Chapter 11

The author, Jung Jessica, was on the third round of drinking their troubles away as she clumsily slumped back against the couch, raising the half empty glass bottle by her head. She cheered indistinctly as her best friend, Hwang Tiffany, took the floor. The latter started tapping the microphone carelessly, making loud thud sounds on the speakers at the corner of the karaoke room, right on the second floor of their usual hanging out spot. Right in the heart of the city, dodging the curious eyes of admirers as the best friends got out of Miss Fashion Designer’s sport hot pink convertible; Hwang Tiffany and Jung Jessica had decided (more on Tiffany’s decision, to be precise) to vent out their frustration they had faced with something the pair particularly good at. Singing. No matter how out of pitch they ought to sound like or how loud they are or how cheesy their song choices are. This was their moment to be themselves for a change and freshen up before facing the worse to come.

Swaying on the spot as the chosen song started to play its intro; Hwang Tiffany with her eyes fluttering, held the microphone close to her lips and started to snap her fingers to the beat of 4Minute. ‘Volume Up’ was chosen and the best friends slowly dance along to the song, not minding the noise they made in this sound-proof room. Well, it was supposed to be a sound-proof until the party-goers next door started stomping out of their booked room with faces of disbelief and frustration. Complaints laid out one after another and the profit rate that day starting to hit the dump.

Han Baekhyun, the owner of the popular karaoke place, kept apologizing to his customers as they grumbled their way out of there. Faces of frustration after another, Mr. Han sunk onto the chair behind the counter burying his head into his hands. Sitting by, his wife, co-owner to the place, looked on, helpless. Mr. Han lifted his head from his hands and channelled his fretful state to her. His wife shook her head. “Go on there and tell them to keep it down.”

“Jagiya, isn’t that ridiculous to say so? This place is meant to be loud. Asking them to keep it down is like asking you to stop breathing in air. Make sense?”

The wife exhaled. Matter like this should be easy to handle. First choice that often made was calling the police and had the clients out in no time. However, it was a different situation this time. Instead of having some drunkards stressed out office-workers, this particular room hosted two of a well-known folks in Seoul, who also happened to be the regulars.

Cringing at the loud screaming from upstairs’ room, Han Baekhyun’s wife and reached for the phone and dialled a number that had her husband scratching his head. She held the receiver close and waited. “Who are you calling?” asked her husband.

“Who else!”

Meanwhile, back at the booked room upstairs, the upbeat song had ended and the karaoke machine now waiting for the next one in queue to play. Clinks of empty bottles against the small coffee table filled up the short silence. Few then rolled to the floor which Hwang Tiffany luckily dodged as she walked on to the couch with great difficulty. She let the microphone laid still by her side as she let out a deep sigh. Sitting beside her, half stretched out flat against the couch and half now leaning her back against her best friend’s arm; Jessica seemed numb, looking on staring at the glistering pink wallpapered wall. In a moment like this, there’s always one reason to it. It’s time vent out and Tiffany was the first to take the baton.

“There’s a guy at work and he’s a pain in the .” She started, taking a quick swig of her beer. “The kind of guy who I will end up hating anyway. You know the kind right?”

“I know…” Jessica replied, lazily. “On a scale from 1 to 10, how much this guy rate?”

The latter scoffed. “You might want to set that scale of yours higher, Sica, because this guy rates a 100. And he’s worse than the rest; I don’t even think that’s possible.” Taking another sip, she continued, “He think he’s all that. Doing things as he pleases. Destroying things as if his life depending on it. He doesn’t even do the work I told him to do. All he ever done was rambling on and on how I should take a better care of myself with those needles and pins and scissors laying around my office. Hello! That’s how ‘we’ do our work. We get messy, yeah sure I acknowledge that, but out of that mess, a masterpiece was done. It like how he’s with his work—“ she breathed, “he risk his life to save others and the ’piece’ that came out of it is a piece of gold medal for bravery or whatnot. Us, at this fashion world, we risk our life like our time, effort, brain and money to come up with something that could cloth millions of people all over the world, with style.”

The latter nodded.

“Oh and don’t get me started on his fashion sense.” Tiffany continued on, sitting up straight now, making Jessica now resting on her lap. “Oh sorry,” Tiffany quickly apologized; gently the latter’s lazy head. Jessica motioned her to carry on as she draws close into a cosy position. Seeing her being so much like that making Tiffany put a short halt on her frustration of a certain fire-fighter.

