Sancutary | 박성훈

14. Difficult Double Life

The sun had risen. Maena woke up to the sounds of Ms. Kim doing something on the other side of the door. She had a great sleep and now felt like she was a whole different person yesterday, she feels like she would never cry about things like that.

"Good morning, Maena.", Haesoon said while setting plates to the breakfast table.

"Morning.", she replied with a small smile and sat around the table as Haesoon motioned her to do so. She doesn't know when was the last time she didn't have to make her breakfast herself, but now it felt different and calming.

"When does your lectures start?", Haesoon asked and sat opposite from Maena. "Surely, you can always take days off."

"Yeah.", Maena looked at the clock on the wall. It was half past seven and her lectures start at eight. So basically she was already late, but she didn't care much. "They start at eight. I'll just go when I've gotten ready."

"It's good. I know it's university already, but still don't study too hard. You're under a lot of stress already and I know it, but just taking the studying calm and slow, catching up everything gradually, you'll graduate.", Haesoon spoke soothingly and it really helped Maena's way of thinking in that.

"I know.", she replied.

Haesoon just smiled at her and sat there whilst Maena was eating her breakfast. "Sunghoon probably was so worried about you yesterday.", she then stated, so Maena raised her gaze to look at her.

"How do you know?", Maena inquired as if she didn't believe her.

"I don't. But I know him.", Haesoon said calmly and Maena quickly realized what she meant by that. So Sunghoon may have really started to worry about her last night when she left the house unnoticed and without her phone. She didn't think much of it then. And maybe somehow it made her feel better to think that Sunghoon might have been worried about her. Because being worried, she didn't know he had such an emotion.

They heard few knock from the front door before it opened and Maena looked that way, only to see Sunghoon enter the house. He was wearing a red hoodie and black sweatpants. Maena can't deny he looked good in such comfortable outfit even though he again looked like he haven't gotten much sleep.

"Good morning to you too.", Haesoon said. "When you're done eating, Maena, go home with this sweet bachelor who came to pick you up.", she said to Maena, out of Sunghoon's hearing area. She brushed a hair strap from Maena's face behind her with a smile on her face. Maena smiled too, especially to what she just said.

Sunghoon waited for a while for Maena to be ready to go back to his place. He sat down on the living room sofa and scrolled down his phone or something. Haesoon offered breakfast for him too even though she knows he usually don't eat breakfast. After some while she bid goodbyes to the two as they left the house. They still haven't shared a word this morning, but yet they weren't mad at each other or anything.

Maena walked in front of him on the walkway. Sunghoon suddenly stopped and tapped her shoulder lightly to get her attention. She turned to look at him and waiting for him to speak. "I'm really sorry about yesterday, Maena. I really am. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you over so stupid reason. I know you're just trying to help, but I just don't.. Just don't really want you to think of me like someone to take care of.", he explained, his tone, expressions and movements filled with sincerity and honesty.

"But I want to take care of you.", Maena noted.

"Why?", Sunghoon frowned a little.

She just shrugged and then they were quiet for a while. Maena took a step closer to him and soon wrapped her arms around his torso while pressing her head against his chest. Sunghoon froze, confused and he didn't know what to do. He was too shy to return the hug and touch her body, but he'd still let her cling onto him for how long she ever wants.