Winter Camp (1)
Winter Camp (1)
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"Her vitals are fine," Mina stated, flashing the torchlight on Gayoon's eyes. The latter had regained consciousness and despite her protests, Minho had brought her straight to the hospital where Mina was checking her health. Jina was also awake and she was nibbling on the chocolate Mina had given her to regain some of her sugar levels.
"Are you sure?" Minho pressed. He had told Mina everything and the state he found Gayoon in at the World of the Dead. Mina was not sure what to believe anymore since she had little knowledge of the supernatural. But hearing Minho's story had intrigued her.
"I'm fine!" Gayoon insisted. "It's nothing really."
But her weak tone gave her away. The time she spent in the other world had weakened her and she still could not move her muscles properly. She did not know that such a world existed and the more she remembered the cold, dark place, the more scared she felt. Park Seungjo was finally gone but her heart was still in disarray due to the trauma he had put her through. The things he had shown her in that memory loop was etched in her mind and she was sure that it was going to haunt her worse than the last time. She was not worried about the things he did to her but was concerned with what he did to Minjung.
Minjung…
The very thought of her old friend made her almost cry. She did not know what had happened to her all those years ago and now that Seungjo showed her the missing piece, guilt was creeping up in her heart. This was not supposed to happen! Minjung was supposed to go to college, put behind her harrowing experiences and move on. Perhaps have her own family someday and a daughter of her own who would have been friends with Jina.
Instead, she lay in an unknown grave, far away from her loved ones. Park Seungjo had not only snatched her mental peace but was torturing her in the afterlife as well.
"You need rest," Minho said sharply when Gayoon struggled to get up. He held her shoulders and pushed her back. Gayoon was too weak to fight back and Minho was more like a stern teacher than her boyfriend at that moment.
"Dad is right," Jina piped up. "You need rest."
"You need it too!" Minho added to her in a sharp tone. "You collapsed when making a portal. Didn't Mina tell you to sleep?"
"I'm not sleepy," Jina mumbled but Gayoon reached out her hand.
"Come here," she said in a gentle tone. "Sleep next to mommy."
Upon hearing that, Jina sprang off the couch she was sitting on and climbed on the bed to lie beside Gayoon. Minho stared at them incredulously before shaking his head. Jina would only listen to Gayoon nowadays.
"Brother, relax!" Mina snickered. "Gayoon is fine. She's just a little weak due to the overwhelming energy of that dead world or whatever it's called. We don't know much about it but if Gayoon had stayed there a bit more, she could have died. It was as if something was sucking out the strength from her until she died. Fortunately, you saved her on time. For now, she can get some vitamin shots and a saline transfer before we discharge her. Make sure you include red meat and vitamins in her diet. She'll be fine after a good night's rest."
"When can I take her home?" he asked.
"I guess after the salinity in her blood is stabilized," Mina said. "It shouldn't take long. Just a couple of hours and she'll be fit to go home."
She nodded and bent down to kiss Jina who was already fast asleep. "Take care," she added to Gayoon before leaving. They watched her leave and as soon as the door shut, Minho turned to Gayoon.
"Sleep," he said. He was about to leave when Gayoon held his hand and ushered him to sit beside her.
"What is it?" he frowned.
"I…I want to finish the story about my past," she said in a sad tone. "Seungjo showed me many things in that memory loop and now that I know the whole story, I want to narrate it to you as well."
Slowly, she told him about how Minjung had accidentally killed Seungjo and the consequent events. She also told him about what he did to Minjung and how the school's former headmaster had hidden her body in an unnamed grave.
By the time she was done, she could not bear to face Minho. What if he got angry or upset at her again for such a selfish choice? Her decision had put Jina's life in danger by exposing her to dangerous spirits. What if a ghost like Seungjo tormented her someday? What would they do? What if she falls into a worse danger?
To her surprise, Minho patted her forehead. He gave her a rare yet warm smile which made her blush hard. Seeing him smile like that also reminded her of his confession in the cold classroom from where he had rescued her not once but twice.
"You don't have to feel guilty," he assured her. "Now that I've seen a glimpse of the world you're attached to, I think I understand why you took such a drastic step. I won't say I like our daughter having such dangerous abilities but I can understand why you chose to give up your powers. So don't feel bad."
Gayoon looked at her fingers, fidgeting with them nervously. "There's one more thing," she said. Her cheeks had turned as red as a tomato and she was unsure of whether to ask him or not. What if it was just a heat of the moment confession and that he did not mean anything by it? Or what if he was just trying to bait Seungjo?
"What is it?"
"Do you…" Gayoon bit her lip, trying to find the correct words. Ask it! She told herself. Ask!
"Are you wondering if I meant what I said at the World of the Dead?" Minho guessed. "You heard my confession, didn't you?"
Gayoon was fearful of his answer but nodded. "You saved me twice in that classroom," she went on. "I didn't know you were my savior. I've always thought that an angel saved me. Turns out, it was a money loving devil."
Minho scowled while Gayoon laughed. But seeing her laugh made his scowl go away and he was momentarily distracted by her smile.
Unable to stop himself, he leaned forward to place a surprise kiss on her lips. Gayoon stopped laughing and her eyes widened when his lips touched hers. Before she could speak, he placed more butterfly kisses on her lips, rendering her speechless. He was not deepening the kisses but kept on puckering her repeatedly in short motions, making her toes curl.
"I am in love with you, Ms. Detective," he whispered against her lips. "Why else would I jump into an unknown world to bring you back?"
Upon hearing those words, Gayoon blushed harder and seeing her cheeks turn into a cute rosy pink, Minho was about to scoop in for another kiss when someone cleared her throat.
"Ahem!" Jina frowned. "You know, for a kid, I'm seeing way too much of R-rated stuff from you guys. Get a room already!"
Both of them pulled back, their faced flushed with embarrassment. They glanced at each other and suddenly began to laugh, annoying Jina.
"I'm trying to sleep!" she snapped at her childish parents. I swear sometimes I feel like the adult here, she thought warily.
"Sleep," Gayoon snickered, patting her daughter's head. Minho joined in to help Jina fall asleep. The little girl mumbled something and finally fell asleep. They watched her sleep peacefully, both of them feeling content.
"You know, Jina is going to winter camp tomorrow," Minho realized. "She's been attending the camp ever since she turned five and stays there for two night. I usually leave her at the camp while I stay at my private villa nearby in order to keep tabs on her. They don't allow parents to stay at the camp so I bought the property. You wanna join us?"
Gayoon blinked in surprise. Jina would be away for two nights. That would mean she would stay two nights alone with Minho.
Uh oh, she thought. Do I…DO I HAVE TO SEDUCE HIM? She screamed internally.