9 CHAPTER-9

She thought: "Oh? This face...? Right! He was the one who blocked the ball from hitting. How is he-?" "Bo Young! Are you ok?" Ji Ae asked worriedly. "Yeah, I'm alright." Bo Young said. "Those girls really are brats!" Ji Ae told while walking towards the girls. "Here, hold my hand." The guy told while he reached out his hand. Bo Young hesitated at first and then held his hand and stood. Ji Ae then turned to help Bo Young. But she was already standing up. "Thank you." Bo Young told the guy. "It's nothing." The guy told with a smile. "Then please excuse me now." The guy told and went. Bo Young saw him leave. "Heeyyyyy~~What is going on Huh??"Ji Ae asked with her eyebrows raised and a smirk. "What? Don't imagine things by yourself, he just helped me. There is nothing else." Bo Young told firmly. "Alright, I was just curious. Are you hurt?" Ji Ae asked. "No, no. I'm fine. Okay, now it's my turn to ask. What happened between you and Yeong Hyun? Anything special?" Bo Young asked. "Umm, actually-" Ji Ae told. "OUCH!" Bo Young yelled in her mind. She thought: "Oww, my leg is sprained. I can't tell it to them." She just smiled through it. "I'll tell you when Yu Ah joins us." Ji Ae told. "Aww, come on." Bo Young whined.

They both reached the entrance. They were waiting for Yu Ah. *Ting* Bo Young received a notification. "What?!" Bo Young exclaimed after reading the message. "Why? What is it?" Ji Ae asked. The text read: 'I'm leaving with Dong Hoon sunbae. You guys go ahead, don't wait for me. Byeee!' "Then, I guess I must tell you tomorrow." Ji Ae told while smiling mischievously. "No! Don't leave me with cliffhangers and stuff. I hate suspense. Tell me!" Bo Young pleaded. As Ji Ae just started walking fast, she followed her back. "Nope. Will tell you-" Ji Ae was cut off. "OUCH!!" Bo Young couldn't hold her pain in. She wailed. She sprained it even more as she ran back her. "Why!? What is wrong!!?" Ji Ae asked worriedly. "It's nothing." Bo Young told. "Stop lying! How long will you hide?" Ji Ae shouted at her.

Bo Young got startled. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Ji Ae asked. "I think I sprained my leg." Bo Young told feebly. "When? While running or when you fell down?" Ji Ae asked. "When I fell down." Bo Young said. "What? You hid it from me till then?" Ji Ae asked angrily. "I didn't know too. I knew it only when I started walking." Bo Young said. "Gosh, these girls. I want to beat them up. Will you be okay? Can you walk to your house??" Ji Ae asked. "I'll be okay. I can walk. No need to worry." Bo Young said. Ji Ae held Bo Young's arm and put it around her shoulder. They walked halfway. "Just leave me here. I can walk from here. Which direction will you go now?" Bo Young asked. "The opposite one. Okay, take care. Bye. See you tomorrow." Ji Ae told and left with a worried smile. Bo Young thought: "Sigh, this is nothing compared to other times when I got hurt. Wait, who is this standing in front of my house? Wait... Isn't that Yeon Joon? What is he doing there alone in the entrance of my apartment? Gosh, it's still paining." She went to the house entrance limping, but ignored him. He recognised her as soon he saw.

She just passed by him. She wanted to mind her own business. "Is it sorry girl?" Yeon Joon asked. Bo Young stopped there and thought: "God..I was just trying to mind my business and this happens?" "Again sorry girl?" Bo Young said and faced him. "Sorry. Nam Bo Young, right?" Yeon Joon said. "Yeah." Bo Young answered. "What are you doing here?" Yeon Joon asked. "Minding my own work. I have to leave." Bo Young said. "Woah there. I was just trying to chat. Aren't you curious why I'm here?" Yeon Joon asked. "Nope." Bo Young said nonchalantly. "Well, okay. I have someone I know here, so I visit here." Yeon Joon said. "I never asked. But I didn't see you yesterday." Bo Young said. "See, I got you curious. I only visit here in the alternate days." Yeon Joon told. "Well, you did catch me off guard. Alright, I'm leaving." Bo Young scoffed. "I'm seeing you smile for the first time." Yeon Joon said. "Ahem, we never talked before so definitely you wouldn't have seen me smile." Bo Young said. "Well, we can talk here after. Why are you here?" Yeon Joon asked, taking it as an opportunity to chat. "I live here. I'll go now for the final time. Now, enough of questions." Bo Young told while taking a step forward to leave. "Can I ask questions the times I come here to visit?" Yeon Joon asked.

