I Don't Even Understand Myself

Ji Ah was packing her stuff in class when Kang Ye Seol and her two friends approached her.

"Cha Ji Ah," Kang Ye Seol leaned against her desk. "We are going shopping after school. Do you want to join us?"

Ji Ah was taken aback by the out of blue offer.

"Erm..I think I am busy today." She saw Rachel glance at her once, as Ji Ah picked up her stuff and stood up.

Lee Hyun Bi regarded her with a haughty look on her face. "Then we can go tomorrow."

"Yeah." Son Oh Mi agreed. Kang Ye Seol also shrugged her shoulders in agreement.

"Um.. I am busy for some days. I am sorry." Ji Ah mumbled and hurried to leave the classroom.

During lunch, Ji Ah heard murmurs of Kim Tan having punched Young Do after he made Joon Young kneel. And Ji Ah actually spotted a bruised lip on Young Do when she threw a furtive glance in his direction where he sat with his lackeys.

This made her feel a bit better. Choi Young Do deserved it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, as Ji Ah walked out of the school gates. She pulled it out and her eyes darted around immediately upon seeing Choi Young Do's name on the screen. Thankfully, he was nowhere in sight. She slipped the phone back in her pocket and ran for her life.

Ji Ah squinted at the bright yet soothing sun, jogging through the pavement and stopped once to ask for directions. She detested delivery jobs, but a guy was absent on work today, so she had to fill in for him. Good thing, she was getting paid for it separately.

Ji Ah spotted the mechanic shop.

"Your food is here!" She said, upon pushing open the door.

Ji Ah placed the chicken box on the table and they paid her. She was counting the money when someone stepped closer. "How much is one chicken?"

"9000 won--"

Her hands froze, and she felt the blood draining out of her face. She slowly raised her head.

Choi Young Do was smirking down at her her with his arms crossed over his chest.

Why him?! Why him again?! Ji Ah thought miserably.

"Why our new money is delivering food around like a social care?" He said sarcastically, uncrossing his arms and arching a brow thoughtfully.

Ji Ah looked away, licking her lips and swallowing. She had nothing to say

"You didn't answer my call today." He reminded her, sounding smug, and Ji Ah looked back at him. "Answer my calls from now on." He raised his eyebrows in a sort of warning, before swaggering inside the shop. Ji Ah's glare followed him.

The sun wasn't soothing anymore when she stepped out of the shop.

She hated delivery jobs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ji Ah sat on her single bed, clutching her ringing phone in her hands. Choi Young Do's name was shining on the screen.

If he were to tell everyone at school as to why she had been delivering food around when she was new money, then school would become hell for her. She had seen Kang Ye Seol and other spoiled rich brats bullying other social care students. (There were barely any because they always transferred to other schools).

Even if he didn't tell anyone, he himself was enough to make it hell for her. Like he did for Moon Joon Young.

Ji Ah held the phone to her ear.

"Hello!" Young Do drawled in a aeygyo voice from the other side.

Ji Ah pursed her lips.

"What's our new money doing?" He said in the same irritating tone.

Contemplating killing myself.

"What do you want?"

"What? I just want to chit chat." He scoffed. "You remember you said you would eat black bean noodles with me, yesterday." He reminded her meaningfully.

Ji Ah tucked a few strands behind her ear and her eyes shifted about the room. "Umm..I don't feel like it anymore." She said.

"Why? Because you were not going to eat with me in the first place?" He taunted.

Ji Ah didnt say anything. She looked down and pulled her bottom lip under her teeth, feeling slightly abashed.

"You are not as innocent as you appear." He said as though offended by the revelation. "You proved it today." He emphasised dramatically on 'proved'.

Ji Ah scowled. He was referring to her lying about being new money.

She tried to keep her tone blank when she spoke. "I feel sleepy. Good night."

"Answer one question before sleeping" He said sharply. "What is it between you and Kim Tan?"

"I have told you already, there is nothing." She said almost at once, annoyed.

"Then why is he protective of you?"

"Why do you care?" She shoot back.

"Tell me when I am being nice." He nearly growled.

Ji Ah faltered.

"What do I take this silence for?" He muttered sarcastically when she didn't answer.

"For that I am sleepy. Bye." She ended the call before he could respond. He didn't call again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ji Ah closed the novel in her hands and stood up from the bench to stretch with a tired groan. She looked at the bright blue sky with droopy eyes and a small smile. She always found the blue brightness of the sky and the pale traversing clouds fascinating. For some reason, the sky gave her a sense of freedom.

