บท 11: ११

Rumi bowed head again and dragged herself out of an hour-long questioning. "Was I the culprit?" Rumi huffed; she was the one who caught the guy yet she was questioned like a culprit. What kind of system these guys have? She sighed pressing elevator button. "Tsk. What is wrong with this?" She pressed the button harder when it didn't work. "God damn it!"

"You should try pressing it with little love, Rumi unnie." A delicate hand came into the view pressing the button for her. "See?" Jangmi smiled up at her. Just great! My day keeps getting better and better. Rumi inhaled her thoughts and flashed a sweet smile towards Jangmi.

"Gamsahabnida, Jangmi-ssi."

"Uh uh! Unnie..." Jangmi shook head and clung onto Rumi's arm like a snake wined itself to its prey. "Why are you always rigid and so formal? Jangmi-ssi this and Jangmi-ssi that. Call me Jangmi-ah..." She looked up and blinked her eyes few times at Rumi.

"I think I'll stick to Jangmi-ssi." Rumi awkwardly smiled trying to get rid of her claws.

"But unnie!" Jangmi pouted shrugging off Rumi hand and tightening her grip. "I can call you unnie why can't you call me informally?"

"He deva kuthe adakavlas mala...? (Oh god, what kind of obstacle is this...?)" Rumi nervously chuckled shaking her head at the question mark on Jangmi's face. "I take time to- you know...be relaxed with someone. It's difficult when I've just met them."

"That's why!" She suddenly exclaimed making Rumi cringe. "Ah, the elevator is here." Jangmi said straightening up and dragging Rumi inside. "Unnie, we need to spend time together to get know each other. But you!" She suddenly grabbed Rumi and turned her around to face herself. "You keep ignoring my messages." She accused poking her finger in Rumi's shoulder.

"I-I told Jangmi-ssi, I am busy this month. I can't real-"

"I am not asking you to take out time from your busy schedule, Unnie." She cut her off. "At least reply to my text." She pouted.

"Ne." Rumi nodded with tight lipped smile.

"Good." Jangmi flashed a smile and turned to front. Rumi let out the breath she was holding in. Why can't the elevator go any faster? She bit her lip and stared at the numbers counting down. "By the way, I heard about it." Jangmi spoke again. Rumi furrowed her eyebrows turning towards her. "You caught someone trying to click secret pictures of idols."

"Ah! Hmm." Rumi nodded and turning back to front again. "You hear about a lot of things huh?" Rumi muttered under her breath.

"You are that type, aren't you?" Jangmi looked at her with light smile on her face. "The type to protect others first. The type to stand in front of the bullet for others." Rumi chuckled at that. Jangmi's eyes glowed at that sound.

"To stand in front of the bullet, don't you think that's little dramatic, Jangmi-ssi?" Rumi asked with smile on her face. "I agree, I have those protective instincts but getting shot for another? I'm not that brave." Rumi laughed.

"Joah."

"Ne?" Rumi looked at her in question.

"Your laugh. It's lovely." Rumi cleared her throat and looked away. The look in Jangmi's eyes made her uncomfortable. Those eyes, she remembers the look.

"Um. We are here." Rumi said as the elevator stopped and door slide opened. She walked out, Jangmi following behind. "Then, I'm heading to café." Rumi said avoiding her eyes.

"Ne." Jangmi nodded her head. Rumi bit her lip and turned around to leave when Jangmi caught her wrist causing Rumi to curse under her breath and slowly turn around. "Don't forget to reply to my texts."

"Hmm." Rumi hummed with pressed lips. Jangmi smiled at her one last time and left. Rumi sighed, her shoulders dropping in exhaustion. "I need coffee!" She cried and dragged herself to the counter of the cafeteria. "Excuse me. Can I get a large strong black coffee, please?" Rumi ordered not even bothering to look up as her eyes scanned the cookies inside the glass box. They look sweet. "Um, which one of these are not sweet?" She asked finally looking up at barista, who looked troubled at her question.

"Umm ma'am those are cookies..." The boy trailed off looking at his weird customer. "They all are sweet."

