VIII. Character.

Rushing through the streets, a body roaming on his own, lifeless, without energy, kept staring into a blurred screen as he’d dial a number. It was almost night, and there weren’t any signs of Soohee all over the streets. People would hit the defenseless body as they’d pass by and rush to near him, unknown but as brutal as a knife. Each person that’d bump into Jungwoo made him quit and regret all he did. He knew he was right even if he was led to love. No, love is wrong. Even if he was led to get dragged by her innocent yet fiery seduction.

Nowhere to go, he felt as lost as he imagined her. He knew she’d work out just fine on her own but, what if her hang over led her to become more distracted and even get hurt by others? He wandered, all he could think of was of Soohee. What if he accompanied her? What if she lied about the coffee? What if she was mad and didn’t want to be found? But, what if she wasn’t alright and wanted to be found?

Yuhwan’s eyes were sulked and he ran over to the other as he found him. His eyes showed hatred, wandering what the other did, according to the phone call. “There you are.”

“Finally I find you!” Jungwoo took a deep breath and looked over at Yuhwan with a more relieved expression. “I can’t find her, I went to the closest cafés asking for her but with a simple description, I can’t seem to find her. Do you have a picture to ask if anyone saw her? I need to find her… I thought she’d be safe on the atelier so I took her there and now she’s gone…” He looked down as he led his hand to his nose, patting it and wiping it.

“You’re regretful now that you tried to take advantage out of my cousin! Of course!” Yuhwan laughed sarcastically. “You wanted to meet her that badly to show her your paintings and her up because you’re obsessed with her face! And now she just vanished. Magnificent. You act so noble at times, hyung. What hyung, you’re not even worth that treatment, I thought I knew you!” He huffed at the other and spit on his shoes. “Don’t bother looking out for her, I’ll do it myself.” And then he walked off, sighing.

“You don’t even let me explain what happened! We were good, we did nothing, she was on hangover. Do you really think I’d abuse your cousin? She’s the one who kissed me, you know? It was all her. I said that I couldn’t do anything because I barely know her, I am not that much of a ert. You should listen to me and take my version first before making your own, I know something is wrong. It’s not me, something happened, I’m sure! I didn’t do anything to hurt her, I just refused to sleep with her? We got drunk, hung and I fell asleep on her, what did you expect to happen? You saw on how much she dragged me in last night.” Jungwoo sighed and looked away, to then look over at Yuhwan back, lowering his voice tone to a normal calmer one. “We don’t need argues but to find her instead, we can’t be spit to find her, it’ll only make it all worse. I feel responsible because she was on the atelier before but even if she wasn’t I would help, okay? I am helping all I can. I understand we’re both exalted but it’s no reason to do this. Two heads think better than just one.”

 

 

IX. Hints of Ink.

A few weeks passing by, nothing was said. Yuhwan went to the police to put down in paper officially the fact that Song Soohee was missing. Observing the case have no development, he waited home and took a few days of break from his work, asking for a friend to fill his replacement until he felt better. With no mind to put effort into anything, he’d lay in bed and sigh all day.

Jungwoo often passed by to talk to them, but nobody seemed to be interested in helping. Police officers and investigators had no clues, they saw a stranger talk to her asking her what time it was, then she’d stay still in the very same spot and call the first cab she saw. Seemed normal to them but something was wrong. She had no need to call a cab, why would she? Why would Soohee go away from what she said she wanted the most? The cameras recorded it, but none of the faces were seen. A guy slightly taller than her with a suit, straight cut, fringe covering his eyes and a hint of tan face, broad shoulders and a sharp jaw. No other details could be seen, the guy seemed to know there was a camera filming them in the store in front but the store only had a detail of them, they barely were recognized, and he turned his back to the store. On the coffee, the employees confirmed the same but they said he often passed by, but couldn’t describe him other than he had a squared face and gold-tan skin. They’d say all the rest was pretty much a common face, but they couldn’t tell because of his fringe covering his eyes. Without a lead to who that stranger was, they couldn’t say it was his fault or anything, in fact, she waited for a cab afterwards. With dark windows, she got in and bowed her head politely at the driver, taking the back seat. After that, she vanished.

God knows what happened to her? They had to keep their hopes up, and, someday, as Sungmin got inside of home, he ran to the bedroom shared by Sungjong and Yuhwan and knocked on the woodened plain and dark, simple door.

