by my side - 소문, 하나

nineteen

She understood why Somun would go jogging every morning alone, he was shutting down his thoughts and she, as well, doing the same with hers.

It was late afternoon, music was blasting through her earphones, so loud that she couldn't even hear her own thoughts, not until the song finished and she found herself wandering in her mind once again.

The two haven't been talked to each other for a few days, she was like avoiding him whenever he was trying to approach her.

Why was she avoiding him in the first place anyway?

"Hana" U-sik suddenly called her name.

"What is it?" She responded.

"Is there something wrong?" U-sik asked as he noticed she has been acting strange lately, as if her mind was somewhere else.

"It's nothing, don't worry." She replied.

"It doesn't seem it's nothing to me, Hana. I know you more than anyone else. It's about Somun, isn't it?"

Hana suddenly stopped from her jogging, U-sik had now her full attention. It was clearly about him.

"Somun.. is just.. family" Hana was panting from running. The sun had already set, the sky was slowly turning into a dark blue sky and there were a few stars visible.

She didn't know what's going with her either.

"You should talk about it with him. You can't avoid him forever." U-sik said as he let her alone with her clouded mind.

As she finished her training alone, she went back to the hideout.

A very pleasing smell was coming from the kitchen as soon as she entered. Ms. Chu was preparing their dinner and Motak was helping her.

Meanwhile Somun and Jeokbong were setting the table as they noticed Hana returned from jogging.

"Hana! Just in time, we were about to eat!" Somun exclaimed as she went to change first before eating.

A few minutes later,  Mr. Jangmul also arrived, holding a flowers bouquet in his hands for Ms. Chu. She shyly accepted them, a big smile appeared on her face.

Ms. Chu didn't avoid Mr. Jangmul's feelings anymore and finally accepted them. She realised it when she rested in the hospital a few days and Mr. Jangmul never left her side.

"I didn't expect it, thank you. I will put them in a vase later. Let's eat first"

It was a quiet evening for the counters, there were no sign of evil spirits in the city.

The room was full of laughter, the counters were having a family time together.

As they finished having dinner, the counters — including Jeokbong, Somun and Hana — had a drink to celebrate that quiet day, which didn't happen often.

-

It was Motak's idea to let the younger counters to have a drink, but maybe he shouldn't have.

Jeokbong was a crying drunk type of person, he has been holding a bottle of Soju in his hands, with tears in his eyes, singing who-knows-which-song.

On the other hand,  Somun was feeling a little drowsy, his eyes were slowly closing. Then there was Hana, quite talkative although they couldn't understand what she was saying.

A few minutes later, everyone left; Jeokbong and Motak headed to their own room, Mr. Jangmul and Ms. Chu sobered up and they decided to take a walk under the moonlight, hand in hand.

In the room there was only Somun and Hana left.

-

A/N: i'm so sorry for the late update!!!! i have been contemplating which ending should i do since i had two in mind. anyway!! i might have extended this story.. just a little! i hope you enjoyed this update! see you on the next chapter!