How long has it already been?
She's been waiting for them to call her but not a single call did she get from them. What could have happened?
"Did you tell them to call you?" Deokhye asked but Nari said she didn't. "Then how would they know you're waiting for your call if you didn't tell them to do so?"
Did they really think she got scared?
Nari shrugged her shoulders before saying, "Isn't that what they should do? We are friends after all."
"After all? You speak as if you ended your friendship with them or some sort of relationship."
"What I mean is they knew I'm back. Wouldn't they want to be with me since I've been gone so long?" Nari asked but Deokhye can't tell her anything.
"Just ring the door bell." Deokhye told her but before she could press it, Chani appeared with a knife in his hand.
"H-hey." The girls were startled and this was what they could only speak.
"Nari! Deokhye!" And there, Dawon appeared from the other side. This time, he's holding a pot.
"Gardening?" Nari asked and the boys nodded. "I didn't knew you were interested with that."
"Aren't they pretty?" Dawon asked after lifting up another vase with a full bloom flower.
Nari and Deokhye smiled seeing the boys doing well.
"Chani! Dawon! Come on. Let's take our medicine." They heard. That was Sunhee. Her voice was strong and firm. She sounded so authoritative.
Chani and almost tremble in fear but they remembered Nari was in front of them. Deokhye's there too.
Dawon placed the pot down before telling Nari, "We have to go, Nari. See you some other time. Okay?"
"Wait! We haven't talked too much. You wish me to leave now?" Nari asked.
Dawon and Chani looked at each other. She was right. It's just like they had greeted and each other. They didn't talk too much.
But Dawon and Chani apologised before leaving the two ladies on the gate.
"What was that?" Deokhye asked and Nari jsut shrugged her shoulders.
"Let us just go Deokhye. Maybe we'll have another time to talk."
"What? No, treat today like there's no more tomorrow." Deokhye which only made Nari frown. "F-fine. Sorry. No more talking."
Nari sighed before giving the boys' house one more look.
"Let's go." She said with a very soft voice.
Deokhye could feel Nari really wants to talk to them but why can't they? Were they too busy? They're not studying? Too busy arranging the garden?
That's a joke.
They can talk as they work. That's what Deokhye thought.
But while staring at their house, she saw Chani coming. He was running with his hair flying through the air.
He quickly closed the gate back and pulled Deokhye to Nari.
"Hey. I'm back." Chani said while breathing heavily from running.
"Chani? What are you doing here?" Nari asked.
"To return your project. Remember?"
Nari looked at it. That was their art project where the photos she took were compiled.
"You're already giving it back? It's fun to look at them again." Nari said.
"Yeah, that's why I'm giving it back."
"But don't you guys need it better? It seems like you do." Nari said.
Nari opened her project and looked for a photo of Chani. There was a photo of him smiling widely while playing the basketball. That was the time when Chani and Nari were once again friends.
She took off the page and handed over to Chani. "Keep your photo. I hope that-"
"Can I keep yours instead?" Chani asked cutting her from speaking.
"But I didn't put any photo of myself."
"Why not we take one now?" Chani asked. Deokhye liked the idea. "I'll take your photo together." She said.
"Then how are you going to get it?" Nari asked.
"We could just print it. I'll get it printed now as well." Chani said but Nari still did not agree. "I can do that. I'll run to the nearest shop where I could have it printed."
Nari sighed before telling them "Fine." Chani quickly stood beside her and had their photo taken. He grabbed his phone and uttered "Thanks!" Before sprinting off.
•••
"How could you not see him going out of the house? You were too busy?" She shouted before hitting the table in front of her with the rope she had in her hand. The boys trembled as the loud sound of the rope hitting the table filled the whole room.
She found out Chani was not there - He could have ran away. He should have.
But it's not in his heart and mind to runaway without his brothers.
"Maybe he just went out to get something." Youngbin guessed.
"May be? What if he went to the police and confessed? Huh?" She hit the table once again before she panicked like crazy. "Do you want me to get arrested? Huh? I-is, is that want you've been wanting to happen?"
Sunhee rolled the rope around her four fingers a bit more before he whipped it against the table.
"Go and find him!" She shouted as she whipped it towards the direction where the boys were - hitting Hwiyoung's cheek.
Hwiyoung shut his eyes tight as he could feel his cheek stinging, with the blood slowly flowing down his face.
The other boys wanted to protect him, cover him against Sunhee. As soon as Sunhee left them, they took the chance to look for Chani and of course not forgetting Hwiyoung's wound to get treated.
"I'll take care of Hwiyoung. You go get Chani before Sunhee goes back and does anything harmful again not seeing Chani here yet." Rowoon said before bringing Hwiyoung to his room where he kept his first aid kit.
•••
"Are you sure Chani's going to be fine?" Nari asked Deokhye. Nari was still worrying she shouldn't have left Chani alone. She had this strong feeling not to leave him alone.
The photo of Chani smiling widely for him flashed for a while in his mind. Not telling Deokhye her plans, she let her go first back to her house before going back to Chani.
He's the guy. Why should I worry about him going back to their place? Shouldn't it be him taking me back to my house? Not letting me go back alone because it's dangerous? Nari thought.
She ran as fast as she could, and looked for the nearest internet café Chani could be talking about.
"Thanks!" How lucky of her, Nari saw Chani just finished paying for the photo he asked to be printed.
"Chani!" She called his name. Chani's face lit up, seeing her once again.
He engulfed her with a huge, warm embrace. He surely missed her. He won't get tired of hugging her - if he could kiss her cheek he would!
"C-chani? What's wrong?" Nari asked realising Chani has been hugging her for a couple of seconds.
He let go of her and told her, "I really need to go back. Sorry I couldn't walk you home, Nari."
"It's alright. I'm alright. But do you want me to walk you home instead?"
Chani seemed flustered. The lady asking a man to walk him home? That was unusual.
"No. I'm fine. You could back home. I can go on my own." Chani said but Nari still insists.
"No, Nari. I don't want Sunhee seeing you close. That would trigger her to-"
"Chani!"
"Chani - Nari?"
They turned their heads to see who called their names.
"Jaeyoon? Taeyang!"
Nari was really happy to see them again. The boys hugged her tightly. Not wanting to let her go, Jaeyoon still stroke her hair with her fingers a few more times and kissed the top of her head.
But remembering the reason why they to leave the house quick, Taeyang told Chani what just happened.
Nari heard him and became really worried, "What happened to Hwiyoung?"
Jaeyoon cupped her face before caressing her cheeks, "He's alright." He stared at her face a for a few seconds before smiling warmly, "I miss you Nari. We all do."
Nari stared at his face, studying his face. What could have changed?
"We need to go back now, Jaeyoon." Taeyang whispered.
Jaeyoon ruffled Nari's hair before the three of them bid good bye.
But before they could totally get away, a strange man started shouting - Was he calling them?
"The drug dealers! Hurry up and catch them!" The man in blue clothes shouted.
Nari intently followed the direction where the man was pointing at.
"Drug dealers? Jaeyoon? Taeyang? Was it Chani?"
*****
Hello everyone! How are you doing? I've been doing slightly well. But I'm really tired.
I've been running out of ideas here. I wanted to make it a bit longer but I can't think of anything. I'm trying.
Thanks for still staying with this book until now.
- lovingseoul ~