Chp.12| Quick Recovery and Discovery

Chaos happened.

That’s what my dream told me anyway. In my dream the two of them fought until they were bloodied and limping. No matter how much I screamed for them to stop, none of them paid any attention to me. They made me feel like I never existed.

I began crying. Jung Sang was the first to notice so he came up to me and placed something into my hand. When I uncurled my fingers, there was this beautiful butterfly, fluttering its wings like it was ready to take off. And then I dropped it because I was scared of insects.

That’s when I woke up.

And guess what?

Park Jung Sang was sleeping right next to me. His right arm acted as my pillow. At first I thought I was still dreaming. He looked so peaceful sleeping there like he had all the time in the world. When I reached out to poke at his cheek, I realized that he was actually real.

Aiieee! This wasn’t right.

I screamed out, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

That woke him right up.

Rubbing at his eyes, he mumbled, “Why you have to scream for? Are you out of your mind?”

I made an attempt to push him off the bed. “You’re sleeping on the same bed as me! Get out of my room, you retard!!!”

He was as still as a rock, wearing his famous annoyed expression on his face. I had no strength left in me to push so I gave up.

Sitting upright, he reached out to feel my head but I quickly slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”

“I already did,” he said without looking at me.

Wait. What did he mean by that? “You what?!”

“Aish! Why you gotta yell for?!”

“I can yell all I want. This is my room and my house and you’re not allowed in here so get the hell out!”

“Whatever,” he said, followed by a yawn. “For a sick person, you’ve got a set of lungs on you.”

“Yeah, well you’re far more worst than me, so I wouldn’t be talking.”

He snorted. “I think it was better off when you’re sleeping. We get along better that way.”

“Yah! Who in their right mind would want to get along with you and why would you even think that? We hate each other,” I had to remind him and myself.

“Why are girls always like that?” he asked, sparing a glance in my direction. “Acting all stubborn and when the truth is, they feel…different.”

“What are you trying to say? That I like you?”

“You do. Even if you don’t admit it, but you do.”

Where did I hear that line from?

I couldn’t believe this guy. This was so out of character for him. I had to pinch myself just to make sure I hadn’t mistaken.

Thinking hard about it, I decided to play his game too. “And you? You really like me. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here, sleeping right next to me and cradling my head with your arm.”

He craned his neck to look at me as if he was trying to read through me. And then he shifted his whole body around so that we sat facing each other. “Tell me something, Barbie. Is that the seductress Lee Ji Won coming out to play? Because if it is, tell her she can go back to where she belongs.”

I reached out to slap him but he caught my arm.

“Let go. It hurts you b*tch!” I cried.

He complied, dropping my arm.

I noticed the redness on my arm and began to whine. “Wahh! Look what you did to my arm. It’s all red!”

“Just testing to see if you’re skin is as thick as your skull.”

I glared at him without a response.

“The truth is, I came because I felt guilty for what I said to you yesterday. I didn’t mean it.” He lowered his face as if he was ashamed of himself. “I didn’t know that you’d get this sick.”

At first I really couldn’t understand what he was talking about, but then I remembered.

“I hope you get sick. Sick until you rot away!”

“I don’t remember what you said and I don’t care,” I lied, looking away and then added, “But an apology would be nice.”

He became angry again. “Yah! Why should I apologize for?”

“But you just admitted that you felt guilty!”

He wanted to say something else when his phone went off. He got off the bed and stood with his back to me. “What is it?”

“Hye Min, listen to me. I’m sorry, I can’t,” I heard him mumble on.

Hye Min? How come that name sounded familiar? Where did I hear that name from?

“Maybe next time. Tell Tae Woo to take you home.”

It all came registering back to me.

Lee Yoon Tae had once told me online…

“Shin Hye Min is one of the prettiest girls! She’s popular for her pretty face. Everyone always uses her picture on the internet. She’s up there with Park Han Byul.”

No, it couldn’t be that coincidental, could it?

But it had to be!

Jung Sang hung up the phone and turned back to face me. “Are you feeling better yet?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m not. Why would I?” I shot back, with my mind suddenly drifting to my cousin Yoon Tae. Oh gosh, how could I forget about Lee Yoon Tae?

I got off the bed and confronted Jung Sang about it. “Yah! What did you do to my cousin?”

He looked at me questioningly. “He’s your cousin?”

“Yeah…”

“He’s knocked out cold.”

I grabbed at his shirt, shaking him violently. “What did you do to him? Why do you have to hurt him? Why?!!”

He swiped my hands aside. “Calm the down and let me explain first.”

“Explain!” I quipped at him.

“Well…”

-

Lee Yoon Tae hurried downstairs, jumping down the rest of the stairs and stood in front of the door, shouting out, “Yah! If you’re so good, knock down that door first!!” he challenged.

Park Jung Sang who had been repeatedly kicking at the door, shouted in return. “Yah! If you’re a real man, come out from your hiding!”

