viii. the eighth step

The moment Minyoung heard a car roll outside their house, she jumped from her bed and peeked through the silk that adorned the floor-length windows. She heard what sounded like a car door slam.

The sensor lights outside picked up movement and there, under its fluorescent flood were two heads. As discreetly as she could, she snuck out of her room. The last thing she needed was this to reach her parents.

Dinner had been a quiet affair but Minji’s missing presence worsened it. Their father was not happy, evident from the furrow of his thick brows while her mother pretended not to notice. This was the second time now and their parents weren’t stupid.

“Miss Minyoung?” A passing maid called out, probably off to retreat to her own quarters when she saw the eldest sister scurry down the hall like a mad woman. “Is there a problem?”

“Don’t worry, just go.” Minyoung whisked by her without another glance.

She yanked the front door open, the biting breath of winter assaulting her on the threshold. Minyoung paid it no mind, however, when she caught sight of her baby sister who tethered on the edge of collapse.

Minyoung would’ve readily caught her if it weren’t for the chest that did. From there, she noticed the arm that steadied her sister upright. And also the other holding a fist in mid-air, looking ready to knock.

“Oh.” Soft eyes fluttered up to her in surprise. That surprise melted into a smile. “Good evening.”

Dazzled by the spectacle before her, Minyoung didn’t know how to respond. Her little sister was nestled closely to another man’s side. She had never seen the girl so intimately with anyone else, let alone another male. But seeing her state, concern flooded her.

“What happened?” she demanded.

“Minji passed out earlier. It seems taking no breaks took a toll on her body,” the young male explained. “She seems to be a little sick as well.”

“What? Sick?”

“I believe a rest is all she needs. She must be tired.”

He let Minyoung pry the girl from his grasp. This seemed to wake Minji up for a moment with a mumble “I’m home?” before burying her face into the woman’s shoulder. Minyoung shushed her and turned back to him.

“Who are you?”

“A friend from the academy. I’m sorry if I startled you.”

“How did you end up bringing her here? She’s clearly not in the state to drive.”

“I drove her car, I hope you don’t mind.”

There was something about his smile, and Minyoung found no will inside her to attack him for answers she sought. Not that she trusted him. It was just he, a stranger who turned up with an unconscious Minji in their doorstep, rose no flags within her.

Yes, she didn’t trust him but he didn’t alarm her either.

“Here’s her bag. I already put her car keys in there. I parked her car out in the front.”

“We can have someone take care of it tomorrow,” Minyoung replied tentatively.

 “I see. Well then, I’ll get going. Sorry about turning up the way we did. I hope Minji’s all better soon. Have a good night.”

Until the moment he turned his back on her, he emanated nothing but a pleasant coolness. Minyoung didn’t know what to think of it.

“Let’s get you to bed then,” she told her sister as they began to hobble back to let the doors close.

What an unexpected young man and what an unexpected encounter.

But Minyoung couldn’t help wonder.

Why did something seem to prod her brain every time she recalled that face, and those eyes, so mild and soft. They burned in her mind.  

Just why was that young man somehow strangely familiar?

The last thing Minji remembered was being in the cold room of the academy’s student lounge. Being the only one in there allowed her to have a few hours to herself, solitude as her usual companion. Even if the chill in the room wasn’t doing her any favours every time she shivered.

That was a while ago because now the sunlight was nowhere to be seen and the night reigned in its stead.

Minji opened her eyes to see the headboard in front of her. It was her car, so why was she in the passenger seat? Still drowsy, her half-lidded eyes found the driver next to her. His name left her lips without permission.

“Lay?”

“You’re awake again.” He continued to look straight ahead. “You’re really out of it, aren’t you? You probably don’t remember telling me your address when I fastened your seatbelt for you.”

The sound of his voice caused a dull pang in her head. “What’s going on?”

When Lay did not respond immediately, her eyes swept to the view in front of them. The familiar sight of her neighbourhood rolled past the windows, vintage street lamps dotting the way for them as they drove on.

It had always been quiet here, making it quite eerie at night. The wealthy inhabitants of the beautiful houses that entered their vision led a private life. Or they were hardly home. Just like her parents.

“I’m taking you home.”

Minji heard what sounded like a familiar GPS voice in the background as he made a turn.

“You’re driving…my car?”  

Her eyes grew wide when the situation finally sunk into her brain. She tried to straighten up when the pain insisted on pounding her head. She groaned.

“Take it easy there.” He cast her a look. “And I know. I’m sorry, but I don’t think you would’ve been in a condition to do so. Do you trust me?”

Minji curled back into the seat. Her eyes grew weary but instead she looked at her driver and pondered.

He looked as immaculate as this morning, the manifestation of tranquillity that Minji envied him for it. How can she distrust someone so laidback? Though she supposed she couldn’t so her guard remained up.

“I don’t know…”

Her voice was so quiet that there was a chance he missed it but Minji spied a curl at the corner of his mouth.

“Teammates are supposed to trust each other.”

