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Heejin got off Sooho’s motorcycle, almost falling to the ground due to the small moment of clumsiness of both friends, Sooho almost went sideways and the closest thing he found to support himself was Heejin’s body, who, not having good balance in that moment, almost made them both fall. — How many bottles of soju did you drink, Jinne? — Sooho joked as he saw the youngest stumble.
— The same ones that were deducted from your pay two weeks ago. — he said, pushing her friend’s head, without force, with the helmet she had in her hand. He grimaced, that topic was a delicate topic for him.
It hadn’t been his fault that he got that man drunk on soju, in his defense, the bottles looked like that grapefruit drink they sold at the restaurant and that the man had been ordering.
Sooho took the helmet from his friend’s hands with a complaint, almost pulling it out as he turned to put it away, making Heejin laugh when she heard them complain about the color of the Soju bottles. When Sieun and Bumseok got out of a taxi along with Yeongbin, both friends started walking, following them towards a rather old building actually.
When the group began to go down some external stairs that were there, which, according to Yeongbin, would take them to a parking lot and that would be where they would talk to their lawyer, Heejin knew that something bad was going to happen. — Hey, Bin… — Heejin called, that made Sieun look at her, making an almost invisible grimace, but inside, it felt almost like the face of a baby about to cry.
Why did you call him that? Bin? Since when they call each other with diminutives? Why didn’t she call him “idiot” like always?
—… maybe you’re an idiot… — Exactly, that’s how you have to call him, stop using that diminutive. —… but us, not so much, your lawyer is not waiting for us, right?
— Of course, Jin, this way it’s faster, he has work to do, you know… — He said, without looking at her, just continuing on his way.
Jin? Did he call her Jinnie? Why? She has a name, Heejin, that’s her name. Hee. Jin.
Sieun could notice how Sooho looked at Heejin, denying, knowing that he didn’t trust his words either. When the girl sighed, their eyes met, he looked at her for a second, noticing how she had something on her cheek, and his hand went up out of pure instinct, touching the girl’s warm cheek, which he swore was hot, Heejin jumped a little when she felt that touch, looking at Sieun with wide eyes.
Her cheeks looked like Puca’s cheeks when Garu turned to look at her, in fact, she felt that way, if it weren’t for the fact that she would make a fool of herself, she would start jumping while giggling or hitting Sooho with nervousness, but no, you have to control yourself.
At least, until we get home.
Sieun only took, with his soft fingers, the small eyelash that had fallen on her cheek, raising it in front of her eyes, trying to make her understand the reason for his action.
It’s not like you want to touch her, right?
The boy was going to lower his hand before the girl’s small warm hand stopped him. She held his palm gently, looking at the eyelash on his finger, almost locking her eyes, which made Sieun purse his lips before swallowing hard when a little cold air touched his finger. Heejin had blown on the eyelash on the tip of her finger, giggling, and she let go of his hand a second later.
Sieun blinked, looking at his finger, not understanding why his entire hand was tingling, a sensation that started when the girl’s soft fingers touched his skin, was now extremely strong, even the back of his neck could feel the ravages of that tingling.
– Ah, kitties, let’s eat jjajangmyeon after this, my stomach is screaming at me for food
– Don’t you have to work? – Heejin asked as she ran to her friend to stand next to him, putting her hand in the pocket of the sweater she was wearing, the weather was a bit cold, and Heejin was very prone to colds.
– What’s that? – Sooho said, trying to convince everyone to go eat, although it was obvious that he would end up working anyway.
The group stopped at the same time as their eyes observed a group of thugs, surrounding a large black van, which Yeonbing headed towards. – I told you, we should have let him bury his nose like Voldemort. – Sooho said, approaching Heejin in a protective act, much more so when he saw a man, with a manic look, get out of the truck surrounded by, according to his conclusions, henchmen.
When all, the man and the bullies who were around him approached them, the girl could notice how that girl to whom they had given the umbrella a few days ago was among them, as well as the big dude who had fought with Sooho the day they had to go rescue Sieun.
– Nice to meet you guys, lady. – The man said, Heejin grimaced, looking at the man’s appearance, he was unkempt and looked, in some way, like a drunk , but she was sure that he didn’t stink and that, well, maybe he was a drunk. – Seokdae, it was them, right?
