Genre: Action, Angst, Crime, Romance

Summary: They say don’t run away from your problems, but Kim Minju and Ahn Yujin are doing just that. They ironically find themselves fleeing from unfortunate turn of events in the same place, for scarily similar reasons.

Word Count: 11997

Hashtag: #JinjooFiestaS2_SafeHaven

 

Safe Haven

 

AHN YUJIN

 

“Will you be my girlfriend?” he asked. His hair that usually stuck up in the back all slicked down. I giggled, He was someone who was always cheesy and yet adorable at the same time

 

It was our school’s homecoming when he asked to be my boyfriend and i don’t know why, but being asked by him gave me confidence in myself. So I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

 

But that was the beginning.

 

I don’t know how long I am staring at the clock in our small living room. He still wasn’t home yet, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

 

I finally went inside the small bedroom and crawled into bed. The tiny bed creaked and groaned like always. To most people, He and I looked like a regular happy couple.

 

But we definitely were not.

 

The rest of my night was being a complete nervous wreck, waiting for him.

 

His car pulled up in the parking lot of the ty apartment we lived in. I examined various bruises on my arms that were all made by him when he was in his angry, drunken state of mind, and I just prayed to God that he wouldn’t be that way tonight like how I pray every other night.

 

“I’m exhausted.” Lucas grumbled.

 

He wandered in the kitchen and I trailed behind like a lost pup I watched his face went from a state of peace to a state of rage.

 

“What the heck! I put twenty dollars on the counter when I left!” I felt all the air in my lungs escape for a quick moment.

 

“It’s okay, I- I’ll just set it over-”

 

He slapped me in the face and I knew it would be another one of those nights.

 

My parents hated him because of his tattoos and he smoke and I didn’t understand them because I was happy with him. So we ran away.

 

We ran away like we know what the future holds.

 

“I’m going to keep you safe, baby.” He said, and I hope that one day, someone would tell that to me and mean it.

 

He slammed me against the kitchen counter and I yelped in pain. He smirked and started to come near me slowly, and in that time I pulled my leg back and kicked him in the shin. I heard him hiss in pain and I stood up running to my room.

 

I grabbed two emergency bags under the bed. I had hid them for this kind of situation, because a part of me knew that this was coming all along.

 

“What was that for?!” He shouted as I tried to get through the doorway. He grabbed my shoulder and I was sent into the wall.

 

“You- you think you can control me!” I said, my voice wavering. “I’ve let you make me things I never wanted to! You have become a monster and I can’t tame you.” With that, I left quickly as I could. Scared that he might follow me. 

 

I got into my car in the dead of the night and drove off into the great unknown. I should have been terrified because I had nowhere to go, barely any money, and no plans.

 

But I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders, because I knew that this could be a new start for me. After all the years of abuse -physically and emotionally, I am escaping. I am free.

 

KIM MINJU

 

I looked down at my phone, frowning slightly at it. So far, I have received two of these strange threatening messages and they were all sent to a private email address that I told nobody to.

 

Something that nobody could guess.

 

Or so I thought.

 

It sent chills down my spine and all the way back up when I read over the message;

 

Kim Minju must die.

 

I wanted to know who would send something like this to me. I wanted to know how they found out my practically impossible email address that consisted of a bunch of letters and numbers. But most importantly, I wanted to know what I did wrong that someone wanted me to die.

 

Instead of curling up into a ball and cry. I was forced to put on a smile. All I wanted was this to end and some answers.

 

I didn’t tell anyone as usual. I figured that this would blow away with the wind, just some hater who just so happened to get my very complicated email.

 

Whoever they were, they’d go away.

 

But I was wrong.

 

With my ice cold water bottle in my hand, I ran off to my entrance platform and shook all of the nerves on.

 

You’ve got this, Minju, you’re gonna do great.

 

My phone rang and I raised an eyebrow, I thought I silenced it for the show. Setting my water bottle down, I looked at the screen and clicked on the email that I received.

