“There you go.” went his voice, monotonous as he roughly placed the then perfectly bandaged hand back onto Jae Kyung’s lap.

“Oww be gentle will you?” she cried as she brought the same hand up to and began to blow at it softly.

“No point being good at first-aid when all you’re going to do afterwards is inflict more pain on the victim.” she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, the victim is in pain?

..Really?

But my nose seems to be doing just fine. Though I think it’s kind of broken.. But oh well, not to worry. I’ll be fine. Thanks for your concern anyways.” he said with a tone full of saccharine, sarcasm oozing out of every word he said as he placed a finger thoughtfully atop his plastered nose.

“You’re impossible dude.” Jae Kyung could only afford to sigh.

As she went back to tending her own already nursed wound, she watched the man seated next to her incredulously as he began throwing the contents of the first-aid kit back into the box as though he couldn’t care less about it. And that caused her to raise a brow.

If there was another thing that Jae Kyung hated besides rudeness, it was people disregarding her things. Like what gives YOU the right to treat MY stuff without any care?

Bang!

The sudden sound of the lid being closed forcefully made Jae Kyung jump out of her skin as she involuntarily snapped out of her thoughts.

Annoyed, her eyebrows began to furrow even closer together. But before she was able to make known her anger to him, the man got up from his seat and made his way to the kitchen.

Through narrowed eyes, she continued watching him as he opened a cupboard door and placed the kit inside.

Then..

Bang!

And that did it.

“Yah will it really kill you to at least try to be gentle with my stuff?! They could break you know!” she roared as her eyes began throwing daggers at the back of the man who was then repositioning the door of the cupboard which had slanted slightly due to the excessive force applied to close it earlier on.

“Tsh please. The thing’s already broken to begin with anyways. It’s so old. I mean, it’s bound to fall apart..” he muttered indifferently.

“Heck, the way I see it, this whole entire place is bound to fall apart. It’s just a matter of time.

And what is up with that man?” after he was done adjusting the loose cupboard door, he finally turned around to face her, giving a slight shrug.

“Even that darned sofa stinks.”

Jae Kyung felt her cheeks beginning to burn out of sheer embarrassment. Must you really be so blatant??

Unable to look at the man in the face any longer, she closed her eyes tight shut and took in a really deep breath before explaining herself, making sure to stress key words along the way.

“It’s not old, it’s antique.

And the things here are not bound to fall apart. They’re just.. Well..

Fragile.”

Jae Kyung then let out another long and distressed sigh. At least until I get myself a stable job to fix everything, that is.

She then opened her eyes only to be shocked to be greeted by the perplexed face of the man right opposite hers. Somehow, he had left the kitchen and had gone on to make himself comfortable by sitting on the coffee table right in front of her without so much so as a sound. What the..

“What??” she demanded in response to Zico’s crumpled face.

After a moment’s worth of shuffling in his seat, he finally got straight to the point.

“You can’t afford it, right?” he asked, his voice soft.

At that, Jae Kyung’s eyes widened.

Firstly, she was surprised at how he had managed to put it across so simply and accurately. Easy put, he had hit the nail on the head. But then again, I guess it’s not really all that hard to tell..

Secondly, she didn’t really know how to react, seeing as to how it was a first for her having to deal with such casual forthrightness about a topic that she was so sensitive towards. And the fact that he was looking at her in an uncanny way made it all the more unsettling for her. Why is he looking at me funny..?

And Jae Kyung absolutely hated that feeling. You know, the feeling as though she was being judged because of her financial status. Or so she thought she was. I mean, it sure feels like it.

“What is it to you, anyways?” she rebutted, defensive.

She hated having to feel so inferior because of that. So naturally, feeling more than just a tad uncomfortable with the unnecessary attention that she was receiving from the man whom she had taken a (very little) liking to, she tried going on to change the subject.  

“But enough about me for now, what brings you here?

Must be something really important that it couldn’t wait for daybreak. You know, when normal people usually start going about their everyday business?”

It was then his turn to look away awkwardly, avoiding Jae Kyung’s questioning looks nervously, causing her to feel relief wash over her yet again. Phew. At least now he’s not on my back anymore.

And although it was initially meant solely to serve as a diversion for her to evade the topic of her financial status altogether, she later found herself growing to be more and more curious as to what he was going to say in response to her question.

Hmmm this better be good..