23
Miss. Trouble
It’d been two days since she was able to leave the hospital. What’d sort of surprised her the most though, was the fact that Lay had stayed during the whole visiting hour. He’d even made sure to follow Leerang home. He had asked the girl several questions during that time too, everything from if she was feeling okay to whether she wanted to do something someday. “I can’t this week.” she’d explained, the girl was still grounded and couldn’t leave the house. To pull a stunt like that would only give her more trouble. “Some other day then.”
Chanyeol had showed up for a short visit as well. He’d felt so bad about what’d happened that he brought a whole basket of chocolate with him. “I’m sorry for what happened and I know, chocolate can’t possibly counterbalance for a hospital visit.” he’d apologized, an action Leerang replied by saying that it wasn’t his fault. Lay had already explained to her about the incident, how she’d been forced to down a whole glass of soju after losing a game.
Being grounded had probably never been so boring before. Nothing was fun anymore, as the TV and laptop brought no joy. Leerang did usually not have a problem with staying inside, but not this time, and that just because she wasn’t allowed to leave. In fact, the only thing the girl had occupied herself with for the past days were to draw. Lay ended up on a lot of those drawings actually. “I wonder what he’s doing right now.” Leerang glanced out through the window, small pearls of water splashed against the windowpane as it continued to rain. “Such a depressing weather.” the girl heaved a deep sigh before shifting her attention back to the sketchpad lying on her studydesk.
There was a sudden knock on the door, “miss, your cell phone has been going off several times and it seems as if someone is trying to reach you.” Leerang couldn’t help but to dash out from her bedroom. She’d been certain that her mother had brought the device with her when leaving. But obviously not. The fact that someone was calling were surprising, especially since she didn’t exactly have that many contacts. However, the phone was lying in their bedroom, one that was locked. “I guess that was it then.” it was rather unusual for anyone in the house to lock the doors, therefore did Leerang not have a key that would fit.
The girl could hear her cell phone going off in there all the whilst she was leaning against the door, trying to come up with a way to get a hold of it. Another maid walked past just then, “miss, why are you sitting here?” with a pout Leerang explained what was going on, how someone was calling her and that the door was locked, thus making it impossible for her to reach it. “Should I unlock it for you?” eyes wide the girl blinked up on the maid, “wouldn’t that cause trouble for you?” the older woman smiled, as if there was nothing to be worried about. “It’s not like she would know, right.” Leerang was genuinely confused, “but mom, she said you would keep an eye on me.” the maid knew, every staff inside the mansion had been told to look out for the girl. In difference to her mother though, did they notice straight away when Leerang was miserable. “I won’t say anything.” with that could she only watch as the maid unlocked and left with the words, “who knows, it might be your boyfriend.”
With cheeks flushed and heart pounding did she begin to search for the device, one Leerang found in the drawer next to the king size bed. There was six missed calls, all of them from the same person, Jungah. Dialing the other girl’s number she pressed the phone to her ear, “oh Leerang, I never thought I would be able to get a hold of you.” her pulse hadn’t really settled down, she was still slightly taken aback by the fact that Jungah had called.
“Sorry.” laughter filled their conversation, “what are you apologizing for, there’s no need for that.” Jungah understood more than well that people could be busy and unable to take a phone call. “Anyhow, I called because a close friend of mine is having an art exhibition and I wondered if you wanted to come.” Leerang would definitely be more than delight to attend, but it became a problem since she was still grounded. “So, what do you say?” it was chaos inside her head, as there were simply too many thoughts. Would it be worth going against her mother to hang out with Jungah?
“Okay, I’ll come.” Leerang practically ran up the stairs to get ready once the call ended. The thought of having to sneak out excited her in a way, mainly because it was something the girl hadn’t done before. Leerang decided to take a quick shower as it was still one and a half hour left until she was supposed to be there. “Jungah really wants to hang out with me.” an overwhelming feeling of happiness grew within and she couldn’t help but to smile. Leerang was hopeful, she truly wanted a friend and this was a golden opportunity.
“Are you going somewhere?” the girl came to an immediate stop just as the same maid from earlier appeared before her. “I -I, please don’t tell. But there’s an art exhibition I really really want to attend and someone from school is coming and she wanted me to come too, an -.” she was blurting it all out in hope that the woman would feel some pity and let her pass. “You’re free to go.” Leerang was lost for words, she could not believe she was actually allowed to leave, “r -really?” the woman nodded with an assuring smile. “Just don’t forget to bring your phone in case anything happens, and should I call for a cab?” the girl shook her head as adrenaline began to spread throughout, a result of being so excited, “I’ll take the bus.”
Holding onto an umbrella Leerang stepped out in the rain. She was immensely glad that she’d dressed into some warmer clothes since the temperature seemed to have dropped dramatically. The summer weather had been replaced by rain and coldness, something that was hard to imagine as it was in the middle of July. Luckily enough was the bus stop located just around the corner. Her knee hadn’t healed completely though, an ordeal which caused the girl to walk a bit slower.
