Seungho's POV

"Are you mocking me with that grin!?" One of the carnival goer yelled as he punched me in my stomach.

I choked as my breath got cut off for a split second due to the sudden, strong impact. He smirked at me before turning to leave, perhaps feeling victorious at the thought he managed to make me choke.

But the truth is, I was not even grinning at him. I was not even paying attention to him. I was thinking of something else, or rather, to be more accurate, someone else.

When we were finally done for the day, I headed back to our resting area.

"Hey!" I turned when I felt someone yank me on my arm.

"Yes?" I asked the carnival owner who was glaring at me.

"What did you think you were doing just now?" He asked in a calm but threatening voice.

"My job?" I answered as a matter-of-factly.

"Are you talking back?" He asked, his lips pursed into a tight line in anger.

"No, Sir. I am just answering your question." I said.

His face reddened as though all the blood in his body had rushed to his face. I was too preoccupied in thinking if he would get a heart attack at this rate that I did not notice his palm coming close to my cheek. Before I knew it, I was slapped hard across my face.

"Know your place." He said softly close to my ear, emphasizing the threat.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT!?" He barked as he pushed his way through.

I turned to find the other members all gathered around.

"Eww~" I felt disgusted as I wiped his palm sweat off my cheek.

"Seungho, are you okay?" One of them asked, touching my cheek lightly.

"I'm good!" I smiled.

"You were awesome!" Another said, showing me two thumbs up.

"Yea! I literally saw his anger rise up to his face when you answered him." One of the girls said excitedly.

"What did you think you were doing just now?" One of them imitated.

"My job?" Another imitated me.

We burst into laughter.

"It was unintentional." I said after recovering from the laughing.

"What?" One of the guys asked.

"Answering back at him like that." I said.

"It's either your subconscious mind can no longer take his crap or you are changing." He said, punching my arm lightly.

"Changing?" I asked.

"You know what I mean." He winked at me, and then look at the others. They looked at each other with a knowing look, leaving me confused.

"What?" I demanded.

They shrugged their shoulders and turned to do their own stuff.

What did they mean by I was changing? Was it a good or bad thing?

***
After getting changed, I went outside, expecting to see Min Jeong already there as usual, but she was not. I recalled that she mentioned she would be meeting someone today, so I guess that was her reason for the delay. I made myself comfortable on the bench, hugging my knees as I waited for her.

I was starting to get anxious after half an hour of waiting. I cannot help but wonder if something bad happened to her.

30 minutes became an hour, an hour became two and then three. By then, I was cold, hungry, tired and angry. More than I was angry at her, I was angry at myself for thinking that she would come diligently everyday.

"Yang Seungho, are you stupid or what? Who do you think you are? Her life doesn't revolve around you. Just because she said she would come doesn't mean she would. And what rights do you have to get angry? Who is she to you? Or more accurately, who are you to her? You are just a random guy. Do you really think Min Jeong lacks suitors? Do you really think she does this everyday because she likes you or something? It's just convenient, stupid. Convenient." I scolded myself.

"How dumb of you." I muttered as I put on my jacket and gathered my stuff.

On my way out, I tried to distract myself by thinking about something else, but it did not work as well as I thought it would. I hated myself for letting myself get so attached to her.

Enough, Yang Seungho. Enough.

As I walked, I saw a familiar car stopped in the middle of the road; Min Jeong's car, but she does not look like she is inside. Why did she leave her car like that and went off? What was she doing? Did something bad happen to her?

I walked around the area looking for her but she was no where to be found.

Just as I was about to give up, I heard shuffling coming from above the tree.

"What the....?" I muttered when I saw Min Jeong up on the tree, trying to reach for something. Is she a city girl or a cave girl?

"MIN JEONG!!!" I yelled.

I instantly regretted because I realized I must have scared her. I watch as she slipped and instead of trying to grab something to steady herself, she cradled something protectively in her arms as she let herself fall back. She was not even screaming for help.

