・t w e n t y T h r e e
Branded ・ As ・ y o u r sChapter Twenty Three Cheeseburgers & Strangers
"You don't know how good this smells." I moaned as Dara sat down the tray filled with our greasy food. "I'm never starving myself again."
"Damn right you're not!" Dara practically growled. "Next time - if there is a next time - I'm going to march in there and force feed you. Watching you both fall apart like that was bloody awful."
"I can imagine." I frowned. "Sor-"
"Enough with the apologies already." She sighed. "Just eat, please. Just looking at you is making me hungry."
Flashing her a grateful look for the food I picked up a huge handful of salty fries and shoved them in my mouth, my eyes closing in bliss.
"You look like you're in food heaven." Dara laughed, watching me.
"I am." I mumbled around my mouthful of food, before reaching for my coke and taking a huge gulp.
My raw throat chafed a little at the sudden onslaught of food and drink, but I could hardly care less, especially when everything tasted so good. We both ate in silence, Dara with her dainty small cheeseburger meal and me with my two combo cheeseburger meals (which included two patties and bacon). Just as I was about to move onto my second burger, Dara suddenly slammed her hands down onto the table and stood up, her chair scraping back noisily.
Looking up sharply I followed her gaze to something behind me, turning in my chair to get a better look. There, standing outside the restaurant and looking in was a man perhaps in his mid twenties, his unreadable eyes focused on Dara, who stared right back. I looked between the two curiously, trying to figure out who he could be. An ex boyfriend, perhaps?
"Who's he?" I asked her, breaking the silence.
As if he heard me the man's eyes focused on me, sending chills down my spine. Dropping my burger back down onto the tray I found myself in a weird staring contest with this stranger, who's gaze bore into mine as though he could see right through me. That's when it hit me.
"He can see my mark!" I whispered, never removing my stare.
"Enough!" Dara hissed.
The man's eyes shifted back to her when she spoke, breaking our connection. I looked towards Dara, showing my fear, though she didn't once look at me.
"Leave. Before I call him." She muttered under her breath.
"What?" I frowned, sure she was talking to me. "But-"
"Now." She urged.
Feeling a stab of hurt I grabbed my coat and bag from the chair next to me and made to sit up when Dara's hand came over mine. Shaking her head slightly, eyes still on the man behind me, she tightened her hold on me. I read her unspoken message; I'm not talking to you. I stayed frozen, my bag and coat still in my arms as I watched Dara's stormy expression. I knew the moment he had gone as her whole posture relaxed and her gaze dropped to mine, her expression strained.
"What was that all about?" I asked her urgently. "Who was he?"
"A Demon." She sat back down and poked her chips around her tray.
"Okaaay... But who is he?" I pushed, noticing her reluctance to tell me.
"Nobody okay?" She sighed, meeting my gaze worried gaze, her own pleading. "Please, Hana, don't tell Myungsoo about this!"
"Why not?" I demanded, crossing my arms stubbornly. "Give me one good reason, Dara, because this seems to me like something Myungsoo should know."
"Since when have you been so team-Myungsoo?" She demanded a little moodily. "It wasn't long ago that you were all for keeping secrets from him. And me."
"Like what? What have I kept from you both?"
"How about your secret conversationswith Tao? Don't try to deny it, Hana."
"You're accusing me of keeping things from you? Seriously?" I seethed. "Okay then, while we're on the topic of keeping secrets, when was you going to tell me about your brother?"
"You know my brother - a little too well, I might add."
"I'm not talking about Myungsoo." I told her pointedly, her words stinging.
Her face, if possible, seemed to drain of colour as she struggled fo
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