When she was done dressing up, Dara sat on the edge of her bed. She opened the side drawer and picked up the torn picture. She stared at her five-year old self and her mother. She took the necklace too and stared at the silver ring that was hanging on it. Such treasures she kept for fourteen years, the only things that would bring her and her brother back together.

 

“We’ll meet soon, Sanghyun-ah,” she whispered as she brought the necklace and the torn picture down, keeping it inside the drawer. She stood up and went towards her closet. She picked the long blonde wig and put it on. She then turned around and stared at her reflection on the mirror. This wasn’t her anymore. Once again, she would turn into someone else for one night.

 

She breathed deeply before she turned around and walked away, with the sound of her heels resonating around the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The music was loud and Dara danced like it was her last night on earth. She shook her hips and raised her arms to the rhythm. She ran her fingers through her blonde hair while dancing, knowing that someone was already watching her. In slow motion, she turned around to the source and she winked at him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thirty-something guy kept on grinding himself on her and she felt disgusted. It had been dragging for an hour or two already and this guy seemed to not have been affected by the alcohol yet. He was wasting Dara’s time. She could have earned more if the guy would go unconscious immediately.

 

The room was already smelling weird, a mix of sweat and , especially with the private room and it wasn’t really big.

 

Dara felt the guy’s wet lips on her neck and once again she felt disgusted. She couldn’t help herself but groan in annoyance and disgust. Usually, she waits until the guy falls unconscious because of intoxication but this was one of those times that she wouldn’t be doing it.

 

She gripped the side of the couch and moved closer to the guy, the latter’s knee getting inside her skirt and nearing her core. She stiffened but she tried to not make it obvious. She gripped on the guy’s clothes as if saying that she liked him teasing and kissing her on her neck. Her hand, though, was already inside the guy’s suit, where his wallet must be. She felt it with her fingers and was about to pull it out but it got stuck on something. So it was harder for her to pull it out, without the guy noticing it.

 

Nervous and with her heart beating faster, she tried to see if the guy noticed it. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be the case. She breathed a relief and went onto business. She tried pulling it again, now carefully, trying to take the wallet out of the thing that got it stuck. After a few tries, she was successful pulling it out. However, before she could even take the wallet, the guy tightly gripped on her wrist which was holding the wallet.

 

He lifted his head and met her gaze with his furious one. “I have heard of es like you, but wasn’t able to encounter with one.”

 

The guy looked down and pulled Dara’s hand out of his suit. He shook his head as he saw his wallet on her hand. Shaking, Dara let go of the wallet, letting it fall to the tiled floor. The guy looked at her again after letting go of her wrist. He held on to her face, moving it from side to side.

 

“You should be thankful for your beautiful face, I might just let it go,” he said.

 

There was a tiny bit of hope that Dara felt after hearing him. She was scared. She was trembling. She wanted to cry. She didn’t want to be put behind bars.

 

With a smirk, the guy continued. “On second thought, I will just let you go after being satisfied,” he said, looking down at her, his eyes following her s and her creamy legs beneath him.

 

Dara shook out of fear. She was about to run for her life but she was too late as the guy held on to her wrists and raised them over her, trapping her beneath him. The guy started attacking her, capturing her lips, but was unable to because of her struggling and shaking her head. Dara opened , planning to shout but the guy was able to dart his tongue inside and kissed her deeply.

 

Dara struggled, flailing her legs, her wrists hurting with the guy’s grips. Her effort paid off when she was able to hit her knee on his crotch. The guy retreated, leaning away, cursing as he felt the pain. Dara was about to stand up and leave when the guy grabbed her ankle and pulled her towards him.

 

“You want to play rough, eh?” he asked, his voice dangerously low.

 

Dara was shaking from fear, unable to process what to do next. She just crawled backwards, until her back felt the wall.

 

“Please . . .” she mumbled, her voice shaking.

 

Without warning, the guy gripped on her skimpy dress and pulled, tearing some parts away, revealing her body.

 

“AAAAH!!!” Dara screamed, instinctively covering her revealed body. It was only the lower half that was covered with her torn dress and her s with her bra. She was feeling helpless and hopeless. This might even be the end of her. Just then, the guy roamed his hands on her skin, trying to pry the remaining clothes away. Dara was struggling, but the guy was strong for her.

