Choi HaSeul

My day at the library was over. I made sure everything was okay before leaving and closed the entrance properly. As I exited by the employee door, I closed the door.

"HaSeul."

I turned myself and was faced ith YongGuk. He came to me and gave me a rose. I felt confused. "Today is a special day ?"

YongGuk shook his head. "No I just wanted to give you this flower."

"Oh thanks."

He gave me a cup and explained himself. "I also went to take a peppermint tea for you."

I smiled. "Well, it's really nice of you."

YongGuk took my bag and held my waist. "Let's go eat something."

"Should you be at university ?"

He had a grin. "Its starting a bit late tonight. What about eating something with me and then I'll go to uni and you'll go home ?"

I nodded. We ate together in a ramyeon restaurant, YongGuk telling me more about his classes and classmates. He was starting to get a bit more relaxed in class. Even making some friends. I found it so undearing.

"Speacking of friends, today I got a call from Solji." YongGuk said to me. He looked a bit embarassed now.

I nodded, encouraging to say more and he cleared his throat. "She wanted to have dinner one night with me and Jaehyun, like the old time."

"That's great ! I always wondered why she didn't contact you after the trial." I said sincerely. After all, they were friends. None of his friends made a single step towards him since he's out of jail. And this's been frustrating me. It's been months he's out and except his sister no one showed up to him.

YongGuk looked surprised. "Really ? That means I can go and meet them ?"

I punched the table. "YongGuk who am I to forbid you to meet with your friends ? Come on, you make me appear so evil ..." I didn't like this idea of him asking me permission to go out with his friends.

"NO, of course you're not evil ! I just wanted to make sure you were cool with that idea." He reassured me.

"What about your sister then ? Have you heard from her ?" I dared to ask.

YongGuk sighed. "I'm not ready yet. I know I changed but  I don't want to shock her with my appearance or behavior." He said with a wise voice. I looked at YongGuk eat and touched his cheek.

"You need to put on a bit more weight." I gently said.

"I'm going to do a gym subcription to get fit again." He told me. I smiled. YongGuk had projects and I liked him talking about them. Recently, he found a liking into fixing the house, broken sink, gardening, cutting woods. He was starting to care about his new environnement and I couldn't get happier about it.

We finished eating and walked outside together. "Now I need to go to my classes. But I'll walk you to the bus station."

Walking there, I couldn't help but stare at my rose. He went all the way to buy me flower. Since our fight of last week, YongGuk has been very nice to me. Giving me massages, washing my hair, cooking my favourite food, offering me books. And tonight coming to pick me up when my work is done with a rose and a cup of tea. All those sweet attentions were cute of course but also a bit awkward. I felt spoiled as I couldn't remember when I did those things for him.  YongGuk made me sit down on the bench and I looked at my clock. "YongGuk you're going to be late. Go to class !"

The man grinned. "I just want to make sure you get on that bus."

I groaned frustrated. "Go to class or I crush the rose."

He raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, I'm on my way." I got a last kiss from him and looked at him run to university. Gosh, it's rare I see YongGuk running.

*

YongGuk

It was tonight I was meeting with Solji and Jaehyun. I planned to make dinner for HaSeul for tonight, knowing that either way she would probably eat ramen.I headed to the market, to buy vegetables and meat. I was leaving when I saw a store of fabrics. I looked at the  pretty fabrics, thinking about how HaSeul would like this rose pattern.  “Hey you’re HaSeul boyfriend !!" The owner said to me.

I widened my eyes at the lady,t a bit shocked. How come they knew about me ?  HaSeul seemed right about them keeping an eye on her. The owner was an old lady with a pretty smile and sparkling eyes. She touched my arm, laughing a bit.  “Come on, we always see both of you walking together. You always go out of her house. The neighborhood is watching over HaSeul, don’t feel afraid.”

I had a nervous smile. I felt even more afraid. They were keeping tracks of what we’ve been doing. I wonder what a lady this age thinks about a man living in HaSeul house. " I'm YongGuk."

 The owner smiled, happy to get my name. “HaSeul family lives there for a long time now. So she  is well known around here.”

Was that a warning ? Since we talked, she's been really nice yet implying  she was keeping an eye on HaSeul. I pushed that thought away. It wasn't as if HaSeul came here. The lady probably didn't speak to HaSeul in years.

“It must have been a shock for the neighborhood.” I simply replied.

The woman slowly nodded. “HaSeul was so young and her parents are heavily missed even today. And that poor little girl, left alone. Her grandma died not long after her parents.“

I nodded. HaSeul always greeted her neighborgs coldly with a simple bow. I understood more of her behavior. Those ladies from the market still talked about her af is she was a little girl when she was  a grown-up lady. Touching the fabrics, I changed subjects. "You have pretty fabrics here. With a lot of nice pattern."

She invited me to look inside. “You looked at the roses print. You need something in particular ?”

I shook my hands. "No. I can't sew at all."

The woman laughed. "Yeah, but I can do it for you." I nodded, thinking about something and smiled to her. “I have a request to make then.”

*

After my  classes. I headed to the   restaurant  nearby where I was supposed to meet Jaehyun and Solji, getting bit anxious. I was a bit early and started to feel ridiculous. Why did they want to see me ? To make up ? To become friends again ? In a reflex, I called HaSeul. 

"Hello ?" HaSeul answered, obviously eating.

I didn't say anything for a few seconds, making HaSeul groan. "YongGuk your number is registered in my phone. I know it's you."

"Sorry, how is dinner ?"

" Your seafood noodles are delicious !! You have skills !" HaSeul said.

I smiled proudly. "Eat well, my HaSeul."

"Huh, why did you call me for ?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice. You said I could call whenever." I reminded her. "Just talk to me."

HaSeul chuckled. "Yeah, well, I'm eating in front of TV. It's mute now that's why you can't hear it. And I have a new book that I plan to read tonight."

I chuckled. That meant tonight I was coming back home to a sleeping HaSeul in the couch. This time, I would take the freedom to lift her and move her to our bedroom. She was now reading me the sum up of the book and I felt better. Suddenly someone poked my arm. "YongGuk !!"

I turned myself and saw Jaehyun and Solji behind me. I told them a wait a little bit. HaSeul also heard them. "Well, YongGuk enjoy your night out."

"Huh, goodnight."

I looked at my friends. "Hey !"

"Whaouh YongGuk, look at you !! You are really glowing." Solji said, hugging me. I smiled. "Yeah."

She looked teary. "Oh gosh, you looked so terrible when I visited you, even at the trials. Look at you !! You're just like in my memories."

I felt a bit awkward. "Well, a lot of things has changed. I will never be that YongGuk again." I said gently.

Solji nodded, a bit embarassed. She took a tissue and wiped her tears. "It's hormones, I get teary for nothing."

Jaehyun chuckled. "Well what if we talked about that in the korean barbecue restaurant ?" We sat at the table and unless I expected they didn't invite our old friends.

"I thought you'll feel more comfortable like this. The three of us." JaeHyun told me. I had to admit meeting more people stressed me a lot so I was reassured.

He looked at me very surprised and sat in front of me. “How have you been since you were released ?”

I shrugged. “I'm doing fine. At least, I think. I started back university. Well, not Seoul University." I said with a shy voice. They asked me what I was planning to work in and they looked surprised. "You wanted to work in business, remember ? Enginering. Why didn't you choose to finisH your degree ?"

I shrugged. "I just don't want to work in business anymore." They looked a bit weirded