ϞϞϞϞϞ

He looked antagonizing. Namjoo stared up into his narrow slits of eyes. Since the first time he bumped into her he always seemed very angry. At what, she had still yet to find out. One thing she already knew was that he was very irritable. Every little thing ticked him off. Was it his personality? Or a front?

Oh Sehun was a very interesting individual.

Often, she met different people daily. Those with curiosity about the sanctuary. Others just prowling around to see why they were a necessary organization. Two types of people. Open minded. Or narrowed perspective.

Which one did Sehun fall under?

The first time she heard of him was when her father was on the phone. Their last volunteer had just completed her required hours. She was looking forward to meeting their next on hand helper. Instead she was told her father had closed the applications. He had accepted someone else. With special exceptions.

Oh Sehun, city born, around her age would board here for three months. He would help her around with work. Be nice to him. He’s not used to our lifestyle. Help him adjust. Just for three months and he’ll go back home. Then her father had pat her on the back.

Pulling her slimy hand out she made a face. Wiping it against her sweats disgusted. “At least wash your hands.” Pointing her finger at the bread, “Those are mine. You eat it all you fork out your money to buy me more.”

His glare turned sharper. He was just like her bad-tempered twin. Invoking nostalgic memories from long ago. Making her happy and sad. She enjoyed this.

Oh Sehun was a very interesting person.

Pressing her forefinger against the space between his brows she said, “Keep frowning and you’ll wrinkle faster.”

Surprise sparked his eyes then he swat her hand away.

“Well then, eat up,” Namjoo turned away. Hooking her hands at her back, “A group is scheduled to be here in thirty. Be fast.”

She smirked at him over her shoulder then walked out.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

He wanted to grind her so badly. After munching on over half of the loaf he found Namjoo outside talking energetically to a new group of people. Their eyes roved over him as he walked over.

“And yes,” Namjoo held her arm out, “our new species.”

She turned to give him a very smug grin. He glared.

Back to the group, “We adopted him just this morning. I found him roaming around the road, so I brought him here to be with us. He’s still adapting to his surroundings and might bite.” Giggling, highly amused by herself she touched his arm, “His name is Mr. Oh.”

The group of six chuckled. Sehun could feel the blood rushing to his head.

Laughing more loudly, “I’m kidding. His name is Sehun. He’s replacing the previous volunteer and will be helping around the farm. He’s still learning, so lets welcome him.”

One day, he swore. One day he would get her.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

Groaning, Sehun jumped onto the twin mattress. Burying his face into the sheets. Finally, he’d showered. Feeling the cleanest he’d ever been since he came out of his mother’s womb. Now he could relax at last.

The house was cool. His room was air conditioned. There was no where else he’d rather be. Flipping onto his back he sighed content. The guest room was simply small and very modest. Enough room for a table, a dresser, the twin bed. Basically, a room meant to be slept in and storage for his belongings.

His eyes landed on the square window beside the bed pushed against the wall. With a view of the pasture outside and a tree in the backyard. On the tiny window sill sat another one of those small potted plants. Sitting up he reached for the pot.

For some reason, the house was overrun by these pots. He poked at the tiny green leaves. Jerking when the door flew open.

“Freaking…” he swore when he saw Namjoo. Her eyes landed right on him. Eyeing him, the flower, back to him. “What?!”

Stepping in she yanked the pot from his hand and set it on the windowsill. “It needs sunlight. Don’t move it.”

He scoffed. “I don’t care.” Then spat, “I was going to throw it away anyway.”

“How rude,” she commented. Gently the tiny leaves, “Flowers are meant to be looked after. You have to water it a little every day, so it can blossom. Care for it and it’ll return the favor by becoming something beautiful.”

“What is with you?” he frowned at her. “You and your weird anthologies.”

Pointing to her head, “It’s common sense. Don’t tell me you don’t even understand that.”

“I don’t care,” he told. “Get out.”

“Fine. I’ll eat your share of dinner by myself.” Namjoo wheeled around to walk out closing the door after her.

He wouldn’t lose. He wouldn’t lose. Patience he reminded himself.

Groaning, irritated he climbed out of bed and hurried out the door. Indeed, Namjoo and her father were at the kitchen table. There was plenty of food. Not the elegant cuisine he fed on in the city, but food regardless. Starve he thought or stuff himself.

Sitting beside Namjoo’s father he helped himself. Hungrily swallowing the homemade chicken broth.

Uncle Kim laughed gladly, “You must be hungry.”

“He did nothing,” Namjoo remarked. “This is too good for him.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. Asking out of spite, “Is this Minseok?”

Sehun poked at the boiled chicken and tore off its thigh. Dropping it onto his plate and shredding the meat apart with vehemence. Deviously smiling at her as he chewed violently.

“Mmm…tasty.” He commented.

Namjoo’s expression constricted. “Dad! Look at him!”

