C h a p t e r 8:

“It’s alright, JiJae, araso? It’s alright,” JaeJoong kept saying.

Soon, they all came in with the things that he need for JiJae. JaeJoong placed a towel on her forehead and gently kept the ice on her cheek. He watched her, just trembling.

“Hyung, what happened to her?” JunSu asked.

“Mollayo, I just found her in front of our apartment crying,” JaeJoong answered.

“So, she must have been the one we’ve been hearing,” said YooChun.

“Bwoh?” JaeJoong asked.

“We thought it was just our imagination,” YooChun explained.

“You could at least checked,” he said but not angrily but sadly.

“Mianhe,” said ChangMin.

“Yah, it’s alright, araso? Don‘t beat yourself up.” ChangMin smiled and walked closer to JiJae. “I hope she’s alright.”

“Same,” they all said.

“Yeah. It’s weird though,” said JaeJoong.

“Bwoh?”

“I mean, I feel different around her. How I’m caring to her and how…I just can’t leave her now,” said JaeJoong.

JaeJoong just looked at her. With his other hand, he gently caressed her hair. Slowly, JiJae’s eyes opened, startling JaeJoong and put his hand away from her hair. She just stared at him and didn’t mutter a word at all. He looked at her, seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes. JaeJoong can see how slowly tears were forming in her eyes. Slowly, she sat up and JaeJoong allowed her to hold the ice on her cheek.

“Gwenchena?” asked JaeJoong. JiJae hesitated and stared blankly in front of her. She looked down and shook her head, about to cry. “Wae? What’s wrong?” She immediately hugged him.

“Everything oppa. Everything,” she answered crying.

F l a s h b a c k

“Yah!” JiJae looked up, finding Jin. “Oh, look. Little homeless girl.”

“What do you want?” JiJae asked.

“If you want, the homeless people are near the subway,” Jin meanly suggested.

“Just shut up, Jin!”

“I don’t think so. No one’s hear to stop me. Who’s going to help, hm? You’re parents? Well, they’re not here to protect you, princess. They’re long gone. No one’s hear to take of you or help you or love you.”

“SHUT UP!” she screamed.

“I don’t think I will,” Jin said.

“Just shut up! Shut up, shut up!” JiJae begged, starting to cry.

“Aw, is the little princess crying?”

“Just shut up…” Soon, she slapped her hard.

“No you just shut up! Araso! You’re so annoying! You know that you can’t make it! You’re just going to give up and lose everything!”

End of Flashback

“JiJae~ah, what do you mean?” JunSu asked.

She didn’t answer as she uncontrollably cried in JaeJoong’s arms. JaeJoong comforted her, hoping that she’ll calm down. As minutes passed, she started to calm down a little. Everyone just sat there, hoping that she’ll be alright too.

“Oppa…” JiJae whispered to JaeJoong.

“Hmm?” JaeJoong responded.

“Gomawo,” she said and slowly fell asleep.

Everyone crowded around them, curious on what happened.

“Is she alright?” YooChun asked.

“Anio, just look at her,” said JaeJoong. “Guys, you can do what you want, I’ll take care of her.”

“You sure, cause we can help too hyung,” asked YunHo.

“I’m sure. I’ll ask for help if I need any?”

“Araso, hyung,” they all said and headed out.

JaeJoong turned back to her, adjusting the towel on her forehead. He just watched JiJae and gently caressed her hair. He set the ice pack on the table so she would be able to sleep.

“JiJae~ah, what’s wrong? Just tell me and I’ll help you,” JaeJoong said.

Morning came, leaving JiJae staring at the wall as JaeJoong slept on the floor. What Jin said to her last night kept replaying in her head. She always knew that she was always right. A tear slid down her cheek and JiJae quickly wiped it away and slightly coughed. JaeJoong slowly sat up, seeing her awake.

“Gwenchena?” he asked, startling her. JiJae turned, seeing JaeJoong already awake.

“Uh, n-neh,” JiJae answered with a fake smile.

“JiJae, please, tell me the truth,” he begged. JiJae suddenly frowned.

“Mianhe oppa. I’m…not fine. Just…miserable,” she softly answered.

“Wae?”

“It’s complicated.”

“How?”

