Junka's eyes fluttered. She tried to adjust her eyes with the lighting around her. She looked around her and she spotted there was a hospital bed on her left. For that instant she knew that she was in the hospital bed. There was someone sleeping with his face down on the bed on her right. A smile curved on her face. The person she really worried about last night was fine and even was still sleeping beside her. She slowly ruffled Siwoo's hair and muttered to herself, "It's good to see you are fine"

Soon after that, she heard someone's opening the ward room door so she quickly took her hand off Siwoo. Siwoo suddenly woke up from his sleep. Rome and Minwoo came in.  

"Ohh noona. You're awake" Minwoo cheered. There was a bagpack on her bag and a pillow in his hand. Rome had a plastic bag of fruits in his left hand and a plastic bag of junk food in his right hand.

Junka nodded and smiled to them. She tried to get up with a help from Siwoo. She took the pillow that Minwoo passed to her. "Thanks" she muttered.

"Feeling better?" Siwoo asked.

Junka looked at him and smiled, "Better" She realized that Siwoo was still wearing the shirt that he wore from the prom night. It's just he didn't have his jacket anymore. He was left in a shirt and a vest on top of it. There was some blood stained on his shirt and dirt on his trousers. She shook her head.

"Siwoo. You should go home and change. Thank you for keep Junka on company last night" Minwoo said while giving Siwoo a pat on his shoulder.

Siwoo just nodded. "I'll be back later"he said while heading to the door. They trailed him until he was out of sight.

Junka turned her head to Minwoo as Minwoo headed to a cupboard beside her bed. "When can I get out from here?" she asked.

"Tomorrow" Minwoo answered while sorting some Junka clothes in the cupboard. "I know that this the first question that you will ask. Why do you hate hospital so much?"

"What hospital reminds you?" Junka asked him back.

"Sick people" Minwoo answered. "Fine. I know what you are going to say" he said. "I don't want to get sick. Getting sick is so annoying blah blah" he mimicked Junka's voice. He made it sounded more y rather than what his noona's way of talking.

"I don't talk like that you stupid" she hit Minwoo with the pillow that he passed to her earlier.

"It doesn't hurt noona" Minwoo giggled.

"Whatever. Does omma appa know about this?" she asked.

"Yeap they know about this. I told them that you are alright so they canceled to come here" Minwoo explained. Junka felt relieved. She hated it when her parents are over worry about her because she believed that she could take care of herself without any help from her parents. 

Junka turned to Rome and put a smile on her face. "Thank you for taking me to the hospital"

Rome's eyes widened. He looked surprised but he managed to put a smile on his face."You shouldn't thank me. You should thank Siwoo. He was the one who took you to the hospital"

"Siwoo? Kim Taemin?" Junka asked, almost yelled because she was too shocked.

Rome nodded. "I did helped him with the backup but he was the one who beat  Jiho and brought you here" he blew the air "Wooshh. I can't believe that he act all weak before this and in the end he could beat Jiho. Woahhh unbelivable that Kim Taemin"

Junka was reminded about what happened last night. About how she was beat up before she was tied up to a chair. About a figure that came to her and helped her untied. About two figures were fighting in front of her eyes. About she was piggyback by someone. About what she had said to that person, 'I'm sorry Yu Barom I had to let you down but I'm in love with Kim Taemin'

"ANDWAE!!!!" she screamed.

---------------------

"As what I expected that you must be here. Skipping class again?" Siwoo approached Junka. He slid down on the wall to the floor and comfortably sat beside Junka. After wasting about 15 minutes searching for her, finally he found her at the rooftop. 

Junka looked at him as he settled down. "Want some?" she offered him her lemon tea to Siwoo. Siwoo just nodded then Junka passed her can to Siwoo.

Siwoo took the can and drank the tea until it was empty. "Ahhh. This is so refreshing. The drink, the wind. No wonder you like to waste your time here" 

"I know" Junka said as she looked forward. From the place they sat, they could see the scenery of the town. She let the cold wind slap her face. It felt so relaxing. She took a deep breath, looked at Siwoo and asked, "Anyway,who is Woo Jiho?"

Siwoo chuckled before he answered her, "I know that you will ask that question" He stretched his leg and looked at the scenery. "Woo Jiho is my sunbae. Taekwondo sunbae"

"What happened?" Junka asked as she brought her knees to her chin.

"Jiho and I went to the same taekwondo club. We were very closed. We helped each other to improve our skills. Our sonsaeng said that we were his best students and we were very proud of that. We went to tournament and won it every year. Everything changed when Jiho sunbae entered high school. He wanted to be very famous among his friends but he chose wrong friends. His friends are not nice people. They were involved with some sort of gangsters that always made ruckus around the town. He bragged about his taekwondo skills to his friends and he managed to prove to them his skills and thus his friends made him as a leader. He had always wanted to be popular and be the leader. They claimed some of the area as their's and beat whoever that intrude their era. They also did extortion to old netizens" he explained. He stopped and took a deep breath.

