Work Text:
- Episode 5 au episode
Ung Min has been with So Mun ever since they were young. He even once bullied So Mun when they were in grade school, but eventually, they became friends. He and Joo Yeon were always there for Mun after the ‘accident’. They tried their best to always be there for So Mun. He knows everything about his friend. Even his ‘hidden feelings’ for their noona, Hana.
Hence, as a person who cares so much for Mun, he immediately called his friend when he saw Hana with another man in front of the restaurant. “So Mun-ah, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes, Ung Min-ah?” – So Mun
“I think I saw Hana noona with a guy.” He calmly broke the news to his friend.
Poor So Mun-i. He didn’t even got the chance to confess. He thought.
“What? Hana noona with a guy?!” – So Mun. Just the reaction he expected.
“Yes, I saw them in front o—” he was about to add more details but he heard Jeokbong’s voice.
“What guy?”
“I actually didn’t get to see the face of the guy because noona uses him as a shield, so I only saw his back before he got pulled to run.”
He heard mumbles on the other line. One of the voices is surely Ms. Chu.
“Ung Min-ah, send me your location.” Jeokbong said. He agreed and ended the line. After sending the restaurant’s location, he started riding his bike again and followed the path that the two escapees went on.
-☆☆-
Hana and Do Hwi went separate ways after collecting a lot of stuff toys. Hana enjoyed the small time she spent with Do Hwi. They were close friends in high school, he was even her first love too.
Hana must admit that she kind of regretted that she suddenly disappeared after being in comatose. After seeing Do Hwi’s memory from the other day, that he frequently visited her when she was still unconscious, she felt grateful. She thought that no one from her past really cared for her aside from her family. So when she lost them, she was devastated and went away, didn’t mind to say goodbye to her friends or her classmates, to Do Hwi.
But it was all just that. Her past feelings, the love that she once felt for Do Hwi is not there anymore. Yes, she’s happy that Do Hwi still remembered her and even tried to reconnect with her, but aside from that, na da.
When she arrived at their hideout, she saw her co-counters busy with different things… or at least they pretended to be.
Ms. Chu was mixing something inside the pot, but the stove is off.
Jeokbong is pretending to read a book while waiting on the dining table, however the book is upside down.
Mo Tak, on the other hand, wasn’t even trying that hard. He is pretending to throw jabs on the corner of the boxing ring, instead with the punching bag.
What’s wrong with these people? Where is So Mun? – she thought.
“I’m home.” – Hana announced. They all look at her and greeted her in unison. She felt something is going on with them but disregarded it. “Where’s So Mun?”
Ms. Chu was about to answer but the room of Jeokbong and Mun opened. There she saw the man she’s looking for.
“Oh noona, I heard you were in a date?” So Mun blurted out as soon as she saw his noona.
If Hana had been drinking when So Mun asked that, she’s a hundred percent sure she would have spit it all out and made a mess. Fortunately, she wasn't. She just looked at So Mun as if the latter had grown two heads.
The other counters stopped pretending. They all look at Hana with their teasing smiles, except for Jeokbong of course.
“What?!”
“You had a ‘date’.” It’s not a question this time. So Mun said that as if he was stating a fact. He even had the audacity to show a teasing look with his annoying gummy smile. “Who is the guy, noona?”
Sht. He knew.
“What are you talking about? What date?” Hana tried to deny it.
So Mun, still with a teasing look, shake his head and said “No, noona. Don’t even try to hide it. Ung Min told me.”
Damn you, Ung Min. Don’t you even try to show your face near me.
Hana knew that there was no point in lying. So the least that she can do is to explain. “It wasn’t a date. I was—”
So Mun cut her sentence off and pointed Ms. Chu and Jeokbong. “Eyyy! Ms. Chu and Jeokbong hyungie even said that you were all lovey dovey while trying to get those…” he pointed at the plastic of stuff toys that was placed near the entrance, “…stuff toys in an arcade.”
Hana looked at the two counters that So Mun mentioned, “You followed me?”
Ms. Chu started to walk towards Hana, with her guilty-toned voice, she said “Yes. But only because Jeokbong wanted to follow you. So Mun got a call from Mo Tak when the call with Ung Min ended. Mo Tak invited our Mun-ie to his current mission. So I was left with no other choice but to come with Jeokbong.”
“Hana-ssi, I’m sorry.” It was all Jeokbong can say
.
Hana didn’t add more questions about the other two counters. Instead, she looked at So Mun and said, “Fine! But it is not a date!” she defended. Her attention was removed from the younger counter when Ms. Chu held her hands.
“Hana-yah, no need to pretend. I saw you with my own eyes.” Ms. Chu started. “I saw how happy you were. It’s the first time that I saw you smiling like that. We will all support you.” Hana looked at So Mun again and she saw that the teasing face the latter had earlier was now gone. Although he was still smiling, Hana knows that it is not genuine.
Hana felt that someone crashed her heart when she saw the look on So Mun’s face.
Aniya, So Mun-ah.
