ICE AND FIRE - CHAPTER 23&24
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💜THE FALL💜
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NEXT MORNING ★
Beom-seok squinted his brows and turned to the other side to continue his sleeping,but the penetrating of the sun Ray’s which was hitting his face directly woke him up.
Immediately he sat up,his eyes widened madly at what he saw.
Two cops,his parents and Aerum’s parents were standing inside with their hands folded under their chest while aerum was sitting down on the bed, looking like a chick that has being soaked by water.
“Dad is not what you think”He stuttered hurriedly standing up but no one replied him.
“I can explain dad. I swear,I don’t know how I got in”he added again.
“Who own’s the jacket she’s putting on?”his dad asked pointing at Aerum.
“Huh?”Aerum said and looked at herself,that was when she realized she was putting on his jacket.
“Oh that”he said and began laughing,but his laughter was cut short by his dad next word.
“Follow me you two”He commanded and began walking out.
Aerum stood up slowly while beom-seok cussed himself inwardly.
How clumsy? He could have woke up early but he carelessly slept off.
•••
“Sign here, you’re not to cause any trouble from henceforth”The officer said and Aerum looked around confusedly.
“Are…are..you talking to me?”She stuttered while pointing at herself.
“Who else?”He rolled eye.
“Sir, excuse…what am signing is it for my bailing or that I won’t cause trouble again?”She asked and everyone looked at her, totally confused too.
“It’s for your bailing. What else?”He replied, slightly pissed and Aerum bowed with a smile before taking the pen from him.
“And here”he said pointing to where she’s supposed to sign.
“Thanks so much for bailing my daughter”Aerum’s parents appreciated with a smile.
“You’re welcome”Mr chul replied and began walking to his car.
“Beom-seok let’s go”his mom said and they began walking towards the car.
“Hey”Aerum called and beom-seok turned to her.
“Thanks”She waved with a smile and beom-seok mirrored the smile.
•••
<A MANSION>
Hyun-Woo looked up to the big Mansion while exhaling loudly.
He’s wearing a big jacket,the weather is really chilly,so he’s putting on a big jacket to prevent cold.
He rubbed his temples slowly, before placing a soft knock on the big gate.
The gate opened after few minutes and one of the securities came out.
“Who are you looking for?”He asked in a deep voice which showed nothing but authority.
“I’m looking for Sir Kang-dae”he replied slowly and the security looked at him from hair to toe.
“And what’s your name?”
“Am Hyun-Woo”
“I’ll be back”The security said and closed back the gate.
After what looked like eternity,he came back.
“Follow me”He said and opened the gate fully for him to step in.
“Woah!!”Hyun-Woo wowed inwardly, looking around.
“Here, knock on the door gently”The security told him the moment they entered in a room made of golden door, before Hyun-Woo could ask any question…the security went out of sight.
He exhaled before knocking on the door.
“Come in”he heard a reply from inside.
He pushed the door open and entered.
“Good day sir”He greeted while bowing shortly.
“The boy from yesterday? Oh seat”he said pointing to an empty seat close to his.
Hyun-Woo bowed shortly again before sitting down.
Actually after his dad took the money from him yesterday,he went out searching for a job and he met Mr Kang-dae,the humble man gave him his address after Hyun-Woo explained his Delimma.
“So about what we discussed? You gave it a thorough thought?”Mr Kang-dae asked removing his spectacles.
“Sir,am ready to do any work. Be it a cleaner? A cook? A tutor? Just name it”Hyun-Woo said and the man nodded.
“I have a daughter,I believe she’s same age as you and she’s all I’ve got. I lost my wife when she was 3 and ever since then I’ve been the one looking after her”
“Am really sorry about that sir. May she rest in perfect peace”Hyun-Woo prayed and the man replied.
“So like I said, she’s all I’ve got and I don’t joke with her. Like I really don’t play with her, she’s being homeschooling for a long time but still not good in mathematics,I don’t know if you can become his new teacher and help tutor her in mathematics, especially.”Mr Kang-dae explained further.
“Why is she homeschooling if I may ask?”Hyun-Woo asked slowly.
“She’s Scolionophobtic”Mr Kang-dae said with a sad smile and Hyun-Woo nodded slowly.
“So I don’t know if you can help her,am ready to pay any amount. I would have really loved to see her going to school,but…”
“It’s going to be well sir,I’ll try my best to be of help in anyway I can”Hyun-Woo nodded and Mr Kang-dae smiled.
“I’ll call her now,so you can meet her. And when do you plan on starting work?”
“Anytime sir”
“Enough with the Honorific please,you can call me Kang-dae”
“I..I..I can’t really do that sir”he replied and the man shook his head before calling his daughter.
•••
<TWO DAY’S LATER ~GLITTERING HIGHSCHOOL>
“Where are you taking me to?”Beom-seok asked as aerum kept pulling him with her.
“To ki|| you”She replied and continued pulling him.
“Ah,ah, wait,why..ah… you’re,huh? What are we doing here?”He asked after Aerum pushed him into an empty classroom.
“Just listen carefully,I really appreciate your care and all that towards me. Trust me it means alot to me”Aerum said and beom-seok smiled before sitting down.
