GAM3 G1RL/FR13ND | Jeon Wonwoo

Chapter 10

"Areum!! Areum, wake up!" Sowon shakes her body, trying to wake the weirdly heavy sleeper.

"Why? It's too early..." She muttered as she looked at the clock and takes back her words. It was already 10 am.

She didn't realize she was talking to Wonwoo until 2 AM.

"Its Chiwon! He's not here or anywhere!" Sowon exclaimed, making Areum almost hurt herself from standing up too fast.

Sowon grabbed Areum's hand and dragged her downstairs.

"Where's mom and dad? The 3?" Areum asked hastily as she looked around the living room.

"They're all outside looking for him. Kotone and Gaeun are looking for him too."

"Have we looked everywhere in the house?"

"No... let's go."

Areum and Sowon ran to different directions to cover more space. Kotone's house is pretty big and anybody would get lost so for safety, at night, only the living room and the upstairs is opened.

Areum looked from each room to the big backyard and the two sheds but he's nowhere to be found.

"Areum!" Areum ran inside to see her father calling for her.

"Yeah? You found him already?" Areum asked, catching her breath at the same time.

Her father was silent and looking down. Areum tried to scan the situation and immediately landed her eyes on the slightly bloody hands and shirt his father is now having.

Calm and collected, she let her father sit down and let him breath.

"... We found Chiwon outside. He drove the car into a post out of curiosity. Your mother and Sowon are now bringing him to the hospital. Maris, Gaeun, and Kotone are dealing with the police." Her dad slowly explained. He's thankful Areum is always patient with explanations.

"That's... quite bizarre for him to do, though." Areum commented.

"Maybe he got curious after watching cartoons? I don't know." Her father sighed.

That car that their family borrowed from Areum's stingy aunt is now damaged and if they found out, they'll be disappointed and make them pay the fine which is something Areum's family can't afford at the moment.

Suddenly, her father's phone started ringing. It's her mom.

Finally, Areum and her father were on their way to the hospital where Chiwon was brought at.

"Mom." Areum called out while coming to a halt after jogging inside.

"Areum..." She went in for a hug, hugging her oldest. Areum consoled her by rubbing her back.

"How's Chiwon?" Areum asked as her mother release from the hug.

"He's not great but good enough. He hit his head pretty hard on the bottom of the steering wheel but fortunately, his head is fine." Areum's eyes relaxed as soon as she heard he was not severely injured.

Her mother then led them inside Chiwon's private room where he was responsive but hasn't woken up yet.

"Thank goodness it wasn't that bad." Sowon exclaimed.

"What did the doctor say?" Areum then asked.

"Well, thankfully he said there are no signs of other fractures but he will need to stay a bit here for further observation." Her mother relayed what the doctor said.

"So, we have to wait until the wounds close? In the hospital?" Her father suddenly butted in, her mother nodding to his question.

Areum knew why her father reacted like that. The price.

"Dad... the healthcare in South Korea is mostly free." Areum replied to his quiet woes.

"Oh... I forgot." They all chuckled and made her father scratch his nape.

"I guess all we need to worry about this the car and the post..." Sowon added, making them all sigh.

"... that's going to be super expensive." Areum exclaimed, making her father nod in disappointment.

They could ask Kotone for help but she's already helping them with letting them live in her house and also, despite her being a fully established rich kid, she doesn't have any extra savings for herself. She only pay the bills then the remainder from her salary will be for food.

Areum's mother and father decided to stay with Chiwon at the hospital after packing most of their things and left.

It was now nighttime and Areum was contemplating while she sits at the desk swivel chair, eating a cup of ramen she prepared for herself.

"I need to go back..." She meant that she wanted to go back and dance again.

After dropping off her parents, she went to her doctor to check up her condition but instead of having high hopes, she felt cornered.

Her doctor heavily recommended to not dance first since sweat or her clothes might harm her burns. She's been going bra-less and makes do with pasties to let it heal. She even had to borrow some of her father's clothes to loosen the tension on the burns.

Areum can't dance until it heals but at least she only had a week left to come back.

"Ah! I died..." Areum sighs and laughs through the mic.

She's now streaming to hopefully distract her from thinking too much on coming back to dancing and the doom of the bills for the public property damages.

"Hmm? Oh, right now? I'm living with a friend... probably going to go house finding in a few days... yes, I will announce it because I don't like leaving people clueless of where I am... well, if my friends are watching this, I'll probably get slapped." She laughed at the last remark.

Technically, Areum has her whole life in secret. With the course that she took in college to complications of her family, none of the 5 people she's both working with and great friends with knows anything about those topics.

Bona and Jinseok knows about the 4 brothers and their age. Nothing more.

Hoshi... probably only knows about what she likes to work with in terms of music. He knows nothing much about her family other than she has brothers.

Mingyu and Wonwoo knows a lot of her likes and dislikes but doesn't even know her course or how her brothers are.

Areum sighed thinking about it as she rubs her eyes, meaning she probably should stop streaming already.

She bids goodbye to her viewers and plopped on her bed when her phone started ringing. Why does someone call as soon as she lays down? Is it planned?

"Hello mom."

"Areum! Come to the hospital, quick!"

"Why? Did something happen to Chiwon?" Areum asked, trying to not sound like she's panicking.

"There's an emergency but not with Chiwon so don't worry." Areum sighed in relief.

"What kind of emergency?" Areum asked after calming down.

"... somebody paid for the car repair and the damage. In full!" Her mother seemed elated but with worry in her voice.

"What?!"

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