Charades

Chapter 3

Ji Hoo was back in his office, his mind reeling. Why had he done that? Giving a patient a ride home...that was unusual, even for him. But he had offered it anyway and didn't want no for an answer, and so he left before she could refuse.

He sighed, sitting on his chair. What was he thinking? Doctors aren't supposed to keep tabs on their patients, yet here he was, breaking that very rule. It wasn't professional, he didn't even like her, he doesn't even know her that well, and yet...

Give me a sign, he had asked.

He looked at his grandfather's face again on his family photo.

"Is this it?"

No reply. Obviously.

He sighed. "I'm gonna give it a shot anyway, just in case."


It was a good thing he had chosen to drive to work instead of riding his motorbike. It wouldn't have been comfortable for Ha Neul.

The car ride was pretty silent except for Ha Neul muttering directions. Ji Hoo hated the radio and never turned it on, and so the dead air between them was more prominent.

Ha Neul coughed. "Turn left. We're here."

Ji Hoo followed, swerving left. The black front gate was massive. After a few honks, it was opened, and he followed the cemented path to the house.

Not bad, he thought.

The Park residence was a three-story modern home. It was mostly made of glass. The front porch was spacey, two beach chairs on either side and a massive automatic door made of – you guessed it – glass. A fountain was stationed in the front yard, the grass was obviously well taken care of. It wasn't as grandeur as any of the F4 homes, no doubt, but it was really something.

Ji Hoo stopped the car in front of the house and stepped out. He opened the trunk and brought out the heavy wheelchair and wheeled it to Ha Neul's door.

While he was helping her sit on the wheelchair, a very young maid stepped out of the house, looking worriedly at the Ha Neul. "Oh my, what's happened to her?"

Ha Neul smiled uncomfortably as Ji Hoo started wheeling her up to the house. The interior was just as modern as the exterior.

"Can I get out of this wheelchair? I swear I'm fine!"

"No," he replied. "You can't put too much stress on yourself, standing included." He turned to the young maid. "I'm Dr. Yoon Ji Hoo. Could she have some supper?"

The maid's eyes sparkled as soon as he said his name. Trying to keep her composure, she simply bowed and headed to the kitchen.

Ha Neul wheeled herself in front of him. "Why are you helping me so much?"

Ji Hoo narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She sighed. "Whatever. You're staying for supper right?"

"Actually, I–"

"Yes, you will," she cut him off. "It's the least I could do. As I said, you've helped me so much, almost too much."

Ji Hoo wanted to refuse but decided to just stay quiet. After all, it was the first time in years that he was interacting with someone not due to work. Yes, Ha Neul was his patient, but even though he wouldn't admit it to himself, he felt less lonely when he was with her.


"How am I supposed to go up to my room?"

Supper had just finished and Ha Neul wanted to head to bed. The problem was that her bedroom was at the third floor and the house wasn't blessed with an elevator. With her injury, the staircase seemed very intimidating.

Ji Hoo looked at the stairs for a while, and then to her. Wordlessly, he walked up to her. He bent his knees, held the edge of her wheelchair with one arm, and started leaning close to her face.

Ha Neul turned to him, her eyes widening immediately when she saw him moving closer. Was he...? This was awkward. She closed her eyes. Why was her face turning hot? No, what was he doing? What–

She suddenly felt herself being lifted, and once she opened her eyes, she was in his arms. Ji Hoo had leaned in that close to her...because he was going to carry her up to her room.

God, this was embarrassing.

Ji Hoo looked at her as they were going up the stairs. "What's wrong?"

She looked up at him. "What?"

He looked away. "You looked like you were wincing."

Ha Neul bit her lip. "Yeah, uh, it stings a bit," she lied. That was better than him knowing that she thought he was going to kiss her. Why did she even think he was, this was Yoon Ji Hoo for God's sake, and she didn't even like him, and even if he did try to kiss her, she wouldn't let him...right?

