Chapter 5 / (날 봐) Look at me!

JIHO’s POV

“I told you, I will come,” he said to me while looking at me with this different feeling in his eyes I couldn’t indentify. But it was so honest. What does it mean? And why I am so nervous right now? Why it makes me smile when I see him. It’s like a promise he gave to me yesterday and now he fulfilled it.

“Mark..” I wanted to greet him or maybe, I don’t know what I wanted to say, but in that time I lost my balance (like I was drunk or what) and my tray with two wine’s glasses felt on the ground. The glass shattered of course and flew into million small pieces. Oh god! I am so clumsy! How can I do this kind of job? But say truth, this is my first time since I am working here, when I broke something. I realized what happened, and quickly kneeled down and begun to pick pieces of a glass.

“Ouch..” I said when I knifed my finger and blood showed.

“Omo, Jiho-ah,” Mark said worryingly, kneeled down to me and took my wounded hand to his hands and look at it.

“My little pabo, why are you picking broken glass with bare hands?” he blew my wound and kindly looked at me. I could feel how is my face burning and my heart is pumping so much. I snatched my hand from him.

“Yah! Jiho-ah! “ really I thought my heart will jumped out from my chest when he was looking at me in that way. He took my hand again, helped me to stand up and while holding my wounded hand, he was taking me behind the bar, when he washed my little but deep wound. I couldn’t say even word to him. I don’t understand. What is he doing with me?

“Does it hurt much?” he asked and I shook my head without looking at him. He picked band-aid from his school bag and carefully applied on my finger. He kissed my hand and her. “It will be alright, my little,” he said in cute and so lovely way. I was nervous even more. I suddenly stood up from the chair and ran to the bathroom. I washed my burning face and looked at the mirror. “What is wrong with me? Why I am acting like this? What is he doing to me? Why I can act normal in front of him? Jiho you stupid girl! You are not right for him! He is younger than you, he is from different world than you and yet it isn’t possible he would look at you in THAT way. Wake up from daydreaming!” a talked to my reflection. Washed my face a few times again till my face in normal white colour and I simmered down a little. I came back, he already has cleaned the mess I made and it seemed as he was waiting on me with a worry he did something wrong. When he saw me, he came after me.

“Jiho, I am sorry if I did something wrong,”

“You didn’t!” I jumped into his speech. “You haven’t done nothing wrong, on the contrary. Thank you for your help, Mark-ssi. I apologize for my behaviour,” I said last words almost whispering.

“It’s alright. Does it hurts?” he smiled warmly.

“No, it’s okay now. And I am glad you really came today. But are you healthy now?”

“I am. Don’t worry…”

Guests came and we had to go back to work. I was barely looking at him and I begun to avoid him little. Or if not, my attitude changed to acting of his noona. As it has to be. This is right. Not to make trouble to him with my stupidity. For the rest of the day.. and then everyday from now on. He is my dongsaeng.

 

Mark’s POV

Something has changed on her. What did I do to her? Jiho-ah… Talk to me as yesterday. Look at me at least.

She started to treat me like a kid. But why? She wasn’t like that! Every her cute-noona way speech to me, every her noona-act to me, noona-carrying about me, are as pain in my , for real. I hope it’s only today. But I lost my happy mood. I felt like staying at home was that day better idea.

“Why are you like this?” I asked her while we were cleaning the restaurant.

“Like what?” she acted like she didn’t get it.

“You seem to be not really happy that I came today. Did I do something wrong? Or said something wrong? Why I have feeling that you are trying to avoid me? Talk to me less than before? And treating me like a kid?” I could feel anger.

“No..”
 

“Don’t even say I haven’t done nothing wrong. Jiho-ah. Can you be honest as few hours ago?”

“Markie, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t call me like that. You didn’t before. So don’t do this now. It feels like my sister in the tone you are talking to me now.” I wasn’t smiling.

“But you are my don..”

“Don’t you dare to say it,” my voice was louder.

“But it’s true. What do you want from me? You are younger than me so what?” what’s wrong with her? Why is she so strange? I want to yell so much from frustration.

“I thought I am equal to you,” I said.

“More or less,” she said but she wasn’t honest. She wasn’t looking at me. Arrrgh! Jiho-ah! Don’t make me be angry on you!

“Look at me Jiho-ah!” but she wasn’t. She tried to ignore me and she continued cleaning floor. It had upset me even more. I dropped the broom on the floor and came to her. I took her broom and put it away. She gazed at me with raised eyebrow. I caught her around her tiny waist and put fingers of my free hand on her chin gently and forced her to look at me. I was just few inches from her face. I could hear fast pumping of her heart and mine as well. She was trembling. I realized just now what I did. But I didn’t pull away from her.

“When you are talking to me, at least please look at me. I want to see if you are honest with me. With yourself. I want to see every lie you say from now on,”

“Mark…”

“Am I kid to you? Will you treat me like that from now on? Because if yes, I want to be prepared.”

“I am sorry…”

“For what?” I said with soft in my voice.

“I don’t know what I am doing, Mark. It’s because of you. I don’t understand a thing. And I don’t want to cause trouble,” she said with a sadness.

“What kind of trouble?” I didn’t understand.

“I am scared that I may fall for you even more…” she said almost whispering. I couldn’t believe my own ears, but now it has sense. All her strange acting today. I wasn’t happier before. It’s like she confessed to me. I leaned closer to her: “Pull me away if you want to,” I said and tried to kiss her beauty lips. She closed her eyes, I took it as yes…

“Aideura (kids), did you finish your work?” I didn’t have to chance even touch her lips when we heard voice from behind. We pulled away each other in hurry. We were pretending cleaning when Mr.Kim came in.

“Y-yes. It’s almost done,” Jiho said. She is so cute when she is blushing. I smiled.

“Done!” I said like nothing happened and took my broom and second from Jiho and put it back to the store.

“Great, you can go home my dears,” Mr.Kim said to us. “I will lock the restaurant,” he said.

“ I am going to dress up,” said Jiho.

“Honey, are you okay? You look as you are burning!” Mr.Kim got scared. I almost began to laugh.

“Ehm, I don’t know. I caught a cold maybe. You now, this bad weather. Don’t worry, during the weekend I will take care of myself. I will be fit after that,” she said and ran away to the dressing room. So cute this kind of reaction. And it is all because of me…

“Good night Mr.Kim. See you on Monday,” I said with a smile.

“See you Mark-ssi. I hope everything is ok now and you are not ill,”

“Don’t worry. It wasn’t something serious. Just flue,” I said, bowed for a greeting and went outside when I wanted to wait on her. My phone rang. I took it out from my pocket. DAD: ! I hope he didn’t find out.

“Dad? What’s wrong?”

“Where are you Mark? It’s almost eleven. You wasn’t on a dinner either,”

“I am on my way home now dad. I was doing project I told you about with Donghyuck. I forgot about time. I am sorry.”

“Just hurry up home. It was last time you are so late!” he sounded angry.

! Right now? I couldn’t wait for her. Just messaged her: “Jiho-ah, I am sorry I need to hurry up. Something came up. Please be careful on your way home. Hope you will pick my calls. Good night and have sweet dreams. ” I wanted to add already miss you, but changed my mind. I still don’t know what it is about and I didn’t want to sound cliché.

 

To be continued...