Love By Soup • LK Adaptation

seven

||

Jungkook went back upstairs to Yugyeom’s prying.  “What were you two doing so secretively at the doorway?  We couldn’t even watch and have some fun with it.” -----Originally, Lisa was standing outside of the dorm and if Jungkook had walked out of the doorway, the roommates could watch the two from the window above.

Jungkook told Yugyeom.  “Take out the tube from my pocket for me and see how to use it.”

“That girl gave you this?”

“Yeah.”

Yugyeom took out the tube from the pocket as told.  “What’s this?! No directions, no instructions, a counterfeit!”

Yugyeom looked up after these words and saw in Jungkook's’s eyes an unusual expression of tenderness.  He frowned.  “Jungkook, not that I like to nag, but this girl is so hasty.  She may harbor some wicked ideas.  In addition, I don’t want you to get hurt.”  He put emphasis on the word “hurt”.

Jungkook seemed full of confidence.  “Don’t worry.  Come, put some on me.”

Yugyeom couldn’t help but respect Jungkook.  They have been best friends and were usually traveled together.  Throughout these years, he’d seen Jungkook encounter numerous glances of inquiry, sympathy, or even doubt.  Even though Jungkook had already proven himself with his exceptional skills playing soccer, most people were still skeptical. 

Jungkook seemed to take it all in stride.  He never blamed anybody or anything.  In front of everyone, Jeon Jungkook is always in high spirits.

In the end, the tube of ointment was thrown aside as Yugyeom grumbled.  He really couldn’t figure out how to use it.[1]  That night, Yugyeom continued to use the ointment prescribed by the doctor.  It hurt so much that Jungkook shed tears.  “Damn Yugyeom, you’re trying to kill me!” he grunted between clenched teeth.

The next day, Jungkook, Yugyeom and others walked while chatting back to the dorm after their afternoon class.  The security guard at the gate seemed to be making a funny face at them as they passed  by.  What’s going on?  Why was a fifty something middle aged man making such face?

Soon enough, they realized why.  Right in front of the building, they saw a girl, whose hands were inside the pockets of her down jacket, jogging continuously back and forth to ward off the cold.

It was Lisa.  She watched them coming closer and put on a smile.  When she saw that mean Yugyeom was right next to Jungkook, she turned a bit timid.

Jungkook’s kind words calmed her down.  “Anything I can help you with?”

She replied quietly.  “I forgot to tell you that the ointment was formulated by my father, so there’s no instructions.  But it truly is very effective.”

Jungkook thought that the way Lisa anxiously trying to clarify was kind of funny.  He said to her in a good mood, “It’s very cold out here, why don’t you come up to our room to stay for a while.”

Lisa agreed quietly and followed him.

At the beginning, Yugyeom and the other roommate stayed put in the room.  Because Yugyeom was biased against Lisa, he didn’t bother to give her anything to drink.  Lisa didn’t mind it at all.  She looked around and found her ointment tube on a desk next to the doctor’s tube.  The one she gave him is full and the doctor’s was obviously flattened somewhat.  She turned toward Jungkook.  “The doctor’s ointment hurts a lot, right?  I’ve used it before.  How about using mine today?  I’ll write down the instructions so you can follow it.”

She spoke as she wrote.  “Squeeze out some ointment, apply evenly, cover the burn area with a thickness no more than 2mm.  Massage for two minutes and then expose the area to some air, don’t cover it up so the wound can breathe……”

At this moment, Yugyeom spoke with a cold voice.  “One has to make up one’s own mistakes.  I don’t know how to use your new stuff!”

Lisa heard him, silent for a moment.  Suddenly, she turned to unwrap the dressings on Jungkook’s arm.

Jungkook was somewhat caught in surprise.  “No, no, I can do it ……”

Lisa unconsciously glanced over to his right arm.  Jungkook stopped speaking right then, how would he do it himself?

Jungkook’s not sure what have overcome him.  Maybe he really wanted Lisa to apply the ointment on his arm.  The day before, Yugyeom applied the ointment so roughly on him and almost killed him with the pain.  Then how would it feel when this girl applied the ointment for him?

He couldn’t tell whether he had any other, deeper expectation from her.  So when Lisa cautiously took down the dressings, he had no intention to avoid it.

Lisa squeezed out some ointment onto her finger tips and then tenderly applied it onto Jungkook’s left arm.

Jungkook was secretly delighted.  It really didn’t hurt at all.  Not only that, it had a very pleasant smell, too.  Her tiny hand moved around his arm, lightly circling around to massage while applying.  After a while, she stopped.  She carefully checked the area and said, “Don’t wrap it up from now on.”

“Are you coming tomorrow?” Jungkook asked without thinking.

Lisa hesitated.  “Yeah……”

**

[1]: Editors note: How did he not figure out how to use a skin ointment?