Bitersweet Romance

Chapter 8

My mind was debating wether to accept or refuse his offer, and I found myself surprised to settle with an agreeing nod.

Maybe it was because I was already as late as one could be, and that I was to tired to commute, especially with the heat.

He opened the door and I seated myself in the passenger seat beside him as he stepped on the engines, bringing us back in the road.

The two story apartment I was living in was located at the top of a desolated hill, not to far away from the city, but enough to avoid any neighborhoods. The car sped down a path in the hill, which led to the steady land below us.

“It kind of surprises me how your not skipping school and going out to parties without your parent's watchful eye's, ” he said amidst the silence. I leaned against the headrest before replying to his absurd remark. First of all, I never went to parties, and second, that was the kind of thing he would and did do. He was only 4 years older than me, but that didn't make him less reckless than I was.

“Guess I'm just not like you,” I said bitterly closing my eyes.

“Well, I'm damn glad you aren't. And it seems like your tired. Slept late last night? Doing some homework?” I could feel him averting his gaze from the road to me.

“Yeah, sort of,” I lied knowing to well how big of a lie it was.

Suddenly, he laughed. I opened my eyes, driven by surprise at his reaction.

“You're terrible at lying,” he says. “Guess that's one reason you can't be me.”

I gave him a questioning look before he s

dropped the bomb.

He sighed. “You think I have no idea your neglecting school for whatever the heck your doing?” He raised an eyebrow as I rolled my eyes at him. I didn't even bother to ask how he knew. Damn, Mrs. Yu, how much do you tell them about my life?

“Whatever,” I said,disgusted by his smug look. I don't even know why he and Sasha got along. He was the polar opposite of my sister, who wouldn't dare skip any of her classes to go at some bar and hook up with random strangers, like he did when he was about my age. He was even older than Sasha, but it could take him decades to act the part. Probably, despite his loathing personality, I didn't completely resent him since he highly respected my sister when she was still alive, and I swear I even saw him cry for the first time at her funeral, something I never expected to see him do.

And now, even with my sister gone and his annoying personality still remained, there was something about him that couldn't bring me to resent him. Maybe it was because I knew my sister trusted him from the bottom of her heart or because of what he said next.

“Don't worry, I won't tell your old man about it,” he said suddenly, noticing how I became silent.

I turned to him in surprise. I wasnt actually worried about that even though I knew it would greatly affect me if they knw, but I was pretty surprised with the generous offer he's making to shut his mouth for my sake.

“Yeah. Thanks, i guess. Do you still keep in touch with him?”

“Who? Your dad?”

I nodded.

“What reason do I have to do so? Well, aside from professional reasons, I've never contacted him for any personal ones since you moved in Korea, for all I know.”

“I see. Just asking.”

Jae-Ho and my father weren't as close as what was expected of their uncle and nephew relationship, but when it came to bussiness, I'm sure it must've been different.

I kept my eyes on the road and notice that we were nearing the school, and that thought alone made me feel sleepy. “Hey, you don't exactly have to drop me at school. Maybe at the corner is fine.”

He quirked an eyebrow at my sudden request. “Your not actually making a detour to some kind of bar are you? Look doesn't mean I was like that at your age, doesn't mean it's healthy. And, besides the chairman woul—”

“It's not what you think,” I immediately interrupted. “I don't want to catch attention by coming late and being dropped by a fancy car or anything like that. And I suppose I already made it clear that I'm nothing like you.”

He smirked. “Whatever you say, young master.“

I rolled my eyes at him. Expected, but couldn't make him less annoying.

As he continued driving, I fixed my eyes on the road and was suddenly distracted by a slender figure running in the side walk.

I eyed it carefully and realized that it was a girl, noticing her long brown pony tail dangling behind her as she ran.

She looked very familiar and I didn't dare take my eyes off her.

Not until we passed her did I realize that it was her.

Xiyan.

She was running at a fairly fast pace behind us, sweat trickling her forehead.

Jae-Ho chuckled at the sight of her, half in humor and admiration, I could tell, and I certainly didn't like it.

“She's pretty fast,” he remarked as I looked away from her. “And cute.”

I have no idea if he was saying it to himself or to me, but I certainly didn't like it.

I glared at him.

“Don't tell me you don't mind hooking up with a 16 year old? Cause she seems to young for you, if I say so myself.“

He smirked as he stepped on the breaks and leaned against the headrest. “No, but it seems like you do.” He gave me a knowing look as I realized that he was certainly teasing me when he called her cute.

Fuck. I should've kept my mouth shut.

I took a deep breath before opening the door and getting out, eager to change the topic. “Thanks for the ride,” I said bitterly and waved him goodby before turning around.

“You seem to have good preference when it comes to girls, Xam!” I heard him call out and I immediately cringed, trying to ignore him.

Damn. Knowing him, he'd spend decades bugging me over a small crush. How annoying.