Love, Friendship And Confusion

Episode 7: His Excruciating Past

Setting: The library
Seo-jun: Do you like him?

Ha-rin was sipping ramyeon when she heard Seo-jun. She looked up at him with innocence.

Seo-jun: Tell me, do you like him?
Ha-rin: Yes! I do! I do very much!

Seo-Jun's heart felt a stinging pain but then something struck him. Seo-Jun blinked a multiple times to come to reality. He realized what he just thought was nothing, just his fear.

Ha-rin: Seo-jun, your hand!!! (She exclaimed when some ramyeon soup spilled over Seo-jun's hand as he was lost in his thoughts) Does your brain needs to be re-charged too? Yah are you listening? (She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes)

Ha-rin shook her head in disbelief as she took a tissue and sat beside him, cleaning his hand. Seo-jun eyes were fixed over her concerned ones. 

Seo-jun: So this is how it feels when someone is concerned for you? (He thought)
Ha-rin: Why are you looking at me like that? (Seo-jun cleared his throat to change the topic)
Seo-jun: Well earlier, when you were talking with me in the nurse room, you were talking that you saw something strange. What was that? (He asked coldly)
Ha-rin: Oh that! Yeah I wanted to say that... (She was cut off by someone's voice from behind)
Mr. Han: Kim Ha-rin? Han Seo-jun? You know each other?

They both looked at each other and nodded their heads in sync.

Seo-jun: Yes Sam-cheon*! We both are classmates and we often come here for our school assignment. (*Sam-cheon means uncle in Korean) 
Mr. Han: Yah Ha-rin, you must be thinking that why is he calling me Sam-cheon, right? (She nodded in response) The thing is, since Seo-jun was a little boy, he used to visit me and this library! His father and I were good friends until something unfortunate took place. (His voice became melancholic and he held his head low)
Seo-jun: I will take a leave now! Take care Uncle.

He went out as he couldn't stand his excruciating past. His tears didn't listen to him anymore and he didn't want to seem weak in front of anyone. Meanwhile, Ha-rin was perplexed by this sudden departure of Seo-jun. She turned to Mr. Han...

Ha-rin: Mr. Han, please tell me further. I wanna know everything. (She became curious that if his past was the cause of his cold behavior)
Mr. Han: Ha-rin, on Seo-jun's 8th birthday, he asked for a surprise gift. His parents went to the mall to grant their son his wish, but while returning, they met with an accident! His grandma and his mother's sister cherished him. But soon his grandma went to his parents as well. He has been blaming himself for all their deaths. That's why he doesn't make friends being afraid he would hurt them as well. (Ha-rin's eyes went moist) Well, his mother's sister or his so called step-mother was friends with Soo-ah's parents. They treated Seo-jun as their child. I am pretty sure, if you know Seo-jun, you definitely might know Soo-ah! She is a lovely girl! (Ha-rin nodded) She and Seo-jun used to come here a lot and play. Slowly she unknowingly made him lift up from his negative thoughts.
Ha-rin: Thank you Mr. Han for letting me know it all!
Mr. Han: Ha-rin, I saw your concern for him when I entered! This is the first time he is letting any other girl touch him other than Soo-ah! Do take care of him! (He requested as he kept his hand on her head)
Ha-rin: I will try my best Mr. Han! I will take a leave then! Good night!

While returning, she felt her head heavy but she decided to not be bother about it..

Setting: Han Seo-jun's room
Seo-jun directly went to the bathroom and washed his face multiple times. He then lay on the bed thinking what happened today.

Seo-jun: I knew I was a curse! Because of me, today Ha-rin was hurt! I better stay away from her! I don't want her to be harmed anymore...

Setting: Kim Ha-rin's Bedroom
Ha-rin was sitting on the bed and thinking of so many things that took place today...

Ha-rin: I knew there was a reason behind his behavior! Oh no! I hope he doesn't blame himself for the fight that took place today. I need to talk to him about this tomorrow! I wish he doesn't distance himself away from me just because of this matter! 

She sighed and tried to sleep but couldn't because of the amount of thoughts running in her mind. Some thoughts were known, while other were faded and unknown...

Next Day
Setting: Yonsei High School
Ha-rin was just staring at Seo-jun thinking how much struggle he has gone through and whether he would start ignoring her or not. She blinked coming back to reality when the bell rang. She called Seo-jun but he unheard all her calls and just took his belongings to leave. Ha-rin sighed as she got her answer. 

