Treat You Better - Park Jeongwoo

XIII

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chapter twelve
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Yeri and Jeongwoo sat close to each other on the cool grass. The Han river flowed peacefully in front of them.
"Give me a taste of your Rabokki!" Yeri said.
"Here." Jeongwoo said, giving her access to the Rabokki.

"It's spicy... Do you wanna add cheese to it?" Yeri asked.
"I like spicy food." Jeongwoo said.

"Give me a taste of your ramen." Jeongwoo said.
"It's too cheesy!" Jeongwoo muttered after taking a bite.
"You could never have too much cheese Jeong Jeongie." Yeri teased.

"Jeong Jeongie?!" Jeongwoo laughed.
"What do I call you? Boobear?"

"Out of all the nicknames in the world, you choose boobear." Yeri shook her head.

"What do you know about nicknames? You chose to call me Jeong Jeongie?!" Jeongwoo laughed.

"I like it!" Yeri defended.
"You're cute." Jeongwoo said, leaning to kiss her.

"You don't get to kiss me before you buy me mint chocolate ice cream." Yeri said.
"I knew that you buying Rabokki for me was trap..." Jeongwoo mumbled taking another bite.

Jeongwoo kept his promise. He bought mint chocolate ice cream for Yeri. And Yeri kept hers.

She pulled him down by the collar and kissed him. He kissed her back, passionately at first. Jeongwoo controlled himself before any of them got any more hungrier.

Jeongwoo pulled Yeri into a hug.
"Jeongwoo" she whispered. "Kiss my ear."

Jeongwoo pecked her soft earlobes, as Yeri whispered straight into his ear, which was close to her mouth now.
"I think someone is watching us from behind that bush in front of you."

"Let's get out of here." Jeongwoo whispered into her ear, catching a glimpse of the imposter in the bushes.

He intertwined their fingers as they walked in a fast speed.
"I'll drive. Give me the keys now." Jeongwoo mumbled with urgency.

Yeri fumbled around in her pocket, giving him the car keys.
"Get into the car. Now." Jeongwoo said.

Yeri got into the passenger seat and Jeongwoo into he driver's seat. They drove away with high speed. Yeri turned her head to see whether the imposter was still watching them. To her relief, he was not.

"We keep getting into situations like this... " Jeongwoo mumbled, a little furious.
"We can continue at home Jeongwoo..." Yeri told him.

"It's not about that...I'm worried for your safety. I can't leave you alone out here..." Jeongwoo said.

"What do you mean... alone?" Yeri said aware of the tone in his voice.
"Yeri, I'm planning to go to Germany to study a bit more." Jeongwoo said.

Yeri didn't know what to say. She completely shut her mouth.
"Yeri?" Jeongwoo asked, concerned that she hadn't spoken for a while.

"When are you going?" Yeri asked.
"In a month." Jeongwoo said.

"Jeongwoo...That's too early."
"I'm going for three months for a semester." Jeongwoo said.

Yeri was sad but she was determined to make most of the time she had with Jeongwoo.

Jeongwoo pulled up into the basement parking. "Come upstairs." Yeri told him, getting out of the car.
She intertwined her fingers into his. "We'll make the most out of the time we have." Yeri told him.
"Yes." Jeongwoo kissed her.

"Jihoon?! Hyunsuk?!" Yeri shrieked as soon as the elevator doors opened.
"Where were you?! We have something important to discuss." Jihoon said.

"Okay... Yeri said opening the door.".

Jeongwoo and Yeri sat in front of him and sensing the tense behaviour, Yeri intertwined her fingers with Jeongwoo.

"Yeri...I think the black car following you was not a coincidence..." Jihoon began.

"What do you mean?"

"Yedam told me that Haruto is planning to hurt you to take revenge on Jeongwoo...He's not sure either but..."
"What?"

"Yeah...I think you should report these incidents you've been facing to the police." Hyunsuk said.

"No." Jihoon and Yeri said together.

"Why?!" Hyunsuk asked, confused.

"Haruto's father has connections with the mafia and the police are under their control..." Yeri said.

"And they would only know that we know if we report it..." Jihoon explained.

"So...I thought I should let you know about this Yeri." Jihoon told her.

"Jeongwoo?" Yeri asked, worried.
"Let's talk ... alone."Jeongwoo said, standing up.

He took Yeri to her room and made her sit on the bed. He crouched in front of her.

"Jeongwoo, Are you okay?" Yeri asked because Jeongwoo ahd been silent for way too long."

"Why can't we both just finally be happy?"  Jeongwoo asked.

Yeri didn't answer.

"I can't keep seeing you get hurt like this... I won't forgive myself if whatever he's doing is because of the fight Haruto and I had that day..."

"Jeongwoo this in not because of you..." She assured him, putting her hands on his shoulders, running her fingers through the soft blue fabric of his shirt.

"It is... I can't let you keep getting hurt."

"Jeongwoo it's not on you if I keep getting hurt. You're my pillar. You are helping me get through stuff." She told him truthfully.

"Didn't you hear what he said, it's because of me!" Jeongwoo said.

"So what Jeongwoo?!" Yeri said, tears forming in her eyes. "What are you gonna do about it?! I chose you okay? I don't care about what Haruto thinks."

"This isn't a question of just getting hurt."  Jeongwoo said a year slipped down his cheek.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Yeri asked in a low voice.

Jeongwoo saw the fragile side of her in her eyes. He hugged her.
"No... I would never do that to you. I'd never leave you." Jeongwoo told her, wrapping her into his arms.

"I'll protect you." Jeongwoo said.

"I feel safe when I'm with you Jeongwoo. Don't ever leave me."

***

After Hyunsuk and Jihoon went home  Yeri and Jeongwoo sat in the open air of the balcony. Jeongwoo's hands were running through her hair and Yeri rested her head on Jeongwoo's shoulder, talking.

"Come with me to Germany Yeri..." Jeongwoo told her.
"What will I do there? I have a house here Jeongwoo..."

"You can get a job there... We'll live together... we'll figure it out." Jeongwoo said.

"No Jeongwoo...I applied for a job two days ago at a big entertainment company... I think I might get the job."

"Yeri... I don't know if I'm comfortable leaving..."

"Jeongwoo... I have Jihoon and Hyunsuk here..."

"I don't know I'm just worried." Jeongwoo said.
"Jihoon said he's not sure either... maybe it's not true... Maybe it's just a coincidence."

"I hope to god it is." the taller guy said.

"Can I have that blue shirt of yours?" Yeri winked, pulling him into into the house.