Chapter Thirty -   Bailing out 

Woohyun wasn't looking really happy when I met him in Ilsan again that weekend. I wasn't that happy either since my weight had been increasing instead of decreasing and I just couldn't understand why. I mean, I was eating  less. He was alone, walking through the streets on the opposite direction as me. 

"Hello," I greeted him. 

He nod his head as a sign of acknowledgement. His face was tense, and he looked pale. I was wondering what kind of problem he was involving himself in. I was about to ask, but shrugged the thought away when I remembered the promise I made to myself to not intrude other's problem.

I continued my walk to the train station. It was noon, and I needed to get back to my apartment to finish up my english essay. When I arrived home, my phone shrilled. It was Woohyun. 

"Yeah?" I answered. 

"Nara..." His voice was shaky, "You gotta help me," 

"H-help you what? Are you in trouble?" My eyes widened and my heart beat accelerated. 

"Where are you?"

"In my apartment," 

"Help me Nara," he pleaded, he was panting as well, as if he had ran a marathon, "Please come to Ilsan," 

"Woohyun, I have to know what am I doing," 

"I'm in the police station, and I need you to bail me out," 

"I'm not even legal," 

"It's okay, I'll tell them you are," 

I bit my lips. I wanted to help Woohyun, I really do, but I also didn't want to get myself into trouble. 

"I don't wanna get into trouble, especially with the police,"

"No! You won't Nara, I promise you, you won't!" He exclaimed. 

I had never seen this side of Woohyun. I couldn't imagine the guy who had that cheesy grin, and the one who usually copied my homework would smoke and get arrested in a police station. 

"Please Nara, you're the only one I can hope on," 

"How about your friends? Where are they?" 

There was a silent for a moment or two before he answered, "It's a long story, I'll tell you later," 

"Look, if you want me to go there, I should at least have a guarantee that I'll be safe," 

"I can guarantee that," 

"How?" I sighed, "Woohyun, you can't okay? You're not legal, and neither am I," 

"Please Nara," his voice was faint. 

I heaved, "Okay fine, I'm going there, but you gotta tell me what's going on," 

"Okay, I'll guarantee you that. Thanks Nara,"

I hung up the call and sighed. Seriously? I just got back home. I put my slippers on again and went ahead to Ilsan. 

Arriving at the police station, I was nervous. I mean, I didn't know what I was about to face. With the police? I didn't want to be imprisoned for the next two years or so, I still had school, I wanted to graduate and have a good job without any criminal records.

"Sorry, who are you meeting miss?" A police officer stopped me. 

"Uhm, is there anyone called Nam Woohyun here?" I asked nervously. 

He nodded, "Follow me," 

I followed him. We went up the elevator to the fourth floor, I can remember. It was just the both of us. Very weirdly, the police station actually looked more of an office with clerical desk and chairs with wheels and all. 

"I don't know what's with young people these days, they smoke, they drink, they inject themselves with drugs," He said and shoved his hands into the pocket of his khaki pants. 

"Yeah," I replied. 

I didn't know either. Why would Woohyun smoke? Why would my other friends go to bars and all. It wasn't like this! We used to play in playgrounds, going to the market for some shaved ice, not for some tattoos. 

The elevator opened and I stepped out after the police officer did. I saw Woohyun, sitting in front of the desk with a buff police across him. 

"There is your brother," the police that guided me smiled and vanished. 

I walked towards Woohyun who was my step brother at the moment. I sighed and bit my lips. 

"Hey, you came noona!" Woohyun put on his act. 

Believe me, I was about to laugh. I gave him a small smile and faced the officer behind the desk. 

"Good evening Ms. Nam, I'm officer Yang," he stood up and shook my hand, "Please do take a seat,"

He sat down once I did. Woohyun was looking at me with eyes filled with hopes. 

"So, you are well aware that your brother have been smoking illegally, yes?" 

I was about to nod, but then I realized, I had to lie. So, I put on that surprised face of mine and gasped, "Oh, I didn't know about that until I came here," 

From the corner of my eye, I saw Woohyun smirking. Yeah, lucky you. 

"He's here not only because he is underage for smoking, but also because he was caught carrying heroin," 

"H-heroin?" My eyes widened, and I wasn't faking. 

Woohyun used heroin?

I looked at him and furrowed my brows. I didn't know what to say. Did Sora knew about this? 

"You used heroin?!" I exclaimed. 

"Luckily, no," officer Yang said and I looked at him, "We tested him, and there were no traces of heroin," 

I sighed with relief, like huge relief. 

"We just need you to sign a few papers here, and you can take him off," 

He handed me a few documents, and I took a while reading its content, before signing it. 

"Oh, and may I have your ID?" 

