Days in Nights. /Yuta, Wonwoo/

Chapter 1

The sun was setting low. A group of high school students in their uniforms gathered in front of an abandoned building.

"Are you sure he did that?" One of them asked.

"I t-t-think s-so." The weak-looking friend stuttered. "That's what I heard, I think..." The one who looked like a leader clutched his shoulder.

"Let's just do it, then. To make it clear." Another guy in the group suggested.

—

A girl leaned outside an office building. She sighed deeply and stared into the void as the sunset reflected in her eyes.

She checked her side pocket, looking for something. Disappointed, she sighed again. "At least just let me have a whiff before I do this..."

Her cigarette tin was empty. She then took her golden lighter, that looked quite old. She ignited the lighter again and again, no flame.

"I miss you, dad. Especially at times like this."

Then her phone vibrated. A text.

Damned brother: 'I'll be home late again.'

She scoffed. "You're always home late everyday, why bother texting me??"

Another text was sent.

Damned brother: 'In case you're miraculously worried about me today.'

She rolled her eyes.

"Prick."

(11.23 pm)

She entered a minimart on her way to the subway station. A pack of cigarettes and her favourite coffee cream drink were on her mind.

Her mood was brought down as someone hit her deliberately. She was sure it was the uniform of her brother's high school.

"Yah!" She exclaimed.

"S'rry." He just went past her, quickly headed toward the cold drinks at the back.

"Sheesh... I wonder if everyone who goes to that school are rude like that... Or maybe it's not his uniform..?" She pushed her hair back and took a bottle of coffee cream from the shelf.

"Anything else?" The cashier scanned her drink.

"One pack of Esse, please." She took out her card.

"That would be 8,200 won."

She then went out to sit and smoke. Inside the minimart, she could see that the student from earlier was beaten up pretty badly.

As she smoked, she kept watching him around. His left cheek was red and quite bloated, there was a cut by the corner of his lips, and some bruises on his temple.

"Is he in a street gang or something..." She inhaled.

He awkwardly went to the cashier station and placed coins on the counter to pay. He only bought a triangle kimbap.

"Eh?? I thought he was going to buy some ointments for his face?" She was his spectator for that night and kept commenting on his every actions. "Will the coins be enough to pay...?"

He then came out of the store empty-handed.

"Poor guy..." She smoked again as her eyes followed him walking away.

"I knew you'll be here, noona." A deep voice made her let out a sigh. She knew it was her brother. He sat next to her. "The ever so famous minimart right at this S cross-section, taking the red plastic chair."

She flicked his forehead. "How many bottles?"

He smiled sheepishly and showed three fingers.

"And...?"

"Beer...three cans." He got hit by his sister. "Ack! At least I'm not buying with my own money! There was this some kind of celebration so I just kind of... getting along. Hehe."

"Whatever."

"You don't even try to stop smoking, Jeon Jiwoo!" He teased his sister.

"Do you want to live in the streets, Jeon Wonwoo?" She replied him coolly and took her stuffs with her.

Her brother immediately followed her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hehe, you know I'm just joking, right? Noona?"

Jiwoo let go of his arm. "Do we know each other?"

"Eeey, noona..."

The siblings then walked together with tons of sarcasms and mockery.

(Three weeks later, midnight)

Jiwoo went to her usual minimart and smoked outside. She noticed the same high school student again. His face was also beaten.

"Is that a makeup or something? Why is he always beaten up like that..." She took notice on his uniform and checked her phone to see if she had a picture of Wonwoo in his school uniform. "I'm quite sure it's the same uniform... I've seen that silver bell patch somewhere..."

The minimart door was opened wide so she could hear the conversation inside.

"I guess students these days don't even study. They only play around and go into brawls everyday." The cashier said in a sarcastic tone as he scanned the beaten student's stuffs.

Jiwoo heard that and felt that man was too much. She went inside the minimart.

"4,300 won." He said rudely to the student.

The student scooped out his coins from his backpack's front pocket.

"Aigooo, look at this. You don't even have lots of money yet still dare to pick a fight? I feel bad for your parents-"

Jiwoo slammed a boiled egg, ointment and bandaid on the cashier desk, next to the student's triangle kimbab and vitamin drink. "I'll pay his too."

"Agassi... you know this student?"

"No. But it'd be nice if you shut up. It's noisy." She glared at him. "Are you not going to scan mine?"

The student sighed. "I'm not buying." He then left the minimart.

"7,300 won." The cashier said. Both him and Jiwoo stared at the student who just sat outside.

After she had paid, she took a seat in front of the student.

"If you're on some kind of community services, don't talk to me." The student started to speak.

Jiwoo chuckled. "I knew it. You're from Eundo-go, alright. Sharp-tongued."

"How do you know?"

"Just consider it as a community service." She teased him and raised an eyebrow. "Here. Use the egg... for your face."

He took the egg and rubbed it on his bruise. He stared at her busy hands, opening the triangle kimbap and the vitamin drink.

"Are you really from community services?"

She snorted laughing. "Do I even look that nice?" She slid the kimbap and drink across the table toward him.

He took a bite on the kimbap, but his cheek was still hurt so he winced as he chewed.

"You know how to put on ointments, right? Put this on your face, then use the bandaid." Jiwoo stood up and placed the aid kit next to his vitamin drink.

"Thanks..., I guess."

She took out her cigarette pack and placed one cig between her lips. "Sure." Smiling, she left the minimart as she got a phone call.

'4 times 5 equals twenteeeeyyy~' Her brother was drunk again somewhere. She rolled her eyes.

"Where are you? Let's go home."

The high school student from the minimart finished his kimbap and just stared at the aid kit.

"I didn't even ask her name..."