20 Chapter: 19
Nari went home and took a shower. Her whole body was covered with sweat and she needed her dizzy mind to set right. She kept thinking about Ye Jun, she should've taken him inside. How could he have walked to his house? He was the most hurt in all three of them. She sighed as she completed her shower. She went to her room and changed her clothes. As she sat on the bed, for the first time she thought positively of Ye Jun. After all, he wasn't that bad at all. He kept quiet though he could've complained about her. She wondered why he was being too nice to him.
She laid herself on her bed and looking at the ceiling, she decided something in her mind. Opening the drawer of her side table, she took out a band-aid and smiled.
"Park Ye Jun, don't be much surprised." She mumbled.
~~~~~
Here, after walking halfway, Ye Jun looked at Min Jae.
"I will go by myself from here."
"How will you, with your leg-"
Interrupting Min Jae, he took out some money from his pocket.
"I will probably take a taxi from here. Don't worry. Just go home and rest."
Min Jae nodded and patted his back.
"Go back safely."
"You too." Ye Jun said, looking away.
"And..." Min Jae looked down.
"I am sorry." He added.
Ye Jun looked at him and sighed.
"Okay, accepted."
Min Jae frowned at him.
"Why? You hate it?"
"No. Just- nothing." He scoffed.
"Okay then, I'll go."
"Yeah!"
Ye Jun reached home and as soon as he entered, limping, his dad looked at him from head to toe. His uniform was covered with dust, his hair messy and on top of that all the wounds he bore.
"Where were you? How did this happen?" He asked, being worried.
"I am fine, don't worry. It was just some guys who approached my senior. And I was with him after school."
"You fought with seniors again?"
His father kept his hands on his waist.
Ye Jun scratched the back of his head.
"You had promised me, you would never fight. You remember what happened the last time-"
"Yes, yes..." Ye Jun walked past him speaking in a bored voice.
His dad went alarmed when he saw his sim limping.
"What? What happened to your knee? Did it again-"
"No!" He turned towards his dad and scoffed.
"I fell. That's it."
His dad huffed.
"Do we need a doctor?"
Ye Jun shook his head.
"No, dad. I said I am fine. Don't take too much stress, you're already hospitalised once."
Ye Jun opened the door of his room and found some gift boxes on his bed. Picking one of them, he came out.
"What is this?" He asked.
"This..."
"Don't tell me you gave it. That has failed numerous times now." Ye Jun frowned deeply.
"Your birthday is coming soon so he-"
"He won't come this year too?"
His eyes slightly glistened.
"He is probably too busy right now." His dad looked at him pitying.
"He didn't even come to meet you, let alone me! How on earth is he so busy?" He didn't yell but his voice was low and too calm.
"Ye Jun-ah, listen to me-"
"No, I am fine. I will for next year."
"You should go and meet him, I request."
"No, I won't. He was the one who left me so he will come to me too. I can wait for him till then."
He turned to go when his father asked another question.
"Will you be fine waiting?"
"I have always been fine, dad. Look at me smiling all the time." He had a monotonous face.
He went inside his room and locked the door quietly. Sitting beside his bed, on the ground he closed his eyes. A tear rolled down from his left eye and he sniffed. His nose was runny.
He looked at the home screen wallpaper of his phone and murmured, "Father, it's been almost three years now."
~~~~~
Min Jae went to his hostel and headed towards the gate of his building and his warden stopped him.
"Kim Min Jae, you have a letter in your name."
Min Jae quickly took it and went upstairs to his room, maybe it was from his mother who lived alone in a small town. He sat on his bed and as he opened it he found it to be a confirmation letter from his dream college.
"Mr Kim Min Jae, we are glad to inform you that you've been selected for the final interview of our college. The final recital will be one month later on the 10th. To confirm the venue and dress code from the information given below."
Min Jae had expected him to be happy after reading the letter, but on the contrary, he was worried the only person which came to his mind was Ahn Nari. The college was in the capital of the country, kilometres away from where he was right now.
He frowned, "What should I do now?"
~~~~~
The next day was bright and happier for Nari, she didn't know why but she felt happy for whatever she was going to do today. She entered the class with a slight smile on her face. As soon as her eyes scan the class, her eyes are stuck on Ye Jun reading a book so deeply. She scoffed.
"You really want me to be second this time?"
Ye Jun who was studying looked up and saw Nari standing in front of him holding the band-aid. His eyes widened, he was confused.
She bent a little and Ye Jun's eyes widened more. Removing the band-aid cover she applied it on his nose. She stood back upright quickly.
"I had a hunch you won't apply anything to it," she said.
Nodding slightly he touched the band-aid on his nose. Deep inside he was cherishing it, a lot.
"But-" She looked at him and shifted towards him a bit more in her seat.
He looked in her twinkling and cheerful eyes, and his heartbeat raced suddenly. He blinked twice.
His eyes widened and questioned in a low voice, "What?"
"Did you perhaps cry last night?"
He quickly looked away, "No!"
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah!" he emphasised the word and looked at her.
Nari pouted and nodded.
"Oh, okay."
Saying this turned away and Ye Jun breathed in.
Nari looked extremely different today. Today, she was extra good and extra caring for Ye Jun. He couldn't digest it. Soon their homeroom teacher came and when he started to take their attendance a paper ball landed on Ye Jun's book again.
He opened it. And there was only one line written on it.
'Can You still help me with Eunji's matter?
Reading it, Ye Jun quickly looked at Nari.
"Help me out a bit" she mouthed out the words with a slight frown.
Ye Jun smiled.
'Had Nari started to trust him now?'
He wondered…
