CHAPTER 11 | 4 LETTER WORD

 

*****

 

Perhaps a few days after our disastrous date, Doo Joon finally looked me up again. I was working when he came to apologize.

 

“Eun Ji, I’m sorry for being a total jerk. It’s only right for you to help out your neighbor when he’s in need. I was oversensitive and I hope you can forgive me,” Doo Joon said, looking really depressed about it.

 

I accepted his gift because I wasn’t even pissed in the first place. I was the one who ruined our date for someone unappreciative.

 

“It’s alright Doo Joon, I’m the one who should apologize for leaving you that way. Shall we meet tonight? My treat,” I said, hoping to make it up to him.

 

He turned into this happy person again and immediately smiled. I got back to work but Roxy pulled me aside.

 

“Eun Ji, is that Doo Joon guy asking you out again tonight? Where are you guys going?”

 

I don’t know why but after I told Roxy about Doo Joon’s identity and me knowing GD, she got really curious about my personal life. She asks a lot of questions and stuff but I didn’t really care, she was a friend.

 

“Ah no. I asked him out. I want to bring him somewhere I know of for dinner, sort of a way to apologize for our ruined date last time, you know, with GD.”

 

“So where are you guys going?”

 

“I was thinking of bringing him to Loft, he likes to eat steak a lot.”

 

“Isn’t that the really expensive place for only the top 10% of South Korea’s wealthiest? And I heard the waiting list is so long, how are you going to go on such a short notice?”

 

“Um… I know someone who works there. She might be able to secure us a seat.”

 

In actual fact, Yoon Enterprises owns 5% of that restaurant and we have our own private room inside. I just need to call them first. Times like this call for desperate measures.

 

“Let’s get back to work quickly so I can earn enough to pay for tonight’s dinner,” I told Roxy. She’s in such deep thoughts that she didn’t notice when I walked off.

 

After work, I quickly went back home. Teacher Li was home, and apparently down with a cold. I made him some honey tea and felt bad for leaving him alone when he’s sick. I sat down in my room and made sure to lock it so no one could hear me while I made the call.

 

“Hello. This is the Loft. How may I help you?” the server asked me.

 

“I would like to come for dinner tonight at 6:30 pm, just two person.”

 

“I’m sorry miss, I’m afraid not tonight. Do you want me to place you on the waiting list? You would be number 137.”

 

“Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you. I have a room there? Under Yoon Enterprises.”

 

“Ah yes! Yoon Enterprises. May I ask if it’s Madame Yoon asking for a place? Because Yoon Enterprises own 10% of the restaurant now, we would like to discuss about whether she requires a more luxurious setting and upgrade the room.”

 

Yoon Enterprises own 10% of the restaurant now? Is that what father’s been doing all this time? Slowly taking over small businesses?

 

“No. This is her daughter, Yoon Yu Ri. Who bought 5% more of the shares?”

 

“I think Madame Yoon came with the company lawyer… Just yesterday.”

 

“Alright thank you.”

 

What is mother doing now? She never touched anything about the business but why now? What is she doing? Did something happen at home?

 

I brushed it off thinking it’s just mother’s way of relieving her anger.

 

Tonight, I wore the black YSL dress that I didn’t wear last time. Doo Joon let me drive him there, seeing that I’m the one who’s supposed to surprise him.

 

I went up to the restaurant first and let Doo Joon park the car.

 

“The room for Yoon Yu Ri please,” I told the server.

 

“Here, this way.”

 

“My friend would be here soon and when he asks for Kim Eun Ji, bring him to me. Do not let him know that I’m Yoon Yu Ri,” I instructed the server. I’m already prepared with how I’m going to explain all this to Doo Joon later.

 

A few minutes after I sat down in the Yoon Room, Doo Joon came.

 

“Eun Ji, how did you manage to grab a spot at this place? And isn’t this the private room only available to Yoon Enterprises’ family? It’s gonna be expensive!”

 

“Oh, I know the washing ahjumma here, she used to work at Bronx. This room is empty so she convinced the staff to let us have it. Don’t worry about the money, the people tip me a lot!”

 

Really, a bunch of lies.