 

Kim Minju WILL die.

 

In an instant, my blood ran as ice cold. It was from the same person who I hadn’t dared to reply to anyone.

Normally after about ten minutes after I’d received the message, I would manage to calm myself down, reassuring to myself that whoever it was, was probably twelve and wants some attention.

 

But I was very wrong.

 

*

 

“How’s everybody doing tonight?” I shouted, causing the crowd to scream.

 

“Well, I’m afraid this is gonna be the final song for tonight.” The audience shouted some “boos” and “awww” and I shake my head, laughing again.

 

I looked at the crowd and all I could see is darkness, and some lights flashing here and there.

 

“I can’t believe this is my last show for the tour.” I said. “It’s been a crazy ride but I’ll miss seeing you, guys!”

 

The crowd gives me more “Aww” while some are crying. But from the corner of my eye, I could see a girl at the VIP section with something covering her face. I assumed it was some type of religious preference that she had to wear, but that didn’t seem like the case.

 

The crowd was chanting something I couldn’t quite understand but I only smiled, looking back at the girl with the mask.

 

She smirked at me and pulled out her phone. I assumed that she would take pictures of me, but instead my phone buzzed. It was another email. I clicked on it and read the words on the screen over a million times.

 

Time for Kim Minju to die.

 

Suddenly, there was a loud boom and I heard many shrill and terrified screams. In the same instant, I watched a bullet fly right passed my head. Within a few seconds, the whole arena was in chaos.

 

The staff covered me and I looked over to where the girl was standing. Only this time, she was gone. Out of sight, like she wasn’t even real. Just a figment of my imagination.

 

I saw one of my bodyguards looking at me, worried and upset.

 

“Are you getting some threats? Why wouldn’t you say something?!” He raged, wiping his sweat-drenched face. “Nevermind that. This is putting your whole career in danger, do you realize that?” 

 

I couldn’t speak. My eyes are wide with fear and my hands are trembling immensely. I was barely breathing. My manager reached over and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me.

 

“Minju, we need to get you out of here. You’re in danger standing around here. We’re taking you into hiding.”

 

And with those words, my life changed forever.

 

AHN YUJIN

 

After hours of driving through the pitch black of night, a practically empty tank of gas, I found a cheap Motel that I will be calling my temporary home.

 

I checked the bold lettered vacancy sign that was under the ‘Motel’ sign and all my fears washed away.

 

I pushed through the front doors and into the lobby. There was a woman who looked around fifty years old with a cigarette on her hand, and as soon as she saw me she flicked the of the cigarette and threw it in a nearby ash tray.

 

“Welcome to Lakepoint Inn.” She smiled wide as I approached the desk. 

 

“I’m here to get a room.” I said and the woman nods.

 

When I entered my room, there was only one bed since I rented one of the cheapest rooms available.

 

I glanced at my phone, It was already five in the morning and another sleepless night for me. I set my bags down on the desk and I sat on the bed. I let out a loud whoosh of air and lay back on the stiff bed.

 

KIM MINJU

 

Here I am, on my way to a run down the farthest Motel in the middle of nowhere.

My manager suggested that I would have to have a phone call meeting with the head of my management. 

 

I pulled into a parking lot. I looked up to see a bold sign that said ‘LAKEPOINT INN’ and below is a vacancy sign. Sighing, I grabbed my luggage and went to my new room. My manager already gotten a key and everything in advance, as well as a promise that my presence here would be kept as a secret until everything is safe for me.

 

The place wasn’t all that impressive, but I had some upgrades like a flat screen and a bigger bathroom, as well as a queen sized bed and a mini fridge.

 

For the most of the day, I wasted hours away flipping through the 30 cable channels. I wasn’t allowed to say something to the fans saying about my situation or if I am alright. 

 

God, I am a wreck.

 

Grabbing my wallet, I went outside into the open and down the flight of stairs from room forty-two and down to the front lobby.

