ENJOY! :)

Word Count : 1475

Once again, I laid myself down on the school’s roof. I was not even in the mood on coming to school and Byunghee-oppa’s death anniversary is a month away. It’s always hard for me whenever his death anniversary comes near.

KRIETT...

That’s the rooftop’s door being opened. Must be Soojung-unnie.

“Jiae, you shouldn’t sleep on the floor, you know.” She sat next to me.

“You shouldn’t ditched the infirmary, you know.” I said it in a perfect monotonous tone, causing her to chuckle.

“Hey, Jiae.”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry for before, okay?”

“Before?” I raised my brow, tried to remember things she’d done wrong.

“I shouldn’t make you stand on edges like that, sorry.” Oh, that one before I went to Chaser’s basecamp.

“It’s okay. You’re worried for me, I get it.”

She smiled.

“But it’s just... I’m not used for that kind of worries and affection, Unnie.”

She still smiled.

“The cares and affections I got were from men, the brotherly and fatherly affection. Yours like mothers. You know how I react to mothers, Unnie.”

She nodded.

I sighed. “...I’m... sorry too, Unnie.”

She chuckled. “Apology accepted, you little brat.” She messed my hair up.

“Hey!”

“Anyway, since we’re in peace and I know about your headaches getting stronger and stronger each day from the amount of aspirins you took...” I didn’t like where this was going.

“I actually contacted my friend who is a real doctor to check up on you.” See? I didn’t like this a bit.

“Unnie, I already said...”

“That you don’t like hospitals. I know. But I brought you a doctor, not drag you to a hospital, so chillax, Girl.” She chuckled.

I kept quiet, realizing that what she said is true. She giggled.

I cleared my throat, wanting to broke the awkward atmosphere created by me.

“So, what do you mean by real doctor? Aren’t you yourself a real doctor?” She smiled at me.

“Well, I’m just a general doctor while this friend of mine is like a specialist and have a doctorate degree too. And for your information, he’s way younger than me.”

I was taken aback. “Then how could he get those degree that you’ve mentioned?”

“He’s a genius.”

I rolled my eyes while she chuckled. “I figured.”

“So, you’ll be okay meeting him, right?”

I just shrugged. “Alright. As long as you don’t force me to go to hospitals anymore.” Soojung-unnie grinned as she knew she’d won the argument.

“Deal. And for your information, he’s coming after lunch.”

“Lunch? I have classes after lunch.” She rolled her eyes, not amused at all.

“Don’t make excuses, Dear. I know you have no intention attending any of them. Just get to the infirmary after lunch, got it?” I just sighed. There’s no way this woman would take no as an answer. Just come meet the doctor, convince him that I’m fine and give him some attitudes and BAM! He’ll be gone. I smirked at my own thought. Let’s see what would happen later.

***

I was enjoying my nap at the infirmary when someone shook my body with much force.

I groaned as I shifted my position, trying to go to sleep again.

“Yah! Don’t you had enough sleep before?” Soojung-unnie’s voice. I figured.

“No. Let me sleep, I’m having nasty headaches, remember?” I replied without opening my eyes.

“That’s why you need to wake up. My friend’s here.”

“Tell him to go himself.” I shifted my body to the other side of the bed.

“Wake up or I would ban you from the infirmary until you graduates.”

I sighed and opened my eyes. She knew too well that infirmary is pretty much my haven in this school.

“Where’s him?” She just walked past me to her desk. Just then I realized the one that she’s talking about is sitting there, in front of her desk.

“Sit.” I did as she said without looking at the guy.

“So, Jiae, he’s Lee Sungyeol. He’s kind of my friend at medical school and he actually agreed to help me about you.”

Lee Sungyeol? Sounds awfully familiar.

I tilted my head to the side only to meet his smiling face.

“We met again, Jiae.” . He is the doctor from before.

