Pursuit Of Fate

Chapter 11

"You like her, don't you?" Jong Kook got out of the car and slammed the door shut. We were back at the secret cabin after sending hyung-nim back.

Do I? I paced about and kicked the pebbles on the dirt path.

"I've been observing you. Whenever something happened to her or whenever we mentioned her name, the look in your eyes changes." Jong Kook continued.

"No, it doesn't." I tried to avoid his eyes as I said it.

"Hey buddy, I've known you for more than ten years. Your expression now, do you know what it reminds me of?" he leaned against the car door and stood opposite from where I was standing.

"What?"

"Ji Rin. The way you're always looking at that lady was exactly the same as the way you looked at Ji rin." he raise his eyes from the floor and look at me.

Ji Rin.. The moment he mentioned her name, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my heart. "Yes, I like her! So what?" I blurted out. I wasn't supposed to say it. I should have kept it to myself. I don't know what came over me. I was feeling a mixture of sadness and anger surging through.

"Why did you have to mention her?" I look at him and asks without realizing that I was raising my voice.

He sighed and took a step forward. "So you do remember the amount of pain you went through to get over her."

What is he talking about? I look at him and waited for him to continue.

"Then why are you getting yourself involved with another girl? And even worse, someone who you can never be with." Jong Kook shouted. His brows were bumped together in a scowl.

"She's different. She's not the same as Ji Rin.." I said softly but loud enough for him to hear.

"You only met her one and a half month ago." he retorted with disbelief.

It's true that I've only met her for a month. Her charms, her straight-forward personality and her clumsiness - I fell for her in an instance. I felt the need to protect her. I felt the need to care for her. She was the first person that made me feel this way ever since Ji Rin and I broke up.

"Hyung, you don't understand."

"Yes, I don't. So if boss finds out about this, don't come looking for me." Jong Kook said angrily.

Honestly speaking, I don't even know why Jong Kook hyung is upset.

"Why are you still here?" I heard him asking with his eyes looking into my direction. There was no way that question was for me. Seconds later, I heard footsteps coming from the back. I turned to look and saw her walking towards us. How long had she been standing behind us? Did she hear everything that I said? My eyes followed her until she stopped in her tracks and stood between hyung and I.

Her hands. She was clasping them together, her right hand over her left. She seems to be hiding something. She must have notice that I was looking at her hands that she quickly held them behind her back.

"I was cleaning up the mess. I'm sorry about just now." She looked at me and then at Jong Kook and apologized.

"No point apologizing to us. Just get in the car. Our boss told us to send you back if you're still around." Jong Kook told her.

I took a step forward and was stopped by Jong Kook. "I'll send her back." he said softly before turning around to get into the car. I watched her as she pull the seatbelt strap. There was a white gauze on her left palm. "Seong Im-" I stopped myself from speaking further after realizing that Jong Kook was shooting a glare at me.

"Nothing.." I mumbled and looked away.