“You got a letter, it doesn’t say who it’s from but, you have it. I thought it might be Soohee’s, since it has been two weeks and a half since she vanished… she’s alright for sure, maybe she just had complications…” Sungmin said as he opened and leaned against the door frame, eyeing his hyung. “I know it must be complicated but you have to keep your hopes up.”

“You don’t know how it feels like. She disappeared after Jungwoo messed with her.”

He shook his head and handed the letter to Yuhwan. “No, I believe in Jungwoo hyung. He is innocent, he’d never do anything to hurt anyone, especially his friends. He is caring.”

Yuhwan nodded slowly in agreement, he knew the other kept looking for her and kept passing by, asking if there were news, nearly every day. He also did go to the local police station to know if there were any news of her or any leads to her case. But not, and, the letter would be a painkiller applied on the investigation and on everyone around it.

Sungmin left the room and Yuhwan began to read it carefully, unfolding it slowly after opening up the envelope that surrounded the fresh perfume on it, scent of roses sweetening the paper. He knew it was Soohee who left the perfume in the envelope, it was her perfume.

« Never thought I would be leaving like this, but I have, and I had this planned for long. Even if I seem to be away for reasons you might make up, I took a reflection during that day I went to take a coffee and made a final decision to a question I kept asking myself after I even came to Seoul, and, my conclusion is that I will be better by myself for now. Why will that be?

Oh well, I don't know, I just can't seem to do it now, I am happy and nobody harmed me. Really. Love you all and I am not mad at any of you, I just need a break. Especially my mom, dad and cousin Yuhwan and the rest of my family, but not only. Also, I am sorry to leave Jungwoo oppa like this, I still never intended to make you think it was you who made me go away because it was not, but I couldn’t rely on your promises of love when we are not in love, even so, it’s not your fault. Never was. Since I wouldn't want you, any of you, to find me crying over anything, I left to a place where I don't want to be found but find myself without having others making me blame myself for my choices.

Umma doesn't need to worry either since I'll find a way to send her letters once in a while. Stress and need of following my own path made me do it, none of you. All of you who I left behind, I love you.

Hmm, just another thing. Every time, I will look for news of you even if I don't answer, I'll be thinking myself over but I will take a break to try and check if it's at my reach, but I will be mostly thinking myself over. Literally. Please respect my will above all and don't bother reporting me missing since my leave is to find myself since I can't chase after what others impose me.

With love, Song Soohee. »

Yuhwan held to that piece of paper and wrinkled it against his chest, spending the night crying against it. He felt stabbed in the back, and, days later, they realized she had taken her bags from the hotel with everything else, and left the next day after she had vanished for real. The receptionist and workers said she seemed alright and paid it all, but kept shut about whether she’d do next.

She’d be lost and lose herself in nowhere, and that made Yuhwan cry himself to sleep.

 

X. Details.

Time flew by. Jungwoo felt lost, Yuhwan allowed him to read the letter after a while away isolated, to rethink everything, trying to cheer himself and find a new hope. He was not only concerned, he wished that everything went different. He allowed his beard to grow so as his moustache, and didn’t bother anymore with anything. No press, no going to the atelier anymore since police went there lastly to search for evidences, but eventually they closed the case, so, hopeless, Jungwoo lost his muse and lost his passion for painting. Following his denial, he began to paint symbolism and death, challenging the rotten society he grown up on and letting the ink swallow his grunts of despair and regret.

He asked him to save a copy of that scented letter so he could keep in mind the last words she ever directed to him. Handwritten, he noticed something was wrong with that letter. The way she constructed the phrases seemed forced, and all she’d say was that she didn’t want them to follow after her. And, eight months later, she was like she wished, but, she never contacted. So, he began to read it all over. And, the more he read, the more he was intrigued. What made her write that way? Her handwriting was shaky and the ink’s thickness was a lot more than a regular speed writing calligraphy would ever look like, it was like she was pressuring the pen over the paper.

He needed to call someone who’d find the mystery, but, he ended up doing it himself. The paragraphs weren’t well divided like a subject change, and it was on purpose. She was crafty. Also, commas would be used as dots, and the letter after a dot would be chosen wisely. Because, she codified a saving code. And, he only realized that after.

Never, even, why: first paragraph; Oh, really, love, especially, also, never, since: second paragraph. The words starting the phrases built a word, if they only left the capitalized letters. There wasn’t a need of anything else but he decided to keep going to find a pattern. And, he found out himself facing a witchcraftery of words.

