Chapter Thirty-Three
Angel Vessel
When I woke up, I was sure that I would be alone. Despite what he had said, that he confirmed that he was well aware that he was choosing to sleep with me, I imagined that this was all the heat of the moment. That he would be gone and would regret what happened between us.
But when my eyes opened, Woohyun was sleeping beside me. His arm was draped loosely around my waist, keep me close to him. I couldn't help but stare. He was so beautiful that my heart ached. I didn't need to be a detective to understand that there were probably rules against a human and an angel consummating.
I watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, the gentle smile he seem to have on his face as he slept. I reached out and gently his cheek. He was warm. A reminder to me that he was real. His eyes fluttered open and his eyes immediately focused on me. We stared at each other for a long time. I was about to look away embarrassed when he shifted his loose hold on me to a tight one and pulled me closer to him. "Woo-"
"Shh. Don't speak. Listen to what I have to say first." He said, cutting me off. "Please" He added. "In no way do I regret what happened. That must be the first thought to go through that big brain of yours. I love you and I will keep saying it." He said.
"Until?" I asked softly.
"Until what?" He asked slightly confused.
"Usually when people say that they will keep saying I love you, they tend to give a time of reference. The end of time perhaps. All eternity?" I said.
He chuckled and shook his head. "You watch too much television. Just know I will keep saying it." He said and rested his forehead on mine. My mind wandered to the conversation between Woohyun and Eunji. He had said he would love her until the stars burn out and even after that he would still love her.
"You're thinking too hard again." He said, pulling me from my thoughts.
"That is probably true." I smiled and cupped him face and leaned in to kiss him. We kissed until I was breathless.
"I have to go to work." I said pushing away the sheets and getting up to grab my clothes that we left all over the floor. "Where's my sweater?" I asked and blinked remembering Woohyun pulling it off and tossing it behind the bar. I sighed and grabbed a plain black t-shirt from atop his dresser and put it on. I knotted it in the back so it would fit me better.
All the while Woohyun watched me, albeit with a raised brow. "What are you looking at?" I asked feeling a flush creep up my cheeks. "You." He answered with such sincerity that it almost stopped me in my tracks.
"I'll see you soon." I said and he gave me a small smile and nodded.
Leaving his apartment I ran up to mine. I felt like butterflies were going crazy in my stomach. I felt myself unable to stop smiling. The danger was gone. Woohyun and I could have peace. I pushed the hint of doubt that I was beginning to have to the far corner of my mind.
I opened my door to find my apartment in pristine condition. Everything was in its usual place. The cups that should have been there from yesterday were gone. The realization sank in. Myungsoo came back and he cleaned my whole apartment before leaving. I walked over to the coffee table and picked up the note there. "See you at work Minji."
I felt a lump form in my throat. Was this guilt? How about Eunji? Another person that was involved in these tangled lines of love. Woohyun and Eunji loved each other. There was no doubt about that. Was she angry at me?
I changed into a new outfit, but I stopped before putting on my tank top. I stared at the brand on my skin as I stood in front of the mirror. I ran my fingers over it. I had showed it to Woohyun yesterday, but I haven't looked at it. It didn't hurt anymore, but I remembered the pain that came with it. Shaking my head as if to clear my thoughts I pulled on the top and grabbed a cardigan and my bag before driving to the station.
I expected to see Myungsoo when I got inside was he wasn't there. I walked over to his desk to see a still hot cup of coffee. He was just here. Where did he go?
Part of me was relieved that I didn't have to face him right away. I felt like a coward.
I poured myself my own cup of coffee before sitting at my computer to start typing the report. I should be the one to do it. But I was surprised to find that Myungsoo had already sent in the report and cced me on it.
This is finally when I picked up my phone and called Myungsoo. Where was he and why was he taking it all on himself to do all the work. This wasn't right. I couldn't allow him to do this. The battle was mine. I was the one who brought all the misery into our lives.
The phone kept ringing without an answer. I was about to redial, but I looked up to see Sunggyu walk into our office. I blinked and stood up. "How did you get in here?" I asked. "I'm still a prosecutor, Minji. I can come into the police station without having to lie." Sunggyu said as he walked towards me.
"I-I want to thank you for yesterday." I said finally. He tilted his head slightly. "I wasn't doing it for you or Woohyun. I was doing it for Eunji." He said and I became quickly confused. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"I visited her once while she was imprisoned. I was angry she let Woohyun influence her so, but I still love her. She told me that she made her own choices and Woohyun had nothing to do with what she thought was proper. At that time, I didn't want to hear it. It was Woohyun's fault that Eunji got into a mess like that. Saving someone at the cost of her soul. I remembered that after you pleaded to me for help. For me to do what Eunji would see as the right thing." Sunggyu sighed heavily.
