Tethered
A/N: This oneshot started with the idea of Bum being a human bunny hybrid. I already knew Sangwoo would be Bum's love interest. However, Ji Eun found her way into the story as well as a love interest for both of them. I felt bad for Ji Eun in the canon manhwa despite her being mean to poor Bum. So if you don't like Ji Eun, you probably won't enjoy this story as she is in it quite a lot. As for Dongyu, I really dislike him after he was mean to Bum so it was not a long stretch for me to think of him as Bum's childhood bully. I might write more oneshots as a series as this oneshot is really just the start of the story :)
DISCLAIMER: Koogi owns everything. I am merely a fan of KS.
When you're walking through the cold...You shouldn't have to walk alone, you know...It's bad but not so dark when we're together... Tethered – Elliot Minor
From when I was little, I knew I was very different. I was a toki, but I also felt different on the inside from other people. I had strange thoughts sometimes, and I had a very vivid imagination that sometimes blurred the lines with reality. My uncle had raised me after the death of my parents in a car accident when I was six years old. He had always firmly embedded in me a sense of inferiority to the majority of Koreans who did not have the mutated genes that led to the emergence of humans with animal features. My uncle constantly told me I was a freak, and that even if I had not been born a toki, I would have still been a useless burden to him. I was ugly, untalented and unworthy of his love or respect. Still, I was grateful he took care of me. I was fed; I had a roof over my head, and good clothes. My uncle was strict and had a sharp cutting way with words. If he felt I needed to be disciplined, he would hit me with his belt. I knew most children would have hated him for doing that, and while I did not enjoy the pain, I was happy he was paying attention to me. He rarely spoke to me apart from when he was chastising me or explaining why I needed to be punished. He ignored me most of the time. No matter how hard I tried to make him proud of me, it never worked. I was very focussed at school, and was constantly studying even in my free time. I did get good grades, but my uncle would always point out areas he thought I could improve in. My obsession with studying led to me being labelled as a teacher's pet. I was also very shy and introverted. It did not take long before I started to be bullied at school. In high school I met a girl and fell in love with her. However, I could not express my feelings for her and instead I resorted to stalking her instead. Eventually I went too far, and she put out a restraining order on me. I was expelled from the school, and my uncle had forced me to move out. He had put the deposit and first months' rent down on a tiny bedsit for me, and told me that I could no longer rely on him for anything anymore. It really hurt me deeply; as he was the only family I had left.
I knew I had made him ashamed of me, and worse was that I had dragged our family name through the mud. I still had hope that he was not pushing me out of his life for good, as despite his harsh words, he had not said he would disown me. He had also made sure I had a place to live, and managed to get me enrolled in a new school to finish my education. So I had the feeling that somewhere, deep down, he did care about me. At least slightly. He and my mom had been very close as siblings, but they had fallen out when she fell in love with my dad. What was really strange was the fact that my mom had also been a toki, but my uncle insisted it was fine for women to be toki, but that it made no sense for males to be toki. I had found a job working as a cashier in a small convenience store, having to juggle work hours around school so I could keep paying the rent on my bedsit. It had been hard, but I had been relieved when I finally graduated from high school. I had decided to get my volunteer service out of the way, and so two years went past. I hated it, and I especially hated some of the other soldiers in training who decided I would be their bullying target. I had thought the bullies I had in school were terrible, but they had been angels compared to the soldiers. They put me through hell on a daily basis, and nobody ever tried to help me. Except for the day when a group of my bullies went too far, and one of them tried to force himself on me. I had been terrified, thinking I was about to be assaulted but I had been saved by another soldier who had run off to fetch help for me. I did not know his name, but I would never forget his kind, handsome face. I just wished I had been able to see him again to tell him how thankful I was. However, soon after that horrible incident my time in the army had ended, and I was free to leave.
