Her, His, & Roses

HER - Chapter 5: Anytime That I Like (2 of 2)

“Yes, why? You don’t like the taste??” sitting across me.

“I could actually have another glass of this smoothie.” continue drinking the smoothie like water. “You may be living in this small space but your furniture and fixtures as well as the equipment in here are obviously not for an ordinary nurse who’s earning monthly salary.”

“This place is fully furbished so I don’t need anything more but Ter made this more like home for me, as for the groceries Ryan is my provider even though I told him not to spend for me anymore.” sighing.

“Yeah, he shouldn’t do that for you anymore.” agreeing with her. “It should be me who should be taking care of that matter.”

“Why would you do that? I can take care of my own, like you said I’m earning monthly salary. I can provide for my own necessities; I don’t need anybody else to do it for me.” she said with a cold look.

“Even though you’re miss independent, I want you to rely on me too. I may not be your best friend but I can be the best man you ever have.”

“Here we go again.” brushing her hair with her fingers. “What are you doing here exactly? You’re not here just have smoothies, right?”

“I found out that your rest day changed to Wednesdays, so I’m here to spend time with you. Also …” taking out the papers from my bag. “I took my answer sheets from my professors yesterday, here’s the proof that I got perfect score in all of my exams.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” browsing all the papers I handed to her. “You tricked me! You didn’t say that you’re a genius!”

“I don’t consider myself as one, so you can’t say that I tricked you.” smiling at her. “You’re going to grant me 8 wishes.”

“You’re not going to ask impossible things to give or to do, right?” putting down the papers on the table as she looks at me in the eyes.

“Of course not, because nothing is impossible, everything is possible.”

“You’re making me nervous right now.” crossing her arms. “Alright, let’s hear it, what’s your first wish going to be?”

“I want you to be mine.” pushing my luck to her.

“Do you want me to step on your left foot?” raising her eyebrows.

“That would be my first and last wish, don’t you want to consider??”

“You know your way out, right?” pointing at the door behind me.

“Fine. I haven’t thought about my wishes yet aside from that one but it doesn’t work on you so I have to think about my wishes carefully.”

“You better, or you’ll get nothing from me.” leaning her back on the chair as she stares at me.

“What are you going to do today anyway?” leaning forward on the table.

“Laundry. Not my clothes but the bed sheet, pillow cases, and blanket. Thanks to you I had another day off after two days of work when I’m supposed to report until Tuesday next week.” standing up. “I’m actually going to the laundromat after I take a bath but you came.”

“Oh, then you go ahead and take a bath, I’ll remove the bedsheet and pillowcases while you’re cleaning up. Let’s go to the laundromat together. I can wash the dishes too and also use the vacuum to clean the floor mat, while waiting for you to finish.”

“Is this the effect of staying in hospital bed for 2 weeks?” laughing at me. “Are you the lazy Jun, I know??”

“Let me be useful to you for once.” sighing. “Go ahead and do what you have to do, I’ll be at your service today.”

“You’re not going to do anything weird while I’m in the bathroom, right?” giving me a suspicious look.

“I’m not a p*****t, alright?!” making things straight. “I’m going to do your household chores while you’re in there.” pointing at her bathroom.

“Can you blame me? You tried to kiss me before, so I can’t put my guard down on you.” keeping her eyes on me.

“I still remember what you did to me after that, so I won’t dare to do anything to you again.” raising my hand to make a promise to her.

“Fine, I’ll trust you once again.” walking towards the bathroom. “I’ll leave everything to you then.” closed the door and locked it.

“I’ll wait for you to like me too before I try to kiss you again.” talking to myself. “Alright, Jun, you have to impress her so you have to show her what you can do.” pulling up my sleeves to do the chores.

I know that girls took long in the bathroom when they’re taking a bath so it’s not new for me when she got out from the bathroom after half an hour but seeing her with only her robe on made me feel hot.

“I’m done cleaning. I’ll wait for you outside.” rushing out from her place. “Calm down, Jun, you’re not a p*****t! Erase that memory of Hera wearing only a bathrobe in your head. Come on, you’re better than this.” pulling myself together as I walk in circle at the hallway.

15 minutes later, Hera got out with a huge bag that contained the blankets and others that need to be cleaned in the laundromat.

I can smell the shampoo she used from her long straight hair as the wind blows while we’re walking towards the shop.

She’s so beautiful with her hair down and even if she’s only wearing a simple shirt and sweat pants.

“Jun!” snapping her fingers on my face. “You’re spacing out. Do you want to eat something while we’re waiting??”

