Those Boys Gave Me 18 Roses - Chapter 9 ? 7th Rose
“Are you sure you’re okay delivering this?” Mama Shin asked his niece, bit worried for Jin Hee as the latter wears the helmet on her head. It’s already 10 PM in Seoul and the weather is quite cold because of the autumn breeze.
Jin Hee grinned at her. “I’ll be fine, gomo. I already knew all the streets here in Seoul so no need to worry. Once I already delivered this food then I’ll go straight home. Okay?”
“Okay,” her uncle sighed as he gave the sticky note where he wrote the address. “Just be careful okay? Text or call me if something happened.”
“Okay, gomo,” she nodded and hopped on the pink scooter her Mama Shin owned. “I’ll go now.”
“Take care, honey,” he waved at Jin Hee as the latter drove the scooter away.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
Jin Hee couldn’t help but frown when she discovered that she’s actually delivering to a club. She looked at the sticky note once again to check if she’s right before looking at the sparkly LED light of the club’s name.
She fished out her smartphone when she felt the vibration of it from her black jeans then she answered the call when she knew it was the customer. “Hello, are you inside the Galaxy Club?”
“Yes, I am. Can you deliver the food here quickly?”
“Ah, yes sir. I’m coming,” she slightly bowed her head while answering even if the person on the other line couldn’t see her. The line was cut off and her eyes settled on the club’s name once again before she heaved a sigh before getting inside the club.
Jin Hee admits that this is the first time she entered a club and she couldn’t help but scrunch her nose and squint her eyes when she smelled the sweaty stench of people dancing crazily on the music blaring which, she guess, is an explicit song since she recognized some cursing in the said song.
She fasten her pace to the second floor of the said club in which she could only hear the muffled sound of the loud music and she could finally breathe. She walked towards Room 04 where the customer told her to deliver the food.
She knocked on the said room’s door thrice and heard a muffled ‘come in’ and opened the door.
“I delivered the Gwangyang Bulgogi you ordered from our restaurant. That’s 68,083 won ($60), sir,” Jin Hee said as she put the food container she brought on the table. (*Jeollanam-do’s seasoned barbeque beef)
“Okay,” the man grinned at her before looking at the two guys beside him. “Let’s eat!”
Jin Hee’s brows creased when she noticed that the man did not give his payment to her, ignoring her presence while eating. She cleared her throat a bit louder to gain his attention. “Sir. Your payment.”
The man looked at her, still munching. “What?”
“I said, your payment. It’s 68,083 won,” she answered coldly.
“Oh, you wanna get my payment?” he asked. He looked at her from toe to head and pointed the seven bottles of beer in front of them. “Drink all of these beers until the last drop. Finish all of these beers and I’ll pay you.”
Jin Hee’s eyes trailed on the seven bottles of beer in front of her before looking at the man who’s now smirking at her right now. “Sir. I delivered you the exact food that you bought in our restaurant. We hadn’t made a deal of making one of the restaurant’s employees to drink tons of beer before getting your payment. I delivered you the food, you pay it.”
One of the men in the said room chuckled as he stood up and caress Jin Hee’s arm. “Oh, don’t be such a grinch, kiddo. Just drink these beers up and let’s have some fun!”
Before the guy could touch Jin Hee further, she already kicked him out the room, making the people pass that room shriek in shock, looking at the guy groaning in pain before looking at Jin Hee’s who’s now looking coldly and angrily at the guy. The two remaining guys in the said room looked at their injured friend in dumbstruck. Their breath hitched when Jin Hee looked at them in calm but cold eyes, making them freeze to where they’re.
“I am a high school student who works as a part-timer to sustain my educational needs. This hour was supposed to be my study hour but you guys wanted me to deliver your gwanyang bulgogi in the middle of the cold night just to get harassed and forced to drink these beers instead of getting the payment. You know, we could just ignore your commands and orders but we’re not like that. We prioritize our customers and oath to deliver them the service that they deserve. We work our ass off and trying to accomplish our customers’ needs, your needs to give you satisfaction, not to get harassed and let you make fun of us.”
