CHAPTER 11: STRUGGLING

According to Youngmi’s father, aunt had been kicked and hit by something, possibly by metal bars or baseball bats. He had suggested calling the police but aunt had been coming to her senses and immediately rejected the idea. When we suggested taking her to the hospital, she had grabbed the bedsheet, looking scared, and stated she’d stay home. After Youngmi’s father left the house, aunt had locked me and Eunwoo out of the room, not letting us in even if we begged. For the rest of the evening, she didn’t come out of the room.

Me and Eunwoo sat next to each other in the living room’s sofa and I tried to comfort Eunwoo, whom I had never seen this vulnerable and openly emotional. He had shed a few tears after we had been locked out of the room, and now he just sat there like a statue, staring into somewhere far where I couldn’t reach.

“She will be alright”, I tried to convince him. “When she’ll be strong enough, we’ll get to know who did this to her.”

“It’s my mother we’re talking about!” he suddenly burst out, staring at me. “I need the answers now! I want to know what kind of bastards did this to her!”

I opened my mouth, trying to say something, but no words came out. I ended up just sighing and looking down at my hands. Of course Eunwoo felt more triggered than I did. She was my aunt, but we had only met once or twice before I moved into this house. I definitely cared about her, she was my family. But she was Eunwoo’s mother. She had been his whole family ever since his father left them. I tried to imagine myself into his place, but the sad reality couldn’t let the image sink in – my mother had abandoned me years ago.

I tried my best to think about it – who would have a reason to beat up my aunt?

“Hold on…” I whispered. I realized I had seen a bruise on her arm over a month ago. Could it be linked to this? “Eunwoo, do you think aunt is meeting someone?”

Eunwoo turned back to look at me. The look in his eyes was confused. “No, I don’t think so. She hasn’t been dating since dad left.”

I frowned. So it couldn’t be an abusive boyfriend. I didn’t even consider loan sharks – she was a hardworking woman who was paid well. Why in the world would someone want to hurt her? I sighed and crossed my arms.

“We will find out the culprit”, I stated. “Aunt will tell us once she feels strong enough.”

They were only words, but they were able to calm both me and Eunwoo down. At least for now.

The next day at school felt like slow torture. All I could think about was aunt lying on her bed all bruised and Eunwoo crying. He had decided to stay home for the day and I had agreed. He was too shaken to come to school, and in the case aunt would come out of her room, it would be good if someone was there to talk to her.

On the lunchbreak Minhyuk and Youngmi seemed very surprised and confused when Sanha came up to our table and sat down next to me. I had forgotten to tell them about him. He glanced at my friends shyly, nodded as a greeting and then started eating.

“This is Yoon Sanha”, I introduced him. I couldn’t not notice how my voice came out very monotone, like I was a robot. “He’ll eat with us from now on.”

“Hello! I’m Hwang Youngmi! You’re on the first grade, right?” Youngmi introduced herself smiling widely at the boy who nodded as a reply.

“I’m Park Minhyuk”, Minhyuk introduced himself shortly.

I started getting immersed in my thoughts the moment everybody started to eat. I could only eat a few mouthfuls and then just stared at my plate with a blank expression. Minhyuk seemed to sense my mood as he was quieter than normally today. Youngmi, instead, was busy trying to socialize Sanha, asking him a lot of questions and talking to him nonstop.

After lunch we were heading back to the classroom, and me being still immersed in my worried thoughts, I didn’t look where I was stepping. Only when someone stepped into the hallway from an another classroom, right in front of me. I looked up, but it was too late. I already felt myself losing my balance and starting to fall down. The tall boy surprising me, anyhow, grabbed my arm and held me up so I wouldn’t fall. I could see my friends entering the classroom before me and leaving me behind, not noticing me at all.

“Clumsy as ever”, I heard Bin sighing into my ear.

If I had been completely myself, the butterflies in my stomach would have gone crazy from the sudden interaction, and just the sensation of his breath on my ear might’ve had my knees going weak. But now I just stared right in front of me stalely and backed away from his hold.

“Sorry”, I said. “I should’ve looked in front of me.”

“Is something wrong?” he smirked at me. “You seem a bit tame.”

“None of your business”, I sighed and was about to pass him.

“Not so fast!” he said and stepped in my way. “I just saved you from an embarrassing fall. I won’t charge you if you tell me what’s up.”

I sighed. “I don’t have the energy for your games today. My aunt is all bruised up from getting beat up or something so I really just want you to leave me alone and – “, I snapped out of my thoughts as I realized I was rambling. My eyes widened and I looked up at Bin who was staring back at me with a shocked expression. This was new. Something else than smirking, frowning or just seriousness.

He grabbed my wrist. “Follow me.”

I tried to refuse but him being a lot more powerful than me, I found myself being dragged through the hallway, into the main hall and under the stairs – it seemed like the only silent and peaceful place in the whole school. He let go of my wrist and as I stared at him, waiting for him to open his mouth, he started walking in circles, looking clearly troubled. He scratched his head and stopped to look at me before letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Did you have something to say?” I asked.

