chapter 19; Tight spot.

Ma Roo knew who had called him but he just held Rin's and headed for the door. "Hey, bro. you such coward." The man in his 20's said. After hearing that Ma Roo turned around with the bouquet of white chrysanthemums he had bought on his way here. He walked to where the photo of his late mother was, in front was a man who was in his early fifties with a few other companions in the same age gap as him, he had a younger lady holding onto him, he and Ma Roo stared at each other with mixed emotions, Ma Roo put there the bouquet and turned to go silently. He didn't greet any of the people there. He went and held Rin's hand to leave when the man who called came and also grabbed Rin's hand.

"Ma Suk, I have no time for sick games." Ma Roo spoke in a small voice not to cause a commotion. "Who is this pretty girl you came with? Don't be so petty and introduce me to her." Ma Suk said with a creepy smile on his face. "Ma Roo, let's go. I hate this weird looking man." Rin provoked the man unintentionally. "Wow, your girl is so blunt." Ma Suk chuckled. "Ma Suk, I am only keeping myself from hitting you into a pulp so that I don't cause a commotion." Ma Roo warned. "I'd love to know this beauty's name." Ma Suk asked with his smile just extending further.

Ma Roo folded his fists, he hated him to the roots and couldn't hold it in any longer. "ouch." Ma Suk howled and let go of Rin's hand. "What stung me?" He looked at his hand which had not even a bruise. He felt like he was electrified in his hand but wasn't sure of what just happened. Rin dragged Ma Roo out of the place. When they reached outside, Ma Roo pulled himself from her. "Hey, dragging is my thing." He complained. "Okay, sorry." She smiled. "You think this is funny." He acted to be angry.

They walked slowly to the bus station and sat there. "How did they know that I come in the morning before them?" he always went to his mother's memorial ceremony before his family and made sure to leave before they came but he doesn't think that today was a coincidence. While he was thinking deep, he didn't even know that Rin was talking to him until she pinched his cheek. "Rin, I think you are in bad company with Saet Byul. She even taught you not to respect me." Ma Roo complained as he playfully pinched Rin's face as she giggled.

Across the road, there was a red Mazda 6 inside of it sat the young lady from the mall who was watching the dual play around. She had two other girls in the car, one sitting in the front passenger seat while the other was seated in the behind seat, "Mi Na, we've been following them for two hours but still didn't get to know where he lives." One complained. "They seem close with that high schooler, are they dating by any chance?" The other asked. "Stop bluffing you two." Mi Na was tired of hearing the two. Finally, the bus came and two got on.

The car followed the bus to where Ma Roo got off from. The two held hand and walked to an alley. "The car doesn't fit there. Do we have to walk in that dirt?" The girl in the front passenger seat said in a disgusted tone. The other one also seemed not to be okay with the idea of walking. "You two can stay if you don't want to go with me but you'll regret it." She threatened them leaving them no option but to follow her. They followed the two to the building where Ma Roo lied. "I heard that those apartments are haunted. No one lives there." One of the girls said. "I am sorry Mi Na but I'll have to wait from here." The other girl said. "Ok, see you then." He didn't argue with them and entered the two.

"Ma Roo, do you know her?" Rin asked Ma Roo. "That girl who is on the stairs that are below these. Ma Roo took a peek and saw her too. "Wait here." He whispered and went to meet the lady.

"Miss, are you here to rent an apartment.?" Ma Roo asked bluntly. "Uh?" the girl was dumbfounded by the question. "Are you going to answer?" Ma Roo asked after seeing that the lady wasn't answering his question. "Um, yes, am here to rent an apartment." Mi Na answered after seeing that she was in a tight spot. "Oh then, I hope you don't go with the rumours saying that my apartments are haunted like some blockheads." He tried to scare her. "Ghosts aren't real but I wanted to ask something." She wanted to make sure if he really didn't remember her. "What is it that you want to ask? Don't worry anything. My apartments are of the best quality expect for the rootless flowing rumours. Come tour around." He answered her. She didn't have to ask because he obviously didn't remember her.

She followed him without a choice. When they reached the stairs where Rin was waiting from. "Ma Roo! Let's hurry and go." Rin was excited when she saw Ma Roo but her smile decreased by half when she saw the girl coming behind from Ma Roo. "Rin, this lady is here to rent an apartment and since the other floors are empty she'll have to live on the same floor as us." Ma Roo told Rin the news quickly like an excited child couldn't wait to tell his parents about his success. "I am sure that in the research I made, he didn't have a sister." She thought carefully after seeing the two.

Finally, she had chosen the room on the right after Ma Roo's apartment. She didn't get a chance to talk properly to Ma Roo since Rin couldn't stop asking questions to Ma Roo and he answered all the questions completely ignoring her. "How much do I pay for rent?" Mi Na asked. "oh, since you are you. It'll be 900,000 dollars a year." Ma Roo answered. "um, I wanted…" before she could say anything Rin came to Ma Roo, "Ma Roo, help me tie my hair up. This hair wasn't tight so it let go." Rin came. "Sorry, ma'am! See you when your room is ready." He held the Rin's hand, "Come, let's go and I tie it up from inside." Ma Roo said to Rin completely ignoring Mi Na.

She felt angry and went to the elevator. When it opened she entered and took out her phone from her purse. "Hello, Secretary Min…I want you to do a background research on someone. I'll send you her photo." She then hung up. When she got out of the building, she found her friends sweaty from standing in the sun for so long. "Song Mi Na, it took you forever to find your crush's apartment." One of the girls complained. "Not only did I find but I also had to rent an apartment there. Anyway, I'll you guys all details but I need to go grab something to eat."

In Ma Roo's apartment, he was chopping carrots while Rin was helping Rin to stirring the eggs. "Rin!" Ma Roo suddenly called her. "Hm?" She looked at him with her purple eyes. "Can you manage staying at home alone?" he asked. "I can but I won't, why?" She asked. "I have ditched school for a few days now. I think I'll have to go back." He answered as he got the tomatoes and started cutting them too. "can't I go with you to school?" She asked desperately. "16 is the age fit to be in high school." He answered. "But am not 16, I'll be 18 in a few months from now." She tried to convince him. "It's still the same age bracket." He explained.

"Still, even if you come to college, you have no experience from high school, not even elementary school. I can't manage to even pay your tuition. I am out of money after I paid all the bills." He added on trying to convince her out of it. "Then what will I do without you." She asked. "It's not like I'll stay there for forever, I'll come back at night every day." He then pinched her nose. "Ah!" Saet Byul came screaming all the way from the living room to the kitchen. "What?!" Ma Roo remembers well to close the door. "Rin, the video we posted yesterday has got 100 thousand views." Ma Roo didn't know what Saet Byul was talking about. "Look, the video is going viral." She came to where they were to show them the video of Rin singing. Saet Byul didn't let them finish, "Guys, am sorry but I think my teacher is back now. You'll finish the video later." She ran out. Ma Roo still hadn't understood what was happening.