October 2008

            From our first encounter and then on, Jong In always made some excuse to walk me to the supermarket. He would stay for a few minutes before leaving to “explore the world,” as he had claimed. But somehow, he’d always return just in time to walk me home from work. Often times, I would wait for him outside after my work shift was over. Even my colleagues and manager took notice of Jong In.

            “That boy you’re seeing…he’s not a bad guy,” Nam Woohyun, the shelf stocker, commented one day. Although I’ve barely interacted with my co-workers, Woohyun was the kind of guy who you could easily warm up to.

            “We’re not seeing each other,” I quickly denied.

            “Is that so?” Woohyun squinted at me, observing my actions. “I mean I would beg to differ. He walks you to and from work, cares for you when you’re sick, and –“

            “Okay, I get it,” I shut Woohyun up, “but we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, Woohyun. You can’t possibly jump to conclusions that quickly. Maybe he’s bored and wants to get a breath of fresh air every morning.”

            “Say what you want, but you know I’m right,” Woohyun said before rolling a pack of canned tunas down an aisle to begin shelving.

* * * *

            One day, Jong In wasn’t outside his door as he usually was every other day. I was pondering whether or not I should knock on his door, but I figured that would make me seem desperate. Instead, I casted one last look at the closed door before heading towards the staircase. Just then, a voice croaked after me. I turned around and saw Jong In still clad in his pajamas.

            “I think I caught the flu – achoo!” Jong In sneezed into his elbow, minimizing the chance of germs flying everywhere. “I’m sorry, but I’m not exactly in the best state to – achoo!” He sneezed again, wiping away his snot with the back of his hand. “Walk with you.”

            I frowned at his condition, knowing Jong In should be resting right now. “I understand. Get some rest, and I’ll buy some Advil from the market when I return. Do you think you can manage for the rest of the day?”

            “I think so – achoo!” Another sneeze.

            “I’ll try to visit you during my lunch break, so get some rest for the time being,” I proclaimed before hurrying down the stairs. The walk to the supermarket seemed much longer than it usually did. The reason for that was probably the absence of Jong In’s presence. Our nonsensical talks filled up the silence and time. What did I do before I met him? I wondered.

* * * *

            “I can safely assume that you and Jong In are not together anymore,” Woohyun stated after work. He materialized beside me as we both overlooked the pouring rain. It had begun drizzling in the afternoon, but the droplets had become bigger and bigger as the day drew on. Much to my luck, I forgot to bring an umbrella. Lucky me.

            “We’re not together, and no, what makes you think that?” I suddenly became defensive.

            “Well seeing as how he’s not here…”

            “He’s sick, down with a mild strain of the flu,” I elucidated, not wanting to hear anymore of Woohyun’s nonsense.

            “Oh.” Woohyun cleared his throat. “I should get home – it’s my grandma’s birthday today. Sorry for the misunderstandings.” And then he left, trudging through the heavy rain. I heaved a loud sigh.

            Just my luck, forgetting to bring an umbrella. I then exposed myself, feeling the water rain on me instantly. I covered my hands over my head, hoping it was some form of protection. However, I knew my hands weren’t doing much so I let them drop to my side after a block or two. At the last signal light, I made out a blurry figure through the precipitation. As it came closer, I realized it was Jong In.

            When he saw me, he quickened his pace and came towards me. The black umbrella he was carrying was rather small, but nonetheless, it still protected us from the rain. Jong In wrapped his dry arms around my quivering figure. “I should have known better that you would forget your umbrella at home,” he ushered towards me the crosswalk. “Let’s get you inside and dried up.” He then mumbled, “This is precisely why I hate Korea. The weather patterns are just unpredictable.”

            The entire time, I stayed quiet and examined Jong In’s features. He was evidently worried. I felt my heart beat erratically everytime he frowned. His concerned and focused eyes were what I had taken notice of most.

            Maybe that was the day when I fell for him. Because even though he was sick, he came to rescue me. Everytime, rescuing me, like a hero would do.

* * * *

December 2008

            “When do you think I’ll be able to get out of here?” I asked Jong In.

            “The doctor says that everything’s stabilizing, so you might be able to be checked out today, by earliest. They just need to run a check up on you one last time before releasing you,” Jong In brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

            “I just hate this place,” I complained, “so much. The food doesn’t even taste good. It’s all bland, and they don’t even give me any good desserts!” I jutted my bottom lip out, resembling a child who doesn’t get the flavor of ice cream she wants.

            “I’ll promise I’ll buy you cheesecake when you get released,” Jong In hooked his pinky finger with mine, beaming at me. I perked up, instantly agre