+ #00 | In Which Taec Yeon and Soon Kyu Sort Of Get Back Together

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December 22, 2009

4:23pm

Gangnam Gu, South Korea

 

SOON Kyu attaches her hand tightly onto Taec Yeon the minute he gets out of the police car. “He’s right there.” He looks at her before following her eye sight to a rather okay looking man with sharp features, and auburn hair. He’s tall just not as tall as Taec Yeon. “Creepy isn’t he?” She asks as she nudges her elbow further into his side making him uncomfortable as he side steps an inch away from her. She doesn’t say anything response but just glances at him uneasy.

 

“He looks like a lawyer.” He comments.

 

Soon Kyu frowns, “What does that even mean?”

 

The man that Taec Yeon thinks looks like a lawyer takes a seat on the concrete with his back leaning up against the apartment building. “He doesn’t seem like the type of guy. Besides, wouldn’t he have already ditched stalking you to blow off your money?” He has to lean down his upper body to whisper near her, seeing as though the height difference between the two is still the same.

 

“Why don’t you search him?” She asks while pushing him tentatively toward him. It’s obvious that Soon Kyu doesn’t know anything about police work. You don’t just ‘search’ someone because you’re a cop, you ‘search’ someone when you have evidence—that can be used in court—to prove to a judge to get a court ordered search warrant to then ‘search’ him.

 

He shakes his head, “I’ll just have a talk with him.”

 

The girl huffs in annoyance, not pleased at all with his decision. She almost feels like he’s doing this just to get back at her for breaking things off. But she went along with it, watching the back of his head intently as he trailed up to the guy and towered in front of him.

 

The man on the floor glances at Taec Yeon twice before setting his sights directly on Soon Kyu who stands a good distance away. “So,” The strange man begins as he pushes strands of his hair in front of his eyes. “She finally brought someone to take care of me.”

 

“She says that you’ve been stalking her.” Taec Yeon responds.

 

The man nods, “She’s right too.”

 

“You’re admitting to stalking her?” Taec Yeon asks perplexed the idea. Who bluntly admits they stalk someone just because someone asks? Taec Yeon shoves a hand into his pocket in distress. What is he supposed to do now? Sure the man admitted to saying he’s a stalker, but Taec Yeon can’t arrest him. First off the man admitted before Taec Yeon read him his rights, and he has no proof to be used in court.

 

“So, why are you stalking her?” He asks while shoving his other hand into his pocket.

 

The man tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes. “I haven’t seen you with her in a while. Did you two finally end your relationship?” Taec Yeon restricts himself from showing any emotion to the man who’s practically striving for it.

 

But the man smiles brightly knowing he caught Taec Yeon, “She doesn’t like to stay in relationships for that long. But I’ll give you props for sticking it out for two years. Though that’s all you were going to get. She’s not meant for you—she’s meant for me.” And there it is, obsessive love—an intimacy seeking stalker.

 

The man once again glances at Soon Kyu his eyes darting around her face in fascination, “Did she ever talk about me? I always talk about her.” The man continues to ramble on about Soon Kyu, Soon Kyu this and Soon Kyu that; thus leaving Taec Yeon to walk away and back to Soon Kyu. It was too much for him.

 

“We’re leaving.” He shoves Soon Kyu into the passenger seat before getting in the driver’s seat and get as far away from her apartment as possible.

 

The man doesn’t sit right with Taec Yeon. How did he know they dated he never went to her apartment? How did he know? “Do you ever see him follow you to other places? Restaurants? School? Work?” Unless the man is psychic—which Taec Yeon is guessing he’s not—the man is obviously following her everywhere she goes when he can.

 

Soon Kyu shrugs, “I saw him at the grocery store once.”

 

He runs a hand through his rugged hair in desperation for answers. The man couldn’t have just started following her just because he saw her as a beautiful woman. There has to be a quality of Soon Kyu that he likes, or wants. Something that interests him, something that won’t make him stray away no matter how many dates she goes on.

 

“I don’t think he’s the one that stole your credit card information. He’s not in it for money. He’s in it for a relationship. He…” Taec Yeon trails off to control the little patience he has. “He loves you.”

 

Soon Kyu’s nails drag along the surface of her denim jeans as she reaches up with her other hand to loosen the tightness of her yellow scarf. is beginning to get dry, and her hair is getting damp from sweating.

 

Love? Love doesn’t exist in a world like ours. At least it’s what she thinks. She’s never experienced a world where love is actually beautiful and ends nice. For a second, in her relationship with Taec Yeon, she though she felt it. What her parents described as something everlasting, but she got scared. And then she left him. She doesn’t know what he thinks now. Does he still like her? Does he forgive her for all her lying? Isn’t that what love is? Forgiving.