I had hoped I could start college straight away, but my uncle had crushed that dream for me when he told me that the money my parents had left me in their will was all gone. He had told me some loan sharks had come after him for a gambling debt he owed to them. Even worse, the loan sharks had not been satisfied with my parents' money, and now they were demanding more money from my uncle. They had threatened to kill him. I knew college would have to wait. I had to beg the loan sharks for more time, which they gave me as the leader of the loan sharks was amused from my pitiful appearance. I had some money saved in my account, and I took on as many jobs as I could manage to eventually get enough money to finish paying my uncle's debt. Only then was I able to start saving up for college. So I ended up going to college four years later than I had intended to go. I was very interested in computers, so I had decided I would major in Computer Engineering.
I quickly settled into college. I liked it as while I was still a loner, nobody took time to bully me. They were too busy going to classes or socialising to pay me much attention. People did notice me, because I was a toki, it was just inevitable. It was easy to hide my little fluffy white tail, but I could not hide my dark brown floppy ears that were affected by my mood. However, all I got from the other students were the stares I was used to from strangers. That was all. I was lonely, but I put all my energy into my classes. However, one day when I was rushing to class I bumped into a solid wall. I was underweight, I'd always been on the lean side but I was also not taking care of myself properly. So it was not a surprise to me that I was knocked back onto the floor. I put my hands out to brace my fall, and I looked up into a face that I had known since high school. "Dongyu?"
"Yoon Bum, it's nice to see you again." Dongyu held out a hand to me, a big smile slowly forming on his face. "Let me help you get up."
"No, I'm alright." I replied quietly, my ears flattened back against my hair as I quickly stood up. I did not want him to touch me. "I need to get to class." I averted my gaze and attempted to walk around him but he grabbed hold of my arm. I closed my eyes as a wave of bad memories cascaded over me and I started to tremble. I shifted from foot to foot as I started to get anxious. It had been years since I had seen him, but I doubted he had changed. I waited for what seemed like an eternity – waiting for him to hit me like he had so often done back in high school as my main tormentor. Yet then I heard another voice, which sounded vaguely familiar to me.
"Hey, Dongyu," To my relief, Dongyu quickly let me go. I opened my eyes, which is when I saw the owner of the voice. I could not believe it, but it was the same handsome guy who had saved me from the soldiers. He was dressed simply in a black blazer over a plain white tee and grey jeans which fit him snugly. Standing close to him, with her arm linked through his, was a beautiful young woman in a pale pink fitted pantsuit, who had two fuzzy white ears and a long white tail that elegantly swayed around her body. She had a little heart gem under one of her eyes and her nails were manicured with a stripy pattern in pink and lilac. She was like me, just a different type as she was a goyangi. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Ah, of course!" Dongyu exclaimed, draping his arm around my neck and pulling me closer to him. "This is Yoon Bum, my old friend from high school. It's been years since I last saw him. Bum, this is Oh Sangwoo and Min Ji Eun."
Sangwoo stepped forward, holding out his hand. "It's nice to meet you."
I disliked having Dongyu's arm around me, but I dared not move away. I felt a little awkward as I shook Sangwoo's hand, but it also made me feel excited and warm inside just to touch him. Of course he would not remember someone as insignificant as me. Although I knew he was just being polite, I still appreciated the gesture. His hand was larger than mine, and tanned compared to my pale skin. "Yes, it's nice to meet you." I copied what he had said, for lack of anything better to say.
"Can I have a hug?" Ji Eun already had her arms gracefully extended towards me as she moved closer. I nodded, although I did not understand why she was being so friendly to me, a stranger. I was however thankful that Dongyu had to release me from his hold. As Ji Eun embraced me, she enveloped me in a cloud of her light flowery perfume. To be honest, I could see why she and Sangwoo were probably dating. They both looked like idols who had just stepped out of a drama. "You're so cute!" Ji Eun exclaimed, her tail flicking back and forth behind her in her excitement. "I can't believe we didn't meet you until now." She let go of me. "I have to get to class but we should stay in touch. Does Dongyu have your cell number? If you don't mind, could he pass it on to me and Sangwoo?"
She looked so hopeful I felt bad that I could not give her my non-existent number. "No, I don't have a cell phone."
"What?" Ji Eun gasped. "No cell phone? Why?"