Just as Jessica finally settled, now enlacing her hand with her best friend, she looked up and said, “You were saying…”

Hwang Tiffany smiled. “Let’s just say, a clown at any low-budget circus anywhere in the world has better fashion sense than that tool.”

“I can feel your hate, Fany-ah.”

“Finally, one of my best friends agrees with me.”

“Hyoyeon ‘likes’ him? That traitor!” Jessica feigned in disbelief. With her eye-smile making its appearance at last on the day, Tiffany shook her head slowly and squeeze her best friend’s hand, showing how much she like having her on her side. It’s not that Tiffany didn’t appreciate having Kim Hyoyeon as a friend, in fact, she adore that woman. Everything about Kim Hyoyeon makes her feel like she wants to protect her and care for her, just like how she cares for Jung Jessica. Despite their clashes in personality as one likes being loud, one likes to stay still and the third likes to go all bizarre. Few arguments were expected but at least, the household didn’t get too dull as days go by. Their bonds goes way back, a moment when it all meant so much to them.

Looking down at her best friend, whose eyes about to slowly shut, Tiffany shook the latter gently where a grin greeted her. She smiled back. “How about you, dear author, got any frustration you want to let out. We both did agree that nothing leave this room.”

“Me?”

There so many. Where should she start it with? Even before she could open , she knew her best friend will get her mind on one particular person. Seong Woosung. Mong Woosung. Seong Jerksung. Seong-the-idiot-slash-cheater-slash-adulterer-slash-heartbreaker-Woosung. All of the bad adjective applied to this man. If either Hyoyeon or Tiffany could come up with terrible words, they will without missing a heartbeat apply them to him. Maybe Jung Jessica should end it right then and there when Jerksung came to the Sherbets.

The Sherbets… Lee Soonkyu sunsaengnim…

The thoughts of pinning Seong Woosung down with all the bad words she could come in one sitting subsided almost instantly where an image of a young Chef with his sleek swept hair, sweet charming smile and the delightful finger nourishment he proudly made in his spacious kitchen. Jessica guessed that not everything was as bad as she first thought it would be. Isolating herself, placing serenity into her muddled mind, had brought her to the humble place called the Sherbet. What makes it meaningful was the owner. Lee Soonkyu. The young man who welcomed her with a smile that was as bright as Tiffany (but hers was like 1000 watts brighter) and kindness that far beyond Woosung’s limit. She couldn’t just fall for him from that brief meeting. Back then, she kept telling herself that this was just a trick of the mind where she yearns for something better. It was just a trick. She believed it strongly. Such a trick that had worked its charm right through her, making her feel lost the moment she gazed upon those brown eyes of the young Chef.

She did not dare to say it. It was too easy and she didn’t even know the man well enough to assure it. But why was it, every time he walks by, filling up her coffee cup and placing a neatly wrapped takeaway box on her table makes her somewhat breathless and frantic inside. She kept coming to the Sherbet every day from that moment. Letting him catching her staring at him so she could see his smile. Letting her coffee cup empty so he could come by and refill it. And if she’s lucky, he would sit down and they would talk, in such soft voices, ignoring their surrounding and let the clock ticked fast.

Who’s Seong Woosung?

“Earth to Sica.”

Why isn’t that the guy who cheated on you with Hyosung, you ‘former’ writer friend?

“’Ello! Earth to Sica!”

Who cares about him! I want Chef Soonkyu to make me all those wonderful… without cucumber of course and make me one happy woman… how nice that’ll be.

“Jung Jessica, what are you doing?”

“Hmm.”

Reality came back and knocking on her door hard. The Author was no longer stretched out flat against the cushion on her back or even the softness felt at the back of her head against Hwang Tiffany’s lap. Actually, she was now standing approximately two feet away from the seat, holding the microphone as the lyrics rolled in on the wide screen where Sunny Hill’s ‘Thump Thump’ play. In addition to that, she can feel the curious eyes from her best friend on the back of her head. She gulped as she heard the light footsteps behind her closing in. A hand emerged from the corner of her eyes, taking the microphone away and instead, the curious face of Hwang Tiffany made an appearance gazing at her.

“Should I be worried?” Tiffany started, toning down the volume of the song. She quickly turned back to Jessica and continued, “I never take you as someone who would dare to sing this song… especially when it’s a… lovey dovey toe-curling song—“ Tiffany quickly pressed her palm against her best friend’s bare forehead.

