Chapter 22
I'm Sorry I Love You (editing)
NO ONE'S POV-
Flashback
'Jiyong impatiently tapped his hand on the table as glanced at his watch now and then.
"Are you okay?" Kiko whispered into his ears and he nodded faking a smile. It was already 11:40pm. He was physically present but his mind was somewhere else. Scarlet was narrating some stories of when she was young, earning laughs from both the father-daughter duo while Kat sat silently sipping her 100th glass of wine. Finally after a long stretch of boring, Jiyong offered to pay the bill,which the old man gladly accepted.
"Oh! Audrie dear..." Andrew called out to his daughter. "You wouldn't mind if we stayed with you for a while would you?" he asked, that stingy old man, probably didn't want to pay for hotel bills, Jiyong thought. "You won't mind helping my father move his luggage to my house right?" Kiko asked Jiyong, he hesitantly nodded. He'll never make it on time he thought. I'm screwed.'
*
"I can't........" Chaerin held on to her stomach, tears forming in her eyes, she had never laughed so much. Kris was slapping the flat of his hand on his thigh laughing his off.
"Let's try again." he managed to say between his laugh.
"O-okay. Okay. Serious this time!" Chaerin composed herself as she pulled her hair into a pony.
This time finally they got it right, though the two of them barely got through. They practiced a few more times since they had to be prepared by the next day.
"Finally......" Kris sprawled his long legs on the table and ruffled his hair. He glanced at Chaerin who was busy organizing the papers back into the files.
"CL-sshi?" he called out suddenly as he put his legs back down.
"I told you to call me Chaerin." she smiled as she placed the file down.
"Chaerin.... Um... Want to get something to eat?" he asked suddenly, surprising not just Chaerin but himself as well. Chaerin glanced at the clock and returned her gaze to face Kris.
"I'd love to eat..." she smiled, and Kris's heart skipped a beat, and he wondered what was happening to him. He turned around and s his hand into his jacket, a smile slowly crept into his face.
"Let's go!" he called out in English as he walked ahead and held the door open for her.
Jiyong rubbed his eyes and yawned, stretching himself. He looked at the clock. 10:31pm. He'd slept for more than 12hours, after his encounter with Chaerin at her house. He laid on his bed, and stared at ceiling.
'Leave me alone' her voice kept repeating in his mind. She didn't mean it. He thought to himself, she couldn't mean it.
He reached for his phone on the side table, 3 missed calls-2 new messages.
From Kiko(Seoul)
Oppa? Are you there?
From Kiko(Seoul)
Pick up please!
He ignored the messages and took out his jacket from his closet heading out, just as he opened the door, there she was.
"Oppa?" she looked up, her eyes red and puffy. He wondered how long she must have been sitting there.
"Kiko?" he crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin to face him. She hesitated at first, then she sprang on him and hugged him, crying soft sobs on his shoulders.
"What's wrong?" he asked, and she shook her head. He held her by her arms and pushed her back to look at her.
"My dad...... He--" she covered her face and calmed herself.
"Is he alright?" he asked, out of courtesy, he didn't really care about that old man.
"He's in the hospital. After we left them there..... They...." she mumbled as she nervously tugged her hair behind her ear.
"They had a fight and... My dad tried to kill himself." she said sniffling lightly.
"Then why're you here?" Jiyong asked, surprised as to why she chose to sit outside his house instead of being there for her father.
"I couldn't bring myself to see him..... I-I..." she wiped her eyes and took his hand in hers.
"Will you go with me?" she pleaded, he didn't want to, he dreaded hospitals and mostly he didn't want to see that mean old man, but then again, he had done all kinds of bad things with this girl, and only to wipe-out the red in his ledger he nodded and pulled her up.
"Come on then.... Lets go"
Chaerin couldn't think of the day when she laughed so much, Kris had been praising himself about his drawing skills, so she dared him for a draw-off. She held the tissue paper out showing off her drawing skills and laughing at his pointing at the pig which looked like a school bag. Kris's lips curled slightly at the sides and looked at the lady sitting opposite to him, he'd never met such an intimidating person in his life, her stage presence and off stage personality was so different, but that's what made her, her. She waves her tiny hands in front of him bringing him back from his train of thoughts.
