CHAPTER 38: Leave

Flashback

Jihyo felt calmer when she approached the sleeping Mina in her room. She was sound asleep, like there was nothing in this world would harm her. But her face was a bit pale, as the effect of losing much blood.

Jihyo was standing there for a few minutes only to see Mina, her best friend. She felt so relieved that Mina was still alive, here, in front ot her.

But then, Driver Dong came to the room. Jihyo turned her head and saw that he came with few nurses who brought a moving bed. They then approached Mina and moved her to the moving bed.

Jihyo was panic. "Ahjussi, where would you bring Mina?"

"I'll take her home." He said firmly.

"Home? Would she need to stay here, The doctor told me--".

He cut Jihyo’s words with saying, "She'll be treated in the house."

With that, they moved Mina from her room, but Jihyo blocked their way. "No, please let her hospitalized.. She even haven't woke up yet..

"Just get out of my way!" Driver Dong told Jihyo firmly.

But Jihyo resisted. "No.”

That made him to shove Jihyo to the floor. “I told you to move.”

Jihyo directly got up and ran to catch them,

“Ahjussi, pleaase.." She still tried to block them but failed.

Then the ambulance were successfully bringing Mina away from her sight.

Jihyo shouted in desperation. "Mina yaaaa ..."

Jihyo was really worried over Mina. Surely, there must be something that triggered her to decide to end her life. Jihyo thought it must be from her family. So, Jihyo firmly opposed the idea of taking Mina back to the house. But she couldn't do anything but crying.

She was crying all the way home. She didn't even realize that she looked a mess, her skirt was ripped off and her uniform was covering with Mina’s blood. But there was no space in her head to think about herself when all she think about was Mina.

But then someone approached her..

"Jinyoung's sister?" A familiar voice greeted her in worry.

She looked up and saw her neighbor -a guy living in the down floor- her oppa's friend.

As he looked at Jihyo's red puffy eyes, he reflected to say, "Oh My God, what did hap--?"

Before he finished his sentence, Jihyo was already walking closer and rested her forehead on his chest. She was crying so badly. That guy couldn't help but to calm her by patting her back. "It's okay.. It's okay.."

After a few moment, when Jihyo was a lot calmer, he invited her to the park to have a talk. He took off his jacket before he covered Jihyo's exposed thigh because she ripped off her skirt.

He sat next to her and asked softly, "What did happen?"

"My friend attempted to... to slit her wrist.. I brought her to the hospital.." Jihyo was stuttered.

That guy asked in worry. "Was she saved?"

Jihyo nodded lightly. "Yeah, she was saved.. but.. they took her."

That guy tilted his head, feeling confused. "They?"

"Her family." Jihyo shortly explained.

Listened to that, that guy was relaxed. "Aah, then there was nothing to be worried about since she is with her family right now."

"NO!" Jihyo responded fast and firm, making that guy jumped in surprise.

Jihyo then explained it. "It's.. it's because of them." She looked so confuse and worry as she explained more. "Mina wanted to commit suicide must be caused by her family. She didn't even got permission from the doctor to leave, but they took her." She rubbed her face in frustration, before she finally explode in tears again. "She haven't even wake up yet.."

That guy reached out his hand and wiped Jihyo's tears. "Ssh.. don't cry.. She'll be fine." He lifted her chin up and asked, "The most important thing now she was saved, she's alive, right?"

Jihyo looked at him in the eyes as she sobbed.

That guy continued, "Lightning don't strike the same place twice, so for now she must be fine. What you have to worry now is yourself.."

Jihyo was so lost in his eyes, something in it made her believe every words he said.

"Will you go home like this?" He asked again.

This time, Jihyo just noticed that she looked a mess.

"What will you tell Jinyoung if he found out you're in this condition?" He added.

That made Jihyo jumping in worry. She begged him, "Don't tell oppa about this, please.."

He nodded. "I know.. So let's just go buy a new clothes." He said as he got up.

But Jihyo refused politely. "No. It's okay."

That guy sighed and then shot a firm stare at Jihyo. "It's not okay. I won't let a girl walk the streets with that clothes. If you want me to keep it secret, just follow me, okay?"

Jihyo couldn't do anything but nod.

With that, Jihyo followed that guy to the nearest clothing shop. She was actually feeling uncomfortable around him since she didn't even know his name, she could only notice him as her oppa's friend. So, she tried to make a distance with him.

As that guy choosing clothes for Jihyo, Jihyo acted like choosing it too in another row. But then she heard two girls whispering to another. "What did that guy do to that girl? Did he her?"

Jihyo was utterly shocked to hear that.

"He's a bastard. He treated her so bad, look at those blood on her shirt."

Jihyo was frozen. Those words were just so mean.

"Gosh! She's a minor! This is a real criminal.. Let's just go.. I don't want to get asked by the police.."

Jihyo's heart was dropped. She couldn't believe they easily judge a person only based on what they see without understanding the background story. Suddenly she felt guilty to the guy who was helping her. He was judged as ar when the only thing he did was helping her to buy new clothes.

"Hey.." That guy approached and woke Jihyo up from her thoughts.

"Oh?" Jihyo was surprised by his sudden appearance.

"Try this.. I hope it fits you, the color is nice." That guy gave her a peach shirt dress that he chose.

"Y-yes.." She took the dress in nervous and then bowed. "Excuse me.."

She went inside the changing room and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was messy, her eyes were red and puffy, her shirt was covered with blood, and her skirt... She untied the jacket on her waist, and it showed her ripped skirt.. it exposed her right thigh.

She felt embarrassed that she didn't even notice being in this awful appearance. A guilty feeling creeped up again as she saw the jacket she was holding. I should thank him. He was helping me a lot.

She changed into the peach dress and came out. There, that guy was already waiting for her. He reflected to say, "Ah you look better like this." Then he smiled and added, "Beautiful."

And somehow, Jihyo was blushing. She knew she's not in the condition to feel happy, but after all the hard day she went through, it was really nice to hear someone saying a good thing.

"We'll take this." He told the shopping assistant as he went to the cashier.

But Jihyo stopped him. She politely refused again, "No.. Let use my money.."

He stared firmly at Jihyo. "No need. Just think of it as my present for you okay?"

Somehow that guy could make Jihyo obey him. She nodded in the end.

Then she asked his permission to go to the restroom. There, she washed her face and combed her hair with her hands. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. And she thought that she looked better now.

Beautiful.

As she remembered how that guy say it, her lips naturally made a curve.

Jihyo came out from the shop and met that guy. He smiled at her and it made her directly look down, hiding her face.

As they walked home together, that guy started the conversation with asking, "When will your brother go home?"

"He comes home at m