- Pace 001 -

 

 

 

“Do not come near me, not more than twenty steps away.” She’s said.

“B-But I...” He’s stuttered and could not finish his sentence.

“Today, I was just nearly lost one of my eyes and now, I do not want to be someone with one eye’s working.” She’s said. “And if you ever wanted to talk with me, you may but not close more than twenty steps away from me. Understand?” He has no choice but to agree in her condition.

“I am truly sorry and if there is anything that I can do to make it right, please name it.” He’s said. She did not respond right away then one of their classmates came to her. “Are you alright?”

 

“I might be but thank you for your concern.” She’s said then both of them turned around and stared at him and he was nervous as ever and she does not look mad yet he can felt it how cold she was.

“I-I am very sorry.” He’s stuttered then just like that, he’s bowed 90 degrees and kept on apologizing to her. “Please forgive me!!” They were speechless when they saw his actions. She did not say anything at all then went back to her place until someone called her.

“Ji Ahn...” He’s called her. She quickly turned around facing the owner of the voice. “Do you want to sit with me next to me? Beside you will be very afar from Soo Hyeon.” She’s nodded then quickly she packed her stuff and moved next to him. When Ji Ahn’s left for her new seat, she’s turned her head around and saw saddened face of Soo Hyeon.

 

 

 

After the ART’s Class has ended and there’s no more class after, Ji Ahn’s went home right away. As she’s stepped inside the house, only Ki Beom and Kevin were there and when they saw Ji Ahn’s face, they were quite in shock. Quickly they walked towards Ji Ahn and they looked quite worried.

 

 

“What happened, Ji Ahn?” Kevin’s asked. Ji Ahn’s smiled insipidly.

“It was nothing. There was just little accident happened back at the ART’s Class.” Ji Ahn’s said.

“Dong Ho would not like this.” Ki Beom’s spoke.

“But I could not hide this, could I?” Ji Ahn’s questioned. “It’s too obvious but I will explain to him.”

“But what did really happen and how did it happen?” Ki Beom’s asked. Ji Ahn’s shook her head.

“It was nothing huge, really.” Ji Ahn’s responded. “It does not matter and like I said, it was just an accident.” Just when Kevin was about to say anything, came Eli and when he saw what has happened to Ji Ahn, he became very furious.

“WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!!” Eli’s shouted angrily.

“Eli, there was nothing really and it was just an accident.” Ji Ahn’s said, trying to explain to Eli.

“YOU KNOW YOU COULD HAVE LOST AN EYE!!” Eli’s shouted angrily.

“Eli...” Ji Ahn’s said whispery. “I...” She could not finis her sentence when Soo Hyeon showed up and everyone was staring at him silently but when he saw Ji Ahn, he was frozen at the same time he dropped his car keys and his eyes became huge. He’s highly startled.

“You?!!” Ji Ahn’s shouted when she saw Soo Hyeon’s just right there. Quickly he moved twenty steps away from Ji Ahn. Everyone was staring at one another’s face and they know nothing. “What are you doing here?!!” Soo Hyeon was too flabbergasted that he could not say anything at all. Then Eli has figured it out, slowly he turned his head around and glared sharply at Soo Hyeon. He paced his steps closer to Soo Hyeon and when they were an inch away, Eli’s moved his head closer to Soo Hyeon and that made him moving his head away from Eli.

“E-Eli, what are you doing?” Soo Hyeon’s stuttered.

“Did you do that to Ji Ahn?” Eli’s asked coldly as he grabbed Soo Hyeon’s clothes and he pulled Soo Hyeon’s closer to him. Soo Hyeon’s could not say anything right away as he’s still frightened of what had happened at the ART’s Class. It took him many minutes to opens his mouth.

“I...” Soo Hyeon could not say anything after Ji Ahn’s ran towards Eli and cut off at what Soo Hyeon’s about to say.

“Eli, please do not accuse of him in this. I did say it was just an accident, little accident.” Ji Ahn’s said. Like it or not, Eli’s lets go of Soo Hyeon and walked out of the place right away. Ji Ahn’s breathed out heavily after seeing Eli’s behaviour.

 

 

Many minutes after Eli has left the place, came Dong Ho, Ki Seop and Xander from the groceries shopping and when they saw Ji Ahn’s face, the groceries bag that Dong Ho was holding fell down onto the floor making everything were scatters around the floor. His eyes were huge and just like that he ran towards his sister.

