07 | Offer

 

 

***

 

 

Upon arriving in her apartment Yoona meets with Sooyoung halfway but she passed on her and went to her room. She checks the box and the memory back, returning it inside.

 

"What's going on Yoona?" Ask Sooyoung, confused.

 

"The bad guys I encountered last night is down there. They're after me." Yoona explained breathlessly. She headed outside but heard footsteps outside her apartment just as she holds the doorknob. She let go of it as she stays it locks. "They're here."

 

"What are we going to do?" Sooyoung got panic.

 

Yoona grabs her friend on her arm and drags her inside her room again. "Call for a backup. We don't need to go out." she instructed.

 

"Oh yeah." Sooyoung hurriedly complied and called one of her closest friends in the station. "Detective Kang, I need your help. Some bad guys are out here, in my friend's apartment. I'll text you the address."

 

Just then they heard a doorbell. And more doorbells as they stayed quiet in her room. "They're after this box." Yoona said as she clenches her fist. 'No way they're going to touch this.'

 

"These are pieces of evidence that can open the case, Yoona." Sooyoung took her seat next to the doe-eyed.

 

"I know. We need to keep this safe no matter what." muttered Yoona. Some doorbells were heard again and she frustratingly cursed under her breath.

 

Sooyoung received a message confirming that backup is coming. 

 

"Tell them to turn on their sirens. They just have to leave. We need them to be our way to know their leader." Yoona suggested when she reads the message as well. "Pretty sure one of them is the killer of my brother but I want to know who is letting them do this."

 

"Yeah, that's a great idea." Sooyoung didn't miss a beat and replied to what her friend had told her.

 

Yoona stands up and began to walk back and forth, waiting patiently for the police to come. Sooyoung on the other hand is tapping her shoes on the floor, patiently waiting with her as well. It's making them anxious as time passes.

 

But after 30 minutes, they heard sirens, a total of five police cars came in front of the apartment building, causing some stirs from people living there. Policemen hastily get out and went to lift but only to be met with the men Sooyoung have mentioned. They fought with them but only to fail to win over them, which is their goal.

 

-

 

"What was that detective Choi?" asks Sooyoung's friend when they meet her in Yoona's apartment.

 

"I'll explain it to you later." Without wasting time, Sooyoung took her friend out of the apartment and to the lift.

 

Yoona peeks her head from her room and saw that the policemen have left. She returned to her closet and took her jacket to wear it and her baseball cap, to prevent from getting seen by the bad guys. Since those guys know her place, she needs to find a new place to stay. And for now, she'll look for it.

 

But she hasn't even left her apartment, her phone rings, and Seohyun's contact ID with her face is flashing on the screen, with her name 'Scarlet'.

 

Yoona was reminded of what she learned and it breaks her heart to see her photo with her screen name, who fooled her entirely. Her heart that was so grateful for being introduced to the app is now regretting.

 

"Hey." But she decided to answer, doesn't want to spoil her yet. 

 

[You free right now, Babe? Let's have lunch together. I only have three subjects left in the afternoon.] Seohyun's voice is so bright that it stings Yoona's heart knowing she's just pretending.

 

"Yeah, sure. Where?" But she remains calm as possible. 

 

'Let's set her up. Later tonight in the convenience store. If she calls, don't spoil her yet. We need to know why she's there in your brother's apartment and why my station is after her.'

 

She was reminded by Sooyoung's plan and she's doing her best to play along with Seohyun.

 

[In my University's cafe. I'll see you in an hour?]

 

"Yup. That's enough. I'll see you then." Ending the call, Yoona took a deep breath and slowly relaxed. "If she can play, I can too." She said with a smirk forming her lips as she leaves her apartment.

 

 

:::

 

 

Yoona took an hour to reach the University and just a couple of minutes when she found their cafeteria. It wasn't as crowded anymore as students are starting to leave and go to their respective classes.

 

Seohyun immediately waves her hand enthusiastically in the air when she spotted her.

 

"Have you ordered?" Yoona greeted her immediately with a question. "Or do we need to be the one getting it?"

 

"I did but they will serve it once you are here. You know I might night able to get what I like to eat. They run out of food that easily." Explained Seohyun as she reached for Yoona's hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I did not regret inviting you over." She flashes a sweet smile. "I missed you that instant."

 

Yoona doesn't know what to feel but she smiled back, as she gently holds her back. "Me too."

 

"Where were you? No more bad guys coming after you?" Seohyun asks, retracting her hand.

 

Yoona shakes her head. "I was in my apartment. Cleaning some mess." She replied nonchalantly.

 

"I see..." Seohyun nodded slowly. "You call me if you see them again, okay? Or I think you should call the police."

