Finally, I have update. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. For some time I've been stuck (writer's block, mind you) and I never though I would update. But lo and behold, my inspiration has decided to help me out.
Hana hummed a slow tune as she arranged different bottles in the glass cabinets of Seok Jung's small clinic. As she had promised to Ji Hoo's grandfather some time ago, and to her boyfriend himself, Hana came to the clinic. Harabeoji was in the consultation room with a patient and Hana was left to tend to the remaining clients waiting for their turn. With a gentle twist of her neck the girl turned to look around, observing the few people currently in the room. She smiled at a young girl who eyed her with sheer interest before resuming her organising activity.
The door she had her back turned to creaked open with a tiny sound of protest. Hana turned around to face whoever came in. To her utmost astonishment Ji Hoo stood in front of her.
"Hey." Hana called out in a breathless voice. She smiled when he inclined his head in her direction as a form of greeting. In turn she also bowed her head.
"Are you busy?" her boyfriend asked and promptly looked around. Carefully he assed the room after which he turned to Hana. "I'm going to tell harabeoji we're leaving."
Before he could take more than a couple of steps Hana said, "I think you should wait until he's done with his patient. It won't be long now."
Ji Hoo looked like he was about to protest but thought better of it and instead he started speaking to Hana again. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing much, just a bit of organising." she replied. "I've missed you." Her voice trembled as she whispered the confession to him like it was a secret. "What about you? How have you been keeping busy?" This time her voice was firmer.
The young man smiled at her before he answered. "Just helping harabeoji." Slowly he leaned in, "I've missed you too." he spoke softly when their face were only centimetres apart.
"Please don't let us disturb you." a voice suddenly said making the couple break apart. Seok Jung smiled knowingly at his grandson before letting his eyes flicker over the woman at his side. "If the two of you feel like spending some quality time together you may go now. You've helped me enough for today." The words were kind and assuring with no trace of disappointment in them.
"I'll consider that your approval harabeoji. Hana and I are leaving now. Annyeonghi gyeseyo." Ji Hoo retaliated and took Hana's hand in his. The old man nodded his head when Hana too bid her goodbye as Ji Hoo exited the clinic with her in tow.
The wind blew lightly outside. The pale shine of the sun lacked warmth but it wasn't cold either even though the sky was partly covered with clouds. Hana came out behind Ji Hoo, struggling to keep up with the pace he set. Of course he'd be faster than her; she was shorter so her steps were smaller too. In fact Hana was the shortest of the group, barely making it past five feet. Compared to his six feet she did look petite. She smiled at the stray thought, absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. The rest of her chestnut brown straight locks cascaded down her back.
Smiling shyly Hana watched her boyfriend for a second. It felt surreal, being with him like this. Shaking that overpowering emotion away the girl quickened her pace. The last thing she wanted to do was become a simpering, clingy girl, and with Ji Hoo that line between affectionate and dependent was just so easy to cross. Long ago Hana had promised herself that no matter how much she loved a man she wouldn't depend of him. Her own mother, Young Mi, had relied strongly on her father, Hyun Ki, and that got her only heartache. She refused to be her mother's replica.
People changed their mind all the time, like her father, and the once peaceful relationship became a war, a constant fight for the upper hand. As one who had to live with that Hana had sworn to never subject herself, and eventually her children, to anything like that. But she could feel herself slipping. A lopsided smile, a lingering glance and Hana was lost under it all. She wanted to give in but the reluctance held her back with a cold, maddening grip. It was like a small glass shard with sharp edges; the wound was not big but it was still painful, a constant reminder that not even love was enough sometimes.
A strange feeling took over Ji Hoo. The atmosphere seemed to have lost some of its earlier warmth, dropping a few degrees. He turned and stared at Hana. She had a troubled look on her face although moments ago she had been happily trailing after him. Ji Hoo was well aware that she had things she didn't tell him, as did he. Their relationship was still budding, a little uncertain and shy. He just wished he could help her somehow. But whenever he tried to get her to open up she would shrink into herself. Knowing from experience not to push, Ji Hoo let her be, hoping that she would trust him enough to tell him when she wanted to. They were so much alike in that aspect that he knew it would be futile to try pressuring her into revealing what bothered her. He refused to rush things this time.
Instead, he walked closer to her and took her hand. Snapped out of her reverie Hana looked up at him and blushed at being caught so unaware. Ji Hoo's lips stretched in a languid smile as he brushed her cheek with the fingers of his other hand. He decided that whatever issues presented themselves they would work through them together. Thighs would work out this time around. They had to. They just had to, for both their sakes.
Something in the pit of his stomach rolled and Ji Hoo tried his hardest to ignore it.
