Chapter 2: Water
A Leap of Fate
"Bi..." I unconsciously said and step forward to touch his forehead, but he moved his head away and touched his own, it was bleeding.
"Gaja gaja, we'll clean your wound"
"Anieyo, gwaenchanayo. This is just a small wound."
"No, we need to clean that Jinyoung-ah. Eun Nel-ah, bring the first aid kit here ppalli!" I bit my lip and started to feel my conscience poking me. I looked at the bleeding forehead of the fox. I voluntarily touched my hair.
My hair clip! I silently pulled out the clip from my hair and fished it inside my pocket.
"you , what happened?" Mr. Jae Wook said with a concerned tone in his voice. I suddenly felt that I was the one to be blame. I wasn't able to answer, because I know Mr. Jae Wook saw what I was doing to Jinyoung awhile ago.
"We were just talking about some things awhile ago when a book fell from the shelf..." He looked at me.
Is he going to tell the truth? I swallowed my own saliva and look at my feet.
"...above. I was on the exact spot and it hit me right on the forehead." I look at him. Mr. Jae Wook was already putting a gauze on his forehead. He was smiling somewhere. I already knew the meaning of that, he saved my face from embarassment again. I puffed out a gust of air and slighty hit my chest with my fist.
"Is that really what happened, you ?" It felt like someone slapped me on the face with that question.
"Oh, n-ne." I stammered.
"Next time, be careful. What would I do if something more than this happened to you, those girls would hang me here in the bookshop for sure" the atmosphere suddenly lightened up as I heard them laugh with what Mr. Jae Wook said. I don't know why but I suddenly feel irritated. I made a face on myself.
I'm now here on the storage room of the bookshop where all the books are placed. I head straight to the shelf of old stocks of books. I can smell the odor of old parchment in the air, but its not unpleasant, thus it gave me a sense of relief as I went away from the crowd of girls fawning over Jinyoung's forehead. Oh well, it attract more customers and I dont have any time to find out why. Lunch time is almost near, so I decided to go here since the customers want Jinyoung to serve them. Aigoo.
I was busy leafing through the pages of the book "A Little Prince" when I felt someone's presence behind me. I didnt look to see who it was because I already know who.
"Bae go pa?" I nod my head in response, my back still facing him. I continued scanning on the book.
(Bae go pa?- Hungry?)
"Are you blaming yourself?"
That's when I decide to face him. As I turned around, he was inches away from me, his hand rested on the shelf, looking so casual. He was smiling that annoying smile. I suddenly felt, nervous. I stepped backward.
"Ani." I quickly answered and turn my back on him. I put back the book back to its place. Why do I suddenly feel awkward to the fact that I'm alone in the storage room with this fox? This isn't even the first time I'm alone with Jinyoung in a room. I cleared my raspy throat and face him, keeping my cool.
"Are you already fine?" I asked him.
"Uhmm. How about you?" He suddenly touched the part of my forehead that was hit awhile ago. I felt my heart beat fast. I tapped his hand away, he looked confused on my action.
"It still hurt, a bit" I stared on the ground, Aissh what's with me?
"Jinjja? Do you want me to tell Mr. Jae Wook so that he can--"
"No need."
I was about to walk out of the storage room when I suddenly thought of something.
"Arctic Fox." I said, still my back on him.
"Mianhae, geurigo... Gomapda."
(Mianhae, geurigo... Gomapda- Sorry, and also... Thank you)
I was about to open the door when he suddenly held me in the arm, making me face him.
"Mianhae" He said while smiling. I crinkle my forehead, then we both suddenly laugh on the private joke only the two of us understand.
*****
"Eomoni really knows my taste" He excitedly open the lunch my my mother prepare for him and smell the aroma from it.
We are now here at a small garden at the back of Mr. Jae Wook's bookshop. He also owns this place and let us eat here on lunch time.
"Why do my kimbap smaller than yours?!" I said as I compare our lunch boxes with each other. My mother really, aissh! I don't know who's my mother's child between Jinyoung and I!
He pick out the pickles from his kimbap and switch his lunchbox to mine.
"You're really a brat." He said then start to eat the kimbap that was supposed to be mine, putting a pickle he picked out from his kimbap.
I pouted, I really hate this fox when he's acting kind. He even knew I don't want pickles on my kimbap. I start to eat when suddenly, I felt my head ache.
"you , wae gure?"
"Amugeotdo aniya..." I blink my eyes repeatedly and slighly hit my head with my palm. I feel dizzy, maybe because of the impact of Jinyoung's head when it hit mine awhile ago.
He handed me a bottle of water which he already open. I drank from it. I felt relieve but only a bit.
I looked at Jinyoung who was looking so worried. I wiped my mouth with my handkerchief and chuckle at his expression.
"I'm okay" I said to him, still chuckling.
"Jeongmal?"
"Uhm! Don't worry I won't die early. I still need to marry Oppa" I said then chomp a kimbap.
"Oppa again..." I heard him mumble while rolling his eyes, then we continue to eat.
