♥ Day Eleven ♥

After Soeun had told Jaerim the pevious afternoon that her mother had a day off from work and would be taking her to school to “spend more time with her daughter”, Jaerim thought nothing of it when he turned up to school much earlier than Soeun did. In fact, Jaerim was too lost in his memories of the past two days that he was on cloud nine. He wouldn’t let his mind wander too much further into the future, but all he knew was that he was happy, in that moment, in those two days, more than he had ever been in his life. He was good at smiling to other people, and even if he did slack off a bit during class, it wasn’t like anyone, including his teacher, hated his guts. In fact, he thought that only Soeun hated him, for the way he ignored her and caused trouble for her as the class president, but he was proved wrong.

In not so many words, she confessed to him, that she liked him too, and proved it by wearing the bracelet that he picked out himself. Whenever he would catch sight of it on her wrist, his heart swelled with pride. In fact, Jaerim had a strong urge to give Soeun a matching couple ring, but he didn’t want to put too much pressure on her. Jaerim knew she was shy about physical displays of affection, but as long as Soeun would let him hold her hand, he was more than alright. He was proud that he could make her forget about the world for a while, and they fell into their own bubble and easy rhythm after their talk, that culminated in playing in the snow in the afternoon and finishing off their first official date with a steaming hot cup of ddukbokki, and him even being introduced to her younger sister and mother. In the brief moments that he said ‘hello’ to them at their front door when he escorted Soeun home, her sister took a liking to him and her mother even offered an invitation for dinner.

Jaerim waited patiently by the front gates of the school, thinking that he could walk Soeun inside, and also have the chance to see her mother, hoping that he would build up a good rapport with her, even having some steamed red buns ready in his back pack to offer them both. He occupied his time by blowing out his hot breath, watching as it collided with the cold air to form steam that floated away, whistling a few notes, and watching if they came out in puffs of air that corresponded with a certain note. Jaerim was so early that he caught sight a few members of the soccer team being hounded by their captain to endure the cold of the morning fitness training.

By the time that Sojung arrived at school, Soeun was still nowhere to be found. Through the many glances that Jaerim stole at his phone, she didn’t text him at all if she would be late, or was anywhere near the vicinity of the school, or if she was even coming to school at all. He had sent her a ‘good morning’ text, but she didn’t respond to that at all. Jaerim pulled Sojung over and asked her if Soeun had texted her, but Sojung had no idea where her best friend was. Jaerim was beginning to get worried, and he had a nagging feeling that it was to do with Soeun coughing the day before.

“Sojung, what if Soeun’s sick?”

Sojung had a retort in about Jaerim being too protective of Soeun, but bit back her tongue because she found it adorable, and would tell Soeun about it later. Instead, she went behind Jaerim and pushed him a little bit. “If Soeun is sick, her mom usually texts me so that I can get Soeun caught up on what happened in school, but there’s nothing…” Sojung showed Jaerim her messages, and he confirmed what she was saying. “Let’s go inside first. It’s freezing out here…”

As Jaerim and Sojung made their way into the school, they both scowled when they saw Jaemyung with an arm around another girl. They didn’t know who the girl was, but judging by the longer length of her skirt, and the fact that the color seemed brighter than the well-worn uniforms by the senior and junior students, the guessed that she was from the lower grades. Luckily for Jaemyung, he didn’t see the two of them giving him deathly glares. He stayed the same self-absorbed dickhead that he was. Although he felt sorry for the new girl in Jaemyung’s arms, Jaerim was partly glad that Jaemyung was no longer going after Soeun, even though he would have had the pleasure of punching the guy’s face in another time if he came close to his girl ever again. Jaerim smiled when he heard Sojung mutter “prick” under her breath, and he gave her a fist bump in show of his appreciation, and that they both had a mutual understanding that they would both do anything to protect and love Soeun.

The school bell rang and when Sojung went to her seat, Jaerim didn’t follow her. There was a shadow approaching their classroom, but Jaerim threw another glance around the hallways for any signs of Soeun, and was disappointed when there was none. He waited a few more seconds for her to turn up, and asked Sojung with his eyes if Soeun’s mother had texted her, but Sojung shook her head. When their teacher approached him with concern in his eyes, he asked if he had seen Soeun on his way to their class.

“I’m sorry, Jaerim, I haven’t seen her…”

“May I be excused, Sir?”

“What for?”

“I need to check on my partner so we could get started on our presentation.”

Jaerim pleaded with his teacher to let him get out of class, but it didn’t take much for the teacher to let him go, as long as Jaerim promised that he would update him of his and Soeun’s joint presentation, and not to miss out on school the next day. With a quick nod, and a peek around the corner to say goodbye to Sojung, Jaerim raced out of school, backpack in tow on one shoulder, towards Soeun’s house.

Jaerim arrived at their building completely out of breath, and beads of sweat starting to form despite the fact that it was snowing outside. He pressed that number to their apartment, and was greeted with Soeun’s mom’s voice on the intercom. She let him in straight away, and he rushed upstairs, but quickly gained composure and evened out his breath enough to apologize for intruding. He removed the red bean buns from his bag and offered it to the lady and removed his shoes and wore the slippers that the older lady had offered him.

“Is Soeun around?”

“Oh, yes. She’s sleeping still. She had a rough night and couldn’t sleep because she was feeling ill. I let her sleep in this morning without waking her because I thought she needed rest.”

Jaerim nodded, but he wanted to see her.

“I’m sorry, omonim, but is it okay if I see her?”

Looking at how distraught with worry the young man in front of her was, she led him to her daughter’s room. The blinds hadn’t yet been drawn, but she the lights and dimmed it down for Jaerim. Soeun didn’t stir at all. Soeun’s mother left the door slightly ajar and Jaerim approached Soeun’s sleeping figure, her back facing him. He crouched down on the floor beside her before taking out his phone and texting Sojung that Soeun was sick and he wouldn’t be coming back to school. Jaerim moved to the opposite side of the bed to face Soeun and placed his hand gently on the crown of her head and it gently, careful not to wake her up. He closed his eyes and pressed a gentle kiss there, and although it was so light, when he pulled back, Soeun began to awaken. In a raspy voice, she called out to him, and his heart clenched.

“Jaerim?”

“Shhhh…I’m here. Just sleep, Eun-ah…I’ll still be here when you feel better…”

He placed a kiss on her forehead, and this time she went back to sleep, but her hand was firmly clasped in his.