Chapter ten:

Yoseob’s POV:

The next day, we had our first chemistry experiment.

Or rather, I had my first experiment with Seohyun.

I was in high spirits the whole morning. Finally, Professor Lee came in.

“Today’s experiment will be on neutralization. We’ll be using sodium hydroxide to neutralize hydrochloric acid, in order to get sodium chloride and water. Please note that the hydrochloric acid used today is NOT DILUTED. So please be extra careful, because, as you know, hydrochloric acid is a strong acid that is corrosive. Start!”

Seohyun was reading the instructions.

“Pipette some sodium hydroxide in a conical flask.” She told me. “I’ll pour the hydrochloric acid into the burette.”

“Why don’t I pour the acid?” I suggested. “Professor Lee warned us about the acid, and you, being such a klutz, would probably end up spilling it all over you!”

I said this in a joking tone, but I was honestly worried. I didn’t want her to get hurt.

“Yah!” She rolled her eyes playfully. “Looking down on me? I can do it just fine. See?”

She dragged a chair and stood on top of it, carefully pouring hydrochloric acid into the burette.

“See? Totally fine!” She stuck out her tongue at me adorably. I laughed.

Then it all happened in a blur.

Seohyun was trying to get down from the chair when she lost her balance.

Instinctively, she grabbed the nearest possible thing for balance – the burette.

Then she came crashing down, the contents of the burette – strong acid, landing on her calf.

OH.

MY.

GOSH.

She started screaming, tears streaming down her face. She clutched her calf, which had many deep burn marks on it, and was shrieking in pain.

I didn’t care about anything at that time.

All I knew was that Seohyun was in serious pain, and I had to do something about it.

So I quickly picked her up, bridal style, and ran as fast as I could, out of the classroom.

I knew everyone was staring at me, especially Son Dongwoon, but I couldn’t care less.

I had to get her to the infirmary.

Seohyun was hugging me tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

I cradled her in my arms, hugging her tightly.

“It’s okay,” I reassured her. “We’re almost there. Just bear with it a little longer.”

Seohyun nodded and bit her lip, her eyes welling up.

I carried her into the infirmary and laid her down on the bed.

The school nurse came in, and I informed her about Seohyun’s condition.

“Oh dear!” The nurse gasped, looking at the red burns on her calf. She grabbed the first aid kit.

“I’m going to apply some cream onto your calf. It will hurt quite badly, but you’ll have to bear with it.” The nurse looked at her sympathetically. She looked nervous.

It was my turn to grab her hand and squeeze it tightly.

“I’m here. Don’t worry.” I told her softly.

She nodded and squeezed my hand back. When the nurse touched her wound, she yelped. I squeezed her hand even tighter. She closed her eyes again and held on tightly, refusing to let go.

For the next half an hour, the nurse applied cream onto her wounds. At first, she would yelp and whimper whenever the nurse touched her wounds, but gradually, she started to calm down and just kept squeezing my hand whenever she felt like screaming.

Finally, the nurse was done. She wrapped Seohyun’s calf with bandages and kept the first aid kit.

“The wounds should fade away in about a month. Please be more careful in the future. You’re lucky it only fell on your calf. Get well soon.”

“Kamsamida.” Seohyun smiled weakly

I went in front of her and bent down.

She stared at me with a confused look.

I sighed. “Get on!”

She shook her head stubbornly.

“I can walk!” She protested.

I stood up, arms folded, giving her the prove-it look.

She sighed and tried to stand up weakly. She immediately winced and fell back onto the bed.

“If you don’t get on my back in five seconds, I’ll just carry you like how I did just now, all the way to your next class.” I warned her, knowing how much that would embarrass her.

Sure enough, her eyes widened and she immediately got onto my back.

I stood up and tried to walk as slowly as I could to her next class, just so I could enjoy the moment.

“Yah! You pabo! I haven’t scolded you yet for being so stubborn! I told you I should pour the acid into the burette! Why didn’t you listen to me? You pabo!” I scolded her as I walked.

“But…”

“No buts! Next time, let me do all this dangerous stuff. You’ll probably end up in the hospital during the next experiment if you don’t listen to me! Understood?”

She nodded, and wrapped her arms around my neck tightly, resting her head on my shoulder.

“And don’t you try to run away after lessons! I’ll be waiting for you outside every class you have to be your personal transport!”

“Thank you.” She whispered softly.

“No problem.” I walked into her next class, physics, and dropped her off.

“Bye, Yoseob.” She smiled and waved at me as I left. In front of the whole class.

That was the first time she ever talked to me in front of anyone.

Wow.

Seohyun’s POV:

After lesson, Yoseob was waiting for me outside my class. He gave me a piggyback ride all the way to the cafeteria, where Yoona and Dongwoon were waiting for me.

“Hyun!” They shouted as they ran towards me.

Yoseob put me down on the cafeteria seat.

“I guess I’ll come find you after recess?”

I was about to reply when Dongwoon cut in coldly.

“No thanks. I can carry her to her next class.”

“You sure, Seohyun?”

“Yes, she’s sure. Thank you.” Dongwoon glared at Yoseob.

After Yoseob left, Yoona and Dongwoon confronted me.

At first, they were concerned.

“Are you okay, Hyun? I can’t believe Yoseob let you get hurt in chemistry!” Dongwoon looked really pissed.

“Yoseob had nothing to do with this! I was the klutz! He told me not to touch the acid and that he would do it, but I didn’t listen!” I didn’t know why, but I felt the strong urge to defend him.

Yoona must have noticed this, because she narrowed her eyes at me.

“Why are you defending Yang Yoseob, of all people, all of a sudden? I thought you hated him?”

“I…I used to! But…he’s changed! He stopped being a jerk a long time ago! Shouldn’t we give him a chance?”
“Don’t you remember how badly he treated you last time? How he called you a ‘fat pig’? How he humiliated you in front of everyone?” Dongwoon argued.

I had no idea why Dongwoon was so against Yoseob. Yoseob didn’t even do anything to him.

“Yes, I know, oppa, but that was in the past. I swear, he’s a much nicer guy once you get to know him!”

“Once you get to know him? Why? Do you know him very well? I thought you said you never talked to him!”

I sighed. This conversation had to end now.

So I clutched my stomach.

“Ughh…we’ll talk later. I’m starving. Could you get me something?”

Dongwoon seemed to forget about the conversation. He took my order and left with Yoona to buy food.

Phew.

But I couldn’t imagine how Dongwoon and Yoona would react if they ever found out Yoseob was my neighbor.

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Awwwwwww <3

Go Yoseob! (: That was so sweet of him :D

Anyway, comment your thoughts on this chapter please (: Thank you so much ^_^