"Key?" She called again.

     He got off his bicycle. "You think it's funny?" He blurted.

     "What are you saying?" She reached his arm.

     "Don't touch me." Key reflected by pushing her hand away.

     SooHee frowned in confusion. "What have I done this time?”

     "Like you don't know."

     "What?"

     "You lied to me."

     "Are you kidding me?" She shrieked. "What.Have.I.Done?" Every single word that came out from was pressed. She's getting tired repeating the same question over and over again.

     She didn't understand what massage he was trying to deliver. He's accusing her for something that she didn't even have the idea what it is.

     The cloud began to drop its filling. The wind blew harder. Thunder struck along with the lightning.

     Seeing SooHee's expression, Key knew that he made the wrong assumption. It was a mistake. She didn't do it. If she really did, she'll never react that way.

     "Forget it." He said. He got ready to cycle his ride.

     "No." His bicycle was held by her. "Explanation first."

     He's not in the mood to answer it. Key knew he was in fault. However, he believed that he should say his sorry later. It's not a big deal after all.

     "Key-ah." She addressed him.

     He already stepped on his pedal. The bicycle moved forward. SooHee lost her balanced and fell on her knee.

     Key was too shocked he can't think of what to do. He sat still on his bicycle.

     The rain started to fall down aggressively.

     SooHee struggled to stand up. By the time Key was about to dismount, JongHyun already there, supported her to get on her feet.

     "You're okay?"

     She didn't reply. SooHee looked at her knees. Her left trousers ripped at the knee part. She stared at Key.

     They've been friend for a long time. How could he? Her tears drops were hidden with the rain.

     "What is wrong with you?" JongHyun yelled at him.

     "SooHee, I-"

     "Don't come nearer." JongHyun forbid Key from coming closer by stressing on the word 'don't' and pulled her to his back.

     The three of them stood in the middle of heavy rain, staring at each other.

     "SooHee..." Key called again.

     "Let's go." JongHyun pulled SooHee away from there, leaving Key without anymore words. She didn't look back.

     He dragged her to the nearest stall. Luckily the owner was not there, so they both could shade themselves from the rain.

     "What happened back there?" He asked.

     "Nothing..." The word seemed as if it didn't want to come out from her. The tear that she tried to hold fell in the end. She cupped her face with her hand.

     JongHyun pulled her close. He patted her back-hoping that it could comfort her.

     She sniffed. "Sorry about that." She wiped her tears with her sleeve.

     As soon as he realized what he just did, he quickly pulled away. He felt embarrassed. He never did that to anyone before. Not even her mother.

     He pretended to cough. "It's fine."

     "But why were you there?" SooHee knitted her brows.

     "I was, I was..." He struggled to find answer to give to her. "I want to get back my umbrella. Yes. My umbrella." He lied.

     The real reason why he was there before is because he kept getting an uneasy feeling when she said that she was going home. He wanted to offer himself to accompany her but he was too shy.

     "Where's my umbrella?" he asked when he saw there's no sign of it.

     SooHee looked around. Her eyes widen without her caution. "I dropped it!"

     "I go and get it right now."

     "Can't you at least wait until the rain stops?"

     "Why? I'm already wet." She pulled a strand of her hair.

     "Because I said so."

     She back to her spots. SooHee peeked at her wristwatch. It's been more than 2 hours since she left the store. ChanJae's worried face suddenly came to her mind. She patted her pockets to find her phone. SooHee took out her phone and read the screen

     10 missed calls.

     "Oh no." She dialled her uncle's number immediately. Not long after that, he picked up.

     "SooHee, where have you been?" He sounded panic.

     "It's raining, so I have to find shelter." She said. "I'll be back as soon as the rain stops."

     "Alright then," ChanJae felt calmer. "Make sure you come home straight away."

     "Mmmm..." she assented.

     He hung up. It's better not to tell him what happened just now or he'll freak out.

     SooHee sat on the ground followed by JongHyun.

     She pulled up her trousers-at the thorn side to check on her knee. It's bleeding.

     A moaned coming out from her lips quietly but it reached JongHyun's ears. He turned his head to her. "You hurt?"

     SooHee touched the bleeding part. "Argh." She groaned.

     "Let me look at it." JongHyun shifted closer.

     "It's nothing."

     "You're still bleeding."

     "It will stop, eventually."

     "Wait here." He stood up and left her alone under the stall before she could say anything.

     About 5 minutes later, JongHyun came back. A plastic bag was in his hand. "Here, I clean it for you." He took out an antiseptic with 'Detol' writing on it and a small package contained cottons and bandage.

     JongHyun poured a little antiseptic on her knee at the cut part and covered the wound with the cotton and wrapped it with bandage. "Done."

     "Thank you." Guilty was the only thing she could felt towards him at that time. He was getting all the troubled because of her. Others might see him as a bad, sarcastic person but he's actually cared about other people around him. She was wrong about him. He's indeed a nice guy.

