"The rain fell, so you don't have to worry." /Youjin/

Chapter 25

It felt like hours of cardio for Eunbin. She dragged Youjin's body to sit on one of the chairs. The cashier guy helped her but it was no help at all. He tried to get Youjin up but failed in first try, he's not moving an inch. After ten minutes or so, they both successfully rested Youjin on the plastic chair.

"Do you know him?" Hesitantly, the cashier asked. He had Youjin's credit card in his hand. "I'm new here. He must have been mistaken me with the previous guy who left."

Eunbin nodded. "How could I not know him, he's easily found in the middle of a crowd." She stared at Youjin's long legs and broad shoulders. "What did he say to you?"

"Well, I can't quite grasp what he said but he wanted me to prepare his usuals then he gave me his card. He said he's leaving this place....or something about having his last favourite food." He tried hard to recall what had happened earlier.

'Is he leaving somewhere?' She turned her face to unconscious Youjin on the chair. His head moved to the side a little and she held his head, fixing his seating position.

"If you don't need any more help, I'll be back to my cashier station." He excused himself and Eunbin nodded to him.

She waited hours for him to be conscious. Tried to poke his cheeks but no reactions. She looked at his peaceful sleeping face. And stopped at his lips. She reminded by those nights he kissed her. On her forehead, and on her lips. The thoughts made her blushed but she wanted to touch those lips. She hovered her fingers above his face, closer to the lips.

"What are you doing?" Youjin opened his eyes and made eye contact with Eunbin's hand above his face.

Eunbin jumped out of surprise and literally jumped from her chair, earning a chuckle from the cashier guy. "N-n-nothing!" She quickly walked away from him and walked to the bottled drinks section. She took a bottle of water and came back to him.

She handed the bottle to him nervously, afraid he might catch her blushing. "Drink this, to cure your hangover so you can go home immediately."

He took the bottle and emptied down until the last drop of water. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about? It's just a bottle of water."

"Did you try to touch my face while I was sleeping?"

"Yes. No. Hmm... I, well..." She stuttered. Youjin stood up and came closer to her.

"Here. Touch as much as you want." He offered his face few inches away from Eunbin's face. "In case you won't see me again."

She blushed for a moment and her heart felt like it could burst in any seconds. But she sensed that something was off. "What do you mean with 'again'? You're going somewhere? How's your father? Did you meet him?" She poked his nose.

Youjin's face changed drastically from teasing to sulking. He moved back, away from near her face and crossed his arms. "I don't know why I keep coming to this neighbourhood when I'm drunk. It's getting annoying."

Eunbin felt hurt with his words. She knew he was upset because she brought that topic up. "I'm sorry, then."

"No need to. I've met him, like what everyone want." He still looked somewhat pissed.

"That's good then! So, what happened? Why did you drink so much?"

He glared at her. "I have to leave Seoul because of him." He clenched his teeth. "Happy? You said I have to see him. Yejin said that too. It's all done. I'm leaving the city as he wish."

She was in shock. "But why? I thought you were..."

"..you thought I was what? Hm? Isn't what making everyone happy is me being around him, living as a real family?"

"I didn't mean it that way..." She looked down. He offered his hand. "Hm? I'm not sure what are you doing..."

"The tracker. Please return it to me." He didn't remove his hand. No smiles or other warm expressions from his face. She was scared and sad but took out the tracker and put it on his hand. "I don't have to track you anymore. I'm leaving tomorrow."

She felt like her heart was stabbed. "What did happen exactly? Tell me so I can grasp what's happening..." Her voice trembled. "Is it far, your new place?"

Youjin pursed his lips tight. He tried hard to hide his emotions inside. "It takes a ferry to get there." He sighed. "Just don't try to find me this time. Don't even bother my friends to help you."

"But why?" Eunbin could feel her eyes watery.

"My mum wants to start anew after dad passed his coma this afternoon. Moving to Deokjeokdo will help, to my grandparents hometown. And she wants to start over with this family. Yejin, Youchan, and I will move as well. No more politics whatsoever." He dared not staring into her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't meet you for some time."

"So you have forgiven your dad?" She tried to understand the situation despite her insides crying.

"A little. I want a family, so I forgive him just about enough to an extent I can stand being around him again."

"But next week is my graduation..."

"...I know." He shut his eyes and sighed again. "I'm sorry."

Eunbin looked down, fidgeting her fingers skin till almost bleeding. "It's okay. Family comes first."

Youjin saw her fingers bleed and took her hand into his. "I hope someday I will find an answer why these things are happening to me." He sucked her thumb so it would stop bleeding, then wiped it with his sweater. "Don't get sick. Don't come home too late, take care of yourself. You can have watermelon sodas as much as you want."

He smiled.

She stared at her thumb which had stopped bleeding. "How do you find me then?"

"I will find a way." He tapped her head and flashed a smile.

It was already 2.43 am. Youjin quickly stood up and grabbed her wrist. "Come. I'm walking you home for the last time."

Eunbin didn't say a word on their way to her flat. When they arrived on the fifth floor, she stopped in front of Youjin's old flat.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." She held her arms. "It feels like yesterday, that blind date."

Youjin chuckled. "I know, right?" He remembered something inside his pocket. He took it out. Eunbin's small flashlight. "Here. I feel like I have to return it to you."

She resisted and closed his palm with her flashlight sandwiched inside it. "You can keep it. You're going to live in an island, you need it better than I do."

"I'm not in the position to ask if you're okay or not with my decision. Just think of the way you're around Inhae. Except I'm a bit far away." He tried not to let him show his true emotions. He wanted to hug her so much but he was afraid it would make him harder to let her go. He walked closer to Eunbin.

"If you don't want the flashlight, I'd be happy to embrace it as my treasure. But at least receive my gift well."

"What gift?"

He put his hand behind her neck and kissed her lips. She kissed him back, with tears escaping her tightly shut eyes. It felt like the bad news were temporarily vanished from the world.

But she knew he wouldn't stay even if she asked.