Cherries and Chocolates

“Umma… I am so tired today.” Jessica came home late and went to the kitchen. She poured water in the glass.
“Did Noah come today?”
“No…. she is acting so careless after coming Seoul.”
“Sooyeon…” Misook called her by her Korean name.
“What?” She gulped the water down her throat.
“That girl is not careless. She is very responsible.”
“Huhh… she took off her mask in public place a few days ago. I rebuked her.”
“I asked her to do that.” Misook replied.
“Wait.” Jessica stared at her mother. “What did you say?” She asked.
“You heard what I said. I know better than you about this disease. It can’t be transmitted just by breath.”
“So what? Her saliva is still contaminated. All the secretions are contaminated.”
“Not to the fatal level. It’s just mild. And it’s not necessary that the virus will cause the lethal mutation in another individual.”
“You are taking this too lightly, umma.”
“She just needs to avoid any sexual relationship. That’s all. You don’t need to restrict her. Ask her to take off the mask. She needs to explore the world. Let her do that.”
“And what if she falls for someone?” Jessica asked rudely. She slammed the door and went out.

Somebody knocked at the door. Noah got up from her bed. She checked out the time. It was 9.
She yawned. She got up. “I think it’s the next door ahjumma.” She went to open the door.
“Annyahaseo….” The ahjumma greeted her.
She smiled.
From behind the ahjumma, Kevin slowly emerged and waved hello to Noah. She opened her mouth in amazement.
“Wont you invite us inside?” Ahjumma asked.
Noah slided to other side to let them enter. The ahjumma sat on the couch and sighed.
Noah looked at Kevin who was checking out the place.
“Ahjumma?” Noah whispered. “Why is he here?”
“He is the owner’s son; he came to check out the place. He asked me to come along, but don’t worry. He’s a chingu.” Ahjumma winked.
Noah went to Kevin and stood in front of him while glaring at him. Kevin ignored her and inspected the CDs.
“Oh so you watch these movies?” He asked while pouting.
She clenched her teeth and snatched the CDs.
“Baby, these are babies’ movies. Oh wait…. Not even babies would watch this sh**” He said while making faces.
“Get lost…” She whispered. “And don't involve her.” She pointed towards the ahjumma. “She has just 2 months left. Just think of her condition.”
“Wait… she said that to you?” Kevin asked with confusion.
“Yeah, she has blood cancer.”
Kevin laughed.
Noah felt irritated.
“What happened, Sunghyun?” Ahjumma asked.
“You’re sooo naughty.” He pointed towards ahjumma. “Come on lets go now…. and besides you have just 2 months left, right?” He teased.
“Ah---- ah Sunghyun-a you are right. L-lets go.” She stuttered.
Noah was confused.They both went out and she closed the door. “Did that ahjumma lie about her disease? And why was she calling him Sunghyun?” She wondered. She went back to her bed.
“Why did you lie to her?” Kevin asked after coming out.
“I wanted to check out her place, she won’t let me enter otherwise.” Ahjumma replied.
He again laughed. “That mysterious lady…”
“Don’t tell her anything, Sunghyun?”
“Ahh why did you call me that in front of her?”
“sorry, I wont. Do you like her?”
He giggled. “You don’t know me yet. Why would I like a girl like her?”
“Don’t ever fall for her.” Ahjumma patted Kevin and went to her apartment.
“I thought she liked Noah.” He said to himself.

NEXT DAY, UNIVERSITY
“O, Byunghun?” Tia called him.
“Hey…” He replied.
“Hand over your and that Kevin’s portion.”
“oh, here.” He handed over some papers.
“Thanks…..Ah wait…I should tell you something.”
“What?”
She chuckled. “I met Noah before you. She asked me about your work. She calls you Byunhyun. When I again asked your name, she called you Byunhyung and all that. She is your group mate now. Make sure she remembers your correct name.” She patted Byunghun and left.
Byunghun blushed. “What do I do to you?” He felt embarrassed but happy at the same time.

