Chapter 13

Daehyun waited for Hyosung at the entrance of an aquarium. He thought of finding Eunji’s stalker after his appointment with Hyosung. The sooner the better.

“Daehyun-ah!” she patted his shoulder from behind and when he turned, she welcomed him with her flashing gummy smile. “Did you wait long?” she asked.

“Nah, I just got here,” he lied.

Hyosung looked pretty with her short blonde hair and mature-looking outfit. She probably could have any guy she wanted if she asked. Hyosung sort of looked familiar to him but he quite couldn’t put a finger on how he seemed to know her. He forgot faces easily and it frustrated him sometimes because sometimes when he ran into people he fought with underground, he actually forgot their names and it seemed to piss them off even more. Then again, he didn’t want anything to do with his past anymore so it was probably for the best. Well, except for Junhong. Junhong was different.

“Hey!” Hyosung snapped her finger in front of his face.

“Huh? What?” he said.

“Were you entranced by my appearance?” she teased.

Daehyun just laughed and nodded. “Yeah, you’re really pretty noona.”

Hyosung blushed at his remark. He didn’t know how his words affected her so much. Her heart was beating fast and it made her smile the way he said it honestly with no doubt or malice in his mind. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. “Let’s go Daehyunnie!”

Eunji was still cautious as she arranged the newly delivered fresh flowers in her shop. As she stepped outside, she looked sideways to see any suspicious people spying on her. When she saw that the coast was clear, she started placing some flowers on the pots outside.

“Eunji-ah,” she turned and saw Mr. Yoon with a haunting expression on his face.

“Mr. Yoon, do you….need anything?” she asked, trying to act calmly amidst his horrifying expression.

“Eunji-ah, have you ever thought that maybe you should settle down with someone? Someone who would cherish you, be with you forever?” he said as he breathed out his alcohol-stained breath.

“Mr. Yoon….you’re scaring me..” she said.

Mr. Yoon grabbed her wrist and gripped it tight. Eunji struggled to break free and panicked. She didn’t know what was happening. The kind man she used to see everyday was turning into someone scary. Her expression looked like her father’s whenever he wanted something from her. She shook her head to snap away her thoughts and kicked the man where it hurt. As Mr. Yoon yelped, holding his crotch, Eunji quickly ran inside and locked the door. Unfortunately her grandmother was accompanying her mother to the hospital for a check-up so she was all alone. She grabbed her phone from the counter and dialed the person she could turn to at that moment.

Hyosung thought that Daehyun seemed to mentally absent. He kept being deep in thought and barely interacted with her. He had too much on his mind at that moment and it was probably a bad day to have asked him out. “Daehyun-ah, is something wrong?”

Daehyun looked at her and brushed it off with a smile, “Ani, there’s nothing wrong.”

“Liar, seriously though, what’s on your mind? Any money problem? Girl problem? Family problem?”

“It’s not that, it’s just…” he was soon interrupted when his phone rang.

“Hello?” he answered.

His expression changed into worry and began looking tense. His eyes widen in fear as he heard the voice from the other line.

“Don’t move, I’ll be right there.” He said then ended the call. “I’m sorry noona…”

“Go,” she said, “It’s fine, I’m pretty sure it was a bad day for you to come. I’m sorry for forcing you.”

Daehyun bowed and apologized, “I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you next time,” he said then left.

Seeing his leaving figure, Hyosung couldn’t help but feel jealous for the person he cared about. Daehyun would set aside everything, sacrifice anything for that person. She felt her heart clench seeing him like that with someone. Someone who wasn’t her.

“I see your date left you,”

Her blood boiled hearing the voice she hated the most. She turned her attention towards the man who made fun of her and scowled. His cocky look and annoying smirk, of all the places she had to meet him.

Lee Gikwang approached her with an amused grin on his face. “I didn’t know you were into younger men Hyosung, if I would have known better, I would have paired you up with my nephew.”

SLAP!

“Leave me alone will you?” she whispered sternly then stalked out of the place.

Gikwang was at a loss for words. He still couldn’t process what just happened. He then thought of how much of an idiot he was and how childish he was acting. It was actually pretty laughable how much of a kid he was. The girl he loved was crying in front of him and all he could do was mock her. Yes, he was that simple-minded.

“Idiot.”

Eunji covered her ears as Mr. Yoon was banging on the door yelling for her to come out. She was crying and her heart was racing. “Daehyun! Where are you?” she said as tears streamed down her eyes.

“Baekhyun…..” she said as she braced herself.

She tried to think of happy thoughts. It was what she always thought about after Baekhyun told her to think about it whenever something scary happened. She tried to do it but somehow the banging noice seemed to block every good memory on her mind.

“Please stop….” She said.

Minutes later, the loud noise was gone. She heard punches and groans. “Daehyun?” she whispered. She peered out the window and saw Daehyun standing in front of an unconscious Mr. Yoon. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door. “Daehyun….”

He turned to her and rushed to her side. He wrapped his arms around her in relief. “Are you ok?” he asked.

“Yeah….”

“That’s good….”

Eunji hugged him back and for some reason, it felt right. It felt like his hug fit her perfectly. She closed her eyes and amidst the noisy sounds of the sirens, she felt at peace. Yeah, it was fine now, she thought.

It’s fine now, Baekhyun.

Daehyun presented evidences against Mr. Yoon. Apparently, he had many accounts of molesting and stalking young girls. He also abused his wife and got divorced about a year ago. After visiting the police station, Daehyun dropped by Junhong’s place and left a pack of cherry tomatoes and some RnB cds he always liked. He also left a note behind, letting him know that there was more to life than his computer and the dark business he was running. He didn’t know if it would come through him but somehow in some way,maybe he would consider it.

Some how.

“Daehyun” she called out his name.

They lay on the grass that day in a quiet place where the thrushes of the lake and the sound of the foliage seemed to fill the tranquil atmosphere.

“Yeah?” he replied , turning to her direction.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“But I want to.”

“Do whatever you want.”

“And….”

“And what?”

“I love you…”

He was taken aback by what she said. It filled something in his heart. But then, his mind cleared and he realized it wasn’t the kind of feeling she was expressing. It wasn’t the kind of need he thought she wanted. It was different. A different kind of “I love you.”

It wasn’t the kind he felt about her.

But he had to live with it and with one smile he replied.

“I love you too.”

She smiled at him without knowing those words were deeper than what she expected.