Page 19, Drunk
Enchanted - a story of us -
Iseul, Song
"Miss? Miss?" a voice wakes me up as I feel someone is shaking my shoulder gently. "I'm sorry but you can't sleep here."
I open my eyes and find a security officer nods politely while I rub my eyes, realizing that the night has fallen, "Sorry, Miss, but it's not safe for you to be alone at this time..."
I look at my watch and realize that it's already 10 at night. Looks like I've fallen asleep for at least an hour already. I guess my eyes are just too tired after crying non stop.
"Thank you," I force a smile, tightening my grip on the brown envelope which is on my lap. "I will return soon. Thank you for your concern."
He walks away after telling me once again to take care of myself because it's really late already. I drop my gaze on the envelope and open it once again to read the letter.
His handwriting hasn't changed. It's still the messy handwriting and his signature is as simple as ever. The letter doesn't bring me any happy news though.
"Dear my one and only daughter, Iseul,
it's been a while since the last time I wrote you a letter, right? How are you? I'm sure you're doing alright! Of course you are! You are my daughter anyway!
I hear you have a boyfriend now and he is an idol. Is that true? Wow, he must be really rich! You are indeed my daughter! I'm proud of you, Iseul!
You know that I miss you and your mother. Ever since you two left, my life is a mess and I must borrowed money here and there.
Remember Park Jinsu, my friend who worked as a debt collector? He helped me a lot and he would bring this letter to you.
I promise I will return your money later but, for now, can you please pay the debt for me, my little daughter? I promise when we gather together again, I will return your money 100%. No! 200%!
Jinsu will send you the details after your received this letter. For the time being, I can't be reached, but don't wory because it won't be long.
Tell your mother that I also miss her!
I love you, my little Princess.
Song Kiseung,
Your father"
This is the second letter I received from my father since we left him, running away to have a better life. Who knows that he is cruel enough to borrow money and use my name as the third party to take care of his debt.
Park Jinsu, the person who handed over this letter, is an old friend of my father who worked in a bank. My father is hiding his where about so the bank can't find him. That way Mr Park, being the responsible worker there, comes to me.
The first time, Mr Park thought it won't happen again. Now that it happened once again, I know I couldn't blame him for letting my father to borrow the money at the first place.
I tuck in my hand inside the envelope and take out the greeting card. It's a white and simple birthday card; yes, it's a birthday card.
I open it and find my father's signature and two lines of words he wrote on the card.
"Saengil chukkae, Iseul!
Love you."
A single tear escapes my eyes as I read those words. I bite my bottom lip to prevent myself from crying again, "Why did you remember my birthday? Why do you make me unable to hate you? Why?"
As soon as I left my apartment after Myungsoo's visit, I came to this place, the river where my father used to bring me when I was still a little girl.
Every Sunday he would bring me here with my mother. It's an old story years ago, before he got trapped with alcohol and money.
For hours I just sat here, reading the letters and birthday card over and over again. I didn't know how long I had been staring at the sky, laying down on the grass, until I fell asleep.
I guess I just can't stop remembering the past, hoping that one day three of us will come here together again. Maybe I'm just waiting for one day that will never come.
"I need to return now...," I murmur to no one and check my phone which I put in silence mode. My eyes widen in surprise when I see forty two missed calls and thirty three new text messages.
All from Yonghwa.
"Where are you, Iseul?" "Why didn't you answer my call?" "Are you alright?" "At least answer my text message. I'm really worried." "Iseul, where are you?" "Iseul, are you mad at me?"
Ironically reading those messages somehow makes me feel the disappointment arises again. Even my messed up father sends me a birthday card but Yonghwa doesn't even say anything to me.
"Who are you to him anyway, Iseul?" I scoff and stand up carefully, putting back my phone in my pocket. "We're nothing but two persons bind with a contract...."
I walk back to my apartment with unfocused mind. I stop when I walk pass a 24 hours convenience store and decide to buy something to drink.
My hand stops in the middle of the air when I want to grab a bottle of strawberry milk. My eyes stop on a can of beer.
I guess it's not a crime to drink different stuff once in a while.
Yonghwa, Jung
I snap back into my senses when I hear the sound of closed door. I rub my eyes and glance at the clock just to find that it's thirty minutes to eleven at night.
I fell asleep on the sofa when I was waiting for Iseul to return to her apartment. I called her again and again. I kept texting her but there's nothing from her.
My manager called me but I told him that I had something important to do. I know it's not good for me to stay until this late here but I'm too worried about Iseul.
I can't leave before I know that she is alright.
"Iseul?" I stand up and rush to the front door. It can't be someone else but her, right?
And, thankfully, I'm right.
She just took off her shoes when our eyes meet. She looks miserable with swollen eyes. I also notice that she has a brown envelope in her right hand.
Without waiting for a word from her, I pull her into a hug. The brown envelope falls on the floor while I close my eyes and whisper, "You're alright... Thanks God you're alright..."
My words stop when I smell alcohol from her. I hold her shoulders firmly and break the hug. I frown and observe her blank expression, "Did you... Did you just drink beer, Iseul?"
She shakes her head slowly and pushes me away slightly, walking pass me with small steps. I grab her wrist and make her face me again, "Iseul, where did you go?"
I cup her cheeks because she avoids my gaze lazily, "Why didn't you answer my call? Don't you know how worried I was? It's this late already and you returned after drinking beer? Iseul, wha-"
Iseul suddenly wraps my neck and crashes her lips on mine. She tiptoes a little and, slowly but sure, deepens the kiss between us.
She stops all my nagging in a second, making me to hold back my words. I can taste the alcohol vividly, lingering on her lips.
After the five seconds which last like forever, she breaks the kiss and steps backwards with unfocused gaze as she murmurs, "What... I'm..."
I just freeze on my stand while she rushes to her own room. I quickly catch up with her when I hear she bangs herself to the door because she can't stand properly.
"Iseul, let me-" I was going to help her to the bed but she tosses my hand away.
That's when I realize she is actually crying. She walks farther from me until she reaches the edge of her bed.
"I'm sorry...," she buries her face in her hands, sitting on her bed. "I just want everything to be back like how it supposed to be..."
I have no idea why she is apologizing but my heart aches when I hear her cries. I slowly approach her and sit next to her. I gently take her hand so I can see her face.
I hold her hand and use my other hand to wipe her tears with my thumb, "Don't cry, Iseul..."
She looks up at me with her teary eyes. Strange how she looks so beautiful even when she is crying. My heart skips a beat when she touches my cheek with her delicate fingers.
As if I can't control my body, I lean closer to her until our lips meet.
The kiss is gentle and slow at first but it turns into a passionate one as I wrap her waist with my arm.
She grabs my collar when she lays down on her bed, making sure that the kiss will not stop. I use my left arm to prevent my body from falling on hers.
None of us says a word but all I know is I don't want tonight to end yet.
I don't know if she is really drunk because of alcohol and I don't know if the first kiss I had with her is the reason why I lose my mind now...
...or maybe both of us are just too drunk in love tonight.
__________
Author's Note:
I was blushing real hard when I wrote this chapter? *gasps*
I hope this chapter is a good one...
*grins*
I hope this chapter is a good one...
*grins*
Comments