I stayed silent, a pink flush rising on my skin as I looked downwards. The truth was that I could not afford to waste money on a cell phone bill. Besides, nobody ever wanted to call me. I had no friends or family apart from my uncle. When I wanted to call him, I just used a public payphone.
Sangwoo placed a hand on Ji Eun's shoulder. "Jagi, you're embarrassing Bum. Don't ask him questions about it anymore." I looked up again, relieved he had intervened on my behalf.
"Ah..." Ji Eun's face fell. "I'm sorry, Bum. It was just such a surprise. Well, it doesn't matter. As long as you keep in contact with Dongyu, you will stay in touch with us. "
"Yes, Bum and I have a lot to catch up on. We'll definitely stay in contact, won't we, Bum?" Dongyu smiled at me, nudging his shoulder against mine. It brought back a memory of when he had body checked me and slammed me into a row of lockers.
"Mm," I replied with a little evasive nod. I had no intention of staying in contact with Dongyu and only wished to avoid him but I dared not say no to him. He was always nastiest to me when I stood up to him in the past. He was acting very different from the old school days but I was suspicious of his niceness. I was worried that under the surface he still had that cruel streak in him.
"Can I see your class schedule for a few moments?" Sangwoo asked, giving me a bright smile.
I hesitated. "Um..." I was not sure if I could trust him or Ji Eun. I also did not want Dongyu seeing my class schedule but I was flattered that he and Ji Eun were showing interest in me. I did not understand why, but if they wanted to be my friends it would be very lucky for someone like me, on a much lower level than them. "Sure." I looked in my messenger bag, pulling my class schedule out and handing it to Sangwoo. He showed it to Ji Eun, who took out her pink glitter cased cell and took a photo of it. They both smiled at each other, gazing at each other so intently I felt like me and Dongyu were invading on a private moment between them. However, the moment soon passed and Sangwoo gave me back my class schedule.
"We have to go now but we'll see you again," Sangwoo ruffled my hair lightly before took hold of Ji Eun's hand. "Right, jagi?"
"Mm. Definitely." Ji Eun agreed, pursing her lips into a cute pout. "I just wish we didn't have to go but if I'm late for class again I'll be in trouble."
"It's ok. You guys should go. I'll see you around, perhaps..." I replied, not thinking I would see them again but I did want to see them again. I watched them walk away, Ji Eun turning back to wave at me. I waved back, and then they were gone, swallowed up by a crowd of students. I started to walk away, but Dongyu blocked my path. "I have to leave." It was a lie, but I did not care. I did not want to be around Dongyu. I had felt better when Sangwoo and Ji Eun were there, but now they were gone I was starting to feel anxious again.
"Listen to me, Bum," Dongyu rested his hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes. "I know I wasn't nice to you at school. I feel really terrible. I was mean to you and you didn't deserve it. I was..." He sighed heavily. "I was a coward. I didn't want anyone to pick on me for being overweight and I didn't want anyone to know that I liked you. It was easier to bully you than to let the truth come out. Really, I wanted you to be my best friend. But also, I wanted-" He stopped talking suddenly then bit his lip. "You'll find out, in time. Also I guess...I was jealous. I didn't want anyone to take your attention away from me so I made sure I was the one you thought about, even if it was only hate you felt for me."
"So you wanted to be my best friend?" I laughed for a few moments in utter disbelief. However I stopped laughing when he glared at me, his fingers digging into my thin shoulders painfully. "Ah, of course you did. I'm sorry, Dongyu." I could barely restrain myself from shifting around on my feet again. I hated him touching me. I also could not believe that I was the one who was apologizing to the one who had made my life a living hell at school. I had been miserable for so many years and I had thought that finally now I was at college things were finally getting better for me. However, I had been wrong. Terribly wrong. "It must have been hard for you, all these years." I forced a wan smile onto my face, fighting my nauseous stomach to rest my hands on his shoulders as well. He was taller than me, but not as tall as Sangwoo and a little out of shape. "Let's forget the past and be..." I paused, the word friend stuck in my throat but finally I said it. "Friends."