“She’s in New Orleans.” He concluded as he stood up, running to call Yuhwan. “Yuhwan-ah, we need to meet. Soohee is not safe, meet me in half an hour and bring her letter alongside and some paper with her handwriting besides the letter, I need to prove something.”

Without allowing the other on the other side to say much than a hum and agreement, he turned off his call and took a quick shower, shaving the beard and moustache he didn’t dare to shave often for the last months, getting some clean clothes and leaving quickly, to then message the guy he previously spoke to. « We meet by White Ink Bird’s front door. »

At a quick pace, jacket slowly falling down his shoulder as he’d start to run until the main door giving the building a minimalist plain view, he found two pairs of eyes, and there was Yuhwan. He stopped and got out his wallet. “Come with me to a café nearby, it’s quiet, and we have a lot to update. We might even get help there, since it’s that famous coffee Soohee went to after she went missing.” He nodded as he mumbled with a weak voice.

Entering the coffee and choosing a table, the shorter male went in, tugging to Yuhwan’s sleeve, them both being followed by Jungwoo, who was too shocked with the letter to even notice the lovebirds, considering that he had been isolated for months. “Seems quiet enough here.” Sungjong nodded and hummed, taking a seat in the very corner. “I presume you’d prefer to speak alone with Yuhwan but, I asked him to come along. Plus, three brains work better than two on their own. The more we have, the better we’ll think, the more resolute we’ll be.”

“Sure, no, it’s fine really, dongsaeng.” He nodded, then frowning and noticing the cuddles behind the table, blinking and raising a brow. “I presume… you two are together?”

Yuhwan grinned, showing off his dimples. “Oh, yeah. We haven’t told you yet? We’re together for six months now. Sungmin moved away to a dorm, but we still work on the studio all together. He said he’d rather give us some privacy but now we have two beds empty at home. I think he is a little homophobic. Or at least he feels weird staying around a couple.” He chuckled.

“Oh, wow, congrats!” Jungwoo raised his brows, smiling gently. An employee then approached them slowly, ‘what would you like to take’, a female on a brown apron with her hair on an up-do asked. “An Americano. You?”

Sungjong looked over at the list. “A caramel flavored coffee smoothie for me.” His hand then Yuhwan’s thigh, as the employee was typing down the requests.

“For me a Mochaccino sounds good.” Yuhwan expressed his dimples one more time, holding out the eager hand on his thigh and intertwining fingers with the shorter boy, watching the employee leave and take a word afterwards, speaking lowly. “But, now tell me, what was that thing you had to tell me? Did Soohee talk to you? Did she say she was in need of help? Why bringing the letter?”

“Didn’t you notice something weird about her letter?” Jungwoo shoot him right ahead, pointing at the hand-drawn letters of her, her letter being written in English. “Why not write in Hangul?” He pursed his lips, wondering about the reason of her language choice.

“We have roots in other places other than Korea. We have been thought English at an early age. She’s better on it than me. I make several mistakes, she is very perfectionist. Maybe she wanted to send that to some of our family members who are living abroad and were raised abroad? For example, we have family in Australia who can’t speak Korean.” Yuhwan declared as he held out his chin with his hand. “Why bringing it up?”

“You said yourself she is perfectionist with it, but her letter doesn’t make sense. English doesn’t often use commas in phrases but she abused of them instead of making periods. Phrases aren’t well constructed and the way they start is often nonsense. Regardless of that, she made paragraphs not to change subject. She wrote it really badly. It gives the illusion she knows a lot of words in English but doesn’t know how to build a proper phrase. You yourself said she is fluent. So, why would she write badly? And that makes us wonder: why in English after all?” Jungwoo made his point and put the calligraphies side by side in order to compare both writings.

Sungjong squinted his lined deep black small eyes slightly, analyzing the handwriting. “She seems to be trembling while writing this one here. But she seems thoughtful. Like, she’s being pressured to write but she doesn’t know what to yet.” He blinks.

“Exactly, she is hesitating. I knew it…” The older mumbled, to then take out his copied version of the letter of his pocket, unfolding it. “Now look at it. Four paragraphs.” He then took out a market, circling all the capitalized letters on the letter. “Four words. It isn’t coincidence.”

Yuhwan took the paper and market out of his hand, scribbling down the letters. “New… Orleans. USA. Help.” He let that sink as he looked at his hands, pressuring the marker against the paper. “When did you find this out, Jungwoo hyung? Why did you take so long to even tell us this?” He closed the marker, leaving it over the table. “I can’t believe this… Nobody suspected she went missing and only said something two, three weeks later as it being weird, asking for nobody to care, the police doing crap about it… I can’t believe we were so dumb.”

