After about a twenty minute jog, I was far from my house, and my knee was killing me. I slowed down, heavily breathing and holding my side, which was cramping. I should have eaten before I left. I thought. The burn in my knee wasn’t dissipating, so I sat down on the curb to rest. I stretched my leg out, setting my iPod on one knee while rubbing the hurt one.

Suddenly, I felt myself forcefully knocked over by the side by some being. My ipod went flying, the ear buds escaping my ears and sliding across the street. My head and side hit the curb and I fell over onto my back, the animal jumping on top of me, my face affectionately. I screeched in pain, my head now throbbing.

Scared and surprised, I did nothing, as the scare was too much and I was unsure what to do in a situation where you are attacked by a dog. I tried pushing the animal off of me but it was strong.

A whistle sounded, followed by someone calling, “Here boy!” and another whistle.

The dog backed up off me, turning and charging toward the person, a leash trailing behind. I sat up, bringing a hand to my head. I looked around for my iPod, frantically searching the street around me for any sign of it.

I noticed it, in the middle of the road, and crawled over to grab it. I reached out, about to take it in my hand when I heard a car come screaming down the road. I turned, face to face with a large red truck. I screamed, not reacting in any other way, and felt myself pulled to the side of the road swiftly, knocking my again to my back, this time by a person.

He rolled off of me, helping me sit up carefully. Again, I brought my hand to my head, wincing in pain.
“Are you okay?” he asked.

I glanced at his face for a moment, only to notice his worry, when I nodded, looking again for my ipod. “My ipod…” I said, seeing it a few feet away from where it was previously.

The boy stood up, motioning for me to stay put. “Just let me get it.” He said.

I tried to stand, walking after him, when I felt my body sway. I regained balance and tried to sit down, but I was woozy. I started to fall again, when a pair of hands grasped my shoulders before I did.

“Whoa, take it easy now. Why don’t you just sit, yeah?”

I stared at the boy, his round brown eyes looking back attentively. He was pretty cute, I thought. He was wearing a black baseball cap and his face was round and clear. In fact, he was very attractive. Then again, who knows what damage was done to my head.

He extended a hand, the iPod laying in his palm. I gasped, taking it.

“It’s broken!” I exclaimed, turning it over and over, examining it. The screen was cracked and the back was scratched. Crushed.

“Omo~ How could this happen…” I said to myself, then directed my attention to the boy, who was now tying the leash around his hand. “Ya, who are you?” I demanded.

He looked up at me, grinning and saying, “Yoseob. Yang Yoseob.” He held out a hand, then switched it to the hand not carrying the leash.

I stared at it, then to the leashed hand. “Is this your dog? He attacked me!” I shouted.

The boy, either not noticing my annoyance or choosing to ignore it, laughed. “It’s a she. And she’s not mine.” He smiled again.

I dropped my mouth open. Did he not feel the least bit sorry for what had happened?

“The-the dog…my ipod…aish my head…” I said, my thoughts scattered.

Yoseob bit his lip and moved closer to me. “I’m just babysitting her. And she got away.” He shook his head. “Rascal. I was holding on really tight too!” He widened his eyes and squeezed his hands together. “Anyways I’m sorry about your ipod. Are you okay though? You took quite a hit…” he laughed, tousling his hair.

“I’m fine.” I said. I turned and started to walk away, not wanting to deal with a loon like him. I didn’t want to blow up on him on account of the most important material thing in my life being destroyed because of him. And, my knee was still killing me. I wanted to get home to put some ointment on it as quick as I could.

“Hey wait, where you going?” He said, running in front of me and stopping me. I tried to go around him, but he blocked my path.

“YA!” I said, angrily, then held my head in pain.

His face fell and he pursed his lips. “I’m really sorry.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s fine, I’m okay. See you.”

“Well what’s your name?”

I bit my tongue, it was all I could do to keep from yelling at him. My ipod was ruined, thanks to this guy’s poor coordination. The last thing I wanted was to make conversation with him.“Goodbye.” I said, jogging off.

“Hey wait!”

I ran faster until I was sure he was too far behind to follow, then relaxed, jogging home.

