Journey 7

"So, who gave him to you?" Victoria asked.

A gaunt-faced woman with warm, orb-like eyes flashed before Jinri's mind. She remembered everything about that woman: how she jumped in front of her, scared her to death, entrusted Chanyeol to her, and finally, disappeared mysteriously on that alleyway. Jinri felt tired of recounting her experience for the second time, and knowing Victoria was an avid believer of mystical things just like Kyungsoo, she thought of a different answer.

"Um... my cousin's cousin's friend.." she lied.
"How did you know your cousin's cousin's friend?"
"We're close."
"Oh."

She felt guilty for lying, of course. But she knew that Victoria will never stop bugging her about the disapperance of the old lady so she preferred lying than answering to her questions.

"Coffee?" she offered.

The two girls had a little talk before Victoria finally stood up, thanked Jinri for the coffee, and went ahead for school. Jinri waved as she watched Victoria's car pull back from the parking lot, then seconds later, she was gone. 

Jinri's face turned from smiling to scowling as she picked her phone and dialed Kyungsoo's number. It's payback time.

There were few rings before her best friend picked up.

"Yo?"
"Don't you 'yo' me Kyungsoo, where are you?"
"I'm sleeping before you called Jinri." Kyungsoo answered groggily. "Wae?"

Jinri checked the calendar beside her and grinned.

"Oh nothing, how about some DVD marathon? You don't have class today right?"

She heard fast movements from the other line and she imagined Kyungsoo getting up from bed.

"Really?!" he asked excitedly.
"Sure." Jinri replied with a lofty smile.

20 minutes later, Jinri, who was already in her school outfit with a piece of unfinished bread in her hand, opened the door with an unconvincing smile that seemed oblivious to the excited Kyungsoo.

"I brought all my vids." he said, holding out a 5-inch DVDs in front of Jinri.

Jinri quickly snatched the videos and stepped back to let Kyungsoo in.

Kyungsoo flopped himself on the couch comfortably and winked at Chanyeol, who was beside him. The baby grinned in return.

"So, you're watching with me? That's a first." Kyungsoo asked Jinri.

Jinri gritted her teeth.

"No. But you're staying here, and you're watching the baby while I'm gone." she said.
"That's okay, as long as I have my entertainment."

That made Jinri smile.

"Oh you'll have an entertainment alright," she finished eating her bread then picked her bag. Then she placed the DVDs inside it and removed the connector of her DVD player. "Take care of the baby, I'm sure you're going to have soooo much fun."

She blew her bangs and smirked.

"What?! No! You said I can have a DVD marathon!" Kyungsoo groaned.
"As if I'll let you to. Do you know what that baby just did earlier? He touched Victoria's ! Victoria's  Kyungsoo!"
"Really? Aww what a lucky baby! I want to do that t- I m-mean..." Kyungsoo's eager face faltered when he noticed Jinri shooting daggers. "That's bad Chanyeol, very bad!" he said.

Jinri rolled her eyes.

"This is your punishment, so no complaints." she said. She pointed at the fridge, "Chanyeol's food is there, just re-heat it or something... His clothes are on my room, if you want to bathe him. And -"
"And what is this????" Kyungsoo asked.

Jinri turned around to see Kyungsoo leering at her, with the pump in his hands. She mentally facepalmed herself for not hiding the pump before Kyungsoo arrive, which was, by the way, has the tiniest amount of milk that she managed to pump from her last night.

And now Kyungsoo found that out.

"You tried -feeding him? With this?" he peered inside the container and his leer grew wider. "Jeez, no wonder why there's little milk, with that flat chest of yours - OW!"

Jinri was fuming with embarrassment as she whacked Kyungsoo in his head.

"Y-you - !"
"You're going to be late Jinri, but don't forget your pumps... hahaha!"

Jinri pushed him out of the way and slammed the door behind her.

"Fine! You're making a laugh with my milk, then I'm making a laugh with your vids!" she opened her bag and threw the DVDs on a burning rubbish that Ann Li made. She smiled triumphantly as the DVDs curled slowly into ashes and made one final look at her apartment, where she saw Kyungsoo staring despairingly at his videos. She stuck her tounge out and ran, before Kyugsoo can catch her.

* * *

"Jinri.... did you even sleep?" Luna asked concernedly at her friend as she studied the bags under Jinri's eyes.
"Erm.. yes, three hours... or less." she answered.
"Maybe because of her mother." Amber smirked. "But I tell you what, that was some smooth lie you made up yesterday."

Amber high-fived with Jinri while Luna laughed.

They were on the school cafeteria with books laid down on their right side and snacks on their left. A few minutes to go and its time for their history test, but none of them had even grasped a word from their books.

Amber made a sip on her smoothie then her eyes flicked alarmingly.

"Ohh, not again!" she groaned. She quickly hid her face with her book and ducked out of sight.
"Amber!"

A girl freshman walked towards them holding a heart-shaped letter on her hands. Jinri met Luna's eyes for a brief moment then they both stiffled their giggles.

"H-hi Amber." the freshman said shyly.

Amber reappeared from her book and attempted to smile at the girl.

