Not everyone is the same...

Not everyone will hurt you...

It takes time to trust...

But it all comes into place...

In time...

​​​​​​

Had she started doing things on purpose? No. 

She really didn’t want to tell him about threatening letters, enough people had been involved and suffered because of her. She doesn’t need another. Today he could have died, no--both of them could have died. So it was best if she didn’t tell. She was supposed to call and tell Yuki about it. 

Why are you using Yuki as a reason? Huh? 

She hissed. I am not, her heart replied stubbornly. She had been reading Roman law, and for a while, she was focused. Or so she thought. While reading the law of twelve tables, something she should know about his image came before her. She blinked. 

“Aish...” 

She didn’t know why but for some odd reason she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Perhaps, her not telling him about letters was her way of trying to forget him and push him away. Perhaps, she...

“No, absolutely not! I am not in love!” 

She refused to believe it. “He is a detective for crying out loud. Get a hold of yourself, you ing idiot!” She hissed at herself. 

It was too late to tell him she doesn’t want to see him or to tell him he shouldn’t go on a trip. Damage is done. Ari did this on purpose. She had Eunji convince him and now she has no other choice but to accept the situation. A bell made her jump. She turned around and stared at the door. She hesitantly got up and walked towards the door. She closed her eyes as her hand hesitated at the door knob. 

Her heart raced and she leaned her forehead against the door. 

To let him in or not?

If I open the goddamn door then it’s over. It’s an end game.  

She hissed and opened the door suddenly, not caring about her appearance. She froze for a moment. 

“H-hey,” she cleared . 

“Hey,” He smiled.

That smile... She gulped and smiled. “Ah...Here... come inside.” She stepped aside. 

For someone who a few minutes ago debated if she should push him away, and had a crisis, you are too open. Her mind screamed at her. She huffed slightly.

“I hope I am not bothering you,” He said. 

You are beginning to bother my peace. But that’s okay. Her mind thought as she was dazed. 

“No, I...I was just revising Roman law.” She said, “Good stuff. Crucifixion is even better.”

He held back a chuckle. “Need help?”

Yes, I want to stud--WOAH! STOP, STOP! She shook her head slightly. “No, no, I have it under control. So...sup?”

“I want to see those letters,” He said.

She blushed. “Of course...I knew that...” She mumbled before walking passed by him. 

She rushed into her room, trying to collect her mind and herself. She didn’t know what was going on with her. She never acted this way with anyone let alone Hyun. She never...had any control over her thoughts. Or urges. She took a deep breath and took letters and paused before the door. 

“He is a detective. He is...law. You are...you.” She hissed.

He sat down on the couch and waited. She walked in and handed him the letters. 

“Anything for a drink?” She asked. “Sorry for my manners.”

“Relax,” He said. “Water is fine.”

She nodded and headed into the kitchen and poured him some cold water and prepared a lemonade just in case he wanted it. She returned and placed the tray on the coffee table. She sat down next to him. 

“I brought some lemonade just in case you want it,” she said, pouring herself a juice. 

“Thank you,” He said softly.

It was about time you sat closer. His mind started to comment as her sweet perfume filled his nostrils. His cologne was intoxicating, what she told herself in the room, already vanished. What did she tell herself? She couldn’t remember. She only knew that logic ceased to exist. 

“You’re welcome.” She said.

He picked up the letters and started going through them, one by one, squinting his eyes at times as the words were written there were horrible, there was no doubt about that. “Hmm…” he mumbled something unclearly. 

“The way it’s written is similar to what I receive in text messages.” She said, trying to focus on something else.

“Show me.”

She took her phone from her back pocket and unlocked it. She went to her text message history and scrolled to the unknown sender. She scrolled all the way to the beginning and handed it to him. He took the phone out of her hand and started scrolling through the messages, anger boiling in him. 

“Haneul...” she touched his forearm.

“Some men are so pathetic!” 

She frowned and looked down. “Men are not pathetic, they are abusive. There is a rare kind who'll help you without asking for something in return." She said, her tone of voice cold and distant, "Or forcing you to do something you don't want. That's just even better, they adore when they over dominate you."

“Not everyone is like that...” He replied. 