“You! Why? I mean, how do you... ARGH! UNNIE! How could you bring someone like him?! Any other doctor but him!” I stood up, intended to leave the room. Just then someone held my wrist.

“Why not? What’s so wrong with the idea of me examining you?” He asked with a serious expression.

‘I’m afraid of you. I couldn’t scare you away.  I’m afraid you’ll know too much. Afraid you’ll tell me what time I’ll die.’ But it’s just simply impossible for me to say that out loud.

“I just don’t like you.”

“Jiae, I know there’s something wrong with you.” ‘I know that already.’ I replied in my head.

“Please, let me examine you. I’ll try to cure you.”

‘Then what if you failed? You just give me false hopes and crush it to pieces in the end.’

“I don’t want to be cured. I’m not even sick, can’t you understand that?! Are you dumb?!” I tried to shook his hand off mine but he just wouldn’t let go.

“And I’m not an object for your own observation. Now, please let my hand go.” I keep that cold-tone.

“What’s wrong with you, really?! I’m just trying to help you!” Sungyeol snapped.

“I don’t need your help. Just... leave me alone.” He finally let go of my hand. There’s too much drama for a day, really. My head hurts.

“Jiae,” he called my name. I stopped walking for a bit. “I can’t just leave you alone. I felt guilty. It’s my duty, my calling to help. I can’t just leave you here.”

“Don’t. You’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not your responsibility either.” I walked out the room, finding my way to the roof.

***

I was sitting on an abandoned bench on the rooftop when I felt something cold against my cheek. I turn my head in reflex, only to be greeted by the one I didn’t want to meet the most. Sungyeol had a bottle of cold strawberry milk against my cheek. I just looked away.

“Hey, take this one please. My apology.”

“For what?”

“For earlier.” Then the awkward silence filled the air, until he decided to speak.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s not my place to yell at you nor pushing myself to you. You should decide that by yourself.”

I bit my lip, thinking if I should just forgive him. He sounded sincere.

I took the cold strawberry milk from his hand. “Apology accepted.” I opened the cap and gulped it down. It’s good. Oh well, strawberry milk is my favorite after all.

I looked at his facial expression when I finally drink the strawberry milk. He looked relieved.

“So, Soojung told you to do this?” He shook his head and take a seat beside me.

“Nope. She just told me that I messed up and she’s sorry for your... antics.” I rolled my eyes at the word ‘antics’.

“Just that?” I didn’t believe him at all. He scratched the back of his head.

“Well... She told me you’ll be in the rooftop and I’ll need to bring something if I’m going. That’s all.”

“I see.” Just then, I realized that he brought another bottle of strawberry milk with him.

“Is that for me too?” I eyed the strawberry milk. “Eh, what?” He followed my gaze and laughed.

“Oh, this one?” He lifted the half-empty bottle up. “It’s mine.”

“Yours?” I raised my eyebrows.

“I love fruit milk, you know.” His face lightened up. “Banana’s my favorite but I don’t know why I feel like strawberry today.” He opened his bottle’s cap and drink the milk.

“Aahh... It’s so good!” He purred and laughed at himself. Silly guy. But however, that detail made me relaxed somehow.

“Strawberry milk is my favorite.” That slipped out my lips.

“For real? You know, I know a bubble-tea shop that had the best strawberry flavored bubble tea ever! You should try that shop out if you have time. Anyway, do you like bubble tea?” I shook my head and watched how his shoulder deflated. I was chuckling on the inside.

“I only love strawberry milk and strawberry milk only.” He then burst in laughter. I glared at him.

“Strawberry .” “Whatever.”

“So, should I walk you home or something? I think I heard the bell rang.”

I didn’t realize it. Time does fly very fast.

“No, thanks.” I got up and slung my bag over my shoulder while walking out.

“Hey, wait! I insist!” He ran after me.  I just rolled my eyes while picking my pace up.

Telling him off is a waste of my energy, really.

***

-to be continued-