The latter stared at her friend. Clearly not understanding what her friend was saying. She then quickly leaned away, making the look on Tiffany’s face even more confused. Tiffany took a step closer which makes Jessica unintentionally moved back.

Tiffany narrowed her eyes. “Did you meet someone?”

“S-S-Someone?” Author Jung tried to mask her face with her common icy demeanour, hiding the urge to pull up a smile. But her body didn’t listen well to her brain. Not a surprised. Her hobby was sleeping (other than writing). Her eyes twitched as the corner of her lips forcefully curved upwards, giving this rather eerie sight. Her best friend grimaced at first but then, as the muscle on Jessica’s face relaxed, Tiffany blinked and let her own curved. That toothy grin, a rare one as a matter of fact, was plastered on Jessica’s face, with a little extra bite of her lower lip.  A sigh escaped and Jessica let her head drop, trying to hide the growing blush on her face.

“You did!” She looked at the woman with wide eyes. Still her head stayed low, but the brief nod affirmed her curiosity. “Do I know him?”

“Of course, you know him! It’s me, who else would it be?” a voice rang out in the background, in the midst of the short-lived squeals and the upbeat song playing from the karaoke machine. At the now opened door, attired in his best suit and tie; Seong Woosung looked on, arrogantly leaned his side against the doorframe, emphasizing how the suit clad fit against his arm. Behind him, the owner of the shop came rushing in, out of breath leaning against his knees.

Mr. Han then said, looking at the women apologetically. “I—huff huff—tried to--- stop him--- I’m sorry—“

Woosung casted a grave glare at the owner and hissed, “And why would you dare to do that huh? Need I to remind you old man that I’m that woman---AH!!” his high pitched womanly scream gave away his so-called masculine appearance. On the wall by him, shattered of glass along with bits of liquid was spotted. Out of nowhere, an empty bottle of beer came flying in the air and it was catapulted straight at Woosung. Another high-pitched scream was heard and he merely dodged it. By the door, Mr. Han hid for his safety and hollered, “Miss Jung! Stop!”

Jung Jessica, as Tiffany just noticed, was no longer by her side. Instead the author was standing the coffee table, picking up the beer bottles, holding them firmly and angrily threw them towards her soon-to-be-ex-fiancé. Mr. Han hid more as Woosung couldn’t contain his true self.

“Miss Hwang, please stop her!” cried Mr. Han, who looked on worried that the room will get wrecked by Jung Jessica’s sudden fit. Tiffany, on the other, just stood there, watching the bottle flying in the air and listen to the womanly scream got louder by each impact. Instead, she settled herself at the couch and casually drinks up her beer. She then picked up the remote and tunes the volume up loud. At the door, Mr. Han looked at her, startled.

The when Tiffany turned to him, she gave him a comforting smile and motioned him to go on. Though reluctant, Mr. Han finally exits the area leaving Woosung fearing that his suit and tie will get ruin. However, such maniacally evil sort of fun was cut short when another familiar face emerged at the doorway.

Kim Hyoyeon dodged the bottle that was thrown between her and Woosung and hurried into the room. Just like Tiffany, she didn’t care much about stopping the author. But the next familiar face cared. Kwon Yul caught the beer bottle, just few inches away from hitting Woosung in the head. The latter sighed in relief as his legs gave out on him.

“Are you alright, Mister?” Yul turned to Woosung. The latter quickly stood up, trying to man up but the second bottle made him unleashed another high-pitched scream. At the couch, hearing that familiar voice – other than Woosung’s – forced Hwang Tiffany to get up from the couch and glared at the fire-fighter.

Hwang Tiffany, hiccupping, pulled Hyoyeon to the side and mumbled, “Why is that tool doing here!?”

Before the blonde haired fashionista could answer her friend’s curiosity, another bottle was thrown and this time, it hit flesh. But it was not the flesh Jung Jessica aimed for. Seong Woosung was nowhere to be seen. Eyes widened, grips loosened on the remaining of the beer bottles; Jessica held her breath as she saw Lee Soonkyu tightly holding on against the doorway, struggling to stand properly. Instead of hearing the rushed disbelief coming from her friends and the fire-fighter, Jessica stood there still, only letting her ears hearing Sunny Hill’s ‘Thump Thump’ playing loud.