 

"No worries. They won't come anymore." Assures Yoona. 'So you will save me, aren't you? What are you up to?' And she thought as she fake a smile.

 

"They better be. I mean, you are not doing anything bad. Some people really just randomly bully anyone. Tsk." 

 

"Probably they think they can get money from me." Chuckled Yoona softly. "But how can they? I'm pretty much jobless here."

 

"Why don't you apply again?" Suggested Seohyun as she welcomed their food that was being transferred from the tray to their table. "Thanks." And she thanked the waiter.

 

"I'm a journalist. It's hard to find a new company again to apply when they know my history." Reminded Yoona, taking a bite of her spicy rice cake and a fried chicken. She dipped it into the sauce and took a bite carelessly, resulted in the sauce to be spread on her cheek.

 

"Aigoo." Seohyun took the tissue paper right away and wipes off the sauce on the doe-eyed's cheek. "No company would definitely hire you if you eat like that." she playfully said, giggling.

 

Yoona was speechless and agape. It just once again pained her, seeing those smiles. Although it flutters her, the pain is embracing her heart. She felt annoyed. "Thanks." yet she continues to act. 

 

"By the way, I bought tickets for a movie from my friend, let's watch this tonight." said Seohyun, taking the movie tickets out from her bag and showed it excitedly to the doe-eyed.

 

"I have my part-time job tonight. Maybe this weekend." replied Yoona simply. 

 

"Ahh, indeed." Seohyun bobs her head up and down. She put the movie tickets back with a little sadness on her face. 

 

"Let's meet in the convenience store instead." suggested Yoona, looking up to her after another bite of her food.

 

"You want me to stay with you tonight?"

 

"Yeah, while I'm working." 

 

"That's cool. I'll bring my books and notes with me then." Seohyun got excited. The movie date was pushed aside right away at the back of her head. 

 

Nodding, Yoona returned to her food when the young model got a text message that causes her to look at her back and her phone on the table. She couldn't see it but it immediately got Seohyun's attention. 'Who is it?' She thought as she squints her eyes on her. Seohyun's face turned serious while checking on the message. 'To think, there was another person when I came there. Yeah, that person hit me from the back, that definitely an accomplice.' 

 

"Just a friend asking about my plans tonight." Seohyun reasoned when she saw the doe-eyed looking at her. She put her phone aside after she declined Seonho's plan to stakeout.

 

"Invite her." Yoona grabs the chance. "I mean, whoever it is, bring her to the store." and she flashes a friendly smile.

 

"No, it's fine. He has another plan." 

 

"He?"

 

"Yup. A model friend." 

 

'So that man I first encounter in my brother's apartment could be this 'model friend'. Yoona nodded as she smiled. "Okay. What's his name?"

 

"Kim SeonHo." Seohyun didn't even hesitate and mentioned. 

 

'That was fast to tell me.' Yoona thought and also take note of the name. "You guys must be hanging out well before I came to the picture?"

 

"We only hang out sometimes." Seohyun shrugs her shoulders. "He actually knows about you." and she sweetly smiled.

 

"He does?" 

 

"Yes, and he knows I'm-"

 

"I thought you don't have friends you talk a lot?" Yoona questioned as it seems she forgot about it.

 

"Oh yeah, indeed but he sometimes chats me. It leads me to share about you." Seohyun just coyly replied. "Wait, Yoona... are you jealous?" and she teases playfully earning a chuckle and a knock on her head. "Ouch!" she winced a little.

 

"I'm not. That's nonsense." Yoona couldn't believe she heard it. "I'm just surprised you have this friend that you share about me." chuckled her but she sounds defensive.

 

"Okay. I was just... playing either way." giggles Seohyun and took another bite of her drumstick. 

 

"But really, invite him to the store. Introduce me to him. If he knows me then he will be glad to meet me in person." Insisted Yoona. If she wants the truth about them, then better she brings the accomplice.

 

"Are you sure?" Seohyun feels weird.

 

"Yeah, I am. I'll treat you guys some snack, how about that?"

 

"I'll text him then." Without missing a beat, Seohyun took her phone right away.

 

Yoona smiled in victory as she watches the young model text her friend. She returned to her food and waited for her until she's done.

 

"He'll come." says Seohyun softly, putting her phone down again. Yoona just smile and nodded her head as she eats her food in front of her. 'Why does she like to know SeonHo? This is quite strange.' She thought glancing at her phone.

 

SeonHo: I have a bad feeling about this. But I'll still come. Either way, we aren't bad guys here.

 

 

:::

 

 

"Why are we here?" ask Yoona when her girlfriend brought her to the school's garden. 

 

Seohyun brought a picnic mat out from her bag and place it down. "My class starts in two hours. Let's hang out first." she explain