26

Kris's mother looked at Sohyun, who smiled ad bowed, looking back at her. "You're Kris's protege, aren't you?" she asked. Sohyun nodded and greet her. 

"My son's really lucky to have you as his protege." She chuckled and Sohyun laughed.

"Actually," Sohyun spoke up. “Well, I’m lucky to have him as my mentor.” She smiled then scooted closer to her. "Why didn't you stay with mentor? His house is big enough." She sighed and shook her head, smiling. "It's not that Kris didn't want me to move in, just that I didn't want to."

Sohyun frowned, wondering. "But why?”

"I have three kids. Two boys and a girl. Kris's the oldest. There is one studying in high school and the other in college and stays in the hostel there, while my younger daughter studies in high school. I didn't want to move, because I didn't want to burden Kris. He has so many cases in his hands, he needs some peace. And also, the school is quite near to our house, so it's convenient for my daughter to walk to school."

"But, Kris doesn't mind, why do you mind?" Sohyun asked once more.

"Kris stayed here when he was young, and I've been staying here for twenty over years, I'm used to the neighbourhood. If I move out, I'll miss the neighbours," she replied. "But Kris would come over whenever he has time to eat and Tao would always come over too," she added.

Sohyun smiled. The mother's care for her son, is really selfless.

"Do you know, in my son's entire life, he had never brought a girl to my house?" she whispered and chuckled, while Sohyun laughed. "Well we need to discuss your case, of course he has to bring me along."

Kris walked into the living room, sitting beside his mother and held onto her hands firmly, looking at her, with his face all written the word 'concern'.

"If you need any help, or the kids need any help, just tell me. And also, now that the shop is currently closed, take some time off to rest well. The other time I visited you were coughing and running a fever. It's already four months and you still have that cough," Kris chided softly then stood up while his mother nodded at him.

"Yes yes. I understand, now go back to the firm." She chased him out, while he stood still outside of the door. "And remember, not feeling well, go to the doctor. Ask the kids to follow you and remember to take the pill-"

"Yes Kris. I understand, can you stop being so long winded? I'm not under eighteen for your information. I know how to take care of three children how can I not take care of myself? Just go." She sighed and smiled, shaking her head in amusement. When it comes to concern, Kris would just blabber all day long.

His mother closed the door, and only after a minute then would he move.

Sohyun smiled and entered the lift with Kris. “You’re really a filial son,” she said. He shrugged. “Well, I have to. Didn’t think I would be this filial because you thought I didn’t have any parents to show my filial piety on, right?” he asked and Sohyun lowered her head, gulping.

As the lift door closed, the lift slowly elevated down, slower than before and Sohyun felt the lift stuffy. "Kris, don't you find it a little too hot in here?" she asked, fanning herself and rolling her sleeves up. "The building is old, and so is the lift, it's normal," he replied.

She was already perspiring and she looked around, gulping. She felt bad, really bad. She could hardly stay in an elevator longer than a minute and she started breathing deeply, hardly able to breathe, and her mind went dizzy. She couldn't concentrate at all.

Just then, the lift came to an abrupt stop, the fans in the lift stopped, silencing the lift. The lights flickered, and for a second there wasn’t a sound before the lights went off.

Sohyun's eyes widened in shock, and she looked around in the dark. Kris frowned and pressed the button, then pressed the emergency button. No use. He sighed and looked around. It was pitch black, there was only a ray of light that was coming out from outside between the gaps of the door, it was just too little.

Sohyun gulped as she bit her lip, controlling herself, controlling her emotions. She took in a deep breath shakily and slowly sat at a corner, pulling her knees to her chest and she gulped.

That haunted feeling, again.

Kris sighed and fanned himself. He knew this was an old building, and lift break downs was already part of his life when he stayed. He looked around, and vaguely saw Sohyun at a corner.

She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut and she concentrated, trying hard not to think about it, but the scene just kept flashing in her mind, the terrifying past of hers, the person that shouldn’t even be in her life.

"Sohyun?" Kris called out softly, bending down. Her back was facing him, and he could only hear her inhaling and exhaling deeply as she quivered.

"Sohyun, what's wrong?" Kris asked again worriedly, holding her shoulders and turned her around. "You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" It dawned on Kris, and she nodded, breathing in heavily with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I can't see anything. Everything's black, I can't breathe at all," she forced the words out and squeezed her eyes shut, which made more tears rolled down.