“I found something else. I did research through some sources for the past week, and I found out there are over thirty archived cases of females disappearing, leaving messages, emails or letters behind to who there’s to care about them. The families saw them via pictures and all so most of them closed the cases. But, they were never found, in flesh.” Jungwoo looked down.

“What do you mean?” Sungjong reacted with a mumble, looking over at his heartbroken boyfriend, his cheek slowly as he’d lift his head up, waiting for a reply. “Do you think…”

“No! No, not at all. I don’t know what happened but, if she is in New Orleans, she was taken profit of for some reason. Maybe drugs or…” He looked down, sighing. “I think she most probably was kidnapped. And, we better find her and blend in so we can take her back. Whoever took her, she’s dealing with dangerous people and it’s our duty to rescue her.”

The black haired dancer nodded but then sighed. “We need help, we need people here to stay before we go abroad. We need backup. We need money, we need everything. We can’t leave the studio like this, we need it to keep our work, if we go away, we need help to keep that space. At least one of us has to stay. Unless we have help.”

“I can’t do much…” Jungwoo hummed lowly. “Even so, I could try and pay for the trip, meals, everything, while we’re at New Orleans. The more we are, the better we will be at finding her. We need to blend in, look around in corrupted environments because, let’s be honest, what use would she have for corrupt kidnappers?”

Sungjong nodded slowly, popping out his lips. “Even so, how can you be so sure she was kidnapped? Maybe she wasn’t… what if we are wrong? I know, the letter and all…”

Jungwoo got up as he saw the employee approach them to take the coffees, resting his fist on the table for a while. “There’s no way we’re wrong.”

 

XI. Portrait.

Travel bags rolling over a foreign floor, not only three boys were walking up the corridors of the airport, but six boys and a girl: Jiseok and Sejoon were translators in American field for them since they were the most experienced in speaking English, so, the oldest of the two took his wife along – they were having a dramatic stay but it was still a help for them, and, meanwhile, they’d meet the place slightly, having to roam around in order to make a proper search.

Three weeks to find Soohee. They’d have to do their best. Hoping Jungwoo’s lead on the letter wasn’t too outdated, they were pretending to be a group of tourists and their own “tourist guides”, not only getting to discretely interact with locals but also see if people were suspicious. One thing was true: they were on their own. And, to find Soohee, they’d have no allies, at all.

The Jungwoo who was previously at the end of his tether – blaming himself for all of what happened – promised himself he’d do his best to find her, the more discreet as possible, only occurring to those he knew he could rely on and trust.

Like a ghost, she faded away and dragged alongside the two most hurtful boys’ souls and hopes, out of the seven people in the airport. But the letter was a loaf of fresh air for Yuhwan and Jungwoo, who always wondered if there’d be an answer for the question ‘where is Soohee at’. They wandered if that was the answer but, they’d do their best, they went to the police and they were doing some research. But, without knowing they went to New Orleans, they disobeyed and got themselves inside of the airplane, leaving to their future and to her salvation – just hoping she was alright and they weren’t too late.

While waiting for the bags, they sat, trying to mask some joy, but Jungwoo couldn’t help but to put on his sunglasses and hold out his head, sobbing. He blamed himself for what succeeded and his need of going away to ease his mind was to him a dialing of the actual confirmation of that help request.

Sejoon his back, Jongkook popped his lips and sighed, and Jiseok patted his shoulder, mumbling. “It’s all gonna be ‘right, Jungwoo-yah.” Then he nodded and pursed his lips, his pitiful eyes for his friend roaming to his wife, holding out her hand.

“I know. Just a little scared but I have my hopes up. I’ve got to.” Jungwoo mumbled in response, his lips and watching Yuhwan and Sungjong get back with two bags.

Sungjong smiled softly and nodded his head. “They’re dropping our bags just now, go ahead to pick them up, it won’t take long until it becomes a chaos.”

“Yes, sir!” Jiseok laughed lowly, keeping up the good environment despite of the sadness due to the chance of not being able to find Soohee or even by imagining what she went through. Followed by a bunch of nods, the guys looked all over to the bags that were being displayed through the rolling carpet that’d lead to the X-Ray machine, examining everything inside the bags. Smiling and thanking, the married couple picked up their stuff and helped load the others back to their owners, placing them on the floor, seeing the Korean ID’s corresponding to each one of them, and the English ones as well.