"Kure?" Dongyu's face smoothed out and he lost his glare. He loosened his hold on me. "That's good, Bum. Yes, we'll be friends for now." He abruptly pulled me into a hug. I stayed very still in his embrace, my ears firmly drooped down to my hair in my disgust and worry. It was hard, but I forced myself to bring my arms up around his slightly rounded waist and gently pat his back.
Even after he finally left me alone, having to attend a class, his words kept going around my mind. I wondered what had he meant by saying we would be friends for now. Did he mean he would go back to bullying me? Or was it that he wanted a deeper friendship? He had said he wanted to be best friends. I could not imagine being friends with him, let alone calling him my best friend. It was pathetic but Dongyu was actually now my only friend, fake as our friendship would be. Saturday soon came around, and I had a double shift at the shoe store I worked at part time, three times a week in the evenings and all day on weekends. I would not see Ji Eun or Sangwoo until next week now, which I was disappointed about. However, at least I would not be seeing Dongyu either. Dongyu had insisted on buying me a cell phone, saying he would bring it to me on Monday. I hated the idea, and I did not want to accept a gift from him but I could not see any possible way to refuse him. He would just get angry at me, his nasty temper would flare up like it had the day I met him at college. He was a lot nicer and calmer when I went along with what he wanted. I hated myself for being so weak but I also reasoned to myself that it was better to be weak and safe than stupidly bold and in pain. Dongyu had put me in hospital on more than one occasion back in school and nobody had cared then so why would anybody care now about me? Like my uncle had told me constantly, I was just an insignificant toki.
I was in the middle of checking the stock in the back of the shop when my manager, Mr Kim, yelled for me to come out front. I knew he was going out to have a cigarette break. He got through two packs each day. My uncle also smoked, and I didn't like it because I was worried about his health. When I came out into the shop, I was surprised to see a familiar slender figure in a short hemmed, black lace dress browsing the shoe shelves in the ladies section. She had a few gift bags full of shopping and was carrying a little handbag. It was Ji Eun, and in place of the pink heart gem under one eye was a small black heart drawn on her face like a beauty spot. Mainly the shop attracted older women as customers, or moms with little girls. Our shop was not known as a place for fashionable shoes so it seemed strange to me to see Ji Eun in the shop. Not that I knew much about style and fashion but Ji Eun's clothes always suited her and they looked to be of high quality. Just like Sangwoo. Then again, even if like me they had not been able to afford expensive clothes and had dressed for comfort and to save money, they would still look good. I watched her as she picked up a dark brown leather flat shoe in her delicate hands, the tip of her tail gently swishing back and forth as she considered the shoe. She looked around then, and her face lit up when she saw me, her fuzzy little ears perking up.
I walked over to her, placing my hands behind my back and giving her a short, polite bow. "Hello, miss. How can I be of service to you today?"
"Relax, Bum. There's no need to be so formal, it's just me. Remember, we're not strangers anymore." Ji Eun smiled as she waved the shoe at me. "Do you have this in 240 mm?"
"I'll go and take a look for you," I replied, returning her smile. It did not take me long to find the shoes in Ji Eun's size, and when I brought the shoe box out to her she was sitting down on one of the little pouffes we had in the store. Ji Eun started to bend down to take off her shoes, but I stopped her. "I can help you, if that's alright with you?"
"Kurom. I'll leave it to you, Bum." Ji Eun replied, leaning back on the pouffe and stretching her long legs out towards me. I bent down and gently unbuckled the tight straps on her black heels. There were red, uncomfortable looking indents on her pretty feet from the straps and as I expected her toenails were painted to match her nails. I took a few moments to rub her feet where the indents were, as if I could remove them although of course I could not. I stopped when realized I was being inappropriate and helped Ji Eun put on the flat leather shoes. Then I stood up, hoping that Ji Eun had not found me creepy. I had genuinely just wanted to help her but I knew most people would just think I was being weird.
"Thank you, Bum!" Ji Eun exclaimed, clapping her hands briefly as she stood up and started walking around the store, eyes on her shoes. "I know what you're thinking. That I was silly to wear these heels. They do hurt my feet, and you were so kind to give me a mini massage. I shouldn't wear them, but they go so well with this dress..."