The intro synchronized along with the heartbeat of her own. Everything else was on mute. Everything appeared blurred but the sight of Lee Soonkyu who was attending the wound on his forehead remained vivid to her.

**********

Atmosphere at the coffee shop, few blocks away from Dongguk University, was not as wild as it was at the karaoke room. Instead of flying beer bottles with the threat to hurt, flying kisses were seen instead with the intention to fulfil the fan’s fascination of one particular male model. Im Yoong was sitting by the balcony at the end of the room at the second floor, with the view of the ground where female fans of all ages starting the fill up the space. Not minding that his coffee was starting to get cold, he leaned against the balcony waving at his fans, sending as much winks as he can. Honestly, the reason he was there was not to hold an impromptu fan meeting. The reality was that he was following the woman that Kwon Yul and Jung Krystal knew. Right there at the ground floor, few tables away from the counter, sitting together, looked lost in their own world, Jung Krystal and the woman who Im Yoong still didn’t know her name, sat side by side, waiting for their order.

In the midst of it, Jung Krystal looked up and saw Im Yoong. She grinned. “Hey.” She uttered to Kwon Seohyun. The latter looked at her. “Don’t look now but someone got their eyes on you. A certain someone who thinks all my friends is someone who he can hit on.”

“And I’m his next target?” Seohyun casually said, remembering those stories Krystal often told her whenever she was at the TREX with her friends. The latter nodded. “Is he really that kind of guy?”

“He thinks he’s that kind of guy.” Krystal stated. “Kinda pathetic really. Now he’s back from overseas, who knows how big his ego this time.”

“Do you want me to belittle him?”

“Yes please, it’d be good fun.”

Upstairs, Im Yoong turned to his manager, who was busy eating up a piece of blueberry cheesecake and said, “Do you think I should try acting, hyung?” The latter looked up from the plate, a little startled by the male model sudden interest in pursuing a different career. “I mean if I do that, I’ll get known more, right? Picture this, if I get a role in like TV dramas, they’ll think I’m versatile. I’ll get noticed; you guys get the green papers. Both sides are happy.”

But his manager can see through the young man’s intention. “If you’re thinking getting yourself famous by acting in a melodrama will get you a head start with Jung Krystal’s friend, don’t waste it. She’s not interested.”

“Jung Krystal’s friend? Pfft. I’m doing this for me, hyung, not for someone.”

“Even so, you won’t get through it.”

“Wow, way to go hurting someone’s dream.” Im Yoong exclaimed dramatically, pulling a hurtful expression on his face. No matter how much the model tried to show his acting skills, all the manager did was eating more of his cheesecake with a childlike smile.

Why would Im Yoong pay too much attention to it anyway? Of course, he’s doing this for someone. And it’s for that unnamed woman he sees with Jung Krystal. Her! Who else? Thinking of his status, he kind of wonder whether his impact of being an international model was seen as nothing in that woman’s mind. Now, thinking maybe if Im Yoong could execute a different image, he would probably make a fan girl out of her. If he works hard, he’d be the next Jo Insung. Yoong has the looks for a start.

Looking down from the indoor balcony, he saw Jung Krystal picking up a call on her phone while the other woman stood up, heading to the counter. There’s something about her that makes Yoong excited with interest to get to know her. For sure, it was not the fact that Kwon Yul knows her. It’s the way how she presents herself. So calm and collected.  Prim and proper. Elegant and sophisticated. And not to mention, the smile Yoong often seen whenever the woman spoke to Jung Krystal. Yoong could go and ask Krystal about her but knowing the youngest Jung, letting him to get to know her friends required hard work.

Deciding to act on this on his own accord, Im Yoong hurried down the steps, fixing up his slim-fit blazer and shirt and had his eyes locked on the unnamed woman standing by the counter. Feeling the eyes of his fangirls stuck on him, fuelling his pride; he then propped his hand against the surface of the counter and gazed at the woman. As expected, the woman looked back at him with curiosity.

Im Yoong started, “I saw you at the TREX earlier today with Kwon Yul, are you his friend? Oh how rude of me, I’m Im Yoong, by the way, perhaps you heard of me. Everyone does.”

The woman raised her eyebrow and responded, “I’m more than a friend. I’m his sister and oh how rude of me, I’m Kwon Seohyun. Perhaps you heard of me too, I’m a person who doesn’t give a care who you are, ahjussi.” The male model was gobsmacked. Seeing that plastered all over his face, Kwon Seohyun picked up her orders and rejoined her friend, who was now by the entrance door laughing to herself.

