Visiting the Hospital

While Gun was having his after-school lessons, Yeo Ri was sitting in a bus accompanied by Min Chae. Jang Mi had wanted to follow along but because of the upcoming exams, her mother had registered her for more classes at her cram school.

"Why is your brother in the hospital? Did he pick a fight with another gang and lost again?" Min Chae asked Yeo Ri. Min Chae had seen Hyuk a few times in passing but never conversed with him. She had heard rumours from her brothers about Hyuk, and unlike what Yeo Ri always said about Hyuk, they were bad.

As for Yeo Ri... well, she often referred to Hyuk as silly and cute. Min Chae found it hard to believe considering his frightening rumours, but she trusted Yeo Ri's words. Perhaps Hyuk acted differently in front of Yeo Ri.

"Something like that," Yeo Ri replied vaguely. It wasn't that she wanted to hide it from Min Chae, but she'd rather not air her dirty laundry out in the open.

Min Chae wanted to ask more regarding Hyuk's admittance to the hospital, but they were interrupted by someone.

"Excuse me..." a random stranger called out to Yeo Ri. "This is sudden, but can I ask for your number?"

Min Chae eyed the stranger. He was wearing the uniform of a high school from the neighbouring town.

Yeo Ri smiled stiffly at the stranger and bowed her head down. "Um... do I know you?"

"Ah, no, but I know you. You're Lee Cheonsa, right?"

"That's right. Why do you want her number?" Seeing how uncomfortable Yeo Ri looked, Min Chae intervened.

"That's great! I thought you looked familiar, but I wasn't sure because of the mask. Are you sick? I hope you get better soon," the boy looked at Yeo Ri enthusiastically. "Actually... I'm interested in you."

"Oi," Min Chae glared at him. "Don't you know the rules? Don't ask for Yeo Ri's number! Didn't the boys at our school tell you that?"

The boy frowned at Min Chae. Who's this beanpole who kept butting in on his conversation with Lee Cheonsa? "What the f*ck? Who's this gorilla?"

"Gorilla?" Min Chae scoffed. Was this guy looking for a beating?

The boy sized Min Chae up. She was as tall as him but the uniform she wore was the same one as Yeo Ri, which meant that she was also a middle school student. "Hey, what makes you think you can talk down to your elders, huh, twerp?"

"Elders? You mean you? If you know you're so old then why are you hitting on a middle school girl? Are you a pedo?" Min Chae shot back.

"Wh—pedo?!" The boy was flabbergasted. "Hey, I'm only two years older than Lee Cheonsa, okay?!"

Min Chae looked like she was ready to take down the high schooler. Yeo Ri felt like the situation was getting out of hands so she immediately got between them. "Please stop fighting! This is a public space; you're making a ruckus and bothering the other passengers!"

Yeo Ri tugged Min Chae's arm, "Min Chae, just let it go, okay? Our stop is coming up soon." Then, she turned to look at the boy who had been rude to Min Chae. "And you, senior. I don't appreciate it when people badmouth my friends. Please apologise to Min Chae."

"Ah... that's not it, Lee Cheonsa, I—" seeing Yeo Ri's displeased look, he immediately stuttered out an apology. "I-I'm sorry. I-I was just—"

"Also, I don't have a phone, so I can't give you my number. Good day," Yeo Ri quickly bobbed her head down in farewell and dragged Min Chae out of the bus just as it halted to a stop.

"Even if Yeo Ri has a phone, you won't ever get her number, you b*tch!" Min Chae yelled before she got out.

"Y-You—!" The boy's face reddened in anger and embarrassment.

Quiet snickers filled the bus just as the two girls departed. Instead of feeling annoyed, the other passengers were actually enjoying the youth drama that had just happened.

Once they were ways away from the bus stop, Yeo Ri heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks for always doing that for me."

"Don't mention it. There's too many flies that are drawn to you. I'll get annoyed if I don't do something about those pests, after all." Min Chae flashed her a smile. She was very fond of Yeo Ri so seeing her struggle with boys always coming to bother her all the time made her feel angry. The fanboys at least knew how to behave, but these strangers who are conceited enough to think they have a chance with her best friend—why can't they just leave her alone?

Min Chae held out her hand, which Yeo Ri took. Together, they walked hand-in-hand towards the hospital.

Luckily, they had gotten off at a bus stop one block away from the hospital, so they didn't need to walk very far.