Chapter 2 (1/1)

There was an important presentation today, Seong-Im was feeling very nervous. “Where is Kim Jong Kook!” she wondered. She had to admit that he made her calm down, she couldn’t help but looked around, hoping he would come soon. “He will be late,” Jae Suk said. “He was caught in a jam.” Ji Hyo looked at him, and blinked her eyes with a mong look. “I meant Jong Kook will be late.” Jae Suk clarified. “He said he would make it in time before the presentation, and asked me not to worry. Why should I be worry?” Jae Suk looked at her, “He is not the one who is going to present, there is no need for him to be here.” “Is it?” Seong-Im did not calm down after hearing the news. She wanted to put her fingers in her mouth to calm herself down but it will look unprofessional. She wanted his reassure touch to tell her everything will be ok. She felt like telling Jae Suk, Jong Kook needed to be here for the presentation to go well. After 10 minutes, he came running into the door, he was covered in sweat, his white shirt was covered in mud and his hands bruised. He went towards her, extending his hand, her hand automatically gripped his and her heartbeat steadied. She was confident that everything would be ok. The secretary requested them to start the presentation and both Seong-Im and Jae Suk went into the room. After they went in, Jong Kook making his way back to their office, limping all the way, the speed he arrived didn’t met the speed he left. “Hyung, what happened to you?” Kwang Soo and Haha was concerned, their usually well-dressed Hyung was in a mess. “I fell down the stairs. Just a little bruise, no problem.” Jong Kook tried to be nonchalant about his fall. He had omitted the fact that he fell from half a flight of stairs and got some cuts from broken glassed that was shattered on the floor. “I better go and wash up.” He limped his way to the toilet. He caught himself in the mirror, he was really in a mess. He sighed, he didn’t even know the reason why he bothered to rush to office, just to make Seong-Im calm, it for the good of the project, for all the hard work they put in, he tried to rationalise. Somehow the reasons didn’t seem convincing enough to him too. The water string his hands, he gritted his teeth. He looked at the muddy shirt and tore pants, there is nothing for him to change too, he just needed to bear with it then. He slowly made his way to his desk and start working. After half an hour, Jae Suk happy voice could be heard, “It was a success, lady and gentlemen. The men up there love our ideas. Thanks for all your hard work.” Seong-Im trailing behind Jae Suk, her eyes were on Jong Kook, in her nervousness and relief just now, she didn’t noticed the state Jong Kook was in. Now it had shocked her. She felt tears welling up her eyes, she tried to make them go away, there was no way she was going to cry for him, but looking at him in his state, made her inside twirl, there was feelings she couldn’t put her fingers on. “What happened to you?” Jae Suk asked.“Nothing, I just had a trip.” Jong Kook appeared calm, he didn’t want anyone to notice especially Seong-Im, that it was because he rushed to company to make sure someone could stay her cool. “Small bruises.” And he turned his attention back on his work so that everyone could talk about something else. A pair of small hands took his, he lifted his head and saw Seong-Im’s determine face, she sat down quietly beside him and opened the first-aid box. She took up iodine and started to treat the bruises on his hands. Then she plastered them. She kneeled down and saw the cuts on his knees, this time, her tears dropped down, she couldn’t control them when she see how badly cut it was. Jong Kook watched her tears fell, it had made ripples in his heart and he felt he couldn’t breathe. He didn’t want tears in her eyes, he liked the feisty woman better, he can handle her, the teary woman only made his heart broke. “It would string more,” she said quietly as she put on the iodine. He swallowed the yell, not wanting to make attention to both of them and not making her worried, the rest of team were still excited over the good news. They are like in their own private bubbles. “You better don’t walk too much, I afraid the cut would tear. Get Haha Oppa or Kwang Soo to run your errands and buy you lunch” she suggested. “Ok,” he agreed, the first time they both agreed on something in a peaceful atmosphere. “I will get you some clothes to change. You wear large right?” he was not fat, but he was full of muscles and they made him bigger size. “Yes, thank you.”She walked away, keeping away the first-aid box. She made an excuse not to have lunch with the team, saying she had an appointment with her friend. He too made up something, so he could rest in office. He had