Neighbourhood Flowers - Chapter 4

"You know.. I heard Kang Sora is half Japanese.." Kwangsoo told his friend as he looked at Juhwan taking out his Cobra driver. 
 
Juhwan ignores Kwangsoo's remark and placing a golf tee on the grass field before swinging his driver for a test. He is not interested to talk about Kang Sora. He had enough humiliation because of that girl.
 
Joongki looked at Kwangsoo. "Why suddenly you talk about her?"
 
"Just feels like it.. I got a feeling that she's hiding herself under that tomboyish image she's portraying..”
 
Insung knocked Kwangsoo's head. "Do you wish to die? She's our enemy." he's been knocking out of sense himself too. 
 
"You are stupid.. that's hurt man.." Kwangsoo caresses his head.
 
"You admit it yourself right? Minus her tomboyish image, she's actually more beautiful than Min Hyorin.." Kwangsoo winked to Insung knowing that Insung started to look at Sora differently after the incident last week.
 
Juhwan hit his Callaway golf ball and look at where its heading. "Japanese or Korean, it won't change anything between us and them.." he said in a passing remark.
 
He turned to his friends. "That girl always have big guts to meddle in our matters.." Sora and her friends always stood up for the people they are trying to pick. And she never even blinks an eye even when they are surrounding them. Staying firm as she always does.
 
"But she's not an easy opponent too.. Is she perhaps a member of gangster association? Yakuza perhaps?" Kwangsoo asked.
 
Everybody knows Kang Sora fights well. And their skills are no match to her.
 
"Now that you mentioned it, remember when the people that I hired ran away in the middle of the fight?" Insung trying to relate.
 
Joongki pick up his driver and taking his turn. "Don't go overboard guys.. that's absurd." Joongki would not believe in those fictions his friends created.
 
Insung looked at Joongki. "Why not? That would explain her fighting capability. No matter how I look at it, she's not ordinary."
 
Juhwan looked at them, thinking through the topics that is they are discussing. "We're having that class again tomorrow right?" He asked.
 
"Eo.. wae?" Insung asked.
 
"What are you up to again Lim Juhwan?" Joongki is a bit reluctant. In fact, he has been reluctant to continue holding onto those grudges even before they started. 
 
Juhwan sneered as he is planning something fun. "Enough with her.. just hit your ball." He looked at Joongki.
 
Joongki sighed as he walks towards his golf cart and keep his driver back in his golf bag instead. "I have enough today.." He took off his gloves and hat. 
 
"You're leaving?" Kwangsoo asked.
 
"Eo.. Let us meet up later.." Joongki hop onto his cart and drive off the field.
 
"What's wrong with him suddenly?" Insung asked as they looked Joongki abruptly leave.
 
Juhwan is watching him as he drove away. Joongki has always been a soft-hearted guy. He has been disagreed with their action all this while but still tagging along to keep up with their friendship.
 
"Let's just continue playing.." he said to Insung and Kwangsoo.
 
* * *
 
Joongki took a stroll after his run. His decision to skip clubbing tonight and replace it with running around his neighborhood is rather fulfilling and giving him more satisfaction.
 
"Ya! Let us go for another round.. Do you really want to stay here?" A girl is pulling her tipsy friend up from the seat.
 
"Let me sleep here Hyorin ah.." she cupped her cheek and resting on her chin. Sleepily looking at Min Hyorin who is sitting in front of her.
 
"Kang Sora?" Joongki squint his eyes to have a better look at that girl who is wearing a cap with her long hair let loose pairing with a baggy jeans and t-shirt. Seems like Sora started to show her hair more rather than hiding it like she used to be.
 
"Haish.. Arasso. Just find your own way home then." Min Hyorin left Sora at the 24hours convenience store as she walked towards the main street to catch for a taxi.
 
"See youuuuuu..." Sora waved towards her as she goes back to sleep.
 
Joongki slowly walk towards that girl. "Sleeping?" he asked.
 
Sora raise her head looking at the person in front of her. Surprised.
 
"Are you drunk?" He asked again.
 
Sora try to look around before straightening her seat. "No.." she is short.
 
Joongki puzzled. He is certain that he sees her being tipsy earlier. "Is it just an acting? Just now?" He asked.
 
Sora clearing her throats. Did not know since when he has been watching her. She has been pretending to be drunk so that she can get off from another round of drinking party. Liquor is just not her thing even though she can tolerate it well.
 
Joongki smiled. "You are surely full of surprises Kang Sora.." He claims a seat in front of her.
 
Sora stares at him. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to pick up a fight again? At time like this?" After what happened last week, she decided to be careful with all of them. Including Song Joongki.
 
Joongki shakes his head. "I'm not.. I live in this neighborhood.."
 
Sora silent. Seems that this person is living in the same neighborhood as her unknowingly. She bit her lips as she looked at him carefully.
 
"Why did you pretend to be tipsy with Min Hyorin earlier?" Joongki cannot help but to be puzzled about it.
 
"None of your business.." coldly Sora replied.
 
"Do you live here?" Again, he asked.
 
"Song Joongki shhi.." Sora stares at him. "Don't do that.. it’s weird.."
 
"What? The questioning? Is it wrong if I wanted to know more about my friend?"
 
"Friend?!" Sora smirked. The terms friend never existed between her and those guys. Never once she thought of being friend with them.
 
Joongki smiled. "Well, being an enemy is also a type of friendship too.." he chuckles.
 
Sora got up from her seat and walk away. She is not interested to hear any bull shit that Joongki is trying to say.
 
"Let us be friends Kang Sora.. a real friend." Joongki asked as he is trying to keep up with Sora's long stride.
 
Sora stopped and looked at him. "Is this another kind of trap?" She asked.
 
"Anie.. I genuinely wanted to be friend with you.."
 
"My foot.." she curses.
 
"I really mean it.."
 
Sora took some time to think before continue walking again. "Do you think your members will agree?"
 
Joongki follows her again as she walks slower now, step by step. "They have no control over my personal life.."
 
Sora sneered. "Well.. my members would not agree for me to be friend with you. And their preference matters to me.."
 
"I know.." Joongki smiled. "But I'll change it one day.."
 
Sora turn to a private alley heading to the backdoor of her house.
 
Joongki stopped her after he started to recognize that alley. "You live here?" He asked.
 
Sora silent not answering.
 
"Since I was kid, I heard that this is the back alley to a Yakuza mansion.." the house located slightly on top of the hill. The biggest house compared to the others in the neighborhood.
 
Sora sneered. She has heard those rumors too. Perhaps because her dad and his fellow friends always practicing their martial arts at the lawn. That is where she gets to practice her skills too.
 
"Do you really live here?" Joongki asked again. Somehow he starts to relate to what Kwangsoo had said earlier this morning. Is she really a daughter to a Yakuza member? He thought to himself.
 
"My mom work here.." she lied. It is the same lie she told to everyone else. She never wants people to know her as someone with status. She just wants people to treat her like a normal person and live as a normal student.
 
Joongki nodded. No reason for him not to believe it especially seeing how Sora is bringing herself in NSU. "Take care then.. my friend."
 
Sora turn to him again as she heard the term 'friend' came from his mouth for multiple times now. "You really don't have to do this Song Joongki. You won't get anything by being friend with me.."
 
"You are an interesting person Kang Sora. I want to know you more. I'm honest.." he winked.
 
Sora sighed. "Whatever.." Sora continue walking towards the house that they have been living since she was 5 years old. The house that she rightfully called as a home.