Chapter 23

I Was Feeling Lonely, So Here I Am

Young Do withdrew his foot and revealed her pretty white clip, its flower broken, color scratched off and its clipping area separated.

Ji Ah sank down and grabbed the broken remains of her hair clip, the clip Kim Tan had given her.

She brushed a finger on the white flower with half its color scratched off. The clip was beyond repair now.

What exactly was his problem?

Flaring up, she raised her head, ready to actually snarl at him this time, but Young Do had already gone.

Ji Ah glanced around. A few people were staring at her sitting on the floor, yet Young Do was nowhere to be seen.

She had thought before that he had some nuts loose. Now she decided that he didnt have some nuts loose, in fact none of his nuts were in right place.

He was just...arghh!

He made her want to rip some paper to shreds, or break some glass to pieces, or scream in her pillow till her landlady threatened to kick her out. He was like that. Volatile, violent, arrogant, a spoiled rich brat and a bloody bastard who was bringing her into whatever enmity he and Kim tan had with each other.

With all his behavior, if Ji Ah didn't know he had something against Kim Tan, she would have assumed that Young Do was jealous.

Walking home from work, Ji Ah was still thinking about what she was going to tell Kim Tan about the clip.

If she told him that Young Do broke it, it would most likely lead to a fight. And if she told him that Ji Ah herself accidentally broke it, then...

"Hey, remember the clip you gifted me? I broke it on the same day you gave me the clip. Even though I didn't want to take it initially, but I didnt break it on purpose. I swear totally!"Kim Tan looked at her coldly. "You killed my love first. Now you broke the clip I bought for her face too? Get the hell out of my sight. Go die somewhere you murderer!"

Ji Ah gasped, as someone suddenly pulled her out of the way of a honking car.

The blinding lights brought two memories in front of her eyes quite vividly.

Flashing lights of a car speeding, and a truck hurtling at her...

She sucked in fresh breaths. Someone patted her shoulder and she finally saw who had saved her.

Moon sik stared at her with troubled eyes. "Are you alright?" He signed.

Using a pair of tongs, Ji Ah lifted the crabs out of the pot and placed them in the wide dish in front of Moon Sik.

Mr Seo had brought more food when he came to visit, despite Ji Ah's persistent protests. She had now accepted it because of Moon Sik.

Moon Sik gave her the same look he had given her last time. Ji Ah knew he had seen the piles of food in her freezer when she had taken out the crabs, and he must have many questions.

When the crabs cooled down enough, they both began cracking the legs to eat. After the meal. they both went out for a walk together.

"Where do you get all this food from?" He asked, as they passed a bunch of loud kids gathered around a candy seller.

"Umm... these.. I get them from the place I work at. They give the extra food to the workers."

Moon Sik gave her a dubious look. "That's a very nice place you work at."

"Ah I was wondering, what does your grandma do?" She tried to change the topic, quite so obviously she realised.

Thankfully, he didn't ask more questions. She had always walked alone. It felt good to be in someone's company for a while. Ji Ah didn't want to loss this company by lying too much. No one liked liars.

It was the result day. Ji Ah hurried to the hall to check her rank, though she felt no particular anxiety. She was happy with any rank, because no one was waiting at home for her now.

A crowd was gathered around the board, Myung So at the front and Kim Tan and Young Do at the end. Myung So's body seemed to be hiding the results, as he checked his.

Myung So turned and said something, while laughing and pointing at Kim Tan and Young Do. Everyone else also began laughing.

When they started to clear off, Ji Ah quietly came to stand behind Kim Tan and Young Do. Young Do saw something on the board and snorted at Kim Tan too, before noticing Ji Ah and faltering.

Ji Ah spotted her rank quickly in the top ten. The 4th rank. Before she could go any lower to see what was making everyone laugh, Kim Tan and Young Do both moved to stand in front of her and block the view.

"What are you doing?" Ji Ah asked, perplexed.

"You got a bad rank." Young Do said.

"Yes," Kim Tan confirmed. "Go back.

Ji Ah narrowed her eyes at them. "Still, let me see it." She walked around them and they seemed to be trying to restraining themselves from grabbing her arm.

Searching a little, Ji Ah found Young Do at 95th and Kim Tan at 99th. She turned to give them both blank looks. They appeared irritated. They didnt have the right to be. They had told her she got a bad rank to hide their ranks.

But Ji Ah softened, promptly feeling bad for Kim Tan. She had some idea as to why he was at 99th.

Kim Tan wandered off, looking dismayed. She felt even more bad for him.

"Congrats on the 4th rank," Young Do said.

Ji Ah tried to give him a cool look, suppressing an impish smile. "This is what happens when you waste your time throwing paper balls at a girl at school."

Young Do didn't look like he was expecting something like that.

Childishly pleased with herself at having succesfully insulted Young Do at least once in her lifetime, Ji Ah bounced through the hall.

She didn't know his reasons.

In library, Ji Ah was checking the names of some books she noted in her cellphone. At the end of the aisle, she ran into Kim Tan. Or perhaps he was waiting there for here.

"You didn't like the clip?" Kim Tan eyed the spot on her hair which was previously occupied by the sparkly white clip.

Ji Ah began stammering and babbling. "It isn't like that... actually I... I dropped it on my way back home. I always walk, so I must have dropped it somewhere. I didn't notice untill I got home and–"

He waved his hand. "Forget about the clip then," he said, brightening up. "I would get you another one. This isn't what I had wanted to talk about."

Ji Ah felt relieved. She had thought he would be terribly upset. "What is it then?"

"There is this new restaurant opened near your workplace, and they told me that they specially wanted us to try out their food and review. So we are going for dinner there tonight."

Ji Ah blinked blankly.

