I Need You

Secrets

I tossed my backpack on the couch, heading straight for the bathroom.  Jin-young wouldn't be home until late, so I didn't bother closing the bathroom door as I peeled of my uniform and got in the shower.

(-)

I carefully folded the last of Jin-young's shirts, placing it in the drawer. I was finally finished with all my chores. I made my way to the living room, flopping down on the couch. I didn't want to turn the TV on, it was so peaceful. Until someone knocked on the door. I rolled my eyes. It was probably one of the teachers wanting to discuss something with Jin-young.

"He's not here..." It wasn't a teacher.

"I didn't know if coming here was against the rules so I figured there was one way to find out." Chan was smiling down at me.

"Um, i-it's not. Would you like to come in?"

(-)

"Ok, what about this," Chan started. We were asking each other stupid questions. "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"

"No."

"What? It's literally a piece of meat between two pieces of bread."

"No, it's a piece of meat inside two pieces of bread. So if you really think about it, a hot dog is actually kind of a taco."

"What?" I froze when I heard the front door opening. I hadn't been paying attention to the time.

"Get behind the couch."

"Wha-"

"Just do it." He was obviously still confused, but he crawled back behind the couch.

"Chae-sul, do you know what time it is?"

"N-no, Appa. I-I woke up and came for water. I was just sitting down for a moment."

"Whatever. Just get back to bed."

"Yes, Appa." I bowed before going to my room and shutting the door. I pressed my ear against the door, listening as he went to his room. I waited a moment before going back to the living room. "Chan?" I whispered. He popped out from behind the couch.

"Chae-sul, what's going on? Why did I have to hide?"

"He can't know you were here."

"Um, ok. I can get back to the dorm." He started to the door.

"No!" I whisper shouted, grabbing his arm. "He locked the door. If you unlock it from the inside an alarm will go off in his room and he'll wake up. Same for the windows. It doesn't deactivate until morning."

"That seems a little..."

"Yeah, I know. You can sleep in my bed, I'll sleep in the floor."

"I'm not letting you sleep in the floor."

"Whatever. Just come on." I grabbed his wrist and drug him to my room, quietly shutting the door behind us. I grabbed the extra blanket and  pillow from my bed, tossing it on the other side of my bed so Jin-young wouldn't be able to see if he opened my door. Finally, we were settled in and ready for bed.

"I this normal for you?"

"Is what normal?"

"The panic when he comes home."

"Kind of. But I've also only ever had one person over and it wasn't this late." I paused for a moment, thinking about how angry he was then. And Solar was only here an hour after dinner. "I really don't wanna talk about."

"Um, ok. What do you want to talk about?" I sighed.

"I just want to go to sleep."

"Ok. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

(-)

I sat Jin-young's plate down on the table, sitting across from him and continuing my homework.

"So, how was school today?" I hated when he tried to make civil conversation.

"It was just a normal day at school."

"How was dinner? Are the new cooks good?"

"Yeah, they're really good."

"I'm sensing some hostility."

"Sorry, Appa. I'm just trying to focus on my homework." He didn't say anything else, he just finished eating and got in the shower. I washed his plate and put it away, putting my books in my backpack and my backpack in my room. Right as I heard the shower stop running, there was a knock on the door. My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw who it was.

"Um, I wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to come walk through the garden with me while we continue our discussion over a hot dog being a taco."

"I-I wish I could-"

"Who's at the door?" Jin-young yelled from the hallway. I turned my head slightly to answer.

"Just a classmate. I left a textbook in class today, he's just returning it."

"Ok. Just hurry up and get ready for bed."

"Um," Chan started. "It's only eight-thirty."

"Strict rules. Look, you can't come here anymore."

"Why not?"

"I-it's complicated. But I'll see you at breakfast."