I reached my house, opened the door and threw my ipod on the couch. Instantly, I went into the kitchen and grabbed some ointment from the fridge, walking back into the living room to apply it. I sat on the couch, staring out the window for a moment while rubbing my knee.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone walking up the sidewalk. I put the tube of cream down and moved closer to the window, peeking through the blinds. I gasped, seeing Yoseob tie the dog to the fire hydrant on the sidewalk and start walking up my sidewalk. I hid behind the blinds, hoping he didn’t see me. How did he find me? I was sure I lost him a few streets down, I had come home using a shortcut anyway.

I gulped, peeking back out of the window. To my dismay, he spotted me looking and gave me an exaggerated wave. I closed my eyes and sighed. “Aish…”

Why was he here? Did he follow me?

There was a knock at the door, and I rubbed my head before opening it reluctantly. It’s not like I could pretend not to be home now that he had seen me. I titled my head to the side, giving a sarcastic smile. “Yes?” I asked.

Yoseob smiled. “Can I use your phone?” He asked, fidgeting.

“What?” I was confused now. “Did you follow me home?” I asked. I couldn’t believe how ridiculous this kid was.

He looked surprised. “What? No, I just happened to be walking by when I saw you go into your house…but my phone is out of battery and I need to make a call.” He grinned.

Why was he constantly happy? It bothered me.

“Pleaseeeeeee.” He begged, making a very desperate face. What a drama queen.

I rolled my eyes. “Hurry.” I moved out of the way to let him in. “It’s in the kitchen.”

He nodded, thanking and bowing and thanking and bowing and walking into my home. He looked around. “Are you the only one home?” he asked.

I shot him a glance and he shrugged, then said, “So what’s your name?”

“Didn’t you have a call to make?” I asked, plopping myself on the couch and propping my foot up, rubbing my swollen knee.

“Ah, right.” He said, walking past me. He stopped, turning back and looking at me. “What’s wrong with your knee?” he asked, staring at it.

I stared at him disgustingly. “Nothing…”

He kneeled down next to me, moving my hand from my knee and looking at it. He gasped. “This looks really bad! Does it hurt?”

I rolled my eyes, kicking my legs over the couch and walking into the kitchen. I grabbed the phone and held it out. “Here.” I said, raising my eyebrows.

Yoseob took it reluctantly, then set it down on the counter. “You should really put some ice on your knee. What happened anyway?”

I closed my eyes, trying to relax. The pain was horrible. “Just make your call and go please.” I said.

“Ah, fine…” he said.

He shook his head, took the phone, and retreated into the kitchen to talk. I went back to the couch, flipping through channels until he finished.

Finally, he came back into the living room. “Thanks!” he said, looking out the window, I imagined to check on the dog.

“No prob. Bye!” I said unenthusiastically.

He walked over, sitting next to me on the sofa. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He looked around. “There isn’t anyone home, are you alright alone?”

Who was he to judge whether I was safe or not? I glared at him. “What are you doing?”

He shrugged. “What?”

“You’ve made your call, now—”

The front door swung open and in walked my stepmother, a tall, lean woman with long black hair and so much makeup and plastic surgery done her face looked like a plastic doll. She was giggling, and following her was a middle aged man, balding, with glasses and a suit and tie. “Aigo, you’re so funny.” She teased, hitting him on the chest. He laughed, and they shut the door.

Upon seeing me, my stepmother gasped. “Hye Mi!” she said, looking frantically from Yoseob to the man to me again.

I waved. “Hello.” I said rudely.

“W-What are you doing home?” she asked, biting her lip.

“Mom, I’ve been home for 2 months now. Why are YOU here? I thought you were in Mexico with Dad.”

She rubbed her neck awkwardly, glancing at the man she came in with. “Thank you for taking me home, you should go now.” She said, opening the door to let him leave. He nodded and promptly exited the house, driving away.

I raised my eyes at my stepmom. “Where’s Youngah?”

She rolled her eyes. “She’ll be home in a few weeks.”

“Who’s that?” I asked, my eyes moving to the door where the man had exited, temporarily forgetting Yoseob was still here. I stood up, hands on hips. My stepmom rolled her eyes.

“Tch.” She said. She shot a stare at Yoseob judgmentally. “I should ask you the same. And who is this?”

Realizing that Yoseob was standing there, listening to all of this, I panicked. “Oh, this is..he was just leaving.” I started pushing him out of the living room and to the door. “Weren’t you?”

He nodded, confused. “I’ll see you around, Hye Mi.” He looked back at my stepmother disapprovingly.
I blinked rapidly. “Yeah sure.” I said, and then pushed him out the door.