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Ga Eul put the two porridge bowls on a tray as Mi Young placed the needed eating utensils. Their boss was somewhere in the kitchen making more porridge no doubt and waiting for one of them to vanish so he could complain to the other or to some unfortunate clients. Hana had said once that they weren't fired because they made the boss' life interesting. That and the F4 visiting brought in a horde of clients, of the female variety of course. That was not to say males didn't make an appearance. Ga Eul blinked the though away as colour rose to her cheeks. "Get a grip," she whispered to herself and picked the tray up. Sidestepping the counter, the girl walked carefully to one of the occupied tables and laid food servings down.
Mi Young lifted her head a bit and smirked at Ga Eul once she was back behind the counter. "You know, they say it's a sign of mental illness when you're talking to yourself."
"I am not talking to myself." Ga Eul replied, clearly startled. But apparently she had been if Mi Young's disbelieving look was anything to go by. Throwing her partner an annoyed look she added, "And I'm perfectly sane, thank you very much."
Pushing her glassed up, Mi Young scoffed softly. "Never mind, I like you the way you are, crazy and all that."
"Oh, thank you." the other girl answered in mock delight. "So are you taking Si Young to the saloon today?"
"The sooner the better." Resignation filled the statement. Mi Young fiddled with her glasses for a moment before smiling a tad awkwardly. "I still haven't told Woo Bin."
Just as she opened her mouth to reply, Ga Eul heard the door open and snapped her head around. An elderly woman stepped in, gracefully gliding over the white-tiled floors. Despite her age she was well-dressed and clearly carefully looked after. And perhaps a stern woman too, by the way her eyes scrutinized the young girls before her. A cool smile rested on her rouge lips as sparkling dark eyes assessed the two persons before her. Ga Eul shivered at that penetrating stare; this woman was reading right into them.
"Which one of you is Chu Ga Eul?" the older woman asked yet it was clear that she already knew who the person was by the way she glued her stare to the mentioned girl.
After sharing a look with Mi Young and exchanging silent lines Ga Eul leaned over in greeting and spoke, "That would be me. I'm Chu Ga Eul, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"I've no doubt about that. Do you know who I am?" the elder asked cuttingly but gave Ga Eul no time to reply, "I am Mok Chun Hei."
If Ga Eul had expected to hear anything more, Mok Chun Hei kept quiet, only her eyes moving. Mi Young shifted uncomfortably and wondered if she should introduce herself also. The old woman scared her with the belligerent attitude but the bark was often worse than the bite. When she expected it less, Chun Hei turned her eyes towards her. "You are the young lady that had attended last week's function with the Song's son." Chun Hei nodded her head along while speaking.
Dae Mi Young glanced to the side and smiled deprecatingly. 'The old woman is still sharp. Who could she be? Me and Woo Bin haven't been dating for that long for his family to get involved yet. And she does seem more interested in Ga Eul. Could she be a relative of Yi Jeong's?' There was something about the old woman mi Young couldn't quite put a finger on. "Ye, I'm Dae Mi Young."
Chun Hei didn't let her mask slip, not even for a moment, no matter how pleased she was by her grandson's choice. This Ga Eul looked like a sensible girl. When she had wrenched the name of the young woman from her grandson's lips, Chun Hei had half-expected her to be some silly, little tart out for Yi Jeong's money. However she had been pleasantly surprised to find out that the girl was a decent person from a good family with strong moral values, if perhaps still too young to tie the knot. For the past few days the old woman had gathered information on this girl, avidly reading over reports. While the reason of Yi Jeong's fixation was still much a mystery, Chun Hei was forced to admit that the girl was a far cry from what she had expected.
As for the other young lady, Chun Hei could only thank the heavens that the Song heir had found somebody appropriate to conduct a relationship with. Her many reports said that these two girls were friends, good friends. Their influence was bound to have a positive effect on her grandson and his friends. 'After all, look at the Goo heir; his love has helped him. That boy is all the better for embarking on a relationship with that commoner girl.' Back to Ga Eul though, Yi Jeong had seemed really lost but this Ga Eul certainly looked like a considerate young lady; a sensible, reasonable girl who would open up her heart if only he tried. But like most men, he didn't think to try. He just assumed that she would reject him because he had previously hurt her. 'Foolish boy.'
"I'm done. I've seen what I came to see." Mok Chun Hei stated. She threw one last look at the girls before turning around and heading for the door. "We'll see each other again." The door closed with a thud leaving twomesmerized girls behind.
"Okay, what exactly was that about?" Mi Young asked after a few seconds of deafening silence.
"Would you believe me if I said I had no idea?" Ga Eul spoke, her eyes still locked on the door, on a now empty spot.
"Possibly." was the dry reply she got. "It was weird."
"Very weird." her friend agreed.
The patrons of the shop seemed undisturbed by the event. They had barely registered the woman coming in and leaving, and were happily eating porridge and chatting. At least they weren't nosey. Some people just didn't know when to keep to their own business. And that could be pretty annoying. Especially for private persons like Ga Eul and Mi Young.
"Why do the weirdest things keep happening to us?"