“Sure. Where do you want to eat?” getting back to reality after daydreaming about her.

“There’s a burger shop here nearby, I’ll treat you for cleaning my place, I thought you don’t know how to do any household chores and you’re just bluffing when you told me that you’re doing everything you told me you’re going to do but you really did it.” walking along with me.

“I’ve been staying at the men’s dorm for 2 years, of course, I’ll learn how to do chores on my own. Not because I’m the young master of Oh family, I can bring maids in the dorm to do things for me.”

“I don’t know about dorm living because I’ve been going back and forth from the South Mansion to YU my entire college life.” she replied.

“You mean you just learned how to do things when you start working??”

“No, I lived alone on my last year of high school, that’s when I learned everything and how hard it was, especially when I used to live like a princess since I was born. But look at me now, I can live like a normal person and be ordinary like everybody else.” smiling at me brightly.

“Wait, why do you have to leave alone on your last year of high school?” getting curious about her past. “Does it have something to do with you being the black sheep in your family??”

“Yes. I’ve done something horrible that’s why I got exiled from our clan that time, and I’ve been given a 2nd chance to redeem myself.” staring ahead. “I guess I’m way beyond saving, I’ve been kicked out again from our family, but no one knows about it because the Nevaeh is maintaining it’s perfect family image to the public.”

“Will you tell me what you’ve done? Maybe I can help you make peace with your family. I always do it with my Mom and Noona whenever they have a fight.” reaching out to her.

“I don’t want to talk about it, besides it’s not something that can easily be forgiven and I’m going to pay for it for the rest of my life.”

“So, that’s the reason your eyes hold a prodigious amount of emotions that are all comprehensible in a high degree.” I responded to her.

“What the hell are you talking about??” smiling at me.

“Your sad but you’re concealing it with a smile on your face.” glancing at her. “You’ve been living in guilt by exhausting yourself with your work and putting others before yourself to repent.”

“You see right through me even if we only know each other for a few months. I guess I’ve said a lot to you. Why do I open up to you easily?” staring at me. “It’ll be great if we can stay like this, as friends.”

“I’ll accept friendship for now as I wait for you to feel the same way as me. I’m not going to give up on you, I haven’t given my best yet.”

“So persistent.” taps my shoulder. “It’s better to be friends forever than lovers who breakup in the end.” walking inside the burger shop.

“You talked like you already experienced heartbreaks too many times before.” following her inside. “Tell me their names and I beat them up for you, it’s their fault for making you pessimistic about love.”

“What do you want to eat?” ignoring my whining. “I’ll have hamburger and fries.” telling her order at the counter. “Jun, what’s yours?”

“Make it two orders but make mine spicy.” giving my money to the cashier but Hera put my hand down and paid for our orders.

“It’s on me, remember?” glancing at me. “There’s no rule that men should always pay, ladies can pay too, right miss?” asking the cashier.

“You’re right, ma’am.” cashier laugh at us. “But I don’t mind if the man does it for me, specially if he’s handsome as sir.” looking at me.

“Very well said. The manager should give you a raise for doing a great customer service.” complementing the cashier.

“You should’ve sided with me as a fellow lady. You shouldn’t be swayed easily with his good looks.” Hera said to the cashier.

“It’s not easy for me to do, ma’am, it’s not like every day I’m seeing a handsome man up close. You’re very lucky to have sir as your man.” cashier responded to Hera while preparing our orders.

“He’s not my man, we’re just friends.” Hera said without considering my feelings for her. “You can have him if you want.”

“Hey, nobody else can have me but you.” flicked the top of her head as I feel offended with her words. “What? You deserved it.”

“So, childish.” touching her head. “Go and find a spot for us to dine in, I’ll wait for our orders here.”

“You do it, I’ll wait here.” going against her.

“Such a lovely couple.” cashier commented. “Two orders of hamburger and fries with regular cola, the left one is spicy. Order complete.”

Taking the tray immediately. “You go first, I’ll be right behind you.”

“What else can I do?” walking off first to find a table for us.

We keep on glancing at each other as we dine in but it’s so silly that we can’t help but smile while eating our meal.

After we had our snack, we went back to the laundromat to pick up what we left there before we return to her place.

“You walk thousands steps today and that’s enough for your exercise.” sending me off after we hailed a cab. “You’re not completely healed yet so you must take more rest for faster recovery.”

“There’s already 2 doctors nagging at me at home, so I’m already fed up.” getting in at the backseat of the car. “Go inside, I’ll see you next week, at your workplace.”

