You're Very Loyal

     Hae Mina looked forward with narrow eyes. How was she supposed to get away without him noticing who she was? She continued to walk toward the diner. Cass's car pulled beside her.

     "Hey, babe, can I ask you a question?" Cass's smooth voice called. Hae Mina stood straighter and continued to walk. Cass's car stopped, but she continued. A few silent minutes passed before she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She spun around and stomped on the person's foot. She grinned when she saw Cass's shocked face. She then turned and hurried past the building. Cass didn't follow her.

     She sighed in relief when she rounded the corner and slid down the side of the wall. The rough surface caused a gasp of pain to slip from her lips, but relief flooded her. Cass hadn't followed her, nor had he taken the time to recognized her.

     "Hey, hon, why'd you do something like that? I only wanted to ask if you had seen my friend," Cass's alluring voice questioned. Her head shot up and she stared at him. His mouth dropped and his eyes widened. The two of them remained staring at each other, suspended in time for what felt like a short eternity. "Jae-Woo?" Cass finally whispered. She jerked up from the ground, ignoring the pain it brought then called out:

     "Get away from me, Stalker!" before she hurried past him.

     Cass stared at her back in amazement. Then he saw the blood staining the side of her shirt. It was Hae Jae-Woo! Or rather Hae Jae-Woo was her. He noticed she no longer carried the bag and let his eyes search around him. It lay by his feet so he snatched it from the ground and ran to her; "Hey, miss." He followed her and caught her wrist. "You left this." He gave her the bag she'd dropped. He bent near her ear.

     "I know you're Jae-Woo; your side and back is bleeding. Let's hide it and get it taken care of."

     "Fine, Cass," she whispered on a growl. As he helped her put on his black suit jacket, a group of young teens passed.

     "I wish my boyfriend was dedicated enough to give me his jacket," one complained.

     "I know."

     "Same."

     "Mine does," one giggled. Hae Mina tried to shrug off the jacket, but Cass placed his hands on her shoulders.

     "They think I'm with you," she whispered.

     "I get that a lot. Don't let it bother you too much."

     "Cass," she growled under her breath.

     "Just get to my car and we'll take you somewhere to change."

     "Fine." She followed him to his car. He opened the door for her, bowed, shut the door for her then climbed inside. She again tried to remove the jacket.

     "You're still bleeding. I don't want blood on my car; thanks, but the group doesn't need to think I killed Jae-Woo."

     "You couldn't catch me to kill me."

     "Oh, yeah," he gave her a devilish smile, "looks like you're captured to me."

     Her mouth dropped then closed with a smile on her lips. "Maybe so, but looks can be deceiving." He chuckled as he touched a button that closed the top of the convertible.

     "Take you for example. You dressed like a boy to fool us all, and turn out to be a hot girl."

     "I didn't do it because I wanted to fool anyone. My brother got hurt, so I took his place for a while." She didn't comment of the "hot" part.

     "So you're Jae-Woo's twin he talked about all the time. He said you were identical, but didn't really believe a girl and boy could be identical. I was right. You're more beautiful."

     She shook her head. "Cass, your smooth complements may help with other girls, but with me, it only makes me upset."

     "Wasn't trying to be smooth. Just stating facts," he shrugged. She rolled her eyes. Why did she even bother? It was Cass she was talking to.

     "So what's your name?"

     "You can call me what everyone else calls me right now: Jae-Woo."

     "Oh, come on" he begged, "I'm the only one who knows. Please, tell me."

     "No; and you are not the only one who knows," she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking he was either.

     "Really? Who knows?"

     "Jeremy and Duskin know and neither knows my name because someone could slip. Just like you could. So, no."

     "Fine, but I will find out soon enough," he gave another devilish grin before he stopped in front of a two story apartment.

     "Where is this?"

     "Chin-Sun's house. She's my sister and she'll have something for you to change into."

     "Okay." The two stepped out of the car. The sun cowered by now beneath the ominous clouds that threatened to drop rain on them at any second. Cass pulled her close to shield her from the wind. They hurried up the stone steps and knocked on the door. It cracked open and a little girl stuck her head out the door.

     "Uncle Cass!" she exclaimed before jerking the door open. "Who's that?" she frowned at Jae-Woo.

