• Chapter 49 •

Previously,
 

Mina clasp onto the arm of the couch for support, then move as she lay down. She sobs against the leather mattress, minutes of sobbing broken apart by short pauses for recovering breaths. In that constant pain, her phone suddenly rings. She drops her hands on the table, crawls as she reaches the phones and looks at the caller.
 

"Unknown number?"


 

• Chapter 50 •
 

Mina accepts the call, feels dry, and that is swallowing slightly hurt as if something stuck in the throat. She tested her voice before putting the phone in a loudspeaker.
 

"Hello?" She waits for any response but the other line is quiet, nothing could be heard except the howling wind "This is Mina. M-may I ask who's calling?" Minutes pass. Nothing happens, no answer coming. Mina a deep breath that seems to be caught in her windpipe choking her from the inside. She's about to end the call and ring her sisters since she can no longer bear the pain, seeking for help. But the thought terminated by the familiar deep-toned voice that comes from the phone; a voice that she has been waiting to listen to. Her face stuck in an incredulous expression. She doesn't expect his appearance at all, she's supposed to be happy and relief, isn't it? But she has zero thought going inside her mind, zero emotions.
 

"J-jeongyeon"
 

The almost soundless murmurs of her are caused by nervousness and surprised. But those feeling soon overshadowed by another torture as her body slowly tearing apart. She arches with the pain locks inside, her body trembling as her lungs struggling to inhale. Thick bright red liquid dripping out of her, tracing her thighs down to her calf, like the trace of a slug on a leaf. Mina yells, giving up the pain as the only things she could hear is her own heartbeat, failing to notice the constant question over the phone. Black then fills her vision, blinding her. Her heavy breathing also stops and there is silence. The agony has come to an end.
 

"Mina!? Hello! Answer me! Are you there?!" Jeongyeon tightens his grip on the rail of his balcony when there's no sound coming from the other line, it's complete silence. He heard the dense breathing and notice Mina stutters behind the phone when she first called out his name. He knows something is wrong thus he keeps asking but receives nothing more than unrecognizable sounds, shriek, and lastly, her yells mean danger. It terrified him of her condition or what might happen to her.
 

He goes out to his car, hand shaking as he tries to open the car door; shake so much that he drops his key. "Dammit!" He bends down and picks them up but no matter how hard he tries, he's unable to get the key into the lock, regretting that he locked it before. He gives up and leans her arm on the roof of his black Mercedes, his forehead rest against the window as he closes his eyes. She's fine. She'll be fine. He chanted inside his mind and try to calm himself. Jeongyeon exhales slowly and succeed in opening his car door then rush towards Mina's house.







 

*  *  *  *

"The store is robbed around two at night. The criminals are armed with handguns, wearing all black, face covered with masks. She doesn't recognize anyone but notices a snake tattoo on their arms. She've drawn it" Chaeyoung gives a piece of paper to the police then glance towards Irene who sits on a plastic chair in front of the convenience she's working. The girl is staring blankly on the ground while swinging her legs that are currently bleeding due to her own stubbornness; she won't let the robber takes the money easily thus she fights, alone. She could've died if it's not because of the pepper spray and emergency button she plugged under the cashier desk that produces fake police sirens.
 

The police slips the paper inside his book. He steps inside the store and scans the damage while Chaeyoung follows behind. "Please tell the clerk to hands the money when this happens again. It's dangerous to fight alone especially if it's an armed robbery" Chaeyoung nods and sigh as he walks through the broken pieces of glass on the floor, cans that come out from the broken drink machine and the fallen shelf countertop.
 

"Then, I will leave you with your investigation, please ring me if you've found the robber" Chaeyoung hands them his name card and bows before he takes the first aid kit that sits in the corner of the store then started towards Irene. He kneels with one leg before her, opening the kit and treats her wounds on her knees. "Are sure we don't need to go to the hospital?" He asks while applying ointment causing the maid to wince.
 

"I'm okay" She whisper, amused that Chaeyoung is really coming when she first called him; she thought the opposite. She bit her smiles, thinking that she's not just a mere stranger to him, that she probably means something to him.
 

"If it's happening again, don't fight and give them the money" His voice is calm but firm that doesn't match his usual self. She gulps from the uneasy feelings, never she had heard him sounding intimidating and scary. When he's done putting the bandage around her knees, Chaeyoung looks up and stares at her "Your life is much more important than two million won" His face is stern and serious, mouth tight-lipped as Irene nods her head. Embarrassed that she looks like a child being scolded by her brother when in fact Chaeyoung is younger than her.
 

Chaeyoung smiles when Irene avoids his eyes, knowing fully that she might feel it unfair that people are against her action and lecturer her when what she did is just fighting the evil. But, it's all for her own safety; it's a genuine move to fight crime but a smart move to save oneself. He looks at his wristwatch then to the maid "Come, I'll take you home. The police will take care of this place. You have to rest" He stands and offers his hand which Irene hesitantly accepts. He supports her to walk to his car and open the door for her as she couldn't bend her wounded knees.
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Chaeyoung pulls up to the bridge, the same bridge where he once helps Irene with her groceries and separated there. He glances at the digital clock on the stereo then faces the girl, smiling as he takes a pamphlet from the car stowage then gives it to her. "I've been thinking about it throughout the ride and I think it's better if you quit the job. My friend owns a restaurant and I can introduce you to him, you can work there. I know you're interested in cooking"
 

Irene opens the folded paper and it's one of the most popular and high ranks restaurants as it runs by a chef celebrity. She examines the owner's pictures and thought to herself that she had seen the chef appear in a lot of cooking show, and there's no doubt that he is skilful and deserve the honour. Irene brings her eyes back to Chaeyoung and shakes her head. "Thank you for the offer but I like my job now and the restaurant is.....too far from me. I want to make myself qualified without anyone help" She explains, it's a high-class restaurant and she knows that no one can work there without any high education records. She drops her studies in her first year of college to support her family causing her lack in the area. To be a chef has been always her dreams and she still has the passion to achieve it by her own hard work.
 

Chaeyoung flash a small smile and nods "Alright then, if you change your mind, just tell me"
 

Irene smiles and