oo6
Nail Shop Paradise
The wind caught and stretched her hair behind her ears. The strands trailed behind like streaks of sand as Sohyun rode her bike to work. The block that lead towards the shop is where she met Changsub walking from the other direction. He wore his backpack across his front as he played games and listened to music from his phone, not paying attention to his surroundings. Sohyun shook her head and her teeth.
"Yo Changsub." He stopped dead in his tracks, pulling the ear buds spilling music from his ears. He looked behind him to see if Sohyun had been calling for anyone else. "What are you doing, you're the only person on this street."
"Yah, why are you so informal?" He asked sternly, "I'm still your senior."
Sohyun pouted but gave in. She knew she was in the wrong for the way she addressed him but it got his attention no less.
"Get on." She said informally at first but added the please once Changsub shot her a look. "Just get on, it can save you five minutes."
"No thanks. I wouldn't be caught dead riding on that."
Sohyun looked at him pitifully. "First of all, it's a mountain bike, secondly, you take public transportation, thirdly, you should be grateful!"
"Who would be grateful being seen with you?"
"Yah!"
"Yah?" The two exchanged resentful looks and then turned away from each other, arms crossed in front of their chests. A van slowed and stopped beside them. A masked figure came out from the driver side and suddenly tased Changsub. He let out a loud yelp as he collapsed on the ground and Sohyun asked the person what they were doing. She didn't react fast enough when she realized Changsub was being taken against his will. The assailant locked the vehicle doors when Sohyun attempted to get Changsub out. She could hear Changsub struggling as he was being tied down and then gagged. Sohyun kicked the van door to the point of putting in a dent but that was all she could do. The van drove off and Changsub pressed his face agaist the window pleading with his eyes at Sohyun to do something.
"Kidnapping..." Sohyun stuttered quietly, trying to process the situation, "Kid-kidnapping! Changsub is being kidnapped!" She announced the news to no one, as there was still no one else on the block, and she hopped on her bike pedaling after the van. The driver sped like no other to the point where even on her mountain bike it was impossible to keep up. Sohyun trailed behind on the freeway, getting further and further away from the vehicle but keeping her eyes glued to whatever direction it went. She saw the exit it took, and knew exactly where they were going.
Changsub squirmed like a fish on dry land in the back of the van. The vehicle came to a stop and all he had managed to do was remove the gag from his mouth. The van door open and his kidnapper stretched his arm out to grab him. He backed away like a scared animal.
"Who are you?" He cried out, "Is this some kind of joke?"
"A joke?" A woman's voice came from behind the mask. She snatched it off, revealing herself and Changsub went from scared to angry.
"Ahju...ahjumma?" It was one of his old customers turned anti that started writing negative reviews and spreading rumors about their shop. The woman was obsessed with Changsub and when he told her not to see him anymore because he didn't share the same feelings the woman went downright insane. Changsub's hands and feet were tied with scarves, he hopped on his heels and bounced toward the woman. He screamed at her. "Are you crazy?"
"What do you think? Who do you think made me like this?" She asked pitifully. "Do you know how hard I've tried to forget you?"
Changsub cringed and rolled his head. "Stalking me isn't forgetting me. It just makes me like you less!" The woman flinched at his words and looked as though she regretted her action. Changsub his teeth. "Untie me."
"No." Her voice suddenly changed and she didn't look so sad anymore. In fact the crazy that Changsub came to know returned and that made him worry. "You see, there's a reason why I brought you here Changsubie." He looked around, forgetting to check out his surroundings yet again. Had he been paying attention earlier as well he more than likely wouldn't be tied up in some crazy old woman's van. He choked on his own words when he realized his situation.
"Why...why are we at the Han River?" The woman caressed his face and smiled. She yanked him out of the van and dragged him over to the river bank.
"Changsubie...you're too mean." Without warning she pushed him in. With his hands behind his back and feet tied together he didn't manage to stay afloat well. He pleaded to be saved and she watched him struggle. A buzzing sound came from a distance and got louder at passing. The woman turned her head and found herself being ran over by Sohyun's bike. Sohyun quickly got off while the woman was taken aback and scrambling on the ground. The younger girl kicked the older woman and then looked around for Changsub.
"Soh..." The water overlapped his speech. Sohyun peered down and saw Changsub drowning.
"What do I do? I don't know how to swim!" She yelled but didn't hesitate after. She jumped right in and linked onto Changsub as she began to sink. She worked on the tie knot around his wrists. He squirmed just as much that told her he was still conscious. At the same time she was slowly beginning to lose hers. She didn't know if she even got the knot undone, but her vision went cloudy and her body felt numb. She figured she probably took too long to get the ties off and Changsub would just end up sinking with her. She felt bad that he had to die because she couldn't save him properly. She wish she would have taken swimming lessons.