She and Jungah met up right outside the said location, “I’m happy you could make it.” Leerang tensed a bit when the other girl hugged her. “My friend is looking forward to meet you. I told him that you were interested in art as well.” for Jungah to have mentioned her arrived as a positive surprise, especially since they barely knew each other. “Let’s go inside.” the eagerness of which the other girl displayed was new and slightly foreign. But nonetheless entertaining.
Following after Jungah the two of them entered what she would describe as heaven. Painting after painting was lined up on the walls, each one of them expressed an uniqueness Leerang couldn’t help but to love. It became obvious rather quickly how awfully talented the artist was. To say that she was jealous would be an understatement. “Do you like them?” Jungah was suddenly by her side again, “mm, they’re all very beautiful.” the girl had a lot to learn before she would be able to create such amazing pieces. “They’re for sale if you want any of them.” Leerang would’ve bought one if it hadn’t been for the fact that her credit card was off limits, “s -some other time.”
The two of them continued to look at the paintings all the whilst they conversated. It was undoubtedly easy to talk to Jungah, she noticed after a while. Nothing seemed to be embarrassing and the other girl spoke to Leerang as if they’d known one another their whole life. “Oh my god, that one’s a masterpiece.” they stood before another painting, what she didn’t see though, was that Jungah had her eyes on something completely else. “I wouldn’t mind keeping him in my bed.” shifting her attention to the side Leerang tilted her head to glance at Jungah, who had her gaze set on something further down the room. The air caught in upon seeing Kris. What was he doing there?
“Do you think I should go talk to him?” Leerang didn’t know what to answer, she was actually afraid that the boy would do something drastic if he spotted her there. “That’s if you don’t want him of course?” without a second thought did she shake her head, Leerang had no intention on getting closer to the older male. “Wish me luck.” the girl watched, with an unsettling feeling, how Jungah walked over to where Kris was standing. She noticed quite instantly that the boy looked somewhat annoyed when he turned to look at Jungah, “please be nice to her.” Leerang begged just as Kris, out of pure coincidence, raised his head and stared her way. Their eyes met and the girl tried to duck away, only to end up smashing her face into the wall, “ouch.” the impact had been relatively hard and Leerang ended up staggering backwards until she tripped on her own two feet. One could definitely say that she received everyone's attention when she landed, first, on the floor.
Jungah rushed forward to help, “are you alright?” unconsciously did the girl’s gaze move over to Kris, who was looking straight at her. “Y -yeah.” breaking the staring contest her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She’d made a total fool out of herself in front of so many people. “Here, let’s go and meet my friend.” Jungah helped her up all the whilst she tried to not glance at Kris. The boy kept his eyes set on the younger girl, as she and the other girl advanced towards his friend.
“This is Jihan the painter, and this is Leerang, my friend from school.” Jungah introduced the two of them to one another. “It -it’s nice to meet you.” the girl bowed, to which the male replied, “glad to meet you, too. But are you alright? I saw what happened just now.” ah, everyone seemed to have witnessed her little misfortune. “I’m okay.” the ordeal of pumping her head into the wall had happened before, and it would be safe to say that she wanted people to forget all about it. “That’s good to hear.” the incident was pushed aside as day slowly turned into evening.
“I should probably go home.” she had quite a long way and it would be for the best to get home before any of the maids reported her missing. “Awh so soon.” Jungah clung onto her arm, as if to beg her to stay a little while longer. “I r -really need to go.” the other girl released her arm, “you must call me okay, I’m pretty much free the whole summer.” Leerang bid goodbye after after have promised to do so, and it was fortunate that she’d brought an umbrella with her because the rain was literally pouring down when she stepped outside. Shuddering Leerang lowered the umbrella so much that she barely saw anything when heading for the bus stop she’d stepped off at. The girl could, due to that, only see the shoes of the other person already standing there.
“Did you have fun?” Kris asked before he watched how she looked up at him, her eyes widened when seeing how his hair and clothes were getting soaked, “you’re wet.” the boy rolled his eyes, “really, you don’t say.” his sarcastic side showed and Leerang pouted, “why didn’t you b -bring an umbrella then?” Kris replied by saying that it hadn’t been raining when he left home. Glancing between him and the umbrella she bit her bottom lip. That brain of hers were having a mental battle of what to do when Leerang, all of a sudden, spoke, “let’s share.” both of them were surprised by the statement and she deliberately avoided his intense gaze. “I would have to cut off half my legs in order to get under it.” the height difference between the two were no joke. “Then hold it you.” she motioned for him to grab onto it, something he also did. But it gave immediate consequences as the rain began to pour down on her, “cold, cold, cold.” Kris hesitated slightly before he placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder and pulled her closer towards him. Leerang had momentarily stopped breathing as a result of the intimate position, but her body wouldn’t move an inch and that despite her dislike of skinship.
Only that time would she allow such a thing to take place.
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