"You are really weird huh?" A voice interrupted. "Add one americano and...gingersnaps to that order." Hoshi said handing his card to the Barista who nodded his head accepting the card. "You don't really like eating sweets, do you?"

"Hmm. I don't." Rumi nodded.

"Ma'am, sir. Your order and card." The barista returned with the cups and plate with cookies. Rumi thanked him grabbing the tray and while Hoshi grabbed his card.

"Thank you." Rumi spoke as both of them settled down on one of the empty seat. "For the coffee and cookies." Rumi said sipping on her coffee. Hoshi made a face as he sipped his own.

"Isn't it bitter?" Hoshi asked making a face.

"Says the person drinking americano." Rumi retorted taking the bite of the cookie. "Uh...it's sweet." Rumi made the same face as Hoshi had earlier.

"Hah!" Hoshi laughed in disbelief. "Of course, it's sweet. Cookies are supposed to be sweet. They are less sweet than the other ones." He explained picking one himself and munching on it. Rumi huffed sipping on her coffee to get rid of the sweet taste. "How does one person not like sweet? Did you not eat any candies while you were young?"

"I did. That's why I don't anymore. My parents are diabetic and I don't want to be one of them." Rumi answered. "More like, with age I have turned to dislike them." Rumi confessed nodding to herself.

"Mwo? With age? You talk like ahjumma." Hoshi snorted. "How old are you? Ahjummonie, take care of your bones well. My mother knows a doctor, I'll ask her to introduce ahjumma to him." Hoshi teased making her roll her eyes.

"I bet at eighty, I can fight bulls unlike you." She huffed flipping her hair sassily. "You'll be sitting in wheel chair by sixty, if you continue to be so careless." Rumi warned pointing her forefinger at him. Hoshi laughed throwing his head back.

"Ne, ajhummonie! I'll be careful from next time." Hoshi laughed bowing at her.

"No, like seriously." Rumi munched on the cookies again even though she was criticizing them few seconds ago. "I've heard tales about your carelessness. You like to play hero, don't you?" Rumi asked. When they heard Hoshi was around when she caught the guy, the staff suddenly got anxious to her confusion. Later she heard from one of them that, Hoshi is kind of overprotective and would fight himself instead, rather than waiting for security to help. They narrated about how he once drove the stalker following him to corner to confront it.

"Wae? Did I impressed you?" Hoshi asked leaning on his palm and winking at her.

"You've got a long way if you want to impress me." Rumi snorted rolling her eyes. "I am taking about putting yourself in danger. You have bodyguards and security for a reason, you know? They get paid for that, it's their job you should let them do it instead to trying to play hero." She was practically scolding him.

"It's not like I am dying to play hero. I just can't stand quiet and let the wrong happen in front of me. I won't stand and watch as a man grabs you by collar."

"I know but it was dangerous. You are an idol; you have lot on your plate to look after. Acting aggressively for sake of others, you can't afford that." Rumi enunciated. If he kept acting like this, he would be an obstacle in my path. Him getting himself in danger is me failing to do my job. "I understand you want to protect your friends but you should remember there is a reason why you have people protecting you right? They are hired to do so."

"Araso. I was wrong." Hoshi leaned back and sipped his coffee. "What about you though?"

"Huh?" Rumi asking aggressively munching on the ginger cookie. "What about me?"

"Aren't you also the one playing the hero? Why did you confront him instead of reporting him?"

"That's because it is my jo-" Rumi stopped herself from vomiting any further.

"Wae? Now what happened? You have security, they are paid to do their job, let them do it." Hoshi said trying imitate her accent. "Now where did you preaching go? Huh?" Hoshi leaned forward trying meet her eyes as she avoided his.

"Well...I thought he was running away." She stuttered coming with an excuse.

"Running away." Hoshi scoffed. "Pabo. He could've hurt you." Rumi opened her mouth to retort. "Ara, ara, I can protect myself, isn't this what you were about to say?" Rumi clammed her mouth. "I saw it all, you know. You slamming him against wall and threatening him." Rum smirk at that. "Don't look so smug! This is not something to be proud of." Hoshi scolded flicking her forehead. Rumi almost cursed at him but decided to stick to glare. "There were cameras in hallways, you know? It was him who touched you first, if not then you could've gotten in trouble for assaulting him like that."