Right. They were in a group now. Minji suppressed a frown, faintly recalling the events of today. How can they work harmoniously when one of the members refused to welcome her with open arms?

If Lay wasn’t so nice, Minji would’ve stomped her way to their instructor’s office already but because of him, she tried to endure it. After all, they did very well in their ‘partner’ dance.

Minji didn’t answer him, and fell asleep again. Time passed again until soon the car stopped and the engine died down. A hand shook her shoulder.

“Minji.”

She grumbled.

“Minji…”

Her muscles felt like lead and moving was more than a chore, so instinctively she tried to burrow herself deeper into the seat with a groan.

A discreet hand slid under her jaw and it stopped her from hiding away. When she opened her eyes, she was met with pools of rich brown, staring at her. Something nagged at the back of her head again.

“Your family must be worried.”

Lay leaned over with a tilted head, aligning himself to her lop-sided position. Minji felt like a child as he talked to her with his coaxing tone. Any second, he would be bribing her like an adult to a kid.

And he did. “C’mon, if you get up now you could all be snuggly in your bed, three minutes tops. Promise.”

No matter how tired out of her mind she was, Minji’s walls were spiking up again. She moved to pull away with a grumble.

Unfortunately, Lay was just as stubborn and the fingers that cradled the side of her face held her captive under his gaze. Sleep seeped away little by little. They remained in that position for a few seconds, staring at each other. Minji couldn’t say a thing, afraid to break the silence, her breath bating for the unknown.

“Minji…”

Her heart jumped in her chest, the back of her head somehow noticing the lack of distance. Or maybe it was the way his voice dipped a tad?

She narrowed her eyes at him, the nagging in her head becoming more prominent.

What was it? What was it about him and his soft eyes and voice that were bothering her?

“Lay?”

And then he dropped his hand.

“Do you want to come to my family’s ski resort during the holidays?”

She wasn’t certain what she was expecting but she was totally dumbfounded by the end of it. Her brain let his invitation trickle in slowly until she was sure another few seconds passed.

“What?”

“Think of it as MT,” he explained cheerfully. “I think it’ll be a good time for us to get to know each other. And we can continue to put in ideas for our performance. We may even get inspired.”

Truthfully, she hardly participated in school trips before. She avoided most of the class outings for obvious reasons. She shuddered just thinking about her middle school memories.

“I don’t know…”

“Why not, c’mon.” Lay became more animated at his own idea. He stopped immediately though when noticing her less than enthusiastic response. “Minji?”

She bit her lip. Thinking too much was obviously still not an option, her head reeling. Minji slumped back into her seat in resignation. A hand landed on top of her own that was clutching her head.

“Still faint?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Sorry.” He withdrew with a guilt-ridden face.

It delivered a pang in her chest for some reason. She slid her eyes shut.

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is. I shouldn’t be pushy.”

Minji couldn’t take his tone.

“It’s okay, I’ll go.”

There was a pause that Minji didn’t expect. She cracked an eye open.

“You don’t have to.”

Lay looked at her seriously that it almost made Minji swallow back the decision she just made.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” she persisted.

“But Minji…”

She refused to listen, deciding that this was probably for the best. Everything he pointed out made sense and they can definitely benefit from it.

Taking off her seatbelt, she pushed herself out of the car. When her feet touched the ground, she wobbled a bit. Minji heard him call out her name as he clambered out after her. He rushed to her aid, steadying her.

“Gently,” he reprimanded.

The girl only nodded, thankful that they were out of the car and out of that situation. Keeping her close to his side, he guided her into pathway spiralling towards her front door.

“My bag?” she asked tiredly.

“Got it along with your keys.”

“Thanks.”

No more words were said after that. Whatever the outcome of what she just agreed to, she no longer cared. Just as long as she didn’t see the dejected look on his face anymore.

The discomfort it delivered was far worse to that nagging curiosity she felt.

Not wanting to befall the same embarrassment again and have Zhang Yixing save her for the umpteenth time, Minji eased on her studying until signs of her developing sickness were gone.  

Minyoung also kept an eye out for her, coming in every few hours to give her some tablets to take. She gladly complied. Eventually, when her exams came, she flew through it without a sweat.

Sadly, the end of her semester also meant that locking herself up in her room was no longer an excuse. That was why the girl made her way to the dining room nervously where her family awaited. Her gaze remained on the ground the whole time.

The same kind of usual talk occurred with her mother leading the conversation. With forced enthusiasm, she babbled on about god knows what while everyone else ate daintily so they wouldn’t need to respond.

Being the oldest daughter, Minyoung humoured her with replies but Minji couldn’t help but feel as if they were just waiting on the inevitable.

They wanted to talk to her, didn’t they?

Finally, as her father took a sip of his wine and placed his glass on the mahogany table, everyone automatically shushed.

“Minji, your exams just ended, haven't they?” her father’s voice rumbled from the other end.

Not lifting her gaze up, she nodded. She couldn't trust yet.