Walk slowly (edited)

Chapter 23

“Nyoungie… Jaebum came. He’s your officemate!” Mom’s voice made me run faster to my room.

I do not want to deal with Jaebum right now. As a human being, I feel really angry at Jaebum. I did not expect him to keep everything from me. The person I was looking for all this time was apparently his own cousin. I really feel cheated.

“Jinyoungie... Please open the door. Jaebum came to see you.” The knocks on the door made me so uneasy and Mom kept calling my name.

I’m sure, Jaebum is definitely also there. I really wanted to shout, demanding that he go away. But I am also worried that mom suspects something. So I forced myself to open the door.

“Jinyoung... It’s me. Jaebum. Can you recognize me?”

His question makes me sure that mom has already told everything to him. If not, he probably got the news through his cousin, Jiyeon. Since the accident that night, as always, I just shook my head.

“I came here, because I wanted to apologize to you.”

“Why should you apologize to me? Did you do something wrong to me?” I feel satisfied that I can ask him that question.

Jaebum was speechless, not being able to give an answer.

“I think it is better for you two to discuss in the living room.” Mom gave a suggestion.

“Okay, auntie.” Jaebum replied with a smile.

Jaebum did not answer my last question.

“Mom, if you can right now, I do not want to see anyone. I don’t feel comfortable talking to people I do not know.” I asked mom, to which she agreed, with a pitiful gaze.

“I’m sorry, I want to rest.” I went back into the room and then shut the door and locked it, before leaning on the door.

My heart feels heavy with what happened.

A moment later, I heard another knock on the door.

Did he not understand that I do not want to meet him at this moment? At least give me some time to relieve me from this anger!  I will forgive him, I just need time and space to forgive him.

When the knocks on the door did not stop, I had to re-open the door. But it turns out the person standing in front of me now is different from my mind. Mark smiled at me.

This man confuses me. Since I feigned memory loss, his behavior really has changed. Whatever I do, he is never mad at me. So much so that there are times when I lost all my efforts on how to proceed with this.

Mark remained standing in the doorway. As always, as long as I do not let him in, then he will remain standing at the door.

“Just come in, Mark hyung.” I opened the door wider. Then I went to bed and sat down.

“Did you know who came earlier?” The question was out of his mouth once he put the medicine on the table beside my bed.

“No!” I answered briefly. “Mom said he is Jaebum, my officemate.” I added. My answer managed to make Mark smile.

“It’s good if you don’t remember him.” Mark said with a low voice with a smile.

I know the meaning of that smile. My answer all along about the strange attitude of Mark and Jaebum eventually settled. No wonder they can’t ever meet without fighting. Jiyeon is apparently the cause. His smile makes me feel unsatisfied.

“Is he really my friend? Was I close to him?” I intentionally asked him those questions. I want to hear the answer that comes out of his mouth.