“I just don’t wanna talk about it, Jae. Mianhe,” said JiJae.

“It’s alright.”

“Well, I should just go and not intrude you guys,” JiJae said, getting out of bed and quickly heading to the door. She turned since JaeJoong held her arm.

“Don’t leave JiJae. Just stay here and…we’ll take care of you…I’ll take care of you,” said JaeJoong.

“I can’t have you guys do that. I need to take care of myself. I have to take full responsibilities, not you,” JiJae said so seriously.

“Then, you can just stay here,” he immediately said with no hesitation at all.

“Anio, I can’t do that.”

“Yes you can. I know you can. We wouldn’t mind at all. You won’t cause trouble, JiJae. I just need to know if you’re going to be alright from now on,” JaeJoong said. Tears formed in her eyes. “Please, don’t cry either.”

“JaeJoong, I don’t know,” JiJae said, being uncertain.

“Please.”

She hesitated and looked up at him. Their faces were only centimeters apart making her heart beat faster than ever. She smiled and nodded and wiped away her tears.

“Araso, I’ll stay but…I’m still doing my own things.”

“Deal.”

JaeJoong smiled at her and warmly hugged her. JiJae was shocked, not used of being hugged at all. Hesitantly, she hugged him back, burying her face in his chest.

“Thank you,” she thanked.

“No problem. C’mon, I have to make some breakfast,” JaeJoong said and they headed to the kitchen.

JiJae followed JaeJoong to the kitchen and just casually watched him do the cooking. She smiled, impressed on his cooking skills.

“JiJae, are you feeling better?” JunSu asked out of the blue, startling both JiJae and JaeJoong. She turned to him happily.

“Neh, I am actually,” JiJae answered.

“That’s good. Look, you’re staying with us from now on,” JunSu said.

“Oh wow, did you guys have a talk about it last night?” she asked.

“Not…really, wae? JaeJoong Hyung mentioned it?” She nodded in response. “Oh, no wonder, well, if you want, you can have my room.”

“A-Anio, I shouldn’t take your room. It’s going to make me feel too guilty.”

“Okay, then, verse me in video games later.”

Everyone was up and they all started to eat breakfast. JiJae finished the fastest and put away her plate and cleaned it. She headed to JaeJoong’s room and just lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She spaced out, not knowing completely what’s happening right now.

“JiJae,” JaeJoong called once he opened the door. She didn’t respond since she was asleep. He smiled and walked to her. He just sat on the edge beside, playing with her hair a little. She saw her opening her eyes and he slowly pulled away. “Mianhe, did I wake you up?” She shook her head and smiled.

“So, if I can stay here, where do I sleep in?” she asked.

“Here,” JaeJoong simply answered.

“Bwoh? But, it’s your room,” JiJae said.

“Though, you seem comfortable in here. I won’t mind anyway. Usually I sleep on the sofa outside.”

“Are you sure? Don’t regret that simple decision,” asked JiJae.

“I’m sure. Do whatever you want, just don’t go through my private things,” JaeJoong said.

“I’m not a stalker Jae, but don’t make me too curious about things,” JiJae said.

“Why?”

“I will do whatever to find out.” JaeJoong chuckled. “What’s so funny?”

“You really do remind me of someone,” he said.

“Oh? Who?”

“A friend of mine.”

“Oh, what friend?”

“A friend who I love,” JaeJoong confessed without hesitating.

“Aw, that’s really cute, Jae,” said JiJae.

“Nah, she doesn’t know. I haven’t seen her for years though. Wow, now I miss her like crazy and I wanna thank you,” JaeJoong said.

“For what?” JiJae asked confused.

“I know how I said I loved Jin, but not anymore. I started thinking about everything and the first person on my mind was my friend in my childhood years. I bet she wouldn’t care if I was rich and famous just because my appa is a spy and my umma runs the Kim Corporation or whatever. For sure she would think of me as a normal guy unlike Jin,” JaeJoong explained.

“Oppa, you will find her, I know it,” said JiJae.

“How would you know? I don’t even know if she even lives here but I’m always having that feeling that she’s right next to me or something.”

“She’s in your heart, isn’t she?” JaeJoong thought for a while and smiled, putting his right hand on his heart.

“You’re right, she is.”