Moonflower

Chapter 68: Company

Carrying two plates of perfectly cooked fish, Jin wandered back into her sitting room a half hour later.

"I found some rice and cooked it too. Hope that was okay."

"Jin, that's more than okay. Again, delightful," she smiled at him.

"I added some kimchi too."

"But, of course," she grinned at him.

He frowned. "I couldn't find anything else in your larder."

She ignored that statement.

He handed her a plate before he settled himself in the chair next to her. As they both began to eat, his eyes slid over her again.

"How are you doing?" he asked seemingly casually, but he was really concerned about her.

She could see the fear in his eyes. She didn't want him to worry, so she shrugged her shoulders and tried to make little of the whole affair. "I'm fine. I told you."

Two deep lines carved themselves between his eyebrows. "You're not scared? To be here alone?"

She tried to evade his gaze.

"Eunbyeol?" He wouldn't let her off the hook.

Finally, her eyes crashed into his. "Jin, I don't have any choice. I'm a woman on my own. You know my family disowned me when I decided to pursue medicine. I have no one to lean on. I have to be strong."

His heart hurt. It released a pang as he gaped at her. "No." He shook his head. "That's not true. You're not alone. You have me."

Her lips spread into a thin smile. "Jin. We're friends. Nothing more. We're not family. You can't..." Her voice trailed off.

"I can't what? Eunbyeol, I am not about to leave you here alone tonight. What kind of a friend would I be if I let you stay by yourself with that bad of a head wound? What if you take a turn for the worse during the middle of the night, and no one is here to help you?" He paled at the thought of her dying.

"Jin." She pressed the bridge of her nose between her thumb and fingers. "You are an absolute darling, but if anyone caught us, we could be punished. Most certainly, I would be. You'd be at risk too. I cannot allow it."

"I'm staying," Jin murmured through clenched teeth.

She sighed. Sometimes Jin was intractable. Apparently, this was one of those moments.

"I think the risk of you dying from that head wound is greater than the risk of us being punished," he furthered his case.

He might be right.

"Does anyone know you came to visit me?"

"No. I didn't tell anyone I was coming. The road was empty when I traveled this way."

"All right, Jin. You better be glad I live off the beaten track."

He flashed his pretty grin at her. "Right now, I'm most thankful that I decided I missed you tonight and just had to see you."

"You did?" Her lovely face brightened with surprise as she glanced sharply at him.

"I did," he beamed. "That's why I came straight here after catching my fish."

She peered down at her nearly full plate. "Don't you mean our fish, Jin? After all, I'm the lucky one helping you eat them tonight."

"There's nothing lucky about that. I chose you on purpose, Eunbyeol."