 

“I know Madame Yoon, she’s not going to like it if she finds out.”

 

Of course she isn’t, she’s very about her things.

 

“Come on, don’t be such a spoil sport,” I put on my best pout and he caved.

 

The steak arrived and he ate it so deliciously. It was fun watching him eat, he probably would eat steak for every meal if he could.

 

“Hmm Eun Ji, I think this is the best meal I had in my whole life.”

 

I laughed, he’s like a little boy scoffing down his food and trying to talk at the same time. After hanging out with Doo Joon for quite some time, I realized that he has so many fun and cute sides to him.

 

“Really. Why?”

 

“Because this is the best steak ever and you’re eating with me.”

 

I laughed again. He really likes the cheesiness. He looked up at me and smiled, where his lips curve up a little more on one side and forms a dimple.

 

“Your laughter is cute too,” he added on.

 

I think I can get used to this.

 

“Just continue eating your steak which I’m spending a bomb on. You better appreciate it,” I joked.

 

I chewed mine slowly, savoring its tenderness. This restaurant lives up to its name; no wonder mother bought 5 percent more of their shares. It’s been troubling me since I knew of it and I really don’t get why mother is trifling with the business now. She never touches the business.

 

Doo Joon asked me about the future, which I found pretty hard to answer. I told him I’ll continue working at Bronx and do art. After having Monster at Mirage, there have been a few keen buyers and art galleries who asked for my work. I did get a lot busier but I think I’m doing fine. I still haven’t painted Doo Joon a painting yet, after I told him to let GD have Monster.

 

“That’s really good Eun Ji, you can do what you love! I want to start a family quickly after I get married. I like little kids. In the past I’ve been so busy with work, but now I think I found a reason to get away from work.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“The first time I met you, I was immediately attracted. I’ve never felt an attraction so strong before, and after spending time with you, I really like you. This might sound rushed and impossible, but I think I love you.”

 

I almost choked on my food. Did I hear him correctly? That word that starts with ‘L’ and ends with ‘E’ and I don’t mean ‘like’. I don’t know how to respond to his confession at all. I mean, I like spending time with him but I don’t think I love him. I don’t think I’m capable of that yet. I sat there for a pretty long time keeping quiet because it got really awkward all of a sudden. He’s Doo Joon and I’m Kim Eun Ji, I don’t think I want to be dragged back into being Yoon Yu Ri again. No, I like it the way it is now.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, I mean we barely know each other, I don’t even know your birthday! I’m just saying that I’ve never felt like this with any other girl…”

 

I still didn’t respond, more like didn’t want to.

 

At that moment, my phone decided to ring and I swear, I am so ing thankful towards the person at the other end.

 

“I’m sorry, let me pick this up first.”

 

“Yeah, sure go ahead.”

 

“Hello?” I said into the phone.

 

“It’s me. I need you to come now.”

 

The voice sounded so familiar.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m the drunk- bastard you have to save many times. Come now, please.”

 

Oh god. GD. He sounded so desperate now, what is wrong. Is he having another anxiety attack? I fed him the remaining pills last time, does he have anymore left? I think I’m having my own anxiety attack now.

 

“Where are you now?”

 

“Home, open the door yourself, you know the password. Just come here quickly, I need you now.”

 

He hung up the phone before I could say anything else. My mind was so confused and all I know is that I need to get to him fast.

 

“Doo Joon ah, I’m sorry that I need to leave again. Something important cropped up at home. I’ll pay you back some other time. I’m sorry,” I said, grabbing my bag and running off.

 

I flagged down a cab and got on.

 

“Ahjussi, faster! I’ll give you more money!”

 

I reached his doorstep and in my hurry, got his password wrong. . After the third try, I got it right. He was sitting by the huge glass window that gives you the view of the whole city in front. And it looked ing bad.

 

His body was hunched over and his hands were both trembling. I can hear his heavy breathing. There were beer bottles lying around him and some white substance. I was really scared because I didn’t understand what he did to himself. I ran to his bathroom and opened the cupboard looking for the Haldol I gave him last time but it seemed like there were just empty bottles again. I remembered that I used to have a girl in my class who hyperventilated all the time and it looks like what GD is having now so I decided to try it out.