 

I walked over to a brightly lit crane machine, there were various cheap stuffed animals resting on the bottom. I grabbed some spare change from my wallet and inserted them in the coin slot.

 

“Get the turtle.” A voice from behind me said. I jumped and spun around to see another girl maybe a few years younger than me.

 

“The turtle in the middle?” I asked her and she nodded. I put my hands back over the buttons, concentrating on getting the turtle. I pressed down on the drop down button and watched her face light up as she saw I won the turtle.

 

“You did it! I could never won a prize in a claw machine.” She giggled. The way she talks to me tells that she didn’t know who I was.

 

“I’m Yujin.” she said smiling.

 

“I’m Minju. It’s nice to meet you.”

 

AHN YUJIN

 

I can’t believe a famous popstar was standing in front of me, although I didn’t have a single clue why she’d be here. She was this incredibly successful who had it all- the fame, the fortune, and the looks. And there was me- a shame to her parents and a victim of abuse by her boyfriend.

 

For the next three hours, we sat in front of the television and I couldn’t help but wonder what goes on in Minju’s head- was she onto me all along and decided to spend time with me as a charity case because if you look at me from the outside, i’m a lost cause. 

 

Or was she genuinely enjoying herself?

 

“So where’s your parents?” She raised her eyebrow in curiosity and I mentally cursed myself for getting into this mess.

 

“Uhm... they went out for a bit.” I lied swiftly, although my heart was still pounding.

 

“So why are you here?” Minju asked.

 

I paused for a second because I didn’t knew she’d ask that kind of question and I really don’t know how to answer it. 

 

“It’s complicated.” I simply answered. “What about you?”

 

“It’s complicated.” she smiled weakly. 

 

After our conversation we head back to our rooms. It was eight ‘o clock when I decided to end the day when my phone rang.

 

My stomach turned when I saw that the message was from Lucas. I bit my lip and read it over three times:

 

Don’t get too comfy where you at.

 

Because i’ll find you somehow.

 

And you’ll regret ever leaving me.

 

*

The night passed by and it was morning, I was awaken by the pain in my back. I groaned, sitting up, the memories flooding back to me. That awful night, stumbling across this place, and Minju. It was crazy to think that all of those happened in the last 48 hours, but they did.

 

I got up and get ready for today.

 

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and my eyebrows shot up. Could it be Minju? Did she really care enough that she wanted to hangout with me again? After all, she barely knew anything about me.

 

I opened the door just a little so that she couldn’t really see what’s inside our room, because it was messy and especially there was only one bed and I was supposed to be here with my “parents”.

 

In the doorway stood Minju, the same giddy smile was plastered on her face. She had a light wash jean and hoodie much expensive than mine. 

 

“Hey, Yujin,” She greeted me, pulling my body in for a hug. I smiled and hugged her back.

 

“It’s been a while.” I joked, smirking at her. She laughed shyly and stuffed her hand on her pocket, pulling out a flyer. On the top in big, bold letter, I read:

 

Lakepoint View- canoeing, swimming, fishing! 

 

“I saw this ad on the lobby today.” She began, looking up at me. “And I thought, you know, as long as you consider me a friend that you’d wanna hang out with. And if it’s okay with your parents.”

 

I nodded and smiled.

 

“Minju, that sounds great. And I’m sure they won’t mind.” I at the inside of my cheek. Minju raised an eyebrow at me and glanced at the parking lot.

 

“If your parents are here, how come the only cars parked are mine, and yours?” She questioned, eyeing me suspiciously. Well, damn, Yujin. Think.

 

“Well, my mom went out to get groceries and my Dad decided to go along.” The words come out faster than I could even process them in my brain.

 

“Oh right,” She nodded. “So are you ready to go now? I’ve got some food and thought we’d head out on a canoe for lunch.” She shrugged. I love how she came up with these things ahead of time and genuinely cared. It had been a long time since someone actually cared for me.

