The Sweetest Kind

Corn Dog

Yoon Jin Ah, are you okay? Did you talk to Yoo Jin Woo? Trust me, I didn't fight him.

That was the last message Tae Gu sent Jin Ah that still left unanswered since hours ago. She usually replied immediately, so this makes him worry.

Did she block him?

Never before Min Tae Gu thinks about another person beside himself until he can't sleep. He is exhausted, he is a little heartbroken, and he is worried.

Tae Gu takes his phone and considers calling her but refrains at the last second. "She won't answer my call. Shit, how can I get ahold of her?"

Is there anything he can do to help her with her situation? Maybe he can explain to his half-brother?

"No way. No way I'd call him. Aaaah, I don't care." Tae Gu throws his phone to his bed. But still, he can't stop worrying.

He is pacing in his room, looking at his phone over and over again in case Jin Ah decides to reply his message. But she's not.

"Who are you to her, Min Tae Gu? She ends up in this situation because of you." He plops on his bed thinking again what can he do to make things better for her.

He grunts and decides he can't just wait and do nothing. He is acting on his impulse, opening up the basketball team group chat and seeking Jin Woo's number.

Before his mind can stop him from doing something that is so out of character, he dials his brother's number. It keeps ringing without answer. But he waits. And waits. And waits. Until Jin Woo barks on the other end and answer his call.

"What the hell are you doing calling me, Brother?" Tae Gu can tell Jin Woo calls him that out of sarcasm, only wanting to rile him up. He opts to be the bigger person and let it slide. Besides, he is not here to fight with him.

"Is Yoon Jin Ah okay?" He asks Jin Woo straight to the point. Jin Woo is silent.

"Why do you care? Isn't it enough you messing up with me, Min Tae Gu? You need to mess with Jin Ah, too?"

Tae Gu grabs his hair hearing his brother's accusation. While half of it is true – he's messing with Jin Woo way too much -, he doesn't like his remarks about messing with Jin Ah. But he doesn't want to answer his brother. Let him thinking the worse about him.

"Just answer my question, Yoo Jin Woo. Is she okay? She doesn't answer my text."

"So you really meeting up with her and everything? Didn't you have a girlfriend? I don't have to wonder, I guess, knowing who your father is."

Tae Gu starts to fume, especially when he brings up their father. "You don't know what you're talking about, Bastard. Stop acting like you know everything." He says in low voice, a telltale that he starts to lose control. He tries to calm himself, he really does. As difficult as it may seem.

"Then stop calling me and get away from Jin Ah. Your problem is with me, not with her."

Tae Gu inhales deeply before answering, he really is tired. "As much as messing with her to get to you excites me, I really don't have any ill intention towards her."

"You can say that to others and they'll believe you, Min Tae Gu. Not me. Leave us alone. We're fine without you."

"Just tell me, is she okay?"

Jin Woo hangs up without answering. And Tae Gu's phone ends up in front of the door as he throws it hard in frustration.

***

Jin Ah always prides herself to be a tough girl. The way she cries right now though, not showing that at all. She feels really bad.

For lying to Jin Woo despite how honorable her intention was. He won't talk to her. She shouldn't have done what she did. At least, she should have been upfront with him.