Noah sat in a silent place. She took off her mask and breathed deeply. She opened her file and looked at the notes. She sorted out the notes.
“Noah?” Somebody called her name. She looked up and found Hyunwoo. She stood up and felt insecure. She looked down and made fists of both her hands. Her looks were of an extremely frightened girl.
“What am I looking like? Come on don’t make that horrible face. I came here to tell you something. That Kevin, he’s gonna make you fall for him and if he succeeds, we have to treat him at Lotte’. We don’t want him to win this time.So,…. Don’t fall for him. Get it?”
Noah nodded.
“Great. And one more thing…. Kawai doesn’t mean mam, it’s a Japanese word meaning cute, and we don’t kiss friends on lips, like he said to you. He lied to you. He’s a player.” He completed what he wanted to say. He stayed there to see her reaction but her reaction didn’t change and she stood straight in front of him looking at the ground. He left after staring at her. She let out a sigh in relief.
That day and the day after, Kevin followed Noah everywhere and kept on teasing her or calling out her name.
“Kawai?” in the corridors,
“Kawai?” in the silent space of hers
“Kawai?” outside the university
“Kawaaaiiiii?” while following her way home.
“Noah…” He was panting in front of her apartment.
“What? What? What?” She bluntly asked.
“Why won’t you listen to me?”
“I told you… just don’t show me your face again.”
“I love you.” He held her hand.
“What about that girl you kissed?” She asked in a low voice with a sad expression.
“Don’t worry about her. I don’t love her and … and she was the one who initiated the kiss, believe me, she used me.”
She disengaged her hand from her grip with a jerk. “Stop lying!” She almost cried and slammed the door in front of him. She leaned against the door and tears fell down her cheeks. “Why—why won’t you leave me alone?” She covered her face with her hand.
“I’ll be waiting for you outside.” He called from outside the door.
After 5 minutes, she opened the door to check whether he stayed or not but he was gone. She smirked. “Woo Sung Hyun…. It’s confirmed, you can’t speak truth.” She whispered to herself while wiping her tear drops. She closed the door again.
He was walking his way home. He hit a stone on the street. “If words fail to express emotions, then use physical contact.” He said to himself. “Prepare yourself Kwon No Ah… I am not gonna leave you this easily."

NEXT DAY
Kevin secretly followed Noah to the library.
“God, how am I gonna deal with this boring object.” He said while entering the library. He kept an eye on Noah. She was finding a book in the book rack. He went to her.
“Hey, kawai? Let me help you.” He whispered.
She ignored him and kept on searching. He stood close, behind her. She found the book but that was a bit higher. As she lifted her hand up, the end of her short shirt also lifted up showing her bare skin.
“Let me help you.”
“I’ll get it myself.” She replied rudely.
He lifted her up from her waist, touching her bare skin.
“Kevin, put me down.” She ordered angrily but in a quiet way.
“Baby, first pick up your book.”
“Put me down please.” She requested.
He put her down and she turned to face him. He was standing very close. She smirked and slapped him really hard on his face.
This much force from a week girl like her made him feel dizzy.
“Girl, do you what you did?” He cupped her lower jaws tightly and asked her.
She didn’t reply.
“Who do you think you are, Bit**?” He asked with fire in his eyes.
Students sitting near that rack stopped reading and stood up.
He slapped her even harder. She fell on the ground. Some boys came and grabbed him.
Her mouth bled a bit. She stood up. The librarian entered the scene.
“What is this?” The librarian asked Noah.
“He tried t-to harass me.” Noah replied while crying.
“SHE SLAPPED ME!” He yelled.
“SHUT UP. You deserve this. I’ll talk to the registrar about this. He’ll decide what to do with you. Come with me.” She ordered.
Kevin gave Noah a death glare and followed the librarian.

Notes

some of the scenes in the story will be R rated so i changed PG-13 to R