Love-ish~~ | | Hwang Hyunjin

19. The Gift

"Jeongin-ah," Hyunjin started. "Why didn't you ever say that he was bullying you?"

Jeongin kept looking down. "I just felt weak... too weak to even stand up for myself when needed. I didn't want to trouble you with something that I was supposed to take care of... I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing, Innie? It's not your fault—it's that jerk's! And what do you mean you didn't want to trouble us? We are your friends, and friends are meant to trouble each other!" I said with a small smile, trying to cheer him up.

"But—" Jeongin started.

"No buts! You are our friend, and no matter what you say, that jerk is gonna get it. Wait for it," Ryujin lashed out.

I was surprised she even referred to me as a friend, but I guess she didn't actually mean it.

"Alright, Innie, you know what? I'll come with you today to drop you off at your house. How about that? And before you reject, we can work on our homework together. This way, you won't be alone, and that jerk won't be able to come after you. What do you say? Nice idea, right?" Hyunjin asked.

"I'm surprised you even have a brain to think of such a plan," I stated, to which he scoffed.

"Not everyone needs to be dumb like you, Kari!"

This time, Ryujin was actually staring at us.

"Since when did you start calling her Kari instead of Iseul?" she questioned.

"Since... I don't know, it just happened," he replied, while Jeongin was dumbfounded, still trying to process that Hyunjin had come up with such an idea.

~

"Alright, Jeongin, let's go! Come onnnn!" Hyunjin started dragging Jeongin out of the school gates while Jeongin whined, saying he could walk on his own.

Ryujin looked at me as if she wanted to say something, but then she just left.

"What was that about?" I muttered. "Alright, I guess I need to go home too..."

But the walk home was anything but peaceful.

Someone was following me. I could feel it. But who? Was it Hyunjin? Had he come back from Innie's that fast? No, that wasn't it... then who was it?

I slowly took a turn while trying to glance at who it was. That was when I saw them. The shoes... the same white-colored, odd shoes.

It was Jaejoon.

"Shit," I muttered to myself and started picking up the pace.

It was weird. He didn't seem to pick up his pace, yet he still took the same turns I did. But when I took the last turn to my home—yes, I didn't see him after that.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

I went inside my house. "I'm home, Ma~~" I shouted, as if signaling to him that he could never step into my territory.

At dinner, I was happily chatting with my mom, forgetting the whole thing.

The doorbell rang.

I jerked.

It wasn't him, was it?

My mom went to open the door while I peeked, trying to see who it was...

It was my dad.

Phew.

Wait a minute—IT WAS MY DAD! He was BACK!

I let out a small celebratory dance.