“Thanks.” Jungwoo took his trolley, his daily care small bag and a backpack of big dimensions, smiling at the tallest guy of the group, watching him wrinkle his nose, getting his hair ruffled as he, frustrated, shown a whiny poker face, to then fix his hair. “I’m older than you are, keep your hand away from my hair, you cheesy greasy ert. Go take good care of your wife instead.” He chuckled lowly, watching the only female in between all those men giggle.

Jiseok rolled his eyes playfully, bumping his shoulder as he flashed a grin of his. “What’s two days, Jungwoo-yah? Not gonna call ya hyung for that. Plus, aren’t I the old man here?”

“Shut up.” A cute sweet voice echoed from the female alongside with a little of laugher as she slapped his arm playfully, stealing her husband a peck, to disapproval of the ‘left-over’ males and envy of the dancers who’d discretely hold hands inside of Yuhwan’s pocket.

“This is getting cheesy…” Jongkook attacked right ahead, smirking playfully. “Yah, you two get a room, this here is a public space, we dun’ need to see your… how do you call it, hyung? Oh, right. Frickle frackle.”

Jiseok glanced hard and extended his hands forward, squinting his big brown eyes towards the violinist. “Yah, Shin Jongkook! Do ya wanna die?! Can’t I kiss my wife now?”

“Guys, guys… don’t fight, we’re here for a purpose, not to joke about Jiseok’s needs.” Sejoon said in a low manner, bursting in laughter afterwards, hiding himself after Jongkook, chuckling lowly. “I’m sorry I’m laughing, but you’ve got to admit it, we all know, hyung.”

The dirty blonde haired guy rolled his eyes once more and held out his wife’s wrist, sighing. “See ya in Korea in three weeks then, I’ll go back to frickle frackle in peace.” He then muffled a laughter, holding out the girl’s arm and dragging her, as she rolled her eyes. “Yah!”

“Don’t be a dummy, we’re here to help.” The woman pulled down the whiny grinning idiot to peck his nose, making him kiss her lips several times.

“I know. I was joking. Let’s go take some rest and tomorrow we’ll start the search.”

 

XII. You.

Hopes were lost – or nearly, since the boys had no clue of her. Searching on corrupted areas, searching on poor zones, searching around the streets, but no one that would resemble Song Soohee. The last two weeks they discretely decided to start describing her or asking around but there wasn’t a single person who’d say she was a known face.

Running out of joy of living, Jungwoo left the hostel for a drink that night – they’d pack up soon to leave in four days back to Korea, considering the long, tiring flight. Grabbing a few bucks and lazily placing them on his pocket, he went to some bar on the downtown, hoping he’d see her somewhere. And, something was telling him to go to a certain place when he saw a fading red haired girl with a black trace of hair making it seem a tone degradation, molested on an arm, enter a strip club, shades placed on, scarf covering her face and a hourglass-shaped body highlighted by a tight black strapless corset and leather pants on a vivid tone of a glowing turquoise. The skin color wasn’t vivid because of the neon lights but it seemed pure red.

But, what could he say? He didn’t know, it has been long but his hopes were up, not knowing if it could be her, the one he should have never let go of.

He just decided to go after the female who seemed to be her. Girl of red, burgundy fading long hair strands that’d be untied, wild, wavy, messy, a hint of black showing  on the top of her head until her ears. Pulled away from the crowd by a man, he’d her arm and she’d shake her head, and, he couldn’t do nothing, hiding and discretely looking at the poor fate of the girl. She was a stripper, companion of the clients, e. The girl of the canvas was like a blurred stain over a dripping paper sheet, soaked and torn apart in the rain. His heart sank down and he lowered his look in between the crowd of hungry men that’d glance hypnotized at a busty tan, blue eyed brunette, stripping down on the pole. But, he’d look at the girl hidden in between those eyeglasses, observing from afar, his heart sunk.

She got a slap and bent down, her eyeglasses falling off her face. She would refuse to do the job but she then cried and agreed. Jungwoo took out the bucks and tried to look out for all the money he had discretely. Luckily he had his wallet as well.

Going through the crowd enjoying the brunette stripper’s show, he went to the other side, asking something to the bartender that’d serve shots all over the counter. “Could you help me? I saw one girl here, a worker, Asian, tall, red hair? What’s her name?”

“You mean that one there?” A grumpy tattooed burgundy haired woman on an up-do pointed over at the girl who seemed to be Soohee. “That’s White Ink Bird. She’s picky with clients and not very requested to some jobs, you might not be so lucky. But, give it a try?”