"Oh my God." I muttered as I stared at her falling figure.

My arms and legs felt like they had a life of their own out of a sudden. I ran forward with arms outstretched to cushion her fall. Thankfully, she landed safely in my arms.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She was trembling badly and had her eyes squeezed shut. How is it she can look so cute when scared?

"Min Jeong ah~" I poked her cheek.

She opened her eyes slowly, looking around until she finally saw me.

"Were you the one who shouted?" She asked.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"You scared me!" She frowned, nudging her elbow into my chest.

"What's that?" I asked when I noticed a small head trying to wiggle out of her protective arm.

"Oh, this!" She smiled proudly as she let the thing out; a puppy.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"I'm okay." I answered, just to realize she was not talking to me, but the puppy.

"Are you hurt?" I asked her.

She shook her head, smiling stupidly at the puppy.

"Yes, you are." I said, pointing at the cut on her arm.

"Must have gotten scratched just now." She said.

"If you are okay, then I am leaving." I said, feeling so annoyed out of a sudden.

"Wait!!" She looked at me finally.

"What?" I asked.

"Are you angry?" She asked, pouting.

"No. Why would I be?" I asked.

"Thank you for saving me and puppy. Are you hurt?" She asked.

"No." I said as I turned my back to leave. Stupid puppy.

"SEUNGHO!" She shouted.

"WHAT!?" I yelled at her in annoyance.

She was staring at me with wide eyes, her face paled.

"What!?" I asked again, getting more annoyed with her silence.

"Your arm.. your arm.." She muttered, tears flowing down her cheeks. Why was she crying?

I looked at my arm. It was okay. What is wrong with her?

But when I tried to twist my arm to look behind, I understood the reason behind her shock. My arm was broken so badly the bone had snapped and was poking out of my flesh. I stared blankly as I watched blood soak my arm, but I felt nothing at all.

***
“Stop moving!! PLEASE JUST STOP MOVING!!!!” Min Jeong screamed at me as she cried uncontrollably.

“Please don’t cry.” I said.

She put the puppy into the back seat and shoved me into the passenger seat before she started speeding her way to the hospital.

I kept assuring her that I was okay but she heard nothing of it. I wanted to show her that I was really fine and that I could still move about but every movement I made on my injured arm, more bone poked out. She started scolding and crying, not even paying attention to the road.

Finally, afraid that she would crash the car into a tree or something of that sort, I decided I should just stay put and not move.

“Please don’t cry.” I said again when I heard her sniffing. I did not dare to look at her. I was the cause of her tears.

“I wouldn’t move anymore. I’ll be good. I’ll listen to you. Please.” I said, stealing a glance at her.

I saw the corner of her lip curl up slightly. I stretched out my good arm to wipe her tears.

“DON’T MOVE!!” She yelled.

“This arm is okay!” I said.

“Oh.” She muttered, biting her lower lip.

“Silly~” I ruffled her hair.

She pouted, and then punched me in my stomach.

Before I could say anything, the puppy jumped from the backseat to the dashboard. Afraid that it would jump onto Min Jeong and disrupt her driving, I grabbed it.

“I SAID NOT TO MOVE!!!!” Min Jeong slammed onto the break, crying hard.

“Sorry.” I muttered as I look at the blood all over me.

“Don’t I look like I’ve walked into the house of someone who was trying to slaughter a chicken?” I had no idea why I tried to crack a lame joke at this point of time. Perhaps it was my desperate attempt to make Min Jeong smile.

I swallowed hard as Min Jeong glared at me, her tears still flowing uncontrollably.

“Idiot!” She laughed, pouted and cried at the same time. Only Min Jeong would be humored by lousy jokes like this.

“Please continue to drive. I think I am going to pass out from the blood loss soon.” I said, not lying about that. I was starting to feel light headed already.

“DON’T FAINT!! DON’T DIE!!” She exclaimed as she sped so quickly I could feel my lunch at my throat.

Yang Seungho, you should have just kept your mouth shut.