"No, I wasn't thinking you were silly, I thought..." I shook my head slowly, feeling embarrassed but also happy from her positive reaction. I felt my ears twitching a little. "I thought your feet might be feeling uncomfortable from the tightness of the shoes. I shouldn't have done that though... I don't do that with other customers and I thought you would be mad at me, so I'm glad you're not."
Ji Eun nudged me gently with her elbow, giving me a serious look. "I'd be jealous if you did that for your other customers." She laughed softly, the serious look fading away. "I'm joking. You know, I really like these shoes. I'll have to have them. I was just walking through this area with my girlfriend; we had a little shopping trip. She had to leave early and I still had some time to kill before I met Sangwoo so I started wandering around and I came across this little shop. I admit if I wasn't in this area, I wouldn't have come in here. And then I wouldn't have met you again. It's such a lucky coincidence, isn't it? We were both here at just the right time."
"Yes..." I was not sure I believed her. However, it was the only thing that made sense. Surely Ji Eun wouldn't have bothered going to the effort of finding out where I worked just to see me again? How would she even have found out? Nobody knew or cared about my personal life. "Let me get those shoes packed away for you. Maybe I can just pack your heels in the box and you can wear your new shoes. It'll be more comfortable for you."
"Oh, I don't know..." Ji Eun hesitated, biting her lower lip. "Alright, if you think that's the best thing to do, yes."
I had expected her to refuse my suggestion, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that she had agreed with me. I took the tag off her new shoes, and then I wasted no time in placing her heels in the box and wrapping them in tissue paper. After I closed the box, I took it over to the counter and scanned the barcode on it. I rang it through the till using my staff discount. "Don't worry about paying for the shoes, I can cover it. I hardly get to use my staff discount so you're doing me a favour." I put the shoe box into a bag and handed it to her over the counter.
"Thank you, Bum!" Ji Eun exclaimed, leaning over the counter and brushing a ghostly soft kiss onto my cheek, which made me turn red. "When does your shift end? I want to buy you a drink."
"I-I still have a few hours left." I replied, stuttering from my shock, my eyes wider than normal. Had a girl really just kissed me? It was exciting for me, though did it even count as a real kiss? I knew she was only being friendly and I should not think about it but I could not help myself. I liked it, although I felt guilty as she was taken and I also could not stop thinking about Sangwoo either.
Ji Eun saw my manager walk back into the store. "Is he your boss?"
I nodded and she gave me a devious smile, before as she ran a hand back through her long silky hair, letting it softly frame her heart shaped face. Then she winked at me before casually walking over to my manager, her hands held together behind her back and her tail rising and falling slowly in time with her walk. From where I was standing, they were out of earshot. At first, my manager looked happy to see Ji Eun. Then his face turned into a scowl, probably because she was asking if I could leave early today. Ji Eun persevered though, and eventually his smile returned and the conversation ended with a short polite bow from both him and Ji Eun. Then she skipped her way back over to me. "It wasn't easy, but I persuaded him to let you finish your shift now."
"Ah..." I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. "You didn't have to do that, really..."
"I know, I wanted to. Let's go meet Sangwoo."
"Sangwoo?" I repeated his name reverentially. Yes, she had mentioned she was going to meet him earlier. I was really looking forward to seeing him again, but I was doubtful he would be pleased to see me. "Oh...Are you sure it's okay for me to come with you? He might just want to see you on your own."
"No, he'll definitely want to see you again." Ji Eun replied, sounding earnest. "Don't look so worried, everything's going to be fine."
"Alright." I took the bag from her and gathered up all her shopping bags. "Let me carry the bags for you."
Ji Eun placed a hand over her heart. "You're such a gentleman, Bum. Thank you." She linked arms with me, and together we walked out of the store. "The coffee shop isn't too far from here..."