After our lunch, we went back to the bookshop and do our individual duties. Of course, more young girls went back and forth, I hope you already know why.
Afternoon came, 1 hour before closing time when Mr. Jae Wook told us to stop working and called us. We all went to the fireplace of the bookshop. You see, this bookshop is an antique house minus the creepy feeling mostly antique houses has. Its because this is also Mr. Jae Wook's abode too.
We all sit on the carpeted floor in circle. We are 6 in all, Me, Eun Nel, Jinyoung, and the other girl and two guys minus Mr. Jae Wook who was still on the the cashier.
Eun Nel was beside me reading a book while I listen to my Ipod full of Oppa's songs, from the oldest to the latest. I glance at the fox who was busily talking to the guy beside him, while the other girl was listening to their conversation. Do I still need to say that the other girl likes Jinyoung? Oh well.
"Are you jealous now?" I heard Eun Nel said, her eyes still on the book.
"You're crazy. Just continue reading" I said to her then maximize the volume of my Ipod.
Mr. Jae Wook then enter in the room and sat on a stool that was place on the middle of our circle formation. At first I thought we were going to have a storytelling session but I wondered when I saw him holding a guitar.
"You guys all worked hard today, especially our Jinyoung here who still captures hearts, even with that gauze on his forehead."
I saw the girl beside the sly fox smiled. Jinjja..
"Since we already sold a lot of books on our first day of sale, I decided that we all should get together at least this once since we are all youngsters here. " Others and him laughed on his joke, but for me it was the truth. Mr. Jae Wook looks young even though he is already on his mid twenties. And, he was also the reason why I took up the summer job in his bookshop.
I have a slight crush on him since we moved here in Cheongju, when I was still 4 years old and he was already a man of his own name. My mother and I always visit the bookshop his father owns and I always saw him helping his father out. Up until now, I still look up at Mr. Jae Wook as a man of his own name, more than now because he already inherited the bookshop. But what makes me think is that I never saw him with a girl, nor a girl visit him on the bookshop.
Back on the present time, Mr. Jae Wook is still talking. I'm only half listening because I got distracted by the girl beside Jinyoung who was sitting closer and closer to him, almost snuggling the stinky fox who also seems to be enjoying. I rolled my eye, then look at Mr. Jae Wook who was looking and smiing softly at me. Another point you . I smiled back at him, looking embarassed.
"Since you are all still young, I want to establish a bond between you guys while you're spending quality time here in my bookshop all throughout the summer. I dont want to see you fight over things..." With that I know what or who Mr. Jae Wook is referring to. I look at the carpet floor and breathe deeply.
"I know you also got different talents on your sleeves. I heard that one of you knows how to beatbox and rap, right Sunwoo-ya?" He told to the guy beside Jinyoung.
He smiled shyly to Mr. Jae Wook.
"And others also know how to dance and sing. I want all of you to showcase each of your talents, no exception ok? Everyone should participate."
"Yes, Mr. Jae Wook too." Eun Nel said, the others agreed and persuade Mr.Jae Wook.
"Hmmm... Let me think about that first" He said with hesitant smile plastered in his face.
"It would be unfair for us if you don't." I said to him politely.
"Showcase! Showcase! Showcase!" We all said in unison repeatedly.
"Oh kurae kurae if that's what you want." He said while signaling us to stop the somewhat cheer song we made.
"Since there are 4 gentlemen here, including me, let's start with the girls." The guys smiled after what Mr. Jae Wook said. Whoa jinjja, ladies first, always.
The other girl, whose name I think is Ha Na, was the first one to perform. She stood up from her seat and went to the center of the circle, while Mr. Jae Wook was sitted on her place beside Jinyoung.
"I'm going to perform a dance and this is for..." I saw her smile sweetly to the stinky fox.
"...Jinyoung Oppa." After that introduction, I heard Oohs and teasing words for Jinyoung and her. Poor girl, if only she knows that Jinyoung is a literal fox. I smirked silently.
The song Abracadabra of Brown Eyed Girls start to play on her phone then she start dancing. The guys were enjoying the show, hormones really.
After her was Eun Nel. She acted a line from Titanic where Rose and Jack was on the front deck of the ship and her arms were flung to her side.
We were all laughing at her as she acted it all out alone. Mr. Jae Wook told a guy name Jung Hwan to help Eun Nel with her perf and to act out as the Jack.
We were all laughing hard as they goof around the center of the circle that they almost step on our hands, they were awkwardly acting with each other.
"Mr. Jae Wook should be my partner instead, not that duck looking guy Aigoo..." I laughed at Eun Nel who was now tomato faced as she sat beside me after her performance. I don't know if that's because she was tired from doing all those acting with Jung Hwan or she already caught the duck's love virus.
And then I realize that it was my turn already and I still haven't thought about what to perform!
I bit my lip as I felt all eyes on me, waiting for me to stood in the center. I hesitantly stood up, my legs were trembling. When Mr. Jae Wook suddenly cleared his throat, he has something to say just by looking at his expression. I gulped as I waited for him to speak...
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