CHAPTER XI / Confront

Jinri’s umma pinches her on her wrist to wake her senses. Jinri has been staring at Jinki in fear and shock. “U-Uh…” she mutters. She blinks once. Twice. Thrice. “Good evening… Mr. Lee.”

Jinki smiles and he looks at his appa. “She’s beautiful,” he whispers. He looks at Jinri once more and it pierces his heart looking at her suffering with what is happening. “Let’s eat?” he offers.

“Ah, ne,” Jinri’s umma says as she pulls her shocked daughter to the table. Jinri is trying to pull herself away from her umma, but she can’t. She sits beside Jinki by the order of her umma. “Mr. and Mrs. Lee, don’t they look good together?” Jinri’s umma asks in bliss. Jinki’s parents laugh and agree. Jinri avoids their looks while her body shakes.

The main course is served to them and Jinri stares at it for minutes while remaining silent. Jinki’s parents look at Jinri’s parents in worry. “Jinri,” her father said with his low-pitched and strong voice.

“N-N-Ne?” Jinri asks with her trembling voice.

“Eat your dinner,” her father commands. It sends shivers on Jinri and she quickly picks her chopsticks.

“N-Ne, abeoji,” she says as she picks the rice with her shaking hands and eats it. She slowly eats it as her senses are slowly getting out of her control. Her eyes starts to blur and she did not notice that her eyes start to water… and a tear falls. Her heart is beating fast and her chest starts to feel heavy. A hand lands on her left shoulder. Jinki looks at her and wipes her tears with his soft hands. “Gwenchana?” he whispers.

“Uhh…” she mutters as she wipes her tears. She smiles forcefully as she looks at her parents and Jinki’s parents. “Excuse me,” she says. She pulls her chair away from the table and stands. She covers her eyes as she runs to the door. Her brown shoes’ heels resounds the now-silent wide room.

“Jinri. Choi Jinri,” her umma shouts.

“Excuse me,” Jinki says. He wipes his mouth with the table napkin and he follows Jinri outside the room. He glances from left to right, and he can’t find her. He walks farther and he sees the front door open. After wearing his black long coat, he goes outside and he sees Jinri sitting on the bench of the garden in a cold night. She is covering her face as slight noises of cry come out.

His leather shoes’ steps on the wooden tiles of the garden and he slowly walks towards Jinri. As he reaches the bench, he removes his long coat and put it on Jinri. Jinri removes her hands from her face and she looks up. Jinki sees her cheeks, lips pink and eyes, nose red. “Why?” she asks with her trembling voice.

“Jinri…” he says. “I’m sorry.”

“You… From the start, did you already know that… you’re going to get married to me?” she asks.

Jinki sits beside Jinri and says, “Ani. I only knew of it when your umma showed to me your photo earlier.”

“…”

“I was surprised to see it. I… I never knew it was you…”

“How did you become a coach at the school?” she asks, curious if he has the same reasons as hers.

“I… I’ve always wanted to, but back then, I never had the chance. My parents… they never wanted to. But, I went out and made my own way, until they got me back again. We’re most likely the same, I guess.” He laughs and Jinri nods.

Jinri sniffs and cackles. She pauses and jokes, “I’m sure you like this arranged marriage, huh?”

“Ani,” he replies as he shakes his head. He stares at the plants in front of him as he compresses his lips. Jinri gazes at him and she finds him sincere. “Even though I like you… and even though I want to marry you… if we both get married, I’ll forever feel that I became selfish towards you.”

Jinri smiles and she looks up. The white snowflakes fall and a colder breeze starts to pass through them. With Jinki’s long coat, she feels somehow warm, somehow secure.

“Don’t worry, Jinri. I… I’ll take care of this,” he says. “We… won’t get married. Take my word on this.”

Jinri gazes at him. With sparkling eyes and a light smile, she says, “Gomawo…”

Jinki grins and says, “Do you want to go home? I’ll accompany you.”

“Ani. It’s okay. I’ll just go home by myself,” she says. She takes off Jinki’s coat and hands it over to him, but he refuses to receive it.

“You might catch a cold. Just return it to me when we meet again,” he says.

Jinri stands up and so did Jinki. She wears his coat that’s quite big for her and she offers her small, pink, soft right hand to him. Jinki looks at it and smiles. He shakes her hand with his cold hand. “I’ll get going,” she says. She starts walking as her heels make a soft yet sharp sound against the wooden floor. She raises her hand to say goodbye, and Jinki did the same thing. She turns back as her footsteps start to fade in Jinki’s ears.

Shivering, he sighs as the water vapor comes out of his mouth. Snowflakes fall on his hair and shoulders as he strolls back to the house of Choi family.

“Choi Siwon,” Jinki’s father says. “What happened to your daughter?”

“She… I think she was just shocked,” he replies. “We just need time and they’ll get together.”

Jinki enters the room and stands in front of the families. He bows and says, “Abeoji, eomoni, Mr. and Mrs. Choi, I accompanied Jinri back to her home because she had a sudden fever. In behalf of her, I wanted to apologize to you all.”

Jinri’s umma smiles delightfully and says, “You are truly a gentleman like what your parents said. Thank you.” Jinki smiles and returns to his seat to continue eating.

Jinri arrives home and she finds Minho sleeping on the couch with the television still . She removes her shoes and she slowly walks to the living area. She sits in front of Minho. She gazes at him, seeing his serene state.

“I never wanted to be selfish… but… please… don’t get your memories back fast, okay? I… I never want to see you leave. Not at this time while I still…” she accidentally mumbles.

Minho’s eyes open slowly and his eyes widen abruptly seeing Jinri in front of him. “Oh… you’re here already. How’s the dinner with your family?”

“I… uh… it’s good,” she says embarrassingly with her cheeks turning pink. She was caught in the act. Inside her, she is already blaming and calling herself with names. She avoids his look and stands up. She then races to her room with her heart beating fast.

Minho’s heart is beating fast also as he heard what Jinri said to him. He places his hand on his chest and his voice inside curiously asks, “By any chance… does… she like me?” He shakes his head to disregard the thought but what she said keeps rounding his head.

~

FROM: MAXSTEPP

Hello! Here's another update! :)

So, yeah. Minho heard Jinri, what should he do? :O :)) Anyway, thank you for your comments on the previous chapter! Yes, don't get confused. Jinri and Sulli are two different persons. On why is that, tune in! Hahahaha!

Thank you also for the subscriptions and upvotes! :')

My last final exam will be tomorrow and after that... SUMMER!!!! Meaning, I can update more often. ;) Probably, I can do a double update. ;)

But, goodbye for now. :( Do comment, okay? :D

'Til the next update. :)