Truly

Chapter 4

I dragged Mina all the way to the infirmary. But the university nurse was out so I made her sit on one of the beds while I opened the medicine cabinets. When I found what I'm looking for, I took out my handkerchief and drag a chair in front of her.

I can sense that Mina wants to say something but I am exuding a dark aura that she decides to temporarily hold it in.

We are so quiet while I am tending to her swollen cheeks and slightly teared lips. After putting on a small bandage, I stood up and returned back the wound ointment.

I turned around to face her. My eyes met hers.

"What is it?" I asked, urging her to tell me what's in her mind.

"T-thank you." She said and slightly smiled. 

I sighed and closed my eyes to control my temper. I really wanted to hit those girls back but I don't wanna do it in front of others. And in front of her.

"You're welcome." I answered simply.

She grabbed my handkerchief which I used earlier to wipe the blood from her lips. "I'll wash this first before returning it to you." 

"Don't mind. Just throw it." I did not mean to sound cold but I guess I was since she flinched after hearing my tone.

"O-okay."

I took a deep breath to fully calm myself. I don't wanna stress her out further. 

After being convinced that I am back to my senses, I walked towards the bed and sat beside her. "You okay? What happened?" I finally asked the right questions.

She smiled a bit. "I don't know. I just finished my class and when I went out, they are already outside waiting for me. We had a bit of an argument. But then the girl in the center slapped me when I said that..." She paused and hesitantly looked at me.

"That?" I asked, curious.

"That w-were f-friends?" She sounded asking instead of answering.

Well, I need to give her some slack. She's got slapped a few minutes ago. She must be really in a daze. "I'm sorry." I apologized.

"For what?" She asked, surprised.

"This is because of me. You told them that we are friends that's why they attacked you. It's partly my fault. No. It IS my fault. I should have warned you in advance." I said, feeling so guilty about what happened. 

Eunsuh and her group has been trying to befriend me since high school but I kept on rejecting them. They just wanted to ride on mine and Tzuyu's name. And I hate it. I hate leeches like them. They always harass someone who tries to befriend us. And Dahyun wasn't an exception.

She was harassed after a week of hanging out with me and Tzuyu. But she was unbothered about it and even beat those girls up. In the end, they just gave up and accepted Dahyun as part of my circle. 

I looked at Mina and touched her swollen cheeks. "Does it hurt?" I asked.

I felt her body shook a bit. "N-no." She stuttered. "I-it's fine, Chae. Sorry! Chaeyoung. It's fine Chaeyoung." She rattled.

I smiled to her. "You can call me Chae, Mina. I don't mind."

"Really?" She asked, all smiles.

I nodded.

"Chae." She uttered to herself.

"Does really calling me "Chae" making you that happy?" I teasingly asked.

But instead of being rattled, she looked straight to my eyes and smiled. "Yes. I mean, you don't just permit anyone to call you that, right? It means, only those who are special to you has the right to do so." 

My heart raced upon seeing her so genuinely happy. I couldn't utter a word.

"Don't call me Chae. I do not remember permitting you to."

Did she wind up with that idea based from what I said to Eunsuh earlier? Why is she being like this? Why? This woman is waking up something from deep within me.

"Right C-chae?" She asked again with a scarlet face.

"Chaeng." I told her. Her smile faded. "Call me Chaeng, Mina." I said in a serious face.

She looked confused and fell into a deep thought. Moments later, with a defeated face, she looked down and nodded without asking me a single question.

----

"Who was it again?" Tzuyu stopped me from talking and asked. 

We are inside my personal gym doing simultaneous sparring. I was telling them what happened yesterday. We all have a free day today and I invited them over. I needed to release some steam to calm myself and not do things I'd regret.

"Somi." I answered her question.

"Somi?" Dahyun asked in surprise. "You mean your.."

My brows furrowed as I am not getting her point for a second. "Oh!" I gasped after realizing what she meant. "No. No. Not that Somi. It's a different Somi." I explained. What the hell is wrong with me? I even forgot Somi, my first girlfriend. I facepalmed inwardly.

Dahyun and Tzuyu exchanged glances then sighed together. 

"The hell was that Chae?" Dahyun exclaimed.

I heard Tzuyu chuckled. "Smitten so badly that you've suddenly been inflicted with a selective amnesia?" She teased me.

"The heck you mean by that?" I asked. I picked my gloves back and wear them on. I signaled Dahyun for another round and she agreed.

"Asking answers for hidden meaning is a fool's hobby." She commented and rang the buzz for an aide.

I took a glance on her side and saw her smirking at me. Then I received a hook from Dahyun. 

Damn! I returned my focus back on the spar.

The door opened and maids with foods and drink came in. Then I heard Gilbert spoke. "You've got a visitor, young lady."

----

The three of us stared down at the person sitting comfortably on the couch of our living room. The gym is upstairs beside my room and we just went out to take a peek of who the visitor is. 

"Who is she?" Dahyun asked.

"Somi?" Tzuyu guessed.

I nodded and both were shocked. Then Dahyun waved her hand to Gilbert and made him come closer.

"What is it Ms. Dahyun?" My butler asked. Dahyun moved closer to him and whispered something. Gilbert just nodded to whatever Dahyun is telling him. After that, he went downstairs.

My right eyebrow raised. 

My butler is actually following someone else's orders? 

My eyes are still darted downstairs but Dahyun suddenly drag me and Tzuyu back to the gym. What is she planning? Did she sent Somi away?

Or?

I looked at Dahyun and she excitedly re-wrapped her hand with bandage. 

Then she looked at me. "She can fight, right Chae?" She asked and I just shook my head in disbelief. 

Dahyun and her love for violence!