He crossed his arms. “Did you say your aunt was beaten up?”

“Yes I did”, I replied shortly. “Don’t even think about spreading that.”

“No, no, no”, he chanted. “Not that. What happened, who did that?”

“I don’t know!” I cried out. “The doctor said she has been kicked and hit with something like metal bars or baseball bats. From the amount of the bruises, I’d say it wasn’t just one person.”

I didn’t know why I told this to him. I didn’t tell any of it to Minhyuk or Youngmi, so why him? I just wanted to get the culprit caught and end it all. I glanced at Bin and I was shocked at his expression. He looked like a deer in the headlights, his eyes widened and not being able to focus anywhere. His pupils were shaking and he brought his hands at the back of his head. He looked scared. What in the world was happening?

“Bin...?” I called his name.

“Why… just why would….”, he chanted quietly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Think about it, Minji”, he whispered, looking straight into my eyes. “Whose secretary is she?”

I frowned a little bit before feeling my eyes grow larger. “What are you trying to – “

“I don’t know!” he burst out. “Maybe she found out something she shouldn’t have or…”

“Are you telling me your father beat up my aunt?” I asked him, trying to keep calm.

Bin stopped walking around and just stared at me with a sad expression. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumours. Something about my family.”

I felt a sting in my heart. I’m sure his father has some sort of underground connections. Youngmi’s words that had been haunting my mind earlier too. I gasped and stared back at Bin. Did this mean his father really was part of a gang? And my aunt had been working for him. I felt my pupils starting to shake as I tried to find some rationality in the whole plot. Maybe aunt had found something suspicious while going through her boss’ documents and got in trouble because of that. But if there was gangs and criminals included, getting the culprits to pay for their crimes… it would be very hard, impossible even. I felt my knees get weak and squatted down.

“Are you alright?” Bin asked, kneeling down to look me. Unintentionally I flinched further away from him. He stared at me with large eyes. “Why…? I’m not my father. I don’t beat up people.”

My thoughts wandered back to the day and situation I first saw Bin. That day he was fighting with an another student and even hurt Minhyuk while doing that. I remembered the hateful expression on his face, the way he kicked the soda can in rage and spit blood from his mouth. I also remembered that the fight’s other counterpart was far more seriously injured than Bin. He could fight, and he did too. I don’t beat up people. Sounded like empty words. I sighed, not feeling very good, and slowly got up. Bin followed my lead, still looking at me, waiting for me to say something.

“I need to go”, I whispered and rushed away.

I didn’t care about the fact there was an important lesson starting in no time or about the fact my jacket and backpack were still in the classroom. I ran out of the main doors and before I even noticed, the school’s gates were far behind me. I ran as fast as I could. I needed to go home. I needed to tell Eunwoo. I needed to clarify everything with aunt. I felt tears forming in my eyes, without knowing the exact reason. I felt too shaken, I just wanted to crawl up in bed and sleep for weeks, and when I’d wake up everything would be just a bad dream.

I hopped on a bus, and I don’t know if it was because of the shock or my sudden spurt running away from school, but I felt so nauseous I thought I’d throw up in the bus. I managed to hold it in until I stepped in from our apartment’s door. I rushed to the bathroom past Eunwoo, who stood in the hallway staring at me with large eyes. As soon as I closed the restroom’s door I threw up. And then the tears came too. There I was, sitting on the floor, crying and wiping vomit off my face.

I felt bad for aunt. I felt bad for Eunwoo. I felt bad for myself. Why did it have to be Bin’s father? He seemed like such a nice person back when we ate dinner together. I guess you can’t judge the book from its cover. I sniffed and closed my eyes. What would happen? If aunt was beaten up like this, she could never go back to work. And one thing was sure, if her boss was messing around with the underworld, the police wouldn’t have enough power over them to make it stop. I thought about Bin’s scared expression when he realized how things were. Was he scared for me and my family or his father? I felt myself thinking it would be just natural for him to fear for his father. I tried to dry off my tears but they kept on flowing.

“Minji”, I heard Eunwoo call my name behind the door. “What is wrong? Did someone hurt you?”

I opened my mouth but instead of words, a hiccup came out. I took a deep breath. “I know what happened.”

The next minutes were hectic. As I told him how things were, his expression went from confused to shocked and then furious. He got up, eyes shooting fire, and swore he’d go and beat up both Bin and his father. He was so upset I felt almost scared of him. I had never seen him angry before. As he was grabbing his jacket and headed to the door to put his shoes on, I rushed to the door to block his way and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him and trying to calm him down. He glared at me, still obviously furious, but didn’t try to get past me. He turned around, let out a subhuman growl and started walking around, cursing and threw his jacket against the living room’s window. I flinched a little bit but tried to keep calm and stood in place, ready to block Eunwoo’s way again if necessary.

