Woo Bin walked up to the apartment building and looked up. Ji Hoo lived on the fifth floor. He would have to buzz up to be let in. How he hated all of this. Why couldn't his friend just live in his regular house? He understood that it was closer to the hospital but it was more expensive than his house. And he didn't have to be buzzed in.
He pressed the button then waited. He was certain Ji Hoo didn't get many visitors because he had steadfastly refused to give out his address. This was more his style and speed. He liked being alone way more than the rest of them did.
Finally he was buzzed up. Taking the elevator was a hassle since he was anxious to see his friend's place. If he could have run up the five flights of stairs, he would have, but nothing was sexy about being sweaty and out of breath with no one to see.
He stepped out and headed down the hall. Taking a left, he began to search for his friend's door. As the numbers got bigger, he was getting closer and closer. Until a door swung open. He was met with head of dark curly hair that was almost as tall as he was. Confused, he looked at the person for a long while before the door opened once again.
"Francesco, you forgot…" It was Eri. She looked around the guy's shoulder when she noticed they were alone. "Oh. Woo Bin."
The other guy turned around and looked at her with a wicked look. "You know this guy?"
"He's friends with Jan and Hoo. I met him the other night." She handed him something then shoved him out the door. "Go. Find Yi Jeong and annoy him. I know you've been dying to meet him."
Francesco looked hurt. "I thought we were hanging out together today. You do this to your brother?"
"Get out. You annoy me when you get clingy. I'm off today and don't want to listen to you."
French wasn't his specialty, but Woo Bin understood every bit of the argument. The other man was shoved away from the door. They stared at the closed object with a mixture of shock and being really impressed. Francesco turned to find the new guy staring.
"You're one of Ji Hoo's friends? You don't look it."
Snubbed, Woo Bin watched the foreigner disappear down the hallway. He stared at the closed door for a moment then went next door and rang the doorbell. He wondered if his friend was even home. Ji Hoo had a habit of not being home even though he said he would, or come in late. He was the most reclusive member of F4, something that hadn't changed since childhood.
The door swung open, and Ji Hoo's red head popped out. Like usual, his face was one of concern but it brightened a little when he realized it was his friend. He motioned him in the returned to whatever he was doing.
Woo Bin followed him inside. He was pretty certain no one had stepped foot into his house before. It was all pristine and clean, until he saw the cat scamper across the room. It climbed up the counter until it was just above Ji Hoo's face. He raised his face until they touched noses, shaking his head from side to side slightly.
"Why are you here?" he asked suddenly. He looked over when he didn't get an answer. "I never remembered inviting you."
"We always just show up at each other's houses. It's been that way since we were kids. It's not unusual." He looked around the room once again. "It's not bad. It really suits you. But why move here?"
"After Grandpa died, the house was just a little bit too big. I lived alone in that house for years, but once finding grandpa again and living with him, I didn't want to live in that big house for a while. Living here isn't too bad. It's just me and JaeJae."
There was a ringing beep before the door opened. Woo Bin was surprised to see Eri just barge right on in Ji Hoo's place. The man on the other hand didn't seem shocked in the least bit. He wiped his hands on a towel and stepped out of the kitchen.
"I told you to wait, that I'd bring it to you like I always do," he said. "And why aren't you wearing shoes?"
Eri took JaeJae and walked over to the couch where she sat down immediately. Woo Bin looked at Ji Hoo to see what he was going to do, but there was only a smile on his face as he went back to work. So Woo Bin walked over to the couch and unceremoniously stuck his fingers in her ears. She slapped at him then went back to giving the cat loves.
"She's not wearing her hearing aids," he said to his friend.
"I figured that. Usually she answers me. But this is normal too. Sometimes she doesn't wear them for days. It's really annoying at times."
Woo Bin looked down at the woman as lay listlessly on the couch, fingers running down the cat's ears. He wanted to say something but knew she couldn't hear; besides he wasn't sure she even liked him.
Across the room, Ji Hoo watched Woo Bin as his dumbfounded friend didn't know what to do. Usually girls were throwing themselves at him. He was Casanova and could get any woman he wanted. He never stayed with one girl long, often having many at once. It's what made him and Yi Jeong inseparable until the latter found Ga Eul.
