CHAPTER 17 | SOME KIND OF FINE

 

*****

 

If there’s one thing I’m sure of now, is that I don’t know how to get home. It was turning really cold and I do not have any outerwear. My tears were long dried and my lips were dry and cracked. One, two, three cars zoomed by but that was it. There’s nothing else here, wherever I was. I contemplated with walking home, if I even know the directions, and staying in a nearby hotel. I decided to walk on. As I got up from my seat, with my legs all numb and jelly, my phone started ringing. With three percent of battery left, I picked it up.

 

“Eun Ji, where are you?” GD’s voice crackled from the other end. Turns out reception is bad here too. He sounded happier than he usually, I can sense it.

 

“I’m walking home,” I said, wondering when I’ll actually be home.

 

“At this hour? It’s morning already. Tell me where you are, I’ll find you.”

 

I sighed.

 

“It’s late you go get some sleep. I’ll find my way,” I said, thinking about the long day he probably had.

 

“No. It’s dangerous out there at this time. Just tell me where you are and wait there,” he demanded.

 

I looked around at the empty place and spotted a convenience store opposite the street. I also see a closed little café.

 

“Across the street there 7-Eleven, and this café called Buncho Coffee. I think I walked a few meters or more from a bus stop.”

 

“You don’t know where you are, don’t you?” he said, and I could envision his look of disapproval right now.

 

“No, sorry for bothering you.”

 

“Yeah, you better be. You stay where you are and not move single inch because if I’m there and you’re gone, I’ll hunt you down and I’m not sure if you know this, I have contacts who are more than willing to send a girl like you overseas,” he said, the tone low and scary.

 

I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but knowing him, it probably is. There’s practically no one on the street right now and his words weren’t comforting at all. What if someone caught me from behind and sold me off? I stood there like a paranoid kid, head darting around looking at every single corner. The only light came from the convenience store. It has gotten really cold, so I dashed in, into the light.

 

The bell rang above and the cashier woke up with a jolt. I apologized for disturbing his rest but he brushed it off. He told me there were rarely anyone at this hour and asked me if I needed anything. I bought ramyun and coffee, suddenly recognizing the hunger in my tummy. The cashier was super friendly, helping me with my food so I struck a conversation with him.

 

His name was Ok Man and he’s working the night shifts because he needs to study in the morning. He’s still in high school and since he came from a single parent family, he has too work his off to pay the school fees. His father ran off with another woman and his mother was so heartbroken she became an alcoholic. He reminded me so much of Roxy, that vile little , except this guy here is living with dignity and not out there finding shortcuts to money. I let him talk and I enjoyed listening to him. He was in the middle of telling me about the girl he likes in school when the door opened the second time. We both looked up, surprised of any other person walking in here.

 

“Yah, Kim Eun Ji, I thought I told you not to move a single inch. I’ll really call up my people! How dare you come in here! Who’s this punk over there? Are you romancing with a highschooler?” he shouted.

 

I frowned at the man standing in front of me while Ok Man just stared wide-eyed. His Saint Laurent clad body looked so odd here I burst out laughing.

 

“This… This… Is G-Dragon? Oh man, I’m such a huge fan. I can’t believe this. Can you sign my shirt for me?” Ok Man asked, a total fanboy.

 

GD was like a deer caught in the headlights, not knowing what to do with the pen and paper Ok Man at him.

 

I stood up and nudged him, before his hand started moving. When he’s done, I decided it’s time I leave. I waved goodbye to Ok Man, who swore that this was the most amazing thing to ever happen during his night shifts. I laugh and patted him on the shoulders, telling him to work hard.

 

GD, of course, went back to his mood. He was really annoyed with me, harping on how he went round looking for me until he saw “this little er eating ramyun and romancing with a young boy”. It seemed like his mood affected mine too because I went back to how I was before Ok Man. I screamed at him to shut his filthy trap and turned my back to him. The whole ride back, I had this mix of emotion in me. I felt saddened by the betrayal of Roxy, and then I was pissed at myself for not treating Doo Joon better. The thing was, I liked him, that’s why I went on those little dates with him but I never really pegged us as a couple or anything. That time, I didn’t give him a reply and he told me he’ll wait. So I let him wait. I don’t know now. With GD around, and my deal to help him, I might have neglected Doo Joon a bit. GD, whenever I’m with him, whatever I feel is like intensified a thousand times over. He makes me feel a tad dangerous and I like that. Doo Joon is like this strong wall that will block even the most powerful bombs. I like that too.