 

“I’m ready now!” I beamed. “Just let me grab some of my things and we can go.” 

 

She nodded and our eyes locked for a second before I quickly looked away.

 

*

 

After a beautiful afternoon of canoeing and just talking, Minju took me out to eat at a small diner and after that, we ended the day.

 

“Did you have fun today?” She asked after we got into her car.

 

“Yes! The canoeing was my favorite part of our day.” I admitted, resting my head on the seat.

 

We pulled into the parking lot of the Motel and I sighed, happy to be returning to my room, where I could fall asleep and not have to think about my current situation. I loved being around Minju, but it was tiring putting this act on for her constantly, building up my new life upon lies.

 

“Thanks.” I smiled up at Minju. A light crimson blush appeared on her cheek.

 

“It’s no biggie. And thank you for coming with me.” She shrugged. “So, I thought you said your parents would be coming back today.” Well, damn. I had completely forgotten that. I was already drowning in my lies and it hadn’t even been two weeks.

 

“Uh, yeah, my mom called and said that she um, had to do something.” I lied hopelessly.

 

“Yeah? like what?” Minju said sarcastically.

 

“I don’t know,” I squeaked. “She’ll be back in the morning. I think, with my dad.” I managed to say.

 

“I think you’re lying, Yujin. And you know it.” Minju said, calmly. Her eyes melting into mine.

 

I was going to have to tell Minju.

 

Because there’s a part of me says that whatever I’ll say to Minju, she will never judge me and she’ll understand.

 

But I really don’t know how. Am I supposed to say; Hey extremely attractive and famous girl I just met, I ran away from home when I was sixteen with my abusive boyfriend.

 

Like hell I was gonna say that.

 

“Yujin, where are your parents?” She asked. “And the truth, this time.” 

 

“They’re probably in Nevada, that’s where they live.” I admitted in the tiniest voice I could muster.

 

“So they aren’t coming... they were never here.”

 

“Minju, I am so sorry for lying to you. I never wanted to but I just had to.” I blurted. “You don’t understand, I had to. And if you knew, then you’d agree with me.” I insisted.

 

Minju shifted to me and reached out but I coiled my hand back. It took me a second to realize that she was trying to hold my hand, and I felt stupid for resisting.

 

“I ran away from home when I was sixteen with... with my boyfriend and I am doing it again now.” I let out a deep breath. There was no way I am going to tell her what really happened. Not yet.

 

“I’m really sorry, Minju. I feel so bad for lying in your face.” Minju scooted over to me and wrapped her arms around me. I was frozen for a moment because I don’t understand why she is hugging me, but I found myself hugging her back.

 

“And if you think that I have no clue who you really are, I do.” I added which make Minju chuckled lightly.

 

“It’s okay, really. Don’t need to be sorry.” She sighed. “Well, I am also in a hideout. I don’t know what to call it but, yeah. My life is in danger.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Let’s just say that there is someone out there that wants me dead.” I tried to wipe away my tears. I didn’t know she’s in that kind of situation and here I am, trying to pity myself. 

 

“What situation did we get in?” I try to let out a laugh.

 

“You said you have a boyfriend? Where is he now?” Minju spoke after a long silence.

 

“Uh, he’s not in the picture anymore.”

 

“Oh, right.”

 

“But I really don’t want you to pity me. I’m fine and I am taking responsibilities of my actions.”

 

“Of course, Yujin. I understand.” Minju agreed.

 

“And I really hope that we can still be friends. After all of this.”

 

“Nothing changed, Yujin. We’re both in this situation now.” She said and I hope she means it.

 

*

LUCAS BROWN

 

With a beer in one hand and a phone in the other, I angrily hung up on Yujin’s mom who lived in Nevada. I let her know that Yujin left me, and when she asked for an answer, I told her that I thought I worked too much.

 

In my head, I planned on how I would find her, what I would do to her if I found her. She wouldn’t be able to leave the house again, that’s for sure.