 

 

“Wh-What happened?!!” Dong Ho’s asked worriedly. Ji Ahn’s smiled bitterly then she’s shook her head.

“It was an accident, Dong Ho. You do not have to worry about it.” Ji Ahn’s said, convincing Dong Ho but he decided to disbelief it was just an accident and he’s sensed it there was something going on.

“Please do not lie to me nuna, I know of you.” Dong Ho’s said. “I know you’re hiding something from me and this little accident was not just little. Tell me, Ji Ahn.”

“I did not lie to you or anything, Dong Ho.” Ji Ahn’s said, denying. She could not tell the truth and do not want any of their friendship with Soo Hyeon’s gone wrong. “Alright, you got me. I was very clumsy at the ART’s Class earlier and injured myself. I did not tell you because I do not want you to be worry of me so.”

“But I am now.” Dong Ho’s said. “You could have lost your eyes, nuna. Please do be careful next time.” Ji Ahn’s just nodded and no ones suspect of anything especially Dong Ho, except for maybe Eli and he’s still very furious.

 

 

 

Later that night, someone knocked on the Ji Ahn’s bedroom door and when there was a responded from Ji Ahn, the door was opened slowly from the outside.

When Ji Ahn’s turned around wanted to know who’s on the door, surprised she was that Soo Hyeon’s came to her room yet he still kept twenty steps away from Ji Ahn as he was being told by her earlier.

 

 

“I never knew you are one of the missing friends of my brother.” Ji Ahn’s said. “Until today and he has never told me about you before and quite shocking it was.” Right that moment, Soo Hyeon’s immediately bowed 90 degrees at Ji Ahn and kept on apologizing to her. “Please do not bow me at 90 degrees.”

“Thank you for not telling about what happened to them earlier in the afternoon.” Soo Hyeon’s said.

“I could have but I would not.” Ji Ahn’s said. “And whatever it is, what I have said to you at the ART’s Class, you must still follow it.” Just like that Soo Hyeon’s nodded madly. Ji Ahn’s smiled. When he saw her smile that time, something has hit him right that moment yet he still not know what it was but never he was realized that his face turned to red colour.

 

 

---

 

 

That evening, Ji Ahn’s did not attend the class when the Doctor has given her times to rest until the time being. When she walked out of her room, the first thing she heard were noises came from downstairs. She was very curious to know what the noises were all about.

When Ji Ahn’s walked downstairs, she saw Xander and Ki Seop were playing around and shouting to one another, making the whole places one utter chaos. She could not help but smile when she saw the boys’ childish behaviours. From the kitchen came out Kevin whilst holding a glass of Ice Cold Lemonade and when she saw Ji Ahn, he’s smiled at her right away.

Slowly Ji Ahn’s walked to the sofa and many seconds after she sat down, approached Kevin and sat next to her. He’s putted down the glass on the coffee table’s that’s just right in front of her then slowly, he’s leaned closer to Ji Ahn but before Kevin could do anything, from out of no where, from behind appeared Eli and just like that he moved Kevin’s away from Ji Ahn.

 

 

“What are you doing, Kevin?” Eli’s asked with his one brow lifted. Kevin’s smirked.

“What do you think it would be, huh Eli?” Kevin’s questioned. Eli’s glared sharply at Kevin. When Xander saw the intense between Eli and Kevin, quickly he grabbed Ki Seop’s closer to him and pointed his right index finger straight to Eli and Kevin.

“Look, cats fight Ki Seop.” Xander’s said with a grinned. Ki Seop’s chuckled when he saw it.

“Eli’s quite jealous there, do you not think so?” Ki Seop’s asked.

“Poor boy Eli; got his jealousy too fast.” Xander’s said. Ji Ahn’s giggled.

“If Ji Ahn has no problem with this, why do you, Eli?” Kevin’s asked. Eli’s groaned.

“Just, do not try to do anything funny.” Eli’s said. “I have my eyes on you, Mr. Kevin Woo.” Not long came Dong Ho from the toilet and he was just right on time and he saw nearly everything. Slowly he paced his steps and walked towards his sister.

“Oh, Eli is getting jealous again?” Dong Ho’s spoke. “It has been century to see you like this, Eli. Has the time come again?”

“I did not, Dong Ho. I’ll repeat; I did not!!” Eli’s shouted denying. Dong Ho’s smiled then he sat next to his sister.