     "Her name is—"

     "Hae Mina, but if you'd like, you can call me Unni." Hae Mina wasn't about to go as Hae Jae-Woo when she looked like herself, or, rather, relatively like herself. Cass glanced over at her and she tried to ignore his triumphant grin. So now he knew her name. Wonderful. The little girl backed up and let the two inside.

     "Where is your mother, Hae-Won?" Cass asked.

     "Down the woad talking to the neighbors about the wedding dwess. Appa dwove her."

     "Do you think you can find her something to wear?"

     "Sure. Umma won't mind. Come on, Unni." Hae Mina followed the little girl but glanced back at Cass who did nothing to hide his grin. His brown eyes locked with hers and brightened with laughter. She shot daggers back at him before moving around the corner.

     "Umma owns a dwess store, so she has lots of clothes for you to wear. I'll go get some while you wait in the changing room." Hae Mina did what the girl bid and sat down. Minutes later, the girl returned with a load of dresses hiding her body. "Take them." Hae Mina lifted them up. "Try them."

     As she removed her current layers of clothing, Hae Mina flinched at the pain on her side and back. She then slid the smooth fabric of the dress on her body. The blue dress latched around her neck and curved down her sides and reconnected low on her waist. The bottom of the dress was about an inch above her knees.

     Hae-Won entered the room then gave a short loud scream-like gasp. Cass rounded the corner. "What? What is it?" He saw Hae Mina's side, arm and back and flinched. "Hae-Won, go get some salve for me."

     "Okay," she replied softly then darted off.

     "I can't believe you," he muttered as he stepped closer.

     "What did I do?" Hae Mina asked.

     "You hid this," he pointed to her visible injuries.

     "I didn't hide it. You knew I was bleeding," she pointed out.

     "I didn't realize it was your entire side, your arm and a good portion of your back. Why didn't you say something?"

     "I don't have any obligation to, Cass. I'm just part of the band till Jae-Woo is better then, I'll be gone."

     "So what? Let us take care of you while we can."

     "I'm fine, Cass," Hae Mina argued.

     "I can't believe Jiho did this to you." Hae Mina rolled her eyes as she thought of the other bruises she would have. "Not the worst I've had. I've fought many boys in my life. Most of the time it was due to helping Jae-Woo."

     "Helping?" Cass questioned just as Hae-Won returned with the salve and a first aid box. "Thank you. Go watch T.V. while I fix her. When we're finished, you can help Hae Mina dress up, okay?"

     "Okay," the girl hurried from the room.

     "Here, take a seat so I can properly care for these wounds." She released a soft sigh but obeyed. Cass pulled a chair behind hers and then asked "So how were you helping Jae-Woo?" as he opened the first aid box.

     "Same way I am now. I dressed like him to help fix his problem," she took in a sharp breath through her teeth as Cass began to pat the wound with rubbing alcohol.

     "So why is it that you're helping him this time?" Cass asked, trying to distract her.

     Hae Mina answered his question, so she could ignore the pain in her back, "Mainly Jiho, your fans and the concert. You know my brother got in a car accident, but you don't know the extent to his damage. It was severe, so I took his place." Cass touched her back with the yellow salve. She gasped as the medicine slid into the cuts. His fingers were gentle as they rubbed the medicine in.

     "You're very loyal," he muttered before he smiled up at her.

     "Loyal?" she asked as his fingers glided across her skin. His thumb brushed by her ribs and just under her chest, but he did not let his fingers stray. In fact, he continued to act gentle and almost professional. That did not prevent heat from scortching her ears.

     "Yes, loyal. Not many women would disguise themselves as a man to protect her brother." He removed his hand from her back then began to gently place the medicine on the small patches on her arm. Soon he began to place the gauze and medical tape over her wounds. "Sorry, I'll have to do it in small sections.

     "You don't need to do this at all," she informed. By now she was used to obtaining injuries and scars.

     "Yes, I do," he replied as he continued to bandage her. When he finished, he rose. "Hae-Won will help you find something else to wear. That's too showy." He glided from the room after bowing. So that was the real Cass, not the Casanova. She smiled. She knew few got to see that side of him and for some reason it made her feel warm inside to know she was one of those few.