Soo-ah: What's with him? Did something happen Kiyomi? 
Ha-rin: Hmm... He will now avoid me for my sake.
Soo-ah: I guess I know what happened! He is probably blaming himself for yesterday's incident, isn't he?
Ha-rin: Yup. I am sorry Soo-ah! He is back to square one...
Soo-ah: Don't worry! We will both pull him back from his pessimistic thoughts, together!
Il-deung: Who are you planning to pull out? (Ha-rin and Soo-ah told him the whole story)
Ha-rin: See, I told you Buttercup, that there must be reason behind his coldness!
Il-deung: I know my Cupcake won't prove me wrong! 
Soo-ah: Okay guys, so here's the plan! (They whispered and made a plan. They decided they will stay close to him and would take care of themselves to prove that he doesn't hurt people)
Ha-rin: Perfect!!!

Setting: Basketball court, Yonsei High school
The team was being split up when a boy suggested that Seo-jun and Il-deung should be captains.

Il-deung: Nope, not me! I want to be in Seo-jun's team. 
Seo-jun: Huh? Did Ha-rin lend you her battery-operating brain today? 
Il-deung: Maybe... maybe not! (He smirked as the game started)

The whole game Il-deung was clinging with Seo-jun which annoyed him internally while Il-deung enjoyed watching his reactions. The girls were seated at the stands, giggling at Il-deung's behavior. He looked at them and passed a wink. Soon the game ended and as expected Seo-jun's team won. It was Soo-ah's turn now...

Setting: Classroom, Yonsei High school
The class ended a little early. Soo-ah sat beside Seo-jun where Ha-rin used to sit.

Soo-ah: Yah Seo-jun can you explain me this paragraph? I am not able to understand it!
Seo-jun: Read it multiple times.
Soo-ah: What do you think, I didn't try that? I did. Explain me now (she whined)
Seo-jun: Ask Ha-rin, she won't deny...
Soo-ah: But it has to be you! (Seo-jun suspiciously glanced at her) I mean, I can't find her right now... Can't you help me for once?
Seo-jun: Fine.

He just sighed and started explaining Soo-ah while the other two were viewing their plan being executed. Soo-ah secretly winked at them but this time, it didn't go unnoticed by Seo-jun. He understood something's fishy. Meanwhile, Il-deung was standing behind Ha-rin who turned back without a warning. She realized how close she was standing to Il-deung between his arms. Their eyes were in contact when an unspoken tension whispered midst the silence. Their eye contact faded away the moment Il-deung looked at her lips.

Ha-rin: Yah you pervert! (She pushed Il-deung)
Il-deung: What? How am I pervert?
Ha-rin: I saw what you were trying to do!
Il-deung: What was I trying to do? I didn't even think about it!
Ha-rin: Think about what?
Il-deung: You seem to know it! That's enough proof to say who is a pervert here!
Ha-rin: YOU! You are dead today! (She started chasing Il-deung who was running for his life)
Il-deung: You can't catch me, Cupcake! (He disappeared from her sight while Ha-rin's pace slowed down as she felt her head spinning once again)
Ha-rin: Why is my head recently...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the bell indicating lunch time. She thought of the plan and decided to bring lunch for Seo-jun. She prepared a plate and took it to the classroom where Seo-jun was sitting in his place and looking out of the window.

Ha-rin: Here's your lunch! (She kept the plate on his table and sat in front of him)
Seo-jun: You didn't need to care. I am not hungry anyways.
Ha-rin: But won't you even eat a little bit? 
Seo-jun: I. Said. I. Am. Not. Hungry!
Ha-rin: But...

She was about to say something but flinched at his next action. He rudely threw the plate which shattered just like Ha-rin's hopes. But Seo-jun couldn't care less and left the classroom without saying a word. Ha-rin bent down and started to collect the food on the floor when Il-deung saw her from outside of the classroom. He quickly rushed towards her.

Il-deung: What happened Cupcake? Are you fine?
Ha-rin: He threw the plate on the floor when I requested him to eat. But he didn't throw the book when Soo-ah asked for his help. He didn't argue with you to not be in his team, so what happens to him when I do something? (She sadly admitted and started picking up the food and broken pieces of her hope)
Il-deung: You leave, I'll do it or you'll cut yourself! 

Seo-Jun stood outside the classroom seeing Il-deung help Ha-rin

Seo-jun: I hope I was the one helping you but I know... I would just hurt you more!