Jungwoo grinned, bowing his head. “Thanks. Where should I go to pay for it or make my offer?” He found that quite intriguing, since the woman didn’t tell him about a boss to pay to or anything, but she realized he had an interest in her. It was to her a . It deep down was, so, it was fine for her to think that, because he felt the urge to take her away and never let go of her anymore. He missed her to death, but, he barely knew her. He knew he crushed on her right ahead but it couldn’t be love. It was pity, he thought.

“Make her an offer directly, she’ll decide and give the boss part of the money when she’s done with you. But, you’re sure you want to pick her? She’s not much available, if she finds you interesting or your wallet interesting, she’ll take you for the night, but don’t expect her to look at you again, some mad men came after her after a service and she didn’t take them.” The burgundy tattooed woman was trying to not only tell she probably was a bad catch but also trying to incite him to see other women who’d have with him right ahead without thinking twice. His objective was to tell her he’d come back to get her and help her out of that place.

He looked over at the girl but she was gone, so, he took a sit where men and women were there waiting for workers to pleasure them – daily basis for them – and another employee moved across the room to sit on his bent leg, a blonde haired playing with his tie. He looked over at her and blinked – how many times did Soohee have to do that?

“Can I be helpful to you, sir? I believe I’ve never seen you here.” The girl played with a strand of Jungwoo’s hair, looking at him with a seductive glance. She wanted to cash for sure but his mind wouldn’t get off of Soohee.

Jungwoo smirked gently, trying to have a role in the middle of all that leather and that lustful environment. “Girlfriend cheated on me, I cheat on her, no big deal.” He said calmly, drinking the rest of his free shot. “Looking out for someone I can use to make my girlfriend regret it. Sounds pretty much like some exchange of favors, right? I actually saw someone perfect. Tall, Asian, reddish hair? I heard her name is White… Ink Bird?” Jungwoo was giving quite a show to the girl who took it all for granted, as he placed his cup over some table nearby him.

“Want me to call her off for services and prices discussion perhaps?” The naughty blonde got up with a smile. “It’s a pity you seem not to change your mind, but, you have nice taste, she’s pretty and not very exotic to you but, she’s a beauty, and, she’s y. She’ll be here soon.”

He grinned wide once more, his lower lip softly. “Maybe next time I’ll take you, who knows. Not this time though. My eye caught her, you know.” Jungwoo then said, watching the woman leave him on his own. As she did, his expression faded slowly, to look straight into his drink like he poured his soul into it. A sweet tender voice approached him not knowing him.

“Heard you’re up to discussions for my–” White Ink Bird looked into his eyes as he turned his face to gaze at her and heard him mutter something, as she was unable to speak nor understand at all. Soon she regained her posture, pressured by her boss who’d be looking towards her, as if evaluating the situation closely. “Jungwoo… you can’t be here.” She replied lowly, as she sat next to him, trying to act normally.

He sighed lowly and kept his voice down. “What other choices do we have? We have to get you out of here… you can’t stay here rotting… is there some place we can talk at? We need to make a plan to get you out. Your cousin has been gone insane, I have been gone insane, the boys and your cousin and I came all the way until here because we found the message on your letter. He thought it was my fault, he almost hit me, even so, I felt like it was me.”

“It wasn’t you, oppa. But, we can’t get me out of here, they control me. If I leave, they might shoot me, coldblooded, mercilessly. Or they might go after you or any of them and harm you. I can’t let it happen.” She sniffed slightly, about to get up.

“Soohee… I’m sorry… but there’s no choice for you. I’d rather die than losing you again.”

The girl looked speechless at him, and approached him slowly, taking the money out of his hand, even it not being enough to pay a half of it, to then hold out his hand, pulling him to a blank corridor as she took a key out of her pocket, opening the plain white door that lead to a red flaming room. Closing the door right behind her, she locked it and ran into his arms as soon as she made sure it was safe. “Oppa… mianhae…”

Jungwoo’s sad expression faded softly into a tiny smile, as his hands texted the others. ‘Get another plain ticket, we’ll be rescuing her tomorrow.’ He then wiped off his eyes silently and approached her, pecking her nose. “We need a plan. What do you do before starting working? Some shopping? Essential needs? Clothes?”

“Pharmacy. Hmm… pills. Sometimes hairdresser to cover up the roots and rarely shopping, the girls from here share rooms. Actually I need to dye my hair. What about it?”