When he nodded, everyone looked at him strangely, what had they done now?
– As you know, thanks to you, Seokdae is very hurt. – The man said, looking at the group seriously, but without scaring them. -How can you hit someone who doesn’t have insurance and leave it that way?
The man unfolded a paper, showing it to the youngers, Heejin stretched out her hand to take the paper and read it, being stopped by Sieun and Sooho’s hand, both boys took her wrist carefully, lowering it before Sooho gave her a look, incredulous.
How does she think about wanting to grab that piece of paper?
When the girl made an innocent pout, he stood in front of her, almost hiding her behind him, looking at the man in front of them with a calm expression but showing him that he was not afraid of him.
Sieun noticed that, and suddenly, he felt somewhat useless next to him, seeing how he could easily defend the girl if something went wrong, he on the other hand…
– What do you want?
– I’ll give you three days, bring the money from the agreement, fifteen thousand.
Heejin let out an involuntary giggle, Sooho too, Sieun looked at both friends as if they were crazy, he didn’t understand how they could be so calm, considering that if something went wrong, they would beat them in numbers and strength, by far. – Stop being a clown, dude.
– Hey, do you lack calcium? Never hit your arm enough to break a bone. – Sooho defended himself after the girl’s words, making a face, he didn’t like liars.
– You broke his wrist!
– Ah, you don’t have to shout, we can see it. – Heejin murmured, grimacing before Sooho put his hand behind hus back, asking her to stop talking.
– Do you have proof? – Sieun spoke suddenly, making all eyes turn to him, the man laughed with amusement upon hearing the boy speak so seriously and with too much confidence.
– Ah, you guys are driving me crazy… – The man approached, looking at Sieun with menace. – Listen, I kill people for money… I also leave some disabled.
– An adult bragging about that, what a man. – Heejin said, mockingly, smiling before raising her face a little when the edge of a knife landed under her jaw and Sooho was suddenly pushed, surprised by that, he was upset to see how his friend was being threatened, but he knew that any sudden action could be a problem.
Sieun also jumped at that, his hand shaking as he clenched his fists tightly as he watched the man bring the edge of the knife closer to the girl’s neck. The man looked at the three boys around Heejin, smiling as he saw that he had found the weak point in their formation. – I’ll give you three days… If you don’t give me my money by then… – The knife made a sudden movement when it came down, cutting a part of the girl’s arm.
She clenched her jaw at the sudden burning as she heard the man laugh before he turned around, walking back towards his car as everyone with him followed behind him. – Jinne…
– Sooho catch me. – The girl suddenly blurted out, trying to look for the boy’s arm as her body began to sway, looking up to avoid seeing the blood that was pouring from the wound that had been made on her arm.
Of course, Heejin hated blood.
Sooho’s arms held on his friend’s body, looking at Sieun, who looked at the situation with a serious expression but his eyes were open, which gave the taller one the indication that he was worried, and that made the boy smile a little, while Sieun felt like he had to do something, but he didn’t really know how to react.
The blood wasn’t too much, but if it was a fear, he supposed that even a few drops would be enough to upset that person. – Don’t look down, Jinne, nothing is happening, you better look… – The girl opened her eyes, seeing Sieun when he stood in front of her. – Ah, look at Sieun, yes, look at that angry kitty. – Sooho said in a somewhat mocking voice while he, along with Bumseok, cleaned the wound with some disinfectant towels that the thinner one carried in his backpack.
– Ah, shit, it’s a lot…
The girl got upset when she heard Sooho’s voice say that, almost breaking free from her friend’s grip. – What!?
– Nothing Heejin, look at Sieun! – Her friend shouted, placing another piece of towel on the girl’s wound, who could feel another pair of hands taking her face, these, compared to Sooho’s, were warmer and a little softer.
– Nothing is happening. – Sieun’s calm voice called out to her, making her look at him with eyes shining in fear. – There is nothing there. – He tried to reduce the terror in the look of the girl’s pretty eyes, seeing how she almost wanted to cry while Sooho’s arms held her and Bumseok continued cleaning the wound.
Wow, she had a lot of blood to release.