“Ahjussi?” Yoong repeated, finally regaining his senses. His eyes wildly wandered the place and locked on the woman who just won’t bite his bait. “HEY!!” He hurried off after her, startling his female fangirls a little, who kept looking at him, not even care about his sudden angry outburst. Out of the café, onto the sidewalk; young followed the pair and shouted, “Hey! You! Do I look like an old man to you?”

Kwon Seohyun turned, halting Jung Krystal in the process and let out, “with that get-up on you, yes. It sure does, Ahjussi.”

Yoong turned to Krystal, who was laughing at this random situation. The latter spoke, “Don’t look at me, oppa, I’m just an innocent Samaritan.”

The male model turned back to the Kwon girl. “Do you really have no idea who I am?”

“To tell you the truth, Im Yoong-ssi—“

“AHA!” Yoong started, pointing out the situation. “You do know who I am!”

But the look on Kwon Seohyun’s face made him a little down. “That’s because you told me your name few minutes ago. Do you have a short-memory span or something?”

“Uh… no.”

“As I was saying, I have no idea who you are, ahjussi.” Seohyun started, as Krystal looks on, drinking her coffee with delight. “And I don’t even think I would like to get to know you more judging by how this goes. So, if you would be so kind, my friend and I would like to go somewhere else.”

“I have a car, you can ride it!” That was it. Creepy Yoong was invented from those sentences. And the glares casted by both the youngest of the Kwon and the Jung was priceless. Knowing Yoong, Krystal couldn’t help but laughed out loud at how silly this getting too. Seohyun on the other hand looked somewhat disgusted. “That came out wrong.” Yoong continued, trying to fix the unfixable. This ended up making Krystal laughed even more.

Seohyun turned to her friend, who was clutching her stomach while balancing her coffee at one hand and seized her arm. “Let’s get out of here, Soojung-ah.”

“Wait!” Yoong hurried after the pair. But his luck faded fast when a SUV turned to the curb and parked. A man got out of the driver seat, greeting the girls. To his disbelief, Kwon Seohyun greeted the man with closeness. From afar, Yoong saw Seohyun whispering something in the man’s ear while subtly gestured at the male model.

The man glared at the model. “Get in the car,” he said to the girls. Both hurried into the backseat as the man approached the model, in such firm standing. Im Yoong tried to smile his way through and introduced himself.

“I’m Im Yoong, perhaps you heard of me----ahhh!!” the hand he offered was took in such a way, it made the male model weak under the man’s firm threatening grip. He could feel his fingers cracked. Yoong tried to pull away his innocent hand, only to get the pressure maximized by the seconds. He bit his lower lip, holding on his urge to scream. But his worst nightmare was cut short as the man generously let him go. Yoong pulled his limped hand close and wailed silently.

“I’m Kim Taeyeon.” Said the man, making Yoong scared to look at him straight in the eyes. “Perhaps you heard of me too. I’m the guy who would like to make sure nothing happens to my best friend’s sister and her friend. If you think your intention is as pure as that leather blazer of yours, I don’t even give a damn.” Yoong gulped. Taeyeon smirked. “If you excuse us, we have matters much important to attend to. Goodnight, Im Yoong-ssi.”

Just as the fire-fighter got into the driver’s seat, Im Yoong slowly got up to his feet, looking over his ‘wounded’ hand. “This is my model hand.” He whimpered. With the back window rolled down, Jung Krystal stuck her head out and spoke, “I’d stay away if I were you. This one is not someone who you happily play around with. I should’ve given you a warning but its fun this way. Bye bye!”

“Aish you!! Yah!!”

The SUV drove off, leaving Im Yoong mending his ‘wound’. Coming out just few seconds later with a takeaway box, Yoong’s manager walked over and said, “What did I tell you? You won’t get through no matter how hard you try.”

**********

After that little ‘show’ at their favourite karaoke place took a slightly different route, the group decided to head home straightaway as soon as they cleaned up the mess Jung Jessica had made. The mini heart-attacks Mr. Han had made the group be more extra careful and plan for it to be the same the next time they wanted to come to vent out their stresses. Perhaps in a gentler way of venting. Other than Mr. Han who only felt the trouble oozing out of his wallet, another felt the pain seeping through the antibiotic ointment dipped cotton ball dabbed against his forehead.  The patient cringed and pulled away. “Do it slowly please, Hyoyeon-ssi.”

