07: THIRTY SECOND KISS

"I never thought I would regret giving my first kiss so carelessly. I should have waited. If I had, you would have been my first and last kiss." 

- Joo Seok-hoon pov

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

07: 30 SECOND KISS

Seok-hoon pov:

I kept waiting by her door.

'Where did she go this late in the evening?'

The lunch box I brought dangles from my hand as I keep looking at the hall, waiting for her to come back.

I was still pacing when I heard the elevator ping.

When I turned around, I put my hand on my chest, feeling my heart stop as I saw her in a beautiful golden dress.

She stopped her tracks as she saw me standing near her door.

"Is there something you need me for?"

"This. . ."

I start stuttering as she takes a step forward.

"I. . . I. . . ."

"Is that for me?"

"Ithoughtyouhaven'thaddinneryetandIalsohavetothankyouforthatnight. "

"Slow down. . ."

"I thought you hadn't had dinner yet, and I also have to thank you for that night."

"Thank you for this. I'll enjoy it."

She takes the box from me with a smile.

"Did you go somewhere?"

"I met a friend."

"A guy. . ."

I can hear my own voice growling. As if I heard something very unpleasant.

"I should go inside now."

"You. . ."

"Good night, Joo Seok-hoon."

I punched the wall near her door after she closed the door. I can feel the anger bubbling inside me.

She met a guy in that dress, wearing that make-up and that perfume, but she still accepted my dinner.

I gave out an exasperated laugh.

I felt something bubbling from inside me.

It's a different type of anger that I feel toward my father.

This is more. . . . raw. . . and . . . .

'Who are you dating?'

. . . .

Eun-bi pov:

I went to the shower tiredly, remembering my conversation with Logan.

Flashback. . .

"So, miss Euniece, what made you come to me?"

"I want to meet the guy who kept on giving me surprises."

"So, what do you think?"

"Well, he's not as bad as I thought he'd look."

I gave him a smile before asking him another question.

"How about you? Why do you keep giving me gifts?"

"I want to know what kind of person you are."

My brow twitches upward as I look at him straight with a fake smile on my face.

"Have I satisfied your curiosity?"

"Why are you pretending to be someone else?"

He questioned me instead of answering my question, so I started forking the vegetable as I smiled at him.

"Okay! Fairly done."

He must have noticed that I didn't like him not answering my question as he laughed after I stayed quiet.

"I want justice for my sister."

I stopped forking the vegetables on my plate. I looked at him and mentioned the name that both of us really went here for.

"Min seol-ah."

"Yes."

"And how do I fit the bill?"

"I'm not sure. It's just, you've been looking at what happened, I just. . ."

"You want me to help you."

"Will that not be possible?"

"Depends on who your target is."

"I will not harm the children. I just want them to repent for their cruelty."

"How about you, What is it that you want from snooping around?"

"I want to help her heal from what happened."

"Do we have a deal then?"

I keep thinking about it. I knew what he was after the moment I received his note. I knew what he wanted, but I thought that meeting with him could help me change his mind, but now I know he will not change his mind.

"We don't!"

I placed my knife and fork down and took the napkin from my side.

"Clearly, what we want are two different things. I will repay for my sister's crimes my way."

"Good night Mr. Lee."

I escaped immediately after giving him a nod and leaving the restaurant, walk-running away from him.

"I look forward to how you will do it."

I didn't stop walking.

I continued to walk away without looking back.

End of flashback. . .

My dinner with Logan is both uninteresting and tiresome. After finishing my shower, I put on a simple nightgown and head to the kitchen counter to eat the dinner given to me.

"Now, this is dinner."

I smile as I devour the food that has been given to me.

I keep remembering Logan, I am sure that he feels angry at how his sister died, but I can't let him do anything to my sister either.

'I'm sorry, Logan.'

'Between Min Seol-ah and my sister, I will always choose Eun-byeol.'

'Even if I have to pay the price myself!'

. . . . .

Seok-kyung pov:

My brother punched the punching bag harder each time it swung back to him.

He glared at the punching bag like it was an enemy he had to kill.

I watched him, wary of his mood.

He's been in a bad mood ever since yesterday.

I don't really know what happened, but he looked like he was going to kill someone anytime soon.

"Oppa! We need to go to school now."

I stepped back when he turned to me with a glare.

His gaze changed when he saw me.

His expression turned dark to normal when he saw me looking at him, scared.

"I'll go freshen up."

. . . . . . . . . .

I was being careful because of his mood when the boys started bullying Rona again. It seems fun watching them throw garbage at her. My brother also doesn't do anything.

