CHAPTER 6

THE LETTER

Jaehwan POV

I didn’t go to school today. It’s not because I didn’t feel like going but because I need to rest. Okay, maybe I didn’t go to school because it’s too late to come anyway. I often skipped school on my old time. That’s all because of the bully. They never leave me alone and always tried to robs my lunch, my pocket money, copying my homework, even the worst, beating me.

I hate them. But eventhough I hate them till the my deepest heart, I can’t do nothing. I never fought back. I did fought back once, but the result isn’t good enough. I was hospitalized and unconscious for two week instead.I hate them. But however I hate them, I never fought back. From that time, I realized that fought back will never bring us somewhere.

But, now, what happened to Taekwoon? Taekwoon said that I would be his new target this year. That means he will continue to bully me like other children who've done it to me. But, yesterday, he was so different. What happened to him?

His smile, friendliness, and  his soft words. Everything was change. He told eomma himself that he would take care of me. What does it mean?  Did he really had forgotten what he said on the first day of school?

I was so scared if all that happened yesterday is a dream. I was afraid when tomorrow comes, Taekwoon will return to me and be rude to me again. Never had I felt to have friends other than Jongdae and Kris. Yesterday, Taekwoon really like friends to me. He's so good to me.

When I kind of confused thinking about Taekwoon change of attitude, eomma calling me from downstairs.

"Jaehwanie, your friend is calling."

I was surprised. Friends? Is it possible that friends is Taekwoon?

I rushed down to the living room. I saw eomma smile at me. I do not know what that means.

"Why did you turn off your phone Jaehwanie? Your friend can not reach you. "

"MWO? Ah ye I forgot. My phone dead yesterday because I did not charge it’s battery eomma. "

"Oh well. Talk to your friend then, "eomma the receiver to me.

"Yoboseyo," someone say hello from across the phone.

"Ne, yoboseyo. Nuguseyo? "I asked.

"Ah, Jaehwan hyung, naneun, Hongbin imnida."

That guy crossed my mind, the one who was blocking Taekwoon action when the kingka tried to pouring his drink into my head. He is the one who saved me on my first day of school. I am so grateful that there are still people like Hongbin to help me at that time. I still remember the look in his guilty eyes. And he's also a good friend of Taekwoon. Wait, but how could he know my home phone number?

"Jaehwan hyung, are you still there?"

"Bin-ah, move aside! Let me talk to him. Maybe he's afraid of your voice, "I heard another guy took the phone from Hongbin hand and greeted me," Yoboseyo Jaehwan hyung! "

"Ne, yoboseyo."

"I’m Wonshik or Ravi. You know who am I right? Taekwoon friends. "

"Ne. Arraseoyo. "I smiled, remembering a boy who whispered quietly to forgive Taekwoon behavior and then wink at me. Surely he's that boy.

"All right, straight to the point of the matter. Are you okay?"

"Wae?"

"Answer my question first Jaehwan hyung."

"Ne, nan gwaenchana. Waegurae Wonshik-ah? "

"Aish, so that hyung didn’t lie," Wonshik as if not believing what he just heard.

"Wonshik-ah?" I asked again the reason why he asked such a thing to me.

"Ani, Taekwoon hyung seems to behave strangely. But thankfully if you're okay. Try to assure you once again. Are you okay hyung? "

"Ne."

"Well then Jaehwan hyung. See you tomorrow! "

End of Jaehwan POV

*** 

In school

Wonshik and Hongbin was thoughtful. They are thinking the same thing. In their hearts they wonder what really happened between Jaehwan and Taekwoon. They worrying that bad things happen to Jaehwan caused of Taekwoon.They know that Taekwoon is a strong-minded person, once he had set a target, then he isn’t going to let go anyway.

Earlier Hongbin had called Taekwoon and asked about yesterday, but the answer is not the one he can . Ok, after Wonshik calling Jaehwan, the same response was obtained. So in conclusion nothing happen between the two.

Only one thing that makes the two guy unconviced. What's wrong with Taekwoon? Did he forgot that day? If so, it is the best thing they've ever heard. Because so far, they have never heard of a child (the target) is out safely after going alone with Taekwoon, except for  his close friends.

This good thing should happen from the start, certainly Taekwoon would be a good boy. Surely he would never deal with violence. Surely not many kids going to hate him. Surely he'll be smiling just like other children his age.

"Bin-ah, we should not be too worried anymore. Jaehwan hyung told us he was fine, "Wonshik start a conversation.

"Arraseo."

*** 

Taekwoon rushed wearing his school uniform. Although it is still too early to late, but Taekwoon already have other plans in mind. He wanted to meet someone. Therefore he must be going. He grabbed his tie in front of him and then throw it carelessly into his school bag.

"Eomma, I'm leaving!" He said when  he see his mother preparing breakfast.

"Breakfast?" eomma asked offering breakfast to her handsome son.

"Anni."

"Okay, but do not forget, your guts. Happy studying! "Eomma encourage Taekwoon that already standing at the front door.

"Ne, eomma," said Taekwoon tohis mother with a bright smile. He knew, just with a simple smile he could make his mother happy. 

Taekwoon POV

I smiled at eomma before opening the door. I really want to meet Jaehwan and ask him something. Something that makes my sleep less soundly. Something that always makes me wondering, uncertain and intriguing because I did not know yet the answer.

I open the door and ready to go. However, I think my feet stepped on something. I lifted my left leg and I saw a sweet brown envelope lying on the floor just in front of the door. Who put it here? Why did not give it directly to me or eomma. But the see-saw no return address or destination address listed on the envelope.

Out of curiosity, I opened the seal of the letter and slowly opened the pleats. I saw a neat handwriting lay on a piece of white paper. Only four word clearly stated in the letter:

Please get out, son.

I'm surprised. What is the actual intention of the sender? I looked at my garden and I see no one was there. Suddenly my heart beat faster. Could it be? Could he be here?

I squeezed the letter in my hand and I ran fast out of the automatic gates of my house.I forget the bag that was slung over my shoulder and the actual school jacket to wear. I ran like crazy back and forth through the crowd,wide-eyed passersby in front of my house and some people who drive through a road that is being gone through this.

My head kept spinning direction. However, I have not found his figure. Is he really here? In many people, where I know where he is. Honestly, I already know his face. But, in times like this, how can I use my senses to tell? I’m his son, I should have the instincts and special relationship with my father. Taekwoon come on, you know you can do it.

I kept on running without caring whether people think I'm weird or not. I really do not care. The one I care about now is to see my father. Now or never.

As I walked toward my neighbor's house, I saw a glimpse of an ahjuma was scolding a coated ahjussi who accidentally bumped into her.

"Ahjussi, you should watch the way you walk! Do not use your black glasses when you walk on the road ahjussi. This is not a show on TV's which require weird stuff like that. "

I just cast a glance at the two. I do not care about another bussiness in this morning. I only care about one, I had to met my father. One way or another.

"Mianhae ahjumma," now I heard a deep voice of that ahjussi who bump to the ahjumma and left that middle age woman alone.

"Aish, what's wrong with people today? Looking as if they were famous and wearing sunglasses everywhere. Anyway with that coat, no one knows who he is. Aigoo, why did this morning there are reasons to make people upset. "