"Sohyun...Sohyun wake up!" Someone was shaking her. Her body felt heavy and sluggish, so she couldn't move. She didn't open her eyes quick enough. Something wet wrapped around and blew hot air. Her eyes suddenly went wide and pushed Changsub's shoulders away. She was outraged.
"What-what-what do you think you're doing?" She still kept him at a distance with her hands on his shoulders. Changsub blinked several times just as shocked as she was.
"You were unconscious so I started to do CPR..."
"CPR? YAH! I was holding my breath like crazy I was just a little lightheaded!"
"Still! Is this any type of way to react to someone who just saved you?"
"Just saved me? I'm pretty sure I was the one who did the rescuing."
"Barely." He scoffed. "I had to finish untying myself while you began to sink like a rock!"
She fell silent at the though that she could have gotten them both killed with her clumsiness. She'd almost forgotten, even though she had good intentions, she always fell short. That's why she had a hard time keeping a job. That's why she couldn't even get along with her coworkers.
"Whatever." She stood herself up and brushed past him. The older woman sat on the pavement with a bloody nose looking more annoyed than worried over her plans of kidnapping and murder failing.
"You know it too." She blurted when Sohyun tried to ignore her and reclaim her bike. She was smiling as crazy as she was. "He's too mean. You can't get through guys like that."
"Ahjumma, you have bad taste. Who would want a guy like that?" She took her bike and pushed it until she reached the main road off the exit. Changsub trailed slowly behind, looking somewhat regretful that maybe he'd been too harsh earlier, or ever.
"Wait up." He fell in step with Sohyun when they met the main road with morning traffic. They weren't going to get to work on time, not by walking anyway. "I'll pedal, you ride." He suggested. He avoided Sohyun's gaze when she looked at him to respond.
"I thought you said you wouldn't be caught dead riding something like this?"
He forced out a stiffed laugh. "That was before I got kidnapped. Now I have no choice..."
She was still looking at him making Changsub feel more awkward than his fake laugh. She finally agreed.
"I'll pedal." She said hopping onto the seat. Changsub didn't argue. He climbed on the bars of the back wheel and held on to Sohyun's shoulders. She gave him one last look before she rode off.
"Your legs...are really strong."
Sohyun didn't know whether it was a compliment or underhanded insult but it was the truth. She managed to pedal without stopping nearly the whole route towards the shop. She slowed down when they returned to the familiar street near their workplace. Sohyun stretched her body, extending her back and lifting herself off the seat. Changsub caught wind of her hair in his face as it flew back. She apologized and sat back down.
"Did you dye your hair for work?" He asked, acknowledging her new natural style. It was way better than her pink hair.
"Yeah. Mr. Lee said I should do something about it. So I dyed it a light brown. Now it looks like sand. Depressing."
"It looks nice."
She looked back at him. "Really?"
"Pay attention to the road!" He scolded. Sohyun faced forward and caught herself smiling.
"Mr. Lee also said I should tape my ears back...because they're too big."
"Well he's right."
She stomped on the breaks and Changsub fell forward, landing on Sohyun's back but she quickly nudged him off to where he fell sideways. He scrambled to his feel and brushed his hair back while Sohyun laughed.
"What was that for?"
"That ahjumma was right, you really are too mean."
He mumbled under his breath and decided to walk the rest of the way. Sohyun pushed her bike beside him, not riding ahead.
"About before," She started quietly, "When you got me out of the water, and attempted CPR, I'll say thanks. I would still be with the fishes if it weren't for you."
His expression hardened, and Sohyun couldn't tell if he was angry or confused. "Well...same. Had you not been there at all to untie my knots, I'd be done for, for sure. Thanks. Also thanks for giving that scary woman a bloody nose."
"That's what co-workers are for." She smiled and pushed her bike into the parking rack. They manage to make it to work shortly after opening and not realizing they'd gotten there so soon. Sohyun finished securing her bike and saw that Changsub still hadn't gone in and was just watching her. "What? Are you afraid of what Mr. Lee is going to say."
He immediately looked away and scratched his head, "That isn't it is...wait, no...yes it is."
"Weird." Sohyun walked up to him and brushed the dried mud from his shirt. "We'll both just bare the punishment today. Let's leave out the bit where we were almost killed, yeah?" She left towards the back entrance of the shop and Changsub still stood in place, but not because he was afraid of Mr. Lee.
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