Chapter thirteen: Saw

“I will. Don’t worry about it,” Hana smiled as she played with the telephone cord. Her legs were folded and her right elbow resting in the couch arm as her right hand was holding the phone. She had been using the telephone for about half an hour already, but she can’t deny the fact the conversation she was having was really interesting. Talking with that person brought her a bright look on her face and happiness. Because Hana wasn’t able to see her in person, but only able to hear her voice.

Hana drifted her gaze towards the clock next to the telephone and she realized they had been talking too much. She wasn’t the one who was paying for the bills for the calls she had done all the time, but Lu Han is. And it feels wrong for her. It was like she was abusing his hospitality.

Even if he already told her it was ok, that she can use the telephone as much as she likes, still Hana tried to control the time she uses that electronic device. Even if she has her own phone, Hana still uses the telephone, because her cell phone doesn’t reach calls from China.

Hana heard a small laughed from the speaker. It seems that the female she is talking with guessed the younger one’s thoughts and laughed because of Hana’s way of thinking. She hasn’t change at all. Hana is still the simple and modest girl Eunjung knows. Just by hearing her voice, which she does almost every week, Eunjung knows Hana is still the same.

“I will call you again, Hana. I know you feel burden because you were the one who called me this time, but don’t worry I believed Lu Han told you it’s ok? Did he tell you can use freely the telephone?” Eunjung talked with Lu Han about that topic so she already knew the answer, but she was only trying to uneasy Hana a bit.

“H-He did, but still! I feel like I’m abusing his hospitality,” This time Hana’s tone was a bit crestfallen and worried.

“Hana, you know you aren’t…” The younger girl bit her lower lip as her gaze dropped a bit and before she could say something Mrs. Park talked. “Before you hung up I wanted to ask you something”

Hana sat up straight as she waited for Eunjung’s question.

“About the harassment you have been suffering… had it really already stopped?”

How many times did she ask that already? Hana lost the count, because most of the times their conversations ended up with that question. Sometimes she feels bothered by it, because of Eunjung’s insistence, but Hana understands her. She is worried. Eunjung is worried about Hana’s safety and the latter couldn’t blame her. All those years she received those unknown notes, some as warning and some as threaten, Hana was vulnerable. Hana felt weak because of those simple notes left in her locker. She couldn’t do anything to stop them. She was weak and she felt fragile.

“Yes, it really stopped Eunjung. Don’t worry I’m fine”

Even if Eunjung couldn’t see Hana, she was sure the younger was smiling. But what the older couldn’t guess was if Hana was saying the truth or not. The only way she can assure herself if Hana is lying or not is by looking her at the eyes.

If she’s lying, is to not make the older worried. And if she’s saying the truth, is to assure the older she’s indeed safe.

Hana wasn’t lying. The harassment did really stopped, but sometimes she still feels observed from far. But she decided to not pay attention to it because it might be just her imaginations.

Why there wasn’t a threaten note in her locker anymore?

What changed during this last year that made them stop?

She still owns them money. Or that is was Hana believes.

And she’s pretty sure Lu Han had done something about it. Hana doesn’t understand how or why, but she has those suppositions.

What kind of person was Lu Han? She didn’t know. But she’s decided to find out.

“Eunjung, I have to hang up. I promised Junwoo to take him to the park and it’s already getting late,” Hana said with tone was as soft as possible. Even if her statement was part true, Hana wanted to end up the conversation not because of the topic or the feeling of abusing Lu Han’s hospitality, but because every time the older ask about the treating notes Hana received, the latter wonders about why did they stop. Hana wanted to know the reasons, the real reasons, but she doesn’t have the guts to ask Lu Han directly. She doesn’t have any evidence that he helped her out. At least, if she had a clue, she would ask him. But she has nothing.

Every time she ends the conversation with a bitter taste on her lips and tons of questions fluttering in her mind. By now all what she wants is to reflex.

“Ok. Take care, Hana”

After she hung up, Hana sighed. She is sure Lu Han hides so many secrets to her. About him and about Eunjung. But she has no rights to ask about them. Even if the curiosity of knowing is driving her crazy, Hana has to be patient. Because sooner or later, Hana hopes, Lu Han will open up to her and tell her.

And she’s willing to wait for him.

Hana rested her head in the couch’s arm and faced the roof. The place feels rather lonely these last days. There’s only her brother and her around, because Lu Han leaves early in the morning to work. But there were also days he decided to stay until lunch with the siblings, but because it was weekend. Those times Hana felt really happy, because they were spending time together. Those days Lu Han took them to different parks, art galleries and amusement parks. Just the three of them. Hana didn’t know why she felt so content and safe when he’s around. She realized her emotions aren’t the same when he’s not around. Hana started to feel rather excited every time she is able to stay awake and met him, even if those were just a few. Her lips turn up every time he sends her a message. Her eyes got brighter than usual every time he calls her during her breaks or when he’s sure she already arrived home.