"I don't know. Depends on my mood that day. Now I'm leaving." Bo Young said. "See you next time!" Yeon Joon said. She showed peace while leaving. Yeon Joon thought: "Interesting." "Yeon Joon, you're here?" A person asked Yeon Joon. "Yeah. Here, mom told to give this." Yeon Joon said. "Come inside." The person said.

Bo Young got inside her house and plopped in the couch. "Ouch, my leg is paining. I should do something about this." Bo Young said and looked around to find some pain reliever. "Forget it. Let's just be with this till it recovers. Let's go freshen up." She wasn't walking normally. She was limping around her house. She had a snack in her hand and started to go through her phone. Time ran fast. She and Ji Ae were texting. "Ji Ae, did you get home safe?"    "Yeah, is your leg ok now?"

"I don't know, it still pains."

"You should've told me beforehand."

"I've been talking to you only from today. I didn't want to be a pain in the back."

"If you were a bother, would we have talked to you?"

  "Yeah...but-"

"Enough of this. Here after don't hide things from us. Alright I will add a group chat for the three of us."

"Alright."

Bo Young stopped texting and looked at the time. She had a only half an hour. They texted:

"Ji Ae, I have to go now. Will talk to you later."

"Yeah, alright. I added you in the group chat."

"Oh, great. Bye."

"Bye, do something about the sprain."

"Okay."

She went offline. "Woah, I'm so tired. I didn't even start being happy thinking that I didn't bump into them, then boom they appear in front of me. In either way, why am I bothered by it. Just think of it as a coincidence. Oh, there is only 15 mins. If I started walking with this condition of my leg..I will reach in time." She stood up and tried to balance with both of her legs but couldn't. "Damn, I can't stand properly. Let's keep our full balance in one leg." She told this to herself and kept walking. She kept limping till she reached the convenience store. Soon she did reach the store.

"Bo Young! Huh? Are you limping?" Shin Na asked. "No unnie, it's nothing. Did your shift finish or am I early?" Bo Young asked. They kept chatting:

"No, you turned in the same timing like yesterday. Are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah unnie, it's just a sprain."

"Oh okay, come let's sit down."

They both sat down.

"How did you sprain your leg?"

"It's nothing unnie. How have you been?"

"Why are you asking like you haven't seen me for a long time? You saw me yesterday. I'm alright. I'm having exams after 2 weeks. I should prepare a lot."

"You're having exams? Isn't it too soon?"

"It's not an university exam. I'm taking a competitive exam for myself."

"Oh really? You must like the course you took so much, I guess."

"Well, you got it wrong. I, from the bottom of my heart, don't like the course I've taken."

"What? Then-?"

*Honk Honk* As usual Shin Na heard the horn form far.

"Let's talk tomorrow. I have to go."

"Yeah, ok. Be careful on your- Oh, I forgot that your brother is the one to pick you. Bye unnie."

They waved at each other and then Bo Young went inside the store.

She was in the middle of the work. She then thought: "Well, Mom, thank you for not making those guys appear in front of me. You did a great job making me end the day-" The door opened. "Welcome" She told and looked at the door like she usually does. She thought: "Darn it. I take back my words. You didn't do anything today that is normal mom. Just why? I didn't want these guys to appear again. Are you doing this on purpose mom?" She usually feels like her mom is watching all these and talks in her mind, as if her mom would hear. "Oh, hi." Yeon Joon said and waved his hand. "Oh my god. Are you in your mind? Why are you waving as if you have talked to her much." Ha Sang asked. "Well, we did talk. We t-" Yeon Joon stopped talking as he saw her glare at him. "Just buy and leave. Don't annoy me." She said. "It annoys you? Thinking of seeing you here everyday at this time annoys us too, alright?" Ha Sang talked back. "Everyday? You guys come here everyday?" She asked. "Yeah, we are regular here." Yeon Joon said. "Why here? Is this the only store you can see??" She asked. "This is the only store near our company and we get rest only at this time. What are we supposed to do? Even we are getting annoyed bumping into you, do you know that?" Ha Sang said.

