CHAPTER 19: Crying

Jihyo and Mark were still hugging. Jinyoung deliberately stayed hugging Mark to let Jihyo come out, but even after few minutes, Jinyoung didn't feel anything.

Ya, Jihyo ya, why don't you come out?

He tried to stay for another minute, but Jihyo still won't come out. That made him giving up, so he let go of his hug on Mark.

"Are you okay now?" asked Mark as soon as they apart.

"Y-yes, Chef.." He answered nervously. It was so damned awkward for Jinyoung. It was like he has done something foolish. Of course, he never hug a fellow guy that tight before.

Mark was also feeling the same. He rarely let a girl to come near him, but he allowed Jihyo to wrap up his body.

To break the awkwardness, Mark initiated something. "Just sit there.." He pointed out dining area. "I'll make you a tea."

But Jinyoung didn't understand his intention, because he even said, "Ah it's okay, Chef. You don't need to make it for me.."

Listened to the clueless Jihyo, Mark sighed. He firmly told Jihyo. "Just sit."

"Ah, yes Chef." Jinyoung surrendered and went to the dining area.

After a moment, Mark approached Jihyo and gave her the tea. "Drink this." Then he sat in front of Jihyo and sipped his own tea.

"What's this? Ginger tea?" Jinyoung asked.

Mark nodded casually.

"Seems you like ginger tea Chef.. You also made it for me before."

"It has many benefit. It can help you to bland your mouth after testing food. It also can make you relax. Plus, it's a good choice for a rainy day like this. It makes you warm."

The mention of rain, making Jinyoung to look outside through the window. "Aah, that's right. It's already raining outside."

-00-

In the outside, Jaebum was walking under the rain. He was still thinking what he has just seen.

Flashback.

Jaebum walked to the restaurant while reminiscing the time he accidentally kissed Jihyo. Her lip was soft and warm. Even though it was only for a moment, it has successfully sending a tingling feeling to his heart. Hoping that little accident will be a good sign as the universe helped him to get Jihyo’s heart. But what he saw when he reached the restaurant was beyond his expectation.

"I'm scared Chef, I'm really scared of thunder." Jaebum saw Jihyo said that as she buried her head on Mark’s chest and her arms wrapped up his body.

Jaebum’s heart was dropped. Seeing the girl he loved hugging another guy making his heart ached. Slowly he bent his head down. Didn't have a heart to see that view any longer, he decided to go away.

#bgm: Kang Seungyoon – It Rains

Here under the pouring rain, the moment he spent with Jihyo was flashing in his mind. The time when he accompanied her waiting for Jinyoung, the time when he comforted her when she lost Jinyoung, the time when they have a cherry blossom date in Yeouido, and the time when they accidentally kissed.

The view he has just seen somehow felt surreal. Jihyo who previously couldn't even look at him in the eye, now comfortably hugging Mark. Jaebum couldn't understand it how can it be possible.

Maybe she has found the one she loved. Jaebum thought.

He sighed. I should've known when she asked me to leave her alone with Mark. I should've known that she loves him.

Then he chuckled. But I never realized that it will be this hurt.

He looked up and let the rain soaked his face. "Aaah thanks God for pouring rain.. So it can cover my tears."

Jaebum rubbed his face and smiled bitterly.

-00-

"Oh!" Jinyoung was surprised as he saw Jaebum’s umbrella laying near the front door of the restaurant.

"Why?" Mark asked comfortably as he locked the door.

"This is Jaebum hyung’s umbrella." Jinyoung showed the black umbrella with Nora’s scratch mark on the handle.

"He must left here before he went home. " Mark commented casually.

"Aaah, how considerate.." Jihyo smiled widely as she looked at the umbrella.

Mark snorted. "What's use? I'll take you home with my car.."

Jinyoung chuckled. "It's useful for us to go to your car, Chef.." He opened the umbrella and signed Mark to follow him to the car under ---- Jaebum’s umbrella.

-00-

"Hyungniiim.." Jinyoung shouted as soon as he reached the house.

Scheduler showed up and the first thing he asked was, "Why'd you still there?"

"Heol. It didn't work out!" Jinyoung said as he sat on the sofa.

Scheduler followed and sat next to him. "How could?"

"I don't know, hyungnim.  I'm really confused why Jihyo still won't come out. Is it maybe because Jihyo don't like him?"

Scheduler pursed his lips. "Or maybe you didn't do your best"

"Oh please, I have made him barely breathing as I hugged him so tight. You want me to kiss him?"

Scheduler waved his hands. "No. Not literally like that, but.. aaah I don't know!"

"Are you sure that what happened to me yesterday is a good sign? Is it written in your textbook? Or is it your own theory?" Jinyoung started to get suspicious.

Scheduler avoided Jinyoung, he bent his head down and said, "I have told you that there's no further explanation about a case like this."

