CHAPTER 29: Again

As Jihyo reached the corridor of her class, she suddenly stopped walking. She looked at how Mina walked with bending her head down while the other students were looking at her in disgust, like she was a sinner.

Jihyo didn’t have a heart to see Mina being treated like that, but she didn’t brave enough to reach out her hands to help her getting out of this. She knew that it will just making her mad. So, she was only looking at Mina’s back while holding back her tears. Mina ya... Be strong...

"What are you looking at with those glassy eyes?" Youngjae asked as he stood next to Jihyo.

But Jihyo remained silent.

Getting worried, Youngjae asked more, "Are you okay?"

Still didn’t take her eyes off of Mina, Jihyo said, "You should ask that question to Mina.." Then she went away, leaving Youngjae speechless.

-00-

In lunch time, Jihyo ate together with Youngjae. They ate in silent until Jihyo saw Mina walking alone holding her napkin. One of the students deliberately bumped at her making her chicken soup spill on her uniform.

Jihyo directly wanted to get up and helped Mina, but Youngjae held her hand.

"Just don't do anything for now.." Youngjae said softly.

"Why'd you ignore someone who need help?" Jihyo responded with a question.

"Does she need your help?" Youngjae asked back fast.

Didn't want to lose, Jihyo asked again, "Do you help people only when they ask you?"

That made Youngjae smiled. Slowly he said, "Now that you arguing, it seems the Jihyo whom I used to know is back."

With that, Jihyo bent her head down avoiding Youngjae's stare.

Softly Youngjae added, "It's not that I don't want to help Mina.. But the timing isn't right.. If you go there and help her, her self-esteem will go down.. Remember that she dislikes you.. No one want to be helped by the one they hate."

Jihyo looked up and stared at Youngjae while absorbing his words. It was something that she never realized before.

"Don't stare at me and just eat." Youngjae told Jihyo as he felt uncomfortable with Jihyo staring at him.

Jihyo directly moved her stare and said, "Yee.."

-00-

At the end of the day class, Jihyo was still busy reading chemical book. Youngjae then reminded her about the restaurant.

"Did you say you still want to work at the restaurant?"

Jihyo looked up and nodded.

"But why do you still here?"

"Eh?" Jihyo still didn't understand what Youngjae saying.

"Don't you need to go to the restaurant, now?"

Feeling confused, Jihyo asked back. "Now? I thought it's after school.. How about the night class?"

While Youngjae chuckled, Yugyeom took the chance to answer Jihyo's question. "You always skip the night class, Park Jihyo.."

"Ah...” Jihyo nodded, but then she asked again, “But is it really okay if I skip the class?"

That made Bambam laugh before answering, "You are really strange, Jihyo ya.. You have skipped the night class for a month, and now you're questioning us whether it's okay or not?"

Jihyo still looked confuse. Youngjae then assured her, "You have got permission from Teacher Kim.. Don't worry.."

Jihyo took a deep breath before nodding. Then she packed her books before saying goodbye to them. "Okay then. I'll go.." She bowed lightly and went away.

While looking Jihyo went away, Bambam gave comment. "Jihyo is really strange, but cute.. Don’t you agree?" Yugyeom nodded, but Youngjae remained silent.

It wasn’t cute that she barely remember him, Youngjae thought.

-00-

Once Jihyo stepped out the building, she looked around, searching for Jinyoung, but he was not around. But then she heard someone calling her name, "Jihyo yaa"

She looked up and saw someone. He waved his hand and smiled at Jihyo. She slowly approached him while bending her head down.

Mark gave an awkward smile before saying, "I heard from Jaebum that you still want to work at the restaurant. So I got initiative to pick you up.."

"Y-you don't need to pick me up, Sajangnim.." Jihyo said still avoiding Mark's stare.

"Sajangnim???" Mark chuckled, couldn’t believe what he just heard. "Just call me Chef.."

"Yes, C-chef.."

"Good.. Now just get into the car.."

Jihyo couldn't refuse Mark's command, so she obeyed him to get into the car.

Along the way, Jihyo was looking outside through the window while Mark was focus on driving. There was only silent, until Mark started conversation, "You know, I usually don't mind silent. I used to it.. But..”

Jihyo stole a glance to see Mark.

He took a deep breath before continuing, “It’s not when I'm with you.. When I'm with you, I become more talkative.. Since I know you, I prefer to have company.. To have someone you can talk to.."

Jihyo looked at how Mark said it. He said it like he was longing for someone. Someone he used to know, the Jihyo that he knew.

Mark then sighed. "Never mind, I'm just not used to see you in silent like this, Jihyo.."

Jihyo could only bend her head down in silent. She felt guilty to him. From the diary, she read that Mark has a feeling for her, but the fact that she didn't even remember him making her heart aches.