“Are you feeling alright with this, nuna?” Dong Ho’s asked.

“It is alright, Eli is just Eli.” Ji Ahn’s said.

“Does nuna like Eli very much?” Dong Ho’s asked. Everyone eyes were on Eli when Dong Ho has said it like that. Ji Ahn’s slowly turned her head around and looked at Eli then immediately his face turned to red colour.

“Honest answer?” Ji Ahn’s asked. Everyone was nodding and waited for her answer. “There’s no reason for me not to like him.”

“Is it like or love?” Xander’s asked at the same time he was teasing Eli. Ji Ahn’s giggled then all of sudden, she’s standing up. She did not respond to Xander’s questioned right away and went to the kitchen and before she stepped in, she’s stopped moving. Ji Ahn’s turned her head around and smiled to them. “That’s a secret.”

 

 

 

When Soo Hyeon was about to entered the house, standing right in front of the front door, he heard of everything when he was just about to steps inside.

At what Ji Ahn has said, it made him smiled right away and he still has no clue why. Soo Hyeon’s sometime can be quite clueless in things that were very noticing.

He took a deep breathed then slowly he opened the door and acted like nothing has happened or heard. When Soo Hyeon came in, he’s smiled to them and everyone responded back to him except Eli. From where he was at, all of sudden, Eli’s stood up and went to the kitchen leaving Soo Hyeon’s with the rest in the living room. Soo Hyeon’s looked at the others and they just shrugged their shoulders.

Soo Hyeon’s breathed out heavily then he sat down rested on the sofa next to Kevin. Kevin’s patted Soo Hyeon’s shoulder gently.

 

 

“Oh, Eli.” Ji Ahn’s said. She was quite surprise to see Eli came to the kitchen all of the sudden. “Is there something wrong, Eli?” Eli did not say anything but when she saw who was in the living room, she looked back at Eli and utterly understands without saying anything. “Do not be angry at him, Eli. You could not be angry at him forever, now.”

“Who said I was?” Eli’s questioned, denying.

“Oh, Eli, I know you and you came here utterly just when he has arrived home.” Ji Ahn’s said. “And if there’s something wrong, you always avoided it. You could not do that always, Eli.” Just when Eli was about to say something, Ji Ahn’s opened her mouth before he could say anything. “Talk to him, Eli. Poor boy, do you not feel sorry for him?” Eli could not say anything and just froze himself like a frozen statue. Ji Ahn’s came closer to Eli then she’s patted his shoulder.

“Do I have to?” Eli’s asked. Ji Ahn’s nodded. Eli’s breathed out heavily then just like that he went back to the living room. Eli’s walked to the sofa, at where Kevin and Soo Hyeon were at. He did not say anything at first, as he came closer; he sat down in the middle, between Soo Hyeon and Kevin. He crossed his arms and still did not say anything and when he saw Ji Ahn’s from the kitchen glaring at him, he breathed out heavily then slowly he’s opened his mouth.

“I am not accusing of you or anything.” Eli’s spoke. Soo Hyeon’s did not say anything right away, he looked at Eli then slowly he’s started to smile.

“It is alright.” Soo Hyeon’s said. From the kitchen, Ji Ahn’s smiled widely after what has happened.

 

 

 

Later that night, after they had their dinner, Ji Ahn went to the backyard and sat on the balcony while staring to the night sky. She smiled just by watching at the stars and the moonlight. Slowly she rested down on the floor relaxing then not long, came Eli from inside the house. He looked down at Ji Ahn’s with a smile on his face, she smiled back to him.

Slowly Eli’s sat down beside Ji Ahn, he turned his head around and looked at Ji Ahn’s with a serious face. When Ji Ahn’s saw Eli’s expression, slowly she’s stood up sitting.

 

 

“Is there something wrong, Eli?” Ji Ahn’s asked. Eli’s raised his shoulders.

“Earlier, when Dong Ho asked whether you like me or not, you said you do.” Eli’s spoke. “But when Xander asked whether it is like or love, you said it’s a secret. But...” He could not finish his sentence and just ended it like that.

“Truly, it is a secret.” Ji Ahn’s said. “I could not tell them whether it is just like or love to them just like that. The only time I will tell the truth is only to someone I love very much and not to them.”

“Do you then, love me?” Eli’s asked.

 

 

Twenty steps away: Pace 001.

by: suikaxusagi8

June 04^th of 2011.