Jungwoo smirked with both his lips’ edges, making Soohee’s eyes widen slightly. “I might have gotten a plan. There are times Jiseok’s actually useful. That person looks like a slug, believe me. He brings the whole house on his back and his clothes are good for disguises, it literally fits from flies to pigs. I’ll use his help. Just… you know where is that hairdresser near the hotel, the one near the lake? Go there after lunch, at 14:00. Say you got a free coupon for a trial, it’s a new space or something. Go there and we’ll pick you up and bring you to the hotel, you’ll be disguised by then, we will be able to get help. We brought your documents so you will be able to travel with no problem with us back to Korea. So, no wounds, you just went missing, if you bring all your clothes alongside it will be suspicious so just bring as many changes you can on a handbag.

“You’re either seeing a lot of movies lately or you’re building some good plans and should actually become a writer instead of painter.” She chuckled lowly and her hands followed to his cheeks, cupping them and them gently.

Jungwoo bit his lip. “About painting… I don’t… since you left. I lost my inspiration by the time I lost you from under my sight. If I just went after you… we would be so happy right now… like how your cousin turned out loving his roommate’s .” Jungwoo laughed lowly and she shut his mouth with her lips, leaving him tinted like a blooming rose suddenly faded throughout his cheeks, holding out to her with a tight needful grip. “I’m sorry I let you go on your own.”

“Everything’s good. I missed you. And, I’m glad I didn’t have to imagine what it would be like to kiss you, it is a relief at least. About my cousin, I knew he had a crush for Sungjong-ah for a while even after I met them. They seemed adorable when I first met you, those impersonations of your married friend, they were quite funny. Mean, but funny. Deep down, I knew they would be joking of what they would become.” Soohee chuckled and tugged to the male, finally having some delightful embrace of other than a stranger. “I also never allowed anyone to touch me because I knew you would come. Even so… the first days… our boss did hit us. Some of us were continuously. One ended up in the hospital and he beat her up to death and then dropped her on the lake. They knew she was a e so they didn’t care much. I had to agree to give a higher percentage and rise my prices for intimacy and… well… those services not to be forced to have any more intimacy with clients. I refused most things. If it was some private dance or so, I took those. Not more. Thank god my boss took it just fine…”

“He wanted money and if you didn’t make money he’d beat you or even you? That’s… gross! They could treat you like that… what would they do if you stole or something?”

Soohee sighed lowly. “A bullet in the head. But… don’t speak more of it. I finally have you here, let me just… enjoy this moment. I am happy you all are here to help… I’m still scared…”

“Don’t be. Once you arrive, I will be there. Bring a backpack with your wallet, documents… Take all your money with you and take it off your wallet to take it with you, we will make sure to have a backpack ready for you to put your stuff on, a clothes change and it will all be good. You wear a hoodie and some jeans from Jiseok’s wife or something and you’ll pass for someone else. Then, we’ll head straight to the airport with you. They won’t suspect a thing. Actually, we can simulate another kidnapping, splatter a sample of your blood on the floor near the bag. No trace. Just, wondering how we’ll do it during the daylight… but it will have a way of solving it.” Jungwoo nodded and simply said it.

“Let’s go for it.” She grinned, pecking his lips again once more. “We need to make it look like you’ve got some bed hair now though. Any ideas?” She smirked as she pushed his backwards against the red silk sheets, pulling him through his shirt’s collar to capture his lips as she’d straddle him. An erupting wildness evaded them as she last spoke, making him pin her down.

“I’m not sure if this happened before or not but, I’m really into you, White Ink Bird.”

 

XIII. Canvas.

A small female figure smiled towards Soohee, putting herself on the tip of her toes on the back of a storage room on the hair salon, to put a hoodie down the red haired’s head. She hoped the plan would work, and took a syringe out of her pocket. “Don’t worry, I know how to check for veins. For the plan to work and for them not to be after you, it’s better if they check the samples and see it’s your blood, they won’t do much since police doesn’t care a lot about these things. Just, close your fist and don’t open it again until I say it.”

Soohee shivered lowly at the feeling at the cold sting of the iron spiky piece of the syringe penetrating through her skin. She smiled gently and waited patiently as soon as she removed the syringe from her arm, disinfecting both the arm and the syringe and putting the blood on a plastic cup, to give to the three guys with covered faces outside – Jongkook, Jiseok and Sejoon – and then got back to her, putting a pad on the place she inserted the syringe on. “Will it take much longer?”