 

***** 

Why? Why? Why?

     The question kept on replaying in his head. 

     It was accident. He swore he didn't mean to do that.

     The next day, he came to school like always. He stepped into the class with hope that he can meet SooHee and said sorry to her. But, she's not there. This was not like her at all. She never came late to school. 

     Key placed his bag on the floor. He stared at the empty table next to him. 

     The teacher came in and SooHee still not here. Disappointment conquered him. He really felt bad towards her. He didn't expect himself to do that. 

     Half of the day passed by. It's recess. Key descended the stairs quickly. He searched around the hall and even the music room. He tried to find JongHyun to inquire him about SooHee. But he failed. JongHyun was nowhere to be found. 

     "Key-sshi, you're looking for someone?" one of his acquaintance asked. 

     "No." he denied and walked to his classroom. 

     Again, he stared at SooHee's place. He rested his head with his hand. 

     "Why are you so quiet today?" A sudden tap on his shoulder made him jolted. 

     He looked up to see who touched him. It's Myungsoo, his classmate.

     "I wasn't." he looked away. 

     "What's wrong? Something happened?" Myungsoo turned his chair facing him.

     "Nope."

     "Come on, you can't fool me." he put his arm around Key's shoulder. 

     He pushed it. "Seriously. Nothing." 

     "Okay..." Myungsoo raised both his hand up in the air, to express that he surrendered. He got up to leave him alone. "Oh by the way," he turned his head to Key. "SooHee didn't come because she has a fever." Myungsoo already knew that he acted weird today because of her. He just wanted a confirmation. That's why he asked him just now.

     Key acted like he didn't care. 

     She had a fever? Why didn't she tell me?

     As time pass the school ended but he didn't go home after that. He went to the park to get some fresh air, to clear up his mind. 

     Key sat on a bench. He took out his phone. The only thing he did, was staring on the phone's screen. No 'SooHee' name appeared on it. 

     Should I give her a call? 

     "Urgh!" He shrieked and scratched his hair hardly-not like his head was itchy or anything. This was getting more stressful. 

     "I can't go on like this anymore." he said to himself. "I have to do something special." 

     He stopped daydreaming and cycled to the gift shop. 

     Key opened the gift shop door. A bell sound greeted him.

     He examined around. Almost every types of gift were there. Big teddy bears, cards, flowers, toys, dolls, sculptures, couple t-shirt and much more things were sold at the gift shop. From all of that, he found what he really needed. He grabbed it and ambled straight to the counter. When he was about to pay, he overheard two girls whispering at his back.

     "How thoughtful of him, buy that for his girlfriend?"  

     "If it was me, I'm so lucky."

     "I know, not only he's good looking but charming too."

     Key can't help but chuckled when he heard that. He satisfied with what he picked. What's left now was SooHee's forgiveness and everything that he planned will be perfect. 

      He woke up early the next morning. Key was so excited to give her that gift. 

     "You're early today." His father complimented him.

     He just smiled. Key grabbed a slice of toast and shoved it into his mouth. "I'm going now." he told his father. Key cycled with a smile curved on his lips. 

     When he reached there, it was just like he predicted. SooHee was there, walking through the entrance gate. He couldn't help himself to smile.

     Key prepared to gave her the gift but then he saw an offensive view. His smile faded away.

     SooHee was walking with JongHyun. 

     He put back the gift inside his bag. He was thinking of giving her later when he met her in class. 

     When they're in the class, SooHee only took a quick glance at him. Not a single greet came from her. Key attempt to passed her the gift but then all the courage he had before, was gone when he saw a bandage on her knee. She was hurt and he was the reason that causing it. He can't even make an eye contact with her. He was too ashamed of himself. 

     For that whole week the gift was abandoned in his room. And for that whole week to, he only watched her from afar. 

     There was time when he bumped into her. Seemed like she was trying to say something but he walked away. Key was really frustrated with himself.

     Coward! 

     His relationship with SooHee became more strained. She didn't hang out with him anymore. Now she spent her time mostly with JongHyun.

     Key tried to find some lone time with her. He came to her store to find her, but JongHyun was there.  He waited in front of the old folk's house. It's almost midnight and still there's no sign of her. The day after that, Key asked the old woman that they always met before when she came there to give the vegetables.

     She said that SooHee wasn't going to donate the vegetables there anymore.

     "We told her not to; we had enough vegetables these days." The old woman told him.

     "We planted our own vegetables now." she added. 

     Key thanked the old woman for telling him that. He had no idea of what to do anymore. Every time he looked for her, JongHyun will be there. Was there something going on between them? Thinking about that made him more baffled.

 

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To whoever read  Ballad Love until this chapter, i want to say thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciated it since this is my first fanfic and considering all my typos and grammar mistakes. Thanks ^^