Shrugging Mi Young returned to placing porridge in bowls and delivering them to their assigned tables. Being busy would give her time to think. Or rather an excuse to silently observe the tug-of-war between her fear and hope. There was a small irrational part of her that occasionally liked to put her down. Sure, Woo Bin and her were together now, but what about a year from now, two years from now and so on. Mi Young berated herself. Life never did come with such certainties. She had to live in the moment and stop worrying about things out of her control. More than any other, she should know the importance of living in the moment.
Behind the counter alone with her thoughts once more, Ga Eul sighed deeply. 'This is definitely strange. That old lady didn't look a smidge surprised. Almost like she already knew everything there was to know about me. And she is no doubt rich; it's all in the way she acts and talks. But what could she possibly want from me?' Grabbing a rag she started vigorously scrubbing the table, making sure no speck of dust escaped. 'I think I'm going insane; slowly but surely going insane. Why is it that I never know anything and end up falling in some trap?'
Meanwhile, Mi Young was having an unvoiced debate. 'Should I tell Woo Bin? I think I should. And why not? He's my boyfriend; he has the right to know.' The indecision gnawed at her. Of course sooner or later Woo Bin would find out about Si Young but she simply didn't want to burden him with her problems. God knew he had enough of his own to deal with. Mi Young thought it unfair to add her load of trouble to the weight on his shoulders. Knowing them like she did now, the girl understood that while the F4 could be haughty and cold, once they considered you their friend they would help you; forcibly if needed. But it wasn't like Mi Young needed the help. Her family, while not as financially developed as others, was quite well off. Paying the hospital bills had never been an issue. Pondering carefully the bespectacled girl sighed softly. She was meeting Woo Bin after work today. Maybe she would tell him after all. 'If I get the courage, that is. Damn it! Why am I such a coward when it counts?!' Sliding another bowl on a table before vowing to the customers, Mi Young had a particularly strong impulse to scowl. 'I'm going to tell him. I will definitely tell him.'
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Counting in his mind, Woo Bin cursed the time for not passing faster. Discreetly he took a peek at his father. The older man was staring ahead with a cold gaze as one of the higher gang members gave their report, stressing the problematic points. Woo Bin sighed. Right now, the only thing he wanted was to get out of here and find Mi Young. Over the past few days they hadn't really had a real opportunity to spend time together. Somewhat alarmed he found himself genuinely missing her. Not the physicality of her, just her presence. That was novelty.
A hand touched his shoulder and Woo Bin tensed without even meaning to, it was purely on instinct that he went stiff. Turning his head slightly he saw the stern face of his father, dark eyes staring into his. Understanding flickered in the older man's eyes and his son just couldn't help but be bewildered. Woo Bin got up and bowed. He was finally free to go on his way and pick Mi Young up. Not wasting a moment more, he tore through the building out to his car, one hand searching through his pockets for his phone so he could text her.
Getting into his car Woo Bin started the engine and sped up the street. It would take at least fifteen minutes for him to reach the porridge shop. He drove through the busy traffic. Ten more minutes. That wasn't long. Woo Bin reasoned with himself that it was stupid to miss a person so badly even if they had just started dating; it was very unlike him. He was someone with experience; the high was to be expected but this was something else. He felt like he could live off of her smiles when she passed one such dazzling lip curl his way.
Woo Bin parked the car. The second he looked up, Mi Young was in front of his eyes. The girl smiled sweetly at him and waved. Her natural brown hair was pulled back in a braid and her glasses glinted in the light. He returned the smile feeling perfectly content to watch her hurry across the pavement to his car. She opened the door and climbed in, cheeks rosy and lips pouting.
"Hello there." he greeted while leaning in and fastening her seatbelt. Mi Young let him be, staying still for him.
"Hey yourself," she replied with a half-smile, "and thank you."
For a moment there Mi Young had been petrified as she saw Woo Bin's car park. All the panic, nauseating and harrowing, she had been battling had attacked with a vengeance and she thought that she wouldn't be able to do it. However as soon as she got in the car, the feeling disappeared. For some reason she felt at ease now that she saw the smile on his face. Would she be able to ruin his mood? She had to. Mi Young knew she had to. Wondering what his reaction would be was not helping.
"We need to talk." she voiced while searching his gaze. Involuntary, Mi Young winced at the sound of her own voice. Perhaps she should have started somewhere else and a bit different.
The smile he had been giving her slid right off his face. Woo Bin's eyes flashed at her morose expression. What did they have to talk about? His lips pressed in a thin line as assumptions filled his brain. "I'm listening."
As if guessing his dark thought, Mi Young cut them off. "I mean that I have something to tell you. I really need to talk to you. It's about my sister, actually."
Confusion shone in Woo Bin's eyes. "Go on." he prompted after she had fallen silent, feeling slightly more relaxed, and vowing to help her however he could once she told him what the problem was. "What do you want to tell me?"
"I don't even know how to begin."
"Take your time."
Drop a line, will you? As an author I'm very happy to know what my readers think.