"One day, I was walking back home from school when I saw him extorting a middle school boy in an alley between the stores in the town. He was punching the boy until the boy passed out. He was laughing at the boy when he saw me watching him at the end of the alley. His laughter faded away when he saw me. He ordered his boys and they walked towards me. I was expecting for them to beat me up but they didn't. Instead, Jiho whispered to me not to tell anyone about what I saw that day" he explained more.

"So did you tell anyone?" Junka asked. 

Siwoo shook his head. "I didn't tell anyone about him but our sonsaeng saw him beating up an old man. On the next day, sonsaeng called him. He didn't say much to Jiho sunbae. He just said that he was disappointed with him and he was eliminated from the club. Jiho sunbae was very sad and mad about it. He thought it was me who told sonsaeng everything that I saw. The next day, he called me and said he was beaten up by his friends but it was actually a trap. He wasn't beaten. I was the one who get beaten up instead. He made me to fight them including himself when clearly I don't like to have a fight. I joined taekwondo just for self defense but the words he said to me made me go insane and I almost killed one of his boys"

"Kill? Seriously?" Junka's eyes widened.

Siwoo nodded. "I don't know why but I was totally blank when Jiho said the words that made my pride hurt. I was totally out of control the reason why I almost did a murder. Whenever I think about it again, I was very immature back then. I quit the club after the accident"

"You almost killed someone. Is that the reason why you never fight back?" 

"Yup" Siwoo nodded. 

"What did he say that made you so mad?"

"He said that I am too innocent to be a taekwondo player. He said that I would never be as good as him because I am a coward. He said I always needed to be with him because I was too scared to start anything. What he said was true though. I told you that I was very immature to just get mad when someone called you a coward" he chuckled to himself.

"No. It's okay. You were only in the middle school anyway. It's not that weird middle school students being immature. Plus, you need to defend yourself" she smiled.

"You are the first person to know about this" he continued. "I didn't tell anyone because I'm afraid that they don't want to be close to me and be friends with me. However, it was still the same. None of them know about my story yet they treated me as if I am invisible" 

"Really? Then why are you telling me?" Junka asked.

"I don't know. I just feel like I need to tell you the truth. If you are going to hate me just because of my past, go ahead. I don't mind. I'm already used to it" he exclaimed.

Junka took a deep breath. She reached her hand to Siwoo's hair and ruffled it. "It's okay. I still want to be your friend and I won't hate you. It's in the past"

Siwoo startled by Junka's sudden action. He felt relieved and at ease when she said that she not gonna hate him. A cute smile curved on his face. "Really?"

"Mmm" Junka nodded. She pulled back her hand and hugged her knees again. She put her chin on her knees and uttered, "but there's something else I want to know"

"What is it?" Siwoo looked at her.

Their eyes met and that made Junka to blush a little. She was shy to ask the next question but she managed to utter it out, "Did you bring me to the hospital that night?"

Siwoo was shocked by the question. He didn't know what to answer. He just gulped, looked away and answer, "Ohh yes"

"Did I say--" her words were cut by Siwoo before she could finish it.

"No. Don't worry. You didn't say anything. You were unconscious that night" he said, not looking at her. He knew that Junka would feel very embarassed if he told her that she confessed that night. He didn't want her to keep herself distant from him. He didn't want because of that confession that she made, they became awkward because she felt embarassed. He just want to be close to her so that this time, he could protect her.

Junka turned her gaze from Siwoo. She didn't say anything. She wasn't relieved by what she heard. For her, it would better if she confessed her feelings unconscious than had to confessed face-to-face. She didn't hate it that way. She was just too shy to confessed like that. 

"Junka" Siwoo called her. Junka turned her head to face him. Siwoo reached for her chin, closer the distant between them and kissed her on her lips. Junka's hands,hugging her knees loosen because she was shocked. However, she enjoyed the kiss that she even closed her eyes. At that moment she had to admit that Siwoo was a very good kisser. He took over the kiss and brought her to heaven with just he kiss.

They were out of breath when they broke the kiss. Junka quickly turned to other way. So did Siwoo. They were totally feeling shy. Junka chuckled to herself while Siwoo just shook his head. Suddenly, Siwoo turned back to look at Junka. He then quickly hugged her from the back. He intertwined his hands with Junka's and rested his chin on her shoulder.  Junka was shocked by Siwoo's sudden action. She tried to turned her head to look at Siwoo.