 

Trying to get my mind off things, I went on the news. Scrolling through the different, pointless articles, I stopped dead on my tracks at one.

 

Sarah Miller, 21 said to attempt murder rising popstar, Kim Minju.

 

As quickly as I could, I grabbed my phone. Sarah Miller was one of my co-workers that I worked with a year ago, and we had a little thing going. Of course Yujin doesn’t have any idea about it. 

 

After I dialed her number, I waited for what felt like forever. I knew that she was an inspiring criminal investigator, and when she wanted to find people, she found them.

 

“Hello?” A feminine voice said on the other line. I smirked to myself.

 

“Sarah, it’s Lucas.” I said, “I have a question for you.”

 

I heard a faint giggle on the other end.

 

“Alright,” she exhaled. “I assume this is one of the biggest scandal on the news?”

 

I chuckled. “Sort of. You remember my girlfriend, Yujin? She left me about two weeks ago. So I wanted to propose an idea, an idea where we find your little popstar and my girlfriend.”

 

“You do realize that they hid Kim Minju in somewhere like a private island or something. I bet they won’t be anywhere near with each other.” 

 

“I don’t care. I’m going through with this. I’m getting my girlfriend back to me.”

 

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

 

I smirked and nodded, proud that I actually thought of something that worked really well while a bit tipsy.

 

AHN YUJIN

 

I woke up in a sweat, and now instead of my living room in my old house, I was in a dark room. It took me a few seconds to realize that I am in my motel room and I am safe. There was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I immediately sat up and slit out of bed. Having nightmares of Lucas isn’t a new thing for me.

 

I grabbed my phone off of the nightstand and checked the time, it’s already midnight. I looked at my recent messages, all that were from Him, Should I look at them, or should I just delete them like usual?

 

Deciding to just check on them and delete them, I clicked on the first one which was from yesterday.

 

From: Lucas

 

babe, i’m sorry. i acted like a jerk and i’m sorry.

 

I don’t know how you expect to survive without me. i gave you everything and you still complained about me.

 

youre so dumb. if i were you i’d come home now before you get yourself into trouble.

 

I didn’t hesitate to delete it, wanting to get those threatening words away from my view. The last one, however, was a phone call.

 

Hesitating, I clicked on the voice mail button and put the phone up to my ear.

 

“It’s me,” He said. “I just want to let you know that you won’t get away with leaving me. You were always so air-headed. You never really knew about technology, do you? Well, let me explain it to you. You see, my friend Sarah, showed me a way to track someone down by their cell. Looks like we’ll be seeing each other again soon, huh?”

 

With terror in my eyes, the line went dead. For about thirty seconds I stared at the phone in horror, dashing out the front door. I had to get rid of this phone before he tracked me down.

 

Running down the stairs and onto the streets, I thought of places around here that I could dump this thing off. But even if I did that, he’d know that I was near here, and obviously I would be staying at a motel.

 

I quickly threw my phone on the concrete and it smashed immediately.

 

“Cheap thing.” I muttered, picking it up and dropping it a few more times just to make sure it was really broken. Then, I ran across the street where there was a small creek and I dumped the contents of my phone into the small stream.

 

*

The next day, Minju beat me to go shopping with her.  I felt terrible. I felt like I owed so much to Minju and I had no way of making any of this up to her.

 

“That was fun.” I smiled.

 

“I have news.” Minju blurted. “They know for sure that it’s a woman named Sarah, and that she’s in New York. My management was a bit worried we were so close to her, but I told them I was safe. Apparently, she’s with a man named Lucas, staying with him or something. They don’t know where he lives.”

 

My face paled.

 

“No.” I croaked, looking up at him. Minju smiled, a bit nervously this time.

 

“This is a good thing, Yujin. What’s the matter?”

 

“Lucas... Sarah...”

 

“Give me your phone.” I demanded, earning a weird look from Minju. Slowly, she slipped her phone out of her pocket. There was a small water fountain at the foodcourt and I ran as fast as I could up to it.

