Chapter 2 – One night to change it all

After 12 years..

Myungsoo walked down the streets on a cold night. The yellow light that the streetposts gave out lit his way. He’s uncertain of where his feet might take him but he knows only one thing now. That is an escapade from his CRAP life. His fresh cuts stung as the wind brushed by his skin. He got nothing to protect his self from the extreme cold and all he could do is to tuck his hands inside his not so warm pockets. His shirt is still stained with his own blood. He was beaten up two days ago because he failed Jungryul. They were in a middle of a Mafia war when Jungryul told him to blow someone’s head. And as usual, he can’t.

He ended up entering this dimly lit park. He paced back and forth as the thoughts of his future rushed in his flooded mind. He walked around as the only sound is his footsteps. Normally, people are asleep by now. It’s twelve midnight.

“DAMMIT!!” A scream filled the place.

He was stunned for a moment before he ran to find who it was. The place was pretty big and he had to roam the whole perimeter until he stopped at the sight of her. She was holding a bottle of Soju. Her face stained with her own tears and she’s pretty drunk. It’s obvious with all the empty Soju bottles on the ground and her reddish face.

Myungsoo walked up to her and sat on the space left of the bench. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence except for the wobbly noise that she’s making. She faced him. He can now see clearly of her face under the flickering lights. She’s stunning behind that washed and messed up face.

“Hey. What’s up?”

Myungsoo awkwardly started the conversation. He’s not good in it. He barely talks especially to strangers. She just glared and gulped hard from her bottle that is nearly emptied. He just watched her while thinking of another way of an approach.

“You look burdened. Mind sharing me your problems?”

Actually he was never interested in anyone’s business and all that. Maybe because he’s bored that he’s intrigued of this girl.

“Mwo? I don’t even know you..”

“Myungsoo. I’m Kim Myungsoo..”

“So?”

“So I’m not a stranger anymore. You can now tell me what’s bothering you.”

She chuckled groggily as she dropped the bottle that she’s holding.

“You are a stranger. I don’t know you totally, mister.”

“But I’m not a complete one. At least you know me by name..”
He doesn’t even know if he’s making sense anymore. He just had this urge to talk to some drunkard he just saw.

“You don’t want to know it. Besides, why do you care?”

 She turned away and reached for another bottle from the box beside her. Myungsoo find it interesting. She’s making it hard and well, challenging. He just felt this comfortable atmosphere with her. That he doesn’t have to be cautious like what he usually does. He was trained to lie and not to trust anyone because of his sensitive identity. But now, he doesn’t even know why he feels safe around her.

“They say sharing your struggles with others will help. And hand me a bottle there, if you don’t mind.”

The girl looked back at him with knitted eyebrows. He offered an encouraging smile.

“I have my own burdens too and I’ll share it with you later if you want..”

She nodded unsteadily and reached a bottle for him. Myungsoo opened the bottle and drank from it.

“You are a heavy drinker for a woman.”

“Not really. This is my first time. I happened to like its taste so yeah. I used to be a good girl not until tonight. I chose drinking as the first step of my rebellion.”

“Rebellion? Why did you want to rebel?”

“Nothing much. Just discovered that I’m..” She stopped for a second to breathe as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes.

“That I’m not my dad’s real daughter. I tried everything. I did everything to please him even if it went against my will and my feelings. I obeyed him though everything he told me never was for my good or my future. I was just a dummy. It was so hard to make him return my overflowing love for him. He never even asked how I feel or what I wanted to do with my life. Now I know the truth, everything has never been so clear.”

She said as tears poured out, draining the bottle she clutched for the nth time. Myungsoo pursed his lips at the sight of some stranger crying out all her burdens to him. He can relate a little of what she’s carrying now. He moved closer and touched her shoulder. The very least way he can do to comfort her. She got over crying after a while.

“So what’s up with you?” she spoke sounding really drunk.

“Mwo? I don’t even know you..” He impersonated her. Just like how she said it earlier. It was just another way of asking her name.She laughed aloud.

“You’re good..” She said chuckling. “I’m Sue Ji Bae..”

Myungsoo nodded and said her name again taking another gulp of his bottle. He told her about him getting battered always but kept the Mafia thing to himself. He doesn’t want to scare her away. Sue Ji moved closer to him and her gaze fell upon his wounded face.

“They are wicked. Bad. Why would they do that to you?” She exclaimed as she caressed the bruise on his left cheek and forehead, the cuts on his nose and the grazes on his lips. Her eyes froze on it and so did her thumb. She looked at it for a while and gulped hard. It was perfect. She slowly looked up as their eyes met. He pulled her closer and leant his lips against hers. They shared the kiss passionately for long and ended up in a nearby motel room. He kissed her all the way down to her neck and she ed his shirt in return. Myungsoo was getting the hang of it when he suddenly stopped. Sue Ji blinked twice before falling on the bed in slumber. He shook his head hardly and stood up.

“What the heck are you doing Myungsoo?” He mumbled as he walked back and forth across the room. He watched over her who is now deeply asleep. His gaze ran from her head to toe.

‘How can you take advantage of someone so troubled at this time?’He thought.

He sat on the floor thinking about going or not. He decided not to as he wanted to explain to her what happened because for sure she’ll be confused. He tucked Sue Ji to bed and lied on the far opposite side.