Miss No Label

   C H A P T E R   F O U R   

POV:

        "Are you sure about this?" Omma asked me before I leave. 

        "Yes, omma." I nodded, trying to smile. "You take care of yourself, okay? And don't skip meals."

        "I'm the one who's supposed to tell you that, Soojung." Only omma calls me by my Korean name, and it sounded mysteriously astounding to me at that moment. "Go home when you're having a hard time. Understand?" Ironically, there was no home to go to. I did not want to answer that back to omma though.

        "Yes, omma. I will." 

        "And call or send me messages from time to time. I know school is busy, but take time to tell me how you are, okay?"

        I can only nod. Seeing my mom in such case pinches an unbearable feeling of helplessness in me. 

        "Noona, are you really not coming back?" Yoogeun, who just finished his breakfast, asked me with frail eyes.

        I shook my head and forced a smile. "Of course, I'll come home. Not just as often, but I will. Will you miss noona?" 

        He nodded, not looking at me. "Be sure to miss me too, noona."

        Looking weird while carrying a luggage to school, I had to burry my pride. There was no room for that, anyway. I was desperate to go on with my life and I knew I had to produce my own strength. Lucky enough for me, the security guard at the university gate allowed me to leave my luggage at the guard house while I attend my classes. Gratefully, there were still good people on earth.

        While getting some things from my locker, I was bewildered to hear a familiar voice address me. To be honest, I barelt talk to anybody in the university. I thought that would be better than getting too attached to people and eventually be left behind.

        "Hey, Krystal." It was Jiyoung. I wondered what kind of air gas went into her head to make her initiate a conversation with me.

        "So, you finally decided to talk to me?" I questioned.

        "Come on, Krystal." She said in a soft tone. I knew she still did not want somebody see us talking. "My mother told me about what happened. Where are you staying then?" 

        "At my aunt's house -  the one right beside yours." I shrugged.

        "Oh." She uttered. "I thought you're not in good terms."

        "Desperate people left with no choice. That would be us." I replied. 

        "I hope she takes it easy for you." Jiyoung said. I wondered if she was really concerned.

        "I'm not going to keep up with her anyway." I said, trying to sound tough, when in fact I wanted to cry. Back in high school, I used to confide everything to Jiyeong. Things were different as high school ended. She was talking to me, yes. But I know she still does not see us the way we were in high school.

        "What do you mean? Did you get a dorm or something?" 

        "No." I shook my head. "Still looking for one. A cheap one. No, scratch that. The cheapest one."

        "I'll message you when I know of some place." She told me, making my eyes water. "And Krys...." She paused before she left. "I'm sorry."

        The day went by so fast. I actually did not want my classes to end. The bell's ring, marking the end of the last class, meant a nomadic state for me. I called several dormitories around already during lunch break. Apparently, there was no space for me left. Some had a few bedspaces left, yet the price was too much. 

        Nine-thirty in the evening. I was seated at a bench outside school. I had nowhere to go. I did not want to make my mother worry, so I did not tell her anything. I regretted lying to her that I already found a cheap dorm. 

        "You're stupid, Jung Soo Jung. You're stupid!" I loudly told myself. 

        "Just yesterday, you said you weren't." A familiar voice said. I looked from left to right, looking for whoever was talking yet found none. I am not a believer of ghosts or haunted spirits. I was actually worried of some burglar or rapists or drug addicts. I thought, I must be hearing voices. It would not be some wonder since I have not eaten any decent meal the whole day.

        "I'm here, stupid." The voice said. Looking behind me, I saw Yixing. He was wearing a hoodie, yet I recognized him at first glance. 

        "Why are you here?" I asked him.

        "I was supposed to ask you the same question." He remarked.

        I crossed my arms, attempting to look cold again. Rather than appearing cold, however, I was rather feeling cold. The night was icy and windy after all. "I asked first, stupid." I told him.

        He scoffed. "Well, I jogged a few round around the school's oval. And you, Krystal?"

        "I... uh..." I searched for some good alibi, yet found none. "I.. Well, actually... Uh..."

        "Brought a lot, huh?" He said, pointing at my luggage.

        I tried hiding it behind my back, making me look even more stupid, foolish, childish and whatever names you can call it. 

        "Oh, and by the way, at least I am now seeing you standing still and not on the ground." He mocked.

        "Shut up!" I defended myself with my in-born skill of being cold to people.

        The next thing I knew, Yixing grabbed my luggage with one hand, and my wrist with the other. "Hey hey hey! What are you doing?"

        "Keep your voice down, can you?" He said, obviously irritated.

        "This is kidnapping. Where are you taking me?" His grip was tight and his strides were extremely fast. I could not fight back with my lack of energy.

        "Wrong, Krystal. This is not kidnapping." He emphasized the word 'not'. His speed became a bit slower this time. I don't know why, but I just followed him without any word to defend myself. 

        We stopped by a silver Hyundai car, which was obviously brand new. Yixing stopped, letting go of my luggage, yet still holding on to my wrist. He got something out from his pocket and in a click, the car sounded and lighted its lights.

        "It's yours?" I asked the obvious.

        "Get in." He said.

        "Where are you taking me?" I questioned.

        "Home." He replied in a low tone.

        I looked down to my feet and sighed deeply. "I don't have one. I guess it was obvious from what you saw yesterday."

        "Get in." He repeated.

        Without moving a limb, he carried me to the front seat and let me sit, putting on the seatbelt around me. 

        "I don't know how rich you are, or what kind of person you are, but let me tell you one thing, Yixing." I told him firmly, holding in my tears. "I am not the kind of girl you think I am."

        "W-what?" He asked.

        "I'd rather sleep in the street than be the woman you think I am." I said.

        "I don't know how judgmental you are, but I think I get it now. But let me tell you, I am not the kind of man you think I am." He told me.

        "Then let me off." I said.

        "Just for the night." He said. He paused for a while, making me tense. Horrible things kept on bugging my mind. "I'll let you stay in my condo unit. But you'll sleep on the sofa." 

        Once again, I flt guilty for Yixing. I knew he was not a bad man. 

        "You see, Krystal, you have to stop being so negative about people." He told me, making me feel even more guilty and sorry. "I was broght up well-mannered, to be honest. I know about that thing called respect."

        I need not be a mind reader to know that I have hurt Yixing, his pride and his whole esteem. I felt terribly sorry.

        "And I respect you." He added in finale, making a vague teardrop fell from my eyes.

        "I'm sorry." I said. "But still, you need to stop the car. I am thankful for your help, but I can't accept that for now."

        "You're stubborn." He remarked, with eyebrows crossed. He was obviously disappointed.

        "I'm sorry, but Yixing, I..."

        "I insist. No more questions. We're almost there." He said. 

         I don't know how he does it, but I obliged to his words. I am usually stubborn, but he get me to obey. 

         "Yixing." I said before getting off the car. "I'll pay you back someday. Thank you, Zhang Yixing."

         "Lay." He said. "Just call me Lay. Pay me back by forgetting I was named Yixing."

         Mysterious. That was Lay.

         Desperate. That was me.

   author's note...

How is it so far?

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