Jiwoo.

(author's note: she's back!~)

I step outside in some clothes that Heejin lent me. I felt saddened because most of my clothes were still in his apartment. I really thought I was going to be with him forever. But it didn't occur like that. He was gone now. He looked at me one last time while the officers wielded me off into a police car. I was crying like crazy. I watched Max be held back from me. He kept calling me names and trying to hit me. Finally, someone guarded me from him. I noticed that Max never loved me. That he was a monster. He kept reaching towards me like I was some sort of prey. I just mistakened it for love. I really don't know what it is.

As I sit in the car that smells like Sooyoung, I felt this warm emotion run over me. A smile flashes at me. A genuine one. I try to push back all of the memories from the day before because of this smile looking right at me. But, it sometimes creeps in my head. It lingers in my mind. The dark cold cell. The yelling from the room next door. I didn't sleep a wink since Max snatched me from the school campus. He took me in a car I never knew he even owned. We went somewhere and he kept yelling at me. He kept telling me how worthless I was for leaving him. That I was nothing without him. I believed it at first. He told me that he was going to take me somewhere and end my life. I just sat there in a blur, not feeling a thing.

It wasn't until I was inside the dark, dank area of wherever Max took me I noticed this wasn't good for me. His hands were pinning my throat. I touched my neck, feeling the bruise. I could tell that it was probably still a light pink color. A punch to the face. A kick to the stomach. I could hardly breathe. There were red and blue lights flashing and then Max just kept yelling more and more. Then, the cops barged in, quickly handcuffing him. I was so stuck. I couldn't even move. Everything just went too fast from there. From the questioning to the night in the jail cell. The day of my release, the cop told me that I was innocent.

The confession was that Max was involved in a drug cartel and I didn't even notice. Max was also a very heavy addict, housing a lot of things. I felt sad at first, a little dependent. I felt hopeless without him. The officer said that Max initially ratted me out, but then took that statement back once threatened that I would be deported and jailed back home. I guess, maybe they cared a little bit? I don't even want to give one positive thought about Max.

I really wanted to put it behind me and restart my life here in Europe.

Sooyoung grinned as she opened the back door for me. "You alright?"

"Yeah," I said. "Just...I need some time to unwind."

"Well, this place is good for unwinding. This place has the best baked bread ever and you can try some of the marmalade here." Sooyoung helped me up from the seat. I felt a little wobbly due to my headache, but Sooyoung held my elbow gently. I winced at first, due to a flashback of Max gripping me by the arm. But Sooyoung quickly released my arm and placed her arm a few centimeters above my waist. "It's okay. I'm here. We can take our time." 

"Hey! Be aware of your hands," Heejin snapped at Sooyoung. I blushed. 

"I won't let go of her until we get to her seat safe." Sooyoung looked at me. "If she allows it." 

I grin. "Please. I'm a little unsteady." 

Sooyoung nods and keeps walking me until we get to the table. I noticed that with Sooyoung, she will make sure everyone eats good and is okay. Especially when it came to me, she really wanted to make sure I was okay. Even after I tried to push her away, she still managed to make me feel safe and secure. Her intentions were too pure for me and I felt so welcomed. This Sooyoung was a lot more mature and polished. She pushed my chair in for me and snapped for a waiter's attention. 

"Can I get a bottle of your freshly squeezed orange marmalade?" Sooyoung asked in English. 

The waiter wrote it down. "Any food?" 

"Well, you ladies take a look at the menu. It's all on me," Sooyoung said. 

I took at the menu and noticed an assortment of things I never knew existed that went beyond my imagination. There was a large assortment of croissants and specially brewed coffee. I didn't even know what to choose from. I was so focused on studying and everything that I eventually forgot what a regular meal was truly like. The last time I went to restaurants, I was forced to not finish my meals basically. I decided on a croissant with some Americano coffee with chocolate dipping sauce. 

"You can take that to go. This lady here needs food!" Heejin yelled. "Look how skinny our Jiwoo has gotten! What do you recommend, Sooyoung?" 

Sooyoung grinned. "She'll take the ricotta pancakes, bacon, and an omelette. Croissant to go. Coffee with the sweetest cream you have in stock. And I'll have the..." I my lips as my stomach growled. I really was hungry. I never expected to be treated like this. But, I was thrown when the meal came. It looked delicious. It smelled amazing. I immediately got to eating once the food came. Everything was more vivid to me. It tasted heavenly. I felt refreshed after eating for the first time. My meal was large for the first time in a while. I didn't notice I was that hungry until I finished my meal. 

"It's about time she ate," Heejin said, finishing the last bits of her food. "She used to eat little marcels back in Korea. And when she got here, I don't even know..." 

Sooyoung grinned. "Well, it's good that she ate a lot today. This is the first meal of three, though. We're hitting all of the new restaurants my father established...well if you ladies want to." 

"I'm down." Heejin waved at me. "I'm sure she is too. She needs something to eat." 

"And some clothes. I need some new ones." I folded my hands atop the table. "I have some cash left from my family." 

"I own a few shops in the city. Ha invested in many places so, a lot of the big stores are sponsored by us." Sooyoung gave me an assuring smile. 

God, I can't help but smile back. I couldn't get my eyes off of Sooyoung. I know I just got out of something, so I can't just rush to her side. She seemed to not really want to win my heart back that quickly. I couldn't wait to get to know her again though. This was the restart of our friendship.