 

“You should stay somewhere else though, and tell Soo Youn as well. I don’t think it’s very safe.” He adds on as he drums his fingers against the steering wheel in an effort to stop his frustration from boiling over. “Do you have a place to stay?”

 

Soon Kyu sighs. No, she doesn’t have a place to stay. “I’m not sure.”

 

Silence engulfs them.

 

She realizes then, in that moment, that they’re relationship truly has changed. She knows they broke up, but she hoped—and maybe believed—that he would offer her his place to stay. But he hasn’t and she’s sure he won’t. And in the back of her mind she knows why. She messed things up, not him. She lied, not him. She hates herself more so then usual because of this.

 

She’s broken up with many people before, but only now does it really . Maybe because she actually did love him, and she just never realized.

 

“I guess I can stay in a hotel.” She murmurs while scratching the ends of her knees in nervousness.

 

He nods, “Is there a certain hotel you want me to drop you off at?”

 

The one sentence strangely pisses her off more so then anything else he says. Does he truly not care? “Why can’t I stay with you?” She snaps before huffing and crossing her arms.

 

Taec Yeon mouth opens in slight surprise as he glances in her direction. He struggles to let out a cough to end the awkwardness looming around after her outburst.

 

He doesn’t understand her anymore. That in its self is horrible and regretful. Seeing as he still really cares for her. “Um, I don’t think that’s right.” He responds while once again drumming his fingers against the steering wheel to release some of the tension in his body.

 

She huffs once more, “Why not?”

 

“It’s just that, I don’t know you.”

 

Soon Kyu cringes as she turns her view to stare outside the window to the right of her. “I know.” She responds in a restless voice. “But, aren’t you worried about me?” She adds on as she looks over at Taec Yeon expectantly.

 

“Of course I am, but still…” He trails off to wrack his brain with an excuse not to have her stay with him for however long she needs to. “I just don’t feel comfortable, and I don’t think you will either. Besides, my apartment is really small and my guest bedroom is kind of crappy. My fridge is never full, and it’s far from your work place.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

They didn’t talk at all. Not even when Taec Yeon pulled up to the hotel. Not when she grabbed her purse and left the car. Not even when the two’s gazes caught each other when she was entering the hotel and he was leaving.

 

His phone began to vibrate against the center console telling him to answer. To which he does. “Where are you?” Jae’s voice growls, in return Taec Yeon cringes. Getting on Jae’s bad side is not good.

 

“I had to deal with Soon Kyu and her stalker.” He responds.

 

Jae stops his anger and glances in the direction of Soo Youn who’s starring so harshly at the picture of the so called girl ‘Soo Jung’—sent by the woman at the school—he thinks the picture might disparate. “How bad is the situation?”

 

“Bad,” Taec Yeon continues as his car comes to a stop when the light flickers yellow then red. “I sent her to stay in a hotel nearby her apartment. I would do the same for Soo Youn-ah the guy seems over the top with the emotion he’s conveying toward Soon Kyu.”

 

Jae’s eyes narrow, “You placed her in a hotel?” Jae shakes his head as he guides his foot back and forth on the ground. “Don’t you think it would be better if she stayed with you? It would be more secure.”

 

“You want me to house her?”

 

“I don’t want you to just leave her at a hotel. Look, just bring her back to your house before coming to the station. Once you get here we can deal with the problem. Okay?”

 

Taec Yeon shakes his head, “No, it’s not okay.”

 

Taec Yeon had no chance at all to explain why it’s not okay, because the next thing he knew Jae was yelling at him on how to be a good officer, and how to treat victim’s right. Then he was off and running to pick Soon Kyu up and bring her back to his ty apartment located a block from the station.

 

“Uh, so…I have to go to the station, but you can eat what you like and watch as much TV as you want. You can just call the station when you need something, or feel unsafe. Okay?” He practically barks at her.

 

She only nods and shifts uncomfortably from one leg to the other. “Will you be back soon?” She murmurs making him glance at her. Neither of them are feeling comfortable enough to say something to each other, but Taec Yeon expected it and knew something like this would happen especially since they keep seeing each other and being near each other. Which is just too much for either of them to take—mainly because Soon Kyu possibly wants to get back together, and Taec Yeon doesn’t know why.

 

“Uh, yeah—sure.”

 

With that Taec Yeon bows his head toward her before leaving as quickly as possible—not wanting to be involved with that awkwardness anymore.

 

By the time Taec Yeon reached the station he witnessed the World War Three. Ju Hyun is pinned behind Jin Young who’s a good amount off feet away from both of them stands Soo Youn screaming at her brother who has his hands twisted onto Jae’s shirt collar as he pins him against the desk.