Suddenly we both heard a door opening. We turned to look at aunt’s room’s door. It slowly opened and aunt stepped out of the room, looking exhausted but not as spaced out as the day before. She took a few slow steps until she stood face to face with her son. Then she wrapped her hands around his neck and hugged him. Eunwoo’s hands responded immediately and found their place on her waist, gently pulling her closer. And then they both started crying. I had to admit I did feel awkward, just standing there, watching them hug and cry together.

“Are you alright?” Eunwoo asked his mother.

“I’m better”, she replied, nodding to him.

“It was your boss, wasn’t it?” Eunwoo asked.

After a short silence, aunt sighed and nodded. “But there’s no use in you knowing that. His connections are too great. The police can’t help. I’m really lost. I have no idea what I can do now. If I go back there, they will beat me again and – “

“They?” I interrupted her. “It wasn’t just him?”

“Why would he lay a finger on me when he can order his subordinates to do that?” she sighed and looked down, finally breaking the hug between her and Eunwoo.

“There must be something we can do”, Eunwoo said. “Minhyuk’s father is a police. Maybe we could talk to him.”

I nodded. “I can call Minhyuk and ask for his number.”

Eunwoo helped her mother to sit down on the sofa and went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. I sat next to her. “Aunt, promise me to just stay home for the time being. We will try to solve this.”

Soon after I went to my room and called Minhyuk.

“Minji!” he said as he picked up the call. “You disappeared from school! What happened?”

“It’s a long story”, I stated quickly, trying to get to my point. “Could you give me your father’s number?”

“What do you need that for?” Minhyuk asked.

“I’ll explain later! I’m in bit of a hurry”, I said.

“I see, alright”, he replied, and I couldn’t not notice he sounded a bit hurt by the fact I didn’t tell him. He told the phone number to me and as I thanked him, he just sighed a goodbye and ended the call. I stared at my phone for a moment. I had pretty much shut him off completely. I felt guilty. We hadn’t had a proper talk since the day me and Bin returned from the mountains. I really needed to talk to him. But right now wasn’t the time for that.

I quickly tapped the digits onto my phone and dialled the number. Surprisingly, the call was picked up immediately.

“Hello?” a deep male voice greeted me.

“Hello, Mr. Park”, I greeted him. “I’m Ryu Minji, a friend of Minhyuk’s.”

“Ah, hello Minji!” the man’s voice became softer. “What could be the reason for you to call me?”

I took a deep breath and started explaining the situation. I told everything from aunt’s first bruises last month to her getting completely beaten up, about her company’s president’s gang connections, everything. And he listened. He made some smart remarks in between my telling, but I felt assured I’d get some help from him as he listened to everything I told and seemed to believe it all. After I finally got it all off my heart, I got quiet and waited for him to say something.

“Well, basically we should get his underground connections and crimes out there, for everybody to see. Once the police know his doings are suspicious, it’ll be easier to accuse him of assault. But the hard part is, how do we get proof of his gang connections? I don’t think your aunt is willing to return to her workplace to get something that would pass for a proof.”

I thought about his words for a while. Everything he said seemed so well-thought and rational. But everything he said was true. I was sure aunt had seen something that she should’ve not. That’s why she got beaten up the first time I saw her bruises. Maybe she was threatening to call the police and that’s why she got beaten up again. Then I realized I only had one person left to ask for help.

“There is someone who might be able to do something to help us”, I sighed.

“And who is that?” Mr. Park asked.

“Moon Bin”, I replied shortly. “Our criminal’s son.”

“Would he betray his father?” the question hit me hard in the face. I really didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t have any idea”, I admitted. “But he’s my friend… I can try to talk to him.”

Calling Bin my friend sounded so wrong and unfitting. We had never been friends. We started as enemies and now I didn’t even know what our relationship was. We obviously didn’t dislike each other anymore but we still argued all the time… but there was a little spark glowing every time we talked. Expect for this afternoon. I sighed. How could I ask him for help after basically running away from him just hours before?

After ending the call, I came out of my room, just to see Eunwoo and my aunt sitting on the sofa, glancing at me with curious looks. “Did you call him?” Eunwoo asked.

I nodded. “But there is one problem. We have to prove that Mr. Moon is a criminal.”

Aunt sighed. “That’ll be hard.”

“I’ll talk with Bin”, I said.

“What?” Eunwoo asked with a sharp voice. “I think you should stay away from him.”

“Are you talking about Mr. Moon’s son?” aunt asked. “He seemed like a decent boy.”

I nodded at her. “He is a troublemaker in his own way… but I don’t think he’ll hurt me or anything. He’s the one that got left behind at the mountains with me.”

After looking thoughtful for a short moment, aunt flashed me a small smile. “Talk to him. Tell him that what his father does is wrong and it shouldn’t continue.”

I nodded. It seemed simple – calling him, asking him to meet me, telling him that I needed his help to get his own father behind the bars. I sighed. Why did I have to become tangled in something like this?