The two guys lowered their heads in shame. Jin Hee gulped the lump of disappointment on her throat. “You wouldn’t understand because you’re born with a silver, maybe golden spoon on your mouths and have tons of money in your bank accounts and cards. But you should know and you should be thankful to people like us who grant your whims in the middle of a cold night without complaints.”
Embarrassed, the guy fished out his wallet and gave his debit card to Jin Hee. “H-Here.”
Jin Hee silently accepted the debit card and swiped it on the payment terminal (EDC machine) she’s holding. She, then, pulled the receipt and gave it to the man along with his debit card. She heaved a sigh before bowing to them. “I’m so sorry for kicking your friend. Enjoy your food.”
After she said it, she silently went out of the room with her hands forming fists.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
“What a night,” Jin Hee sighed when she finally went out of the said club. She recalled what happened inside the club earlier and she couldn’t help but smile bitterly as she looked at her white New Balance shoes her Mama Shin gave to her. “That’s why I hate rich people.”
She sighed once again, trying to calm her system and compose herself. She doesn’t want to go home with a pissed off face and she doesn’t want to make her uncle worry. After a minute or two, when she felt that she finally calmed down, she walked towards the parking lot where she parked her scooter.
Her feet stopped abruptly when she saw a man almost puking his guts out while pinning his hand on the wall. He kept on groaning and coughing.
“He looks so drunk,” Jin Hee cringed, recalling her friends in South Jeolla telling their stories to her about their encounter with drunk people and they said it’s too scary. She doesn’t want to experience that kind of encounter. “I have to walk away as fast as I could.”
She tried her best to remain silent and walk in a fast but light step and pace, trying not to make a noise. It was successful not until the guy grabbed her jacket and pinned her on the wall, making her shriek in fear.
“No, don’t hurt medon’t touchChan Yeol?!” her mouth agape when she saw the face of the guy who grabbed her.
What is he doing here alone and drunk?
Her hands flew on each of Chan Yeol’s shoulders when she felt that the drunk guy’s face was about to fell on hers, making her face flushed in the process. She, then, let his shoulders go when he pinned his hand on the wall beside her head to balance his drunk self.
Chan Yeol drunkenly fished out his card and showed it to Jin Hee. “T-Take me take me home.”
Jin Hee reluctantly accepted the card, turns out, it’s a card of a condominium unit or something. She frowned at him. “How? I don’t even know where do you liveHwang Chan Yeol!”
Jin Hee hastily held Chan Yeol when he almost fell on the ground because of drunkenness. She groaned because the guy is too heavy. She managed to sling his arm on her shoulders and let him lean on her petite frame while wrapping her right arm on his waist. She patted his pants’ pockets and luckily, she found his phone, also thanking the heavens that the raven-haired’s phone doesn’t have any password or app-lock to deal with. Good thing she knows how to use the iPhone.
She tapped his phonebook and scrolled its list down, trying to search someone to contact and help her. She stopped abruptly on a number with a contact name (Idiot sister). “This must be Chae Ryung,” she tapped the said contact to call.
It took three rings for Jin Hee to contact her. “What do you want, hyung? I’m busy!”
“Ah, um, Chae Ryung-ssi, this is Song Jin Hee, your classmate.”
She heard a few seconds of silence from the other line and then a surprised gasp. “Oh my gosh, Jin Hee-ssi? Why are you calling me using my brother’s phone? Are you with him?”
“Y-Yes, I am with him,” Jin Hee silently grunted as she kept on holding Chan Yeol’s drunk figure. “He was actually drunk when I saw him and he wants me to take him to your house but I don’t know your address.”
“Where are you now?” Chae Ryung asked.
“This club’s name is Galaxy Club. Here in Apgujeong.”