 

“Oppa, please let go of Officer Park so we can talk.” Soo Youn begs as she pulls on the sleeve of her brother’s shirt. “I have to tell you something, and I’d rather you not be arrested to do so.”

 

Min Jun glances in the way of Soo Youn before he huffs, “I told you to not come back here.” The minute he loosens the grip on Jae’s collar he’s thrown across the room by Jae and hits a table with a bang.

 

“Oppa!” Soo Youn screams as she pushes past Jae to reach Min Jun, Ju Hyun following behind but her arm gets caught by Jae and thus she’s being held in place—not allowed to move toward the two on the ground. Even from where Taec Yeon is standing, he can see the blood trickling down Min Jun’s forehead and the slight bruise beginning to form there as well.

 

Ju Hyun pushes at Jae’s chest, “Let me go. He’s hurt, I need to help him.”

 

Jae side glances toward Jin Young who nods his head allowing Jae to let her go and lean down towards Min Jun.

 

Ju Hyun looks toward Soo Youn and pats her shoulder, “Go talk with oppa, I’ll help your brother.” Soo Youn smiles thankfully as she glances at her brother before retreating to Jae and dragging him and Taec Yeon out of the station to talk about what the hell is going on with Soon Kyu.

 

“Can you sit up?” Ju Hyun asks as Jin Young hands her the first aid box.

 

Min Jun nods and shifts into a sitting position with his back leaning up against the fallen table. He silently glances toward Jin Young as Ju Hyun begins to pull out and open up the wipes. Jin Young merely sighs before leaving the two be.

 

Min Jun moves his eye sight toward Ju Hyun and audible huffs, “I’m sorry.”

 

Ju Hyun merely nods her head as she grabs a hold of the wipe and begins to rub away some of the blood leaking from his head. “Officer Park isn’t a bad guy.” She begins as he keeps his eyes trained on her.

 

“He’s putting my sister in a bad situation.”

 

“It takes two to tangle,” She responds while now reaching to the anti-infecting cream. “Soo Youn Unnie is old enough to make her own decisions. You may think that she needs protection because of how your life is, but if she wants to spend her time here—then she can. We like her, and she likes us. Maybe you think that Officer Park deserves to be beat up for bringing your sister to a dangerous place out in the middle of nowhere. But she wanted to be there. So if you’re going to punish anyone you should look toward her first.”

 

Ju Hyun pauses to move a bit of Min Jun’s hair out of the path of the wound on his head. “You shouldn’t look down on Officer Park; he really cares for your sister. It may not seem like it—but he does. And he would never intentionally hurt her; though he does on accident quite a lot.”

 

Min Jun hides away his smile as he watches Ju Hyun move closer to him to paste the band aid. “How do you know so much?” He asks.

 

Ju Hyun shrugs, “I pay attention, and I don’t use my fists.”

 

Min Jun winces at the comment as she closes up her first aid kit and stands up to place it on the desk. “You’re all good. You should just wait here until the three of them come back inside. Soo Youn Unnie really wants to talk to you about something she said was important.”

 

Ju Hyun goes to leave to the back but Min Jun catches her wrist as he stands. She twists around to face him with a confused expression. Did she forget to say something? Or maybe she said something wrong.

 

“I didn’t catch your name.” He says with a slight chuckle of awkwardness.

 

She smiles, “It’s Ju Hyun.”

 

 

 

 

BY the time Taec Yeon got back to his apartment, he forgot all about Soon Kyu living with him. Thankfully it didn’t take long for him to realize since she was sprawled out on the couch sleeping soundly with her pink jacket sprawled over her legs to keep herself warm.

 

“.” He murmurs, making sure not to wake her up, as he drops his bag on the carpeted floor next to the front door. He leans his back up against the door to slow himself down.

 

All he wanted to do when he got home was drink a can of beer before passing out on his bed. Today was too much, what with Soon Kyu appearing left and right, and having to deal with Jae and Soo Youn yelling at him. Now, he comes home, to find her. It’s all way too much.

 

He sighs as he walks over to her. She should be sleeping in the guest bedroom, not here. With her arms loosely wrapped around his shoulders, he manages to place his arms underneath her legs and left her into his arms.

 

The guest bedroom isn’t too far away from where they already were, maybe five steps away at the most. Once he reaches the door, he bumps it open with his hip, and steps in. The bed isn’t too big and is probably not what Soon Kyu is used to but it’s good enough for the little while she’ll be here.

 

He sets her down softly on the bed before pulling off her heels, and lifting the blankets over her body. A sudden pang of panic runs through his mind when he realizes he’s moving his body closer to her just to kiss her forehead.

