Chapter 4: Delicate

Megumi

After hours of the teachers talking and continuing their lessons, we took a bow and I went to the train station to go home. It's been a long first day and friends are already a big no for me since the girls are suspicious about me wearing Henry's coat.

The guys are only talking to me to get a date or whatsoever. 

At the train station... I saw Henry there, sleeping peacefully with his earphones on...

I went near him just staring at the way his hair falls down his long eyelashes. 

"...Gumi..." He stated as he opened his eyes

I looked away pretending I didn't intend to be there. I ended up looking at the floor and stated, "Ahh...look, what a wonderful tiling job they did at the flooring, huh? hmm? O-oh, you're here too, I didn't notice. Hi."

Henry casually looks at the floor and stated, "There's no tiles. It's just concrete."

"Ah right. Concrete. It looks colorful, doesn't it?"

"It's monotone."

I tried to brush it off by laughing awkwardly, "Ah, is that so?"

"Don't forget my coat tomorrow, wash it properly." He said coldly as he left on the second stop

I was kinda expecting he'll say something kind or even just a goodbye will do or a simple nod... I forgot he's too cold for things like those...

At the third stop, I went out the train and walked by the convenience store. I've been craving some ramen and seaweed since earlier. As I grab my ramen, some girls threw the ramen at me. It's really hot and it burns my skin but I injured it smiling at them, "I'm sure you didn't mean that."

As my eye trails up at them, I realize that they're from my school with the same school uniform. They chuckled, "Is this Henry's girl? She's annoyingly naive."

I clenched my fist fighting the urge to snap at them, I forced a smile, "I'm... not his girl. I just met him."

"Yeah, right, we saw you wearing his favorite coat. Henry doesn't even let anyone touch his coat and you were wearing it so casually." They scoffs as they continued to throw the seaweed at me, "You even had the audacity to hit on him. Henry's off limits to every girl in the campus, haven't you heard that?"

"I'm a transferee. Besides, you're not him so you can't decide on something like that. Don't you think?"  I frankly states

The girls from our school scoffs as their leader raises her hand and is about to slap me. I close my eyes and brace myself. When suddenly, a voice interrupted them saying, "I'd appreciate it if you don't cause troubles in my work place."

I opened my eyes and saw him. The guy working behind the counter with his intimidating cat eye. Only his eyes are visible from the black face mask he was wearing but from the looks of the piercings and earrings, he looked like trouble.

The girls looked at the guy all scared as they seem to recognize who he was. They gritted their teeth and faked a smile tapping my shoulder, she threatens me looking at my id tag, "Well then, I guess we'll be meeting again...Megumi Ai Park."

After they left, I sigh relieved. The guy from the counter cleaned up the mess complaining, "Ah those punks, are you all right miss-"

He was cut off as my tears fell down on him. I was crying even though I told myself over and over again that it's all right and that I'm used to this. I just have to endure and appear unaffected so they'll stop messing with me but... it really hurts. My skin is all red from the ramen they just threw at me.

I said to him trying to hold back my tears and sound normal as possible but my voice is breaking, "Please don't look. I'm not crying."

The guy said without looking back at me as I asked him to, "Okay, will you let me help you at least? Hop on my back."

I was hesitant but then I realize more and more people are looking so I ride on his back  hiding my face. He took me at the storage room and drop me off there after giving me some first aid kit. He says, "The other part-timer isn't here so no one will see you. Cry as much as you have to."

"Thank you... Ah, what's your name mister?" 

"Hey, I'm too young to be a 'mister'. It's Kou." Kou says and just as he was about to leave, he heard as I groan bearing the pain. Kou immediately turned around to tend my burns. He continued, "Let me. I'm used to this kind of things."

"How can someone be used to treating this?"

Kou looks at me in the eye and said, "That's... a secret."

I find myself smiling, Kou felt like a safe space to be with despite his troublemaker appearance. I smiled brightly at him and remarks, "You really have pretty eyes."

"Do I? Everyone says it's intimidating."

I shake my head and disagreed, "No, it's pretty cute like a cat's."

Kou chuckles underneath his face mask, "You're all patched up, Megumi."

"Oh, I didn't tell you my name yet."

"For someone to be associated with Henry, everyone knows your name." He remarks just as I was leaving, "You should take care of yourself more. You seem... like you require a lot of care. Kind of delicate."

I thanked him once again and went directly to my house and to my bed... hiding my dirty uniform with Henry's coat.

I lay down my bed... 

....Time... please be faster... I want to see Henry again...tomorrow... I wish to see you again...

...Henry hyun Lee...