“Apgujeong? What the heck is he doing there? Ugh, he’s so stupid,” Jin Hee almost agreed to the last phrase Chae Ryung said in English. “Our place is quite far but he has a condominium unit there in Apgujeong. I’ll text you the address of that place. I can’t fetch him since I’m here in Shanghai as of this moment so I hope it’s okay for you to take him to his condo.”
“Um, yeah. Sure. It’s okay. Just text me the address and I’ll take him there,” Jin Hee nodded while keeping Chan Yeol in place.
“Thank you so much, Jin Hee-yah. I’m sorry for the trouble hyung is causing you.”
She slightly smiled. “No, no. It’s okay.”
After her phone conversation with Chae Ryung, she received a text from the latter and she hailed a taxi to take her and Chan Yeol to his condominium unit.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
“You weighted a lot,” Jin Hee groaned as she opened the door wide for them to enter. She almost dragged him to his bedroom because the guy is not just tall but heavy albeit he has a built, fit body. It’s really a miracle for her to lead the drunk guy until the 18th floor where his unit located.
She almost shouted in success when she managed to tuck the guy on his bed, sleeping like a log that she couldn’t help but snort.
She took a deep breath, trying to quench the tiredness slowly invading her system. She crouched down to take off Chan Yeol’s shoes and set his whole body on the bed. She noticed that the guy kept on squirming, maybe because of his leather jacket. She took off his jacket and put it aside before putting the comforter on him. When everything is okay, she left him with a pain relieving medicine and a glass of water on his side table with the note ‘Next time, drink with someone that can take you home safely and don’t pull random people to do it for you. :)”
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
The usual, Jin Hee couldn’t help but sigh when she saw her classmates looking at her either in irritation, anger or disgust.
What’s their problem now?
She took a deep breath and shrug it off as she walked towards her seat.
She gasped when she felt that she tripped over something and was about to fall when someone pulled her arm and turn her around. Her eyes slightly widened when she saw a handsome face looking at her.
“You should be careful while walking, class pres,” Min Seok smiled at her as he let her stand properly.
She nodded dumbly, still staring on his face. “O-Okay. T-Thank you.”
Mark flaunted a cheeky grin on her as he patted her head and walk towards his seat, leaving Jin Hee who’s cheeks were now tinted with a light shade of pink. She secretly smiled as she tapped her left chest and walked towards her seat.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
After their class in Math, they’re now wearing their P.E. uniforms for their next class which is Physical Education. She went to her locker where she put her rubber shoes. Just as she put it down the floor, someone kicked one of her shoes away, making her look at the one who did it.
“Oops, sorry,” Mi Yeon smiled at her, trying to be apologetic but Jin Hee felt that it’s not that sincere.
She ignored it and picked her left shoe silently. Suddenly, someone picked her right shoe which made her look up. It’s Soo Jin.
“Is this yours?” Soo Jin asked her. Before Jin Hee could answer her, she threw her shoe away, smirking at Jin Hee’s reaction.
Jin Hee looked at Soo Jin. Almost snapping in the process but she remained calm because she doesn’t want to engage herself in a pointless argument so she silently walked towards her shoes but someone blocked her feet, making her tripped herself and fall in the process. She looked up and saw Go Min Jung, one of her classmates.
“Sorry,” she muttered as she slid her right hand on her jogging pant’s pocket, showcasing her boyish side.
Immediately, Mi Yeon walked towards her and outstretched her hand. “Be careful, are you hurt?”
Shaking her head, Jin Hee reached for her hand. “Thank youah!” Mi Yeon suddenly pulled her hand away, making Jin Hee fall back on the floor in the process.
“This is so exciting, right?” So Min, along with the three girls giggled while looking at Jin Hee.
“Let’s have fun today, shall we, cheonhaksaeng?” Min Jung smirked as she walked away with Soo Jin and So Min.
Mi Yeon looked at her and grinned. “I bet this day is going to be fun!”
“See ya, cheonhaksaeng~” the four of them chorused as they laughed while leaving Jin Hee who’s still sitting on the floor.
for visiting.
