Stalking Diary

Chapter 8

“Are you hurt? I was about to warn you to be careful.”

“……”

“Seems I’m too late.”

“It’s fine.”

I tried to calm my startled heart and answered calmly. I rubbed my slightly itchy cheek and quickly picked up my phone, getting up from my spot.

As I was pretending to be nonchalant and trying to enter the building, Joo Kwon-oh blocked my way.

“You’re bleeding, you know?”

“Huh?”

Surprised by his words, I rubbed my cheek again. When I checked my hand, there really was blood on it.

I had been scratched and wounded by the cat’s swat.

Ah. How embarrassing…

I couldn’t even feel the pain. I was more concerned about showing this side of me to Joo Kwon-oh of all people. There were many other part-timers here, but why him?

“It’s fine.”

I said calmly, trying to prove I was okay by wiping the small amount of blood on my cheek with the back of my hand in a manly way.

So manly… I tried to pass by like that, but…

“Uh…”

More blood came out than before. Flustered, I froze in place as I stood up.

“It’s quite a long scratch. I’ll give you a band-aid, follow me.”

Joo Kwon-oh stubbed out the cigarette he was smoking against the wall and threw it in the trash. Then he entered the staff room next to the cafe’s back door.

I wanted to insist I was fine until the end, but honestly, it had been a long time since I’d seen this much blood, so I wasn’t okay. Surprised, I followed Joo Kwon-oh into the staff room for now.

“It should be around here.”

Although it was a small space, Joo Kwon-oh searched the drawers familiarly and found the first aid kit. I stood awkwardly at the entrance and checked the mirror hanging on the wall.

Although the wound wasn’t deep, it was quite long, and blood was seeping out in drops.

They said the cat was famous for being a thug. Indeed, it was a sharp strike worthy of its reputation.

But when did he start standing behind me and watching?

I felt upset that only embarrassing things seemed to pile up in front of Joo Kwon-oh. How could nothing in this world go my way like this?

“Ah, here it is.”

Joo Kwon-oh opened the first aid kit, took out a band-aid, and held it out to me. I thought it might be a bit small for the wound, but that wasn’t important right now.

“Thanks.”

I hurriedly took the band-aid from his hand and roughly stuck it on my face. I only wanted to get out of here quickly and get away from Joo Kwon-oh.

However, the band-aid was indeed too small for the wound.

“It’s small.”

Joo Kwon-oh seemed to have the same thought as he slightly furrowed his brow while looking at my face.

With the adhesive part attached to the wounded area, it looked a bit silly even to me.

“And how can you put on a band-aid without applying medicine first?”

“……”

“Come in. I’ll give you a bigger one.”

“It’s fi-“

“Let’s apply some medicine while we’re at it.”

I tried to say it was fine, but Joo Kwon-oh cut me off. It meant to just keep my mouth shut and do as he said.

True to his character of being kind to women but merciless to the same sex, he was already taking out antiseptic and a bigger band-aid from the first aid kit, as if my answer wasn’t very important.

After lingering at the entrance, I finally entered the staff room.

“Sit down.”

“……”

“On the chair.”

I carefully sat on the chair as Joo Kwon-oh ordered.

“I’ll remove the band-aid first, okay?”

I was about to say I would do it myself, but the sticky band-aid was attached to the wounded area with blood seeping out. I didn’t have the confidence to remove it myself.

I stiffened my back rigidly. Joo Kwon-oh approached me with an expressionless face and removed the band-aid from my cheek.

“Ah.”

I didn’t want to exaggerate, but it seemed the cat’s nickname “Thug” wasn’t for nothing. A stinging pain followed along the claw marks.

Joo Kwon-oh’s touch, which had been roughly removing the band-aid, became very slightly more careful.

I forced my eyes to look normal, trying to act as if it didn’t hurt. But tears kept welling up.

“……”

“……”

Then, feeling Joo Kwon-oh’s gaze lingering on my cheek, I lowered my eyes.

Although I was keeping my mouth shut and quietly holding my breath, my heart was racing wildly inside.

What would Joo Kwon-oh think? Every time in the liberal arts class, I secretly watched him from behind, recorded, and even drew him. Being this close to someone like that… does he find it disgusting?

As my thoughts reached that point, one side of my chest ached.

“Stay still for a moment. I’ll just remove any sand and spray some antiseptic.”