"I only retorted to violence because he grabbed my collar. I clearly warned him thrice!" Rumi reasoned holding up three of her fingers.

"Warned him, huh?" Hoshi flicked her again. "Warned him? What are you? A gangster? You were clearly threatening him."

"Stop hitting me or else-"

"Look at her, threatening people again. You are a gangster." Hoshi scolded moving his hand to hit her again but she dodged him and stuck her tongue at him.

"And you are trying to set this gangster up with your dear friend." Rumi teased tossing a broken piece of cookie in her mouth.

"Wae? I thought you liked him." Hoshi questioned suddenly worried that he had been nosey. Rumi just shrugged in answer as her mouth was busy. "Yah! What type of answer is that?" Hoshi smacked her arm.

"Mai zav-" Rumi stopped before it completely spilled out of her mouth. "Nahi Rumi, tond aavar. (No Rumi, control your mouth.)" Rumi took in few breathes before glaring at Hoshi. "Hoshi-ssi, always remember one thing, do not hit me. You can use your words but do not hit me." Rumi warned emphasizing on last four words. Hoshi gulped nodding his head to her command. "Good." Rumi hummed and sipped her coffee to calm her nerves.

"Mai zav? Was that cursing in your language?" Hoshi timidly asked glancing at her reaction.

"Wow. You understand me cursing in another language but you don't get the hint when I'm speaking in clear Korean words?"

"So, you were cursing at me!" Hoshi exclaimed pointing his finger at her.

"I almost swore at you. Almost is the key word here, Hoshi-ya. I stopped myself." Rumi argued pointing her own finger back at him.

"Still you-"

"Sunbaenim." A voice interrupted Hoshi. Both of them snapped their head towards it. Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. Why was Hyun greeting her with so much respect today? Hyun flashed her a sweet smile while glancing at Hoshi who was curiously staring at both of them.

"Ah!" Rumi nodded getting why he was being such a sweet. "Eo, Hyun-ah. What is it?" Rumi asked turned in her seat to face him.

"It's nothing. I saw sunbeanim seating here, so I wanted to greet sunbeanim." Ah, ah. Look at that sweet speech. I'm pretty sure he has something to nag about. Rumi made a face silently cursing at him which earned her a light kick in shin. She almost screamed in pain glaring at Hyun who flashed another sweet smile at her. Clearing of throat interrupted their telepathic fight, attracting their attention to Hoshi who was looking at them with curious eyes.

"Umm, who is..." Hoshi trailed off his eyes moving from her to Hyun.

"Ah, him!" Rumi smirked glancing at Hyun. "He is my hoobae from uni. Gwok Hyun-ki." Hoshi nodded as Hyun bowed towards him in greeting. "Hyun-ah, join us." Rumi smiled pointing at the seat beside her. Hyun debated knowing she was up to no good. "Gwenchana." Rumi grabbed him wrist and pulled him down. "Haha, he's little shy." Rumi laughed throwing her arm around Hyun's shoulder. "But he's such a sweet boy. I still remember the day you confessed to me."

"Ne!?" Hyun stood up in surprised. Rumi laughed out loud and harshly pulled him down again.

"Oh, don't be shy now. Didn't you followed me here because of that? Hoshi, let me tell you, he is very shy but he's quitte possessive. He can't stand seeing me with other guys."

"S-sunbaenim, what are you talking about?" Hyun nervously laughed glancing at Hoshi who was earnestly listen to her probably believing her every lie.

"Gwenchana, gwenchana. You don't have to mind. I'm okay with it." Rumi smiled pinching his cheeks. "Hoshi, you were asking if I like Jihoon-ssi right? Of course, I like him, he is cute. He's got manner and he's such a nice guy. But you see, this guy." Rumi smiled pulling Hyun closer. "He has liked me for so long and now he has followed me here. I can't break his heart, now can I?"