But now here was this woman sitting in front of him, a woman Ji Hoo was certain Woo Bin found attractive, and she wasn't doing anything. That had to have captured his interest more than if she was throwing herself at him. Woo Bin wasn't used to being ignored like that.
He finished what he was making and set the table like it was nothing. He made sure he set it for three because his oldest friend would be staying. That was just the way it was. When everything was set, he walked over and took his cat back. Eri looked up at him and he motioned with his head for the bathroom. She made a face but went anyway.
"Is she always like that?" Woo Bin asked
"No. Something must have happened at work yesterday. They staggered our days. Jan Di was off two days ago, I was off yesterday, and she was today. We didn't have dinner together last night so I don't know what's going on. Don't eat all the kimchi. She'll kill you."
Woo Bin smiled at Ji Hoo's thoughtfulness. He was always taking care of others and never really paying attention to himself. He took a seat at the table and waited patiently as Ji Hoo put the cat in his room and Eri washed up. She joined them a minute later, sliding in the empty seat beside Woo Bin. Ji Hoo tapped his ears but she shook her head and dug into the food.
Ji Hoo cursed slightly and got a portion before it was all gone. Woo Bin couldn't help but laugh at the way this dinner was going. Two friends and one outsider were having a very quiet dinner, but who was who was hard to tell.
"What happened at the hospital yesterday?" Ji Hoo asked, making it a point to get her attention. She waved her hand in dismissal. "No, don't dismiss this. You've been acting weird since last evening."
Woo Bin noticed she was slightly antsy. He figured she had taken her hearing aids out after her brother had left and had come over. He knew Ji Hoo well and knew he wasn't going to give it up without exhausting everything in his arsenal.
He watched Eri closely, casting small glances at Ji Hoo during the uncomfortable silence. His friend had quit talking and was eating agitatedly, and on the other hand the woman was jumpy. He wanted to reach out but was certain that would be worse than leaving it alone.
JaeJae bounded into the room and hopped right up on Eri's lap. She turned on her purr machine and started rubbing all along Eri's neck and chin. Eri didn't seem to mind as she continued eating, picking the cat up when she was done. She took her bowls to the sink then sank back down on the couch with the cat.
Annoyed, Ji Hoo got up and started to do the dishes. Woo Bin wondered if this was a normal day for the two of them, the fussing and fighting. And Ji Hoo didn't fight with just anyone so this must be serious.
Woo Bin sat down on the couch and watched the cat and woman. It was quite comical. JaeJae was a typical cat. You could love on her for about five seconds before she bit you. She was doing that now, but Eri seemed to have figured out her weak spot.
Curious, he touched her foot gently. Eri looked up at him expectantly. Suddenly he was at a loss. He looked at his hands, flipping them over and over. Eri put JaeJae on the ground then sat up. She took his hands in hers and folded down all his fingers but one. Then she moved them in an alternating fashion towards his chest.
"Sign," she said. He realized that her voice was muted, like her tongue had been glued to the bottom of her mouth.
For the next couple of hours they sat on the couch learning sign language. He didn't realize how easy it was or how fast he picked up on it. He could ask the simple questions like how was your day, how are you, what do you want to do, and things like that. He wondered how long it would take for him to get on Ji Hoo's level of expertise.
Glancing at the clock, he realized it was later than he thought. He looked at Ji Hoo and realized the two had their own little world they lived in. It was like he was just a visitor. There was no need for him it seemed. It was the first time he felt that way.
Ji Hoo gently grabbed Eri's foot, forcing her attention to him. "It's time for you to head home. It's late." He looked at his friend. "You too. We have to work in the morning."
Eri got up and headed for the door. JaeJae followed her like a dog, only stopping when Ji Hoo scooped her up. He grabbed Eri gently by the back of the head and turned her to look at him.
"You're going to tell me what's bothering you," he whispered.
She shook her head then yanked open the door. Ji Hoo cradled the cat as he stared at the closed entrance and shook his head. Woo Bin excused himself almost as soon as she left. Ji Hoo was going to be in a foul mood after being snubbed again.
As he passed by her front door, he was tempted to knock on it or ring the doorbell. Then he remembered that she had been shaken up by something. His interruption would only be worse for her. He walked right on by, casting a brief glance when he got to the elevator.