Long after his father had gone from his room, Ga Eul remained by Woo Bin's bed. Instead of standing beside it, however, he'd encouraged her to sit near the middle, effectively bringing her much closer to him. The mattress was big enough to accommodate her presence that he didn't have to do much adjusting - aside from simply moving slightly to the side, that was.
Her hand was still in his, and that was intentional. She'd been silent ever since his father had told them who was behind the attack on them - on her - and not for the first time did he wonder just what it was that she was thinking about now. Perhaps she was worried - and honestly who could blame her? The Parks was indeed a formidable family - or at least, for now they were.
Woo Bin ran his thumb across the back of her hand, hoping to draw her out of her reverie without jostling her. "Ga Eul?"
She glanced at their hands before resolutely pulling hers from his grasp.
"All this time-" She drew a deep breath, expelled it in a rush, and hugged herself. "All this time I was wondering who was to blame for you getting hurt," she spoke softly, eyes cast down. "And all this time - the answer had been me."
"What?" Woo Bin asked even before he could stop himself. "No. No! You can't be seriously blaming yourself for this!"
"Shouldn't I?" she responded, looking at him finally. Her eyes, he noticed, were luminous with tears she had yet to shed. "You heard what your father said, Woo Bin-Sunbae. That shooter - that man - was there to get me. But then you- you were-"
"In the way," he cut in. "I know."
"If you hadn't been there-"
"If I hadn't been there, then the shooter might have succeeded in hurting you." Or far, far worse , he thought, biting his lip to keep himself from spilling these words lest he frightened her more.
Despite the outcome, it seemed like luck was still on their side that night - that the shooter missed Ga Eul the first time he aimed at her, that Woo Bin's men caught him before he could escape, and that he spilled the truth about the Parks and their scheme against Ga Eul before-
Well. Before his men did what they do to enemies.
They would pay, he thought, and not the first time that day. Woo Bin had no doubt that his father would see to it - just as he had no doubt he'd exact his own revenge soon as he got out of this hospital.
He then added, after some silent moments, "You know, if what that shooter said is true, then I'm glad I had been in the way, come to think of it."
She huffed. "Ya. Be serious!"
"What makes you think I'm not?"
"Because!" Ga Eul gestured at his injury. "How can you be glad to have been shot like that? That's not something anyone can just say - and mean."
"Well, I do," he insisted. "Because me getting shot means you haven't been. It means I kept you safe that night, Ga Eul." Woo Bin stroke her cheek with his forefinger. "And that's all that matters to me."
Something in her expression softened, just then. Ga Eul bit her lip, drawing his attention to her mouth. "Sunbae-"
"The Parks can't hurt you anymore, if that's what you're worried about," he reassured her. Somehow he knew she just had to hear these words - and he'd be glad to deliver them. "Now that we know who's behind this whole thing, you have my word that they can't ever get to you again."
"It's just that- I don't understand," she said, wiping at her eyes. "What have I ever done to them? How do they even know who I am? I don't- I'm no one. "
And that was the crux of the situation, wasn't it?
The only conclusion Woo Bin could think of that could tie Ga Eul to the Parks was through the daughter, Park Yo Na. And even then the only association was flimsy; the only thing connecting Yo Na with Ga Eul was their shared school, after all.
Could Yo Na hate Ga Eul so much to actually have ordered a hit on her?
But why?
Wasn't constantly tormenting her in school enough?
"I'm sorry," he said gravely, "for everything. You don't deserve any of these things." Pause. "But I promise you, Ga Eul: I'll get to the bottom of it. Don't worry, all right? As long as I'm around, I'll never let anyone hurt you again." He reached forward to her, tucked a strand of hair behind one of her ears in a tender gesture meant to soothe. "I'll protect you."
Ga Eul wiped at the side of her eye again before nodding unsteadily.
Hoping to distract her from the gloominess of their situation, he said, "You know, I've been meaning to ask and-" He scratched the back of his head, "-well, you don't have to answer it but I'll be glad if you actually did- "
"Of course, Sunbae, anything for you." She frowned. "What is it?"
"Did you mean what you said to- to Yi Jung, back then?"
"You have to be specific." Ga Eul sniffed and raised her chin. "I said a lot of things to him."
He wondered what exactly they had talked about, when it was just the two of them - but that's a distraction for another day should there be a need for it, he supposed. "About-" Unable to help himself, Woo Bin reached for her hand again. He just had to touch her, as proof that she was here, that she was alive and well and that the Parks didn't succeed in taking her away from him. "-about wanting to be an expert on what I need."