Young Do leaned lazily against the railing, staring at Ji Ah with slightly parted lips. She was stretching her upper body like a cat and gazing at the sky with a child like smile. A woman in one moment and a child in another. He felt a naughty smile tugging at his lips.

That smile disappeared slowly, though when he saw Kim Tan strolling in Ji Ah's direction with ear plugs plugged in. His back was facing Young Do. Ji Ah didn't seem to notice Kim Tan --or Young Do-- as she walked in Young Do's direction with her eyes downcast and her book held to her chest. He was reminded of the day he had seen her waddling outside the store, half asleep. Young Do watched with interest, sensing that something was going to happen.

And it did.

Some girls were passing by while chatting loudly. One of them bumped into Ji Ah roughly --which Young Do suspected was intentional. She looked so vulnerable all the time that she was a perfect target to pick on.

He stood up straighter when Ji Ah stumbled, dropping her book and almost falling herself. However Kim Tan jumped forward and enveloped her into his arms at once, as though his eyes had been on her all this time. Young Do's eyes narrowed as Kim Tan wrapped his arms around her torso; one on her waist and another on her back. Ji Ah raised her head from his chest after the initial shock and Kim Tan lowered his head to gaze at her face. They were intimately close.

Young Do tightened his lips and narrowed his eyes at the sight.

They stood gazing at each other for a few moments before Ji Ah pushed at his chest.

Kim Tan didn't budge.

She did it again and Kim Tan stayed still with his eyes on Ji Ah's face.

Young Do chuckled darkly. "Then she says there is nothing between them."

Ji Ah glanced around once, but didn't spot him. Young Do tilted his head. She seemed afraid that someone may see them.

She said something to Kim Tan. Young Do couldn't exactly comprehend their expressions from where he was standing. Ji Ah bent her head for some reason while Kim Tan slowly loosened his grip on her and finally took his hands off her. Ji Ah took two steps back, then turned and moved stiffly in Young Do's direction. Her face was red and her eyes were downcast as she passed him, without noticing him. Kim Tan, however, noticed him as his gaze was following Ji Ah, it landed on Young Do.

Young Do smirked at a stoic faced Kim Tan, before tucking his hands in his pockets and moving in the same direction where Ji Ah had gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ji Ah opened her notebook and revised yesterday's work. Young Do and Kim Tan didn't have this class in their schedule. So, she always came early to this class.

She had barely gone through the first page when a grumpy looking Young Do walked in.

"Everyone out." He barked.

There were just a few students in the classroom and they sprang to their feet upon hearing Young Do's command and scurried to the door. Ji Ah pursed her lips and also stood up, wanting to leave his presence too, but Young Do turned to her.

"You stay." He said. There were no traces of any amusment or smugness on his face.

Ji Ah's heart sank and glanced at the door. His lackeys were standing on guard outside. What was he upto?

"Why?" She said defiantly.

Young Do stalked towards her and Ji Ah leaned back. There was no space behind her to move back. He came close and perched himself comfortably on her desk.

"I have some questions for you." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"I am not obliged to answer any of your question." Ji Ah lifted her chin up slightly and felt proud of herself for sounding strong.

Young Do made a sour expression. Ji Ah tried to slip away from him, but he grabbed her arm and forced her down in her chair.

"Okay, I will only ask one question." He said looking away once, before he turned back to her. "You are not new money, are you?"

Ji Ah decided she preferred a smiling Young Do more, despite how irritating he were. At least he didnt look that scary with a smile.

She couldn't answer his question, so she tried to get up again, but Young Do seized her arm again and yanked her back in her seat.

"Choi Young Do!" Ji Ah cried out instinctively. What was his problem?

Young raised his eyebrows and scratched a brow with his thumb in irritation.

Ji Ah knew she shouldn't, but she hoped Kim Tan would burst through the door as she glanced at it in agitation.

Young Do waited patiently for her asnwer while looking away from her, his gaze fixed om some spot on the wall. Ji Ah was certain he would jerk her back in her seat if she were to try to get up again. She realised, he must be angry because she had ended the call abruptly last night.

Kim Tan didn't burst through the door, but a scowling Bona did.

"What do you think are you doing?! Why are you blocking everyone?!" She snapped at Young Do in her usual childish manner that reminded Ji Ah a lot of a childhood friend.

"You came just at the right time." Young Do said with a tight lipped smile, slipping off the desk.

He picked up Ji Ah's hangbag and unzipped it all at once.

"What are you doing?!" Ji Ah jumped to her feet when Young Do turned it over and began throwing all its contents on the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you everyone for following or favourite-ing the story. If you want me to put some scene in for Young Do and Ji Ah, something that you want to see, let me know.

~Fawns