"Sohyun, you need to stay calm. Look at me, and take in a deep breathe, then exhale it. Do it," he instructed, and scanned for her eyes, while Sohyun slowly looked up at him, trembling as she took in a deep breath and exhale.

"I can't.." she muttered, shaking her head and cried, looking down. “That woman is back for me. She wants to capture me, she wants to kill me, I can’t escape from her, I really can’t,” she cried while Kris blinked, wondering what she was talking about.

"No. You can. You have me here, with you,” he whispered. “That woman will not take you away, she will not take you away. Don’t look at her, just look at me," Kris lifted her chin up, and cupped her face, looking deeply into her eyes. "Breathe in," he said, and Sohyun tried it once more, breathing in.

"Then breathe out." Sohyun exhaled and swallowed, trembling. "Do it once more. Don't think about anything and focus only on my eyes," he emphasized. Sohyun slowly released her grip on her knees and repeatedly did it again.

Kris nodded his head, diverting her attention all to him and only him, while she calmed herself down. “Remember, I’m here, just look in my eyes, you can see light,” he whispered softly.

He slowly softened as he slowly saw how Sohyun depended on him, through those eyes. Within a month and he had already saw Sohyun crying right in front of him twice. He didn't know what happened to Sohyun, and no idea what she was dreaming the other time in Hong Kong, muttering and crying in her sleep, and definitely does not know who the woman she’s talking about.

"Kris.." she slowly looked up at him, his hands were still cupping her face, and it never left. She looked down at her chest, breathing in and out, while Kris slowly leaned forward, tilting her chin up to face him, and he closed his eyes and kissed her.

Sohyun couldn't concentrate at all. Her mind went blurry and she squeezed her eyes shut. He slowly led one hand run down to her waist, holding her firmly, while he caressed her cheek with the other hand. He deepened in the kiss, having his hand to travel from her cheek to her neck, bringing her closer to his body.

Kris slowly released the grip on her, as she looked down, her eyes still closed and he placed her head to his chest, her hair.

They had no idea how many minutes has passed. One? Five? Twenty? Or even an hour? They had no idea, and till then, Sohyun rest on his chest, breathing in calmly, closing her eyes as she rest.

They were trapped in the lift, dark and hot, but they couldn't do a single thing.

Kris looked at Sohyun and kissed her forehead, then rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes.

"Is there anyone in there?!" a voice shouted from outside of the lift. Kris immediately opened his eyes and smiled. "Yes there is! We've been stuck her for quite some time, can you get us out here?" he shouted.

"We're prying the door open now!" the man shouted again, and Kris smiled even more. He looked down at Sohyun, and patted her softly. "Sohyun, wake up. We're getting out soon," he softly whispered, and she opened her eyes slowly and sat up, looking at the lift door, opening slowly with the men outside prying it open.

The lift door finally opened, and Sohyun weakly smiled. "Finally.." Kris held her hand and got up, walking out of the lift. "Sohyun, are you alright? I'll send you home first," Kris asked, his grip on her hand still not letting go.

She smiled and nodded her head, looking around, and she felt cooler, the wind that woke her up. Unlike in the lift, which was stuffy and hot.

Wait a second, the lift. It then dawned upon Sohyun and her eyes rounded in surprise, what happened in the lift was real. She was really trapped in the lift, and that haunting feeling came back to her. And she did kiss Kris..

She immediately let go of his hand, and his it behind her back. "It's alright. I .. I can take a bus home myself," she said and quickly walked away, covering her flushed cheeks while Kris grabbed her wrist. "What's wrong? I think I'll send you home."

"It's alright," she raised her tone and quickly escaped through his grip. "I got to go. See you later, bye."

Kris looked at her, brisk walking as fast as she could, and she disappeared after walking behind the gate.

"Sohyun ah, what have you done.." Sohyun muttered and frowned, biting her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head as she pressed her head on the glass window of the bus, looking out of the window.

When she looked out, her eyes bulged out at the sight of Kris in his car and she closed her eyes shut . "Please don't see me, please don't see me.." she mumbled and bit her lip, trying to act as calm as possible, and hoping her acting skills could pass.

Kris stopped at red light, and he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, looking out of the window where he saw Sohyun sleeping on the bus. He wind down the window and squinted his eyes.

Sohyun slowly opened her eyes, glancing at Kris, when he stared back, giving her a fright. Her eyes widened and she forced a smile, waving and he smiled and waved back.

It was when the bus drove off at the right moment and once Kris wasn't in sight, she heaved a sigh of relief, calming down her racing heart as she held onto her cheeks which were blushing madly.

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