 

Silently, she cried, nothing more to do but pray that her brothers would find her and save her. At first, she was scared she would be scolded by Jiyong when he would find out about this. She wasn’t that scared of the possible scolding she could get from her other brothers but Jiyong was the scariest of them all, especially when he gets angry too much. However, right now, all she wanted was for them to show up on the doorstep and save her from this wild beast.

 

Or anyone. . .

 

Just anyone. . .

 

Before everything was too late. . .

 

It felt like forever, but Dara heard the door bursting open. The next thing she felt was the guy being pulled away from her. The moment she felt him being separated from her, she crawled towards the corner of the room and curled like a ball, covering her exposed body, sobbing loudly.

 

She heard a few curses and groans, making her flinch every time. With shaky hands, she lifted them and covered her ears, but making sure that she was still somewhat covered.

 

After a while, the room became silent, except for her sobs.

 

“. . . alright? Miss? Are you . . .?”

 

“AAAH!!” Dara screamed as she felt a hand holding her shoulder. She moved closer to the corner if it was still possible, putting a distance to the guy who held her shoulder.

 

“I-I won’t hurt you. L-Let me h-help you,” a guy’s voice said.

 

But Dara didn’t respond. She didn’t seem to have heard him either. She kept on crying.

 

The guy sighed and stood up, grabbing the table cloth and without looking and touching her, he covered her with it before standing up again and leaving.

 

It was minutes later when Dara’s sobs subsided and she noticed that she was covered with a cloth. She looked around her and found out that the room was empty except for her. She wrapped her body with the cloth and stood up. Realizing that the erted guy could go after her, she ran towards the door, only to be stopped when someone appeared in front of her.

 

She stared at the pile of clothes in front of her and then her gaze followed the one who was carrying it. She stared at the stranger. The guy, who looked six-foot tall and with black hair, was staring anywhere but her, his face quite flushed. When Dara realized what she was wearing, she covered her exposed shoulders and stepped back.

 

“I got you some clothes. Why don’t you change into them first before going home?” he said with his deep voice.

 

The guy closed the door, leaving Dara with the clothes he left by the table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy stood by the wall as he waited for the lady inside changed to his clothes. It was fortunate that he left some spare clothes in his locker in case something happens. He was planning to wear them if ever his job for the night would be hectic and he knew he wouldn’t be able to go home before his shift ends. The clothes were unused though so he thought it was alright to lend her them. Besides, he couldn’t just let her go home with a table cloth wrapped around her.

 

The door opened and he leaned away from the wall. When he lifted his eyes, he was almost shocked seeing a completely different-looking woman in front of him – still beautiful but with a bare face and her hair weren’t blonde.

 

She lifted her eyes to him and frowned at his reaction and clicked her tongue. “You’re too shocked you can’t even talk?”

 

“Ah, no. I almost forgot you go in different disguises.”

 

Dara stared at him, confused. “You knew?”

 

He nodded carefully. “I used to work in different bars in one night, two or three bars in different shifts. I used to see you. I recognize you with your. . .” he trailed but continued on. “. . .your eyes.”

 

“My eyes?”

 

He nodded again. “It may seem creepy but I recognized you through your eyes.”

 

Dara shook her head, not knowing what to say or what to do. She just stared up at him from head to toe, as if weighing something inside her head.

 

“Your shift’s done?” she asked.

 

He stared at his watch. “My shift was done an hour ago, but I was. . .”

 

“I’ll buy you a drink,” she said, shrugging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara drank the wine in one go and then put it down. She then stared up at her companion who just kept silent with her.

 

“Why aren’t you drinking?” she asked.

 

“I don’t drink.”

 

“What? Come on, drink. Just one glass,” she said, serving him a glass and pushing it towards him.

 

“Don’t you need to go home by now?” he asked instead.

 

Dara pulled back the glass and drank it instead. “You go home, then.”

 

“I can’t let you go home by yourself. I can’t leave you like that,” he said, making Dara stop from drinking.

 

She stared up at him. “I am not your responsibility, okay?”