As they reached the restaurant, Mark went inside before Jihyo. Jihyo caught a movement when he took the back of his palm to his eyes like wiping the tears. She heaved a heavy sigh as she didn't know what to do with Mark. She thought that Mark deserves an explanation, but the question is how she could explain all of this illogical event.

-00-

As Jihyo entered the restaurant, she met Jinyoung. Jihyo directly asked, "Oppa where have you been? I'm looking for you.."

"I'm sorry, I'm late picking you up. As I reached school, I saw you went with Chef Mark."

"Yeah.. Oppa, what do I do here? I'm not used to work here.."

"Don't worry I'll guide you.. Now, just get inside.." Jinyoung told Jihyo.

With Jinyoung guidance, Jihyo started to work. Although she met Jackson and Brian for the first time, they acted really friendly with her, but Jihyo was still feel awkward around them.

And when the restaurant started to receive orders, Jihyo has also started to get busy to deliver things to the Chefs.

"Jihyo ya, bring me a cleaver." Mark started to order Jihyo.

"C-cleaver?" Jihyo was confused over what Mark means.

Jinyoung showed up and told Jihyo what Mark means. He pointed the thing while saying, "That knife, Jihyo ya.. That wide-bladed, thick-spined knife in the counter.."

"Ah, yes.." Jihyo nodded and brought the knife to Mark. "H-here, C-chef.."

Mark wondered how Jihyo looked confuse when he mentioned kitchen terms. Does she also forget that? That's a usual term we used to say.. Mark thought in his mind.

But that wasn't happened once or twice, it was happened multiple times. It was like she didn't familiar with the kitchen, and it made Jackson asked, "Jihyo ya, what's wrong with you? You look like a new recruit who don't have any experience."

"Your first day even so much better than this, Jihyo ya.." Brian added.

"Yeah, that's right! Your first day is fascinating. It was like you own this kitchen. But what happens to you, now?" Jackson asked again.

"That's because--" Jaebum wanted to help to explain but got cut by Mark.

"Park Jihyo, come to my office." Mark called Jihyo.

And Jihyo obeyed by following him.

-00-

In his office, Mark leaned on the edge of his desk and stared at Jihyo.

He heaved a sigh before saying, "I spent days thinking about what actually happened to you, but still can't figure it out.. It was pretty hard to accept the fact that you forget me.. But it seems you also forget how to work in the kitchen.. You even called me sajangnim, huh.." Mark paused to chuckle. "But well, I'll try to be positive.. So.. Let’s think that this is a brand new start---- for us."

For us? Jihyo looked up.

Mark walked closer to Jihyo and somehow it made her stepped back.

Looking at how frightened her face, Mark stopped walking. He bent his head down as he chuckled softly. "Don't be scared Jihyo.. I'm not the arrogance brat Mark you used to know.. I will changed..” He looked at Jihyo in the eyes and said, “Just like you being the new you.."

Jihyo's heart was dropped to hear what Mark say. She really wanted to tell him the truth but how.. it was something not logic, would he believe it?

"I hope that you'll stop look at me like I'm a stranger and remember this new Mark.."

Jihyo saw a sincerity in Mark's eyes and it ached her heart. She directly bent her head down and nodded.

"Now just go home.. See you tomorrow.." Mark turned around and walked to his seat behind the desk.

"Yes, Chef.." Jihyo said before she turned around and that was when she saw Jinyoung was there, staring at Mark in teary eyes.

He must also felt guilty to Chef Mark, but he couldn't do anything. Jihyo thought. Then she whispered, "Let's go oppa..”

-00-

As Jihyo reached her house, she told Jinyoung, “Oppa, you don’t need to guide me in the restaurant anymore. Just stop following me to school too.”

Jinyoung was surprised by Jihyo’s request. “Why?”

“It’s just... I want to re-start everything.. This time by myself..” Jihyo said softly.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Whether it will be alright or not, I really want to do everything by myself now..” Jihyo answered.

Jinyoung could understand why Jihyo want to do everything by herself. He possessed her for too long, she might want to adjust living by herself. “Okay.. I won’t follow you anymore. But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me..”

Jihyo nodded.

-00-

Day by day, what happened at school just become more chaos. The other students started to bully Mina, like writing Expel the Trash' daughter! or throwing her a garbage. There were some of the students who even spit out at her, but Mina strangely remained silent. Looking at Mina accept all the bullies making Jihyo sad.

She braved herself and tried to talk to Mina after lunch. "Mina ya.."

Mina turned her head and glared at Jihyo. "What do you want?"

"If it's too hard for you to stay at your house, you can live with me.. I live alone now.."

"Huh, What?? Are you kidding me?" Mina opened her eyes widely, couldn't believe what she just heard.

"I mean it." Jihyo said firmly.

"Don't act like you care about me Park Jihyo. I don't need that." Mina tol