In fact, I don't think he even knows that something is happening. He's too . . . distracted.

While we watch from afar, Rona acts more miserable, holding the mop and swinging it in every direction. I laugh at her actions as she tries to fend herself with a mop.

"RONA!!"

I immediately call out as she falls from the rail, just in time to be saved by the weird-looking teacher.

He saved her from falling while my brother walked calmly toward her and assisted her properly.

"Are you okay, Rona?"

My brother put her in his arms and carried her without her permission.

All the students looked shocked at his actions while I smirked at his actions. I watch all the students as both of us exit the place.

. . . .

Rona pov:

I've been brought here to the clinic in case I injured myself.

I can feel my ears heating up as Seok-hoon carries me to the clinic himself and puts me down gently on the bed.

"Please look after her well."

Seok-hoon bowed to the doctor, then turned to me and gave a smile.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded with a shy smile as he sat beside me in the bed.

"Rest here for the rest of the day. I will inform the teachers, so you have nothing to worry about, okay?"

I covered myself with the blanket after he left and giggled as I remembered how gentle he was with me.

'Does he like me too?'

. . . .

Seok-hoon pov:

All of us were asked to be here in the court by the teacher and asked us to run as punishment or else we'' be getting points as a team.

My sister obviously didn't want to run. After 3 points, someone pushes her to run as I keep thinking of Eun-byeol.

She didn't even go to class.

'Is she meeting that bastard again?'

'She's even missing school now!!'

My sister suddenly plopped to the ground, acting unconsciously. The teacher challenged her to give her points if she didn't stop acting, but Seok-Kyung continued to act.

I glared at the teacher, "If something happens to my sister, can you take responsibility for it!"

I carried Seok-kyung to the clinic as the teacher looked pissed at how we got out with a very great excuse.

. . . .

Eun-bi pov:

I installed a tracker on my mother's phone and followed her trail here, in a cinema. I was following her discreetly when both Shim Su-ryeon and Oh Yoon hee left the cinema together.

Su-ryeon was crying while Yoon hee was comforting Her.

"Follow them."

After they had left, I went inside the cinema they left and saw both mom and Dan tae eating each other's lips.

'These two disgusting pigs. Do they even know that they got caught by Shim Su-ryeon?'

'I wanted to protect you as much as I can, but if you continue to do idiotic things, I won't be able to do anything for you anymore, Eomma!'

I left and wore my shades before following the trail of Oh Yoon hee and Shim Su-ryeon.

"Where did they go now?"

I closed my phone after getting their current location and went inside and sat behind them without them noticing before getting something light and listening to their rants.

'Eomma, you are making it hard for me to protect you.'

I'm getting sleepier with this boring conversation they're having.

One thing is for sure, Shim Su-ryeon is not as idiotic as she seems.

She caught her husband for the first time, but her expression seemed lacking as if she already knew that he was cheating, so why? Why is she acting like that?

'I should go now.'

. . . . .

"John, I want you to hire someone that will follow Shim Su ryeon from now on. Take photos of her and make sure never to get caught."

"Understood."

"Also, tell Leon I want a full background check on Joo Dan-tae."

"Understood."

I didn't want to involve Min-hyuk too much, but this will also be good training for him, especially since he wants an invitation to Armaggeddon.

I leaned by the wall while waiting for the limo.

Each time I uncover something, there's another thing I need to uncover.

'Exactly how much should I uncover for me to find out what really happened that night?'

'Who is the real murderer?'

I just want to find out who the killer is and shove him to the police, but I keep getting more and more sidetracked.

It's like my sister opened Pandora's box. More and more shitty secrets are spilling out.

'What did we get ourselves into, eun-byeol.'

. . . . . .

I stepped backward, shocked when I saw Seok-hoon on the floor, bleeding?

'Is he bleeding? Again?'

I ran to him and saw his face bleeding.

"Again?"

"Seok-hoon-ah? "Seok-hoon-ah?"

"JOO SEOK-HOON?"

He opened his eyes and pulled me into a hug.

"Shh! Be quiet!"

"Aiisshh! This guy."

I carried him up and entered my pad, dragging his body to my bedroom.

"Joo Seok-hoon, you could at least carry yourself. Do you know how heavy you are!"

I pushed him to the bed as I sat on the ground, tired.

'You don't know how precious my body is!'

"I have to start charging you every time I patch you up."

I got up and took my med kit to the living room before going to him and checking his injuries. I took off his sweater and shirt only to see even more battering in the back.

