Chapter 2: Seriously Overworked

Eyes slowly opening to the shrill sound of his cell phone, Kim Ji-Hoon moodily snagged his phone from the coffee table and answered with a grunt… he instantly shot up when he recognized the voice on the other line.

Saku was startled awake when she heard the profanities that left Kim Ji-Hoon’s mouth from the living room. Slipping out of the bed without disturbing the sleeping children, Saku made her way to the living room. She entered right when Ji-Hoon snapped his phone shut…

-Saku yawned before she could make coherent sentences

“Did something happen? Who was that?”

-Ji-Hoon massaged his temple and only let out an irritated grunt

-Saku sat down on the floor beside Ji-Hoon

“Do you want to talk about it?”

-She reached out her hand and placed it on his bicep

“Ji-Hoon… it isn’t healthy to hold everything in…”

-Ji-Hoon simply shook her grip off

“… Just go back to sleep… I don’t need to talk about anything.”

-Saku stood up but didn’t move; she tried again

“But… I’m worried �"”

-Ji-Hoon suddenly growled at Saku, raising his eyes to coldly glare at her

“Leave… me… alone…”

 

Slightly taken aback by his coldness �" even if she had been on the receiving side of it for a while in the beginning it still hurt �" Saku backed away and returned to the bedroom. She tried to go back to sleep… but that wasn’t possible. Saku found herself lying awake, and soon enough, the time to prepare for school came. Ji-Hoon was even moodier at school, going as far as to even snap at some of the professors. Obviously aware of the situation he was dealing with, Ji-Hoon was let off the hook…

With each passing day that went by, each day Yoo Ji-Min remained comatose, Kim Ji-Hoon became worse off. Saku could basically see him deteriorating before her. The accident was obviously taking a toll on his mind… and Saku felt sympathy for him, hell her parents died in a car accident… but every time she tried to comfort him, he would coldly refuse… he snapped at her more often for asinine reasons more often than not (i.e. not cleaning the kitchen after using it, leaving the bathroom floor wet… even for coming back 15 minutes late from work)

-Saku leaned on the kitchen counter, running a hand through her hair

-Kim Ji-Hoon was yet again, arguing with his band mates about performing again for the third week in a row

-Band practice and performance was becoming more and more frequent

-Not only that, but apparently he was getting called in for work

“I never even knew he freaking worked!”

-She had figured out that he worked for an animal clinic that had closed in order to remodel

-It started when Saku answered Ji-Hoon’s phone and ended with him snapping at her to leave her nose out of his business

-They didn’t talk much and whenever they did, it was usually an argument resulting from Saku wanting to comfort the older male and Ji-Hoon refusing the gentle touch of the younger female

-Saku had just finished making dinner when Ji-Hoon stormed into the house again

-She called out to him when he stormed towards his room

“Are you going to eat?”

-The slam of the door was her only response

-Saku let out a heavy sigh

-She heard Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo walk into the kitchen and turned to see Seo-Hyun’s big smile and Hyun-Woo’s concerned expression

“Why is Hyung so angry all the time now?”

-Saku herded them into the living room and got them ready for dinner

“He is just… ah… overstressed… he won’t stay mad forever…”

-Seo-Hyun didn’t seem all too affected by Ji-Hoon’s change in attitude, having Saku around making it possible to ignore

-Hyun-Woo was a little more tuned in to the issue

-The seven year old was fully aware that his mother wasn’t in the best of health, but stayed strong, feeding off of Saku’s optimism

-That didn’t stop him from worrying about his older cousin

“Hyung doesn’t think that eomma will wake up again…”

-Saku flinched at the ‘matter-of-fact’ tone the child used

“… Is he right? He usually is…”

-Saku was appalled by Hyun-Woo’s deduction

“No, oh no, he doesn’t think that! Everything is sort of… well… overwhelming him… Your mother will wake up honey… why don’t you two eat… your older sister has to go speak to your cousin…”

 

While the children ate in silence, Saku made her way to Kim Ji-Hoon’s bedroom… she tentatively knocked…waited for an answer…

“Ji-Hoon, are you okay?”

“Go Away…”

-Saku opened the door none the less and walked up to the figure lying on the bed

“Kim Ji-Hoon, don’t be like this…”

-An irritated growl reached her ears

“You know… usually when someone says ‘go away’ that person wants to be left alone. Get out.”

-Saku crossed her arms over her chest and huffed

“I will not! Not until you talk to me… you are really stressed and you’re affecting everyone around you… please, let me help…”

-Ji-Hoon sighed and stood up from the bed, walking past Saku and growling out

“Mind your own damn business. I don’t need any help and I’m getting tired of having to repeat that to you… You must be pretty stupid if you can’t get the message. I have to go to the local hangout… don’t come…”

-Saku followed Ji-Hoon out with her eyes

-When she was sure he left, Saku felt the unshed tears of anger and sorrow burning behind her eyes

“… You do need help… or you’ll be like me…”