"Maybe that is why you two are meant to be together. So deeply entwined in love. You have the same morals in life. I cannot think about approaching that saintly thinking. But that kind of thinking always costs something. This time the cost may be too great again..." He trailed off and I stared at him. Everything he said was making sense and then his mention of cost started to feel me with dread.
"W-what do you mean by cost?" I asked, suddenly afraid of the answer to my own question. Sunggyu blinked and straightened. Realization suddenly dawned on his face. "He didn't tell you." Was what Sunggyu said next. "He didn't tell me what?" I asked. He shook his head. "I can't tell you if he hasn't. It's his to tell." Sunggyu said.
"No. You are going to tell me what is wrong right now." I said. Sunggyu opened his mouth when Myungsoo came into the office. "Myungsoo." I said. His face looked flushed and he had a scowl on his face when he walked in, but when he saw me he straightened and gave me a small smile.
"Is something wrong?" I asked. "No. Nothing is wrong." He said walking back towards his desk. He looked at Sunggyu and Sunggyu cleared his throat. "Bye Minji." And he hightailed it out of there. I opened my mouth to catch him, we weren't done, but I didn't think talking about this would be appropriate in front of Myungsoo.
"So are you sure something isn't wrong?" I asked sitting back at my desk. He closed his eyes. "I'm fine." He answered sounding slightly annoyed. I moved some files to the side of my desk. "Then why are do you have scraped knuckles."
He looked up surprised. "I'm still a detective Myungsoo. I notice things." I said looking up to meet his eyes expectantly. "I punched a guy. A few times." He finally answered after a few seconds.
"Who?"
"Woohyun."
"Why?" I asked sternly.
"Minji, you need to ask him yourself." Myungsoo said quietly, not looking at me. I gave a short humorless laugh. "That seems to be a theme for today." I grabbed my things and got up. "Where are you going?" Myungsoo stood up.
"Noone wants to tell me anything. So I have to go find answers." I said heading for the door. He caught up to me in a few strides and grabbed my arm, gently. "Minji. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for our first meeting after last night to be like this."
I sighed softly. I was the one who was sorry to him. I touched his hand gently. "He must've said something that deserved punching for you to get violent." I said. "Yeah. He did." And he pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back, because it felt good to be in the arms of someone who cared about me.
We stayed like that for a while, and he let me go. "Go. I can handle the office for today. Probably no crazy devil sadists today." He tried to lighten the mood. "No. I suppose not." I gave him a smile and left. I started dialing Woohyun after I got to my car. But he didn't pick up. I drove to Inspirit to check if he was there.
The club was still closed because it was early, but I knocked on the door anyway. I waited for a few minutes and was about to turn to leave when the door was opened by a woman. She was really beautiful and well put together. She was wearing a business like royal blue dress. I couldn't help but stare for a few seconds. She gave me a smile. "Hi, how can I help you?"
"Uh...is Nam Woohyun-sshi here?" I asked. "Namu? Yeah. Come in." She beckoned me inside. "Namu?" I asked quizzically. She giggled. "Sorry. I gave him the nickname a few years back and it stuck." I could only nod.
She led me through the club with a familiarity that was not gone unnoticed. We went to one of the back rooms and I was surprised to find a queen sized bed. What did it mean when the owner of the club had a personal bed in his establishment? Woohyun sat up in the bed, hair ruffled and rubbing his eyes. He was also shirtless. "Who was it Jung Mi?" He asked and then he realized it was me. "Oh. Hi Minji." He said with a kind of coldness that had me taken aback. Was this the same man that I woke up next to this morning? "I was looking for you." I said quietly.
He pulled his phone from the nightstand next to him. "Oh yeah. Sorry. I was preoccupied. What's wrong?" He asked. The word preoccupied stung in a way I couldn't describe. There was no evidence anything was amiss. Woohyun just looked like any normal guy who spent a night with a beautiful woman. But he wasn't a normal guy. At least not to me.
"Nothing. I was just checking up on you." I said.
"I'm perfectly fine. Thanks for worrying." He gave me a quick easy smile.
"Namu, don't you have to get ready for the club opening?" The woman named Jung Mi asked. "Yes that right!" Woohyun cleared his throat. "Sorry Minji, I'm going to be busy for the rest of the night. I'll call you when I'm free?" He said.
I knew when I had been dismissed. "Sure!" I smiled and I left without anyone needing to show me out. I felt like someone had made the air thinner because it was hard to breath. Did that scene really happen? Did Woohyun just act as if though I was a one night stand to him? I leaned my forehead against my steering wheel, trying to get my bearings.
I hadn't imagined the love between us. Or did I?
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