“Who are you to Lee Ji Won?!” Yoon Tae asked.



“I’m her boyfriend! Who the are you to her?” Jung Sang answered and asked back.



“You’re a liar. Lee Ji Won will never have a boyfriend?!”



“Why the not?”



“Because she told me she hates guys!”



“That doesn’t mean she can’t have a boyfriend. Who the are you to her?!”



“You don’t need to know, you er!”



“What did you just call me?”

“You er! That’s what I called you, you f*--”

With one final kick, the door broke opened.

And before Yoon Tae could finish cursing, the impact of the door thrown him back, knocking him out completely.

Jung Sang stood studying the half guy on the floor, piecing the story together. “Sh*t, Ji Won. What have you gotten yourself into?”

-


I finished listening to him and snorted in disbelief. “Like I’m really going to believe you. Why would Yoon Tae be that stupid to stand in front of a door that you were about to knock down?”

“Because Yoon Tae knows jack-sh*t about me. And he looks like a , that’s why.”

“Who you calling dumb- you er,” came the voice by the doorway.

Lee Yoon Tae slowly entered the room, rubbing at his forehead. “Stay away from her,” he warned Jung Sang.

I watched their exchanged of expressions. It looked as if they were ready to tear each other apart. I didn’t like it at all. My nightmare was becoming reality.

Park Jung Sang suddenly put his arms around my shoulder. “Ji Won-ah. Is this the cousin you spoke so highly of? I’m sorry that I knocked him unconscious,” he paused, looking down at me, “You really need to get a sturdier door.”

I elbowed him in the ribs to get him to let go. “Go home, Jung Sang. I don’t like the fact that you came barging in here like you own the place and then knock my cousin unconscious and then fall asleep beside me like you had every right to.”

“I fed you medicine, listened to your horrible snoring and wiped the drool from your mouth and now you’re kicking me out?” he said in disbelief.

My face flushed a deep red. How could he embarrass me like that?

Yoon Tae quickly cut in, sensing my embarrassment. “Don’t worry, Ji Won. I had to do the same thing before he got here.”

Oh gosh. Kill me.

Jung Sang ignored Yoon Tae. “Na-Na needs you, that’s why I’m here,” he said matter-of-factly, making me forget for just a second that I hated him.

“What you mean? Is she really sick?” I asked, beginning to worry about his niece.

“Who’s Na-Na?” Yoon Tae inquired.

“None of your business. And go put on a shirt,” Jung Sang replied bitterly.

Yoon Tae stepped toward us. “Why are you jealous?” he provoked.

“Disgusted more like it.”

“Is that why you keep your shirt on?”

The two stepped closer to each other but I managed to squeeze myself in between them. “Dammit. That’s enough. If you want go beat each other somewhere else, not in this house.”

They left me alone.

Damn.

---

“I was kidding!!” I yelled, grabbing the both their arms at the same time, trying to prevent them from leaving. “Don’t fight, please!. Fighting isn’t good. Violence is bad.”

“Come with me and I’ll spare your cousin’s life,” Jung Sang stated, still eyeing my cousin.

Yoon Tae burst into an abrupt laughter. “Where did you find this idiot? From a mental ward?”

Before Jung Sang could jump Yoon Tae, I agreed. “I’ll go. Fine, I’ll go.”

“Yah! Lee Ji Won. You just insulted me!” Yoon Tae said angrily.

“C’mon, oppa. I pick on you all the time.”

“This is different. You think he’s capable of kicking my that’s why you’ve agreed to go with him!”

Jung Sang smirked evilly.

Ugh. Guys and their egos. I think I’ve just unintentionally busted Yoon Tae’s balls.

“I’ve seen him kicked a lot of asses alright. And plus, I’m going because of Na-Na, not him.”

“Who the hell is Na-Na?”

“Jung Sang’s little niece that I’m babysitting.”

Yoon Tae looked at me incredulously. “You’re babysitting his niece? Are you possessed, Ji Won?”

“STUPID NOONA! I’M HOME! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOOR!” Jin Hyung called out from the front door, interrupting us.

I slapped my forehead and heard his fast approaching footsteps getting closer.

When he saw all three of us standing there looking like idiots, he said, “Looks like stupid sick noona is all better. I’m calling umma about you bringing over a guy at our house and that you broke the door!”

Before I could stop him, Jin Hyung hurried over to the phone and began dialing. I screamed at him and he covered his ears to block out my calls.

Yoon Tae was ahead of me. He lifted the brat over his shoulder and carried him out of the room. Jin Hyung yelled out, “Let go. Let go or I’ll pull out all your hair, Yoon Tae!”

“Looks like you’ve found him, huh?” Jung Sang questioned, speaking of Jin Hyung.

“Stupid Yoon Tae had to save him.”

“Seeing how he is now, I would have left him d*ckless,” he remarked. “Hurry up. Go and get changed. We’re going to see Na-Na.”