I sighed in pain as I traced it with my fingers lightly.

"How can anyone ever hurt their child?"

"Bastard!"

I opened the lid of the medicine and started applying it to the cotton before patting it on his wounds.

"Ahh. . ."

I stopped patting him when I heard him in pain.

"Shhh. It's okay! It's okay!"

I started humming random songs while lightly patting the medication on him.

"Mmm. . . mmmm. . . hmmm. . mmm. . ."

I noticed him breathing more peacefully as I hummed, so I continued it till I finished applying the medication to him.

I wanted to wrap him up, but I decided not to so he could properly rest for a while.

I took my phone and called John to bring us something to eat.

"Yes, something healthy and light."

"Bring me something to drink as well."

After ordering John for some dinner, I took my towel and went to the bathroom for a shower while waiting.

. . . .

Seok-hoon pov:

I hear the water from the shower, so I'm guessing she's inside.

She's too unguarded. She brings home a guy and even takes him to her bedroom and even bathes while he's inside her bedroom. Doesn't she care?

'She clearly doesn't see me as a man!'

I tried getting up while I twitched because of my bruises.

'I'm getting used to being beaten these days! I think I'm a masochist too.'

'I keep wanting to get beaten just so I can get an excuse to come to her.'

"Ha eun-byeol. . . Did you actually bewitch me or something?"

I roamed my eyes around her room; it's simple and neat. There's a music stand on the side and a music box on top of her bed headboard.

I turned to the phone she left on the bed table that was ringing, and I had this urgent desire to take the call and hear the other side.

'Is it the guy she met the other night?'

I reached for the phone, checked the door of the bathroom, and checked the caller ID.

'This is. . . .'

. . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

I had just finished showering and changing my clothes when I saw my bedroom empty. The bed is disheveled, and I don't see him anywhere.

'Did he leave?'

I went out and saw him sitting on the couch with the food I had ordered on top of the center table.

"Oh! What are you doing here outside?"

"Ahh! I'm not. . . ."

He looked uncomfortable for someone who was unconscious in front of my door.

I smile playfully at him.

"You need to rest more. Your injuries are too much."

"You should rest inside." I looked at him like a vixen seducing her target.

I laughed inwardly as his ears reddened.

'Is this something to blush over with?'

"I'm fine."

I sighed.

Breathing deeply before coming near him and holding his hand.

"Seok-hoon, let's get you checked by a doctor."

"There's no need for that."

"You need it!" I pressed.

"I said I'm fine."

"Seok-hoon. . . ."

"Instead, can I have this for dinner?"

"You can have both."

"I really. . ."

"I can call a doctor here if you don't want to go to the hospital, and a doctor from a different hospital, if you want."

"I know a lot of doctors that have a tight lip. I can make sure they never talk."

"I have enough money to do that."

"I'm really. . ."

"There is a limit to how I can help you. I'm not that knowledgeable in medicine."

He stares at me and shakes his head.

"I'll be fine, Eun-byeol-ah."

I moved backward after getting shocked by how gentle his voice sounded.

He seems odd.

An effect of the injury, perhaps.

"I'll prepare dinner."

I got up, took all the food, and went to the kitchen. After I laid the food on the table, I held my cheeks, and it really was warm.

'What's got into him?'

. . . .

I would sometimes peek at him as he ate his food quietly.

'Okay. he's just thankful for being treated.'

"Will your parents not look for you? It is quite late."

"I'll be fine."

"And your sister?"

"She's gonna be fine. She's hanging out with Jenny tonight."

"If you say so."

After dinner, I started cleaning up the table when he offered to help wash the dishes.

"There's no need. . ."

"I don't feel comfortable when you've helped me a lot."

"You're injured and a guest, so it's a no."

"Still, let me do something."

"You, resting is doing something."

I took the plates from his hands and washed them up.

I can feel his gaze from my back.

'Why is he staring at me?'

'Did he notice something?'

I did want Eun-byeol to have a better image when she returns here, but honestly, I don't know how much I should act like me in front of these people.

. . . . .

Seok-hoon pov:

"Thank you for dinner."

I was about to leave when I had this very crazy thought.

'Be brave.'

'Just. . . Do. . . It.'

Before she closed the door, I held the door open and leaned toward her, kissing her on the lips.

I kissed her for about half a minute before running to the elevator.

I did it.

I kissed her.

I leaned on the elevator wall and touched my lips. I smile widely as I remember how her lips felt on my lips.

"I did it!"

. . . . .

TO BE CONTINUED. . .