He wasn’t taken aback. It was normal that she felt this way. She went through a hard time with her boyfriend, though he still doesn’t know the details. Nor does he want to put salt on the fresh wound. 

“Oh, all of you are the same, you all want dominance,” she said. 

Had she said that to push him away? Yes. 

Is it working? No. 

Haneul isn’t easily shown away by a girl, especially not Jessica. He is still right there and wanted to help. 

The moment she said that her heart clenched. She ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry...”

He understood where this was coming from and why she said what she said. Did he take it personally? No. Jessica was a sweet girl and she surely deserved happiness. All women did and he believed that there was a soulmate for everyone, somewhere out there, waiting. “Is this your first boyfriend? You can’t judge all of them, just because of one .”

“How can I trust again?” She replied with a question, “yes… he was.”

Haneul looked at her. “Therefore, you can learn how to trust again. It will take time, but you’ll see that a real man will do anything to win your heart. He will prove to you that you are the only one he wants and he’ll be serious about it.”

Jessica gave him a look. “And who do you have in mind?” She tested him.

“We don’t search for it, it comes on its own. In life we meet people for a reason, some come and go and others stay.”

Jessica hid the smirk. “Well, I’d like to find a man like you.” She said bluntly, sipping her lemonade calmly. 

He raised an eyebrow. “A mad dog, like me? You can do better than that.” He teased. 

“And I am a crazy . So?” She shrugged.

“You’re not a ,” He said softly. “You just didn’t meet the right people. People shape us and they give us lessons. Sometimes we understand them, sometimes we don’t.”

She looked at him and smiled. She tried to hide the smile but it was impossible. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her reactions.

“Have you eaten anything?” He asked out of the blue. 

“No, I kinda… lost track of time,” she chuckled awkwardly. 

“Okay, I’ll tell you what, why don’t we order some food, and I will help you with your studies,” He said. “I am on duty tonight to protect you, so we might as well do something, huh?”

“Just keep the book with you and check if I said all 12 tables of roman law.” She smiled sheepishly.

“Deal, but first, what would you like to eat? BBQ? McDonald's? KFC? Chinese?”

“Chinese and McD?” She grinned.

“You got it!” He winked charmingly and reached for his phone. 

Her heart raced faster, making her head twirl. She blushed deep red and drank lemonade fast. I need sake. This will be a hella long night. Lord, help me…

Haneul hummed and he ordered the food for them. “Oh, and a bottle of sake, wait make that two,” He spoke over the phone.

She turned around to him. May I kiss him? She blinked and slapped her cheeks. She rushed to the bathroom and locked the door. She splashed her face and slapped her cheeks once more. When she was sure she returned to sanity in her, she stopped on her way out to tie her blouse and show a little bit of stomach. Who said she shouldn’t provoke a little? 

She tied her hair up with one of the pins into a Japanese-style bun and walked out to join him. He gulped as he saw her, his mouth slightly gaping open, but he quickly got back to his senses and looked at the book.

“The food will be here in 20 minutes, Jess.” 

She blushed. “O-okay....” She said and wrapped a kimono robe around her, “Lemonade?”

“Sounds good,” He replied.

His heart beat fast as he spotted her in a kimono. It looked good on her, there was no doubt about that. Jessica was a beautiful young woman in every sense of the word, but she herself didn’t think so, and he knew that. He could read right through her, as if she was a book, but could she read through him? That was the question.

She poured him lemonade and brought some sugar. “See something you like, detective Shin?”

“You’re into Japanese styles or?” He asked. 

“I am, I am part Japanese from my maternal side,” she said, “is that a kink of yours?”

“Just observing,” He hid a smirk. 

Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh, and I am an empress.”

You are. He smiled and looked at her. “I think I hear the doorbell, it must be the food delivery,” He said, getting up.

Nice . She blinked before she grabbed her phone and texted her friends. 

I am a helpless case. 

- Sica

*

What happened?

- Ri

*

I am in love... I am in love. He has a nice … and… God… I am crazy to have a crush on a cop! 

- Sica

*

And that is bad, how?

- Nari

*

It’s good… his name is Haneul… and god he likes me in a kimono. And calls me Jess.... nobody called me like that before...

