels so nice hearing it from you when you're scared." I smile then close my eyes.
I think, I think I already know the answer to all the things that keep bugging me regarding this guy.
I think... I like Jinyoung,
more than as my bestfriend...
From now on..
As I feel the need to doze off after that incident, I think I heard something he said, but I don't know if I heard it right, or if that's what he really said, or I'm just hearing things.
"You're so difficult to handle, but you're still a heartsore you ... I really, really like you..."
Jeongmal Mianhae for the ultra mega late update! I was about to update it last last week but the net got cutted and I got pissed so I just hid it MIAAAAAN!
Anyways, tell me abt this update dearest subbies :**
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