Chapter 7 - The Errand Boy

Sunday night, Jeong Won kept on checking his phone. The Elites told him that he'll receive a message from them soon for his service. The last time he saw Jin Ae was in their confrontation outside the school where he told her everything and she was totally pissed off. Now, he wasn't sure anymore if he did the right thing or if he had believed in Jin Ae too much. He was worried that she would break the agreement and thus the bullying would resume.

"Waiting for a call?" His mom asked him as she noticed him looking at his cellphone all throughout the day.

"No," he answered but just then his phone notified a message to his surprise. His mother smiled teasingly at him and went away.

It reads: "Tomorrow outside school, be there before 8 AM. Be sure to wait for me."

He smiled. He called the unknown number. It rang and he was connected.

"Hello. I just want to apologize about last Friday-"

He was cut by voice and it was nothing like her.

"Hello, last Friday? what are you talking about?"

"Oh, isn't this Son Jin Ae's number?" he asked.

"Yah! This is Yoo Choon Hee. Choon Hee," the voice emphasized on the line. He was reminded of the short but foul-mouthed Elite.

"You're the one who texted me about tomorrow?" His brows furrowed.

"Yes, I mean... it's not actually from me. Jin Ae asked me to tell you."

"Ah, ok. Bye," He ended the call, annoying Choon Hee for being cut abruptly from the other line.

When he put down his phone, he scoffed loudly, "Wahh! How could she not tell me directly? That brat!" He pouted.

Upset, Jeong Won told himself to ignore the instruction unless it came directly from Jin Ae. But the next day, he found himself unusually very early waiting outside the school. Getting bumped by the rushing students inside the school, Jeong Won looked at his watch and saw that only a minute was remaining and the gates would be closed soon.

He kept looking on the path where Jin Ae would show up olivious that she was already on the other street, watching him with a smirk on her face, waiting for a 3-second run to the gates.

"1. 2. 3. Go!"

Jin Ae crossed the street like a bolt of lightning. Jeong Won belatedly saw her and started to ride his bike. She made it before the gates closed while Jeong Won was a nano-second late. He and the other students who did not meet the time were blocked. A PE teacher and some elite students got their names.

Jin Ae stopped and turned her head in his direction. She greeted him with a smirk on her face before going her way. He was tricked!

"This girl, really!" He could only curse to himself.

The latecomers were tasked to clean the schoolyard, thus, Jeong Won missed his first subject which required him to pass an excuse letter. Jeong Won slumped to his seat tired.

"Jeong Won, are you okay?"

The Vice President of the club sat beside him. Jeong Won noticed Min Jung glanced at him but remained quiet.

"Ah! What are you saying? I came late so I was punished, it doesn't involve you guys."

He laughed and they laughed in return. Deep inside he knew that it was just the start of his dilemma. Fifteen minutes before the bell rang for the 10 o'clock break, Jeong Won received a text message coming from a new number telling him to buy twenty-two fruit drinks and twenty-two sandwiches for the Elite section. It came from a different number so he was kind of delighted to think it was Jin Ae. He was about to call the number with a smile on his face when he suddenly stopped and reflected over his thoughts.

"Why am I glad to think it was Jin Ae? I should be mad at her for what happened this morning. Yes, I'm mad at her!" he said to himself.

With a frown, he called the owner of the number.

"Hey! Jin Ae! How can you-" But he couldn't finish what he was saying when a low baritone voice spoke on the other line.

"Yah! You punk! Just get everything, It was Jin Ae's instructions, not mine. You-"

Jeong Won ended the call.

He scoffed, "She asked someone to relay it to me again?" he exclaimed to himself.

But he seemed to have spoken more loudly than what he intended so that the teacher noticed him.

"Kim Jeong Won, Get out!"

* * *

Jeong Won's early dismissal by his teacher turned out to be a blessing in disguise since he bought everything without having to fall in line in the canteen. With a bag in each hand, he made his way to the special Elite's section on the third floor. Many students were rushing out now for the break.

When he reached the room, some students were on their own personal business so they didn't notice him much. That made him less embarrassed. He put one fruit drink and a sandwich on each desk. When he reached the last two rows, he was welcomed by the piercing eyes owned by the superior Elite students: In Na and her seatmate, Choon Hee in the third row, and others. Only Chul Soo greeted him with a smile.

Jeong Won put the drinks and sandwiches on their desks and when he only had the last piece he was in front of In Na. Jin Ae, who was on her headphones, hadn't got one yet so he was confused and wondered if he got the correct number of fruit drinks and sandwiches.

In Na must have read his mind so she said:

"Give me that. Jin Ae said she's full."

Although confused, he gave the last piece to In Na.

"You can go. We'll send you a message when Jin Ae asks for you."

Before Jeong Won left the room, he glanced at Jin Ae for the last time but she had her eyes closed.

The same thing happened in the next few days. Jeong Won will receive a text message from Elites by Jin Ae's instructions as they put it and be ignored by her at all. The week was very tiring for Jeong Won and Jin Ae's lack of acknowledgment to him made the week even worse.

Jeong Won was doing his homework when his phone alerted a text message.

"What's this? Tomorrow's weekend, what the-"

Then he read the text message coming from a new number this time:

"8:00 tonight sharp. School gates."

"Aish! Really!" he said irritatedly.

Then the number flashed on his screen to his surprise. He answered.

"Yeah, I know. It's Jin Ae's instruction, okay. I get it," he said without emotion. He was about to hang up when he suddenly heard the voice on the other line.

"Don't be late."

It was Jin Ae. Her sharp but beautiful voice resonated in his ear.

Jeong Won thought his heart stopped upon finding out that the person on the other line was Jin Ae. The phone was still on his ear even though she had dropped the call already. She finally called him!