Chương 22: It's Mister's fault

"Hyung, you are back!" Boo Bong-Su picks up the fried chicken's wing and dangles in the air with a grin on his face. "Our country is against U Country today. Who are you betting on?"

Sin Jeong-Hyuk halts in his track and glances at the TV screen. The football match is about to start. Though he has been waiting for this match for a while, his heart is too sour today. Nevertheless, he's exhausted after driving for all night and fighting with a certain chicken.

The door opens and the 'chicken' goes past him like a storm. She runs upstairs and closes her room's door with a loud thump that makes all the men in the house flinch.

"So." Boo Bong-Su looks at Sin Jeong-Hyuk. "What did you do?"

Namgung Yeon-Sik crosses his arms, tilting his head. The question in his eyes is clear and judgmental.

"I didn't do anything that I should apologize for." Sin Jeong-Hyuk raises his head and stares at railings on the first floor. His voice is several pitches higher. "Kids don't know how to respect their elders and admit their wrongs."

Crash!

All the men blink their eyes. What did that angry chicken break in her room?

"Are you going to stand here?" Namgung Yeong-Sik gives him a dark look. "I am sure that it's your fault."

"Why?" Sin Jeong-Hyuk scowls at him. "I am telling you. It's me who was wronged."

Boo Bong-Su shakes his head and chews on the chicken's wing.

"You have that tendency to infuriate people to death." Yeon-Sik leans back and puts his feet on the table. "I already have enough problems. Don't come to me if she decides to stab your gut."

"As if that chicken got that much courage," Sin Jeong-Hyuk yells. "I am used by her but I don't get an apology or a word of gratitude. Instead --"

Smash! Sound of something loud comes from outside. Sin Jeong-Hyuk creases his forehead, worried about himself for some inexplicable reasons.

"I left home because my parents fought every day." Boo Bong-Su exhales, "They remind me of my traumatic childhood."

Namgung Yeon-Sik pats Boo Bong-Su's back. "They aren't your parents."

"I wish Mun Soyoon was here." Boo Bong-Su gnaws on the bone. "I should order more chicken wings."

He needs a smoke. Sin Jeong-Hyuk walks out of the sharehouse. His eyes are aching for sleep but he can't sleep.

The cold wind is grim and penetrating, swaying the descending snow under the white sky.

Sighing, he takes a cigarette out of the cigarette case and puts it between his lips. When he's about to light the cigarette, his gaze falls on the suitcase on the snow.

Why is there a suitcase?

But that's the least surprising object. He widens his eyes. The cigarette drops on the ground.

***

The girl is holding onto the makeshift rope, assembled out of the bedsheets and scarves in a rush, hanging between the window and the ground.

"What do I do?" Chang Seol swallows her saliva, staring hard at the ground with deep lines on her forehead as she creases her small brows together, murmuring the same question repetitively -- that almost sounds like a rhyme -- whilst she hopes to find the answer to her crisis.

How far is the bottom? Too far down! How far is the window? Too far high!

It is indeed a foolish idea to climb down from the window if one has no experience in doing so.

"Why am I such a fool?" She squeezes her dark eyes shut. "I am going to fall and die."

She yelps when her foot slips on the brick wall. Her left knee slams against the bricked wall. Sound of ripping enters her ear. Her heart freezes as she widens her eyes. The rope is going to break at this rate.

The girl stays still, holding her breath. Is she going to die?

"You insane chicken!"

Chang Seol tenses her shoulders when she hears the roar of a certain mister. She looks down and finds him holding the end of the rope. Storms are raging in his light brown eyes.

This is worse than falling down. "W-Why are you outside? I wouldn't be doing this if you had left the house earlier."

"How is this my fault?" He barks at her. "You should take the stairs whether I am inside the house or not."

"You told me to stay out of your sight," She snaps back at him.

"I didn't mean it that way." Sin Jeong-Hyuk shouts at her, "Do you ever listen to me? You told me to keep my eyes shut if I didn't want to see you."

The rope rips further. She screams, squeezing her eyes shut. "I am going to die, Mister. I am really going to die."

"Don't panic. You won't die if you fall from that height." Sin Jeong-Hyuk tells her with an assuring voice, "You might break a few bones and spend some time in hospital."

That doesn't soothe the Chicken. She wails louder, panicking. Her nose turns redder.

"What is going on here?" Namgung Yeon-Sik, who came out after hearing the screams, looks up at the hanging chicken. "Why is she up there?"

"It's Mister's fault." Chang Seol rubs her eyes with her sleeve. "It's all his fault. I am going to die because of him."

"Aish!" Boo Bong-Su takes another bite of the chicken's wing. "I knew that he did something."

"Let's focus on helping her come down first." Namgung Yeon-Sik runs his fingers through his hair. "Seol-ah, climb down slowly."

"I can't." She sniffles. "I am scared."

"Dammnit!" Sin Jeong-Hyuk eyes the ripping point of the rope. "You can blame me later. Jump! It won't hold for long. I will catch you."

"I don't want to break my bones." Chang Seol trembles weakly. "I don't want to go to the hospital. I don't have money or insurance to pay my bills."

"Chicken, why didn't you think of these things before?" Sin Jeong-Hyuk exhales, exasperated. "Jump. I promise that I won't let any harm come to you."

"No, I can't." She shakes her head. "Mister, it's too high."

"Trust me." His voice is soft. He raises his arms toward her. "Let go."

Biting her lower lips, Chang Seol glances at the point where the rope is on the verge of ripping apart. It could happen at any moment. She closes her eyes and lets go of the rope, falling down in his arms before both of them crash on the snowy ground.

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