"Hey," she said.
"T-this is for you." the girl was blushing from the roots of her hair to her neck as she shakily hold out the letter tightly clasped on her hands.

Amber reached for it and politely bowed.

"That's nice, thank you."

The girl smiled and walked away, almost stopping herself from skipping on her steps.

"Third girl this week. Seriously Amber, you're as popular as Joonmyeon now." Jinri joked.
"Shut up." the latter scowled and she shoved the letter on her pocket.

Jinri grinned. She met Amber on her first day of school a year ago and she was one of Jinri's close friends in SMA. Amber's reputation was instantly a hit because of her always-mistakened identity, and that made Jinri's reputation rose as well, because they were first thought as gay couples.

On the other hand, Jinri and Amber met Luna on their second semester last year. She was a known singer on their school. Every program and every competition, just count Luna in. Her charisma caught eyes of so many boys but Luna turned everyone down... and no one knows why.

To cap it all, Jinri has a boyfriend who was every girl's dream - Joonmyeon.

So basically, Jinri's wish of "blending in" with the crowd was beyond possible, in addition with her long-term friendship with Kyungsoo.

"Come on, it's almost time." Jinri snapped her book shut and her friends followed suit. She's ready to face Mr. Kang's test... and this time, no smelly diapers for the Korean war.

* * *

"Oh God! I thought I'm going to burn from Mr. Kang's glare!" Amber complained two hours later. She, Luna and Jinri were among the last students to finish the test.
"It's also your fault Amber. You kept on nudging me. He thought we're cheating." Luna said.
"I'm not nudging you, it's accidental." the other one defended.
"Oh yes, 15 nudges means accidental, isn't?"
"Joonmyeon." Jinri suddenly said.

The three of them stopped walking and stared at the man in front of them. Girls around them gasped as Joonmyeon smiled at Jinri.

"Hi Jinri." his angelic voice rang on the corridor and girls sighed dreamily at him. Meanwhile, Jinri's heart fluttered as her boyfriend planted a soft kiss in her cheek. She gave a shy smile at Joonmyeon.
"We'll go ahead." Luna said, pulling Amber's arm at the same time. She gave Jinri a wink before she and Amber disappeared around the corner.
"I haven't seen you for a while. Are you doing fine?" Joonmyeon asked.
"Oh yes, I am. I'm sorry I'm not able to reply to your messages these past few days."
"It's okay. But I really missed you." Joonmyeon said, locking his hand with hers.

Jinri blushed with those words and looked away from him to hide her burning face. Oh Joonmyeon never failed to do that to her.

"What's your next class?" he asked.
"English lit -"

[Now playing: Ending Page by f(x)]

"Just a sec." Jinri said. She released her hand from Joonmyeon's grip and picked her phone. It was Kyungsoo. She glimpsed briefly at Joonmyeon who nodded in approval.
"Yeoboseyo?" she said, her voice as low as possible. Joonmyeon tilted his head curiously.
"JINRI!!! COME HOME PLEASEEEEE! I REPENT MY SINS!" Kyungsoo begged desperately.

Jinri cast a wary eye at Joonmyeon and distanced herself further.

"My class is until 4:00 p.m. Kyungsoo." she said.
"But this baby is too much! Please Jinri!"

Jinri groaned inwardly. The last thing she wanted was to cut class again and worse, because of Kyungsoo's pleas under Joonmyeon's eyes.

"UGH. FINE." she ended the call and faced Joonmyeon. "I... I need to go Joonmyeon."
"You're not attending your class?" he asked.

Jinri shook her head.

"It's an emergency." she answered.
"Well I'll drive you then. My class is already finished -"
"NO!" Jinri shouted unintentionally. Horrible thoughts of Joonmyeon finding Kyungsoo in her apartment with a baby was too much to bear for her.

Joonmyeon raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"It's just that... I don't want to bother you."

Joonmyeon studied her face before continuing,

"Who called?"

*Just the perfect question.* Jinri thought.

"Um... Ann Li." she bit her lip.
"Ann Li?? Why would your grumpy neighbor call you?"
"She said... something about a letter delivered from mom."
"Oh." Joonmyeon's face turned from scrutinizing to understanding. "Okay then, but I'll still take you home."

Jinri looked up desperately.

"Seriously Joonmyeon, it's fine -"
"Nope. I insist. Besides, there's nothing wrong with driving my girlfriend home right?"

Joonmyeon took Jinri's hands again and led her towards the parking lot. Jinri chewed her lips nervously as Joonmyeon opened the car door for her.

"Really...." she started helplessly.
"Get in." Joonmyeon said patiently.

Their drive back home seemed faster than usual for Jinri. For 30 minutes she kept on nibbling with her fingernails and thinking of hudreds of excuses to say, but as they passed the convenience store near her apartment, Jinri knew that her time was up.

"Hey? Aren't you getting out?" Joonmyeon laughed as he opened the car door for her.

Reluctantly and dreadfully, Jinri went outside the car and walked as slow as possible she can to take her time. Joonmyeon raised an eyebrow.

"Jinri, you said it was an emergency, walk faster." he said, chuckling at her.

