BANE

26

Soo Ah's eyes have become smaller by each seconds. The guy in front of her still looked nonchalant. She knew something is not right but she couldn't point it out.

He noticed Soo Ah's sharp looks thrown his way. Smiling sideways, he challenged that by raising his eyebrows comically. Soo Ah's eyes have become a slit. She is now throwing daggers from her eyes.

"Yah...Geun Won ah...Jang Geun Won?" She called his name dangerously.

"Ne~" as if he would feel intimidated. Heh! What's the use of big hands if not to be taken advantage of? In game of cards, it's super easy to hide the extra cards. That's how he won several games in the prison back then.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Soo Ah's keen eyes. Right when he's about to change one of the card, Soo Ah caught him red handed. She grabbed ahold of his cards and stopped his motion just right at the moment he let the secret card out.

"Hah! Gotcha!" She put aside her cards and forcefully trying to pull his hands. Geun Won won't let it be easy. But she didn't give up. In a few seconds, no less than 5 cards came out flying as a result of the ruckus. Few of it fly quite a distance, carried by the cooling evening winds.

Soo Ah's mouth opens wide agape. That much? That much cards hidden under his sleeve? She looked at Geun Won who is suddenly very interested with the picnic mat's textures and colours. He studied the shadow of the big tree on the mat intently. They're picnicking just beside the hospice.

"Yah! That's so unfair!" And it cracked a big loopy smile on Geun Won's face that soon booms into laughter. Soo Ah can't keep being serious either and she joins the laugh.

"Seriously... that's not counted, okay. It's a faux. So, I win by default. That means, NO. We'll only go to your house with Dr. Lee's approval because that means, you're okay for the outing. I will NOT sign any paper for you before that."

"Okay...okay... You stop being angry please. I won't ask you...." He stops. But Soo Ah knows better that it's so not Geun Won to yield that easily.

"But it doesn't mean I won't ask Dr. Lee for it." He ends it while looking at his nails.

"Yah!"  Soo Ah flicks his forehead out of frustrations.

"Argh!" Geun Won doubled over while pressing his head and grunts. His face crumpled in pain.

"Oh Gosh! Mianhe! Mianhe... Gwenchana? What have I done?!" Soo Ah went to his side in panic. She holds his shoulders and rubs his back in circular motion.

Just when she's about to shout for help, Geun Won's head suddenly rest on her lap.

She looks at the man who now looks peaceful. "Shhh..." He puts his index finger at Soo Ah's lips while his other hand reached Soo Ah's hand and brought to his heart.

Soo Ah looked at Geun Won's closed eyelids and a small smile etched on his face while she feels the steady rythm of his heartbeats. Geun Won hums a familiar song. His deep barritone voice soothed her.

What are they now? She can't point it out. What are they exactly? Certainly not just friends. But not lovers either. She knew about his feelings for her, that's clear. But it's her feelings to him that's questionable.

"Don't do that again, hmm?" Geun Won nodded while still humming. Her free hand took the blanket and spread it over his body. She also forgot that little could be done even if she called for help.

He has gotten his painkiller shots this early morning as his headache episode occured. Too much painkiller would make him suffer stomach ulcer, hence, Dr. Lee tried to limit it as possibly as he could. More complications mean more pain management that Geun Won will have to endure later.