We sat at the table, quietly eating breakfast,
while everyone kept shooting me death stares.
"I already told you I'm sorry, okay!"
"You're stubborn. Why would you shove them aside and ignore them just to try to go home without them?"
"They were screaming in my ears! You know how loud they get when they argue, Kai."
Then Kenji chimed in,
"Shut up and eat your breakfast before you choke."
Seiji and I sat in the backseat,
while Kenji sat in the front passenger seat beside the driver.
"Does your foot hurt that bad? It's really swollen."
"Don't worry, Seiji. It'll get better with time."
Kai turned to me, grumbling,
"You're so clumsy."
"Eyes on the road, Kai!"
We arrived a while later, just as the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the horizon.
Everyone got out of the car as we parked in front of the building where Kenji and I lived.
Kai and Seiji came over to help me out, while Kenji went ahead to unlock the apartment door.
That lock had always been a pain.
The three of us stood at the foot of the grueling staircase
a worn-out structure made of crumbling stone and cement.
The apartment was on the third floor,
and there was no way I could climb all that with a swollen foot.
Kai crouched in front of me and said,
"Climb on my back, Bon."
He gently lowered me onto my bed after carrying me all the way to my room.
"You're not going to work for two weeks. Not until you've fully recovered."
"Kai!"
"What? You're gonna argue about that too?"
"You really can't work like this, Bongyon," Seiji added softly,
his fingers lightly brushing through my hair.
"Alright then... get some rest. We'll head out now."
"You all?" I asked, my voice puzzled.
"Yeah. I'm dropping Seiji off at home," Kai replied.
"What about Kenji?"
"I'm going with them," she said.
"I'll hop off halfway. I need to stop by the market to pick up a few things."
"Alright…"
A little earlier…
I sat crouched near their building, just far enough to stay unnoticed,
a cigarette burning between my fingers, its poison clouding my thoughts.
One of those black cars pulled up to the front.
It was Kai's.
They all got out
but she wasn't with them.
Then they opened the other side of the car.
They were helping her out,
her arm wrapped in a brace,
her foot swollen and bruised.
I stood immediately, tossing the cigarette to the ground,
rushing toward them
but they had already entered the building.
"The pain… it's not just in my heart
it's breaking my bones too."
I waited at the side of the building,
hiding,
just hoping they'd leave soon so I could speak to Kenji and ask what happened.
Then I heard footsteps multiple pairs approaching.
I quickly hid behind one of the crumbling walls.
Out came that guy, Kai,
with Seiji trailing behind,
and Kenji walking last.
I rushed toward her,
covering her mouth tightly with my hand,
dragging her behind that broken wall with me.
I pulled my hand away harshly and snapped,
"What the hell happened to her?!"
"What are you talking about, Jon?" she barked back.
"Answer me, damn it! Just answer me!"
"Stop yelling, you idiot! She twisted her ankle and got a contusion on her arm. That's it."
"Damn it!"
"Jon, step away. You reek of alcohol and you're clearly not thinking straight…"
She didn't finish
I'd already turned and walked away.
"Where were you, Kenji?"
"Sorry… my shoelace came undone."
"And it took you that long to tie it?"
"Forget it… let's go. The shops are about to close!"
There's no difference anymore
my heart and my mind are both full of you.