Bring It On! - Chapter 75

Chapter 75.

“I’m counting on you to take good care of Suho. And be sure to tell him I said I’ll bring a gift on Sunday. Yes, yes, thank you.”

I ended the brief call with Park Jong-hoo. Even after he told me not to worry, my mind wasn’t at ease.

“He’s going to cry his eyes out.”

Jay, perched on the edge of the table playing with his phone, gave a small chuckle and looked at me.

“Someone who doesn’t know you would think you gave birth to him.”

“Isn’t it natural to worry? Why are you mocking me?”

“Go to the hospital then. I won’t stop you.”

Jay lifted his chin arrogantly as he spoke. He knew I couldn’t say anything back. He had prepared for this day more than anyone could know, yet he still said something like that.

In exchange for ensuring Jay’s peaceful sleep, I had gained a full day of him entirely to myself.

“You do everything I say, no exceptions. No right to refuse.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Then we’ll have to sleep separately from today, mister.”

It was a bold move and it worked exactly as planned. I had secured just one day, Saturday. I hadn’t expected to borrow 24 full hours since he was so busy, so this was a pleasant surprise.

The three question-and-answer tasks I had hoped to accomplish before Jay’s discharge were already impossible. And any expectation that seeing him every day might help restore his memory was fading.

What I needed now was a more direct and undeniable stimulus. If hearing words or seeing his face wasn’t enough, the only option left was to make him experience it physically. I had already scouted locations that could trigger memories from our time on the island. 

Whenever I fiddled with my phone all night, Jay, annoyed, would snatch it from me and toss it across the bed.

Despite his harshness and cold glares, I had perfected the plan.

I didn’t stop there. I even extended Jay’s sleep time to ensure his condition was optimal. Since his mood and behavior were so erratic, maintaining his condition was critical. I even went so far as to call him first for the very first time.

“What time are you coming today? I hope you get home early.”

—…….

Jay didn’t answer. Maybe I had turned down the call volume. I turned it up all the way, and faintly someone called, “CEO?”

—What’s this about?

After a long pause, he finally replied.

“It’s nothing like that.”

I flinched a little at that.

“Just… if you’re not busy, come back quickly. I’m getting home early today too.”

—Hang up.

This inconsiderate man. He completely ignored my words. I seriously debated whether to change the time of my first schedule for the day, originally planned for early morning to make the most of the day.

I had intended to call the first location to reschedule while I was already in a taxi heading home, but since it was a busy weekend, changing the reservation a day in advance was impossible. It was a crushing blow.

I should’ve checked properly.

Regret gnawed at me as my plans to get Jay into peak condition fell apart…

“What? Why are you here?”

…Or so I thought. Jay had arrived home before me.

“You said come early.”

“…I said that, but…”

“What?”

“You actually listened?”

“Your manners, tone, and respect for elders are nonexistent. Should I go back?”

“Why are you sulking? Fine, fine. Nice to see you.”

I roughly calmed him and went up to the room. Though he acted like he had been forced home for my sake, he fell asleep immediately after bathing and lying on the bed. 

That night, his usual habit of biting me in his sleep was rougher than usual, but I didn’t wake him. All for today.

“Can I drive?”

The driver’s seat door was already open. While Jay hesitated briefly, I slipped past him and tried to climb into the driver’s seat…

“Ah, ah! Wait!”

I almost got in, if only Jay hadn’t grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Instead, he led me elsewhere. A garage displaying all kinds of supercars. Jay picked the sturdiest-looking SUV.

“If you’re driving, take this one.”

“Can this survive if a dump truck hits it?”

“Go ahead and buy a dump truck and crash it yourself, see what happens.”

“Just kidding. You can’t take a joke, huh.”

I hurried into the car before Jay could change his mind. The seat was adjusted to his height, so I had to stretch my legs fully to reach the brake. 

Jay, who had been headed for the passenger seat, came back over and pressed the buttons under the seat, adjusting the height and distance himself.

“Can you reach? All good?”

“Push it a little more forward… perfect now.”

I started the engine once Jay settled into the passenger seat. Maybe because I hadn’t driven in a while, I felt strangely tense. I shook off the stiffness in my shoulders and set the GPS. The roads were all red lights, typical for a weekend.

“If I can’t change lanes, beg for me through the window, please.”

“Then you get out.”

As he tried to unbuckle, I quickly pulled off. Less than ten minutes later, I regretted it. I should’ve just left it to Jay. Saturday traffic in Seoul was hell. 

After driving on the open roads of an Australian beach, being stuck on a jam-packed highway made my head spin. We kept circling the same area without being able to exit.

“Jay, beg! Beg!”

“If they don’t move, just crash!”

“Are you crazy?! Hurry, now, now!”

“Damn, you’re making me do all sorts of things!”

Finally, Jay rolled down the window, rubbed his palms together, and pleaded with the car beside us. Miraculously, space opened up immediately, and my car slipped in.

“You’re convenient,” I muttered.

Jay rolled the window up, embarrassed, scrunching his eyes and massaging the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t drive again.”

“Sorry, it’s just been a while.”

He had to roll the window down and beg twice more, but thanks to that, we reached the woodworking studio in Gangwon-do safely.

***

“Crack!”

One fierce axe strike split the log perfectly in half. The instructor, who had been watching, clapped in surprise, and even Jay looked bewildered.

“Jay! Your body still remembers!”

His axe form was exactly the same as on the deserted island. I watched nervously from the start, then cheered when the log split perfectly.

“I’m not remembering, I’ve always been good at this.”

He dismissed my comment outright. Not funny at all. The same guy who had grumbled about why he had to chop wood when we first arrived.

“No, at first you were swinging wildly. You only got better after Suho kept nagging you.”

“……”

Jay responded with no reaction and immediately struck the next log.

The instructor took the split logs to trim them safely and neatly. With these, anything could be made. Skilled and strong, Jay had once fashioned multiple items from a single log on the island. 

Even now, he worked the wood expertly, though his expression suggested annoyance.

“Do you remember making Suho’s desk and chair? Even vaguely?”

“I don’t.”

“You finished our shelter’s roof too. While I was lying sick, you got most of it done, leaving the final bit for me to put up. I was… really happy. Didn’t say it, but I was.”

“……”

I chatted, but Jay silently continued his work. He finished a small drawer in no time and, without lingering, got up, saying, “All done?” I grabbed the drawer he left and followed him out.

“Let’s get some food.”

We headed to a grilled haritail fish restaurant famous for its taste. It was tucked away, crowded, and chaotic. We squeezed in and finally got a seat. 

A refined Korean set meal could have been an option, but to evoke the wild, raw vibe of the island, a place that didn’t even prep the fish for us felt right. Plates of grilled hairtail were placed in front of us.

“You were stabbing the sea with a spear to catch fish, but didn’t catch a single one. Hilarious.”

“……”

Jay’s face stayed full of irritation, his eyes squinting as if the mess around him was unbearable. Perhaps due to his promise to do whatever I said, he hadn’t left, but he didn’t touch a single bite. 

I, eating across from him, eventually put my spoon down and left the restaurant earlier than planned.