DAY 0021

True enough, Youngji didn't go to school today. Her family was worried about what happened last night, and decided that she'll be absent for the day. Youngji didn't mind to answer back because she still had a hard time walking around the house.

And besides, Hongbin's gesture was kind of sweet for her.

She had a hard time getting to and from her house because of her wounds. For the whole day, she was just on her bed, either sitting or lying down on it. She barely gets away from her bed unless she needs to pee or she needs to eat her meals. Everything else she needed was at her side table.

She was in the middle of watching a Korean Drama when someone knocked on the door.

She asked, "Gyuri-eonnie, is that you?"

"Can I come in?" A familiar voice asked back.

Youngji knew who owned that voice in an instant. "Come in," she shouted over.

Hongbin came in to her room with a box of donuts. Youngji was so surprised to see him knowing that she didn't text the guy the whole day.

"Why are you here? I didn't text you the whole day," Youngji stated.

Instead of answering, he just smiled and sat beside her. "I asked from Goo Hara what they did today. You have a lot of homeworks today, plus a long test in Biology tomorrow. She told me that I should relay her message that you should come tomorrow by hook or by crook. Anyway, is your feet okay?"

Youngji shook her head. "I still have a hard time walking, although I tried walking a few times."

"What do you want me to do first, tutor you or massage your feet?"

"What," Youngji spat in surprise.

"Tutor you, or massage you," he repeated again slowly.

"Whatever suits you," she whispered. "Did you have your dinner already?"

"Yes, I went home first before I went here," he replied. "Remove your socks."

Youngji gave him a questioning look. Hongbin, without any word, removed her socks. Youngji felt a tingling pain, but it wasn't that painful. After that, he massaged her feet without any word.

"Holy..." Youngji trailed off as she felt the pain from Hongbin's massage. He hit the bull's eye with too much pressure. "It stings," she whispered after Hongbin switched to her right foot.

"It will sting, but it'll be fine in a few days. At least it won't ache too much tomorrow," he assured her.

"Thank you."

Hongbin just nodded, brought out his notes and started teaching Youngji. At first, the girl was focused learning the lessons she missed. But as the night goes deeper, her thoughts were scattered. Everything she was trying to learn was in a blur.

Hongbin knew there was something wrong. "Hey, is there anything you can't understand? You've been zoning out for like ten minutes already."

"Sorry," she apologized. "I don't know why I'm like this either."

He meekly smiled for a few seconds and suddenly gave all his notes to Youngji.

The girl questioned him. "Why?"

"I scanned my notes already. I can read them when I get home," he answered nonchalantly.

"No, why?" Youngji asked again. "Why are you being like this to me?"

Hongbin didn't get what she meant. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you so kind to me? I know you're being rough with me, but why all of a sudden? Why are you so good to me?"

Hongbin chuckled as if it wasn't a serious problem to her. "Don't you want me to be good to you?"

Her eyes became big. "What? No! It's just that it's so sudden. I thought you're still rough with me!"

He sighed and said, "I'm trying to be nicer to you after what happened to us before. I know it myself that I'm irritated with your jolly persona. But seeing the real you, I wanted to be friends with you. I know that your badass image is only a front for people to be scared with you."

Youngji started to tear up. "How," she managed to ask even if her voice sounds broken. "No one ever told me that."

"Your eyes," he said. "I know there's something behind your past. I just can't ask you yet because I know you're not yet ready to open up. And I've realized something as well. You're not that bad at all. You just need someone to understand you."

Without any word, Youngji hugged the guy. He was shocked at first, but he hugged her back after realizing that she needed someone to let out all of her emotional stress.

"Hey," he whispered. "I'm no emotional dumpsite, but I'll be here with you if you want someone to talk with. I'll listen to you anytime. I'll be a good friend from now on."

"Darn it," she cussed. "Why do you always have to care for me?"

"Why, am I not allowed to care?"

She automatically pushed the guy away from their hug. Aside from that, she involuntarily blushed. Good thing she looked back when it happened. Hongbin noticed it, but didn't mind to tell it. It's her moment, he thought.

"Just go home! I can't review all of these stuff when I'm with you," she spat out and grabbed all of Hongbin's notebooks.

"You sure?"

She nodded. "I'll just return them tomorrow the way I borrowed them from you. Don't worry, I'll keep it safe."

"If you say so," he said. "Take a good rest, okay? See you tomorrow."

"See you...tomorrow," she nervously said.

Hongbin started to walk towards the door. He was about to close it back when Youngji said something.

"Good night," she sheepishly said.

Hongbin chuckled and said, "good night."

He closed the door after Youngji nodded. He smiled, brushed his hair, and shook his head afterwards.

"How is my sister," Gyuri asked when he saw him going to the main door. "Is she okay?"

He nodded. "She's fine, noona."

"Thank you."

"It's no big deal," he nonchalantly said.

"No, thank you. For being Youngji's friend. She became happier after all the that happened to her life because of you."

He smiled. "Whatever that is, I'm thankful I helped her. Good night, noona. I need to go."

Gyuri nodded and continued watching Toy Story 3 on her television. Hongbin finally left the Park's residence.

But there's one little detail they both missed: Youngji heard their conversation and started to tear up in her room.

Thank you, Hongbin, she thought. Thank you for being in my life.

Day 0021 | 06:20 by multipaenida