Befriending the Gangster // S.W.H (#21)

Three

YiSeul

I wiped my that little wound at the corner of my mouth and winced when it touches a little of the tap water. Fuck, that hurts... How can such a small wound cause so much pain?

I looked at my bloody elbow which I wrapped tissue paper around it. Is it going to heal? Is it going to leave a scar?

I couldn't be bothered to buy any pain relief gel to alleviate the pain that I had just received. The fact is that I don't even have that money for that. I only have the money for food to feed me and SeonHo for this week.

I am broke as fuck and I had to resort to fighting to get money. I frequently fight at the little illegal pubs that disguised themselves as a legal and down-to-earth business.

A female has just come out of the toilet cubicle to wash her hands. She seems kind, maybe I could ask for some plasters or some money to buy bandages for my elbow. "Emm, excuse me..." I tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around. "Yes, what is it?"

"I just fell down and I didn't have any money to treat my wounds. Do you have any bandages or could you spare me some money for me to go to the pharmacy? It will get an infection soon."

"Let me take a look..." I lifted up my elbow for her to see. "It sure looks that serious. Tell you what, I'm going to bring you to the hospital."

I put both my hands to object. "No, it is okay. It just needs some bandages and some iodine solution."

"Wait for me here. I'm going to the pharmacy for a while. Don't go away." She said and ran out of the bathroom.

You must be wondering why I must ask someone else to buy bandages when I can get it myself. The truth is that I have been to the pharmacy too often and the staff there are all suspicious of me. They are wondering why must I visit the pharmacy all the time and would always have those serious wounds.

They might report me to the police the next time I go there for some bandages. People are that heartless. As long as you look like a gangster to them, it's game over. They will avoid you all the time and threaten me.

That time at the supermarket was not a mistake. It happened so often that it became like a daily routine. Where is that lady? She is taking such a long time to come back from the pharmacy.

The pharmacy is just down the street but why is she not back yet? Don't tell me...

I sneaked out of the bathroom and came out from the emergency exit. I hid behind the building and peeked my head out. The woman was talking with some policemen in uniform. I was right, she called the police to arrest me.

There aren't any people that are that kindhearted. They are all the same. I quickly escaped from that place before they could see me. I sprinted back to my apartment and opened the door. It is already 5, SeonHo should be back from his tuition by now.

The living room is empty, maybe he is sleeping in his room? The door to his room opened and he came out his hair looking a bit messy.

"Noona, you are back-- what's that tissue paper wrapping around your arm?"

I quickly covered it. "It is nothing. It is a way of me hiding money in it so that no one realizes it."

"Did you went to that place again?"

"No, I fell down by accident."

"It clearly looks like you got beaten up for money. Noona, don't go earn that kind of money."

I sighed and reached for my wallet taking out some money giving to him. He yanked my hand away. "I don't want to take that kind of money."

"Just take it, you need it for your tuition."

"It's okay, I will get a scholarship by the end of this year so that you don't need to beat up people or get beaten up." He placed the money in my hand. "Go back to school."

"I won't until you graduate from high school at least." I promised our parents that I will give him a good life. I don't care about myself, all I care about is that SeonHo goes to school and do me proud.

"Cut that crap and sit down for a moment. I need to treat your bandages at least or you will die before your birthday this year." He went to his room and brought out a first aid kit. I looked at it, wondering where the hell did he get it from. Our house doesn't have a first aid kit.

"Where did you smuggle it from?"

"Relax, everyone in the medical class gets it. Don't you remember that I signed up for a medical class?"

Right. He did. He said that he wanted to be a doctor so that he can treat my wounds on his own. This rascal...

I let him treat my wounds and I just sat down there blankly. He's a good younger brother, I did not raise him for anything.

"Right. Noona, there's someone else from your class that came earlier to gave you worksheets." Ah, that Kang Saem... Why is he always that troublesome?

"What does the student look like?"

"He seems kind of handsome but I'm way better than him."

"I don't care about him. Tell him to stop coming next time."

"Why? The worksheets are supposed to help you."

"I know but this is not the time to actually study. I have to make sure--"

"That again? You have to study no matter what. Maybe that guy from earlier can help."

I scoffed. "Can he even help? I'm sure that he will run away as soon as he sees me."

"Even if he does, he is just next door. We are neighbors, I guess that why he is being ordered to do such a thing."

"Aishh... Let me take a look at the worksheets." He passed me the folder and I opened. It is all the worksheets that I got for the past month.

"Are you going to do them?" He asked as he took out a packet of Ramen from the cupboard.

"I'm just looking at that."

"Then why are you clicking your pen?" I stared at my pen. Why am I clicking my pen?

I'm a bit weird sometimes, I can sacrifice everything and I gave up my studies to earn money for my brother's tuition fee but I wanted to go back to school as well.

Just because he wants to be a doctor, I have to do everything for him even if I have to quit studying. I remembered that I was the top student in my class in the first year of high school. Everyone looked up to me and always asked for my advice in studying.

I sometimes want to be like that again but I have to do this. I have to make sure that my brother is more successful than me. I can be a piece of trash but my brother must always be like a gold bar.

I want to go back to school. But I'm a coward. A big coward who dreams big and always has her dreams crushed.