A/N: Chapter 4 of Tiger of the Wild's. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own. Girls of the Wild's belongs to Zhena.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Episode 4
Rooftop...
"Jae Gu Song." Queen spoke as her helicopter departed from the landing dock.
Oh no...what do I do? He thought nervously before remembering what Moon Young told him back when he asked her what to do about the money. "Well..."
"Are you trying to take back your pride?"
"...Pardon?" He asked, clearly surprised at her question.
"Moon Young told you that I'd be here, didn't she?" Queen said as she told him that Moon Young called her on the phone, asking her to cut him some slack. "Okay."
"Sorry?" Jae Gu scratched the back of his head with his hand, unsure on how to proceed. "Ah, well...you know..."
"Give it back." Queen stated, holding her hand out. "I might have been too harsh...let's put it past us."
"You know..." Jae Gu hesitated a bit before pointing off to a distance. "When you came here, your chopper blew it away. I'm not lying. I was about to give it back..."
"...What...?" Queen narrowed her eyes.
"Please...I'll get it back to you when I find it." Jae Gu explained to her. "That's...what happened..." She regarded him for about a minute before releasing a sigh.
"I knew it. Never mind. Were you here to say just that?" She turned away and started to walk off. "You look poor...but I thought you were a man of pride. Are the poor all like you?" She asked, throwing the scathing words over her shoulder. "I already heard your lame excuse. Take it or throw it away." As she walked away Jae Gu could only look at her back with unimaginable anger.
Down on the track...
"Men...I don't get them." Dal Dal complained to herself. After Jae Gu ran off, she sat on the bleachers with her book propped open in her lap. "Strange...I did everything that the book says..." She started to flip through the pages very carefully, her eyes scanning every single word delicately. "Did you miss something? Gee~!"
Suddenly she looked up as something fluttered down right into her hand. She stared at it for a good minute or so before squealing with glee. At that moment, Jae Gu appeared and saw her in her happy state, his eyes zooming in immediately to the check that she was going to use as a bookmark.
"Wait!" He exclaimed, getting her attention. "It's mine!"
"Eh? What? Jae Gu?" She said, turning her head to face him.
"It just fell from the sky, didn't it?" He asked, quite breathless from running. "That's mine! It slipped through my fingers."
"Uh, what?" She stood up, holding the book by her side. "That doesn't make any sense!"
"I've been looking for it."
Eh? If he's telling the truth...Thinking about it for a minute, she pulled it out of the book and waved it in his face. "If you want it back, say you love me."
"Don't mess around with me." He said, clearly displeased at the way she was teasing him. "Give it back!"
"Jae Gu, stop fooling around!" She snapped at him. "Where does it say that this is yours? You don't even know the check number!"
"41115656!" He rattled off and after she took one look at it she realized that he was right. "Right? Give it back to me, please. That's Queen's money! I must give it back to her! Please."
"What? Queen...?" Dal Dal looked at him in surprise before getting angry. Queen...she really gets on my nerves...Fine, game on Queen. She folded the check and placed it inside her uniform near her left breast, leaving it sticking out just a tiny bit. He'll be mine! "Here! Take it! I won't move! Here! Take it!"
"?! Please...give it...back to me!" Jae Gu stammered.
"There's going to be a screening tomorrow for the Tae Kwon Do club recruits." Dal Dal told him, realizing that he wouldn't make a move to take the check out. "The deal is if you show up, I'll give it then. Remember! If you don't show up, it's mine!"
"Wait!" He shouted as the girl rushed off with the check fluttering in between her fingers. "Phew..." Well, at least, I know where it is...
"See you tomorrow!" Dal Dal, forgetting all about the tires came back to take them away.
It looks like tomorrow isn't going to get any easier. Jae Gu frowned. Anyway, thank god I found it. Looking around he noticed that everybody returned to their next class and I was no where to be found so he headed back in to change.
"Don't forget!" The teacher spoke near the end of the period. "You have 3 weeks to choose your club activity. As you all know, a club activity is very important for your grades. So, choose carefully."
Why are they all combat clubs...! Jae Gu thought as he looked at the piece of paper in his hands. I really don't want to do sports...
"Jae Gu, which club are you joining?" He looked up to see a couple of girls around him.
"How about joining Judo Club with me?"
"Well...I don't play sports, so..." He tried to tell them but realized that they wouldn't listen but kept looking at him with hopeful eyes, waiting for a definite answer.
"Please tell me what you're choosing."
"I'll join whatever he does."
"Speaking of which, there was another cutie in the class next over." A girl spoke up, catching his attention. "I heard he's currently in the nurse's office because of dodge ball today."
"Poor boy~" Another girl said.