 

I was so lost in thoughts, or conflict, that I didn’t notice we reached. He accompanied me to my house and waited patiently while I tried to find the key. Teacher Li’s a weird guy, he refused to install the password keypad locks and now I think I forgotten to bring the key. I wanted to knock, but at this hour, Teacher Li’s probably asleep and I don’t want to wake him up. I turned to look at GD, who’s standing behind with a blank look.

 

“I didn’t bring my keys,” I said, watching as his lips spread into a smug smile.

 

“That’s called karma, isn’t it? Told you to stay where you are but you went on to talk to some highschooler, see what you get now,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

 

“You’re still going on about that? It was cold outside and I’m scared, and 7-Eleven was the only lit up place in the whole ing empty street,” I retorted. He was being an unreasonable and he knew it.

 

“Oi, can you house me up for a night,” I asked, thoroughly embarrassed.

 

“Already waiting for you to say that. It’s not you’ve never slept in my house before, staying over without invitation like some loose woman,” he said, pressing the lift.

 

I gritted my teeth. Loose woman. I am not a loose woman.

 

I slammed the door of his apartment close and followed behind him.

 

“I have no extra beds here, I guess you need to sleep in mine,” he said.

 

I didn’t mind, it’s not the first time anyway. I was a loose woman anyway. I crawled into his bed, throwing my bag on the floor and spreading myself open. His bed was extremely soft and comfortable and he should have no problem falling asleep.

 

He started taking off his clothes and I slammed my eyes shut.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked, clutching the bedspreads.

 

“Do you expect me to sleep with all these?” he asked back, slipping under the covers only with his boxers. The gold and blue boxers looked good on him. Damn me and my girl hormones, I started getting tensed up by our close proximity and his bare skin.

 

He switched off all the lights with the remote and everything was quiet. I could hear our breathing and none of us was moving. I lay there waiting for sleep to come but it never came. I don’t know how long had passed when GD spoke.

 

“This is one of those times I’m so tired I can’t sleep,” he said.

 

“Are you craving the drug?” I asked.

 

“Yeah. But not as much as before.”

 

“Tell me about your day,” I said.

 

“I went to YG and met the guys today. They were really happy about our advancement. And they liked whatever I presented. Seung Hyun hyung he didn’t say much, but I think he liked it too. I’m glad I went there today.”

 

“That’s all you did?”

 

“Yeah. I met up with others too, Teddy, Chae Rin, and CEO Yang. They are happy that I’m back in.”

 

“Are you happy?”

 

“I guess I am.”

 

I contemplated with telling him about what happened and decided to go with it. He’s a friend I can talk to.

 

“I quit my job today,” I said.

 

“Why?” he asked, sounding pretty shocked.

 

“Because there’s no reason to stay on. I don’t have enough time to paint and Roxy betrayed me,” I said, my voice cracking and I know that any minute now I might cry. “I treated her as a friend and told her about things, but she turned her back on me. She tried sleeping with Doo Joon yesterday. I heard her in the background when I was talking to him yesterday but I never doubted her because she’s my friend. Why? Why must she do this?”

 

I was blubbering like some mad woman who ran out from the asylum, all my emotions being unbottled all over again. Tears from just now came back and I scrunched the bedspread tightly. I clutched them hard, wanting them to tear. I was so conflicted, angry with myself then angry at Roxy and then me again.

 

“There are always people in this world who are jealous and mean. All you have to do is ignore all that and not become one of them. Just let the past be the past and focus on what you’re going to now.”

 

“Hear the words of the master of hypocrisy, why don’t you actually follow it yourself. Forget, won’t you?” I said, feeling the tire in my voice. My whole body was consumed by the whole day’s events and sleep was coming to me.

 

He didn’t say anything back to me so I slowly let myself drift off. In my subconscious state, he opened his mouth.

 

“Eun Ji, can you hold my hand? Ava used to do that when I can’t sleep,” he said.

 

I moved my arm over and locked my fingers around his. He felt so cold. I gripped it hard and finally, I fell dead to the world.

*****

 

In the morning, he wasn’t there. There was no note, no anything. Not that I expected him to leave anything too. Suddenly, I don’t know what to do. My hair was a mess, my eyes puffy from crying, my breath just smelled really bad. I don’t have a job anymore, so what do I do now?