 

I pushed away all the bottles and sat down in front of him. I grabbed hold of both his hands and tried to prevent the shaking.

 

“Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly, I’m here already. In, out.”

 

I think saying that is supposed to pace the person’s breathing and ease it back to its normal rate. It got slower for a while but then it became faster again. , he’s not calming down at all. I rummaged through his whole kitchen and finally found a paper bag.

 

“Hold this to your mouth and breathe slowly.”

 

I passed him the bag and continued my supposed soothing chant.

 

“Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.”

 

I don’t know how long passed, we’ve been sitting there doing that breathing thing for quite a while. He finally removed the paper bag and looked up. His right eye was swollen and bruised, and his lips were busted.

 

“What the happened to you?”

 

“Choi Seung Hyun beat the out of me.”

 

“Did you do anything to him, because every time I see him he looked as if he wants to murder you.”

 

“No. I went back to work, just like how they wanted me to. But I can’t produce anything at all, I cannot even listen to them properly. I tried, I really did, but I can’t. Hyung got angry, so he beat me up.”

 

“Didn’t you stop him?”

 

“No, I can’t. I can’t move my body at all. I’ll let him hit me, if it makes him happy.”

 

He picked up a bottle from the floor and started drinking from it. I didn’t want to stop him, if drinking is what makes him happy, at least its in his own house.

 

“Why didn’t you go get more pills? Don’t you know your anxiety attacks might happen anytime?” I started asking him all the important stuff while he’s still not so drunk.

 

“Why should I? Isn’t it better for me to get them attacks and die? It makes everyone happy. But it gets so hard, so hard for me to breathe, so painful that I cannot take it so I called you. The pills don’t help, but this does. Do you want some?”

 

He picked up the packet of white substance from the floor and offered it to me. Momentarily I was tempted to take some, it makes you happy, doesn’t it? In the end, I didn’t. I wasn’t ready yet. I got up and went looking for the first aid box which I found in the storage room.

 

I cleaned up his busted lip and put ice on his eye. He won’t even hold the ice himself and I had to hold it up for him.

 

“I went out with Doo Joon just now,” I started telling him. “He told me he loves me.”

 

“Is he that tard at the auction?”

 

“Yes, but he isn’t a tard. He’s nice. I didn’t say it back to him. I don’t even think that I love him. Have you ever loved somebody?”

 

I picked up one of the unopened bottles from the floor and started drinking. I like how the alcohol slightly burns my throat.

 

“Yes.”

 

“How does it feel?”

 

“It feels happy. Like something burst inside you. You’ll want to spend every moment with that person. You only have eyes for that person. You will do anything for that person. You will die for that person. But then it gets horrible, really horrible, like someone tore the happiness right out of your chest.”

 

Would Doo Joon do all that for me? Would I do all that for him? I don’t think so. But maybe, one day. I moved closer to GD. His eyeliner was smudged and ran down the side of his face, with his tear. He was sad. His love tore all the happiness out of his chest. If I find that girl who did this to him, I’ll smash the bottle I have in my hand onto her head. No one should ever rip anybody. But I didn’t know then, that I would be the next person to rip him, and open up all his wounds again.

 

I used my thumb and wiped away his tear. He was really beautiful on a closer look. I stared at him and he moved closer. And closer. I’m not even moving away because I know I want it. I want this. His lips met mine and it felt like something burst inside of me. I pulled his head closer to mine. I wanted more. It wasn’t like anything I experienced before. His tongue asked for entrance and I gave it willingly. He pulled away from me but his lips trailed from my cheek to my neck. He the skin there and started on it. It felt so amazing that I let out an involuntary moan.

 

“I love you so much, Ava. Don’t leave me again.”

 

Ava.

 

“You taste just the same.”

 

Ava.

 

 

A/N: My internet was ing down but here you go. They finally kissed. Ugh. How do you think Eun Ji/Yu Ri will respond? Comment and subscribe. :D

 

*****

 

Fortune

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/646036

Oh Yool is accused of murder and the only who can help her is Kwon Jiyong, the man who betrayed her at the very last moment.