Stay With Me - Hwang Inyeop

Chapter 10: Nightmares

"So," Yumi started as the three of them sat at the dining table. They started eating while Soomi is still in the bathroom washing up. "What's with the girl?" Yumi asked In-yeop as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"We already told you her story," In-yeop said and brought a spoon full of rice in his mouth. He did not realize how hungry he is not until the flavors of what Yumi cooked burst in his taste buds.

"C'mon, In-yeop. You never once helped someone in a mission and most of all you never once disobeyed Mr. Han," Yumi insisted in getting answers but In-yeop remained silent to the questions being thrown at him. He just continued bringing food in his mouth.

With irritation, Yumi snatched the spoon from In-yeop's hand to make the guy look at her. "Do you like her?" Yumi asked with a huge grin on her face. Her feet are tapping on the floor as she excitedly waits for her best friend's answer.

"Give it back," In-yeop said with a lace of annoyance and threat in his voice. However, being the playful girl she is, Yumi shook her head.

"Not unless you tell me the reason why you helped the pretty girl," she said giving In-yeop an annoying wide grin.

In-yeop just glared at the girl sitting in front of him. Instead of arguing with his best friend, he snatched Chorong's spoon who is sitting next to Yumi, and continued eating.

"Stop bothering boss while he is eating," Chorong said and snatched the spoon from Yumi. Yumi just gave In-yeop a disappointed and irritated pout. Just then, Soomi got out of the room wearing black jogging pants and a loose white shirt.

"Come join us eat," Yumi said with excitement as she placed a plate in the space next to In-yeop. Soomi walked near the table and sat next to In-yeop who is still immersed in eating.

Soomi started filling up her plate and even though she hasn't eaten for two days now, she doesn't feel hungry. In-yeop saw how little food is on Soomi's plate and he did not like the idea of her starving. He scooped more rice and added it to her plate then he got one sunny-side-up egg and also placed it on the girl's plate.

"This is fine. What I got is already enough," Soomi said.

"You haven't eaten since yesterday and you are also exhausted. You need to regain your energy," In-yeop nonchalantly said and when her eyes were directed at Yumi and Chorong, he realized that they are giving her a suspicious stare. He did not mind them and just continued eating.

"I'm sorry you have to wear those clothes. I never spend money on clothes so everything in my wardrobe is already old," Yumi apologized which Soomi immediately opposed.

"It's comfortable," she said and smiled.

"How did In-yeop save you?" Chorong suddenly asked. "As far as I remember I saw you in the pool of your own blood when we were doing our mission."

"You were with them before?" Soomi asked out of curiosity.

"I was," Yumi answered her with a smile as she reminisces her days accepting dangerous missions with them. "This guy never gave up on me. When everyone split up that time, he came back for me and immediately brought me to the hospital," she said as she stared at In-yeop lovingly. She treats In-yeop as her brother and her only family.

Soomi saw how Yumi looks at In-yeop and with her spoon placed on her lips, she slightly glanced at In-yeop who doesn't care about their conversation. She wonders what's their relationship because they seem too close to each other.

"He also never stopped sending money to me," Yumi continued. "I spend the money to help the children we saved from the bandits who sell them to Mr. Han. I will visit them tomorrow so if you want you can join," she told Soomi. Soomi excitedly nodded in response.

"I told you to stay out of trouble, right?" In-yeop suddenly said. "Why the hell did you form your own group and you even tailed Mr. Han's men. Do you want to really get yourself killed this time?"

Soomi looked at In-yeop upon hearing the worry in his voice. When she looked at Yumi, the girl is just giving him a light smile like she understands why In-yeop is acting that way. She just focused her eyes on what she is eating again.

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to just sit around knowing I could do something for those children?" Yumi argued. "Don't worry, I'm being careful with everything I do," she assured him. In-yeop just stared at her then went back to eating again.

"I also make sure to spend some money for the maintenance of this house. I know how precious this place is for you," she added.

"This is your house?" Chorong asked.

When In-yeop did not answer, Yumi spoke. "All of his important things are here. This place is supposed to be his gift for his parents."

"Yah!" In-yeop suddenly shouted which made all of them flinch from shock. In-yeop dropped his spoon on his plate causing it to produce a clanking sound. He then stood up and walked out of the house.

Soomi stared at In-yeop as he walked away from them. Her eyes are still fixated on the door even though it is already close and In-yeop cannot be seen anymore.

"My bad," Yumi said and chuckled. "I forgot that he doesn't want to talk about his family."

So this place was supposed to be their new home. Soomi thought as she stares at her food. Her heart aches because she also knows how it feels to have a family member died.

Their dinner ended and In-yeop still hasn't returned. Yumi told them that he might be walking along the seashore to pacify his anger. She said not to worry about him because he will be back shortly.

Yumi offered to share her room with Soomi while Chorong will sleep on the couch. When everyone is already fast asleep, Soomi cannot help herself not to look at the wall clock hanging inside Yumi's room. It's already half past midnight and she wonders if In-yeop has already returned.

Upon hearing that this house was supposed to be a gift for his parents, she immediately realized that In-yeop is not so bad after all. It's just that series of events in his life were so unfortunate that it leads him to be who he is right now. She wanted to comfort him earlier and tell him that she understands how it feels like to see someone you love dead.

With a lot going on inside her mind, she stood up and decided to get herself a glass of water. She got out of Yumi's room, carefully opening the door so that the girl comfortably lying on the bed will not wake up. When she was about to reach the fridge, she heard someone mumbling. She stopped in her tracks and listened to the voice.

"In-yeop?" She whispered when she recognized to whom the voice came from. She walked to where the voice came from and she stopped in front of a room. She carefully opened the door and saw a silhouette lying on the bed. The room is dark and only the moonlight emanated the room.

"No," In-yeop mumbled once again. "Stop!"

When Soomi realized that In-yeop is dreaming, she took fast strides towards the bed and bent down, carefully shaking In-yeop to wake him up. "In-yeop?"

"Don't do it!" In-yeop mumbled once again. This time, Soomi shook his shoulders harder.

"In-yeop, wake up," she whispered. In-yeop abruptly opened his eyes, cold sweats dripping from his forehead. He immediately mushed his eyebrows upon seeing Soomi. As if Soomi got the message that he doesn't want her in his room with that facial expression, she immediately stood straight up.

"Y-You were dreaming so I-I woke you up," she stuttered as she explained. "I will go out now." She turned around and was about to go but In-yeop held her wrist to stop her.

"Stay," he whispered. "Stay with me."

Soomi stared at In-yeop, baffled at what he said. When she saw the pleading in his eyes, begging for her not to go, all the worries she's thinking went away. She sat at the edge of his bed with his hand still wrapped around her wrist.

"I'll stay," she whispered. In-yeop pulled her to lay down on the bed and she did. They both stared at each other side to side with In-yeop not letting go of her hand. 

____________________________________

Omo omo! Feelings are starting to develop. 😳

Please don't forget to comment and vote for this chapter. ❤