"No. Please don't look at me right now" Siwoo whispered. His face was burning because of the blushing and he was too shy. He hugged her tighter. He cleared his throat and he managed to utter the words he wanted to, "I like you. I really like you. You did say something that night but I want to be the man. I want to confess to you first. So I pretend I didn't hear anything that night. From now on, I don't want to hide. I want to be brave so that I suit you. I want to fight so that I can keep you to myself. I want to protect you so that you won't run away. I want to be a better person so that you can rely on me. I want you to be my girlfriend and when the time comes, I want you to be my one and only wife"

Junka's heart was beating fast. Siwoo could feel it how fast it was and he believed that Junka could feel how fast his heart was racing.

Junka put a smile on her face. "Can you promise that?" she asked. "Promise that you'll be brave, you'll fight, you'll protect me and you'll be a better person. Can you?"

"What?" Siwoo asked back. He lifted his chin from Junka's shoulder, not letting go off her hands and the hug. He looked at her.

Junka looked back at him. Their eyes met and the smile from Junka's face didn't fade away. She was still smiling. "I want to know if you can promise all the things you said before I become your girlfriend"

Siwoo chuckled and answered, "Yes. I promise you" 

For that instant he kissed her on her lips again. 

-------------------

As usual, Siwoo had his iPod in his hand and earphones that were in inside his ears. He sang to the song he was listening to. There were all happy songs mostly about how the character in the song met their loves. He entered the password key of his door house. He entered the house, closed back the door, took off his shoes and walked towards the stairs.

"Wasso?" her mum greeted him by patting his shoulder.

He was surprised that he accidentally let go off the iPod he was holding. "Omma" he shouted as he bent down to pick up the iPod. He looked at his mum as he kept the iPod into his pocket. "You are not working today?" he asked as he took off the earphone.

His dad was walking down the stairs. Siwoo turned to look at him. "Taemin" he called his name. "Sit. We have something to tell you"

Siwoo turned to look at his mum. His mum just nodded and slowly pushed him to the couch opposite of his dad. "You are not working too today aboji?"

His dad took a deep breath. "Kim Taemin" his voice was calm. It took time for his father to tell him something important. His mother had lost her patience so she spoke on behalf of his father.

"We have discussed about what you said and you were right. We have been not paying attention to you and we are at fault. So we made a decision that we are going to quit our jobs" his mother explained.

"What?!" Siwoo said, almost shouted. He was very surprised by his parents sudden decision. He became stuttered suddenly, "Wh-hy out of sudden? I-I mean how are you guys going to find money? Don't tell me that you are going to force me to work"

"Look at this kid. Yah! Do you think we are that kind of parents who forced our children to work while we sit at home enjoying the shows on TV?" his father raged.

"Ahh. I'm sorry then" he smiled innocently. 

"We quit our jobs because we want to spend more time with you. We will be working in Japan with your uncle. He has a business there and we gonna help him" her mum added.

"You two working in Japan? How is that supposed to help you to spend more time with me? It's going to be the same damn thing. I'm going to live alone as usual in this house" he asked before his mother could finish the explanation. 

"Can't you wait until I finish my explanation?" this time his mother was being mad at him for cutting her words.

"Mianhae" Siwoo pouted.

His father took a deep breath and said, "We are moving to Japan and you are coming with us"

"No!" Siwoo shouted. "No! I don't want to go anywhere. I want to live in this country"

"We are not going for that long. We will be there only for 5 years then we will come back here" his mother explained.

"No!" Siwoo protested as he stood up. "By the time I get friends, by the time I finally get to enjoy my life, suddenly you are taking it away from me. I'm not going. What kind of parents are you taking your son's happiness when he was about to receive one?"

His father thought it was rude. He stood up and slapped him. "We quit our jobs just because of you"

"Only after 17 years you thought of this? You should think about this earlier" Siwoo yelled and ran out from the house.

Junka sighed. Not even a word uttered by both of them. Junka met Siwoo when he texted her to meet her on the bridge. Both of them had a can of lemon tea in their hands. They were leaning on the bridge wall while facing the river. Siwoo emptied the can and crumpled it.

Junka sighed again. "You asked me to meet you here. I thought you want to say something. We've been silence for about 15 minutes you know" she complaint.

Siwoo just put a wide smile on his face. He threw the can into the trash can beside him. He then walked behind Junka and hugged her from the back. His hand rested on the bridge wall. He was trapping Junka inside his arms. He pressed his body against Junka's and rested his chin on Junka's shoulder. Junka's eyes widened. Her face was burning because of the unending blush. A smile curved on her face.

