“I’m really okay.”

This morning, she found the men doing everything for her as if she had turned fragile overnight. Not allowing her to as much reach for the spoon.

“It was a cut,” she reminds them. “My hands are still working perfectly fine.”

“Any movement can cause it to start bleeding again, miss.”

Probably not but sighing, she allows them to continue to fill her plate with breakfast food.

“Do you need to feed me as well?” Jinsol asks.

Everyone stops what they’re doing. “Would you like us to, miss?”

Really, they’re unbelievable. “Yongguk, can’t you tell them to relax?” If they don’t listen to her, maybe Yongguk could get a different response. 

He places his coffee cup down but, refuses to remove his eyes from the newspaper in his hands. “They’re doing a great job.”

God, he’s no help. 

She watches Jongup more closely. He seems to be the most energetic in the bunch. Presumably, out of guilt for having caused the accident in the first place. Yet, everything turned out for the better so, she didn’t understand the reaction. Apparently, there has been no sightings of any of her family members since the whole act. And, she hopes it stays that way. Yongguk never did explain how everything worked out well but, she’s completely convinced he had put quite a bit of thought into the trap. A trap that he denies existed. 

“What would you like to drink, miss?” Jongup asks. 

Giving in, she places her empty glass into his outstretched hand. “Orange juice, please.”

“Right away.”

As the commotion continues, Yongguk folds up his newspaper and gets up to his feet. “I’ll see you for dinner,” he says and receives a nod from Jinsol. “Don’t do much today to aggravate the injury.”

“Okay,” she sighs. She waves him to hurry him out the door before he could add any more to the fuss.

***

Heading towards the door, she notices the many heads shifting to see what she’s up to. 

“Relax,” she comments as she pulls on her shoes. “I’m going to explore like you all mentioned before.”

“The home. Not the neighborhood,” Jongup clarifies.

“But, can’t I?” Yongguk has never said that she couldn’t or shouldn’t. 

“Boss never said that was allowed.”

What is he going to do? Cry at her? Well, that’s what she would have said but, after getting to know the new Yongguk, she didn’t want to test his reactions. 

“Besides, you can worsen your injury, miss.”

“Are you talking about this cut?” How gang members could make a big fuss about something like this is beyond her. “Do you want to come then?” She wouldn’t mind company on the walk and it would probably make Jongup feel better.  

Without a moment of hesitation, he is right beside her as they leave the home. Stuffing her hands inside the pockets of her sweater, she starts down the path with Jongup. And, she soon finds that it felt nice to be out of the house. 

“Miss Jinsol, you must tell me when you start feeling unwell.”

She hardly thinks the cut would do much impact to her energy level but, sure. “Hey Jongup, are you blaming yourself?” A little too much? 

“Well, it was my mistake.” 

“Right, it was a mistake. It wasn’t done on purpose.”

“That doesn’t matter to boss.”

Yongguk? “I’m certain Yongguk could see reason.”

Yet, Jongup doesn’t respond. Instead, he looks away from her and faces front. She watches him from the side, curiously. 

“Did you get into trouble with him?” Jinsol wonders.

“Boss didn’t say anything.”

“Then, what’s the concern?”

“It’s exactly because he didn’t say anything. Boss is the type to say things right away and when he doesn’t, there must be really something. Everyone is walking on eggshells– not just me,” Jongup releases a sigh after his words and she can sense the resignation. “Boss is different from the person you knew when you were younger, miss.”

Jinsol couldn’t exactly deny that. She has gain an understanding since entering the home. 

“I think you’re exaggerating, Jongup. It’s just a cut.”

“But, it was a cut on you, miss.”

Jinsol stops in her steps and thinks about his words. So, she’s the center of the problem, it seems. 

“Can’t you see it, Miss Jinsol. You really matter–,”

“If I talk to Yongguk, it won’t be a problem anymore.”

He was leading her in one direction but, it appears her words hint that she’s taking a different path. “Miss Jinsol, I don’t think you understand what I’m saying.”

“I think I heard you loud and clear.”

Going with what she thinks, she resumes her pace down the sidewalk. 

“You can’t tell him this, Miss Jinsol– sometimes, I do pity him,” he says once he catches up to her. 

She chuckles. “Why would you pity Yongguk?”

Jongup’s phone starts buzzing in his pocket and Jinsol distracts herself while he goes to answer it. 

“Yes?”

She couldn’t exactly hear what was being said on the other line so, she doesn’t bother listening on to it. 

“I am accompanying Miss Jinsol on her walk, sir.”

Well, she can assume that he’s speaking to Yongguk. There is only one precious ‘sir’ to these guys. 

“Miss Jinsol,” Jongup calls out and she looks towards him. “This call is for you.”

“Hello?”

“What would you like for dinner tonight?” 

“Uh–,” Suddenly coming into the clearing is a convenience store. “Nothing.” Grabbing Jongup’s attention, she points towards the lit-up shop. 

“You want to go there?” he whispers back to confirm. 

“Nothing?” Yongguk’s voice comes over the line.

She nods to answer Jongup’s question. “Hey, I’ll talk to you later when you get home, Yongguk. Just pick something up for yourself.” 

“Wait–,” 

Jinsol ends the call and hands Jongup the phone. He stares down at it and returns his attention on her. She was already crossing the street so, he hurriedly stuffs his phone away to catch up. 

Stepping inside, she walks towards the one aisle that held what she had been craving. “Jongup, why don’t you grab what you want as well.”

“Are we eating here?”

She smiles at him. “What else would we do?”

With a bowl of ramen in their hands, they stand before the cashier. After eyeing the tall boy’s nametag that read Junhong, she smiles up at him. He begins ringing her and Jongup up. 

“Do you come around here often?” he asks.

“It’s my first time.”

Junhong nods his head in understanding. “No one like you really comes by here so I was only curious.” 

“Why not?”

“It’s a rich neighborhood. Why would they come here for snacks?”

Well, he has a point. “Then, why is there a shop here?”

He looks up and his nods towards Jongup. “Guys in similar suits come in every now and then. So, the business is pretty stable.”

Her and Jongup share a quick look. Poor kid doesn’t even know who he’s dealing with on a daily basis. Shooting him one last smile, the two make their way towards the counter in front of the window and start on their dinner. 

“I’m sure boss was planning a better dinner than this,” Jongup comments between bites.

“Sometimes, ramen tastes the best.”

It was a while later when a sleek, black car comes to a stop before the shop. Jongup suddenly coughs and tries to finish his chewing before standing to his feet to smooth out his suit. 

Jinsol automatically stiffens. “Do we need to run?”

“Not you,” he sputters before rushing out of the convenience store and towards the car. 

Jinsol also starts to prepare to leave when the driver steps out. With the turn of events, she naturally relaxes and goes back to her meal. She sticks the piece of sausage in as she makes eye contact with Yongguk through the windo