Chapter 3

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Home Is A Person

. . .

"Just an hour, alright?" He let out a grunt of pain and, hopefully, agreement and she didn't bother asking, knowing he'd probably refuse with his male pride on the line, and slung his arm over her shoulder immediately for support, her other arm slipping around his waist to help balance him out.

"Since I'm carrying you I wouldn't mind if you at least held the umbrella for us" She shook the object as it began to slip from her fingers. He reached his hand out just in time to catch it and adjust it over their heads.

They walked out of the alley in an awkward silence, it wasn't until they were waiting at an intersection that he finally said something.

"I think a carrot is digging into my ribs"

"…What?"

He raised an eyebrow at her before rasping out "A carrot, is digging into my ribs"

It may have been considered rude at the moment but she couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her.

"Oi"

She shut her mouth at his dry tone and turned to look at his back and saw a carrot jutting out of her bag straight into his ribs. The sight caused her to bite her lip to not laugh again, he had a scowl on his face but she could see the amusement dancing in his eyes at the situation too.

"I'm sorry, I'll switch it to the other hand." She moved them from the corner of the sidewalk and tried to see a way to move it without dropping him in the process, or getting them both wet. She turned to face him and began to reach her other hand around him to grab the bag. He paused at the sudden contact but adjusted the umbrella above them both.

Damn, he was wider then he looked.

She struggled to grab the bag, and he was not helping the situation, with his breath going down her neck, he smelled of mint and a cologne that was currently muddling her brain. She realized all at once that his face was far to close, and this would look like a very intimate hug to anyone walking by. Just as her breath quickened and his eyes darkened, was his face always this sharp, her hands connected and, bag switched, she pulled back and took a deep breath of fresh air to calm her nerves.

His arm that rested on her shoulder seemed far more intimate than before and she struggled with the need to push it off as she looked back up at him. He was facing the other direction shaking, and it took her a second to realize he was holding in a coughing fit, she reached her arm up from his side to rub his back soothingly as she walked them back to the corner.

Damn they'd missed the light.

She jabbed the button repeatedly as she watched the cars pass.

"So… Where do you live?"

It took her a second to process he had asked her something.

"Ha? ...Oh! Umm I just live down this boulevard" She jutted her chin out in the direction and he nodded his head. Silence filled the air.

"Where do you live?" Apparently that was the wrong question to ask, as he scrunched up his face with a snarl of disgust.

"I don't have a home" He hissed the words at her and she looked down. The next moment the light turned green and she sighed in relief at something else to do other than carry on this broken conversation.

When they reached the other side she realized that she forgot something.

"Wait! I don't know your name! And you don't know mine!" How could she forget her name? And his! Her wide eyes looked up at him and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Young-do"

"Young-do…?"

"Just Young-do" His jaw clenched in a way that let her know she wouldn't be getting a last name.

"Well, just Young-do, I'm just En-sang"