Chapter 15: Healing - Hurting

[Sierra’s POV]

“Is he okay?” I asked Jae Joong as I walked back into the apartment.

I was outside awhile ago, calling Han Kyung. I’d had enough of this craziness, and I wanted him to stop trying to interfere with my life. I had to meet him and end it tonight.

“Yea…” Jae Joong said as he stuck a band aid on the bridge of Jae Wook’s nose. “He’ll be fine. I’ve seen worse.”

“Worse?” I exclaimed.

“Shh…” the both of them shushed me.

“Omma’s asleep,” Jae Joong said.

“Mian,” I grinned sheepishly.

“Hyung’s been beaten up worse before. But that was long ago,” Jae Joong said.

“It’s your fault,” Jae Wook said.

“Yes… yes…” Jae Joong nodded.

“Why?”

“I used to get picked on in school, and one time, it was by a group of thugs. Hyung stepped in and got beaten up really badly.”

“I couldn’t well run away, or watch my baby brother get smashed, could I?”

“No,” I smiled. “You’re such a wannabe,” I laughed.

“Wannabe?” Jae Wook said.

“Yes… a hero wannabe,” I said, and Jae Joong snickered.

“This is what you get for looking out for you own brother,” Jae Wook sighed.

“Is this why you’re so fit now?” I asked Jae Joong as I gave him a once over.

“I’m not fit,” Jae Joong blushed. “I just tried to beef up a little so that I didn’t look like a wimp. Then my hyung wouldn’t get beaten up for me ever again,” he said.

“Why don’t you beef up?” I asked Jae Wook.

“I need to work,” he said. “I don’t have time for sports.”

“Excuses…” I said as I shook my finger at him.

“I need to work,” he protested.

“Araso… araso…” Jae Joong patted him on the back. “You don’t have time… kwaench’ana,” he said.

“I’m toned, alright,” he said. “Jae Joong is buff.”

“Araso…” I laughed. “I’m just teasing,” I added, as I stood up and walked down the steps.

“You’re leaving now?” Jae Wook asked.

“Yes. It’s late,” I said.

“Okay… I’ll walk you out,” he said as he tried to stand up.

“Kwaench’ana… Stay there,” I said, but he still tried to stand. “Keep him there, Jae Joong,” I added, for good measure.

“Ya!” Jae Wook exclaimed as Jae Joong grabbed onto him.

“Chalga, nuna,” Jae Joong said as he tried to hold Jae Wook down.

“Bye guys,” I said as I walked out.

“I can’t believe it,” Jae Wook said. “Why are guys always listening to her orders?”

I laughed at his disbelief that his brother had just acted on my command.

“Cos she’s hot,” Jae Joong laughed as I closed the door behind me.

I took a deep breath as I walked out the building, onto the street.

“Shall I take you home, Miss Sierra?” my driver asked.

“No. Take me to Namsan Tower,” I said.

“At this hour?” he asked.

I looked at my watch and realized it was almost 11pm. My brothers would have a fit if I didn’t return home soon, but I had to see Han Kyung.

“Ne,” I said, as I got into the car. “Take me there. I’ll call Yong Min oppa to explain my lateness.”

“As you wish,” he said, and closed the door.

“Sierra… odiya?” Yong Min oppa asked as soon as he picked up my call.

“I need to meet a friend,” I said. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, okay?”

“Araso… be careful, and be home before 1,” he said.

“Ne,” I replied.

“If you’re not home by 1am, I’m calling the police,” he threatened.

“Ne,” I laughed. “I’ll be home before 1.”

“Good,” he said.

“See you later,” I said.

“Right,” he said, and hung up.

[Han Kyung’s POV]

I paced back and forth as I waited for her at the cable car station. I’d rushed there as soon as she called, even though she’d clearly said that she would be there in an hour. Sure enough, an hour later, she turned up. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself as she walked towards me.

“You wanna go up?” I asked her.

“Sure,” she said, and I followed behind her as she walked towards the cable car waiting for us.

When she said that she’d wanted to meet there, I’d immediately made a call to make sure there was a cable car available for us.

She walked in and went to stand at one end of the car. I stood at the other, giving her the space she clearly wanted. The doors closed and the cable car started moving.

“Did you want to talk to me?” I asked her.

“Why are you doing this?” she said.

She was looking out of the window, staring intently at the ground we were leaving, trying so hard not to look at me.

“You asked to meet,” I said, pretending to misunderstand.

“Han Kyung… you know what I’m talking about,” she said. “Why did you ask Ryeo Wook to beat up Jae Wook?”

“I didn’t,” I lied.

“I saw your car,” she pressed on.

“I was only there to talk to him,” I said.

“Why? You have no reason to speak to him. Do you know him?”

“I know he could hurt you,” I said.

“You don’t know that,” she said. “That’s for me to find out. No one knows if anyone would hurt me.”

“I know that most men cannot be trusted, and I don’t trust this guy.”

“But this isn’t your business, is it?” she said, now turning to look at me.

Music: SS501 - Find

Her eyes glistened with her unshed tears each time the lights from outside the car shone in through the window. All I wanted to do was to walk towards her and hold her in my arms.

“You’ll always be my business, Sierra,” I said.

“No!” she yelled at me. “I am no longer your business! I was no longer your business the moment we broke up.”

“You broke up with me,” I pointed out. “I didn’t break up with you.”

“It makes no difference,” she said. “I want nothing to do with you.”

I looked at her straight on when she said those words, not showing her how much they hurt me.

“Do you really believe that?” I challenged her.

“Why else would I be here tonight?” she said. “You didn’t think I was here so that we could reunite, did you?”

I felt the last shred of patience within me shatter with her last sentence. I had hoped. Of course I had hoped. But being ridiculed for it was hurting me more than I’d imagined.

“I thought you’d come to beg me to take you back,” I said.

My mask was coming on now; the mask that hid my insecurities and disappointment. I never liked putting on my mask in front of her, but she pushed me to it.

“Oh please…” she practically sneered at me. “You’re the last guy I would beg for anything.”

“Really?” I said as I started moving towards her. “Would you come begging if I said I’d kill Kim Jae Wook? I could kill his whole family just so you’d come begging me to stop,” I bit out as I came face to face with her.

“Han Kyung…” she said, visibly shocked at my words.

“Who’s begging now?” I sneered back at her, and she took a step back as if I were about to attack.

“He has done nothing to you,” she said.

“He took my woman,” I said.

“I am not yours.”

“You were mine.”

“Were… would be the operative word,” she said.

“You still are,” I said, lowering my tone this time.

“It’s over Han Kyung… it was over long ago,” she said. “Please… let me live my life.”

“I want you back in my life,” I said. “As long as you come back, I would do anything for you.”

“We can’t be together,” she said.

“Why? And don’t say that you don’t love me, cos I know that’s a lie,” I said as I reached out and held her by both her arms.

“I don’t love you,” she said, not looking at me.

“Say it to my face,” I said softly.

She looked up slowly, and as if my prayers were answered, she turned away wordlessly. She still loved me.