“It’s not Sambok, it’s all right.” her father gently coaxed. Putting more chicken onto his plate for him, the old man encouraged, “Eat more. It must have been hard today.”

“Sir, it’s so hot. Isn’t it dangerous for you to keep accepting visitors? How about we close for a few days until it’s cooler?” Sehun asked.

“It’s not unbearable for us out here,” Namjoo’s father said. “Down here the heat is just mild. Even if it’s cooler one day it will still be the same the next day. It must be different for city people.”

“It’s about becoming one with nature,” Namjoo added. “What makes you weak makes you stronger.”

Sehun shot her a dirty look.

Annoying, she was so annoying.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

After remaking her bed Namjoo tossed her pillow onto it. Patting it to fluff it out. She turned when the door opened to see her father.

“So, how was today?” he walked over to stand beside her desk. Organized with books and a pink cup for her pens and pencils. There was a photograph of the four of them when she was younger. Another one of her and her father.

A small room on the second floor beside the storage closet that used to belong to her sister. Cubed bins were stacked in one corner. Containing various materials for crafts she was into at a certain time. Crocheting, knitting, beading. When Sambok was a chick she had knitted him a tiny sweater. There was a picture somewhere in her room. Most of her time was dedicated to the animals of the sanctuary, so her room always remained barren. Enough for all the minimal things she kept besides memories.

“It’s fun,” Namjoo smiled.

“Don’t be too hard on him.” her father said. “He’s a groomed city person. Their style of living is a world apart from ours. Where they live in convenience, we forage. They don’t always live surrounded by cows, a goat, or a rooster.”

“Then he has to get used to it,” Namjoo shrugged.

Warmly smiling, her father took a step over to touch her head affectionately. “It’ll be good for you to become friends with him. You won’t have to always talk to Sambok and look crazy.”

Rolling her eyes Namjoo scoffed. “I’m not crazy.”

“All right. Go to sleep,” her father said. “Driver Lee is bringing us more hay tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day.”

“Fine. Then get out.”

Her father smiled and gestured for her to get under the covers as he walked to the door. Turning the light off as he closed the door.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

The machine burred, hissed, and groaned as it lifted and dropped a stack of hay. Piling them up in front of the barn. Klairs had scampered off from the noise. Sambok who couldn’t understand any more than a grain of rice paced uneasily back and forth in an unshapely circle in front of the house.

On this horribly hot morning Namjoo was insanely sipping her warm cup of coffee beside him. Steam was literally floating out of her cup. After a quick breakfast of toast, she had dragged him outside to oversee the delivery of hay from an uncle at a neighboring farm. A donation of hay. Out of good will. For a better world. So animals had better, healthier lives.

Sehun eye rolled throughout the whole explanation of the process. They could do this without him. Instead, Sambok had crowed all morning long. Waking him up at dawn. Sehun glared at the rooster who had been at it since dawn. Right outside his window.

One day he would roast the rooster alive.

He was easily irritable, because he was so drowsy. Kind of wanted to wring Namjoo’s neck for coolly sipping on her hot cup of coffee as if the weather wasn’t already burning. He was sweating even after putting on so much deodorant and cologne. Already he could smell his own sweat. Feeling each droplet seeping out of his pores. Sehun wanted a shower and to sleep. Forever. Until he woke up back in his own bed.

Namjoo’s father was standing beside the shelter that belonged to Klairs. Shouting and talking to Driver Lee through the earth quaking noise. Crazy how they seemed to be carrying a conversation when Sehun couldn’t hear a damn thing over the machine.

When was this going to be over?

A headache pounded against his skull. Jumping when something warm and soft brushed against his leg. Bumping into Namjoo causing the hot coffee to spill over her arm. She screamed. He screamed. Sambok clucked.

A domestic duck never minding him trotted past. Didn’t even glance at him as it waddled down the yard.

in a breath Namjoo shot him lasers from her eyes. He glanced at her spilled cup of coffee.

“Oh…” he breathed.

Hardening her eyes, she turned to stomp toward the house. When she returned all the hay had been stacked in front of the barn. His fate waited next.

The silence was so deafening now that the machine had stopped roaring. Even the forest beyond seemed to stop moving. The wind from earlier nowhere to be felt. Not even a against his face.

“I’m going to send Driver Lee off,” her father called out. Then he hopped onto the machine with the other elder man who reversed the monster truck several times before drive off. Sehun watched dirt fly up in a swarm in their wake.

“Come on,” Namjoo said walking toward the heap of hay. All large cubes and bound together by longer pieces of straw. Turning to him, “Pyramid style.”

His brow twitched. There were over three dozen haystacks.

“Well, if you can’t do it, just tell me,” Namjoo challenged. “I won’t judge you. Sometimes a man needs help.”

He bit his lower lip. She was going to continue egging him on. But he wouldn’t lose. Not against her.

Smugly grinning, “I’ll do it.”