Bo Young sighed. "Ok Ok, now buy what you want and leave quickly." Bo Young said. They both went and bought stuff. "Umm, sor- no, Bo Young." Yeon Joon said. "What?" Bo Young asked. "Um, it's, never mind." Yeon Joon said. Bo Young shook her head. "It's 2,000 won." She told. "Does this QR code work for paying?" Yeon Joon asked. "It's only 2,000 won and you can't pay that with cash?" She asked. "I don't have my wallet with me. This guy doesn't pay for anything either." Yeon Joon said. "Sigh, Ok." Bo Young said. He started to scan. "Huh?? This isn't working." Yeon Joon said. "Huh? Try again." She said. "I did thrice." Yeon Joon said. "Then wait here for a while. I will have to go take another one." Bo Young told but just stood there and looked at them in suspicion. "What are you doing? Go take it and come quick! We have to leave." Ha Sang said. "I'm thinking whether you guys will just run away without paying. Ok I will go get it but don't you guys dare to run away!" Bo Young said. "What? You think we will run away? Geez." Ha Sang was annoyed when he told. Bo Young started to walk but then stopped and thought: "OMG, I totally forgot about my leg sprain. Gosh, it will be embarrassing to limp in front of them. No, let's just ignore how they think and go." She then proceeded to the storeroom limping. Yeon Joon saw how she was walking. He could tell that she was hurt. She came back slowly. "Here, try this." She said. Yeon Joon kept looking at her with a sorry face. "What are you looking at? Hey! Yeon Joon?!" She told. "Huh? Oh, okay." Yeon Joon told and paid. They left soon after.

"I looked at your face clearly, why did you make such a pity face to her?" Ha Sang asked Yeon Joon. "I guess you didn't notice but she was limping while walking. She must've got hurt somewhere. I felt sorry because she went to take a new one for us to pay. Let's go. We have only 5 mins left." Yeon Joon said. Ha Sang thought: "Limping? I didn't see her get hurt in the school too. She might've got hurt while coming here. But why am I bothering about it in the first place?". Her work was coming to an end. She heard the door open. "Welcome." She told and looked . "Oh, Hyun Wook sunbae?" She asked. He nodded. She thought: "This sunbae? Why is he here today too? Shoot! My heart is racing so fast. This isn't good." "Why are you here? Oh, you must've came to look for those guys. They left long before you came." She said. "No I didn't come for that." He said and took out his phone and scrolled through something. He finally got it and showed it to her. It was the message that Bo Young sent to 'the Co-worker'. Only Bo Young didn't know he was the co-worker. "You were the one who sent it right?" He asked. "Yeah, but how did you get this? I am sure that this is the co-worker's number." She said while taking her phone out. "It's because I'm the co-worker." He said. "Huh? You are the co-worker? Really?" Bo Young asked.

"Yeah." He said. "But why didn't you tell me yesterday?" She asked. "You were in a hurry yesterday so I didn't want to disturb." He said. "Huh? Oh okay." She said. She thought: "Woah! He sounds so sweet!" "You can leave now. My shift has started." He said. "Huh? Oh? Oh, sure." She said. She thought: "Hmph, What a loss! He wants me to leave. Alright." She took all her things. "Umm, then, I will take my leave now." She said in an awkward manner and bowed. He also bowed back. She started to walk out. He saw her limping. "Are you hurt somewhere? You are limping." He asked her. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a sprain." She told him. "Are you sure you can walk?" He asked her. "Yeah I'm- Ouch!" She cried in pain as she said this while walking. "Take a seat outside." He ordered her. She went and took a seat outside. He came with a soft drink in his hand. "You didn't have to do this." She said him. "Huh?" He asked. "The drink...in your hand." Pointing her hand to the drink. "Oh, this is for me." He said. "Oh, okay." She said being awkward. She thought: "Geez, you're stupid Bo Young. You embarrassed yourself. I should go-" "How are you going to go home?" He asked her curiously. "I have to walk." She said casually. "Will you walk to your house with this sprain? You should take a cab. Your sprain seems to hurt so much." He said firmly. "A cab? My house is just in a walkable distance. If I take a cab, the expense will be too much for a short distance." She said. "Then you will have to wait." He informed her. "Wait?? Why?" She asked being very confused. "To take you home. So, wait till I finish my shift." He assured her. "Oh. Oh?! HUH? WHAT??!?" Bo Young exclaimed.