Chapter 2: A Returning Friend

Saku woke up early the next morning to the sight of Hyun-Woo and Seo-Hyun peacefully asleep against her body… She looked around until she saw a digital clock with the time reading 5 in the morning… Saku slowly gets up as to not disturb the children and prepares herself for high school… after preparing herself, she wakes up the kids and gets them ready for school as well. Kim Ji-Hoon wakes up after the children go into the bathroom and takes care of Honjaui to pass the time… After breakfast, Saku takes the children, and her instruments and a change of clothes, to the elementary school while Kim Ji-Hoon makes his way to their school… Saku races off after dropping the kids off…

-At the high school, Saku avoids any eye contact and quickly makes her way to her homeroom

-There she is greeted by a vandalized desk with death threats written all over

-She lets out a long sigh

 

“After getting beaten up and hit by a car… what else do I have to go through?”

 

-Class started and ended with glares directed at Saku

-When the bell rang, she quickly got up and left the room before any fan girl of Baddobōizu could ambush her… she needed to look nice for her first day at work at the elementary school

-She stops briefly to speak to Irei and Goshippu

“Hi you guys…”

-Irei smiles

“You seem to be in better condition…”

-Goshippu asks

“Did something good happen?”

-Saku whispers

“Kim Ji-Hoon has offered me a place to stay in exchange for my help with babysitting…”

-Irei gasps

“He let you live with him?!”

-Goshippu squeals

“You get to stay with him in the same house?!”

-Saku furiously shushes the girls

“Shut up!!! I don’t need anything else pinned on me!! I’m just staying there until I can get back on my feet… plus… he offered to get rid of my debt… don’t know how he plans to though…”

-Goshippu scoffs

“He’s rich honey! I found out that his mom is the owner of a popular and famous company back in Korea.”

-Saku gawks at the comment

“Really, he’s rich?!”

 -Irei snorts

“Why the hell is he here then?!”

-Saku doesn’t wait for a suggestion when she realizes that she has to run to make it to the elementary school

“I gotta go guys! I have a new job at the elementary school!!”

Saku makes it to the school

After a few hours of teaching little kids how to play the violin or dance or play the Japanese Koto, she is ready to leave to go back to her next job… The restaurant… Saku changes into the dress that she took to the elementary school before leaving with Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo…

-Upon exiting the school, Saku is greeted by two high school girls… fan girls

-Saku pushes the two children behind away from the girls’ views as she tries to evade them, using the Japanese Koto and violin cases to obscure their vision of the kids

-It doesn’t work when the two girls get in her way

“You have kids now?!”

“I wonder who knocked you up!”

“When did you have them? When you were fifteen?!”

-Saku snorted

“Get out of my way and leave the kids out of it… I can take the time to kick your skinny butts when they aren’t with me…”

Saku escapes quickly with the kids and makes it to the restaurant

-Saku has the kids sit down at a table, closest to the stage

“Would you be able to sit here for a while? I know I have to work late… but, you can eat and finish any homework that you have… then I can take you to see your cousin…”

-Hyun-Woo answers

“Okay… we can wait…”

-Saku smiles and orders the children some food before finding her manager

-When she finds him, she smirks

“You finally see how true I was to my word and here you go begging me to come back… was service that slow?”

-He scowls

“Just… go do your job and I’ll give you your pay before you leave…”

Saku greets her old violin partner with a smile and a few exchanges of words before getting right to work… two hours later it is around 7 o’clock and Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo are getting tired and their patience is running dry… when she sees how tired they look, she gives Ji-Hoon a call

“Baddobōizu financial worker Kim Ji-Hoon how can I help you?”

“Ji-Hoon, its Saku… how late are you working at the local hangout?”

“For another hour, why?”

 “The kids are getting tired and I have this feeling that I should go home alone tonight…”

“Are there--”

“Don’t worry… I can handle myself… but I don’t need the kids getting in the middle of a fight if it happens…”

“… Should I come pick you up?”

-Saku is surprised by his concern

“No no… don’t get into unnecessary trouble because of me… Just… can you get the kids and keep them? I have to stay here for another four hours…”

“So you’ll be coming back home around 11 tonight?!”

“Kim Ji-Hoon it’s a grand opening for my return… I have to stay… Don’t worry…”

-She hears a click

-A half hour later, Kim Ji-Hoon arrives

-Saku is just finishing another song on the piano when he comes up to the stage

-She gets down and engages in small talk with him

“Thanks for coming…”

“Why are you going to come home so late?”

“It’s really no big deal… I did this all the time…”

“You don’t have to work this late from here on out do you?”

“Um… I might…”

“You shouldn’t have to… especially if people are coming after you…”

-Saku laughs

“You sound like my boyfriend…”

-Saku can almost see a light blush color his cheeks at the reference

“Look… I’ll come and pick you up, okay?”

-Without another word, Kim Ji-Hoon takes the two sleepy and cranky kids with him and leaves

After work… 11 o’clock at night and Saku is lugging her Koto and violin case behind her… the dress she was wearing felt like it was weighing her down…She didn’t walk too far when she noticed a group of girls waiting for her... along with the same two girls she clashed with at the elementary school… Saku walks back the way she came when she hears them call out to her

“Come back here!!”

“We need to talk to you!!”

“Don’t run like a wuss! Come and face us!!”

-Saku grimaces, but stops and turns

“Screw you all… I don’t need another lesson from you skinny jack asses!! So leave me alone already!!”

-The girls are pissed and about to come knock her lights out

-Saku sets her violin and Japanese koto on the ground, preparing to fight

-They suddenly stop

-A word between each other and then they walk off

-Confused, Saku turns around and right behind her… Is Tsuyoi!

“Tsuyoi Senpai!!!”

-Saku greets her old tennis partner with a hug

“Hey there Saku! I’ve missed you!”

“I missed you too!! What are you doing back?”

“Break from college for a few days. Thought I’d stop by to see you.”

-Saku smiles… then it fades with Tsuyoi’s next question

“Where are you staying now? Are you still having money issues? I know you are still being hounded by those fan girls…”

“Oh… I’m uh… staying with Kim Ji-Hoon now…”

“What?! Are you dating him?!”

“NO!!!! It’s nothing like that!! I’m helping him take care of his cousins!!”

“Wasn’t he the one you were always growling about?! Why are you--”

-Tsuyoi stopped mid-sentence when something caught his eye

-Saku turned to see Kim Ji-Hoon walking up to them

“Saku… you okay?”

-Kim Ji-Hoon stands in front of Saku

-Tsuyoi steps in next to Saku

“What are you up to?”

-Kim Ji-Hoon glares at Tsuyoi from the corner of his eyes

“And who are you?”

“None of your business… now what are you planning?”

“What could I possibly be planning for?”

“You caused her hell and then you let her into your house?! You’ve got to be planning to ruin her somehow… So how are you planning to ruin her image this time you jerk?”

-Kim Ji-Hoon turns to glare at Tsuyoi completely now… Saku is surprised by the tension between the two

“I’m not planning anything whatsoever… and why would you care in the first place… Tsuyoi, is it?”

“I’m just looking out for the well-being of the person I care for… Intelligent B*****d…”