I looked up, "Huh?" 

"Your ID, please," 

ID? I didn't have any ID except for my school identity card. Now, it was scary. I glanced at Woohyun to see any of his reaction, and he looked rather shocked too. I panicked, so I opened my bag and pretended to look for it while murmuring prayers so that God would help me in any sort of way He wanted. I was helping my friend there and I was the one into trouble. 

"Oh noona! Don't you remember? Your ID is being renewed right!" Woohyun exclaimed. 

I gasped, not because I was trying to act shocked, but because I was really startled by how fast the gears in Woohyun's brain could turn when he was in pressure. 

"Ah! Yeah, it's being renewed," I said.

The officer looked at me, then at Woohyun. He sighed, "Alright, just sign these," 

I took the black pen from the table and gave some random signature. I didn't want to get involved in this. Officer Yang nodded and filed the papers before saying, "You can leave, and don't do anything illegal again, Woohyun," 

"Thanks," 
 
We both stood up, and when we were about to leave officer Yang spoke, "By the way, the two of you pulled out a great act. I know you are not whom you claim to be, but I'll excuse you right now," he looked at me, "IDs are only renewed every five years, and if you make your ID when you're 17, it will be renewed when you're 22. Woohyun told me you're 20," 

My face heated up. We bowed down and said thanks once again before leaving. 

"So, explain to me," I told him when we were already outside. 

Woohyun looked at me and put on a sad smile, "Okay," 

***

"You have got to be kidding me!" Sunggyu exclaimed. 

"Yeah, I bailed Woohyun out, and do you know what was he carrying?" 

"What?" 

"Heroin," 

"Heroin?" Sunggyu parroted. 

I nodded, "Cool isn't it?" 

"Tell me everything," 

"A few days ago, I saw him smoking with his buddies-"

"You told me that," 

"Yeah. Apparently, his buddies had criminal records and the polices are tracking them down. Woohyun told me that he stumbled upon them unintentionally. His brother in law was one of them, and he had been threatening the Nam's family for money," 

"But Woohyun seemed to be going on so well with them,"

"He is. He wasn't like this previously, but his brother in law turned him into this. At first, just like us, he was scared, but then, it became a habit. He would be asked to pass heroin and other drugs to some scary gangsters, and if he doesn't do so, his sister was the one in danger," 

"So why did he started smoking?" 

I shrugged, "To look cool," 

Sunggyu nodded. 

"I just don't get why, you know. It wasn't like this before. What was cool was having the largest pack of crayons, not cigarettes," 

"Nara, time flies, and hey, you're in high school," he said, "As much as you hate it, as time flies, people change," 

"Why can't we just be whom we used to be? We were free from problems, and like, no one cares what we wear, what we think or what we do," 

"You can blame puberty on that," 

"Yeah, I know right? Damn puberty! Why should I even worry if my period was regular or not," 

Sunggyu gave me a chortle. He sighed before saying, "But it wasn't fully his fault you know," 

"Well, it kinda is, like why didn't he tell the police?" 

"Maybe because his sister would be hurt if he do so," Sunggyu shrugged, "It's not like it was easy," 

I shook my head and sighed, "Let's drop this topic," 

"Call," 

I stretched my arms and stared at the monitor. 

"Minjae's birthday coming soon, what do you think I should do?" I asked. 

"Buy her a present?" 

"Should I spend my money on her?" 

Sunggyu rolled his eyes, "You're always stingy," 

"No I'm not!" I retorted, "I just thought since we aren't as close as before, I don't really need to give her something that's really sophisticated," 

"Well, just give her a damn gift to show that you still acknowledge her birthday," He sighed, "Anyway, I have to head for my night shift now, see you Nara," 

"Sure thing. Bye," 

I switched off my laptop and dropped myself on the bed. Conversing with Sunggyu using over the internet wasn't the easiest thing to do. It was better to talk face to face with him. 
Just then, there was a knock on the door. I grunted, but stood up anyways to open it. There was a couple there, about the age of my parents, standing before me with grins on their faces. 

"Hello," The man greeted, "You must be Song Nara," 

I smiled, "Yes I am, how can I help you?" 

"Oh, you don't have to help us with anything," the wife said, "We just moved here, right in front, and we thought it will be nice if we knew our neighbors," 

And that hit me right on the face. Right. Sunggyu's apartment had been vacant for quite some time, and now, this happy couple is living there. I didn't know if I should be happy or sad. 

"Ah! Yes, it'd be impolite if we don't introduce ourselves," The husband said, "We're the Jang family," 

"We have a son here too, I'll call him," Mrs. Jang went into her room and beckoned to her son, who went out of the room. 

Our eyes met, and it widened at the same moment. 

"Dongwoo?"