When we arrived at the coffee shop I saw Sangwoo sitting at a small table in the crowded coffee shop. There was a wavy haired, petite barista standing by his table, laughing shrilly at what he was saying to her. Ji Eun stopped dead in her tracks. I thought she would be upset that the barista looked like she was flirting with Sangwoo. I was confused when I saw that Ji Eun's lips were curved up into a cold smile, and her eyes were glittering darkly. She seemed to be amused rather than upset. I did not have time to wonder why as Sangwoo saw us. He said something to the barista, and she left in a hurry. Then he smiled and rose from the table, coming over and taking the shopping bags from me, stashing them under the table. He greeted JI Eun with a hug and a passionate kiss. I watched them, feeling like an intruder and burning with mild jealously until Sangwoo turned to me and pulled me into his arms. He towered over me, he felt soft and strong at the same time and I felt protected within his embrace. It turned into a group hug when Ji Eun threw her arms around the both of us and I loved it. My ears were pointed out and back, a sign of my enjoyment. However, I knew it was terrible that I was enjoying their company so much. I was being very, very stupid. This was just going to turn out like it had with the girl I had a crush on in high school. Maybe I simply did not deserve to have any happiness in my life if I could not control myself. If I wanted them to become my friends and not hate me I had to act normal. Normal people did not start lusting after two potential friends. I barely knew them and I was already liking them far more than I should. We all sat down at the table and Sangwoo gave Ji Eun a mildly reproving look.
"Ji Eun, you roped him into carrying your bags?"
"No, Bum was sweet enough to offer to help me."
Sangwoo was just about to reply when the barista came back over, with a tray full of drinks. Sangwoo received a hot, black coffee. Ji Eun had a foamy latte with a heart shape on top formed of cocoa powder and sugar. I had gotten a creamy drink which had whipped cream on top. "I hope you like it, Bum. I wasn't sure if you liked coffee so I got you a cold drink instead."
I hated coffee but I would have lied and told him I liked it if he had bought me coffee. Truthfully, I was just happy to be in his presence again. "Thank you," I lifted the cup and tentatively sipped the drink. It tasted good, a blend of vanilla and whipped cream with crushed ice. Ji Eun blew on her drink to cool it down before taking a sip. Sangwoo seemed more interested in watching me drink then having his coffee.
Suddenly, Ji Eun giggled and pointed to her lips. "Bum, it looks like you have a cream moustache."
"Here, let me help you," Sangwoo picked up a napkin, leaning across the table and wiping my mouth like I was a little child.
I felt very embarrassed. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to make a mess."
"No, it's not your fault," Ji Eun replied, her face settling into a frown as her furry ears dropped back against her hair. "That dumb hua-nyang-nyon should have brought a straw for you to use."
Sangwoo smirked at Ji Eun, sliding his hand up her arm softly. "Don't worry about her, sweetheart. The poor girl has a lot of customers and she must be overworked."
"Of course, you're right." Ji Eun smiled, patting Sangwoo's hand before getting up and going to get a straw which she brought back to me. "Forgive me for that little outburst, Bum. It wasn't very nice of me to call her that."
"No, it's fine. Thanks for the straw." She had hidden it well earlier, but now it seemed to me like she had been upset. Although I was sure she had nothing to be jealous about. The barista was sweet looking, but she could not compare to Ji Eun's almost ethereal beauty. I was sure that Sangwoo was also not the type of guy to cheat on his girlfriend either. He was a good guy. I was halfway through my drink and so was Ji Eun but Sangwoo had barely touched his coffee. He just sat there, with a pensive expression on his face. We were drinking our drinks in a silence that was not heavy. It was light and comfortable.
The silence was broken by Ji Eun, when she finished drinking her latte. "Aigoo!" She exclaimed, looking at her cell in alarm. "Look at the time. I better go, or I'll be late meeting papa for dinner." She stood up abruptly from the table. "Sangwoo, I'll leave the shopping with you." She cupped her hands around his face and pressed a brief kiss onto his lips then turned to hug me. "Bum, I hope I'll see you again soon." As I returned her hug, I accidently bumped her shoulder with my chin. I could not resist rubbing my chin against her, just for a few moments. She responded by rubbing her cheek softly against mine. "Well, goodbye." She left in a hurry, turning back once to wave at us.
