The Hope in My Life - J. Rabbit

Chapter 34: Fourth Night.

With the skies getting darker than the usual, Jaera quickened her footsteps as she neared the entrance of the supermarket. Ever since the surprise birthday party of Lu Han and Sehun, the stocks back at the condo dramatically depleted—eggs, meat, milk, and almost everything. Since she didn’t have school nor work for the day, Jaera decided to just do the groceries that’ll manage to last up for the remaining week. Lu Han went out early and she couldn’t possibly wait for him to get home so instead, she just rode the bus. Although, seeing how the skies were grumbling and getting darker by each second that passed by, a small part of Jaera harboured a bit of regret for not waiting for Lu Han to come back. Well, nothing could be done anymore since she already arrived at the supermarket. She just hoped that she’ll finish before the rain starts to pour.

“Whew, good thing I managed to arrive earlier than expected.” Jaera mumbled, zipping up her jacket as she tried to warm herself up after passing by a cold gust of wind. Looking inside the supermarket through the glass windows, only a number of people are around, much to Jaera’s delight. It’s not that she didn’t want the supermarket all to herself, but it’s just that shopping around for groceries’ much easier when there are less people.

With a satisfied look on her face, Jaera was about to enter when she saw a familiar black mustang coming to a stop far from where she stood. “Ahjussi?”

A few moments later, her assumptions were proven right as she saw the Frost Blonde headed man descending from the driver’s side of the car, dressed in his corporate suit. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m going to buy some groceries since we ran out,” Jaera answered, staring at Lu Han as he slowly approached her. “How about you? I thought you went out?”

“Yeah, I was about to go back but then I saw a familiar midget walking around, huddling in her jacket.” Lu Han smirked, eyeing Jaera up and down as the girl just clicked her tongue.

“Anyway, where did you go?” Upon speaking of the words, Jaera’s eyes immediately widened as she realized what she just asked.

Although, the uncertainty she felt quickly disappeared when Lu Han replied, looking as if he didn’t mind. “Nowhere in particular.”

Getting really curious, Jaera’s lips immediately went to a roll as she finally blurted out the words she wanted to say. “Was it the lunch meeting with your dad and Jongmi?”

Hearing the words from Jaera, a hint of utter surprise flashed across Lu Han’s eyes, but even if he quickly regained his composure, the gesture was still caught by the girl. “Don’t get mad, I… I actually kind of overheard your conversation with your dad last night.”

“It’s fine. It’s not really a big deal anyway.” Lu Han shrugged, the nonchalant look he usually has returning back to his face as he proceeded in entering the supermarket.

Biting her bottom lip, Jaera followed behind and walked alongside Lu Han. “If it makes you feel any better, I cleaned your room. I dusted off the picture frames on your table. I hope you don’t mind though, but I replaced the one with a picture of you… and I think that’s your mom. It has a crack already.”

Lu Han halted on his tracks as he stared at Jaera with an unexplainable look. He didn’t really like it if anyone pokes around his things, especially when it comes to his personal items such as his old pictures. Once he knows that someone went through his things, he immediately lashes out at the person, be it someone older than him or not, and Kris was usually the one that stops him.

However, hearing what the girl did, he didn’t feel any anger or annoyance. Instead, he felt morose and melancholic. It’s as if he was suddenly brought back into a time in which a part of him was still careless, still naïve. A memory in which everything was still fine and fixed.

When was the last time he felt like this? When was the last time that he felt no anger in things that he didn’t like?

“I saw your mom and she’s really beautiful.” Jaera said, coming to a stop as well before turning back to the still Lu Han. “I wonder if my mom’s as beautiful as yours.”

Thinking about the answer, it was when his mom was still alive. It was when she was the only one who can intrude Lu Han’s world without being hated. It was a precious memory, one of which he would like to relive again. One of which he wanted to experience again. Albeit even if he could indeed go back to that time, it still wouldn’t change the fact that his mom was gone.