“We need a piece of yo shirt, it’ll look more realistic if we have it. They can’t find out…” Jiseok peeked inside while she was wearing the trousers, deserving some whiny slap from his wife. He covered his eyes and whined and she tried not to laugh.

“Yah, you’re spying on a woman near your wife! How could you, ert!” The woman whined. “The evil is done already, don’t cover your eyes! It won’t change anything…”

Jiseok whined lowly, pursing his lips together on a firm line, looking away. Seemed he wasn’t really in the mood for playing and that actually was taken seriously. Probably not that serious. “We gotta talk once we’re outta here. No need to worry, I just… I miss Korea. So, let’s hurry this up, baby. Dun’ joke of those things, ya the only woman I look at.” The other three people in the room looked towards the married couple, wondering how come the woman changed so much that man once he felt like it was their time together. They somehow understood on how he was always with her now – he loved her to death.

“Hmm… hyung? We need to worry this. Everything is set, right.” Sejoon made an uneasy face. He hated to ruin moments but they were in the middle of an operation.

“The bag with Soohee’s things…” Jiseok’s wife went down to the marble floor and gave her husband the backpack. “I made a stupid joke… I’m sorry… Don’t be sad with me. You know I love you. He loves you too.” She chuckled lowly, tapping her stomach.

Jiseok squinted his eyes and blinked slowly. “What?! Who? What are ya talking ‘bout?”

“I can’t believe this.” She held her head and buried her head on her hands. “Yah, you idiot! I can’t believe this… I told you last night what the result of this vacation was and you fell damn asleep when I was telling you I was going to have a baby? You are unbelievable, really…”

With that, that could be heard laughter on background from Sejoon and Jongkook, and the woman would stick her arms up to hit his arms, the further she’d reach, considering that he was running off to the street backwards. “Ya what? For real?”

“Of course it’s for real, Jiseok! You idiot…” She whined and meanwhile they were screwing their plan and everyone was laughing, Sejoon kept sticking to it with Jongkook, being the last the one who executed most of it, pouring the blood on the blade and letting it drip on the floor, stepping on it and creating a fading trail, to then sit and take off his boots, going to the car. “, they’re leaving without us… Hurry! Don’t step on the blood!”

“These two are two idiots indeed.” Yuhwan laughed on the passenger seat with Sungjong sitting on his lap due to the lack of space on the rented car. “Sungmin was right when he said they were made for each other.”

Jongkook smirked evilly to spicy up the Jiseok-themed conversation. “Idiot but he left the seed. After all, he wasn’t that idiot, we see by those things. Poor thing, fell asleep while she told him last night. He was probably tired of frickle frackle. Wait until he can make Jiseok 2.0.”

Sungjong widened his black lined eyes and parted his lips surprised. “Noona is having a baby with Jiseok hyung? Since when? When did you hear it?” He blinked, clueless.

“They are so evil for Jiseok-ah… wander what will happen with the next couple in here. Straight one, because it’s not like those two will go any further.” Jungwoo chucked, leaning against Soohee, who just sat on the car. “Seven seats, there wasn’t nine seats or we’d have taken it. Sungjong-ah will have a special pillow on the way so it’s fine.” He pecked the girl’s head.

“I wouldn’t mind switching places with him either. You seem comfortable until the plane.” She chuckled lowly, looking into his eyes and intertwining her fingers with his. “To be honest, I can’t still believe it that we did it… they didn’t suspect anything?”

Jungwoo shook his head and smiled gently. “No. We’re safe. I won’t let any of those lay hands on you again, they’ll have to kill me first. I won’t open my hand of you anymore. You are mine, only mine. I won’t let go of you anymore. I was so scared I wouldn’t find you… but… miraculously… I did, on the last moment. I am so happy I did… Not like I’m leaving you behind any way, since I’d be back, but, we were scared we wouldn’t find you, the city is big. And, you could have left to somewhere else… but glad you haven’t. We were lucky. I’m so lucky…”

“Hyung! Soohee-ah!” Yuhwan grinned, showing off his piercing dimples, eye smiling. “What are those affections with my cousin there? You don’t want me getting mad, do you?”

Sungjong placed his indicator finger on Yuhwan’s lips, smiling gently. “Shush, let them be happy once. We all deserve it. Let Jiseok be a dad, let them cuddle and let me cuddle you too. Everyone should share a piece of what we have too.” He smiled gently and pecked the taller black haired boy’s cheek. And then, Sejoon’s hands held the steering wheel and they all hit the road towards New Orleans’ International Airport.