 

I threw her phone on the ground and stomped on it, crushing into different pieces.

 

“Hey!” Minju shouted. What was I supposed to tell her? I threw the contents of her phone into the fountain just as Minju grabbed me from behind, pulling me back.

 

I gulped, not sure what to say.

 

“Yujin, I need you to tell me what’s going on. Why did you trashed my phone?” 

 

“I’m sorry.” I croaked.

 

“No, tell me.”

 

“Lucas...” I started. I don’t know how I could tell her about this without telling her everything about Lucas. I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t.

 

“He’s my boyfriend.”

 

“The one with Sarah?” Minju whispered. I nodded.

 

“The other night, I took a walk,” I paused, trying to gather my thoughts. “I left him in a hurry, that’s why I came to this Motel. I didn’t really know where I was going, but He and I had some differences and I didn’t want to be with him anymore.”

 

Minju nodded, absorbing my words as they poured out.

 

“He called me that other night and told me that his friend Sarah was tracking me down by the cell phone. I ran out and destroyed my phone and dumped it in the creek across the street.

 

“So all this time, Sarah’s been tracking me down.” She said, her face getting even paler than usual.

 

“Can we go back?” I asked.

 

“No, not now.” She said. “I think we can find another hotel, maybe a bigger one so it’s harder for us to find.”

 

“I’ll tell my management about this and they’ll find somewhere for us. I’ll let you come with me too, since you’re in this with me.” She pulled a strand of my hair behind my ear and I nodded.

 

*

 

“How many hours has it been?” I whispered to Minju, who was driving us through the pitch black of the night. Minju wanted to put a lot of miles between us and the Motel we stayed for a month, and she was fulfilling her wish and taking it a little far.

 

I could see giant skyscrapers to our right and realized where we were. The lights were bright and really beautiful.

 

“You act like you’ve never seen New York City  before.” She chuckled.

 

“Because I haven’t.” I admit, resting my hands on my lap. I looked over and see her gasping, this time not even faking it. “What? Just because I live in the state doesn’t mean I live in the city.” I said, scooting up beside her on the big seat and leaning my head against her shoulder. 

 

It only occurred to me now that I was really tired.

 

“You’re distracting me and we’re on a bridge. Do you want us to swerve on the road?” Minju joked.

 

“Why would I be distracting you?” I asked. She blushed and shrugged a bit.

I found myself bursting out laughing from her.

 

*

 

“Here, we can go in this back way.” Minju said, pointing to a door by an elevator. I nodded and I went to reach for my bag.

 

We headed down a flight of stairs that lead us into the main lobby, which was surprisingly not very busy. I followed behind Minju, trying not to draw any attention to us.

 

“We need a nice suite under the name of Mr. Kim.”

 

The manager at the desk raised an eyebrow and came in close.

 

“Kim Minju?” He whispered. Minju nodded faintly. “I’m sorry for what’s happened. We’ve got a room for you, and we’ll make sure your stay is very comfortable.

 

“Please keep this as a secret.” Minju told him.

 

“Of course. Yena!” He called over to a woman in a blue pencil skirt. “Please show our new guest and her friend to room 26 on the 26th story, please.” The woman nodded and began directing us to our room.

 

The room was immaculate to say the least, I could see a small kitchen filled with appliances that seemed rather new, a living room with zebra carpets and red couches, all completed with a flat screen.

 

“This day has been…”

 

“Insane.” I finished for her. She nodded, staring off into the distance, hugging her knees.

 

AHN YUJIN

 

The next morning, I woke up in a huge bed. My body was covered in a white, fluffy sheet, and behind me were numerous pillows.

 

“We’re in New York City.”  I remembered.

 

“Yeah,” She sighed.

 

Later that day, we decided that it would be best to go to Verizon today. 

 

“We’re here, that’ll be ten ten.” The taxi driver said. Minju paid and we qu