"I just miss you. I just want to spend more time to look at you and to hold you. I didn't say anything because I hoped that the time could stop"

Junka turned her head to Siwoo and Siwoo pecked a kiss on her lips. She just smiled to him. She put her hand on Siwoo's and they intertwined their fingers. She was still smiling but she could sense just from the beating of Siwoo's heart that there was something not right. 

The calm and relaxing night suddenly turned to a lousy and cold. The lightning striked followed by a thunder then the rain poured heavily. 

"Seriously?" Siwoo yelled, looking up at the weather. He was only starting to enjoy the moment with Junka when the rain started.

"Let's go home. Quick" Junka said. She held Siwoo's hand tight and pulled him to run with her to her apartment.

When they reached her apartment, Junka asked Siwoo to wait at the door while she ran upstairs to take Minwoo's dry clothes to give to Siwoo. She then asked Siwoo to change in the bathroom.

"How about you?" Siwoo asked. "You should get change too"

"You get change first. I will get change after you" Junka explained while leaning at the kitchen counter.

There was a naughty smile on his face. "Let's get change together" he said while slowly shaking his body.

"You ert!" Junka yelled and approached Siwoo with her fist clenched. To see that fist, Siwoo quickly entered the bathroom and locked the door.

Siwoo sat on the floor facing the balcony of the apartment. It was still raining heavily and it was already late. So he decided to stay over night there. Junka put a dry towel on Siwoo's head as a sign for him to dry his hair. She then gently settled down beside him after she changed her wet clothes.

Siwoo looked at Junka and asked, "Where's Minwoo?"

"He went to his friend's house just now. He just called says that he couldn't come home because of the rain. He will stay there over night" she explained. The towel was still on Siwoo's head, untouched. He turned his head to Junka. He leaned forward to Junka and put a sweet smile. Junka blinked, feeling weird with this strange Kim Taemin.She didn't back away though. "Mwoya?" Junka frowned.

Siwoo grinned, suddenly he was giggling. "Dry my hair for me"

Junka frowned. "You are not 5. Do it yourself"

Siwoo pouted. He leaned backwards and started to dry his hair himself. "I'm just want to get pampered by you. You know how lonely I was when I was a kid"

After listening to that, Junka held his hand. Siwoo stopped with whatever he was doing and looked at Junka. Junka smiled to him. She mad him turned his body to her. She kneeled in front of him and dried his hair. Siwoo was shocked that Junka would do it for him. He was expecting that Junka would reject to help him drying his hair but he didn't expect that she would really do it. 

"You are being weird. Are you having a problem? Is there something wrong?" Junka asked. Siwoo was shocked. He didn't expect that. He thought he was being normal. He wondered how she could detect that he had a problem. He looked up at her. His eyes were teary.

Junka didn't look back at him as she was busy drying his hair but the smile on her face never fade away. "Tell me. I might not be a good advisor but I am a good listener. Let it out" she added.

This time Siwoo's tears rolled down his cheeks. He didn't feel sad, he was just feel touch and too happy. The woman in front of him is the right choice that he made and he knew that he not gonna regret it. He smiled and leaned forward to Junka's body. His face was facing her neck and he was leaning on her.

"Kim Tae--min?" Junka startled. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm" he nodded while burrying his face on her shoulder. He then turned his face to Junka's neck again. "You smell good"

"Siwoo" the only word that Junka could utter. 

Before Junka could continue to ask what was wrong with him, Siwoo said something first, "Can you promise me that you are not going to leave me no matter what the reason is? Can you promise me that you will never let me go far away from you?"

"What is wrong with you?" Junka asked and her voice was remained calm.

"Promise me that you will always wait for me?" he added.

For that instant, she knew that there really was something wrong with Siwoo that he didn't tell her. She took a deep breath and released it. She then pecked a kiss on his crown and hugged him tight. She then muttered the words that would make Siwoo at ease, "I promise"

After he heard that, Siwoo felt a bit at ease. He was still in dilemma whether he should follow his parents to Japan or he should stay with Lee Junka. He actually had always wanted to spend more time with his parents and this was the time. But this was his most precious time to spend with the girl that he loved. He wanted to stay badly. He didn't want to leave Lee Junka. She was there when he was left alone by his parents. What if his parents left him alone again when they went there? Lee Junka wouldn't be there for him. After he heard that Junka promised not to let him go, he made a decision that he would stay. 

"Thanks" he muttered while Junka his hair slowly. 

--------------------

To be continued...

~~~~~~

Hi, author here! OMG! This story is going to end soon. About 2 more chapters and it will end. Will Siwoo really gonna stay at Korea? Will they managed to keep each other's promise? What do you think about it? Please leave comments after you read it. Thank you very much for all the support ^~^