"Aish! What the hell I did today??" Jinyoung screamed as he ruffled Jihyo’s hair in frustration.

-00-

In the morning, Jinyoung tried to forget what had happened yesterday with Mark with doing his dlivery milk job. Today was his last day in work. As he delivered milk to Jaebum, he gave back the umbrella and was not forget to give him note.

Good morning hyung.. Here, I want to give back the umbrella you lent me yesterday. Thank you so much, because of it I didn't get rained on. I’m so grateful that you always take care of me. This, I give you extra strawberry milk. I hope these milk can give you energy to start the day. Ah! Today is my last day doing this delivery work. So after tomorrow you're gonna miss my notes. /laugh/. See you at work ^^

"Done." Jinyoung smiled before he stuck the note on the box of the milk.

-00-

School was like usual, doing multiple try out test to make the student ready for the SAT exam. And as usual as that, Jihyo has to answer Dahyun’s question about her progress with Mark.

"No progress at all." Jinyoung answered in annoyed tone. He still regret what he did yesterday. He dislike the fact that he made a whole plan to have skin ship with guy.

"Aaah it's frustrating. Why is Chef Mark really hard to get?" Dahyun sighed.

It's not Chef Mark that hard to get but Jihyo who stubbornly won't come out. Jinyoung thought in his mind.

Then he turned to look at Dahyun who's now talking about the next plan for Jihyo. Suddenly he thought, why should I waste my time trying to get closer to Chef Mark when I have Dahyun by my side? I can have skin ship with her too, can't I?

"Jihyo ya!" Dahyun snapped Jinyoung back to reality. "Are you listening?"

"Uhm?" Jinyoung was blank, he didn't catch up what Dahyun saying. "What did you say?"

"Heol, so you're not listening the whole time I talk about your next move. Seems like you run out of energy. Let's just go to cafeteria." Dahyun comfortably linked her arm on Jihyo while walking together.

Jinyoung stole a glance to where the arms linked. Yeah, a skinship like this. A soft smile planted on Jihyo’s face. But then it suddenly disappeared as Jinyoung remember his promise to Scheduler. Aish, why should you come out at a time like this? Jinyoung pushed away the thought about Scheduler and continued walking happily with Dahyun by his side.

-00-

Jinyoung reached the restaurant almost the same time with Jaebum. He silently followed Jaebum to the staff room and surprised him. "Hyung!"

Jaebum was surprised by Jihyo appearance but Jinyoung was also surprised by Jaebum wearing a mask. "Oh Jaebum hyung, are you sick?"

Jaebum shook his head.

When Jihyo wanted to check his body temperature by touching his forehead, Jaebum refused. "I'm okay.." He said it short and left to the kitchen.

By the time the restaurant opened, Jaebum was caught coughing multiple times. Sometimes, Jinyoung stole time to ask him if he were okay or if he needed something, but Jaebum only shook his head. Looking at Jaebum who's having a hard time, Mark called him.

"Just go home, JB. You need rest."

"No, Chef. I'm okay." Jaebum insisted to stay.

"Don't be stubborn. Just go home, we can handle the kitchen." Mark told him firmly.

And it made him to obey his word. "Yes, Chef."

But then Jihyo put her hands up. "Chef, can I go home with him? He need someone to take care of him. "

All of the Chefs were looking at Jihyo, including Jaebum who was surprised by her request.

"What??" Mark couldn't believe what he just heard. "He's not a little kid who need you by his bedside whole night, Park Jihyo." He told Jihyo in mocking tone.

Listened to what Mark said, Jihyo pouted.

"I can take care of myself. Don't worry." Jaebum told Jihyo and then bowed to the Chefs.

When he walked out the kitchen, Jihyo grabbed his arm. "Don't forget to fill your stomach before you drink the meds, Hyung. Araseo?"

Knowing how care Jihyo to him, Jaebum got a mix feeling. He was happy that Jihyo really cares for him, but he was also sad remembering that it might be because Jihyo seeing him as her brother. Slowly he nodded. "Araseo."

As Jaebum leaving the kitchen, Jihyo couldn't take her eyes off of him. And behind her, Mark also couldn't take his eyes off of Jihyo. There was something burning in his heart. He didn't like the view he just seen. He didn’t like the way Jihyo care with guy other than him.

-00-

Knowing that Jaebum probably laying on the bed without having dinner and meds, Jinyoung passed by the drugstore on his way home to buy him meds. As he walked by himself on the road, he remembered the incident that took his life away.

He usually didn't remember it when Jaebum on his side, but this time when Jaebum not around he suddenly remember it. It was like he saw himself walking out from the drugstore and followed a cat that looks like Nora, and then he cheered himself up that tomorrow would be better, and then Bam! The car hit his body.

He stopped walking at the front of the cafe that was struck by the car. "Aah seems it's still under recovery."

Jinyoung sighed. It felt strange to remember his own death, but then he cheered him up.