So Min

“Hello?” I called out. I was cautious before I made my appearance into the room.  I realized that my life was in grave danger now with only a thin door slit separating the tiger’s fury from the frightened worm peering from outside.

I knew that I had done it again. First, it was messing him up with my puke, and now I pounded the living daylights out of him. I was not expecting that I would be mercifully forgiven this time.  I knew I deserved a glistening dressing down from him and was even prepared to endure a few punches if that was what it would take to pacify him.

My pupils searched the room from the right to the left. No sign of Jerk sunbae….’Where could he be, ‘I questioned as I scratched my head. Well, since he was not around, I guessed it was best that I leave then. I straightened my back, rejoiced that I managed to delay a confrontation today.  I knew that facing his fury was clearly inevitable. Nevertheless, as much as I would like to right the wrong done as soon as possible, the coward in me was fearful to face the music.

“Why are you sneaking around here?’

I jumped at the familiar voice that interrupted my intended escape. I spun around to look up at the figure towering above me. “Sunbae…”

He looked past me as he shoved me aside to gain entry into the room. I looked down as he brushed past, momentarily tongue-tied. There were things that I wanted to say but they didn’t manage to escape from my mouth when I saw his pissed off face.  My fingers were crushing the soft fabric of my handbag so much so that I swore it would tore from the immense friction. Just as I decided that today was not the right time to engage him in a conversation, Jerk sunbae asked, “Are you coming in, or not?”

 I bit my lower lips in anguish as I turned back and closed the door after me upon entering. For a second that seemed like eternity, he scrutinized my presence with his stern eyes while I stood rooted at the side of his bed while staring at the grey floor below. It was as though time had stood still and the sound of silence was beginning to deafen my ears.

Once again, his voice broke the dead silence, “When had the sharp-tongued green horn turned dumb?”

“I’m sorry” That was my immediate reply.

“Is that all?” I could sense the sarcasm in his voice.

“I’m very sorry. I’ll pay for your hospital bills.” I followed on quickly.

“Is that all?” he commanded me to say more.

“If you really want an eye for an eye, fine, you could punch me back the way I did to you.” I spat at gushing speed.

Jerk sunbae started to bellow in explosive laughter, ”How much could that body of yours take?”

I brought my eyes to his level and replied challengingly, ”More than you can imagine!”   

He sniggered and reflected his doubt on the tolerance level of my body. “Stupid girl!”

His sarcasm fuelled my desire to prove him wrong. I grabbed his right hand and directed it at my stomach, “Come on! Hit me here! COME ON!”

He wrung his hand free from my strong hold, ”Hey! Hey! Behave yourself! This is the hospital!”

Recognizing that I had acted childishly, I felt ashamed at my sudden outburst.

He looked at me with amusement and chuckled. The chuckle gradually turned into laughter.  He laughed till his sides ached. “Oh..you are really funny.” He said as he wiped a tear from his eye.

“What’s so funny?” I interrogated crossly.

“You are.” He sniffed and craned his head so close that I could feel his breathing on my face. “You know what other woman would have offered to appease me?” 

The closeness irked me and I moved backwards to widen the gap. However, each step I took backwards, he did the same forward. Our tango continued till the point where my back was pressed against the wall. He leaned in so close that our noses were nearly touching. I stared speechlessly at him as I inhaled and exhaled uneasily. My heart was beating violently, urging me to protest against his action but my body was unable to react accordingly.

“Do you know what they always suggest?” he repeated his statement.

I turned my head to one side to avoid face off with him, “I’m not interested..”

“They offer themselves to me.” He smiled sinisterly and added, “If that’s the only thing that will make me happy now, would you make the same offer?”

I was baffled by his request. My mind was racing with silly questions of ‘Do I need to do that? Is that necessary?’

“ERT!” I retorted and pushed him off.

He sprung backwards and started doing a flamboyant dance around in the room, laughing again. I glared at him with confusion. This man is incorrigibly bizarre. My punches must have crushed his sanity as well.

He landed on the bed then, uttering between laughter, “I see that you couldn’t take jokes very well.”

“JOKE? You called that a joke? I could sue you for ual harassment.”

“Whoa whoa, little Miss Spitfire! Don’t get so worked up. Couldn’t you just entertain a poor boy now lying in the hospital because of you?” He threw his hands behind him and leaned backwards.

I continued to scowl at him over the indecent joke he made. He motioned me to sit next to him on the bed but I did not move a centimetre.

“Come, I won’t touch you. Promise!” He tried to smile assuringly.

Still doubtful of his true intentions, I refused to budge. I could not trust that he would be this friendly to me now all of a sudden. ‘There must be something up his sleeves,’ I was inclined to believe.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Fine, if you choose to continue to stand, suit yourself.” His swept my frame up and down, then smirked teasingly, “The nurse told me that after you sent me here, you had stayed up by my bedside all night.”

He stopped briefly to examine my facial expression. Sensing that the scowl had not disappeared, he appended., “On the account that you sacrificed your sleep and time for me, I decided to let bygones be bygones. In the first place, I was at fault to have sent you to the basement at that unearthly hour. So, TRUCE? He stretched out his right hand for a handshake.

I was hesitant. Was he for real? Is this one of his sick jokes again? Somehow, I had my reservations about the 180 degrees change in the way he treated me. He was actually speaking to me more like a human, looking me in the eyes and his tone of voice was softer. Previously, he either looked past me or above me; as though I was invisible. His voice was hard as stone that could not had been cut with a diamond.

Still, I gave him the benefit of doubt and decided to assess his sincerity in the future. Making up with him now would allow me to do just that. I took his outstretched hand in mine and declared, “TRUCE!” 

Hyun Joong

As she held my hand in consent of our peace agreement, I managed to wear my most sincere grin. Beneath my skin, another ominous voice hissed, ”Jinx Girl, take cover. This is only the beginning..”