Chapter 5: Summaries of After

Now on their separate ways, Saku slowly got into her original habits: Going to school, starting homework, going to work, coming home, finishing homework, sleeping, and then repeating the schedule all over again the next day. She pushed Kim Ji-Hoon out of her mind as best she could, choosing not to worry about his issues… but it didn’t leave her mind completely… She still found a part of her heart ache for the pain the older male was feeling… she kept in touch with Hyun-Woo and Seo-Hyun… and Saku even took the time to visit Yoo Ji-Min, bringing flowers to the comatose woman and offering her prayers…

Kim Ji-Hoon was worse than ever… nothing could better explain his life other than the phrase “Total Wreck”. His body was not handling the stress at all; he fell ill more often… School was taking a toll on his exhausted mind… his anger did not subside, but got worse (if that was even possible) and even Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo were taken back by Saku, which called for another huge argument  between the teens about the ability to supervise other lives… Saku obviously fought and won… Leaving Kim Ji-Hoon alone with Honjaui, but even Honjaui kept a distance…

Kim Ji-Hoon and Saku Hana stopped talking and avoided each other as much as possible after another argument that ended in both cussing the other out… Both were sick of each other and didn’t want to see the other…

While Ji-Hoon fought all of his issues alone Saku took up the responsibility of watching over his two cousins…

-Saku held the hands of both children as she left the elementary school after work

-She had promised to take the two depressed kids to the park

“When we go back home, Irei and Goshippu are going to watch you because I have to work late at the restaurant… do you want me to get anything for you?”

-Seo-Hyun instantly brightened

“I wanna eat kitsune udon!”

-Hyun-Woo smiled at his sister before looking up at Saku

“I’d like red cooked pork belly...”

-Saku gave the two a soft smile

-Ever since she took the two under her wing, she made it a priority to keep both happy… diverting their attention from their bedridden mother to the fun life that she strived to keep up for their sakes

-It wouldn’t take too much to cheer them up and Saku was glad about that

-The waterworks didn’t end but it was not often that he two would cry and if they did it was mostly for their comatose mother and stress-pained cousin

-When they reached the park, Saku made her way to the ice cream stand

“Two vanilla, please.”

-Saku knew by now that both children favored vanilla over any other flavor

-As she handed the two their cones, Saku caught the eye of a young man standing over by the tennis court

-He had very short dark brown hair and his eyes were a dark chocolate brown

-She gave him a small smile and bowed slightly but pulled the children along quickly in the opposite direction

-As she made her way to the park playground, she collided with Kim Ji-Hoon and the rest of the Baddobōizu gang

-Ji-Hoon said nothing and walked along at a fast pace

-Amai came up to her though and spoke

“He’s really bad…”

-Omoiagatta smirked

“I didn’t know you dumping him would make him the biggest a*****e alive!”

-Saku growled

“Watch your language around kids… and this isn’t a joke…”

-Sugureta snorted as he continued to walk

“I swear his a*s is gonna get beat up by me if he keeps up his jack a*s attitude!”

-Saku murmured under her breath as she watched him walk

“You couldn’t lay one punch on him… too arrogant for your own good dude…”

-Amai put a gentle hand on her shoulder

“Will you not help him again?”

-Saku shook her head and took a tighter hold of Hyun-Woo and Seo-Hyun’s hands

“He doesn’t want help and I don’t want to hear my name connected to another insult… He can fight on his own like he always wants and I’ll be on my way…”

-She moved forward away from Omoiagatta and Amai

After the park, home was the next destination. Saku met Goshippu and Irei half way and then she took everyone to her house. At her home, Saku prepared for work and left the house with Irei and Goshippu in charge. It took her a while to get to work but she made it with only ten minutes to spare…

-Before making her way to the stage, Saku quickly spoke to the cook about making the dishes the children had requested

-The old man gave a hearty laugh and pat Saku’s head

“No problem at all my sweet! I’ll have them ready to go for you before you leave work today! Have fun up there dear!”

-Saku thanked the elderly cook and then made her way to the stage where her violin partner greeted her with a smile

 

An hour before the restaurant had to close, Saku ran into the young man she had seen in the park. She shivered slightly when she noticed that his eyes were following her every movement. She was glad when her manager let her leave early and Saku high-tailed it out of the restaurant with her order of food…

She couldn’t help but notice that the young man seemed oddly familiar, like she had seen him once a very long time ago… she pushed the thought aside and quickened her pace, almost running back to her home…