 

“As a man, I need to protect a woman like you,” he said, shutting Dara up. “If you don’t mind, can I ask you something?”

 

“Whatever,” Dara said, drinking another glass before the guy snatched it from her hand. “Hey! Why are you doing things on your own will? Who knows, I’m your noona. You look young; I guess I’m your noona. So, stop doing things on your own will, okay?”

 

“Okay. But first, let’s just stop drinking, neh?” he said, making Dara pout and fold her arms on the table. “Why do you have this kind of job?”

 

“You know what my job is?”

 

“I told you I have seen you do these things,” he said and then leaned forward to whisper on her ear. “You attract different guys and when they’re intoxicated enough, you pickpocket them.”

 

Dara raised her brows. “Are you a stalker or something?”

 

The guy chuckled. “I told you I always see you. I don’t intend to always see you. I just do . . . accidentally, you know.”

 

Dara pursed her lips.

 

“Why are you doing that anyway? You do know that it’s a dangerous thing to do, don’t you?”

 

Dara sighed. “I do know. My brothers always tell me that it’s dangerous. But I still do it anyway,” she paused. “Because I needed to. I needed to earn money quickly because, well, I need to look for my. . .” she trailed off and then looked up. “You know, I’m not quite in the mood to share my personal life to a stranger.”

 

“I’m not just a stranger though. I saved your life,” he said.

 

“Psh. It doesn’t change a thing, you know,” she said. “I still feel uncomfortable telling my personal life to anyone.”

 

“I’m sorry I asked.”

 

Dara waved it off though. “Don’t apologize. Just drink,” she said offering the bottle itself to him.

 

He laughed and got the bottle, but not to drink it but just to place it far from her reach. “I really think you should go home.”

 

“Well, to be honest, I’m kind of scared.”

 

“I’ll send you home,” he offered.

 

“No, I’m not referring to that. anyone who will see me with this long jogging pants and three times bigger sweater would think twice before approaching me and think of something bad to do to me. Believe me,” she said, making the guy laugh again. “I’m scared of my brothers. A while back, I was just scared of that erted guy. But after being saved and brought back to reality, I came to think of what my fate would be the moment I go home. They would know what happened and they would surely kill me.”

 

“You must really have protective brothers, eh?”

 

She sighed. “Yeah, but I love those morons. If only I would be able to find my other brother, then my family would be complete,” she said in a whisper but enough for the guy to hear.

 

“You’ll find him. Have faith. He must be looking for you too.”

 

Dara stared up at him and nodded. She then longingly looked at the bottle on his hand. “I still want to drink.”

 

The guy stood up and motioned for her to do the same. “I may not be older than you and I may not be anyone of your older brothers, but I can surely act as one. Now, let’s go home.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They stopped by the bus station where they expected the first one to arrive. It was already quarter past four in the morning. The cold breeze of dawn blew past them making Dara shiver beneath the guy’s gigantic sweater. They stood in silence as they waited for the bus to arrive. After a while, it arrived. Dara walked towards the door and turned around and gave the guy a salute before climbing up.

 

Dara sat by the seat at the back, by the window. The bus was empty except for a few passengers who were dozing off on their seats.

 

Just then, the bus started to drive slowly, making Dara remember something she forgot a while ago. She sat straight on her seat and hesitated. She wasn’t able to thank the guy properly and she didn’t even ask for his name! She owed him her life but she couldn’t even show her gratitude.

 

Since a while ago, she wanted to thank him, but wasn’t able to grab the chance. She was awkward with him. But he was really kind. How could she thank him now without being awkward?

 

The bus was driving farther from the station and Dara panicked. She opened the window and stuck her head out.

 

“What’s your name?!” she shouted.

 

Thankfully, the guy was still there, even still facing the bus as if waiting for her. He must have been waiting for her to thank him.

 

“Cheondoong! My name’s Cheondoong!” he shouted back, a wide smile on his face.

 

Dara waved and smiled back. “Bye Cheondoong! Thank you!”

 

Cheondoong laughed at her cuteness. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and waved back. “Take care! Goodbye, noona!”

 

Noona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

[poster credits to dajona26]