"...oh. Um." Her cheeks reddened at that. "Did I- really say that part out loud?"
"Unfortunately. And unfortunately for you, I heard. " He poked her nose teasingly.
Should he hope? Except that was no longer in question, was it? He'd been hoping for quite some time now. The fact that she was here with him and not with Yi Jung-
That had to mean something, didn't it?
But if it did, then shouldn't she have said something? After all this time-
She sighed again, louder this time. Then she looked him in the eye and said, "Yes. Yes, I did."
Something in his chest warmed.
"But-"
"But?"
"But-" Ga Eul repeated, a smile lurking about the corners of her mouth now, "-I need your help." She poked his arm. "You have to tell me how I can be."
And that warmth in his chest just grew.
"That's actually the easy part right there," he said, dimpling at her, "because wouldn't you know it, all I need right now is-"
She raised her brows at him when he didn't finish.
Except at that moment he'd raised her hand to his mouth to kiss the back of it - all the while never looking away from her.
The red on her cheeks intensified further. "Oh," she said again.
Smooth, Woo Bin. He mentally patted himself on the back.
"I, for one, am glad to tell you that I am not a difficult client to care for." He wagged his brows. "Let's see. I just need your presence by my side 24/7 - maybe 25/8 if I feel like it-"
Ga Eul giggled and hit him on the leg.
Opting to look as though she'd just brutalized him, Woo Bin exclaimed, "Ya! Is this how you're going to treat me? Is this how you're going to thank me for saving your life?"
"It depends," she laughed, scooting closer to him. "Wouldn't you know it? Me taking care of you means I can hit you anytime I want, and also-"
"Also?" Woo Bin raised his brows.
She paused. Then, quick as anything, Ga Eul closed the distance between them - and kissed him full on the mouth.
It was over just as soon as he'd actually realized what she'd done. But that didn't lessen its impact, particularly as his chest felt so full it seemed close to bursting.
Chu Ga Eul.
Kissed him.
On the mouth.
So utterly gobsmacked he was at this sudden turn of events that he must look an absolute nutcase as he asked, "Ga Eul?"
"Thank you," she said softly, pulling his hand and bringing it closer to her own heart. "You saved my life that night, Sunbae. Time and again you've- I don't- I don't know how-" Ga Eul inhaled sharply. "Taking care of you, being there for you whenever you need me... I think it's the least I can do for you now."
"How about-"
She blinked.
But damned if Woo Bin was stopping now.
"Feeling… things." And just in case that wasn't clear enough: "For… for me."
Ga Eul paused. Then, turning her attention completely on his hand in hers, she said, "I- haven't really said anything to you about them, have I?"
"Hearing them out loud would be nice," Woo Bin said. Teasingly he added, "But if you'd rather just kiss me all you want, then-"
"Oh my god." Ga Eul covered her flaming face with her hands.
He laughed. "I'm joking! I'm-"
"IlikeyoualotWooBinSunbae." She mumbled the words so fast and so low that they didn't even make any sense to him.
"-what?"
"I-" She peeked at him through her fingers, "-said, Ilikeyoualot."
Woo Bin grasped her wrist but didn't pull. "Seriously, Ga Eul, if you don't want to tell me then-"
"I like you a lot, Woo Bin-Sunbae!" Ga Eul looked almost mutinous now after lowering her hands from her face. "And if you make me repeat it, I swear I will-"
"What?" Woo Bin playfully demanded, unable to stop himself from grinning now. "You'll do what, exactly?"
"Well," she sniffed. "I guess I'll have to do it. Again and again - until you get tired of hearing it."
The joy he felt, that moment, was truly indescribable. "And if I don't?"
Ga Eul grinned. "Then maybe I'll also need to-" Quickly she moved to kiss him again.
He'd barely kept himself from catching her and giving her a proper kiss, at that moment. Perhaps doing so could shock her, and Woo Bin didn't want to spook her too quickly. There'd be time for all things Don Juan between them - and he'd be damnedly glad to show her why he'd earned such a nickname.
"Hm," he hummed contentedly instead, watching as she drew away from him. "I suppose I shouldn't have to tell you that taking care of me involves telling me just how much you liked me, right? And kissing me as many times as you want?"
"No," she replied, a bright gleam in her eye, making her look far lovelier than she had any right to be. "I plan on doing them often, anyway."
Woo Bin drew a deep breath.
Well.
Well.
He really ought to get shot more often, then.
notes: a bit of fluff before things go to proverbial hell (maybe?) HAPPY NEW DECADE FOLKS!