“……”

“You got hit by a stray cat, so the wound might get infected and worsen. Keep that in mind.”

Joo Kwon-oh expressed it as if I had fought with the cat and lost. Then he lowered his voice and warned.

“If you later say weird things like demanding hospital fees because you got hurt at the store, I’ll kill you.”

“…I’m not that kind of weird person.”

I was a bit surprised as it sounded like a threat, but I calmly explained. That I wasn’t that crazy of a person. I don’t know if Joo Kwon-oh would believe me, though.

“No, you are. You were really weird.”

“……”

As expected, there was no such thing as trust in me. But I couldn’t say I didn’t understand.

“Close your eyes.”

Joo Kwon-oh sprayed the antiseptic on my face as if telling me to shut up now. He only needed to spray it on my cheek, but whether intentional or not, the spray range was wide and it splashed on my eyes and forehead.

“It stings.”

I muttered without realizing. And to avoid showing how anxious I was, I tensed my whole body like a stone.

Only after I flinched several times from the stinging pain did Joo Kwon-oh step back. He held out a large band-aid along with some ointment for the wound.

“…Thank you.”

I immediately took it, applied the ointment myself, and this time properly stuck on the band-aid.

Then I left the staff room as if escaping, without meeting his gaze even once.

“Did you grow and smoke tobacco? Why did it take so long… Huh? Jeong-ha, what happened to your face?”

As I sat back down at the cafe table, Bae Yu-rim asked with surprised eyes, stopping mid-sentence.

“While I was smoking outside, a cat swiped at my face.”

“Did it suddenly appear and fight you?”

“No, not exactly… I, I approached it first to take a picture.”

I briefly explained what had happened. Including that Joo Kwon-oh had given me the band-aid.

Then Bae Yu-rim laughed for a while, saying for some reason that this was just the kind of thing that would happen to me. Far from being worried, her expression of finding it hilarious made my face sting even more.

After talking with Bae Yu-rim a bit more, this time she left her seat. From the atmosphere, it seemed she had gone to propose modeling to Joo Kwon-oh again while the cafe interior had become less busy.

Not long after, Bae Yu-rim returned. She had an expression that was hard to gauge whether she was in a good mood or not.

“Did you ask Joo Kwon-oh?”

“Yeah.”

“What did he say?”

“He said no.”

“…He’s firm, huh.”

“Yeah, well. Haah.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve tried as much as I could, so I should give up cleanly now.”

Unlike me, who was busy flinching at every word and gesture from Joo Kwon-oh, Bae Yu-rim was composed. She dusted off her hands and seemed to have really let go of any lingering attachment.

“Phew, I’m glad I came with you though. If I’d come with someone else, it would have been more embarrassing.”

Bae Yu-rim saying that actually looked more honest and confident.

As we took the bill to the counter to leave, Joo Kwon-oh approached with a smile. Ah, of course, that picture-perfect smile was directed at Bae Yu-rim.

“How was it? Did you like the food?”

“Yeah, it was delicious. I definitely want to come again.”

“But I won’t be here next time you come.”

Joo Kwon-oh tilted his head, speaking somewhat flirtatiously. Then he shook his head as he watched Bae Yu-rim take out her card.

“Since you came all this way, let me treat you to the meal.”

Bae Yu-rim hesitated for a moment.

“What? No, don’t do that.”

“I’ve already paid for it though?”

Joo Kwon-oh grinned, holding a fluttering receipt between his fingers. Seeing that, I also hesitated as I was about to take out my card from my pocket.

“No, why are you paying?”

“I feel bad for refusing to be your model. And how could I take money from someone I know?”

“What does refusing to model have to do with buying a meal? Cancel it and let me pay.”

“Ah, orders are piling up, I have to go now.”

A few more exchanges like this went back and forth between Joo Kwon-oh and Bae Yu-rim. Since Joo Kwon-oh had already paid as he pleased, it seemed awkward to insist on canceling and paying again until the end, so Bae Yu-rim gave up first.

As a result, it turned out that I had also been treated by Joo Kwon-oh.

Joo Kwon-oh is really kind to women, huh.

As someone who always shrinks in front of him, that fact stung a little. Well, I guess there aren’t many men who dislike women anyway.

As we left the cafe, I looked through the window at Joo Kwon-oh, who was already taking orders at another table. But only for a moment, before I turned away, fiddling with the band-aid on my face.

*