3. Command

"No, I- I need to go, my friends are waiting-" Sandara stuttered and started stepping away from him, but he grabbed her waist and stared at her face intently for what seemed like a minute, before shooting her a lazy smile and walking her towards the entrance himself. Being held so close to his chest was pleasurable, because nobody was able to push or unsteady her while they made their way through the jam-packed crowd, but that didn't mean she stopped struggling in his hold. Why was he suddenly playing the role of a gentleman, Dara pondered when he opened the white wooden door and released her in front of a suddenly astonished Haera who was dealing with the tired and sick-looking Jenny. 

It was chilly and dark outside, just like before and the sudden meeting with the cold breeze forced Dara’s breath into her hands, only to make them clammy. The weather was harsh and brisk, but she was grateful to be out, because inside only smelled of alcohol, sweat and vomit.

 "Daraaaaaaaah!" Jenny yelled drunk, but still able to recognize her bestfriend. She stumbled away from Haera and came to Dara, throwing her arms over her shoulders. Jiyong was amused by the scene.

"Yo---you caaaame to get meh!" Her red bun was in a mess and the mascara and blood coloured lipstick were smudged all over her tiny and pale face. 

"Yes," Sandara assured her and tapped her back.

"Daraaaah, I looove you, my bestiiee!" Jenny was overjoyed and behaved like a silly kitten, and Sandara tried to calm her down, because she was making a scene in front of Jiyong who was basically, like literally laughing his off as if he was watching a comedy. However, she had to admit that his laugh was somewhat cute and….. unique.

"Let's go home, where are your keys?" 

"Heeeere" Jenny handed Dara the car keys and cooperated when she and Haera tried to steady her and walk her to the pitch black and expensive car she had received as a birthday gift from her parents. Her heels were making it difficult, so she whined like a crybaby, but her friends hushed her out of embarrassment. Will he think that we are lame, Sandara questioned herself. 

"Hey sugar?" Jiyong  yelled from behind, and the two sober girls instantly understood whom of them he was referring to. Haera stopped in her tracks surprised, confused and thrilled at the same time, but Sandara motioned for her to continue walking and she did as asked to.

"You forgot to give me your number." 

"Firstly, you won’t get it and secondly, I am not your girlfriend or friend or sister, so don't try calling me that again-" Sandara snapped after turning around, but he interrupted with a clever and sarcastic tone as he jumped down the few stairs near the door

"Or else? What would you do? Slap me?"

The big mouth of hers was never going to learn from the many lessons received in two days; Dara supposed and decided to leave before he could come closer. It would be embarrassing if he started to do anything physical in front of her friends, and in order to save her pride, she spun around and fastened the speed. 

Jiyong chuckled once again behind the frightened lady. "I just wanted to say sleep tight and I'll see you around, Dara." He mocked, and made Sandara outraged, irritated, startled and horrified: all at once. Great, now he knew her name also. 

She was only sure about one thing: When the sun rise tomorrow, he would be one piece of a distant and dangerous memory, and she would make full effort to not let him be anything but an adventurous flashback. 

And he too was sure of one thing; This was not their last meeting. Not at all. 

*  *  *  *  * 

Sandara was getting back into her normal routine of living after a week had passed. Jiyong was still somewhere in the back of her mind, but she tried hard to forget about him and convince herself that they'd never meet again. She had almost felt threatened when the man had told her he'd see her around, but now, his threat only seemed empty, false. 

The ground was covered with snow and the trees with lights of all colours. It was quiet and dark, and Sandara had barely seen a few people pass by her until now. Haera had left for Busan, where her parents and two siblings lived, two days ago, and Jenny was possibly back from the vacation in Jeju, now celebrating Christmas with her family. They both had asked they good friend, Dara, to join them, but she didn't feel like interrupting their family time, and neither did she want to celebrate the holiday without her own relatives.

Dara kicked the snow away with her black winter heels out of boredom when walking back at midnight from her part time job at this Indian restaurant where the owners didn't celebrate Christmas, while looking down and taking the last turn towards Campus when a large shadow, lurking outside the building caught her tired eyes.

She stopped in her tracks, and studied the shadow intently. It was large, it must be a boy, or a man to be precise. What was he doing here? Males weren't allowed into the girls' dorms after 7 pm, so he must be waiting for a girlfriend- thought Dara and carried on skipping the short distance. Maybe I can help him, she thought to herself. Perhaps she could ask him which dorm his girlfriend stayed at, and then she'd go inside and inform the girl that he was waiting for her. 

All of those plans were cancelled when the man opened the door and strolled into the building.

Sandara gasped. Didn't he know of the rules? If he was a student- which he indeed looked like, he'd get suspended from the university along with the female he is visiting! 

Should I stop him? She was conflicted, but it was none of her business, so she shrugged her shoulders, brushed off the snow from her coat and walked in too. He had already stepped inside the elevator when she arrived- so she decided to take the stairs. Her dorm was on the third floor- it wouldn't hurt walking instead of riding the elevator. 

It was a relief to walk into the cozy dorm, but the relief was soon replaced by confusion when she spotted that the lights were on. She had turned the place dark before going to work, so why were several lights ? And why was the tv playing?