Namjoo raised a brow contradictorily. Crossing her arms, “Fine. I offered.”

His mouth opened maybe to take back his words when she turned to walk away. He kicked at the ground. Noticed Sambok staring at him with those beady eyes.

“What do you want?!” he yelled.

Clucking Sambok turned to leave him. Heaving a sigh, he turned around to face the taunting tower of haystacks. He was doomed.

Drawing out another sigh he walked toward the pale stacks. Lifting the first one and groaning. He wasn’t used to physical work. Though he did run at the gym at least two times a week, he did it more in order to stay in shape. Not train his strength. But he could endure this. He would! He refused to let the chicken girl belittle him.

It took over an hour to carry the hay into the barn. Stacking them neatly beside each other to create the foundation of the pyramid the chicken girl demanded. Sweat had soaked through his shirt. Was pooling down his face like he’d taken a water bath. If only he had taken a water bath…

“You’re working hard,” Namjoo’s father walked toward him with a tray.

Sehun panted gruffly. Collapsing on a stack of hay. Sweat dripped down his hair. Grossed out he groaned.

“Wipe it off.” The old man handed him a damp rag. He grimaced, so Namjoo’s father explained, “I wet it with cool water. It’ll make you feel better.”

Feeling better, Sehun started dabbing it over his face, his neck, his nape. Relieved somewhat from the unwavering heat.

“I made you some snacks.” The elder man set the tray down between them. Sitting down with a sigh, he handed him a cup of ice water.

Sehun greedily gulped it with the old man watching happily. Smiling in a fatherly way. Without waiting to be invited, Sehun helped himself to the green onion pancakes the man had cooked up. Gobbling an entire piece whole.

He laughed kindly, “Namjoo has been working you hard, huh?”

Refusing his sympathy Sehun said, “I can do it. It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Then he felt his arms tremble because his muscles were so exhausted. Crossing his arms, he hoped the elder man hadn’t noticed. It would be even worse if they thought he was weak.

He would not be weak. Sehun was determined to hold his head high. No one here could look down on him.

“Don’t take her tricks to heart,” the old man said. “She hasn’t had anyone to play with in a long time.”

“Play with?” Sehun repeated astounded. “How old is she that she needs someone to play with?”

Uncle Kim’s grin grew and he looked kind of sad. “Namjoo’s mother and I are divorced. She took her sister with her when she moved away. The last time we heard of Hyejoo was when she was on her way here with a friend, but she was hit by a car and disappeared. Namjoo has been stuck on this farm with me ever since she was born, and she has never left it. We get a lot of visitors and volunteers, but no one has stayed long enough to be her friend. If you two could become friends during your three months here, it would be very special for her.”

“That’s pitiful,” he muttered gnawing on another piece of pancake.

Nodding, the old man patted his shoulder, “Eat up.”

Sehun returned to work. Groaning when his back started aching. He spent a total of 15 minutes leaning against the incomplete structure. Pounding his back, bending, trying to stretch and crying out.

He really hated this.

Looking behind him revealed an entire tower more of haystacks. It would take all day and all night to complete this stupid pyramid. Throwing his head back he let out a cry. Then he turned to see Klairs watching him. Releasing a bleat when their eyes met.

“What do you want?” Sehun scolded.

“Why are you yelling at her?” A voice chided. He turned to see Namjoo strutting toward him with her water bottle. Intentionally drinking it in front of him. Sehun wanted to punch himself for gulping. He was so thirsty. He’d already drained the ice water her father had given him.

“I see you still have a lot more to go,” Namjoo walked up to him. “You want help?”

“No.” he spat.

Namjoo touched the area between her brows. “Frowning creates wrinkles.”

Instinctively he stopped frowning then became irritated with himself the next second for listening. “Give me that.”

“This?” Namjoo held up the water bottle. “Say please.”

Sehun hissed then snatched it from her. Tilted his head back and started squeezing the bottle. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Namjoo shrieked when he squirted the water at her. Shooting her arms up to defend herself. Water dripped down her face, soaked her shirt. He turned to run when Namjoo attempted to take the water bottle from him. She chased him. Struggling when he easily hopped over the haystacks. Following when he ran out into the yard. She caught him by the shirt but he pulled away, twisted around, and squirted more water into her face. Yelling after him until he bumped into the haystacks in the yard toppling them over and clumsily landed on the prickly straw.

Finally stealing it from him she squirted the rest of the water at him. Out of breath and panting and somehow kind of laughing. He dropped his arms panting, hearing his laughter die down. The water now depleted left her standing above him. The atmosphere suddenly became strange as he stared up at her.

***hehehe

***I didn't notice, I've never made him the mean type until now. I've had my share of mean guys, but they more or less turn out as good guys. We shall see how stubborn Sehun gets along with playful Namjoo. He's so immersed in his own life he needs someone to counter him and she is perfect for him with all the trickery up her sleeve