CHAPTER 12: Chosen

In the breeze of the beginning of spring, Jihyo walked home with Jaebum.

“Hyung, isn’t it too early for the cherry blossom?” Jinyoung asked as he showed pink petals of cherry flower.

“Yeah, I think so.. But why it has started, now?” Jaebum asked back in disbelief.

“Woah, seriously.. It must be because of the global warming..”

Jihyo’s words made Jaebum laugh. “Yeah, it could be because of it..” Soon the wind blows some of the petals, and made them dance in the air.

That suddenly gave Jaebum an idea. “Jihyo ya.. I guess now I know what gift that I want from you..”

“Uhm?”

“Do yo want to go to Yeouido Island to see the cherry blossom with me?”

“Yeouido? With you? Only the two of us?”

Jaebum nodded.

But then Jinyoung laughed. “It looks weird, hyung!”

Jaebum was surprised to see Jihyo’s reaction. “You don’t like it?”

“Not that I don’t like it, but it will be weird if two—“ Jinyoung stopped to realize that the one Jaebum asked to see the cherry blossom was not him but jihyo. “Ah! I’m sorry, hyung.. I don’t mean it.. Yeah, I want to go there with you..”

“Really?” Jaebum smiled a bit.

Jihyo nodded.

“Okay, then we can go there this Saturday, before we go to work. How about it?” Jaebum asked cheerfully.

“Call!” Jinyoung gave him Jihyo’s cute smile to which making Jaebum blushed.

Jaebum never thought that he could ask Jihyo out. He had always been afraid to approach Jihyo because of her reserved personality, he afraid that his wrong move could hurt her. But after Jihyo was much more opened, Jaebum could finally ask her out comfortably.

-00-

As Jinyoung arrived at home, Scheduler was already waiting for him.

Knowing what kind of conversation Scheduler wanted to have with him, Jinyoung tried to avoid it. “Hyungnim, I’m tired. Can I go to sleep?”

“No.” Scheduler said firmly. He dragged Jihyo to the sofa and said, “Come on, spill!”

Jinyoung sighed. “I don’t have any secret, hyungnim..”

“Jinyoung ah, I must tell you that relationship between human and ghost is forbidden.” Scheduler said it short and sharp.

“Hyungnim, who say I want to build relationship with Dahyun???”

“I can sense it, so before it’s too late. Promise me that you will forget about your feeling..”

Jinyoung chuckled. “Promise? Is that even necessary?”

“Ah, so you really want to date her?”

“Aish! I know, I know.. I promise you that I will never land my eyes on Dahyun, heol..” Jinyoung sighed as he leaned on the sofa. “You know what, I don’t even have any feeling to Dahyun, hyungnim.. You’re exaggerating..”

But then Jinyoung realized something, so he straightened Jihyo’s back and faced Scheduler. “Wait, is it because you have experienced the same thing?”

Scheduler was flustered by the question. “YAAA!”

“Aaah, so that’s why.. Tell me what kind of girl that take your heart?” Jinyoung teased Scheduler.

“What are you talking? Just go!”

“It must be hard, right Hyungnim? Loving someone who didn’t even know that we are exist.. What is it called? Unrequited love?” Jinyoung teased Scheduler even more.

“Ya! Just shut your nonsense! You say you want to sleep, right? Just go!”

Jinyoung smirked. “Pfft, you want me to spill the secret, but you’re not doing the same..”

-00-

In the next morning, Jinyoung woke up and found out that Scheduler was already leaving the house. “Heol, he really avoids my question..” He chuckled as he remembered Scheduler’s face when he .

Then Jinyoung started the day as usual, delivering milk, going back to the house for breakfast, and going to school.

When Jihyo reached at school, Dahyun was already waiting for her. She ran to Jihyo and linked her arm while greeting her. “Anyeong Jihyooo..”

“Hey..” Jinyoung naturally unlinked Dahyun’s arm.

“Why? You don’t like skin ship?” Dahyun commented.

“You don’t need to wait for me too Dahyun ah..”

“Why? I thought we’re friends..” Dahyun pouted.

“Yes, we’re friends! But I just don’t want to burden you..” I mean I don’t want Scheduler to see us close like this.. Jinyoung said in his mind.

“I don’t feel burdened..” Dahyun still tried to argue, but then she understand. “Okay, you’re not the type to like skin ship.. I should’ve known that.. I thought you were changed..” She said softly while bending her head.

Didn’t have a heart to see Dahyun being sad, Jinyoung initiated the skin ship. He held Dahyun’s hand and said, “If it’s only like this I think it’s okay..”

Dahyun was back to smile. She talked to Jihyo while walking together. “Don’t forget our agenda this lunch break, Jihyo ya..”

Jinyoung nodded as he scanned around, searching if Scheduler was watching them for afar.

-00-

At the first break time, Jihyo had a chat with Youngjae and Dahyun while seating on a bench outside the building. Then from their seat, they could see Momo and Sana were walking together. That was when they realized that there is a certain someone who’s not around.

“How’s your life without Mina?” Youngjae started the conversation.

“Mmm. Peaceful..” Jinyoung answered softly.

In respond to Youngjae’s question, Dahyun told them an interesting news. “You know what? I heard, Mr. Lee didn’t tell Mina’s dad about what had happened. So, he just gave Mina free time to go around except school.”