Sitting opposite him, on the kitchen stool; Kim Hyoyeon looked on with an expression of regret. It was definitely out of context to see Lee Soonkyu get hurt in just few hours since she met him. It’s like the people from the TREX are accident prone, come to think of it. Soonkyu then took the cotton ball from the fashion designer and douse a bit more of the antibiotic ointment. Securing it between his fingers, he then pressed his lips together as he applied it to his cut. He tightened his jaw, enduring the pain. Hyoyeon then took out a Band-Aid from Kwon Yul’s First Aid Kit and took off the paper. 

Just as Soonkyu threw the cotton ball away, Hyoyeon quickly leaned in and pressed the band-aid against the latter’s forehead. Even when the man got treated for the unintentional wound, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. “I’m sorry for what happened. Whenever the three of us get together like that, it gets a little crazy.”

The young Chef shook his head. “I guess I deserve it. I’ve been quite an ‘uncrackable’ object lately. And Jessica-ssi helped me with that…”

Relieved that the man didn’t take this by heart, Hyoyeon then decided to dig in further and wondered if this was the man that made Jessica to repeatedly come to the Sherbet. She closed the first aid kit and set it aside. Jumping off the stool, she quickly took out a bottle of cold water out of the fridge and handed it to the young Chef. The latter smiled and mouthed a thank you. Hyoyeon quickly seized the chance.

“You and Jessica seem to get along well on the ride home. Other than her keep saying sorry to you. Do you know her?” she started. “I mean other than the fact she’s a writer…”

Taking a mouthful of the water, Soonkyu put the cap back on and nodded. “I’ve seen her a lot at the restaurant. She’s actually one of our regular customers. Always around throughout the day until recently. Hm. She uh… always pack some to go… like, cream chicken carbonara…three slices of Oreo sprinkled white chocolate cake and uh…iced Americano with extra coffee… “

“She never failed to bring some home.” Hyoyeon agreed, recalling those nights when Jessica would come home with the takeaway boxes. “It must be a great place, the Sherbet. You know, Sica is actually not the kind of person who would stay at one place too long. There must be something there that got her hooked.”

Hearing that make the restaurant owner proud. “Well, we emphasized on serving our customer with care, Hyoyeon-ssi.”

The latter nodded. “Knowing Sica, I don’t think that’s the only thing.” With that, Hyoyeon casted a cryptic grin causing the Chef to gaze back, head tilted a bit to the side.

Meanwhile, struggling up the stairs, as one suffer the weight on his back and the other feeling restless thinking of another down in the kitchen; Hwang Tiffany was sleeping soundly in the midst of all the craziness as she was being carried by the fire-fighter half-way up the stairs. Following by, not even giving any care to the well-being of the sleeping fashion designer, Jung Jessica constantly glanced down the stairs, wishing for a certain someone to make an appearance. The third person of the party of three, Kwon Yul was executing the toughest and the most hated. Ordered by Hyoyeon, whom he sees as a reliable friend, Yul had to carry his mortal enemy up the stairs as the latter had fallen deep in slumber. Oh the joy in that. Not.

In his mind, he strongly thinks that Hwang the Terrible was doing this on purpose. Since he’s still under her surveillance, he had no choice but to obey. Halfway up the stairs now and Yul was breaking a sweat, feeling the body shifted against his back, making the gravity pulling him closer to the ground. The fire-fighter took a quick breather and looked onwards. Just few steps more and he’ll be at the first floor landing.

“Do you think Lee Soonkyu sunsaengnim is alright?” he heard Jung Jessica starting her string of worries since she left it behind when Soonkyu calmed her down on the ride to the house. Yul glanced at the author, couldn’t help but smile seeing her face all distressed. Jessica, he observed, was now anxiously fiddling with Hwang Tiffany’s purse, pulling on the loose thread by the strap. “I think I heard something cracked on his head. Let’s just take him to the hospital.”

Kwon Yul stopped on the stairs and diverted his attention on the troubled woman. “Jessica-ssi,” he called softly. As he got the latter’s attention, Yul carried on, “I can assure you Soonkyu only had a small cut on his forehead. It will never be deadly enough to cause him suffer a severe agony.  Besides, I specially told Hyoyeon-ssi what to do. And my ways never fail.” Showing a comforting smile, Yul added, “Kyu will be fine. The lad is a fighter even when he doesn’t look like one.”