Ding Dong~ Ding Dong~
Thank god for the bell! "Uhm...I'll see you girls around..." Jae Gu stood up quickly, shoving all of his books into his bag and rushed out the door. Thanks to the conversation I heard, I know where Tobias is.
"Arrgh..." I groaned as I laid on the cot in the medical bay at school with an ice bag pressed against my cheek. I missed my class due to injuries so a couple of girls from my class came by to update me what the teacher said, apart from gossiping loudly or giggling at how cute I looked, and dropping off my bag. After awhile the nurse escorted them out and I was left alone in peace and quiet. "I don't think I can feel my face..."
"Tobi! Are you okay?" Jae Gu asked when he walked in, nodding his head in greeting to the nurse.
"Nothing like some cream can't fix." I replied as he stood by the cot. "Though luckily none of my teeth were knocked out...but ouch, some of those girls throw hard. My face must be like fresh putty!"
"Are you sure you want to go to work today looking like...well that?" I held up a shaky hand and gave him a thumbs up. "Well if you insist."
"Please refrain from touching your face from the next few days." The nurse told me as she sent me on my way. "Come back if there's anything wrong."
"Will do, thanks!" I replied and followed Jae Gu out.
At work...
"Holy mother of—Tobias, what happened to your face?!" Mr. Park asked when Jae Gu and I showed up to work. My cheeks were bruised and my lips were swollen like a mini blimp. There was also a black mark around my left eye where a ball smacked me in the face...multiple balls now that I think about it. "It looks like...I don't even have words to describe what I'm witnessing."
"We were playing dodge ball today." Jae Gu explained as I raised a hand to my cheek, trying to see if I could still feel my face but winced at how sensitive the skin was. "I told the principal that I wasn't feeling too well so I managed to get out of it."
"I don't look that bad...do I?" I asked when Jae Gu disappeared to change out of his school uniform. One look on Mr. Park's face told me everything I needed to know.
"My boy, maybe you should sit this one out until your wounds heal." Mr. Park advised curtly.
"Then is it okay if I just wait here and wait till Jae Gu's shift end?"
"Of course!" He smiled and gestured for Jae Gu to start his job. While I waited inside the shop, I decided to get some homework done and read up for tomorrow's lecture. After he was done for the day, Jae Gu came in all sweaty and went to change back to his regular clothes. By then I had finished almost all of my work, saved for a couple of papers I have to write. Putting my work back into my bag, I waited for Jae Gu outside and together we said goodbye to Mr. Park.
"Oh wait!" Jae Gu said suddenly on our way home, coming to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. "I need to make a stop before I go home."
"Okay, then I'll see you later." I waved goodbye and we went our separate ways. I made my way to the next intersection, hailed a taxi and gave him directions to Hwa Yeon's home. He did give a small comment about my injuries but I told him that I just fell down a huge hill.
Sausages! I really was an ass this morning. Jae Gu thought as he hurried to the mart near his home before it closed for the night. I better not forget sausages for tomorrow. He's probably asleep right how. He'll be so happy in the morning.
"I hate you! Mom used to cook for me." Jae Hyeong's voice rang through his mind.
Yeah, I know. So do I. He frowned. Do you know how hard my life is because of you? Then he flinched and multiple images flashed through his mind; images of his mother as well as the event that morning that led to the argument between him and his brother.
How stupid of me...Jae Gu thought as he rushed home with a bag of groceries in his hand. Sliding open the door, he saw his siblings already in bed. Right next to the futon were two pictures of him, one of them had the words 'Jheh Yeong Song My big brother, I love you'. The second one said the exact same thing but with an additional 'Jae Gu, I'm sorry'.
With tears falling down his face, he held the pictures close to his chest.
Back home...
"What happened?! Did you get into a fight?" I frowned as Hwa Yeon rummaged around with the medical kit. The moment I stepped out of the taxi and walked through the door, she immediately took one look at my face and ordered me to sit on the couch after I removed my shoes. "These would take at least a day or so to heal...oh my goodness...! I should call the school right away!"
"It's okay...ouch! We were just playing in gym class!" I winced as she dabbed a cotton swab around my eye, inhaling a sharp breath and gripping my seat so tight my knuckles probably turned white. "Could you be a little...gentler?"
"Sorry, I guess I overreacted. Be careful next time okay?" She apologized, putting the medical kit away before washing her hands. "Anyway, dinner should be ready soon."
"Thanks! I'm gonna go freshen up." I hurried to my room and tossed my bag on the bed. Stepping into the restroom I finally took a good look at myself in the mirror. "Yikes..I hope some of these wounds don't leave scars..."
"Tobias!" I heard Hwa Yeon calling for me from beyond the door. "Dinner's ready!"
"Okay, I'll be right there!"