✓Crotchet || MCND Castle J

Chapter 16 - Promise

Castle J's POV

"I'm sorry," Jerry said. He just ended the call with Minji. "She doesn't want to see you."

I clenched my jaw, unable to process what he just said but I sighed eventually. "I understand. She just needs time."

"But I think it's better that you still talk to her." He said. "I don't know what's happening but you said it's because of you. You're the only person who can figure this out for her. I wouldn't be of much help."

I nodded. "So what's the plan?"

"I'll go out first, you come after. I'll just tell her a few things and I'll let you two talk."

I nodded again. "Thanks."

We just waited in silence, both of us nervous. Jerry doesn't really know what to say to Minji once she finds out he didn't send me away as she pleased. And I wasn't sure what to tell her either. First, I'll apologize. And then what? If it wasn't because of me, she wouldn't have to experience any of those things again.

The sun had just set when a car pulled over the side of the street, in front of Jerry's, before I can think of anything else to tell her. He opened his door and walked over to them. A girl went out the driver's side as Minji stepped out of the passenger's. I watch them exchange a few greetings until the girl went back inside and drove off.

Jerry and Minji talked for a while and when he finally glanced at the car and Minji's expression turned alarmed, I finally went out.

"I'm sorry," Jerry was telling her as I closed the door. "But, really, nothing good will come out if you just avoid him."

Her lips were tight but she nodded.

"Hi," I said as I approached. Minji glanced in my direction but quickly turned to Jerry.

"You can go, then." She told him.

"Alright." He just answered and he patted my shoulder as he walked back to his car.

When he's gone, I turned to Minji. She's avoiding my eyes when it should've been me avoiding hers.

"I'm sorry," I said and before she could answer, I added. "And don't say it's okay because it's not. What they did was terrible and I'm really, really sorry."

"It's not your fault." She said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"And yet you don't want to talk to me. Jerry told me..."

"It's not because I think it's your fault."

"Then what is it?"

She looked around as if checking if someone is there listening to our conversation. But the neighborhood is deserted at the early night and we're the only people there.

"Do you wanna walk?" She asked. "There's a park near here."

I nodded and she led the way. We were silent for a while. I don't know how the atmosphere between us got so awkward just because of the incident. We're usually the pair who talk a lot. I don't remember us having nothing to talk about.

"Aren't you gonna say something?" I asked as we walk.

She was choosing her words and I figured I shouldn't rush her so I waited. Eventually, she said, "I guess I'm just afraid."

"Of what?"

"Has anyone told you about the threats?"

I nodded. My friends said they were telling her to stay away from me but that really shouldn't bother her because no matter what anyone says I won't allow her to.

She reached for her bag and retrieved her lyric notebook. I'd recognize it anywhere, a green soft-bound notebook with fabric-coated covers. I always run my fingers over it but she always swats my hand when I do. She said I might dirty the fabric.

"I found this in my locker." She said as she handed me the notebook. At first, I was confused because it was her notebook but then she gestured for me to open it.

I was shocked when I got to the messy pages. Messy is an understatement because this was definitely frightening. They crossed out words like cry alone and changed it to die alone and hide yourself to kill yourself. There are less hideous than those ones but they are basically telling her to know her place and go away or something. Who the hell did this? On the last page, there was a message written boldly with red lipstick. 'Stay away from him or I can do worse than this.'

I finally understood Minji's side. I turned to face her. "So you think staying away from me is the best thing to do?"

She nodded. "That's what they want me to do."

"But what do you want to do? Do you really want to stay away from me?"

She stopped walking and looked at me. I noticed her eyes sparkling and I realized how hard this is for her.

"You aren't at the campus all the time." She began. "So obviously I am away from you but why don't they stop? I only figure that they are watching me. Somehow, they know that we are in touch and just that thought itself scares me." It was getting harder for her to hold back her tears so I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She squeezed it back and we let just our hands hang there between us, hers soft against mine.

"They put eggs all over my locker and you saw the words on the notebook." She continued. "That only shows that, whoever they are, they are capable of doing something worse than that."

"I won't let them."

"How? You're barely around." She cried.

"Do you think they will actually stop if you just do what they say? And do you think I'll let you stay away from me?"

She shook his head. "You have to let me. What else is there to do?"

"Go out with me." I blurted out and I immediately heat up. Suddenly I felt nervous, even more than having to perform on stage.

What I was really thinking is that if we're together, there might be a chance they'd stop troubling her. Or they could also bother her more.

"What?" She was clearly taken aback and I couldn't blame her. I want to take back the words, to do-over. This isn't the confession I'd imagined doing. I don't even think it's the right time for this. "Where is this coming from?"

"Forget I said that," I said. And I saw regret in her eyes, or I wish it was regret. "I'll protect you, I promise."

She looked down to her feet and I stared at her face. I've never seen her so sad like this.

I reached around her waist and tickled her a little. The corners of her mouth tugged upward as she pushed me away. "That's better," I said. "It'll be fine."

"I hope so." She said and I pulled her into an embrace. I took in the vanilla scent of her hair and I hugged her tighter.

"Just don't think of avoiding me again," I whispered. "I don't think I can ever put up with that."

She mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"Just promise me."

"Promise." She answered.

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