Chapter 28: Darkened Façade

It was hardly past midnight when the nineteen-year-old fell fast asleep, between the two of them. Woo Bin was already nodding off beside her, his head bobbing and finally resting lightly on the armrest. Ji Hoo smiled at the two of them and shook his head. Woo Bin had been so keyed up earlier when they started watching the first movie.

The second movie wasn't even half-way through, and already he's down and out…

On the other hand, Rin was not too happy about the fact that they were watching movies belonging to the horror genre. She had her hands covering her face half the time. Slowly so as not to wake them up, Ji Hoo got up and slid his hands underneath her back and legs, gathering her up into his arms. She felt so warm and soft. She murmured something in her sleep and cuddled closer to his chest. He smiled affectionately down at her and walked over to his bedroom. He pulled back the covers and gently laid her down on the bed. He tucked her in properly and made sure he raised the blankets so that they covered her fully. Then, he stepped back and watched her sleep soundly. He leaned down and softly touched his lips to the spot on her forehead where the blade had nicked her.

"Thank you for protecting me back there, Rin…"

She squirmed slightly and he froze. In response, the girl smiled in her sleep and muttered something, turning her head to the side.

"Aigoo, you're just the most naive girl I've ever met…" he whispered as he touched her cheek once before he left the room. "Goodnight Rin-ah."

As he returned to the living room, he saw Woo Bin already in deep sleep that he did not have the heart to wake him up. Ji Hoo sighed inwardly as he took the spare blankets and arranged them on the floor. He covered his friend with a blanket and switched off the television before he settled himself into a comfortable position on the floor.

Now, I'll be the one getting the floor cramps, Woo Bin…

He closed his eyes and very soon, he too was welcomed into slumber land.

The next morning, the nineteen-year-old jerked up in bed so suddenly that she had a head rush. Rin whimpered and massaged her temples. She had really forgotten something…her Christmas shopping!

What if they had seen the gifts…?

I knew I should have asked the cashier to have them wrapped up…!

"Pabo! Pabo!" she lightly thumped her head with her knuckles.

Suddenly, the door of Ji Hoo's room opened and Woo Bin came in, to check on her. Her face brightened and she straightened up. "Oh, morning, Woo Bin-ah!"

"Good morning, Rin!" the twenty-year-old smiled at her and raised his hands.

The girl's eyes widened. "My shopping bags!" she exclaimed and snatched them away from him, hugging them to her chest protectively. She eyed him suspiciously. "Did you peek inside?" she demanded.

Woo Bin raised his hands, and shook his head. "Yah! I just picked those up for you and this is the thanks I get?"

Rin blushed. "Oh, that's right. Kamsahamnida, Woo Bin-ah."

"So, what's inside?" Woo Bin asked her curiously.

"Nope, I can't tell anyone that," she told him steadfastly, shaking her head.

At that moment, Ji Hoo entered the room, holding a spatula in his hand. "I've got pancakes ready for us, join me," he urged.

The two of them nodded. "But first, Rin has to brush her teeth and take a shower…she stinks," Woo Bin pointed out as to which he earned himself a direct hit with a pillow on his cheek.

"You don't have to sound so smug," Rin complained before she headed for the bathroom. "I was thinking of doing just that anyway."

The two guys smiled at her in response and then left the room, to give her some privacy.

"Oh yeah, feel free to raid my bureau for any clothes that might fit you," Ji Hoo yelled out before he closed the door. As the two of them walked towards the kitchen, Ji Hoo took the chance to apologise to his friend.

"Woo Bin-ah, I'm sorry about the other day."

The other twenty-year-old shook his head. "Nah, don't think too much about it. What's more, I was behaving quite thoughtlessly so I pretty much deserved it," he laughed.

Then, the two of them sat themselves at the table, waiting patiently for Rin to appear. The girl in question appeared a few minutes later, wearing clothes that were almost two sizes too big for her, a white turtleneck pullover that engulfed her entirely and her shorts peeked out slightly from underneath. Her wet hair was still disheveled from showering. She shot them a grin and quickly took a seat.

"Ji Hoo, your clothes have none of my size," she criticized, after she fed herself a mouthful of pancakes and pointed her fork at him. "You are too big."

"Yeah, I'm a guy so it's obvious that I'm bigger than you are," Ji Hoo shot back.

"Ji Hoo's got a point," Woo Bin added, backing his friend up. "More to the point, you are too small."

Rin pouted. "That's so not fair, you guys."

"That's life," Woo Bin said, shrugging.

Ji Hoo laughed and nodded in agreement. The girl was about to retort when her phone vibrated. Trying to balance her fork and spoon with her left hand, she fished her mobile out of her pocket.

HYUN

"Yeoboseyo?" she asked, picking up on the fifth ring.

"Rin-ah, you better come over to the hospital now," Hyun informed her.

The nineteen-year-old felt her stomach churn with dread as her heart sank. "What's wrong with Linden?" she demanded, too sharply that both Ji Hoo and Woo Bin turned to look over at her.

"No, no. It's not what you're thinking about," the pediatric doctor answered quickly. "It's his parents."

Rin's eyes narrowed as the proverbial wave of resentment washed over her. "What about them?" she spat out malevolently.

"They are insistent on Linden to be transferred over to another hospital overseas," he sighed. "Your parents are with them, trying to negotiate things over."

Her face contorted into a dark mask of unadulterated fury. That was the last straw. Rin stood up from her seat, so suddenly that her chair fell backwards with a dull sound.

"What's going on?" Woo Bin demanded as both of them stood up as well.

"I'm going to the hospital," Rin told them quietly.

It's time to settle the incomplete score that you left me with two years ago…

"We'll go in my car," Ji Hoo replied automatically and the three of them headed out of the apartment.