The girl denied, not believing him, looking at the boy with big eyes. – I can feel the blood… God, I’m going to bleed to death… Sooho, you are forbidden to take my X-box.
– You can’t bleed out, Hee, the wound is not big enough for that to happen. – Sooho’s eyes suddenly went up to Sieun, looking at him in disbelief at his words, he only looked back at him with some confusion.
That wasn’t going to calm her down at all.
-Don’t listen Jinne, the kitten doesn’t know what he’s talking about. – Sooho returned to Heejin. – That’s it, we’ll go home and I’ll bandage you and everything will be fine, let’s go…
The taller one was going to take her hand, ready to turn her around and walk with her, being stopped by Sieun. – You have to go to work. – Everyone’s gaze turned to the boy, his eyes trembled a little before he let go of Sooho. – I’ll take care of Heejin, you have to work… You missed work the day you helped me, I don’t think they’ll let you miss work twice.
Sooho blinked, looking at her friend, who looked like she wanted to faint as she stared at the ceiling of the parking lot. – Fine, but don’t let her faint…
…
Sieun’s slow steps and Heejin’s almost jumping steps were the only thing that could be heard in the dark streets that they were both walking. Sieun carried a bag in his hand, they went to a pharmacy on the way, he carried some things to treat the girl’s wound.
Heejin was more than happy if she was honest, the boy had given her the gray sweater that he wore every day, according to him, it was to cover the wound and prevent it from getting infected since she had taken away the sweater that she was wearing because it had gotten stained of blood. – I’ll help you, don’t worry.
– You are afraid of blood. – Sieun asked, but it sounded more like a statement to the girl’s ears.
– I’m not afraid. – She pouted, looking at him as he continued with her bouncy steps. – It’s not like it’s going to transform into a slug and eat me alive, you know?
– Well, you act as if it were going to do it.
– It just makes me sick, I can’t see it, at least not on me, I dislike it. – She said, moving her body as she felt a chill run through her as she began to imagine blood covering her arms.
The boy didn’t say anything, but he knew that more than displeasure, it was fear, no one acted like that just out of displeasure. They both stayed silent until they reached the large building, their floor, Heejin looked at Sieun, stretching out her hand. – I’ll do it, go home, it’s already late and you haven’t eaten anything.
Sieun didn’t answer, walking past her before stopping in front of the door to the girl’s apartment, looking at the door for a second before seeing her with those usual serious eyes, Heejin bit her lip, nodding knowing what he wanted, running to his side to get the keys so she could open the door.
Once inside the place, the girl threw her backpack on the couch, under the watchful eye of Sieun, who saw her go to the dining room table, which was not very big, maybe for four people, but quite basic in wood color, which was under a large dim colored lamp, which gave them the necessary light to be able to proceed with the treatment of the wound. – Come on, don’t just stand there, kitten.
The boy nodded, moving slowly until he was next to her, sitting in the chair next to her, putting the bag on the table and he began to take out various things he had bought, such as the hydrogen peroxide and the small gauze pads next to the cotton. – Maybe it burns a little.
– Alright. – She smiled at him, rolling up the sleeve of the big sweater. When the boy finished with the first cotton, he placed it gently on the girl’s skin, trying not to put too much pressure, although perhaps it didn’t help much because he saw Heejin wrinkle her nose as if in a grimace, so he thought that it had hurt her.
The girl fixed her gaze on Sieun’s profile, noticing how attentive he was to healing her wound. If he had more than one suitor, I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise me.
Noticing his delicate features, they were soft, although they were masculine, he looked so smooth that he swore he had a feminine vibe emanating from him, and that was not a bad thing for Heejin, in fact, he looked more attractive in her eyes, So much so that the desire to raise a hand and touch his slightly red cheek was not absent, however, when he turned his head to her, she blinked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow and an innocent smile, trying to hide her blush.
He didn’t catch me fantasizing, did he?
– Done.
– Done? – The girl looked, noticing that yes, it was ready, but the bandage seemed poorly placed, although if it covered and tightened enough, it was not as it should be, but Heejin did not have the heart to tell him that, so she smiled at him and he thanked him. – Thank you very much kitty, do you want some dinner?
