I got you- Leona Lewis

φJi Hoφ

Someone was crying, rather too loudly. Whoever it was, was completely coped up in the nighttime ambiguity, but I had a haunting feeling that I knew exactly who that was.

Surely enough, as I carefully drew closer to the dark silhouette figure sitting on the curb, a familiar face came into view.

She looked up at me, her big eyes rimmed red with tears rolling down her face like a sheet of rain. She blinked and recognition appeared on her face. 

“Ji Ho?” she sniffled back tears, wiping her eyes.

“Sohee,” I said, my face pulled up in disbelief. I just saw her a few days ago and she seemed so happy.

“What a… surprise.”

“I was only ten minutes late and...” Sohee  whimpered, her courageous demeanor absent. “And they kicked me out!”

We aimlessly walked along the curb. And Sohee had stopped crying  a while ago, but her voice was tight and tense.

“Who are they?” I asked quietly, not looking at her. The city was oddly quiet tonight. Too quiet for a Saturday night. Sohee’s gloomy mood seemed to rub off me as I moved slowly, like a zombie, my face desolated and dumb.

“My group,” she said feebly, bringing her sleeve up to the bottom of her eye to catch a traitorous tear. “The leader told me I was supposed to come home at ten o’clock, and I was there no more than ten minutes after my curfew.”

I glanced down at her. “So she kicked you out as your punishment?” I wasn’t sure whether I was surprised. Sure, people could be cruel but I doubted being ten minutes late held grounds for being shunned upon.

Sohee nodded quickly, her unkempt black hair falling in front of her face.

“she's really mean and strict,” she said hesitantly, brushing her hair back. Thunder clapped in the distance and Sohee winced. I glanced up at the sky just as the first drops of rain fell. I looked at her again and then nodded at a nearby 7-11.

The store was nearly empty, except for one late-night cashier worker, who was trying really hard to stay awake. Sohee and I walked towards the back, and the only thing running through my mind was why was I doing this?

As soon as we went up front and sat down at the window seats, she broke down in tears again. I stared at her in despair and glanced around the store as the cashier turned towards us. I scowled at her until she turned away. 

“Ji Ho...” she bawled, “I don’t have anywhere to go and I don’t have any family here. I don’t have any money, and I...I just don’t know!”

I opened and closed my mouth several times, unclear on what to say. “Maybe you can ummm…”

She looked at me, her face splotchy and red. ! Now I have to say something.

“I…uh” I wavered, intertwining my hands together under the table. “Maybe you could… stay with me and my friends?”

What did I just say?

She looked at me questionably, one eyebrow arched in doubt. Why did I say that? You're such an idiot! I mentally smacked myself.

“I mean...until you figure out something. You may stay as long as you want. Hopefully by then you’ll be okay on your own.”

Oh, great. Me and my big mouth! Now she'll probably think I’m trying to take advantage of her, or whatever.
Sohee looked stunned for a moment, but then spoke in a soft and hopeful voice. “Y-you really mean that?”

I should tell her no why I still have the chance. I should say no and leave her sitting in this brightly lit store.
I should...

I nodded quickly and smiled.

What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I being such a saint today?
Her eyes brightened up in hope.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Ji Ho!” she cried, before practically leaping out of her chair to hug me.
I pulled back and quickly fidgeted out of her grasp.

“Um…Ah...No,” I leaned as far back into the worn out black leather stool as I physically could. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“Oops sorry,” she said, smiling tiredly and inched back into her seat. 

For a brief moment I considered on answering but that was when the cashier appeared  like some spirit in a badly edited horror movie.

“Buy something or get out,” she barked, chomping on her gum. The young woman was your stereotypical lame bad attitude cashier with more makeup than a Kabuki actor would ever dream of wearing.
Sohee shrank back from her and looked at me nervously, as she sheltered away her face. I rolled my eyes and looked at the cashier, my mouth twisting in a sneer.

“Excuse me?” I asked, my voice taking on a low and dark role.

She took a look at me and stopped chomping. To my surprise she stood her ground. “I said buy something or get out.”

“Really,” I questioned, looking her up and down in a disapproving manner. The cashier stared at me blankly, not moving an inch. Sohee watched our exchange in anticipation, her eyes darting from the cashier and back to me. I glowered at the woman and mouthed Get lost.

She turned around and silently walked towards the back of the store. 

"Ji Ho, your reputation is on the line” Sohee mumbled, her eyes wide. I shrugged innocently and gazed out the window as the rain splashed down on the wet pavement.

Something in my pocket vibrated, and it took me a second to realize that I had my phone with me. I reached inside my pocket and pulled out the touch-screen cellphone. The screen was lit up with a notification. I immediately clicked the message and peered down at the screen.

10:34pm, Jaehyo
Message: Ji Ho, where are you?

I deleted the message and placed it back inside my pocket. 

“Come on, let's go” I said, my voice low. I slid off the stool and Sohee followed closely behind, most likely confused by my abruptness. She was silent as we exited the store and remained close-mouthed when I flagged down a taxi.

I opened the car door and allowed her inside. I climbed in after her and gave the driver the directions.

“You” the driver said, his thick Jeolla accent clearly recognized. He twisted his body around so he was facing Sohee, resting one elbow on the steering wheel to prop his arm in place. “What’s a beautiful girl like you doin’ with an like him?” He jerked his thumb at me when he spoke, and I was tempted to launch forward and break his finger. I'm guessing people still haven't forgotten our Thai scandal.

Sohee glared at him and I wasn’t sure why, but I was certain she was incapable of looking angry. Unknowingly, I blurted out, "I'm going to send her home with me and screw around with her until dawn"

The cab driver stared at me with perplexed eyes, as if he were trying to figure out if I was being serious. 

“Please drive,” I commanded sternly, not really in the mood to deal with people like him.

Sohee was still and her face  stony. She was still sad, I could see it in her eyes, but she was doing a remarkable job at keeping herself composed. I kept my hands in my pockets through the entire ride.

“We’re here,” the cab driver mumbled unexcitingly, not looking at either of us. I paid him and led her into the apartment complex.

“wow this isn't bad,” she said, all the sadness gone from her eyes the moment she saw the interior of the lobby.
The floor of the lobby was made of polished black marble tiles. In the center was a plush couch with a black coffee table.

“You live here?” she asked.

I nodded and walked onwards towards the stairs. When we got to the second floor, Sohee looked mesmerized.

“How much money do you make?” she asked in wonder, looking down the hallway.

“About enough to get by…” I said impartially. I led the way to the third door and opened it with my key. As soon as I opened the door, I was bombarded with questions from Jaehyo. Immediately as the questions came, it quickly ended.

"Who's that, Ji Ho?" He asked silently, pointing behind me.

"This is Sohee and she's going to be staying with us"