However with what happened, a realization was made by him. A realization that a part of him has slowly changed, that unlike before where he refused to let anyone just intrude his life, without even noticing it, another person has already managed to do so.

“Ahjussi! Look!”

A person who he once treated as a past time play toy has now managed to enter his life, bringing new experiences and changes to him, and leaving the holes in his heart filled with new hope and chances.

“What is it?” Lu Han asked, his feet moving again as he gazed at the excited look plastered on Jaera’s face. With a small smile, he then turned towards the direction where the girl was pointing.

“There’s a buy one take one for sanitary pads available per person!” Jaera exclaimed, running towards the aisle but not before dragging Lu Han with her. “Get a pair for me too!”

“Okay—wait, what?!” Lu Han’s ears suddenly turned red as he was led into the aisle full of sanitary pads. Not to mention the old women laughing at him in amusement, he seriously wanted to dig a hole and just hide himself in it.

“Come on, you said you would buy it for me last time! Don’t worry, I’ll pay for it!”

Before he would’ve already shouted at the girl, but now, he just heaved a heavy sigh and followed her in embarrassment, not caring about the looks he was receiving from the passerby. The girl sure did change him in some ways.

After what seems to be hours inside the supermarket, Jaera and Lu Han eventually finished buying their groceries. It was an ordeal for Jaera though, considering that Lu Han kept on getting unnecessary things. It annoyed her a tad, but that annoyance was quickly forgotten when the rain started to pour like cats and dogs, causing for the concrete roads to become slippery wet and the night temperature to go lower, much to the dissatisfaction of the two.

“Well, at least you brought your car.” Jaera said, hugging one of the bags they acquired containing the groceries as she walked out of the exit alongside Lu Han. “Although we will still surely get wet since we don’t have an umbrella, and you parked it quite far.”

“Aish, don’t complain. I didn’t know it would rain this hard.” Lu Han hissed, scrunching his face as he held two of the bags. “If you want, I could just run there and fetch you here.”

“Let’s just run together,” Jaera said, putting on the hood of her jacket with one hand as she smiled at Lu Han. “It’s faster this way and it would be unfair for you if you’re the only one who’ll get wet.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Lu Han said, fighting back a smile as he tightened his grip on the bags. Truth to be told, he was actually cursing mentally for not parking his car in a nearer place, and for not bringing his blazer to at least lessen the drenched state he’ll be in a few minutes, but the real situation was probably better. For sure, the both of them will get wet so he’ll just ask Jaera to wipe his hair for him like the last time. It was an action that he liked and now’s the chance to experience it again.

Nodding to each other at the same time, Jaera and Lu Han tightened their holds and ran through the wet street. Fortunately though, there weren’t any other people walking by so they didn’t have to worry about bumping into someone. The downpour was too strong that all people walking outside immediately took shelter into the nearby stalls and establishments.

After a few seconds of running, Jaera and Lu Han eventually got inside the latter’s car, whose seats immediately got wet. The two of them managed to get to the car faster than they have expected, but that didn’t stop them from getting hit by the heavy shower—even Jaera who was already wearing a hoodie, still got dripping wet. “Damn, it’s cold! Quick, turn on the heater!”

Feeling colder with the wetness of his body, Lu Han quickly got his car keys and turned the engine, which unexpectedly, didn’t respond. His eyebrows creasing in annoyance, he tried to turn the engine on again but unfortunately, still didn’t work. “What the hell—oh .”

Hearing Lu Han’s words, Jaera turned to him in shivers. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m out of gas.”

Jaera’s eyes widened as her body froze in place, completely disregarding the cold. “What?!”

“I forgot to pass by the gas station this morning, okay?” Lu Han scoffed, obviously irritated by his mistake. He then got his phone from his pocket only to have his mood go worse. “There’s no signal on my phone.”

Understanding what Lu Han meant, Jaera was about to reach in to her hoodie’s pocket when a sudden realization came to her. “I forgot my phone back at the condo.”

Smacking his face with his fr