- Sica

*

So when’s the wedding?

- Jieun-The Monster

*

You first! -_- Yah!

- Sica

*

(laughing emoji 5x)

- Ri

*

(thumbs up 2x)

- Nari

*

You are not making things easier.

- Sica

*

Just kiss him. Get drunk, play spin the bottle. And kiss him.

- Jieun-The Monster

Haneul returned and placed the food on the table. “Let’s eat, Jess.”

She grinned. “Let’s do that---I mean eat,” she mumbled blushing.

“What else, silly?” He said.

“Um… I… we could drink and play spin the bottle?” She stammered.

“I haven’t played in like forever, but sure, why not?” H said. “If you promise me that we will go through the textbook first?” 

“Ah...my phone died! It’s absolutely dead… perhaps later?” She grinned.

Haneul raised an eyebrow. “It’s easier to say that you don’t want to study, Jess,” He continued teasing her. 

“What? NO NO! Of course… I just… I thought you wanted to see my phone...and uh...m-messages.... that’s great, we can grab a textbook…

He chuckled at her cute reactions. “Relax, and come sit here,” he patted the empty spot next to him. 

She shyly sat next to him and the two began eating the food. As if the sun finally shone upon her in the form and shape of Haneul the man who was indeed mad but it was just his mask. There’s nothing wrong with being married to a career. That’s how she is finishing up her university. The second year was even the easiest, from exams she only had left Roman law. And the internship. 

“You got something on the edge of your lips,” He said. “Hold on,” He picked up the tissue and reached out, gently wiping her lip. 

She blinked and looked at him. She froze at the soft yet delicate touch. The movement and action were a sweet seduction, and her heart raced fast. He was truly trying to kill her. His eyes looked into hers. 

“Textbook… we should uh… I mean you should uh… interrogate me...I mean uh...” She rambled.

“Eat, first,” He said softly. “You didn’t eat much.”

She smiled shyly and continued eating. 

*

First round...

Second...

Third...

Wait. How did it start? 

They finished revising when she was pleased. It was time for the fun, and they began drinking sake, and as she found an empty glass bottle they began playing a very dangerous game. Spin the bottle is as dangerous as seven minutes in heaven, just less ual. There was a reason why Jessica didn’t play it. Playing among friends is safe, but alone... with a man like Haneul was reckless. Why did she suggest it? Ask her reckless drunken brain. 

“It’s boring, we need some more challenging requests, to make it spicier,” she winked.

“Are you sure?” He smirked. 

“Are you scared now... mad dog?”

“Are you?” 

She crawled towards him. “Are you?”

His index finger traced her jawline. “I am never scared…” He whispered, his hot breath brushing her lips. 

She shivered and tugged his lower lip. “Nor am I.”

His hand wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer, his lips on hers, delicately. She granted him access, as she deepened the kiss. Was it alcohol? Or her personal inner urges? She didn’t know. She just knew she was in grave danger. He was aware of what he was doing as he wasn’t as drunk as she was, but he pretended to be.

Technically, it was morally wrong to do this, but her name was cleared, so what was the big idea? She wasn’t underage. She wasn’t on the run. Yes, he was there on a job, but no one had to know. She was attractive and he couldn’t control himself, of course, he knew the limits. He wasn’t the type to use women and then leave in the morning.

She pulled away from him at the right time. They were both breathless, their forehead leaned together, his hands around her waist. She shifted and leaned against him, snuggling. 

“I am happy...” she mumbled.

He smiled, holding her close. “Rest.”
 

Next day…


The girls agreed the night before to pick up Jessica so they could go shopping for the trip to Italy. They arrived at her house in no time and Jieun dialed her phone number to get out. No answer. She called once, twice... Still no answer. 

"She's not answering?" Nari asked. 

"Nope. She's not." Jieun confirmed. 

"Perhaps, we should check if she's at home," Ari suggested. “She probably forgot about our deal.”

They approached her doorstep and pressed the doorbell. Still nothing. She then remembered that Jessica gave them a pass to her apartment. She typed it in and they headed inside. 

"J!" Ari called out. 

"Get up, soldier!" Jieun said. 

"Guys. Come see this!" Nari hissed at them. 

Ari ru