Chapter 16

“Why did you bring me to the hospital for a small bruise like this?” asked Jisoo. “You could have just given me a bandaid..”

Taehyung was still disinfecting her wound carefully.

“People thought something bad happened because you were carrying me to the ER..” she continued talking even without getting a response. “I haven’t felt this embarrassed in a long time.. do you remember when everyone saw my neon colored pair of shorts that time in the canteen? That was the last time I-..”

Taehyung looked at her. That made her stop.

She has a lot of memories with him..  she made tons of them.. but why does it feel like she’s the only one who remembers them?

She was getting optimistic when she saw his worried face and he carried her all the way to the hospital, thinking that he has started caring for her but it seems like she was wrong.

“It’s done..” he said standing up. “Don’t run.. don’t trip yourself.. and you should start wearing pants, winter is almost here.. it’s getting colder.. if you had worn pants today then you wouldn’t have-..”

“I understand..” she said pouting. “I’m not a child.. it isn’t like I tripped purposely.. stop nagging at me..”

Taehyung held her hands all of a sudden. 

She felt nervous. Why did he touch her hands?

“You’ve got some bruises here as well..” he said while blowing on her hands. 

She isn’t the only one who remembers. He does as well..

He wasn’t saying anything because he kept getting reminded by those times he brought her to the clinic in college.

And her hands.. he hasn’t felt those hands for four years.. they used to be much softer.. 

But now, apart from the bruises because of her fall, there are also some old scars.

It must be because she has worked in the kitchen for some time.

He made her go through that.. it was his fault she had to work hard by herself..

Jisoo pulled her hands from him. She saw how he has been staring blankly at them for a while.

“Go to work..” she said. “I’ll leave now..”

She was putting on her shoes when Seojun came inside. 

He ran to check on what happened after hearing about Taehyung bringing her to the ER.

“Are you okay?” he asked panting. “Did you get hurt?”

Jisoo shook her head. 

“It’s just a small wound..” she said scratching her temple. “I fell down..”

“Are you sure you don’t have to be admitted?” he asked looking at her from head to toe. “You can stay here if you want..”

“Why would I stay here? I’m really okay..” she said showing her dressed wound. “This is nothing to me.. and I also need to study at home.. they gave me a lot of things to do so I can catch up with the others..”

Seojun felt relieved. He thought something worse had happened. He can’t let anything happen to her. He made a promise to Hannah that he will take care of her forever.

Jisoo excused herself and went out of the room leaving the two of them alone.

“You.. what are you still doing here?” asked Seojun. “You made a fuss earlier because of a small wound? How many times did you disinfect it? You have been here for more than an hour already..”

“It wasn’t that small..” Taehyung replied. “I also had to check if there were any other injuries.. didn’t you teach me to check on the patient thoroughly? I just did what you told me..”

Seojun shook his head as he sat down in front of him.

“You..” he said narrowing his eyes. “Are you-..?”

“I told you I don’t like her anymore..” Taehyung defended himself adamantly. “I was just treating her as a patient..”

Seojun burst into a laughter.

“I was asking you to go back to your team..” he said still laughing at his son’s reaction. “You should hurry up before they deduct you some points..”

He felt embarrassed for a second. It’s good he managed to put on a poker face while going to his department.

He was greeted by one of his colleagues who went to drink with him last night.

“Everyone is talking about you bringing a girl to the ER..” he said giving him a strange look. “Who is it? Your lover?”

Taehyung pushed him aside as he put on his white coat.

“Don’t you think you need to answer me? After all the hardships I went through last night..” he continued bothering him. “I had to carry you and called for a cab because you couldn’t drive anymore.. I even paid for it.. brought you home and-..”

“Thanks for that..” said Taehyung. “I’ll wire you the money..”

“Just treat me next time to a drink..” his colleague said. “But don’t get drunk anymore.. I won’t be that kind again to you..”

Taehyung changed his shoes and checked himself if there was something else he should bring with him.

“You know what’s the funniest thing you did when you were drunk?” he asked. “You kept on saying you want to go home.. just what is there in your house that you kept saying you wanted to be home right away? Do you have a wife already? Are you married?”

That’s right.. it has always been like that.. he’d ask to go home whenever he was drunk.. 

But it isn’t that kind of home he wants to see.. it isn’t that home he misses.. 

He wants to be home because he wants to be with her.. his home is Jisoo.. he feels at home whenever he’s with her..

He has been missing that kind of feeling he used to have when he lived with her merrily four years ago.

It was the best period of his life.. it was the happiest time.. if only time froze.. if only he could stop that moment.. if only he had met her in other circumstances.. then maybe.. he wouldn’t be living in despair.. in agony.. maybe he won’t be feeling guilty like this anymore.. and he can tell her openly how much he loves her.. how much he misses her..

————————————————————————

“I told you to call me so we could hang out but you brought me here because you wanted to eat..” said Mino.

They were standing in front of a restaurant.

Jisoo couldn’t meet with Rosè because of her upcoming marriage so she chose to bother Mino instead.

“Now that you’re working you should buy me meals more often..” said Jisoo smiling from ear to ear. “I looked for the best place to eat and they recommended me this..”

“Of course this would be the best.. it’s one of the most expensive restaurants right now..” he said. “You surely know how to choose well..”

He had already opened the door but he took a step back and turned his body around.

“Why? Did you change your mind in just a second?” asked Jisoo. “You can’t do this to me.. you promised me you’d-..”

She looked through the glass door and saw who was inside.

Then she realized why he had to step back.

Lisa was there. She was eating with a man.

“Let’s go to another place..” said Jisoo quickly. “I know a better place..”

She pulled his arm away from there. 

Who was Lisa eating with? Is he her boyfriend? But it seemed like he was a lot older than her..

Jisoo couldn’t even ask Mino any question because the atmosphere suddenly went down.

They ended up going to a fast food restaurant. It was the closest one and she was already hungry.

“This is still the best, isn’t it?” said Jisoo trying to lift up his mood. “I honestly like this more than an expensive meal..”

“I’m sorry..” said Mino looking at her. “We can eat there next time..”

She badly wants to ask him about Lisa but she’s scared of making him feel awkward.

Should she ask him? Her curiosity is killing her again.. why did they have to see her there? She thought she was abroad all this time..

She had a lot of things in her mind that she didn’t know she was blankly staring at his face.

Mino snapped his fingers to make her senses come back.

“Do I have anything on my face?”he asked smiling. “Don’t stare at me for too long.. what if you fall in love with me? “

Jisoo kicked his foot under the table. He groaned a little.

“That hurts..” he said covering his mouth.

But thanks to her, he’s feeling all better. He would have been madder if she hadn’t been with him.

“You want to ask what happened between us, don’t you?” he asked putting his burger down. 

Jisoo tried to control her expression. But her face made it even more obvious.

Of course she wants to know. She wants to give him a piece of advice.. but she needs to know what really happened.

“I heard you dated for some time..” she said. “But you broke up because..”

She heard Mino was still jealous of Taehyung back then..

“She said she had to go abroad all of a sudden but she didn’t..” said Mino. “She just wanted to break up with me because she has found herself another man.. a better man than me.. a lot better..”

Jisoo was shocked of what she has just heard. Lisa didn’t seem to be that kind of girl.

“Then you should have told us about it.. everyone is saying other things about you..” she said frustrated. “Why do you always let people misunderstand you? You should try-..”

“I don’t want people to badmouth her..” he said. “She was someone I loved afterall.. we used to love.. and I want to keep her as a beautiful memory..”

Jisoo didn’t say anything anymore. She could see that he still cherishes her a lot. He must still be in love with