“What’s their problem? I haven’t and I didn’t do anything wrong to them. Tsk,” Jin Hee clicked her tongue and sighed as she stood up to get her right shoe but then, someone picked her shoe once again and it made her totally pissed off.
“Yah aish! What do you want” she stopped abruptly when she saw Ryuuji, one of the new and foreign students in her class who came from Japan.
Woah, he looked so heavenly good-looking. Even if she’s a bit pissed off because of the four girls, she could help but stare at him in awe.
“Jaa, kore,” he muttered as he gave her her right shoe.
Jin Hee frowned and slightly scratched her head, totally doesn’t have any idea what’s he’s saying. She slightly nodded and accepted her shoe. “T-Thank you.”
“Nandemonai,” he responded in a low voice and walked away. (*It’s nothing.)
Even if she doesn’t understand what he’s saying, she couldn’t help but smile because of the little act of goodness the boy managed to show to her.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
They’re currently in the basketball gym since their lesson for Physical Education is all about basketball. Girls were separated to boys. Boys occupied the left side of the gym while girls were on the right side. Since the majority of the girls didn’t know how to play basketball, they just executed the passing. They passed the ball to each other.
Jin Hee held the said ball and slightly dribbled it (since she knew a little on how to play basketball) before passing it to one of her classmates and changed position. But the wind suddenly changed when Min Jung was about to pass the ball to her but So Min bumped herpushed her in the processand made her fell on the ground. Jin Hee perked her head to look at them but she was shocked when Soo Jin threw the ball. Then, Mi Yeon threw it again to her, then Min Jung, then So Min and the rest of her classmates. They threw the ball on her shoulders, on her arm, on her back, on her waisteverywhere on her body the ball could reach and hit and she couldn’t fight them and just dodged it using her arms. She was about to stand up but Min Jung slammed the ball to her, making her dizzy.
She stood up, enduring the dizziness she’s feeling and looked at them in uncoordinated eyes. She felt something warm oozing from her nose and when she dabbed it using her trembling fingers, she saw that her nose is bleeding.
“Oh my gosh, she’s bleeding! Gross!” Soo Jin pointed her while laughing and the other girls laughed at her as well.
“Serves her right. Such a flirt,” So Min said while smirking.
Jin Hee’s gaze settled on Mi Yeon who’s about to throw her the ball. She hastily covered her face using her arms to defend herself.
But everyone, including her, was shocked when someone blocked the ball for her.
Ryeo Wook blocked Mi Yeon’s ball for her, making the ball hit his back in the process.
Jin Hee couldn’t help but feel nervous not because Ryeo Wook saved her twice but because of his cold, deathly aura that she couldn’t help but feel a bit scared of him.
“R-Ryeo Wook-ssi” she uttered his name at last, almost breathless.
He looked at her blankly. She was a bit weirded out because he doesn’t look like he’s mad at her. He looked so calm even though his eyes were blankly looking at her.
Ryeo Wook sighed, making her blink in awe. He, then, looked at Mi Yeon who gasped and looked so panicky.
“R-Ryeo Wook-ah tha-that’s not it. That’s not what we meant!” Mi Yeon said, panicky shook her head and waved her hand.
Ryeo Wook looked around them and most of their girl classmates looked so terrified of him.
Why did we feel this on Ryeo Wook? Should we be this terrified of him? So weird. She thought.
“Jin Hee-yah, are you okay?” her eyes settled on Min Seok who’s now holding his right arm and his free hand is cupping her left cheek, examining her body for possible injuries and her bleeding nose.
“Y-Yes, I’m okay” she responded.
Min Seok held her arm. “You’re not okay,” he pulled her out of the basketball gym.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
“Aw! Ouch! Min Seok, I can’t breathe!” Jin Hee protested as she breathed using her mouth like a fish out of water since both holes of her nose were occupied with sanitary tissues.
“Just endure it. Our school nurse is not yet here so we have to stop your nose from bleeding. You might get faint if we didn’t do so,” he coaxed while examining her arm. They’re currently inside the school clinic because Min Seok convinced her to go. She convinced him that she’s fine but the latter didn’t budge.