“Really? How can it be? Is that because Mina is The Mayor’s daughter?” Youngjae asked in disbelief.

Dahyun nodded. “You don’t know how frustrated Mr. Lee when he found out that Mina is the one who plan the trap. ‘Aah, My head is hurts..’” Dahyun told as she reenacted Mr. Lee’s gesture.

That made Jinyoung chuckle.

But Youngjae was still serious. “Don’t you find it is not fair?”

Dahyun supported. “Yeah, that’s not fair. What should we do, Jihyo ya?”

Jinyoung made a deep sigh. “Yeah, it’s not fair.. but I don’t wanna deal with her anymore.. At least my name is cleared and we can be a good friends, right Dahyun?”

“Yup!!!” Dahyun said as she hugged Jihyo, and that made Jinyoung surprised. He suddenly looked around, searching for Scheduler.

Aaah, till when I should feel like I was being watched by Scheduler.. Jinyoung thought in his mind.

-00

As planned, Jihyo accompanied Dahyun to clean the warehouse after lunch.

Dahyun directly commented after Jihyo opened the door. “It’s my first time getting inside the school warehouse. It looks a bit scary..”

“This is messy not scary.” Jinyoung replied.

Dahyun hesitantly stepped inside the warehouse while saying, “I feel like there must be a ghost here..”

Jinyoung smirked. Heol. I’m the ghost here.. He tried to calm Dahyun with saying, “Don’t worry, not all the ghost is bad..” But then, when he started to move a box, there was something behind it that startled Jinyoung. “Ah! You surprised me!”

That made Dahyun jump and hid behind Jihyo. “Why? Why? Do you see the ghost?”

The ones behind the box was none other than... Hyungniiim! Jinyoung sent a fierce gaze to him.

“Why? I just want to watch you two..” Scheduler responded casually, while pointing his index and middle finger to his eyes and then to Jinyoung and Dahyun.

Jinyoung sighed that his worry become true.

Then Dahyun asked, “Jihyo ya, is there really a ghost here?”

Feeling mad over Scheduler, Jinyoung answered while pointing back on Scheduler, “Yes! Right there! A bad ghost!”

“Yaaa! I’m not bad! And I’m not an ordinary ghost. I’m a death scheduler, you know!” Scheduler argued.

Meanwhile Dahyun was still scared. “Aaaa Jihyo yaa, what should we do?”

Jinyoung who was still mad, even pulled Dahyun to his hug and said, “It’s okay, I will protect you.” Then he turned to Scheduler and stuck out his tongue.

Scheduler could only roll his eyes in disbelief.

Then, they started to tidy up the goods in the warehouse one by one. They collected the table and chair to one side, and the box filled with laboratory equipment in another side. While Jihyo and Dahyun was busy doing the chore, Scheduler followed them along like a supervisor.

He even tried to tell a story. “Do you know the history of this empty chair? This is belong to one of this school’s student who commit suicide..”

Jinyoung who thought that Scheduler make a lame joke just to toy him, finally yelled. “Yaaa!!”

That made Dahyun clung on Jihyo again, feeling scared. “Why? Why? Aaaa Jihyo ya, should we get out of here?”

Jinyoung could only sigh.

But then Dahyun added. “Don’t you know, the owner of this chair was dead?”

“Told you..” Scheduler said to Jinyoung as he happy that he was supported by Dahyun.

“Then, what happen with that person?” Jinyoung asked Scheduler, but Dahyun was the first one to answer.

“He’s dead, maybe he become ghost now.. Let’s just go back, I’ll ask the teacher to give me another punishment.”

“Dahyun ah, don’t worry.. Since I’m here, you’ll be safe..” Jinyoung told Dahyun firmly.

Then he looked at Scheduler, trying to find the answer of his question.

Scheduler softly replied, “He’s up there for a quite long time.”

Somehow that made Jinyoung relieved, he still not used to meet another ghost.

“Okay, let’s just finish it soon, Dahyun ah! Fire!” Jinyoung copying Chef Mark’s way of commanding.

-00-

Jinyoung spent the rest of the day happily. School went smoothly, and what makes it better that there were no homework for today. Working at Il Mondo was also fun, the restaurant was not too crowded and not too quiet so it made the staff work in a good rhythm. Jinyoung planned that later if he arrive at home he would go straight to bed, this day he would definitely sleep tight.

But when he got home, he met with Scheduler, and his mood changed instantly.

"Why is your face so sulky?" Scheduler asked.

"Are you asking me?" Jinyoung showed him Jihyo’s annoyed face.

"Are you upset I that followed you?"

"That’s you know.."

Scheduler sighed. "Listen Jinyoung ah .. If you have feeling to human it would bring no benefit-"

"But you told me to fall in love." Jinyoung cut Scheduler’s words.

"I'm not telling you to fall in love. I told you to make Jihyo fall in love, that’s a different thing.“ Scheduler replied fast. Then he walked closer to Jinyoung and told him firmly. "Listen to me very carefully Jinyoung ah .. When you start to love human, you want to always beside her, you want her to be able to see you, and you will begin to find any ways so that she can see you, while you have boundaries that you can’t be violated, moreover you have time limit being here. All of that will only hurt you. And I don’t want to see you hurt. "

"Omo .. I'm more curious with the girl who can make you feel like that." Jinyoung still tried to make a