– You’re hurt…
– Please, it’s just a cut, they didn’t cut my hand. – The girl laughed, getting up from the table. – Don’t move. – She told him, smiling at him and pointing at him warningly before quickly leaving for the kitchen. Sieun looked around, noticing how the place seemed quite empty for an apartment occupied by two people.
According to him, Heejin and her mother lived together, although he was curious to know why the woman was not at home, at least he had not seen her in the nights he had been there, maybe two, he had never seen her.
Does she travel like my father? Where is her father? He just left just like my mother?
Maybe it’s pure coincidence. He said this to himself, but decided not to think about it anymore, it wasn’t something that should concern him anyway. – Sieun! – The boy was a little startled by Heejin’s scream, getting up from the table quickly to enter the kitchen, seeing the girl with a pot in her hands, it seemed to be hot. – Can you help me? Yes, my arm hurts.
…
The next few days were quite overwhelming, they had been following them, wherever they went.
Heejin had been going home with Sieun lately, according to him, it was just to make sure that nothing happened with the people who had been following them, Heejin accepted it, those were opportunities that she wasn’t going to get many times, mostly because the boy’s closed attitude.
In those days, both of them had begun to talk more, at least, to communicate, she talked and he responded, briefly, but he always looked for an answer for all the nonsense that the girl said, because Sieun had realized that the girl said a lot silly things, maybe it was just to make conversation, but still.
Today was one of those days in which they were both walking side by side towards their houses, strangely, that day they were both silent, and that seemed extremely strange to Sieun, who had seen the girl somewhat listless.
Should I ask?
Of course, Sieun, if you’re worried about her, you should ask.
Swallowing somewhat harshly, he looked at her, hoping to get out those words that he wanted to say so much, but he didn’t know how, and that only made others come out of his mouth. – Are you going with Sooho today?
The girl was surprised to hear his voice, looking at the boy next to her with a raised eyebrow, before tilting her head. – Um? Why, do you need something? No, I know, you want to have dinner with me again. – The girl smiled at him with malice and some amusement, lately, the boy suddenly asked her random things before they both went to a convenience store to buy something and so they both ended up having dinner at each other’s house.
According to Sieun, it was something that came out of nowhere, but Heejin knew that, somehow, it was something that the boy had planned to happen, and… Who was she to deny him a good meal? Plus, he paid for things.
– Let’s go somewhere. – He suddenly blurted out, making the girl stop her steps, tensing up, looking ahead before seeing Sieun, who stopped a few meters ahead, surprised at not feeling her presence, when he saw her behind him, eyes open, he did not understand why she had stopped, but when her smile came to light, the boy rolled his eyes feeling how her jumping steps made her reach him.
– Did you just ask me out on a date, kitten? – The girl asked with a giggle, taking his arm and hugging him to start walking with him. -And where will we go? Is it a meat restaurant? No, I know, a noodles’ one, you like noodles, it makes sense.
Sieun did not respond, he just let the girl speak, passing through a dark alley to take an alternate route so they could lose those who were following them, whom they had seen for ten minutes and had tried to find some way to get rid of. Besides, if he was going to take Heejin with him somewhere, he didn’t want them to be following them.
The boy took Heejin’s hand, not wanting to lose her in that dark place, and she swore that if Sooho were next to her at that moment, he would be laughing out loud, mostly because her ears were pink, no, red, her mouth was open, minimally, but still, it was a funny image.
Please, her crush was holding her hand and inviting her to dinner. How was she supposed to be?
When the duo arrived at the restaurant, the girl stopped again, this time, it was not a smile that marked her face, this time, it was a grimace.
What was the gangster girl doing in that place and why did Sieun seem like he was going to meet her there? – Come on.
– I think it’s better that I go home. – Sieun looked at her strangely, shaking her head to hold her hand tighter.
– I’m not going to let you go alone, eat something, I’m just going to talk about some things with her… If that’s what you’re wondering… – Sieun said the last part with some embarrassment, trying not to sound like he was asking her what had made her change her attitude so quickly. – I’ll take you somewhere else later if you stay.
The girl looked at him suddenly, her bright eyes making Sieun swallow hard, watching her smile with joy. – Only us?
– Just us, Heejin.
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