I woke up and found myself lying on my bed. I couldnt remember coming back home. Maybe I was asleep all the time. Maybe it all was a dream. Maybe Rai didn't broke up with me. Maybe I never woke up.
"Y/N! You bag of potatoes! Wake up! Wake up sleepy head!" I jump out of the bed because of Soobin's yell who was standing beside the door frame.
Soobin is only one left after my mom died. He is not my brother yet he's more than that. He's like my parent.
"I don't wanna wake up, I wanna die!"I mumbled under my breath while lying down on the bed again.
As soon as I realized what have I said, I immediately cover my mouth while regretting it already.
''No no no! Not again!!! The speech!!! ughhhh" I clicked my tongue while covering my ear with a pillow.
Soobin started to send me death glares while frowning at me like he's going to eat me.
here we go, 'Y/N many times do I have to tell you that life is so important ' his regular statements started to ring in my mind.
"Y/N how. many. times. do. I have to tell YOU that life is so important!!!!!" Soobin yelled loudly at me while I was sitting and staring at him like a dumb. I was dead used to at his speeches.
'Y/N, don't you know how much I care about you? '
"Y/N Don't you know how much I care about you????" Soobin ran his fingers through his hair with frustration.
'Ok, forget about me, remember our parents, they are seeing you from heaven, they'll be so hurt if they heard you saying these shits'
''OK, forget about me, remember our parents, they are seeing you from heaven!!!!! They'll be so hurt if they heard you saying these shits!!!!'' Soobin slammed his fists in the table. My ears started to ring.
I jumped up from my bed to give him a comforting hug.
"Soobin I'm sorry~ plwease~ won't you forgive your best friend? Mmm?"I pouted while clinging to him.
He can't resist my cute face as a best friend. It always melts him. He breathed sharply while hugging me back.
"Y/N Please never say these things. You don't know how worried I was last night! I almost died!" His eyes became glassy as he looked down to hide his eyes.
We are friends from 4th grade. I still remember the day we met. Our meeting was so weird. It was a good weird.
//Flashback //
I was going home while walking with some friends.
"Hey! Do you know about the forest? Behind the school, I heard Yōkai used they place to hide their valuable gold coins! If we find that pot of gold coins, we can be rich overnight!"My best friend Jennie said while daydreaming.
"Oh gosh they are not real." I held my bag tightly while looking at Jennie.
"Let's go!!! " Lisa excitedly jumped around.
"No guys... I'm sorry. I can't go. Mamma is waiting for me. She'll be worried."I denied with them to go there because I knew that it was a false news and I don't believe in Yōkais.
They looked at me with scary eyes. Like there going to eat me. I slowly looked at them and realized their next step. Closing my eyes, I started count down for the impact.
Jennie and Lisa started to dragging me the whole way for the forest. My legs started to hurt all way.
"I should have ran away from them." I regreted in my mind.
I couldn't help but feeling that something will going to be wrong here. I gulped while examining the forest.
It's so dark here because of the huge trees that are resisting the sun to spread its light.
Jennie and Lisa started to dig in the forest with shovel which they brought on their bags.
"That's why their bags were so heavy " I thought.
"Y/N give us a hand! Fast! "Jennie yelled at me while throwing a shovel at my side.
I was about to kneel down, my eyes fell on something and realize we are not only 3 in the forest. There's someone else too.
"L-L-Lisa... .. f-f-f" before I can finish I cut by a loud growl.
Lisa and Jennie jolted up and started to run for their dear life while leaving me alone.
My whole body became white and my eyes started to go dark. I felt like I'm trapped in other dimension as the time around me stopped. My body betrayed with me as it denied to move from the position.
"Guys! Don't leave me alone! PLEASE!" I cried in a shaky voice but it's no use because they've already vanished.
I started to tremble as the bear is growling at me continuously. But how can this bear can be on this small forest. I looked into the bear's eyes. They are registering pain inside it.
''Somehow is it in any pain?'' I thought.
Suddenly the bear stood on its hind legs to raise its forelegs.
I gulped thinking it will kill me!
I noticed something shiny in it's foot. Focussing on it, I realized it's a huge sharp metal.
Pushing the huge urge of fear, I started to move closer to the bear to help it out.
"Easy... Boy... Easy... I won't hurt you. I'll just take that thing off your foot." As if understanding my language, it stopped growling at me and stood patiently.
I pulled out the sharp thing off from its leg which was covering with blood, while it growled last time for the sting of the pain.
