CHAPTER 18: Rain

Jaebum picked Jihyo up from the library and they went home by bus. Jihyo chose to sit at the back near the window and Jaebum sat next to her.

He started a conversation. “How’s your tutorial?”

“Youngjae is indeed smart, I lose to him.” Jinyoung answered softly.

“It’s good, you have a smart friend to teach you..” Jaebum commented before he observed Jihyo and he saw that her nose was red. “What happened with your nose?”

“Oh? I had a nosebleed.”

“Nosebleed? Let me take a look.” Jaebum said in worry.

“Hey, it’s okay, Hyung.. It’s only nosebleed.. Nothing serious.” Jinyoung stopped Jaebum who wanted to look closer.

“You are tired, Jihyo ya.. You shouldn’t work too hard. Ah, no wonder you got a nosebleed. You go to school in the morning, work in the evening, and you study by yourself before you go to sleep. Oh! You even have to deliver milk before you go to school. You don’t get a proper sleep. You should give yourself a break time, Jihyo ya..” Jaebum was talking so long, until he turned his head and noticed that Jihyo has fell asleep.

“Oh? Seems like you really need a sleep.” Jaebum chuckled to see how Jihyo sleep. She sleep while bending her head down, her long hair covering her side face.

Jaebum moved closer and tucked her hair on her ear softly. Then he bowed his body to face Jihyo’s face. He wanted to check on her nose, so he moved again so that his face in front of Jihyo’s. “Aaah, it’s really red—“

But then, it was like a slow motion when Jihyo leaned forward as the bus braked, and her lip softly touched Jaebum’s. Jaebum opened his eyes widely. Did we just kiss?

Didn’t give him time to understand what has just happened, Jihyo leaned back again and slowly opened her eyes. He directly went back sitting straight in his early position.

“Are we arrived, Hyung?” Jihyo mumbled a question as she was still in half-sleeping.

“N-not yet.” Jaebum tried to answer as normal as possible, but ended up stuttering. He was questioning in his head whether Jihyo know that they have just a kiss. But seems Jihyo didn’t realize it, because she continued sleeping as she leaned her head on the window.

Jaebum heaved a long breath as he felt relieve. Oooh, you’re lucky she doesn’t realize it Im Jaebum! He told to himself. But slowly, he couldn’t help but to touch his lip. He turned his head and looked at how innocent Jihyo face. How she didn’t have any idea that she has just shake the world of Im Jaebum.

-00-

“Hyung, why are you so quite?” Jinyoung asked after he spent few minutes walking home with Jaebum in silent.

“Eh?” Jaebum was nervous, he didn’t know what to say.

“We usually have chat along way home..” Jinyoung still didn’t get any idea why Jaebum turn to be so quiet. “Hyung, sorry that I leave you sleep on the bus..”

The sudden mention of sleep on the bus making the hair on the back of Jaebum’s neck stand up.

“My eyes are heavy and my body is exhausted, I couldn’t resist but to sleep. I’m sorry, Hyung..” Jinyoung said it casually and it made Jaebum less nervous.

“I-it’s okay.. I know you’re really tired. Now that we have reached home, you better go up and rest.” Jaebum told Jihyo.

Jihyo nodded. “Goodnight Hyung.. Have a nice dream.”

She waved her hands while going up and Jaebum waved back while saying in his mind Yeah, dreaming of our first kiss, Jihyo ya..

-00-

“Anyeong hyungniiim..” Jinyoung greeted a guy on the sofa right after he went inside the house.

He casually sat next to him and asked, “Aaah, it’s rather hot, isn’t it?”

“Hot?” Scheduler slightly turned his head to look at Jihyo. “Are you from sauna?”

“No..” answered Jinyoung shortly.

“Or you just have a super spicy food?” Scheduler asked again.

“No. Why?” Jinyoung asked back in curious.

Scheduler changed position to fully facing Jihyo. “No, it just feels strange.. Ghost usually doesn’t feel hot, except having an excessive heat. What have just happened to you?”

Scheduler’s question made Jinyoung thinking. “Ah! I had a nosebleed.”

“Jihyo got a nosebleed? Aaah, you really.. You shouldn’t make her worn out.” Scheduler directly nagged Jinyoung.

“I know.. Should I stop delivering milk, Hyungnim? I think Jihyo didn’t have a proper sleep..”

“You should if it is necessary. It must be hard for her to adjust the way you living, Jinyoung ah..”

“Yeah, hyungnim..” Jinyoung nodded as he agreed with Scheduler.

When he wanted to get up, Scheduler held Jihyo’s hand. “Wait, wait..”

“Why?” asked Jinyoung as he sat down again.

“It still feels strange. You feel hot. You had nosebleed. Those are human’s!” Scheduler told Jinyoung, but he didn’t understand. He explained it again, “Okay, to make it simple. Ghost is in cold side, while human is in warm side. When ghost possessed human body, then the cold side will be dominating. What happened to the possessed body suddenly feeling hot without having an excessive heat?” Scheduler threw the question, but Jinyoung still didn’t get it.

“That must be triggered from the human side!” Scheduler told him firmly.

“Omo!” Jinyoung screamed excitedly after listened to Scheduler.

“And nosebleed. I ask you, who have blood?” Scheduler asked Jinyoung.

Jinyoung answered fast. “Human.”

“Woaaaa!!!” Both of them were screaming happily.

Then Scheduler told Jinyoung. “It’s surely a good sign, Jinyoung ah. So this is the right time for you to force her to come out, do whatever you need to do, uh?!”

“Abso