Here With You

Chapter 9

Later it's time for p.e. and our coach split our class in half, one plays basketball and the other half plays dodgeball. The gym is hot and stuffy and everyone is loud as they have fun. Jae-suk and I are on the same team for dodgeball, I've never really had time to play many sports so I think I'm doing a pretty great job, I've been catching well without getting hit and throwing good too. I bend down to get a ball to throw and when I stand up a ball is speeding towards me, I flinch and my hands should my face but I don't feel any impact but I hear it. My eyes peek through my fingers and Jae-suk is blocking my body, he caught the ball that almost hit with on hand. He chucks it at the other opponents along with some causing them to be out and leaving us as the winners. He turns his tall body to me, he doesn't say anything he just gives me this tense gaze that I can't really understand.

"Thanks." I say and he doesn't move his eyes away from me, "w-water, I need water." I awkwardly announce and leave him to retrieve my bottle.

"You should stop flirting with Jae-suk while we're being nice." A girl approaches me with her two sidekicks.

"Yeah and don't use Hae-jin either. You know two timing is just really shameless, you disgust me." They cross their arms.

"Don't you think your words are a little harsh? I'm not flirting or seducing or using any of them. I'm not that kind of person so I would like it if you wouldn't misunderstand and approach me like this again." I walk past them but they pull me back in front of them and the light haired girl steps closer.

"Misunderstand what?"

"Oh Jae-suk. It's nothing we're just telling Soo-min not to misunderstand us when we threw the ball at her before. We didn't want to hurt but you got in the way at stopped it anyway." They lie and scurry away. I spot Hae-jin not too far away from us drinking water and he catches my glance and glares at Jae-suk.

"I should go back." I finish my water break and go to return to the activities. As I'm walking I slip and fall on the gym floor, it's covered in water. I wince in pain as hold on to my ankle trying hard to fight the emerging tears.

"Oh sorry I'm a little clumsy." A girl says pouring the rest of the water on my head and walks away. I struggle to get up and Hae-jin quickly helps me to my feet

"Gwaenchana? Let me help you."

"No I'm fine." I say taking a step past him but the pain in my ankle doesn't allow me to go any further.

"Just get on." He crouches down in front of me and the class starts to murmur as I reluctantly wrap my arms around his neck so he can piggy back me, His back and shoulders are broad and toned. e carries me to the nurse. "How did this happen?"

"Well I just slipped and knocked over someone's water in the process." I lie and we enter the nurses office, he gently sets me down on the resting my bed and the nurse walks in.

"Alright let's see what we're dealing with, what happened?" The nurse asks and I explain just as I did to Hae-jin, she examines my ankle then makes me ice it for a while. She says it's only a minor sprain.

"You know you don't have to stay here. It's already been a while now, p.e. is over and you're missing the lesson. Aren't you worried about getting punished?"

"No, I'd rather stay here."

"Why?" I laugh.

"Aren't friends supposed to help each other when they're hurt?" He says plainly and a massive grin takes over my face.

"Wow! I'm friends with the cool Park Hae-jin now. You really mean it?" He crosses arms and turns his head trying to act cool but I know that meant yes. "Thanks, for helping me too." After a few more moments of ice on and off the pain in my ankle went down and I move off the bed ready to walk but sharp pain is back, he crouched down in front of me again and I hesitate.

"Get on."

"But aren't I heavy? I can just limp all the way." I say embarrassed.

"That will take too long, just get on." He says and I follow. I feel guilty that he's carrying me and could be getting into trouble because of me when I should be the one who should be making his life easier. Then I start thinking about what happened in the gym, is seemed like Jae-suk wanted to protect me and Hae-jin seemed bothered by him which must mean that Jae-sum wasn't being totally clear when I asked about their relationship. What is their relationship exactly? Why are they so popular and why was it such a huge deal for them to be around me? And those girls were so awful, what did I ever do? I was hoping that me slipping in the water in the gym was an accident but her pouring it on my head confirmed that it was on purpose. Why me?

"You can put me down I think it will be distracting if you carry me all the way inside. I'm sorry." He opens the door for me and I limp inside then he follows behind, Ms. Kim stops and she looks like she's ready to scold us.

"Sorry I'm late. She's injured and couldn't walk properly, so I helped her." He bows and she surprisingly smiles and lets us off the hook.

After school Mi-young, Hae-jin and I leave school together and she goes her direction as I wave goodbye.

"Are you sure you're okay to walk all the way home?"

"Yeah, I can't have you piggy back me any longer. You were late to class and I'm sure I'm heavy. Ah, excuse me for a second." I say and answer the phone. "Oppa? What is it?"

"Oppa? Who is that, who are you talking to?" Hae-jin yells and I push him away so I can hear in the other end of the phone.

"Yeah sorry I just got out of school I'm at the front. Where are you? I can't find you." I spot Chang-soo standing next to a taxi across the street and my arms wave in their trying to get his attention. "Oppa! I'm over here!" I yell waving my hands and he crosses the street. "What are you doing here? I thought we would meet at home?" Hae-jin's eyes become wide. "Oh Hae-jin this is Chang-soo, Chang-soo this is Hae-jin." I say subtly hint that he is the Hae-jin and he understands immediately.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm her older brother. I hope she hasn't been to much trouble." He says then obnoxiously pinched my cheeks like I'm a child. "I came because I wanted to surprise you, I thought we could eat somewhere nice tonight."

"Ah about that, I actually got hurt today and it's been hard to walk so he's been helping me. I just want to go home and rest. I'll see you tomorrow Hae-jin." I wave and Chang-soo and I cross the street and get inside the taxi that has been waiting.