So, here goes the next chapter. Thank you for your patience.
Mi Young excused herself from her current company. Jan Di and Jun Pyo were bickering yet again and Woo Bin was watching them with an amused grin stretched across his face; Ye Jin too looked curiously at them. This made sneaking away much easier. Her phone in her pocket buzzed, making her wonder how it could still function with no battery. It had automatically turned off a bit earlier. Not bothering to think up reasons Mi Young dug in the pocket of her shorts and retrieved the device. She peered at the screen noticing she had a missed call. Upon seeing her sister's name she promptly called back.
"Yoboseyo? Baby, how are you?" Mi Young asked lightly, hoping that her sister didn't get upset. "I'm sorry I didn't answer. But I honestly thought my phone was dead." She explained after a few moments when Si Young said nothing.
"Aniya! It's fine. I just wanted to ask you something unnie." The younger girl replied happily. Mi Young heard a swish which made her assume Si Young was home.
"Anything for you sweetie!" said Mi Young, "Are you, by any chance, home?" she continued, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.
"Ne!" Si Young answered with a giggle. "I want pictures and umm, a souvenir if you can get me one."
Mi Young nodded her head in sync with her sister's requests momentarily forgetting that her collocutor couldn't see her. "I told you, anything you want you'll have. So pictures and souvenirs it is. Do you want anything in particular?"
"Anything you get me is fine."
The call ended after they exchanged their goodbyes. Mi Young was left smiling. The fact that her sister was home could mean only two things; either that she was worse, but if that were the case her parents would have called or that she was getting better. Mi Young really hoped it was the latter. Maybe, just maybe her sister would finally have the chance to be like most children her age. She's get to play outside and they could go out together and get ice-cream. Mi Young blinked away the moisture that gathered behind her eyelids and put the phone back in her pocket.
"You really like making people worry about you, don't you?" A voice sounded suddenly making the yelp. Mi Young turned around only to see Woo Bin standing there with a neutral expression on his face.
"Yah! What's the big idea?" the girl yelled at him, scoffing in irritation when he remained impassive. After a few more moments of silence she finally asked, "Why are you here?" The question ended in a tired sort of sigh.
"You just took off without saying anything." Woo Bin remarked while stepping closer to Mi Young who shook her head in denial.
"I did not just leave. I told you I was going outside; it's not my fault you didn't pay attention." At this point Mi Young was a bit irked at his attitude. 'He doesn't love me, I get that. But then he goes and does something like this. Woo Bin, sometimes I feel like ripping you hair out!' Him showing concern only made her hope, and Mi Young couldn't afford to hope for more than he was willing to give. She wouldn't have her heart broken like that, nor would she let him stomp on it by pretending to be concerned about her.
Before Woo Bin got the chance to further question Mi Young her phone started buzzing once again. With a groan she picked the device again and answered in a shrill tone. "What?" Her anger subsided once Si Won's voice came through the speaker asking whether she and the other two would be back soon. "I'll try to find them." she assured sweetly before adding in a teasing voice, "But I promise nothing." With that her second call ended and she half forgot that Woo Bin was with her.
"I thought you said your phone went dead." The observation had a cutting edge to it that Mi Young didn't like at all so she stopped herself from answering and settled for glowering at him. "Or does it go dead only when you talk to certain persons?" Now the accusation was blatant and Mi Young gritted her teeth. His eyes were set on her and the force of his stare made her stagger slightly but she didn't answer him, there was no point.
Mi Young made to get back to Jan Di but sharp tug on her arm kept her there. She turned to Woo Bin, ready to chastise him for acting like he did. "What is it? What do you want?" Her exasperation must have been clear because the grip on her arm loosened a little. She still couldn't get away but it would have to do. He too looked annoyed behind that cool façade of his. "Let go." Mi Young grounded out after a few seconds of complete silence. After last time she knew struggling against him would get her nowhere so she waited.
"No." The answer was decidedly calm and it infuriated Mi Young. "Not until you tell me what I want to know." This only made her glare harder at him and strengthened her resolve. Only, Woo Bin wasn't a person to be trifled with. With an unexpected yank he pulled her closer to him. "Tell me. Now." The command was clear and Mi Young knew there was no getting around it.
"Fine." She gritted past her clenched teeth. "You want to know? I'll tell you. I'm doing what you wanted me to do." At his apparent confusion she sighed. "I'm letting go, pabo. This…" Mi Young trailed off to gesture at herself with her free hand, "is me letting go. I won't; I refuse to be taken for a fool. You said I should find a nice guy to fall in love with. I'm trying so if you care about me, even a tiny little bit, stop acting like I should be at you beck and call." During her speech her voice raised a bit and she started pulling away from him. "Let go. Please."
Her desperation made something snap in him. Mi Young was sure this would be a repeat of last time but to her utter surprise it wasn't. In fact it was nothing like last time. Instead of pushing her against the wall Woo Bin moved his hand to the nape of her neck and arched her head upwards. In swift motion he crashed his lips against hers and no matter how hard Mi Young tried to make it let go he wouldn't. 'What am I doing? He has a girlfriend.' The words echoed in her mind but they were soon dismissed when Woo Bin started getting more insistent.
Something moved to her left side. She caught it with her peripheral vision. As it came more into view she could make out Ye Jin's face; her mouth twisted in a sneer was more than enough to make Mi Young panic. So she did what came first to mind; she bit down hard. With a yelp Woo Bin pulled away and his eyes landed on a very displeased Ye Jin. Mi Young expected him to start distancing himself from her, but he looped an arm around her waist and stared coldly at Ye Jin while Mi Young trembled in his hold.