I sat there stunned at what had just happened. It probably looked strange to other people, but I knew what it signified when I rubbed my chin against her. It was the toki way of claiming someone as their own. Claims could encompass friendship or family or relationships. I had only done it once before, to my uncle. He had pushed me away, but Ji Eun had not only accepted my claim, she had also claimed me as her own, with the goyangi way of claiming someone.
"Are you ready to leave?" Sangwoo asked, smiling at me. His coffee cup was still almost full, but the coffee had to be cold by now. "I could make dinner for us. My house isn't too far from here."
Dinner with Sangwoo? And being claimed by Ji Eun? It was great but also made me feel uneasy. I was just waiting for the floor to fall from under my feet. "Yes, that would be good. I like to cook. I'm not very good at cooking, but I can help you."
"Great, my car's just outside." Sangwoo picked up Ji Eun's shopping bags then stood up. "Gaja, Bum."
"Mm, alright." I followed him as he led the way out of the store. "Wait, we didn't pay for the drinks."
"Oh, I paid earlier." Sangwoo dropped the bags of shopping into the back of his car, while I sat in the front seat. Although Sangwoo had told me his house wasn't far away, it took us around forty minutes to get there. He was smart, and I did not think he had made a mistake. So he had purposefully lied to me, which made me feel uneasy but then there was no reason for me to worry. I was completely safe with Sangwoo. And it was not like I was in a rush to go back to my tiny bedsit. I doubted if Sangwoo had even ever had any truly violent thoughts, let alone the will needed to commit murder. Although I had to admit it would be easy for him to kill me. I was a lot smaller than him, and much weaker. I got a sudden flash in my mind of Sangwoo's face, spattered with flecks of crimson blood. He was grinning maniacally as he raised a kitchen knife high above his head. It was not the first time I had seen something that was not real and it would not be the last time. I had to close my eyes for a few moments to clear the image from my mind.
"Are you okay?" Sangwoo asked, warmth shining in his dark eyes as he rested his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm fine," I replied hastily, giving him a nervous smile. I could hardly tell him that I saw things that did not exist. He would just think I was crazy. Although I felt touched by his concern for me.
Sangwoo smiled briefly, patting my shoulder. "Good." He turned to the back of the car, reaching for Ji Eun's shopping bags and then suddenly he froze. He picked up the bags then hurriedly handed them to me, his smile going from bright to dazzling in a matter of seconds. "Ah, can you take the bags up to the house? I have to check something before I leave the car."
I stepped out of the car, with Ji Eun's shopping bags in my hand, obediently waiting by the house gate for Sangwoo to join me. I felt nervous as I looked up at his house. It was just an ordinary family home in a quiet suburban area, but there was something exciting about being there. Especially considering I had only been introduced to Sangwoo earlier on in the same week. It was not long before Sangwoo was standing in front of me. He led the way up the steps and to the front door of his house. The door was locked with a keypad. I averted my eyes quickly as Sangwoo pushed the buttons so he would not think I was spying on him to get the code.
Sangwoo wasted no time in heading for the kitchen. From the brief glimpses I had of the house walking down the hallway, I could see that the house was clean, cosy and definitely had a feminine touch from Ji Eun's influence. It was the perfect house for a perfect couple.
Together, Sangwoo and I made dakbokkeumtang. He left me in charge of cutting the vegetables for the stew while he hunted down the spices and seasonings he needed. It took a while for all the ingredients to come together, but finally the stew was simmering away in a large saucepan on top of the stove. The smell wafting around the kitchen was quite delicious, and I could not wait to try some of the stew. In the meantime Sangwoo had also taken the time to prepare some cold meats and a salad to go along with the stew. When the stew was finally ready, Sangwoo insisted I just sit down and let him bring the food to me. He also offered me some orange juice. It was a good meal, especially as all I had that day was a lunch of instant cup noodles and I had skipped breakfast. I saved my orange juice to drink at the end of the meal. During the meal I felt like I was getting closer to Sangwoo although I still barely knew him. He had wanted to know about my family so I had told him that my parents had died when I was little and my only family was my uncle. In return, he had opened up to me and told me that his parents were also dead. He had no family. I could see how much the loss of his parents had affected him. In particular his mother. It seemed he had had a close bond with her. It felt sad that what I now had in common with Sangwoo was that we had both been orphaned.