The bear smiled at me, "I'll return your favor. I'll help you one day." and left the place.
I was so stunned thinking that bear talked.
''Bear can't talk! Can they? maybe I misheard.'' I thought while my eyes to small.
I looked around and realized I forgot here I came from.
Suddenly I heard some crunching sounds from the bush. I nervously walked there to see what was making that sounds. Gasp of horror escaped from my mouth looking at the sight of a brutally injured body. Like someone beat him so badly. He's clothes were torn and skin were swollen. Immediately I put my finger over his nose and he was still breathing meaning that he's alive.
I needed to help him that's why I carried him on my back. He was a bit heavy but I managed to carry him taking break it I couldn't carry him. He was around my age. I felt so terrified at the thought of the person who did this horrible thing to this guy.
After a few minutes of roaming and searching here I came from, I finally was able to get out of the forest.
I breathlessly carried him to my home while taking few breaks on the way home.
"Mama! Look! " I run to my mama while pointing at the boy in my arm.
"Y/N! Why are you late you know how worried—" She started to scold me until she noticed here I'm pointing "Oh god! Who is that?"
My mama gasped as well. Without shouting at me, she made good treatment for him. I helped her with the guy's treatment. But the boy didn't open his eyes.
After a few hours finally, the boy opened his eyes.
"Wh-who am I? Where am I?" he looked around in horror.
"Hi! I'm Y/N! I found you in the bush of the forest. Can you remember anything? What's your name?" I asked him.
He was dumbfounded for a few minutes before responding " I'm sorry, I can't even remember my name." He sadly sighed while smiling sadly, dimples appeared on his pinkish soft cheeks.
I move closer to poke it. He chuckled at my actions.
"I love your smile! It's so cute."I cheerfully said while patting his head.
"Ok, then I'll smile for you more. Hehe."He chuckled and winched in pain.
"Are you ok?" I got worried.
"yeah, I'm fine" He said in low voice trying not to hurt himself.
"Mama can he stay with us??" I rushed towards my mama who was coming with a tray which was holding foods for the guy.
Mama thought for a while before happily agreeing with me.
"But first, we'll have inform the police. If his parents comes to find him. We'll have hand over him to his mom dad." Mommy shuffled my hair affectionately.
"OK mom! But he said he don't remember his name! What can we call him?" I looked at the guy who was sadly looking down at himself.
"How about Soobin?"
"It's So cute!!!!! " I jumped hearing that name
Like a bunny.
"What do you think? "Mom asked the guy if he agrees to be himself as 'Soobin'
"Yes!!" He jumped on his bed to copy my habit but he winces in pain.
"No-no-no. No jumping before healing. You can play and jump after healing. Understood?" Mama softly said.
Soobin nodded while smiling like a sweet little bunny.
//End of flashback //
Memories are so beautiful when we were young, right?
"Y/N! are you even listening to me?????" My heart jumped from its cage because of Soobin's yell.
"Sorry I was zoned out."
"Please Y/N! Don't ever sleep in beach! Oh gosh! Like seriously how come you do something careless like that? Do you know how many people out there like wolfs finding their preys? And you have Aids now! You need special care!!" Soobin frowned at me while yelling top of his lungs leaving my ears ringing.
"What are you saying, it means it wasn't a dream?" My eyes went small and my tension came back on my head.
"What are you talking about?" Soobin's frowned went more curvy while my heart started break in my chest.
It means, I have aids, my fiance broke up with me and my life has destroyed.
"Soobin... I don't believe that I have aids. Trust me, the report is fake! Look at me I'm not even sick!" I started to become so frustrated while trying my best to make him understand that I don't have aids.
"Y/N, calm down! Calm down! Yeah I believe you I believe you." He started to pat my back while inhale sharply as if he's frustrated just as me.
"Please don't be careless OK? Don't sleep in Beach again. You understand me right?" After he mentioned about sea beach my heart sunk into my stomach.
"Wait... It means.. I really saw the glow guy" I mumbled and jumped on Soobin's leg "WHO BROUGHT ME HERE???" I yelled loudly. He yelled in pain. After gaining his composure, he swat on my head.
"Ouch!"
"A guy, I don't know him but he was glowing, and a blue aura was around him. Maybe because of street light. But he was kinda weird. Wearing Kimono in this modern world. Haha. Maybe he was going on a party. Soobin laughed while covering his mouth "But I'm grateful to him"
"Soobin! I have to go now! I-I-I have some work to do!!" I stormed out from our house leaving Soobin frowned.