"Kris?" she said, Kris noticed this was the first time she actually called him. He smiled and scratched his head, something that he did when he gets nervous.
"I'll pay." he said as he stretched his leg to retrieve his wallet in his back pocket. Before he could, Chaerin quickly offered her card to the waiter standing beside their table, his mouth was open as he gawked at the duo.
"Chaerin no! I'll pay." he protested, snatching the card from the waiter's hand and shoving his into the same hand. Chaerin smiled, her eyes turning into crescents. That's when it struck him, he'd never seen someone as beautiful as Lee Chaerin, beautiful.... Inside-out.
She politely asked the waiter to cut from her card, who obediently took her card and placed Kris's card on the table. Seeing Kris's embarrassed expression she placed her hand on his as a gesture of assurance. She'd never thought she could get so confortable with a person whom she'd met for the first time. But then again she was reminded of what her Unnie's would quote all the time, 'Chaerin is more comfortable with foreigners'.
"Consider it my birthday treat." she glanced at the waiter returning with her card. She took out her purse and placed it back to its original place. Swinging her bag she looked at Kris.
"Still hungry?" she teased, he lazily stretched himself and got up, He sure is tall. Chaerin thought, feeling the difference in their height as Kris held the door open for her.
"We'll do all right." he smiled as he parked the car at a free spot.
"Thank you for the ride." she bowed as she got off his car and headed to the dorm. He couldn't bring himself to drive away before he made sure she reached safely.
"Careful!" he said as he held Kiko's arm as she almost tripped on the stairs.
"3B....3B....." she repeated over and over peeking through the doors and running around the corridor.
"Oppa... Its here!" she said aloud, gesturing him to join her. Jiyong shook his head and mouthed her to go alone. She sighed then went in.
"So? How's he?" he asked as he saw the small figure exit through the door after half an hour.
"He'll be all right...... " she rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Let's go eat please..." she pleaded.
They arrived at the nearest restaurant 20 minutes away from the hospital.
"A table for two." he said to the receptionist, who eyed them suspiciously, he knew what would follow if people saw them together, but he couldn't care less, to be exact he found it humorous that people were so interested in his life, making up rumours and what not, but thanks to all that, it didn't matter to him anymore, it made it easier for him to open up cause then people would stop taking everything so seriously.
A waiter came, and directed them to a table at the corner just near the window, they quietly settled in, just as he was about to place the order he saw a face he couldn't not notice even if he wanted to. What's Chaerin doing here?
He craned his neck to get a better look at the person who was sitting with her, his back to him.
"Sir? Order?" the waiter's voice startled him. He didn't know what got into him but he quickly stood up and walked away.
"What happened?" Kiko asked as she followed him out.
"Nothing.... L-Let's eat somewhere else." he muttered as he opened his car door and the key in the ignition, before she could process anything, the car engine was already purring and she hurriedly opened the door and dived in.
"Did you see someone?" Kiko asked, still confused with his sudden behavior. He silently changed the gear and stepped on the gas.
"Oppa? What happe--"
"Will you shut up please?" he suddenly yelled, his eyes dark and angry. He didn't know why he was acting this way either. He glanced at the girl beside him, with tears in her eyes.
"I... I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to yell." he mumbled, unsure about the genuineness of his own statement
"Don't be sorry... I'm the one to blame." she replied, looking down at her feet.
"It's not you.. Trust me... It's something else." more like someone else. She looked so happy..... He thought. Maybe they're out to celebrate her birthday. He couldn't help but wonder who that man was....
It should have been me in his place.
A/N:
Hey guys... :) I won't be able to update for a few days because I'll be at a camp...
So here is a new chappie for you.
Thank you for all your support. :) I love you guys.
{E N X I E}
Guys! I'm so sorry for not updating. I've been preoccupied with my college work, sorry! I will try and update Asap.
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