Brute

Part 17

Nine

"Oyyy, sit down, sit down young man. Why did you do it if you can't stand the smell...", the Granny held Joong's arm and led him to a nearby wooden stool. She then took a wet small towel and gave it to Joong to wipe his sweaty face.

I snorted from inside the barn. Couldn't help to not feel sorry at all. I had already known this would happen, had already told him to stay at home and rest. Not only he had gone through a long journey, he was also a city boy through and through, who never once used to this kind of chore.

But the stubborn man, too confident to be able to do hard work, wanted to follow along. Yes, that maybe was true looking at his muscles, the hard work was the easy part, but the smell was the bomb to his enthusiasms.

"Luk, why are you mad at him, he was trying to help...", Granny scolded me and rubbed Joong's back. Joong had again vomitted for the third time. The rice that was yet to be digested fully, and his saliva, came out in glooey strips.

I continued to do the rest of the work that was left. My lips shut from scolding the sick guy more, focusing on the spade at hand, scooping and cleaning the rest of the dung. My forehead was sweating heavily, once in a while, I wiped the streaming sweat before it reached my eyes.

When Joong once again wanted to come in, I gave him a murderous look, the spade almost become a weapon, pointing at him to not go a step further.

"Try and step in! You'll have another bout of vomitting. Don't make the granny feel bad", I said almost in whisper. Joong eyes were shiny, his throat must had felt ignited and his stomach must be grumbling again. He wanted to say something, but bit his lips and relented. He waited for me, until the rest of the work was done.

The Grandpa then came and asked me to go home with Joong, saying that he could clean up the tools, and giving me a basket of vegetable to bring home too. Joong took the heavy basket, said thank you and walked home. Joong was silent. I knew he felt too much, tired, sickened stomach, pitiful and also a little mad at me.

When we arrived home, immediately I wrapped ice cubes from the fridge inside a towel, made it into a bundle, and went to Joong who already laid down on the wooden floor, trying to reduce his nausea. His eyes were closed. I sat down, and placed his head from the floor onto on my lap, an action that caused him to open his eyes and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, to be a little harsh on you just now. It's not that I didn't feel your pain, but the elder would ask us to stop because they feel bad, even if the work was still not done. I didn't want them to hesitate to ask for help again because of guilt", I said while moving the iced towel all over his face, neck and temple.

"I'm mad at you...", Joong said coldly.

"Yes, I know. But, I'd already asked you to take a rest. I'm not belittling your sincerity to help, but I was afraid it would become liked this".

Joong stopped my hand that moved around, and gently held my wrist, "No. I'm not mad because of that, but because you were doing hard work when you were also tired. You just came home, then cooked for me, and with just a little rest, worked hard again. Nine, I don't want you to be sick, again, please...take very good care of yourself", he said, placing my palm on his cheek and held it there.

His words caused me to be aware of how different our views had been. All the time that I thought of him being stubborn, was actually him wanting to make sure I was alright. My eyes were looking at him with heart.

Joong eyes were hopeful, he was trying to relax his breathing that elevated in anticipation. I smiled, my thumb that was caressing his jaw and moved lower, could feel the strong pulse.

"Joong...", I said his name in a hoarse voice.

"Yes?".

"Not that I don't want to kiss you; but I smelled liked shit, you might vomit again...", I said cheekily and laughed a little.

"Want to take a bath together? I...err, still a little bit shaky... What if I feel dizzy and drop down to the floor? ", he asked boldly, teasing too.

I shook my head and pulled his ear, hard. "Awwww... Nine, you went from sweet to horror in a second!", Joong said rubbing his ear that turned red.

"Then, just vomit...", I said, cupped his face, and immediately bent down to kiss that lips hard; almost as hard as when he was jealous at first; that took his breath away in surprised and flailing to respond back, before I stopped, laughed, dropped his head carefully back on the floor and ran away into the bathroom with my clothes and towel that I prepared before we went to help at the barn.

As soon as the door closed, I could hear the loud vomitting sound coming from the nearby kitchen.