 

He cusses quietly before leaving to the kitchen as silently as possible. He did not expect to find what he does. Plastic grocery bags everywhere, and on the counter Galbi on a white platter with a bowl of rice next to it.

 

A note sits next to both of them.

 

Taec Yeon grabs a hold of it and takes a seat on one of his mismatched chairs.

 

Taec Yeon—

 

            I feel like I owe you an apology. You must think I’m a horrible person for the way our relationship turned out, and you finding out about everything the way you did. If anything you should’ve learned about it from me. I’m sorry about that. Truly.

 

            Seeing as I’ll be staying with you, for the cost I should at least tell you the truth about me, and my life. My name is Lee Soon Kyu; I’ve lived in Gangnam all my life and have never strayed away from it. I don’t have a rich family; we’re pretty middle class actually. And to be honest I don’t even know a rich family. I don’t own a designer store either—it’s my dream though. I love fashion, you know that. I attend college sometimes, once in a while, when I feel like it. But I never go consistently. Soo Youn would tell you it’s because I like to date the guys from there but it’s not true. It’s not like you attend there.

 

            I met Soo Youn in my first year of middle school. She was weird, and so was I. We became friends that’s when I met her brother. I never liked her brother. He was nerdy and over protective—still is if you ask me. We use to get into fights all the time, and as you know we still do. That’s why he said those things. We hate each other. I liked her adopted parents, they were sweet. Especially her mom—but I don’t want to get into any details about them.

 

            Um, let’s see: I’ve never owned any pets though I would really like a kitten at some point. My goal is not to grow up and have a big family but rather just live my life the way I love it. My favorite color is yellow—I didn’t like about that—and it’s probably the reason I dyed my hair blonde. My favorite actress is Kim Hee Sun; I strive to be as beautiful as her when I’m her age.

 

            One last thing: I began to think about my stalker and I remembered something that might help. About four or so months before we went out I saw someone at college purposefully bump into a man that looks vaguely like my stalker. I went over and helped the man pick up all his things and help him up as well. I think that’s when I first saw and met him.

 

            Anyways, I’m really sorry Taec Yeon. I never meant to hurt you. I won’t lie to you ever again—I promise.

 

—Soon Kyu

 

P.S: Please forgive me. I don’t like it when you’re mad at me. If it helps: I made you your favorite.

 

Taec Yeon couldn’t help but frown when he places the note down. Did he seriously know that little about her? From what it seems all he did know is the fact that her favorite color is yellow.

 

He doesn’t find it fair. She knew everything about him. Didn’t she ever feel guilty about lying to him? He must’ve looked like a freaking idiot for believing everything she said. A fashion designer? A rich family? He’s a cop why didn’t he ever try and investigate the matter?

 

“You’re back?”

 

Taec Yeon glances in the direction of the sleepy voice to find Soon Kyu slowly walking out and toward him as she yawns. “Yeah. Go back to bed.” He dismisses her and waves his hand out toward her to practically show his distaste in having her out here with me.

 

“You’re still mad?” She asks while taking a seat across from him.

 

He resists the urge to laugh cynically, “How can I stop being mad when you just gave me more things to be pissed about?” She gapes at him in misunderstanding. She gave all that information for him to understand who she really is and what she’s really about.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“I know.” He spits back as an overwhelming feeling resides in her stomach and suddenly tears bubble up in her eyes.

 

“I messed up. I know it. I’m sorry.” Suddenly she can’t hold her emotions in anymore and she lets her tears flow and her voice crack. Taec Yeon didn’t notice her crying until he glances up at her and with wide eyes watches as her head dips into her chest and her hands fist into her sweater.

 

He’s not quite sure why, or what compelled him to do so—but he got up from the chair he was sitting on, pulled Soon Kyu to a standing position where she avoided his eye sight, and wrapped her into a hug; her head resting on his chest, and his hands her back.

 

He hates her so much that he loved her just as much or maybe a little more. But it frustrates him just as much; because he’s positive that if she never lied to him that they would be okay and maybe she wouldn’t have broken up with him because she wouldn’t have felt how she did.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

She manages to mumble against his chest and all he does his tighten his hold on her and nod. He wants to yell at her. Tell her she’s crazy. But a part of him, a big part of him, just wants to hold her until she pushes him away.

 

“I can’t say it’s okay because between you and me it’s not. But I forgive you—for the most part. Just don’t lie to me again.” She nods against his chest and the two keep still afterwards never wavering from their position.

 

Dictionary:

1. Galbi: Generally refers to a variety of gui or grilled dishes in Korean cuisine that are made with marinated beef short ribs in a ganjang-based sauce.