"Did you enjoy your food?" Sangwoo asked, after we both had finished eating.
"Yes, thank you. It was great. It's been a long time since anybody cooked for me."
"Wait here. I'll be right back," Sangwoo rose from his seat and left the kitchen.
While I was waiting for Sangwoo I cleared the dishes away and washed them. When Sangwoo returned he was holding a little gift bag which he held out to me. "Here, this is for you. It's not new, and I already upgraded so you have no excuse not to accept it."
I looked from Sangwoo to the bag. I already guessed there was a cell inside the gift bag. "Thank you, but I don't understand...Why would you do this for me?"
"Because you need one." Sangwoo gave me a half smile. "How else can Ji Eun and I keep in touch with you if we can't even call or text you?" He replied swiftly. "Look, if you don't take it it will just sit in a drawer gathering dust."
"I really appreciate it, but..." I hesitated, remembering that Dongyu had told me he would buy me a cell phone. "Dongyu promised he would get me a new cell."
"Alright," Sangwoo shrugged, bringing the bag back closer to himself. "I won't force you to accept it. If you prefer having a new cell over my old one, I understand." His face was suddenly like a stone, devoid of warmth with a solemn expression.
I hated it, that I was the cause of his expression. I had not meant to upset him or make him think I was ungrateful. He had been so kind to me, and to have his old cell would make me much happier than getting a new cell from Dongyu. So I quickly reached out to grab the bag. "No, I'll just..." I took a deep breath. "I'll tell Dongyu that I already have a cell on Monday. He'll understand." At least I hoped and prayed he would, otherwise I was in a lot of trouble.
Sangwoo maintained his hold on the bag, giving me an intense stare. "Are you sure? Don't pretend you want this cell if you really just want a new one."
"I'm sure. I definitely want your cell, not a new one. I just was worried about Dongyu's reaction."
"Why would you be worried? He's not a little kid, he won't feel hurt. And if he's smart he would have kept the receipt for the cell if he's bought it already. Then again..." Sangwoo chuckled and shook his head. "I don't know. He can be quite stupid at times and he's a bit needy. And I say that as his good friend so I don't even really mean to be harsh." He handed me the bag then ruffled my hair. "Don't worry. If he starts whining at you, just send him to me. I'll explain everything. He'll listen to me."
"Thank you, Sangwoo." I hugged him tightly, burying my face into his chest. Sangwoo ruffled my hair and started softly scratching my ears. I was in heaven, my ears perking up from Sangwoo's attention. I wasn't sure what would happen on Monday when Dongyu found out what had happened. However at the moment I could not bring myself to care. A part of me had been worried about Dongyu's friendship with Sangwoo and Ji Eun. I had even had a thought that perhaps this was all an elaborate prank on me concocted by the three of them but Ji Eun would not have claimed me as a joke. And Sangwoo had been...almost...spiteful towards Dongyu. It was a surprise to me to see Sangwoo act like that. I had been so blinded by his kindness and good looks that I had not really thought that he could show a mean streak so easily. However, it was not like I was a friendship expert. Besides, it was good for me that Sangwoo did not appear to be very close to Dongyu. The last thing I wanted to happen was for Dongyu to ruin my chance of getting closer to Sangwoo and Ji Eun. I still did not understand why they seemed so keen to befriend me, but it did not matter. I was just thrilled that they were even talking to me. I could not remember feeling so happy and content since before my parents died. I actually felt like they cared about me, and I already was starting to care about them both. However, I was also catching feelings for two people already in a relationship. Only someone like me could be so twisted as to like a couple. I knew it was wrong, but yet it felt so right to like them. I was not sure what was going to happen in my future but I knew I desperately wanted Ji Eun and Sangwoo to be there. Up until now, my uncle had been the only important person in my life but I had room in my heart for Sangwoo and Ji Eun. I wondered if they had room in their hearts for me.
Thanks for reading :)