"That Girl Will Never Give Me peace!!!!!!! "Soobin started to groan and roar.
I reached on the sea beach running."Glow guy!!!! where are you???? " I started to call for him.
"But where is he? No human can be seen on the sea beach." I looked were thinking.
"Nobody's here. Ugh. Maybe I should look for him at night. Maybe." I sighed.
I came back to my house with a disappointed expression on my face.
"Ahem... Young lady! Aren't you forgetting about something?"Soobin faked a cough.
"No what?"I started to drink water from my lucky bottle while answering.
"Office... "
"Office!!!!!!!! Ugh! Why didn't you tell me sooner? Ugh!" I spit the water out of my mouth on Soobin's face. He looked at me with disgusted look.
I throw on my uniform while eating food from Soobin's hands.
Soobin is already dressed that's why he has no worries while I was struggling to get ready.
"What's the time?"I looked at him in horror after sipping the water from my bottle.
"It's 7: 30 am " Soobin casually answered while looking at his watch.
I sighed in relief losing my tense body a little. We have to reach before 8. The office is only 10 minutes far from our house.
"Oh god. Oh." I started to breath which I was holding for a while "By the way, have you ate anything?"
"Yes I have. Now lets go" Soobin beamed a smile at me while playing with keys with his hand.
We started to head for the office while chatting with each other.
Suddenly I started to feel insecure. My stomach started to twist at the thought of what he thinks about me.
"Umm... Soobin?"I approached him nervously clearing my throat.
"Yes, potato."Soobin looked down at me.
"OI I'M NOT A POTATO! I was wondering... Umm... About... Umm... Do you... I mean... About my aids. But do u really believe it? Look at me I'm totally fine! I can't have that. Right?" I was shuttering. Trying to explain. But nothing was appropriate. I looked down heaving a heavy sigh.
Soobin shushed me by putting his finger on my lips while staring at me affectionately.
"Look Y/N, 'best friend' is not just a word. The meaning of Best friend is so deep. I trust you. Not some shitty results made of paper. Whatever happens, you'll always have me. I'll protect you with my life." Soobin shoot me an angelic smiled.
A relief took place in my heart which can't be explained with words
"At least I have Soobin." I smiled thinking to myself.
We walked into our office building. My eye catches that people are avoiding me and whispering ear to ear while shooting me a disgusted look. They were guests on that occasion.
"Don't look at them Y/N. Focus on your path. They are some disgusting people." Soobin intentionally said it loudly that everyone can hear him. His eyes are full of disgust.
We hurriedly marched towards the elevator while ignoring people. As we entered the elevator people started to eyeing me and step away from me and Soobin.
Have we done any crime?
Finally, we reached our workplace. We were about to sit but suddenly a co-worker came to us "Boss has called you and Soobin. Please visit him now" The co-worker said.
My heart stuck in my throat. Sweat started dripping down from my forehead.
I and Soobin stood up from our sit. Pushing the huge urge to run away, I started to take steps to the boss's office room.
As we reached the door, I took a deep breath before twisting the doorknob.
"Ms. Y/N and Mr. Soobin, Thank you for coming here. Please take a seat." Boss pointed at the seats in front of him.
We pulled the chairs backwards to sit on them.
My heart is jumping on my chest while my throat is dry. Eyes are full of fear.
Is it the end? Am I losing my job?
"I'm so sorry Ms. Y/N. We have to fire you from your position. I don't want you to spread HIV among my employees and I doubt your characteristic."Boss said in an extremely cold voice which cut my heart into pieces.
I looked down at my shoes embarrassed. Not knowing what to say, I stayed put.
"Look, YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y/N! DON'T QUESTION ABOUT HER CHARACTERISTIC! YOU KNOW NOTHING! And HIV doesn't spread by normal contact ok?" Soobin frowned at him while resisting the urge to slap on the boss's face.
"Listen Soobin, I'm not firing you, don't worry. You'll just have to do is stay away from this woman. I know you guys live together. Don't worry Soobin, if you leave her house I'll manage a new house for you."Boss smirked at him.
I felt his every words piercing into my skin like a dragger. They cut deep and my heart bleeds from his hostility.
There was a time when he would praise me for my work. He would say "The best employee in my office is Y/N. " to everyone. But this one thing changed everything?
Soobin looked at me and Boss.
Will Soobin leave me too?
------------------------
To be continued