But instead of voicing it out, she looked back at Ms. Chu, “It’s really not like that. I swear. The smile you were talking about is just the childish smile I used to have. I was really happy to experience some things I didn’t get to experience when I was young. And with Do Hwi, I only accepted his invitation to hang out because I am grateful for him. That’s just it. Please don’t take it the wrong way. I have no time for other things. My priority now is to catch all the evil spirits with all of you. My priority is this job and this family.” After that, she looked at everyone who are also listening to her explanation.
“I’m sorry Hana-yah if I concluded it wrongly. I thought—” Ms. Chu apologized.
“Anieyo, Ms. Chu. It's okay. I just don’t want it to happen again, please?” Ms. Chu nodded.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Half an hour passed, she decided to just spend the rest of the night inside of her room.
××knock knock knock××
Someone knocked on her door. It must have been Ms. Chu, asking for another apology. “Ms. Chu, it's all cool now. No need to apologize again.”
But she still saw the doorknob twist, means that the person still proceeded to go inside.
“It’s me, noona... So Mun.” after that he gently closed the door behind him.
“What is it now, jerk?” she angrily asked. She even rolled her eyes when she saw that it was the younger counter who entered.
“Hehe.”
“Don’t you even try to use your charm with me right now!” Hana loudly said, reason why So Mun immediately ran towards her and sit beside her on the bed.
“Noonaaaa~”
“And tell to that childhood friend of yours to never show his face again near me. I will show him how strong my punch is.” She added.
“Noonaaaa. Just let him be. He was just concerned with my feelings you know.” So Mun tried to defend his friend. “He knows that I have this hidden love for you. So of course, as a good best friend, he will tell it to me.”
“And what? You told Ms. Chu and Jeokbong?"
“I didn’t even know what he was going to say when he called me. I didn’t tell them about it. It’s just that my reaction was loud enough to be heard by them.” He explained with a guilty look on his face.
Hana rolled her eyes again away from So Mun and released a loud sighed. She stood from her seat, back still facing So Mun. She tried to calm herself before started to talk again. “You know it wasn’t a date right?”
So Mun hummed a yes. Hana faced him and punched his shoulder before turning again, “Then what’s with the teasing? You were even the one who started it earlier!”
So Mun smiled “I simply just wanted to tease you. Just a normal younger-bubbly- boyfriend would do.” he said as he also stood from the bed and hugged Hana from the back.
They went silent. No one talked for a few seconds before Hana held the hands that are now wrapped around her and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Hmm? For what?” So Mun asked as he buried his face on her neck and inhaled her body scent. Hana, without changing her body position, faced So Mun and place her hands on his cheeks to get his attention.
“I saw your changed expression earlier when Ms. Chu voiced out what she had seen in the arcade. It wasn’t really like that, So Mun-ah.” She said while intensely looking to his eyes.
So Mun removed his arms around her and guide Hana’s body to face his. After that, he rested his hands on her waist. “I know noona. I know.”
“Then why? You looked hurt.” Still holding the younger’s face.
So Mun didn’t answer right away. He is contemplating if it is really alright to answer Hana’s question. Hana felt his hesitation so she forced him by getting his attention again. “Why, So Mun-ssi?”
So Mun sighed and decided to tell the reason. “I was not jealous. I just felt sad knowing that you, accepting the faith of being a counter, had to sacrifice your youth. You are just 2 years older than me, noona. You didn't enjoyed your youth. I felt sorry for that.”
Hana shakes her head, but she did not talk because she feels like her boyfriend has to add more.
“I also felt sorry because I am not a good boyfriend. That because of my huge responsibility as a counter, a counter that can summon the territory wherever he likes, I wasn’t able to spend quality time with you. I should have been the one to enjoy that kind of dates with—”
“That was not a date.” Hana interrupted.
“That kind of activity with you. Having date at the parks. Go to amusement parks or museums. Instead of those, are bonding is only the training and this secret meetings in your room.” So Mun continued. He then removed his attention and bowed to hide his sadness.
“Yah, Mun-ah.” Hana tried to get his attention again by force lifting his head. And of course, she succeeded.
“Do you really think that I would like it if you were not responsible?” Hana asked but So Mun didn’t answer.
“Do you really think that I’d prefer someone that would go to arcades with me than someone who tries his best to save our country, or even the world?” -still no answer from So Mun.
“I will answer it instead, hmm?” Hana removed the hands that has been resting on his cheeks for a while now and rested it on his shoulders, she intertwined her fingers on So Mun’s nape. “The answer to both questions is NO. You understand? I like you for being just the way you are. I like how responsible you are. How you became so independent from us despite being the youngest. How the tables had turned because now, you are the one who trains us to use the new discovered power that every counter must have. I like how you are always there to be our hope, to be someone we can depend on.” She moved her face closer to his. "And for your information, I like to train with you. You look hot every time we starting to train. I love our private moments here inside my room." And when it ‘s just only few centimeters left, their noses almost touching, she stopped and smiled.
“I love you, So Mun-ah.” She said and she closed the distance between them. She kissed him.
She felt So Mun’s smile so she stopped and pulled back. “Okay now?”
So Mun smiled wider, his eyes are almost cannot be seen. He nodded and this time he was the one who closed the distance as he said the words, “I love you so much, noona.”