When they reached the door, Jinri and Joonmyeon can hear the faint cries of Chanyeol and some desperate wails from Kyungsoo. Jinri bit her lip harder.

"You have visitors?" he asked.

Jinri chose not to reply and opened the door, dreading for the worst. Chanyeol's cry became clearer and as they walked inside the room, Joonmyeon's face hardened.

Jinri's room was a mess. Scraps of powdered milk and droplets of water were scattered on the floor; Chanyeol's baby clothes were clumsily strewn on the couch; a foul smell of diaper was hanging on a dining chair; and at the middle of the chaos stood a hassle-looking Kyungsoo with a - Chanyeol in his arms.

Jinri looked at Joonmyeon with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry Joonmyeon." she muttered.

Joonmyeon eyed all the mess until his eyes met Kyungsoo's.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"The spirits told me to keep quiet." Kyungsoo replied with a misty voice.

Jinri groaned. Even though Joonmyeon never admitted it to her, she knew that he doesn't like Kyungsoo. If it was because of jealousy from Kyungsoo's long-term friendship with her or because Kyungsoo always grabs the top rank at school, she doesn't know. But one thing was for sure: they were never meant to be in the same room.

Joonmyeon turned to Jinri with a hurt expression.

"Why do you have to lie? And who's that baby?"

Jinri pursed her lips. Should she lie again... or not?

"The baby.... was my cousin's cousin's friend's son.." Joonmyeon looked unconvinced so she continued. "She asked me to take care of the baby while she look for a job here in Seoul, and I really need money...." 

From those last words Joonmyeon's expression softened.

"Jinri," he took Jinri's hands and squeezed them softly. "If you need money then you can always ask me. You know that I'm always here for you, right?"

Jinri nodded, feeling guiltier every minute. Oh why can't she just say the truth?! 

But it's too late to back down now as Joonmyeon reached for his wallet.

"Wait Joonmyeon! No!" she said, stopping him.
"Why?'"
"If I need money... then I'll earn it myself." she said firmly. If there was one thing Jinri was resolved to do, that was never asking for money from anyone but herself.
"But -"
"No." she pushed the wallet on Joonmyeon's hands and smiled. "Thank you Joonmyeon, but it's a few more days or weeks to go before the baby's out of my hands. Don't worry."

Finally, Joonmyeon sighed.

"Okay, but if you need me, I'm here. Okay?" she kissed Jinri's forehead before walking outside the room.
"Drive safely." Jinri said.

When Joonmyeon was gone, Kyungsoo shoved Chanyeol on Jinri's arms.

"Joonmyeon is weird." Kyungsoo said.

Jinri shot a look at Kyungsoo and stared at his outfit. All she managed to do was to shrug.

"Thanks for taking care of the baby." she said.
"It's okay. By the way, look what I found out! Bring the baby down Jinri."

Jinri looked questionably at him and he waved his hand impatiently.

"Just put him down."

Slowly, Jinri put Chanyeol down but she still hold his waist to support him. She was afraid the baby might fall.

"Release him Jinri, how can he walk?"
"He doesn't walk." Jinri argued.
"He does, look." Kyungsoo removed Jinri's hands from Chanyeol's waist and the baby instantly walked fast like he was doing it for years. 

Jinri's jaw dropped.

"He can walk!" she exclaimed. But what made it unbelievable for her was how fast Chanyeol walked around the room. Had he been practicing while she was asleep?
"There's more to that! Chanyeol, come here!"

The baby turned around and strutted towards Kyungsoo's direction. Kyungsoo laid Chanyeol on his lap and hold out a pen and paper.

"Write your name."

Chanyeol reached for the pen and obliged. Jinri bulged her eyes in disbelief as the baby wrote the characters without a fault.

"H-how..."
"I know right? I just tried writing his name in front of him and I gave him a few tips, then he picked the pen and wrote! What a gifted baby!"

Jinri stared unbelievably at the baby.

"He's starting to creep me out."
"Gifted childs are supposed to be creepy but amazing." Kyungsoo said. Then he stood up and brushed his clothes. "So! Now that you burnt my DVDs and I repented my sins, how about a quitz?"

Jinri tore her eyes away from Chanyeol and looked up to Kyungsoo.

"Silly."

* * *

That night, Jinri never slept well. She had visions of nightmares in her dreamland, which includes Kyungsoo turning into a toothfairy, Joonmyeon into a dog butcherer and Chanyeol squeezing her s.

Jinri giggled as a tickling sensation crept on her chest. She opened her eyes for the slightest fraction and saw a bright light of cyan shining in the midst of her dark bedroom. The last thing she remembered was her cuddling to sleep with Chanyeol but as she opened her eyes, she saw not a face of a baby but a face of a 4-year old kid. *With the same weird tattoo like Chanyeol's....* she thought sleepily.

The tickling on her chest continued and she rolled over, finally back in her nighmarish dreamland.
 

Hehe another loooong update. :D
I'm just taking advantage of our suspended classes. I'm glad that we finally have a glimpse of Mr. Sun here. Wew!
Thank you for your patience and for reading another update! :)