It wouldn’t have taken long for them to be caught. With the amount of fights they were causing, they were bound to be restrained. L.Joe looked over at Naeul who calmly gave them her report. The policeman seemed like he didn’t believe her. None of the officers could believe that a blind girl had taken part in a small gang fight.

“I’m telling you, those old men started it. I could hear them talking crap about my friends before my friends could see them. They attacked us first and they told us we were little kids who needed to go back to our moms.”

“Little girl, you bit into a guy’s ear a little too hard. And you broke a few noses.”

“They had it coming. I told them not to mess with us.”

I can’t believe she’s acting like nothing is seriously wrong. Doesn’t she realize that she can get into big trouble if she keeps talking? Naeul, babe, stop it. You’ll get arrested for assault.

One of the gangsters with a broken nose turned around and began to defend himself by saying that Naeul had grabbed a plank and smashed his precious nose. Another one spoke up and blamed the entire fight on Naeul.

“Why didn’t you just walk away?”

“Walk away? Do you not realize that they swung their fists first? And where’s the fun in running away? The rush I feel is amazing.”

“So you admit to assaulting these men?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t our fault. They brought up my mom. It’s a touchy subject. Officer, can’t you just let this slide? I can buy the entire squad some delicious jjajangmyun*.” (*noodles with black soybean sauce)

“Are you trying to bribe us with aegyo* and food?” (*cute(ness) and affection)

“That depends. Is it working?”

L.Joe stared at his girlfriend in astonishment. How could she even think about getting away with being a part of a fight with food and a little dash of cuteness? But to his surprise, to everyone’s surprise, she had set herself and the boys free without any penalty. The policemen and the seven of them enjoyed the noodles and some other side dishes. He was amused by how she acted like a cute puppy in front of the officers and how they fawned over her.

“I’m sorry that those big, bad men hurt you and your friends.”

“It must have hurt when they hit you guys.”

“How dare they bring up a touchy subject?!”

L.Joe and his friends just stared at the scene. Grown men acting cute in front of a bunch of trouble-making youngsters while eating noodles was quite a sight. They looked over at the holding cell and saw the gang members staring at them with frustration and anger.

“Where the hell is my daughter?!” Crap, her dad.

Naeul’s father came storming in full of worry and anger. When he saw that they weren’t in trouble but rather enjoying a meal, he grew confused. Naeul called him over and he cautiously sat down. The officer that interviewed Naeul explained that the men in the holding cell were responsible for everything and that Naeul and the boys were just trying to defend themselves. With one last statement, the seven young adults were released from the police station. But they now had to deal with Naeul’s father.

He began to scold them. To him, they were irresponsible. They put his daughter in danger. They were nothing but delinquents. They were all a bad influence. They needed to be put in jail. But to Naeul, they were her only true friends. She told her father that no one understood her like they did. They helped her realize that the world wasn’t dark, that the world was still vibrant and filled with wonders that she thought were long lost.

“You’re are forbidden to ever see them again.” Without giving her time to protest, her father took her home, leaving the boys to sulk.

<< >>

Naeul’s head dangled off of the edge of her bed. She blew air into her cheeks and just waited for her father to come home. There was nothing she could do to pass time. She couldn’t see L.Joe or his friends. She refused to read any books in her room because they were old and she knew what would happen in the end.

I’m so bored. I wish Byunghun would come and save me from this Hell. Maybe I can call…him. Darn, daddy took my phone away. Should I sneak out? But if I do, daddy will find out. I wonder how he does that all the time. Does he have spies all around me? Or maybe he’s the spy. He’s probably a secret agent. Or maybe he isn’t. I need to get out. This boredom is messing with my mind. Sorry, daddy. I need to see Byunghun.

Without hesitating, she cautiously stepped out of her home and snuck her way to the car shop. When she felt that the door was down and locked, she called out for L.Joe but someone else responded.

“Well, if it isn’t the little girl who left us in slammer. Looking for your pimp?”

“You’re the guy whose ear I bit.”

“Yeah, you made me bleed. I’ll let it slide because I’m a good person.”

“What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to take you to L.Joe. You are here to see him, aren’t you?”

“I can find him on my own.”

But it was too late. The men took her by the arms and dragged her away. She lost track of direction and number steps. Soon, she had no idea where she was or who she was with. Panic and anxiety spread throughout her body. She wanted to ask where they were taking her or what they were going to do with her but for that moment she forgot she had a voice. She forgot how to think and react.

When her bottom hit the cold, hard ground, she slowly came back to her senses. She could hear muffled music coming from above her. Wherever she was, it reeked of cigarette smoke and alcohol. And she finally realized that she could talk.

“Where am I? Why did you bring me here?”

“You’re in our special place. You’re here to stop those brats from messing with us.”

“You’re grown men, ignore them.”

“You didn’t ignore us so why should we ignore you?”

“Let me go. I’ll ask them to stop so let me go.”

But they had no intentions of forgetting their grudge. They locked Naeul up in an empty room and she could hear them calling some people to bring L.Joe and his friends to their special place.