But the look on Jessica’s face doesn’t seem like she was convinced. She followed Yul up the stairs and added up to her worries by saying, most of insisting, “But I heard his skull cracked when I threw that bottle—“

“It was just the bottle.”

“But the bottle got smashed, what if there’s some stuck on his head—“

“I checked. There’s nothing.”

“But he’s—“

Yul sighed and raised his voice. “Jessica-ssi.”

The latter dropped her head, realizing how disturbed she had been and how she’s been such a nuisance to the fire-fighter who still trying to get her best friend up to her room. Jessica shifted awkwardly under Kwon Yul’s stare. She quickly bowed in apology. “Sorry… I was worried.”

“Don’t worry.” Yul replied softly, holding woman on his back firmly. “Just once we get Hwang the Terr—I mean, Tiffany-ssi into her room, you can go down and check on Soonkyu. Is that alright?”

The latter nodded.

Yul smiled. “Lead the way.”

Finally reaching the first floor landing, Jessica showed the now tired fire-fighter onwards over to Hwang Tiffany’s bedroom, jus few steps to the left. Hurrying her paces, she quickly seized the doorknob and let it swung open. Yul thanked her and hurried inside. The sight of it made him cringed. He would’ve criticized the too much pink color all over the room but with the task in hand, he rather get it over and over with. Just as he reached the bed, he slowly bend down trying to get his boss off him but as soon as Jessica said, “Thanks for helping, I’ll be downstairs!” and had the door tight shut, Yul lost his footing and landed on the bed along with the woman on his side.

He froze, listening attentively especially for someone loud voice screaming in his ear. Light breathing calmed his nerve instead. He sighed. Now that was done, all Yul wanted to do was get the hell out of that all pink colored room. But things never were easy on his side. Just when he was about to get up from the bed, an arm s around his neck pulled him down against the bed. He groaned. Reaching up to pull himself off, the arm gotten tighter around his neck choking him. “Ah come on!” he whined, not minding how loud his voice gotten to. He tried again and this time, he took his time. It worked… for a second.

Just when he thought he would be thankful to be free from his mortal enemy, the arm that s around his neck shifted into something he didn’t expected. A fistful of his collar yanked him off of the mid-air, pulling him downward, crashing back against the mattress. However, now it ended up having him stuck in a compromising position.

He held his breath as he quickly prop his self up by his elbows, nervously staring down at the woman sleeping soundly underneath him. It was strange to him to see someone like Hwang Tiffany, who was as he remembered the kind of person who appeared loud and bossy, could appear as peaceful as this. Her soft breathing hummed in his ear making it the more strange to believe such strong woman would come out of this innocent looking woman. It was no secret that Kwon Yul thinks that Hwang Tiffany was beautiful appearance wise. But he never thought he would keep staring at the sharp feature on her flawless complexion. Her calmly shut eyes housed those long eye-lashes, curling upright. Down to her cheeks, he noticed how the blushes emphasized the curved around her cheekbones, making them appeared soft enough to pinch, almost childlike. His eyes then wandered further down to the sleeping girl’s pouty glossy lips. A kind smile was seen forming on that set of lips. One that made Yul smiled his own.

Yul then gently loosened the mighty grip on his collar and laid it down on the mattress. Finally free from this, Yul slowly sat up on the bed and was about to stand up. But the trouble didn’t end just there. His freedom didn’t last long as now he’s stuck in a deeper trouble. He was anchored to the bed with both arms s around his mid-section. Looking down, fearing for the worse; Kwon Yul found the sleeping girl securely attached to him, nuzzling her head against him as if he was a pillow. He tried to move but Tiffany moan of protest shut him up of any brave movement.

He groaned, letting his head still against the bed. “Tiffany-ssi, you’re sure a fussy sleeper.” He looked at the woman and continued, “Please don’t kill me when you wake up… I beg of you.” Reaching up, he pulled the pillow, lifting Tiffany’s head and placed it underneath. He sighed. “Goodnight, Tiffany. Don’t kill me, ok…”

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another long post. Yay!! Next update will be in 4-5 days. Shout out to the new subscribers. I thank you for reading. Appreciate it. Don't forget to give some feedback. See you soon.