Oh, how stupid of her. She had a roommate, who could've decided to return early from her vacation.

"Haera?" Sandara called out and kicked off her shoes.

There was no reply, so she went to the kitchen and fetched herself a glass of water. 

"Why did you come home so early?" Dara yelled out and crushed a packet of instant noodles. 

Heavy footsteps were heard, they stopped right behind her. She could feel Haera breathing down her neck, and then she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Sandara's waist from behind.

Sandara giggled then, backhugs were a thing between her, Haera and Jenny. They loved it, it was one affectionate thing to do. “So how's your family?” 

It seemed like Haera had missed her friend badly, because she wasn't letting go of her even after moments had passed and neither was she replying to her questions.

Sandara suddenly felt uncomfortable when the arms crushed her in the hold. Haera? When did Haera become so strong and big? It fell to her mind that she should turn around and friend for manhandling her, but as an automatic reflection, she first looked down at Haera's hands. 

They were large, rough. And they felt warm, abnormally warm. She could feel the heat through her tank top. 

They were strange, veins popping out. It was not Haera's. These hands and this strength could belong to nobody but a man. 

Dara panicked then, hundreds of questions ran in her mind. Who was this?! How did he get in her dorm?! What does he want with her?! She could've started screaming and pushing away, but she was much smarter than that. The girl decided she'd act like she is oblivious- grab a knife without being suspected and then face the intruder. Yes, that is the best plan, so she went with it. 

Sandara moved left and right, slowly, still in his hold- acting like she was making noodles. She just needed a reason to move to that drawer where their knives were resting! Take it easy, don't let him suspect you, she commanded herself time after time. It's going to be okay, take deep breaths. If you continue like this, he'll hear your heart and realize that you are aware he is not your friend. Let a minute pass, then grab the knife and turn around abruptly and stab him! But how will you do that? You've never stabbed anybody?!

The man moved his hands to either side of her waist after some time, and Sandara decided this was the time to act according to her plan, but what she didn't know was that the man knew she was aware. He was not stupid. He was experienced, trained in the field and he could read people so easily. 

His hold is loose now, Sandara screamed in her mind. Now is the chance, move away and grab the knife!

Unfortunately, the girl's plan was short lived when the intruder started the sides of her waist. She was unable to help herself from freezing in her spot when he lifted up the edge of her tank top and caressed her bare skin. His thumb drawing straight lines over her navel, creating goosebumps there. His other hand working on her sides- up and down, back and forth.

She felt his breath hit her ear, and started hyperventilating. He was close, so damn close. What was she supposed to do again? Oh yeah, the knife! But how? He is all over her stomach! 

And then like a storm taking place- his palm started crawling upwards. Upwards, over her navel- onto her ribcage. It felt ticklish and unfamiliar, but she couldn't get herself to do anything. Anything at all. opened and closed like a fish- but nothing came out. Her muscles were tensing and preparing for an escape- but nothing was happening. She was frozen, too shocked to react. It was like paralysis: Wanting to react, but unable. Willing but impotent. 

A shiver ran down her spine when his fingers stopped right under the front-clasp of her bra. He was not going to go that far, was he? He too was thinking the same thing. He wasn't really into , but with her- it seemed almost impossible to not have to use the technique. She wasn't easy, she was a hard one. And stubborn ones always needed .

No, Sandara decided. Whoever he was, he wouldn't dare do that, she'll cut his balls off.

Yes, decided the man, he would go that far. He'd break her. Break this wall she had built around herself. And with that decision, he moved his hand inside her bra and d her tenderly, but that was also the moment it snapped for Sandara.

"NOOO!!!" She screamed in her highest voice and trashed in his hold. No, no she screamed and tried elbowing him. This was not going to happen. She was not about to be molested in her own dorm. This is her room, she is the one who should have power!

He was taken by surprise, she had been so quiet and relaxed the whole time, and now she had suddenly started screaming? Was she bi-polar or something? He had never encountered a woman like her. Either they stop you before you get started, or they don't stop you at all. But this damned woman was such a er.  

“Get away from me!” Dara kicked his shin, but he wasn't going to tolerate her disrespecting him time after time, so he pushed her front to the kitchen-counter and pulled out his gun and pressed it to .

“Shut up!” He commanded hoarsely. 

Sandara started weeping then. It was too much to handle.

“Don't you dare cry!” He shouted at her, and she swallowed down her sobs and let the tears run down her cheeks quietly. 

“Why the are you crying?!” He asked then, “Are you a ing child?” 

Dara sobbed loudly “Yo- you-re r- me!” 

The intruder turned her around to face him in a rough movement and glared at her face. “What the did I tell you last week?” The male- Jiyong, questioned. “Don't ing tell me I'm you, you clearly don't know what a does, and don't make me show you, you ing minx.”

The girl blinked away her tears. There was no difference, he was about to her, wasn't he? And why was he here? How did he find out she lived here? “Y-you molested me!” 

“Oh, are you sure about that?” Jiyong chuckled “Because it definitely looked like you were enjoying it.” 

“I was not!” Sandara stomped her feet. How could she ever enjoy a mobster touching her so intimately? Anybody touching her at all? She was not ready for this; her life consisted of other important things. She had only started her first year in college and was looking forwa