Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 11 (Part 1)

_Chapter 11-1~ Guilt_

           I had no idea picking up garbage for community service was still a thing. Well, how was I supposed to? You'd always watch it on TV shows or movies and it just seemed a little unrealistic. I mean, picking up trash with a mini pitchfork and garbage bag? How was that kind of punishment supposed to shape criminals into better people?

           Then again, considering this kind of physical activity was equivalent to a nightmare for lazy people like me, it suddenly made a lot of sense.

           "Clean up all the trash you find from the field. Easy enough, right?" said the officer escorting Ryu and I.

           I knew that I shouldn't even have tried to open my mouth—which was proven to spout sarcastic remarks without hesitation—but it ended up moving anyways.

           "Actually," I said, turning to face him, "are we cleaning up this field tomorrow too?"

           "Depends on how much you get done today."

           "And how much is this 'depending'?"

           "You have a month of this, miss," he said curtly. "I suggest you get started unless you want to extend the punishment."

           "But—" I began, trying to testify that I was innocent and didn't deserve this for the umpteenth time, when a sudden grab to the collar shut me up. I fought back a yelp as I got tugged further into the field and away from the officer.

           "You should really learn to watch your mouth," Ryu hissed. "Sweet-talking doesn't work with the police. And they don't care if you say you're innocent or not. You'll get us into more trouble so shut up."

           I pushed Ryu away, puffing my cheeks. "This is all your fault."

           "You told me that," he said. "A lot, actually."

           "Good. You should feel guilty."

           I stabbed the pitchfork into the ground and missing the crumpled juice box by an inch.

           Darn it. I broke my oath of not talking to him. All day in the infirmary today I managed to glare at him from underneath one of the beds while Dad treated students.

           Now that Ryu was officially working with me in the infirmary, I was frustrated. I mean, I thought working alone was hell enough but I had to deal with him too?

           Today wasn't as crazy as other days but it was still hectic enough. Fortunately I didn't have to do any work besides hand Dad band-aids and the such, though, that kind of peace wouldn't last long. I had to prepare to live at least six hours a day working with the guy in that toxic environment...

           "How was I supposed to know the officers were around?"

           My mouth dropped incredulously at Ryu's words. Was he serious? "How the heck did you not know you were punching people?"

           "I didn't feel anything."

           "That's not normal!" I seethed.

           Ryu stared at me blankly. Shaking his head, he swerved and began picking up garbage with ease. "It's in the past now," he disclosed. "Start picking up trash."

           I scoffed, "If it's trash you want picked up, how about I start with you—"

           "What did you say?"