Diaries of a Distance

Chapter 4

1st week of school - Monday, 16th August...

As I was walking to Sun Dae's home, I stopped at Dong Wook's house to get Sun Dae's basketball back. I saw an elderly woman walking with difficulty towards the front door carrying many grocery bags. She dropped them all. I ran up to her and picked up all the bags she carried.

"Here, I'll get them", I said.

"Thank you", she replied in a kind voice.

She opened the door to the house and I walked in with all the groceries. Once I dropped off all the groceries on the kitchen table, she offered me a glass of water and told me to sit down in the lounge room. She sat in the armchair across me.

"Where do you live, young lady?" she asked me.

"I just moved in next door."

"Really? What happened to Sun Dae?"

"Umm.... She went away for a while, she'll be back in 2 months", I staggered.

I didn't want to lie to older people, but if she's Dong Wook's grandmother as I was guessing, then I didn't want to risk anything.

"I see... are you here to see Dong Wook?"

"Yes."

"He's not home yet."

"Oh."

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"No no! I'm here to get something off him", I replied shaking my head furiously.

The grandma chuckled. I don't think she believes me.

"Dong Wook's parents passed away in a plane crash when he was 2 years old, leaving him to me and my husband to care for", she said out of the blue.

"I'm... sorry", I said. Well what else was I supposed to say?

She smiled.

"He's extra protective of me and his grandfather."

Hearing this surprised me, someone like Dong Wook caring for his family members in such a way? Then we heard the sounds of someone whistling and the door opened.

[Dong Wook's POV]

I was whistling to myself. I'm in a good mood. Jae Wook really did show that guy never to steal another wallet. He'd given the guy a good bashing for it. I opened the door.

"Grandma, I'm home!"

I walked into the lounge room and saw Yura sitting there with my grandma. What the hell? My schoolbag slipped out of my hand.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her suspiciously.

She stood up.

"Why are you speaking to me like that? I'm not doing anything wrong and you don't need to know why I'm here", she replied all in one go.

I raised an eyebrow and gave her a strange look. I waved my hand in front of her.

"You're not okay are you? This is my house", I said.

She looked around her and then at my grandma.

"Uh...um...." she murmured.

I noticed my grandma's questioning face. She has migraine problems and I don't want to confuse her.

"Uh- right. I know. Let's go to my room and talk about it", I said.

I went up to her and put my arm around her shoulder and spun her around so that our backs were facing my grandma, then I placed my hand over her mouth as she was about to argue. I pushed her up the stairs once we were out of my grandma's view and showed her into my room, then I shoved her onto my bed and stood in front of her.

"You Seoul guys have a strange thing for touching girls without their permission", she said angrily.

I gave her a pathetic look.

"Haven't you met any other Seoul guy in your lifetime?" I asked.

She seemed blank for a minute.

[Yura's POV]

Whoops. Mistake. I looked around his surprisingly clean room for an answer.

"Forget it. What are you doing at my house?"

"I came to get Sun- Uh. My basketball back."

"Oh", he said as he nodded his head. He went out to the balcony and returned with the basketball.

"Here", he tossed it to me.

I caught it and stood up, ready to show myself out.

"Yah, Kwon Yura."

"What?" I asked.

"Where's your manners? Can't you say thank you, oppa?"

I laughed.

"Oppa? Dear oppa, but it's not my fault you made me chuck the ball at you. It's only right that you return it to me."

"Tsk. Stubborn Wooh-man."

"I understood that."

"You're meant to", he replied, giving me the 50000th weird look I received today.

Is it because of my accent or my bad Korean?

I ignored him and shut the door.