“Why are they doing this to me? I’m not doing anything wrong to them as far as I can remember. Why?” she sighed, felt sad while recalling the incident earlier.
“Are you stupid? They were attacking you to pick on you,” he said, wiping her cheek that has a little speck of her blood.
“Pick on me? Why?” her eyes suddenly widen with his response.
“Remember what Yoon Baek Hyeon did to you the other day?”
She slightly nodded. Oh, I actually don’t want to remember it but you reminded me. Ugh, bad Min Seok.
“That’s the reason why. Just so you know, all of those girls are Baek Hyeon’s fangirls that’s why they’re picking a fight on you.”
“Really?” she sighed. “That’s not what I want. I didn’t like it, really.”
“I know,” he smiled. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here and Ah Young, the incident earlier will not gonna happen again.”
Her cheeks slowly tinted with a light shade of pink as she smiled at him. “Thank you, Min Seok-ah.”
I think I think I’m starting to like Moon Min Seok.
**:….:*:*::*:….:**
It seemed like Jin Hee is the last one who hasn’t taken her lunch break because she fell asleep in the school clinic, she went to the locker room to change clothes. After doing some minor stuff, she went to their classroom to get her bag and lunch box but she was shocked when she saw that her bag was not there.
“Where’s my bag?” she muttered as she scratched her head in confusion. It’s impossible that someone stole it since all of the students here were rich and there’s nothing interesting with my bag aside from my cute plushy Kero-chan.
Man, I’m so hungry!
She stormed out of the classroom to search for her bag. She almost explored their building, entering and searching the places which she possibly brought and left it but she didn’t find it.
There’s only one place left and it’s impossibleshe presumedthat she brought it there because she’s also scared to go there.
The swimming gym.
She groaned at the thought of that place. She has an aquaphobiathe reason why she doesn’t want to take one step of that place. But she has no choice but to search her bag there. She’s too hungry to care about her fear of the large bodies of water.
She hurriedly ran to the swimming gym. A few minutes from now and lunch break is going to end but here she is, searching for her bag where her lunch box and money were intact.
She went inside the swimming gym and she was dumbstruck when she saw her bag and her things, including her lunch box and wallet swimming on the clear, bluish pool water. Seeing the scenario makes her feel irritated and tired at the same time. She badly wants to shout because of frustration but she can’t. She’s too tired and hungry to do it. Instead, she sighed. “This is so annoying. There are so many bullies here.”
She went to the other side of the pool to get the skimmer net and slowly fished her wet belongings out the pool. She successfully got her things out the water except for her wallet which is quite far for her to reach, still floating on the chlorine water.
She tried to reach it, scrunching her nose and groaning while doing it. She internally jumped in happiness when she had almost reached it when someone suddenly appeared beside her.
“You need help, cheonhaksaeng?” she slightly looked at Mi Yeon who’s now smiling at her which, she knew, that this is the latter’s faade.
Jin Hee ignored her and was about to walk to the other direction but she was abruptly blocked by Mi Yeon. “Hey, just accept my help. Because I have a feeling that I’ll be horrible towards you someday.”
“Then we’ll just ignore each other to avoid trouble,” the former retorted emotionlessly. “Thanks but no thanks. I can do this on my own,” she ignored Mi Yeon again and focused her attention on her wallet.
She didn’t prepare herself when Mi Yeon suddenly pushed her to the water and left her with a triumphant, evil smile on her face.
Jin Hee has an aquaphobia, a huge fear of large bodies of water and that’s one reason why she doesn’t know how to swim.
She kept on moving, floating herself out of the water to gasp for air.
“H-Help, help me!” she tried to shout, hoping that someone might hear her. “Help me!!!”
She kept on moving and floating herself out of the water, perking her head to cough and gasped for air. But since she doesn’t know how to swim and exhaustion slowly crept in her system, she ended up sinking.
Min Seok, help me.
Somebody somebody help me.