 

I circled the whole of GD’s house at least three times. Looking out from that big window, I overlooked the city below. So much was going on but here I am, with nothing to do. It was then when I decided to go back to Teacher Li’s house, to clean myself up and grab more paints. I should get on with that, since I have all the time now.

 

I knocked on the door twice before Teacher Li opened the door. He had a spoon stuck in his mouth, hair all mussed up and a dazed look in his eyes.

 

“Oh come in Eun Ji, I’m just having breakfast. Join me. I think you forgotten to bring your keys right,” he said, leaving the door opened for me.

 

“Had a rough night?” I asked.

 

“Yeah I guess. Something to do with an old lover.”

 

“Don’t worry, Hong Chul, I feel for you,”

 

The whole house barely had any space to walk. After one whole day of not coming back, Teacher Li had some changes. There were canvases stacked at every corner and on closer look, I realized they were all mine. All the twenty something pieces I’ve done so far. This was just a reminder for me that there wasn’t much time left. 6 more weeks to go. A few more pieces.

 

“Actually, I hope that you can do something about all these. We need to send them away soon so please wrap them up. I have to go to the café now. The new kids I hired can’t be trusted. As for art school tonight, I declare you graduated so just stay at home do your art, alright?” he said, giving me a half smile, his left eye squinting so much non-existent wrinkles appear.

 

After he was gone, I got myself a roll of plastic wrap and started wrapping up. It was a mundane job but it helps me stop my brain from wondering into the dark side. It must have been hours when I got half of the paintings wrapped properly. My phone started ringing which scared the hell out of me.

 

Chae Rin?

 

I picked up the phone, wondering what she wanted.

 

“Hi Eun Ji, wassup?” she greeted me happily.

 

“Nothing much, just wrapping stuff for hours. Why did you call?”

 

“Nothing much too but you know, Ji Yong oppa locked himself up in the recording studio and won’t come out again. I think you better come now,” she said casually.

 

“What? I thought he was better already yesterday, what is he doing now? Oh god, is no one able to get him out?”

 

“Nah, I think he’s fine, just a bit shocked and slightly distressed. Just come now, there’s someone who wants to meet you too,” she said, hanging up.

 

I pushed myself up and went through the hassle of dressing myself decently. Who was it that wanted to meet me? And Chae Rin sounded happy, so it must be someone whom she’s acquainted to. I made it a point to add a dash of make up here and there. First impressions were important. I suddenly found it so inconvenient without a car to travel around and recently I’ve been going to places a lot. Cabs were hard to hail and buses just make me super confused.

 

I managed to pull down a cab only after 15 minutes and it’s gonna be a while till I reach the YG building. When I reached, I called up Chae Rin again. I can’t even enter the building.

 

“Eun Ji! I’m so excited that you’re here, anyway, there’s someone who’s more excited. And from all that she’s heard about you, from us, I can say she likes it a lot,” she said, pulling me to a stop in front of GD’s personal studio. “Well he’s inside, you get him out first.”

 

“Oppa, your favorite person Eun Ji is here!” she shouted, banging on the door.

 

The door slowly creaked open, and the dragon had awaken from it slumber. The head first pokes through the door, eyes darting about, full of suspicion. Then the body emerges and steps out.

 

“Oi Eun Ji, she’s not here now. Let’s get out quickly,” he said, grabbing my hand and dragging me alone. I resisted. I wanted to meet whoever wanted to meet me.

 

“Not so fast!” Chae Rin shouted. She stormed after us and pulled my other hand. I followed her along, in turn dragging a reluctant GD with me. What the hell was wrong with him?

 

Chae Rin now brought us to Big Bang’s studio and opened the door. The guys were inside but there was also an older woman seated among them. They were all full of chatter, even Seung Hyun has a smile on his face. Was this woman the one who wanted to meet me? She was old, I can tell, but the air she carried herself in was youthful. The member looked like they were really close to her.

 

GD coughed loudly behind me. Everyone turned their heads to him.

 

“Umma…” he said.

 

*****

 

A/N: Ok, I need to deeply apologize for not updating so long. It's just that my school has really high expectations for all of us and I found it hard to leave some time for writing. There are 2-3 tests every week that's gonna be reflected in the report card and please understand that school is very important to me. Nonetheless, I really wish that you guys could continue supporting this story and excuse some of the crappier updates. So if you liked this, please 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.