asked Haha to get something for him. The rest of the team didn’t ask much and they left happily for lunch. Seong-Im felt like a wife shopping for her husband and it make her happy, she didn’t stop to analysis why, she didn’t care. She liked the feeling. He would looked good in black, so she chose him a shirt and pants, she could picture him looked dashing in them. She bought herself a sandwich which she ate on her way back. She was earlier than the rest, she handed him the bag of clothes, “I don’t know what you like, so I chose something my father would wear.” She said, she could not possibly tell him she handpicked the clothes for him. “Thank You” he got up, his knees complained and sent pains into him. He tried not to show it and even tried to walk normally so she would not suspect anything. When he was out of her sight, he slowed down and limped his way to the gentles. He felt pain on his knees and hands when he changed his clothes. He could see bruises in his arms and body too.He knew he had a bad fall. He put the dirty clothes back into the bag and looked himself in the mirror. She had good taste, he looked almost dashing in this set of clothes. Anyway, if not for anything else, he felt better in clean clothes. He limped back to the door, he could hear commotion coming inside. The rest were back. “Hyung, who bought you the clothes, my, you looked really handsome in these” Kwang Soo said. “Yeah, Jong Kook, this set of clothes really bring out the better side of you.” Jin Suk looked at him with admiration, “I wanted to get something like this too”. The rest teased him but he didn’t say Seong-Im bought the clothes for him. It was something private to him. The rest of the day passed quickly, the office was surprising quiet. Seong-im sent Jong Kook a message, “Wait for me, I will accompany you home” Jong Kook felt his ears heated up, “There is no need for you to do that, I could manage it” “I want too.” Was her reply. “the bruises looked too bad, we need to go see doctor” He couldn’t argue with her, he was feeling feverish. “Something was not quite right today” Gary said at the end of the day, he had a peaceful and quiet day. “I am feeling so peaceful.” “Yeah, where is the usual bickering?’ wondered Haha. Seong-Im stiffed, “It was because I am in good mood today.” She stole a look at Jong Kook, his face had turned a feverish red. “You guys wanted me to pick a squabble with you?” “Nope, we all wanted to go home now” all of them rushed off, they had been working overtime for too long, a day like this, they should go home and relax. She walked to his side, her hands moved to his forehead, he felt hot. “Come on, let’s got see a doctor.” He nodded weakly, he was thankful that the rest didn’t notice, they had thought he was busy with their new project. He didn’t know how she knew but he was grateful she didn’t make a big issue while the rest was around. They took a cab to the doctor, Seong-Im helped him and he was feeling weak. He showed the doctor all his bruises and the doctor said that his cuts got infected. He asked Seong-Im to help Jong Kook applied the medicine and showed her the procedure. Jong Kook wanted to tell the doctor she was not his girlfriend but looking at her so intensely learning, he kept his mouth shut. Seong-Im took him back to his apartment where he lived alone. She had went to supermarket and bought some ingredients to make porridge for him. He had protested but she refused to listen. She looked at his clean house, it was impossible to imagine a guy lived here, the kitchen looked used and he had everything to cook a decent meal. She quickly set to work and make enough fish porridge for two. Jong Kook had changed into something more comfortable and he was sitting in the living room watching television, but his eyes followed her around, while she busied herself in the kitchen. He could smell the aromatic smell of the porridge. “Come and eat dinner,” she called out and he made his way slowly. The porridge taste good and he polished his food in no time. Seong-Im smiled looking at him enjoying a meal she cooked. She gave him his medicine and sent him to bed. “I will close the door when I leave. I will be here tomorrow morning to help you apply medicine.” She instructed. His eyes felt heavy and he fell asleep after hearing her.She felt different today, it was like her relationship with Jong Kook took a 180 turn. She liked the feeling, been there supporting him, they sharing moments together. It had her felt special, it made them felt special. She couldn’t pin point her feelings, she just know she enjoyed it and wanted their relationship to stay this way. But she knew it would be quite impossible, this is not the relationship they had. She tossed round in her bed for quite some time before sleep claimed her.