He did look pretty cute coming close, she admitted to herself. Darn it, what was she thinking?

They reached the third floor. "Where is it?"

Ha Neul pointed to the end of the hallway.

He followed and started to walk to her door. He's strong, she thought, my weight doesn't even seem to bother him at all. And his arms–

As soon as they went inside her room, however, she felt him catch his breath.


Really, Grandpa?

Ha Neul's room was spacious, a white king-sized bed at the far end of the room. The walls were a plain beige, decorated once more by beautiful paintings. The decor, however, wasn't what made Ji Hoo catch his breath.

"What college do you go to again?" he asked.

Ha Neul frowned. "It's not really 'college', I've already graduated. I'm taking an extra two years at Jeong School of the Arts before I start working as a–"

"Musician," Ji Hoo finished for her.

It was an easy guess. There was a beautiful, shiny black grand piano at the center of the room. Stacks of sheet music were neatly placed on top of it, and on the piano's stand there was a handwritten musical sheet that didn't seem to be finished yet. An acoustic and electric guitar were hung on a wall near the piano. There was a desk under them, with books on music and composition were arranged in a pile. Amplifiers were kept in a high shelf near the guitars as well.

After his grandfather's death, Ji Hoo had decided to do away with music. He had donated his instruments to the art center. He stopped visiting the building since then. Music was too intimate, too familiar. His connection with it only caused him pain. He had wanted to be numb.

And yet here he was, befriending someone who seemed to have a passion for music the way he once did. Was this the sign he was looking for?

He put Ha Neul down on her bed. He felt her stare at him as he looked around her instruments, gently touching her piano. He waited for himself to feel pain.

Yes, it felt familiar. But the pain didn't come.

Ha Neul stood up and walked slowly to the piano. Ji Hoo woke up from his thoughts and widened his eyes at her. "Ha Neul, you should probably rest."

She ignored him, sitting down on the stool. She looked up at him. "You play, right?"

Ji Hoo hesitated. "Used to," he finally said.

Ha Neul made a small smile. She grabbed a thick music notebook and opened it. It was filled with handwritten pieces, and Ji Hoo guessed she composed them all.

He realized he missed doing the same.

"My professor says my songs are too simple and contemporary," she said, flipping through the pages. "I like them, though."

"Let's hear it," he said, sitting down next to her on the stool.

She started to play. Her fingers were long and gentle, elegantly putting the right pressure on the keys. It was a sad and slow piece, very simple. Without knowing it, Ji Hoo's old self started thinking of ways to improve it. He unconsciously took note of out of place sharps, as well as measures where the tempo should go faster or slower.

She decided to sing midway through the song.

"Caress me in the moonlight,

Sing me sweet songs of love.

Give me time to spend with you,

Before they take you, my love.

"Although it's wrong,

Please let me stay.

Give me time to spend with you,

Before they take you away."

The song was ending and Ha Neul lengthened the pause to look at Ji Hoo's face. He wasn't looking at her, he was staring blankly to space, pondering. In truth, he was listening to her song fervently.

"Caress me in the moonlight,

Sing me sweet songs of love.

Give me time to spend with you,

Before they take you, my love."

She ended the piece, removing her hands from the piano. She turned to Ji Hoo. "Well, how was it?"

"You can improve it."

A little embarrassed, she just smiled a little and closed the piano cover. "Well, I'm still working on it. You should probably head home, it's really late."

Ji Hoo nodded and stood up. Before he left however, he carried her once again to her bed, pulling the covers over her. "Don't go out of this room for a few days until your stitches heal." He started to head to the door.

"I guess this is the last time I'll see you?"

He stopped in his tracks. This was it. He had no reason to come back, he had already put her in home rest. Her stitches will heal soon and he didn't have to be the one to remove the thread the next time. He already saw the sign that he needs to play music again; maybe that was the only sign he needed from her. Maybe it was time to go back to his recluse shell and be alone again.

But still...

"No," he finally said, turning and giving her a small smile before leaving.