After 3 days of doing nothing but rest at home, I’m back to the dorm to prepare for my 1st day of my 3rd year in college.

But I’m not that excited like my first two years to attend class on weekdays, I’m more looking forward on weekends when I can spend time with Hera again even if I have to wait for her shift to end.

I used my 1st wish to make her agree that we’ll hangout on weekends during her lunch break and have dinner with her in the evening.

“You’re not going to the comeback party tomorrow night?!!” Joanna exclaimed after I refused the offer of our classmates.

“I’m not allowed to drink alcohol I just had ankle surgery.” showing her my left ankle. “Also, I’m going to the hospital the next morning so I can’t go to the party. You should go and have fun, I’ll give to Ryan my invitation, he’ll be my proxy to the party.”

“Yeah right, that injury of yours.” looking at my ankle. “It’s not that fun without you in the party, you’re the one who’s giving life to it.”

“Nah, just have fun and do crazy things without breaking a law.” holding onto my clutch as I stand up.

“We’re going to be doctors but you’re a patient now.” helping me to walk towards the classroom door.

“I’ll be very careful next year; I can’t have another ankle surgery after Valentine’s Day.” still determine to continue doing the same thing.

“I know you mean well for offering free hugs to everyone on Valentine’s Day but look at you now, you can’t even walk by yourself. And you even runaway from home just to have a date with Hera last week.”

“My doctors told me that I can go for a walk after 2 weeks so I did comply to their advice. It’s just a shame that I can’t ride my Harley for 3 to 4 months, I miss my Harley so much.” sitting on the wheelchair.

“Let’s go for a road trip once you fully recovered. I’ll help you to persuade Hera to have a double date along with me and Ry.” Joanna said enthusiastically. “We can go to the beach or a camping in a forest.”

“Great idea! I would love to do that with Hera. But it’s better to go to the beach during summer, so I think we can go camping first.”

“Right, let’s go for camping first.” pushing my wheelchair for me.

I’ve been going back and forth to the hospital every weekend for 3 months, not only to have some time with Hera which is the main reason but also for my complete recovery.

On the last day of May, I’m finally reunited with my Harley and went straight to Hera’s place to deliver breakfast.

“You just got fully recovered 3 days ago and now you’re back with your Harley. Have your parents consented with this ridiculousness??” Hera frowning at me when she caught me getting off from my motorbike.

“My mom is against it as usual but my dad gave me a go, so I’m back on the road now.” handing the chocolate drink to her. “I made this ham sandwiches for you.” giving her the packed sandwiches.

“Thanks, I’ll eat it later.” taking her meal from my hand. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to continue my sleep.”

“Fine, go to sleep.” patting her head. “Put it in the fridge and heat it in the oven later before you eat.” looking at her sleepy eyes. “I’m going to school now, by the way what’s your new day off this June?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’ll know by tomorrow when I come back to work.”

“I’ll just ask Head Nurse Jeon directly then.” watching her closing her eyes. “Go ahead. I won’t disturb you anymore, sleeping beauty.”

“Take care on your way to school. Thanks for the breakfast.” waving her hands to me as she tried to keep her eyes open to watch me leave.

“So cute.” going down the stairs. “You’re making me want to watch you sleep.” can’t help myself from smiling as I walk towards my motorbike.

She’s no longer in the emergency and trauma care center but she chose the pediatric department after she completed her 1-year residency including the 9 months from her previous job.

But she’s more burnout and exhausted with the children instead of taking care of bedridden patients.

It’s been 2 months since she transferred in the pediatric ward and refused the offer to be in the VIP section.

She told me that she rather assists real children than adults who are acting like children, and because of her temper she might scared the patients in the VIP ward when she gets angry at them.

Her day off changed from Mondays to Wednesdays this month of June but because she just had her rest on Monday, she had to render 8 days straight to wait for Wednesday.

“What does this kid doing here?” looking at the familiar patient hiding behind Hera when she opened the door for me. “You’re supposed to be staying in the hospital, why are you bothering Hera on her rest day??”

“First of all, I’m already 15, so I’m not a kid anymore. Secondly, I’ve got permission from Dr. Kim to go out and since I don’t know any place to go because it’s my first time here in Korea, Nurse Hera told me that she’ll give me a tour so I came at her place for today’s trip.”

“That’s why Hailee is here.” Hera concluded after Hailee had her speech. “I can only give her a tour on my day off so … it’s today.”

-End of Chapter 5