34 You remember everything? (2/2)
”I will buy you dinner next time,” She tells him with a straight face.
”It's alright. I will buy dinner this time.”
”I don't want to increase my debt.” She refuses. ”I have questions. Let's go somewhere to talk.”
Choi Min Ho and Nam Ji Won walk to the park. They sit on the empty swing.
”Do I really have to go to the academy?” She asks him. Choi Min Ho realizes that she is reluctant because of her family and her age.
”You have to come to the academy. You have R graded gifts.” He informs her. ”R graded gifts are rare and dangerous in this world. There are currently three living R graded gifted ones including you. Even if you didn't sign the contract, you have to come.”
”Yoo Mi Yeong told me that my grade was A.” She grimaces at him. ”Did she lie to me?”
”She didn't.” He looks up at the starless sky. The city's brightness hides the stars. It's lonely.
”Before you ate the leaf of ever healing plant, your grade was A. Now, you are in your best condition mentally and physically. So, your grade naturally went up. Your true grade is R.”
'Though, I wish that it wasn't.' He adds in his mind.
”I don't feel good about having highest grade here.” Nam Ji Won's words are more for herself. ”I wish I was graded D or E here. It sucks.”
”Did you always get a high score in the test?” He smiles.
”In my hometown, we were famous as smart Nam siblings.”
”You don't look smart to me.”
Seo Tae Il is driving to see Nam Ji Won. On his way, he spots her in the park, sitting on a swing. There is someone else sitting on the other swing.
Who is that?
He stops the car near the park. Nam Ji Won looks upset. The guy is smiling. Is he bullying her? He runs to her.
”Hey, you!” He puts his hand on his waists. ”What are you doing?”
”Tae Il?” Nam Ji Won is surprised to see him. ”Why are you here?”
”We meet again.” Choi Min Ho waves his hand. ”Don't you remember me?”
”Who are you?” He looks at him doubtfully. Then, he scans Nam Ji Won to see if anything is wrong with her. She looks fine physically, but her expression is odd. It's not the same bright face that he saw in the morning.
”Did he hurt you?”
”He didn't.” Nam Ji Won looks away and sighs.
”I am Choi Min Ho.”
”The one from the hospital?” Seo Tae Il finds that he looks different. More healthy? ”Why are you here?”
Is he a stalker?
”We met by chance.” Choi Min Ho laughs heartily. ”Aren't we fated ones?”
Seo Tae Il doesn't reply. He doesn't believe in fate or coincidences.
”I will see you tomorrow.” Nam Ji Won gets up from the swing.
”Why, we just met.” Choi Min Ho makes a face. ”I thought that you have a lot of questions for me.”
”You aren't answering them anyway.” Nam Ji Won loses her temper. ”I don't like talking to anyone who likes to deceive me. Once bitten, twice shy. I hate manipulating people the most.”
Seo Tae Il glances at Nam Ji Won. Her personality is too different. What happened to her in the last few hours? What did this guy do to her?
”I helped her recover her memories,” Choi Min Ho tells him before he can inquire. ”Nam Ji Won remembers everything now, but she doesn't want to thank me.”
”Who are you to tell him that?” She stomps on Choi Min Ho's foot. ”Go away, you fox! If I see you for one more second, I will pull out your eyes.”
”That hurts...” He grabs his foot. ”Nam Ji Won, you are cruel. How could you do this to me?”
Nam Ji Won grits her teeth. She is ready to use her old skills to break his front teeth. Seo Tae Il grabs her arm before she can punch Choi Min Ho.
”You remember everything?” Seo Tae Il asks, looking into her eyes. ”Everything?”
She becomes quiet and uncurls her fingers. ”Yes, I do.”