“You appreciate?”
“Ne!! But I’ll also appreciate if you stay 100 miles away from me,I really have checked myself and it seems I can’t escape trouble when it calls. I love myself and spending another day in a…I don’t even want to imagine that,so kindly stay away from me please”Aerum begged and beom-seok began laughing.
“You think that’s easy to do? I should stay away from you? Why would I?”
“I’m being serious here”
“And am being serious too. You can’t tell me to stay away from you when I can’t do that. That’s like telling me not to breathe, it’s impossible”He rolled eye.
“You can choose not to breathe,that’s your problem and not mine. And here too,your jacket”She said and placed the jacket in his hand.
“Don’t come close next time”She said and worked out of the classroom.
“Seriously?”Beom-seok scoffed.
Meanwhile,the moment Aerum came out from the empty classroom,she began walking towards the school hallway when Seo-Jun blocked her path.
She hissed and turned around but Seo-Jun immediately pulled her back, dragging her hair roughly.
“How dare you to walk out on me?”She snorted.
“Seo-Jun….let-go!!”She said slowly but Seo-Jun laughed, before pulling her hair again.
“I said let go!”She screamed and jerked off her hand from her hair,then pushed her.
She fell heavily on the floor,her two friends rushed to her immediately.
“You’re okay?”They asked but she only glared at them before standing up.
“Aerum, you’re seriously crossing your limit”She said pointing her finger’s at her.
“How? How are I crossing my boundaries?”
“I only came to tell you this,stay away from beom-seok cos he’s mine. He belongs to me and me alone”She gritted.
“Wait,do beom-seok love you?”Aerum asked slowly.
“Of course he does? What do you think? That he’ll actually love someone like you? Then you should wake up from your Dreamland”Seo-Jun said and Aerum smiled with a side lip.
“He loves you,so why feeling insecure? You’re afraid that he’ll dump you? Tsk. Are you sure he really loves you or you’re the one throwing yourself to him? You obviously look like a cheap thrash yunno”Aerum said and Seo-Jun gritted.
“How dare you?”She screamed raising her hand to slap her but aerum was quick to catch her hand.
“How many times do I have to tell you that am allergic to slvts hands? Especially yours huh? And you think I’ve forgotten what you and your friend did to A-Yeong?”She asked angrily.
“What nonsense are you saying?”She asked and aerum Chuckled.
“The fact that you’re pretending you don’t know irritates me more. Like how cheap could you be?”She said pushing her off and Seo-Jun staggered.
“Gawd!! I came out two days ago and that’s why am keeping my cool,but don’t think is over yet. It’s not”Aerum said and brushed her shoulder on her’s before walking out.
“Her nerves,her guts really pisses me off”Ha-Joon said but Seo-Jun only glared at her before walking out.
••
<SCHOOL GARDEN>
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you”A-Yeong said, sitting down on the bench, ji-hoon just looked at her and smiled.
“Hope am safe?”He asked.
“Sure,and thanks for that night”A-Yeong smiled and ji-hoon arched his brow.
“Which night?”
“You’re making me feel embarrassed. Of course you know what am talking about,mom told me you brought me home”she said.
“Oh that. Is nothing actually”He shrugged and A-Yeong smiled widely.
“I know I should have thanked you earlier but alot has happened for the past days. How about I treat you to a lunch?”She asked with a smile.
“Treat me to a lunch? Why?”
“To show that am grateful. Yunno,I was wondering what would have happened if the guy had his way. Am glad you came on time,so tell me yes or yes?”
“What’s yes or yes again?”Ji-hoon asked and Aerum groaned.
“The lunch of course”
“Oh yes then”he replied.
“You like reading novels too?”A-Yeong asked checking out the novel in his hand.
“Alot”He replied.
“That’s cool,so tell me… you’re really different from your friend. That crazy peaÇ0ç? beom-seok. Why is it that you’re not like him?”A-Yeong asked shifting closer to him.
“He was really cool then,but….I believe he’ll come around”He said slowly and A-Yeong nodded.
“Was…seems like something happened,I don’t wanna pry thou,so I’ll keep shut”She said and ji-hoon laughed.
“Let’s read together too,I enjoy novels”A-Yeong winked then began staring at the novel.
Yu-Jun entered inside the garden,but stopped when she saw A-Yeong with Ji-hoon laughing while chatting.
“Oops,bad timing”She said sadly and walked out.
•••
“She’s coming,she’s coming. Let’s wait and see”some students said immediately Aerum’s face came to view.
She was walking towards the stairs, she’s going to start climbing down soon.
“How can this two be giving me stress of looking for them? I literally saw them last in class today and now they’re no where to be seen?”She complained and began climbing the stairs.
She took the first step, second and when she wanted to take the third,her legs slipped and she began falling down.
“Arrrrrrrrg”She screamed and tried holding unto the stairs railings but her hand slipped and she kept falling.
The more she tried holding unto the rails,the more she kept falling.
She almost hit her head on the floor,cos it was the last stair when someone caught her.
“Careful”The person said and Aerum slowly looked up.
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TBC…