CHAPTER IX:

“Busy?” he returned the question, “I wouldn’t really call it busy but I have plans... why?”

Rahyun cursed inwardly, “Oh, no it’s okay. If you already have a schedule then I would hate to be a bother-“

“Never stopped you before,” his tone was teasing.

“I mean it,” she held back a smile, “Thanks for hearing me out though.”

“Where are you now?” he suddenly asked.

She choked on her spit, “But... but I thought you said you were busy?”

His soft laugh rang through the call, “Yeah but I didn’t say that you couldn’t come along.”

Rahyun frowned. Why does it always seem like he’s always talking in riddles? It’s like he could somehow manage to read what’s inside of her mind.

“So? What’s my destination?” Yongguk asked after a pause.

Sighing, she looked around the area for a street sign and read it to him aloud. It appears that he was just fifteen minutes away from the place and he hung up the call after a short ‘see you later’, leaving her dumbstruck.

She was just swinging her luck by calling him up but it seemed like she did it at the right timing.

Although, Rahyun was a bit curious about Yongguk’s ‘plans’. Was it really okay for her to just tag along like this?

She hated feeling like a burden.

All of the sudden she was facing the side of a huge black car. It had stopped in front of her.

“Come on,” she saw Yongguk addressing her from the opened window of the car, “We don’t want to be late.”

Still trying to process the situation, she went ahead and fumbled to open the door. Once she was sitting in the passenger’s seat she felt Yongguk’s eyes boring into the side of her skull.

Feeling out of place, she cleared , wishing that the man next to her would stop staring.

“I hate to keep on repeating this... but thanks.”

Yongguk shrugged light-heartedly before focusing on reversing the car to turn around. Rahyun knew that he heard her words, she didn’t know why she was s sure but there was a silent understanding between her and this man. There always has been.

She weighed down the odds of the situation that is happening inside her head as she studied his features. His eyebrows were knitted together in concentration at the rear-view mirrors and she noticed the tiny bit of tongue poking out of the side of his mouth.

He was doing it unconsciously and Rahyun found the gesture quite adorable. It contrasted his mature demeanour she was used to seeing most of the time.

Yongguk suddenly twisted his body around- frustrated by the little help that the rear-view mirrors gave him.

No no no. Don’t do it- she wanted to scream out at him.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, the man lifted his arm with his jaw locked and perched it on his chair- and with one hand on the wheel, he finally reversed the car.

He ing went for it, she held in a breath.

It was probably just a side-effect, she reasoned to herself. Maybe accompanying bubby in watching her weekly dramas are starting to take its toll on her.

Maybe she was crazy for thinking that Bang Yongguk looked attractive. Who knows, really?

“You’re not okay.” he stated, glancing at her with mild concern.

She quickly gathered herself and smiled, “I didn’t know you were psychic.”

“I’m not...” he hesitated, “It just... shows.”

Rahyun tipped her head to the side, “On my face? Wow I’m so obvious.” She paused, looking out the window. Yongguk provided her with silence, knowing that she’d open up to him when she wants to.

“You said you had a friend,” she said instead. His eyebrows twitched up in interest at the sudden change in topic but he nodded nonetheless.

“He’s called Himchan.”

Rahyun repeated the name- mouthing it without a sound. She sighed, “Does he... ever get mad at you? But like... for no reason at all?”

Yongguk contemplated her question as his thoughts replayed moments with his best friend. He chuckled in his deep voice, “He screams at me when he has a bad day. I could just be breathing next to him and he would explode and threaten to punch my face.”

“So that’s normal?” she quietly muttered before asking in a louder and clearer voice, “how did you two talk it out? What did you do?”

He stopped at a red light, “I leave him be. I let him sort out his mind and walk away before he actually decides to punch me.” Yongguk turned to face her, noticing how she was scrunching up her nose in deep thought.

“I don’t get it.” Rahyun crossed her arms indignantly, “Why should we put up with their crap when it’s not even our fault?” she scoffed, “They’re the ones throwing tantrums over nothing.”

He shook his head, “How are you sure it’s nothing?”

She looked at him questioningly- not really knowing what he meant.

“Just because you don’t know what is troubling them doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist,” he gave her a brief smile before stepping on the gas when the lights turned green.

“They might feel too frustrated to calmly talk it out but it doesn’t mean that the problem is non-existent. We’re just not aware of what they are angry about.”

Rahyun nodded, finally getting his point, “You seem to be sure of your words.”

 “It comes with experience.” Yongguk shrugged, “Himchan gets pissed often.”

Laughing, she felt her heart getting lighter from their little talk. The latter let out a relieved smile, happy that she stopped looking sombre.

“What do those boxes carry?” Rahyun asked when she looked at the backseat of the car.

“Presents”

It looked like Yongguk didn’t really want to talk about it because he told her to wait until they get to their destination when she asked more questions.

Once the car stopped, she looked out of the window to see where he had taken them.

“An orphanage?” she turned to him as he opened his car door. It was the last place she’d expected him to go to.

He nodded, “Yep. I thought you’d like to come along. I come here almost every week.”

Bewildered, she opened her own door and stepped out of the car. As soon as she did, Yongguk handed her a box to carry. Then he pulled two more out to carry.

“To... give out presents?” she scanned the inside of the box. It was filled with snacks and books.

“The kids get kind of bored.” He answered lightly, “I thought it’d make them happy.”

Just then, a small figure came running out of the orphanage doors.

“He’s here! I get first pick!” the little kid screamed as he clung onto Yongguk’s leg like a monkey.

Surprised, Rahyun could only stare at the child. He didn’t spare her a glance