"What's going on here?" Ye Jin asked in a shaky voice. It was clear that she didn't want to know the answer but something compelled her to ask. "I thought…you said it didn't matter. And then you just walked away." Her voice broke and Mi Young couldn't help but wonder what this was about and why she was still there. She tried to pull away and leave again but the grip on her waist only tightened.
"Yes it doesn't matter." Woo Bin affirmed. "You misunderstood the reason behind my words. It doesn't matter and neither do you." His voice sent chills down Mi Young's spine. She did know that Woo Bin could be cruel when he wanted to but this went beyond that. "I'm sorry that you were deluded into thinking otherwise." There was of course no remorse behind his words and Mi Young found herself pitying Ye Jin.
"You won't get away with this." Ye Jin assured him and turned on her heel, marching away at a rapid pace.
"Could you tell me what that was about?" Mi Young prodded him after Ye Jin was gone. Finally she got the courage to look up at him when he didn't answer only to him his eyes were trained on her once again. Unwittingly her gaze lowered to his mouth. She blinked a few times at the sight before going red. His lower lip was bleeding. Slowly she lifted her hand up to his face waiting for him to pull away. He didn't, so she brushed the thread of blood from his lip with the pad of her thumb. He didn't even flinch when her digit touched the small wound. "I'm sorry." Mi Young whispered her voice laced with regret.
Woo Bin's lips stretched in a grin at her antics. "Then make it up to me." The challenge was laid out before her as he backed her against the wall; this seemed like something he liked to do lately. At her questioning gaze a twinkle sparked in his eyes. "You know, they say a kiss can heal anything." He chuckled when Mi Young's face went a deeper shade of red and lowered his face to hers. It was her choice if she kissed him or not.
Mi Young pouted at his amused demeanour. She leaned in and swept her lips against the sore spot. Woo Bin seemed to take it as an okay to proceed further. If the first kiss had been ferocious and demanding on his part this one was gentle. He let her take control only angling himself better.
"We can't do this." Mi Young told him once they parted to breathe. "You have a girlfriend." She reminded him and herself too when he tried to steal another kiss from her.
"Yes I do. And she's stalling." Once those words left his mouth it clicked in his mind. "Mi Young just in case I didn't make myself clear by now; you are my girlfriend." The statement ended her concerns just like that. Using it to his advantage Woo Bin dragged his lips across hers in the ghost of a kiss.
The sound of footsteps broke the moment. Woo B in was sorely tempted to have his men beat whoever interrupted them this time. To their surprise, his and Mi Young's, Hana and Ji Hoo came into view. Even more surprising was the light in his friend's eyes. Woo Bin hadn't seen it in a long while. Hana herself glowed with happiness as she said something to his friend, her hand motioning something only he understood.
Hana stopped speaking when her eyes landed on Mi Young and Woo Bin but her smile didn't weaver. She greeted them with a wave and Ji Hoo nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Mi Young was about to go to Hana when she noticed that Woo Bin still hadn't let go. She blushed when she saw Ji Hoo and Hana noticed but said nothing besides her greeting. "Hey!"
"Ye Eun called. She said we should get back soon." Hana said while her eyes flickered to the hand on Mi Young's waist. "Have you seen Ga Eul?"
"I know. Si Won called me to say the same thing. As for Ga Eul, I have no idea where she is." Mi Young replied hoping that Woo Bin would get the idea and let go of her waist. She needed to go back to her hotel room. It wasn't like they didn't get to see each other in Seoul anyway.
"She's with Yi Jeong so there's no need to worry." Woo Bin reassured Mi Young.
'That's exactly what I'm worried about!' Mi Young protested quietly looking at Hana for help. She hoped her friend would understand. Hana was usually very perceptive to the needs of her friends.
"Alas we must find her and return." Hana said and smiled at Mi Young. "We better be on our way." She added and pulled Mi Young after her. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin looked after them until they could no longer be seen.
Ga Eul's whole body tensed when Yi Jeong put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked in a seemingly concerned voice. She nodded her head wondering if it would make him believe her lie. Of course she was not alright. Would he be alright if someone ripped his heart out and tore it to pieces? The image of Eun Jae flashed in her mind's eye and all of a sudden Ga Eul felt ashamed for thinking it. She knew more than anyone else what his story with Eun Jae entailed. But damn it she loved him and he was only making her suffer.
"I'm fine, sunbae." She told him once she found her voice. Her fingers twirled a strand of her hair in circular motions. She knew he wasn't entirely convinced by the look he threw her way. Fortunately he didn't press her further. She exhaled relieved at this and walked next to him sure that he wouldn't bring the topic up again. Her sandals clicked against the pavement in a perfect rhythm, matching him step for step. Ga Eul closed her eyes for a few seconds enjoying the peacefulness.
Yi Jeong looked at her taking in her visage. His heart pounded in his chest in an unusual manner. It scared him, this foreign feeling that stole his breath and made his heart beat like mad. Things were so much easier with Yoon Hae. She was safe, with her he was rational. With Ga Eul however anything could happen. And we couldn't let himself hurt her. For whatever reason the thought of anyone hurting Ga Eul made him angry beyond belief; he would protect her the best he knew how to. But for that to happen she had to keep her distance.
Yi Jeong knew he was not good for her. He hadn't been good for Eun Jae either and Ga Eul was so much like his former love interest, both so innocent and trusting. Yoon Hae was different. She understood his constant need to flirt around and didn't take offence when he would do so just as long as he didn't cross the boundaries. She didn't idolize him like many others yet she didn't chastise him either. She let him be. With Yoon Hae it was about being free to do what he liked. If it were Ga Eul in her place Yi Jeong knew he would never be able to look at another woman. It would just feel wrong to betray Ga Eul like that. So he took Yoon Hae and kept Ga Eul at a distance.
I hope it is to your liking my dear readers. :)