He gave her a handsome smile. "I will wait for you after your shift is over, then we can walk together to the restaurant."

Despite his heart melting smile, Ji Ah sobered up. A part of her wanted, a part of her didn't. She knew this was a path that wasn't meant for her, so she should stay away.

"...I don't think that's possible." She said quietly.

"Why not? Wouldn't you have dinner tonight? Let me buy you it."

Ji Ah casted her gaze downwards. "I don't think that's a good idea, Kim Tan."

Kim Tan paused before speaking. "Why do you run from me?"

The question was so abrupt and unexpected that it caught Ji Ah off guard. She looked up in surpise.

"Don't make excuses." Gone was his smile. "I want to get to know you, I want to be closer to you, but you are always..."

"I am sorry," but you should not.

"If you are sorry, then let's meet at dinner."

Ji Ah looked at him helplessly. She shouldn't, she really shouldnt, given that Mr Seo had also warned her, also given that he used to be her boyfriend and Ji Ah should be ashamed to even linger close to him, given that his kindness wasn't for her in the first place.

Kim Tan took her cellphone from her hand and began saving his number in it. "When you make up your mind for sure, give me a call. Though I would still show up in front of you even if you don't wish to see me."

With that, he was gone.

After Ji Ah's piano practice, Mr Seo and Ji Ah sat in his spacious lounge. The notebook that contained reasons for Mr Seo's break up was lying in front of them on the table.

"I told her that I would never object to her working in any romantic film or drama, and I wouldn't treat her male co workers coldly." Mr Seo said.

"You would simply never interfere in her professional life." Ji Ah tried to smile politely.

"Yes...But she says thats just one of the many reasons why we broke up." A line appeared between Mr Seo's brows.

"Then let's work on every reason." Ji Ah said. "Let's see, there is a certain word repeating in your list?"

"Stalker..." He said delicately, like the word had some enmity with him.

"Yes. Have you ever stalked her?"

"...a few times."

"That's still stalking."

"I did it because I was worried for her."

"But its creepy." Ji Ah was hesitant in saying.

"I will apologize for that, too." Mr Seo nodded.

"Now, reason number 7 and 8?" Ji Ah looked at him for explanation.

Mr Seo's butler came just then and placed a tray of hot steaming coffees on the table, then left.

"It just happened." Mr Seo said. He was sitting with his shoulders straigt and leg over leg, but he didn't sound anything like his posture. "You have seen how busy I am. There are days when I don't have time for myself. I have to cancel plans with Soo Mi then too. So, to make up for that, I send her some gift."

Ji Ah fidgeted uneasily. In all this, he had taken so much time out for her too. Not to forget the piano lessons. She wondered if she had some part in Mr Seo's break up too?

She cleared her throat, feeling awkward and uneasy. "Ahjussi, I dont think gifts can fill up your absence. Unnie cant talk to shoes and dressed. She needs you."

Mr Seo turned poker faced. "I know."

"Think about it, Ahjussi. If you can give her your time and unreserved emotions in future, then continue this. Or we should close this notebook right here."

Mr Seo looked at her intensely, throwing her off for an instant. "At times you seem far more mature than your age. And at times you are plain stupid."

He was too forward sometimes.

"I maintain balance." Ji Ah chuckled awkwardly. But in all honesty, it made Ji Ah feel good to help Mr Seo in any way. She was not sure why someone like him was letting her un into his personal life, but she just went along with it. Somewhere deep inside, it made her feel important.

"I want to continue this." He said. "I will fix every complain she had with me and then start afresh."

"Then we should go further." Ji Ah said enthusiastically and placed the notebook in front of him. "Number 11, 14 and 15."

Mr Seo picked the coffee cup and gestured for her, too. Ji Ah also picked up the other one.

"Eomeoni never liked Park Soo Mi because of her profession. She had once met her somewhere without my knowledge --now you see why I stalk her-- and they had some sort of squabble."

Ji Ah listened intently. Having met the intimidating mother of Mr Seo, she felt a deep sympathy for Park Soo Mi.

"But later Eomeoni came to my office and told me that Soo Mi had insulted her. A few minutes after she left, Soo Mi also came to my office and told me that Eomeoni had insulted her."

Ji Ah's sympathies moved to Mr Seo now.

"Apparently, both of them had insulted each other in some ways." He said dryly.

"Well... for this I will say that arrange a meeting for Unnie and Halmeonim? When they are in a good mood."

Mr Seo looked at her skeptically.

"You don't have to take anyone's side." She said. "You just have to help them make peace with each other. Make both of them realise that they are both a source of joy to you.

And you can't bear to loss either of them."

Ji Ah glanced at the clock hung over the main door. There was half an hour left till her shift ended.

If she called Kim Tan right now, he would be here by the end of her shift.

She dismissed the idea immediately. Besides he said he would be here even if she didn't want to see him.

However, turned out there wasn't much work to do today, so she was let off earlier than usual. She walked out of the restaurant, hands stuffed in her buttoned coat, shoulders raised due to cold. But stopped short upon seeing him.

Young Do was leaning against his bike with his arms crossed over his chest, wearing a black leather jacket. He straightened up upon seeing her.

"Get on." He motioned to his bike with a jerk of his head. "We are going somewhere."

Ji Ah gave him a are you crazy look. "Why would I?"

"Why would you not? There are many students who are curious as to what tutor did you hire." He leaned forward. "Did your Samchon get a tutor for you?"

Ji Ah was sure he was worsening her OCD, because lately she had been having compulsive urges to claw at his face.

Told you, I would not abandon this.

I am sorry for disappearing. It would happen again, but I will be back. This story's special to me.

Would try to update the next chapter soon. Seriously love you all, and sorry again. :)