The Boy In Pink

Chapter 10: Neorago

"Prove your strength and push harder!"

No, this was not meant in a dirty way. Sungmin and I, bored of swimming, decided to test out the swing.

I got on first, in shorts and a singlet so that I wouldn't reveal anything. I usually took ages to propell high by myself, so I got Sungmin to push me.

Unfortunately, he struggled.

"Gosh, I'm not that heavy!" I said when he struggled to push me.

"Of course not! I'm just short of muscles!" he said, panting after pushing me higher. "And I'm a shortie"

"No you're not" I said kindly.

"Yes I am. I am the second shortest in the band. I'm only 175"

"I'm only 170, and that's with heels! Who's the shortest?"

"Ryeowook. He's 173, but there's no surprises there"

"That's a bit mean to say about your dongsaeng!" I said, clutching the ropes tighter. "Heck, Min, surely you can push me a bit higher?"

He rolled up his sleeves and let me swing freely for a second. 

"Fine, I'll gather up all the strength I have and I really will push you high" 

"Good luck with that!"

After swinging freely a couple more times, he rubbed his hands together and pushed my back upwards, with such force my hands let go of the ropes and I went flying off.

"OW!"

I landed on the part of the lawn that was barely grass and had some gravel here and there from the driveway.

"Lim! Yah, are you alright?"

"What do you think?" I asked dryly, and winced, examining my knees. They were scraped and blood shone on them. It was the same with my right palm.

"Let me have a look" he said, kneeling beside me. He inspected the wounds.

"I'll have to get some disinfectant and plasters" he said. "Can you walk?"

"I think I can-" I said, before crying out in pain as I moved my ankle.

"What?" he said, looking at me with big, worried eyes.

"My ankle!" I said, the pain so bad tears fell down my face. He peered at it.

"It's swollen: which means it's sprained, or maybe worse" he said, touching it with his fingertips. "Don't worry, I'll go inside and get bandages and stuff. You stay right here and try not to move your ankle at all"

I nodded, tears still rolling down my cheeks.

He disappeared inside and came back, his hands full with a dish, a cloth, a packet of plasters, some cotton wool, disinfectant, a roll of bandage and a small jug of water.

"Now let me have a closer look at that ankle" he said, sitting down on the grass next to me. He touched it and shot his hand away.

"Heck, it's really swollen, and it's throbbing! I should've gotten some ice" he said. "I'll have to make do. Can you move your ankle at all? Try moving it for me"

I tried to move it a fraction, but that sent pain ripping through my foot. I grimaced and grunted in pain, not moving it any more.

"Looks like you need a crutch" he said, pouring some of the water into the dish. He soaked the cloth in the water and wrung it out. He started dabbing the cloth on my knees and I sighed in relieved joy.