19

"Why are you asking that?"

It's been a week now and I have managed to keep myself away from Kim Geon Woo.

No calls or texts.

Nothing.

He does not call or text me either, which as far as that could go.

I wanted knowing more about this Kyung of a person but I know if I said anything about it to Noona and he was in anyway a threat to me, she would lose her shit.

So eventually, I asked Oppa instead.

It took three days before I got a reply from him which came privately from an envelope.

'Eul Yi Song, I don't know what you're involved in and I don't want to know (lies but we'd get to that). Ji Kyung is a gang member of a small gang called the Vipers here in Bancheok but they aren't deadly, it's who they work for that is. Now, I doubt punching the front teeth out of their member would make the main people turn their heads, but I know that somehow, you will try killing the gang members one by one because you're a Yi Song and if you crazy in you. Just know this, touching them would make the Mafia notice you, an Father is doing his senatorial whatever. He has a good chance of winning but you're his Ace, you have to lay low and not hurt anyone. Let them come after you, that way the press would eat up the story that you only did self defense. Oh and Eul, it has been a long time we actually had fun together. If things get out of hand, do not forget to call your Oppa so we can play as we used to, okie?'

The psychopath.

Hoseok Yi Song, twenty nine years old and my half elder brother, connected to me by Father, is an actor and idol, known by many and loved by everyone possibly in Seoul (except Noona preferably) is also someone who the society views as perfect and flawless though one time news got out that he was short tempered and crazy but he managed to shut it off before it went too far.

Plus, he is dating the daughter of a Mafia gang in Russia (the watch being one of the many souvenirs he brings back from there) and heads the whole thing there.

Not that anyone is aware.

Just me.

For that simple reason, I decided to stay away from Kim Geon Woo for a while, making little plans here and there before anything happened.

Now, I am in the room that I had taken Baek Ji Daewi to, painting the floors as Noona stands in a corner, wearing a latex transparent coat, staring at me.

"You should answer" I say as I paint something like a comet "It is just a question"

"No, you're not selfish or over privileged"

"He doesn't think so"

I hear her sigh "Kim Geon Woo, I'm sure"

"He wouldn't lie" I say "He said that I mentioned money too much, as a solution to things... Or something like that"

"Since when did you care about what people said about you?"

"He's not people" I reply "And all people have ever said about me are positive things. This is the first time I hear a negative remark"

"Eomma always said negative things about you"

I pause, staring at the floor "We are talking about people that still breathe"

"Eul Yi Song..."

I stand up, turning to face her "I must look a mess"

"You look like it rained paint on you"

I drop the brush on the floor as I wipe my hands on my trousers "I need to go wash off"

In the shower room, I stay under it, not sure how... Why Kim Geon Woo is not calling me, not missing me...

How he is surviving.

Everyday I drive past the bar, staring inside, wanting to go in but then I remember I'm trying to not put him in danger and I drive off.

But he looked okay.

He looked fine.

He always looked like he couldn't even remember me.

"I'm glad you're spending time with Baek Ji Daewi. He seems happy"

"I wonder how long it takes to find an apartment"

I put off the shower as I grab a towel, wiping my body while Noona says "For you, it was easy, because Father already found it. Baek does not have the same privileges as you"

"Because he is illegitimate?" I ask "That should not be a factor of finding a house"

"You know what I'm talking about"

I put on a new pair of trousers, jeans with a black hood sweater that I recently bought as she says "You are not supposed to wear the bandages all the time Eul Song. It could hurt you"

"I've gotten used to it"

When I'm done dressing, we both head outside the art gallery then to her car.

It's late in the evening, possibly seven on before my phone buzzes and I check it

Sunbae-nim: Hey, I got a new movie, would you like to check it out?

I keep staring at the message, not sure how to reply as Noona peeks in, a smile on her face "See? Normal people text like that. Not asking if they could have sex"

"Normal is boring" I say as I put the phone back in my pockets.

"If you say so"

She revs the car and begins to drive away.

Staying with Baek Ji Daewi has been... Eventful.

If anything, predictable.

But it was not fun.

It was me staring, trying to act along, behaving carefully so as not to hurt his feelings.

I hated it.

And I'm sure I'd hate the movie even more.

We keep going for a while before I say "Stop"

She does "What is it?"

I don't answer, I just come out of the car.

She does so too "Eul Yi Song, what's going on? You're scaring me"

"I'm going to see him"

Her eyes widen there "No, please. You've been doing so well"

"No I'm not" I say "I haven't slept, I haven't thought without thinking of him, I have thousands of sketches of him. I'm wondering what he is doing. I'm thinking of what his reaction would have been everytime Baek Ji Daewi gives me a response. I keep feeling like with every second I'm away from him, he would change his mind and leave me"

"But he wasn't with you to begin with" She says "Don't you get it? It's the money and sex that keeps in. You're here, dying, and he's there, not even remembering you exist"

"You don't know that"

"Come on Eul Yi Song" She says "Would you rather you go there and hear it from his own lips?"

"Yes"

She looks taken aback by my reply but I say "I... I would go and listen to him. If... If he does not welcome me, then this will all end, but if he does..."

"No. We both know you can't handle rejection well. Come back into the car"

But I am already running off before anyone can stop me.