Chapter 6 of Portrait
INDEX
Chapter 6
Hyekyung stumbled through the gate and collapsed with her back sliding down the door. She had shrunk in that short instant and her small body heaved as her sobs took control and pinched her in. She reached out for anything to squeeze, just like her lungs were being squeezed now. Every time she took a breath, no air filled her lungs and it only served to force out the next almost-silent cry. She heard no opening of the front door; all she heard was her own desperate gasps for air.
"Umm...Crap."
Junho absentmindedly ran his hands through his hair as he gazed at the shaking ball of tears and tight arms. He couldn't fathom that this pitiful mess was the same thing as that obnoxious girl that had, just yesterday, called him a stalker.
"Junho, dear, what is taking Hyekyung so long? Tell her to hurry up and come in!" Hyekyung's halmoni called from inside.
Junho cautiously stepped toward Hyekyung and tapped her on the shoulder.
Hyekyung snapped back so quickly that she banged her head on the door. Her brain, which had let the emotions take over earlier, kicked back into action as it screamed aloud in pain. Her wails became audible now and she let out a string of substitutes for curse words.
Get a grip on yourself, Hyekyung. Not that Dongjoo hasn't seen you cry before, but...
Hyekyung tried to quiet herself and after several minutes of half-started cries, Hyekyung managed to be still. She sniffled and pulled away from her face the hair that had been a curtain to hide the tears.
I'm okay. I'm okay. I can cry later. Just not now when other people can see.
Hyekyung wiped away her eyes and looked up to where she thought Dongjoo was standing.
"Uh...Are you alright?"
Hyekyung felt that this would be a perfect moment to faint, if only she knew how to. She had thought...that Dongjoo...
Oh crap.
Junho's eyebrows bunched up towards the middle of his forehead as he waited for the lie that he knew Hyekyung would respond with.
"I'm fine."
Junho held out a hand for Hyekyung to grab a hold of. Hyekyung reluctantly placed her hand in his, but had so exhausted herself that she still couldn't get up. Junho took Hyekyung's other hand in his and pulled with all his might, but Hyekyung's legs simply couldn't support her.
"Here, let's try this."
Junho faltered for a moment, but showed no hesitation on his face as he wrapped his arm around Hyekyung's waist. Hyekyung flinched and shrunk from his touch, but Junho's grip was firm. He walked every step of the way with her and gently let her sink into the couch in the living room.
Hyekyung's halmoni looked searchingly at Hyekyung's face, trying to comprehend what had happened to her granddaughter. Halmoni knew that Hyekyung wanted to keep pretending things were normal, though, and so kept talking in a cheerful tone.
"Hyekyung, Junho stopped by to drop off your paintbrushes and I invited him in. You should have told me that you met such a nice boy! He was just telling me the most intriguing story..."
Hyekyung paid no attention to Halmoni's words. Her eyes sought out the crooked painting behind Halmoni's head, the frayed outline of a hole on the chair that Junho sat in, and the enormous grape juice stain on the doily under the cheap plastic vase of wilted roses. Suddenly conscious of everything wrong with her and her home, Hyekyung hated that Junho was in her house. He didn't belong in her life and she didn't belong in his.
So then why had it felt like his arm did belong around her waist?
Goodness, I've got to be less clumsy. That bonking of the head on the door isn't good for my brain cells...I can't think straight anymore...
"So how ‘bout that, Hyekyung?"
Hyekyung's eyes swiveled back to focus on Halmoni (avoiding Junho at all costs) and Hyekyung nodded automatically.
"Sure, Halmoni, of course!"
Halmoni's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Alrighty then, Junho, maybe come by every week or so?"
What? Doing yard work every week? MORE manual labor?! Why does being with this girl always land me more work to do?!
Junho gave Halmoni a winning smile and responded, "Definitely, Halmoni."
Junho feigned surprise as he glanced at his watch. "Well, I better get going. I live somewhat far away...so I'll come back sometime next week!"
There was a sudden tapping on the door and Junho got up, bowed to Halmoni, and said, "I'll just get that while I'm on my way out."
"Don't be silly! Hyekyung actually lives here, she can go get the door. Hyekyung!"
Hyekyung sighed and got up to walk with Junho. She maintained a safe distance of an arm-span away as they headed out to the gate.
"Bye..."
"Umm, yeah, bye..."
Junho opened the gate to find some other boy standing with a frosted cake in his hands.
Wait a minute here. Cake? Please don't tell me this is Hyekyung's boyfriend with a "sweet cake for an even sweeter girl" or something. Ugh, this makes me sick.
Hyekyung brightened and grabbed the cake from Dongjoo's hands.
"Come in, Dongjoo! What's the cake for? It looks delicious! I could eat it all myself!"
Hyekyung balanced the cake on one hand and used the other to pull Dongjoo inside. Completely ignoring Junho, she skipped into the house with Dongjoo in hand.
Junho watched the backs of the two until the door closed and kept them from his view. He turned and sighed as he quietly closed the gate behind him.
Well, if he makes her happy...