In that moment, Hana’s phone vibrated and soon her lips drawn a beautiful smile on the girl’s face.

Hey, what are you doing? –Lu Han

I was just about to go out with Junwoo. Shouldn’t you be working? –Hana

In that moment, she giggled. Hana didn’t mean it in a bad way, and she knows Lu Han understood she was just teasing him.

I am, but I just wanted to talk to you. The others can deal with the costumers without my help. By the way, what are you planning to cook tonight? –Lu Han

The usual I guess. Are you planning on arriving earlier today? –Hana

Somehow, she had that hope. Even if today was Saturday. Even if it was a Saturday’s summer night. The day when the bar has tons and tons of costumers. Even if today was the day of the week when Lu Han arrives later than ever. Hana just wanted to ask.

Hana, you know today is Saturday. But will you still leave a portion for me even if you know I might not eat it? –Lu Han

The sound of an opening door made Hana turned and saw Junwoo already dressed in comfortable cloths to go out and play. The younger boy smiled at his sister, walked towards her and jumped at the couch.

“Noona, I’m ready!”

Hana nodded and smiled back. “Ok. Wait a minute”

I will because you always eat them (: Go back to work already! Junwoo is already waiting for me. See you later –Hana

With that Hana put her phone in her jean’s pocket and with Junwoo left the apartment.

-

It was already past midnight. Hana was lying on her bed as she was playing with her phone. There wasn’t much for her to do around that time, but wait. She can watch a movie, but that day she wasn’t in the mood to do that.

That night she wanted to stay in her room for a bit.

She drifted her gaze from the electronic device and put in her nightstand as she looked through her slightly open window, still lying on the soft mattress. The Full Moon light was reflecting trough the glass as the wind played with her wide open white curtains and the sound of the streets could be heard.

Junwoo was already slept and Hana felt a bit alone. Even if it was like this every day, she isn’t used to it: loneliness. It felt her feel uneasy.

As she sat up straight her phone ringed. Hana looked at the ID to see who was calling her this late at night and answered as she read the name.

“Danbi, why are you calling me this late?”

“Did I wake you up? I’m sorry! I’m sorry! But this is an emergency!” Hana noticed the anxious and trouble tone in Danbi’s voice even with just a few words from her. “My father called a few minutes ago and told me his plane will arrive at one”

Hana sighed as she understood the reason why her friend was calling her this late. “Don’t tell me your sister went out clubbing and she has to be at home before your father arrives. Have you tried calling her?”

“Of course I did! But she is not answering,” Danbi complained and suggested something Hana wasn’t expecting at all. “Please, accompany me to the place she is”

Why did Hana agreed on going to a place she isn’t familiar with or even allow to enter? Because she understands her best friend position. Even if Danbi’s sister is already old enough, her father is a really strict and severe person. He has a reputation to maintain in the business field he’s working and having such a troublesome and careless daughter as the one he has will cause a chaos. Li Hua, Danbi’s stepsister, is the total opposite of her, but at the same time their attitudes are pretty the same. Both are cheerful and bright, but Li Hua is rather audacious and wiser. Whenever she has the opportunities to have fun or go out, she does it. It was her character. She’s willing to live freely without any boundaries and dared to experiment so many new and unknown things for her. But she’s also a kind person. Not because she dared to explore the world in the way she does it, it means she doesn’t care about her background or surroundings. She’s brave and smart too. And she knows that going secretly to a place she isn’t supposed to will cause not only problems to her father, but her too.

Even if Li Hua is already twenty two years old and old enough to make her own decisions, she knows that if she causes any troubles to her father, she’ll have to face the consequences for her careless acts.

“There is,” Danbi said as she signaled the place in front. It was a four floor building and at the top the neon lights shined the entire street. It was a bar. Not a simple bar, but also used as a club. The main door color was really dark and next to it there were standing two tall men dressed in black. They look really intimidating from far, and Hana was sure they aren’t able to fool them if they want to enter the place.

“Danbi, we are still underage. How are we supposed to enter this place?”

“I was hoping you came with an idea,” Danbi answered as the looked in her eyes reflected hope and innocence. Hana face palmed herself in her head. But indeed she came with an idea as she analyzed the place.

Hana shook her head and walked in the opposite direction from the bar, “Follow me”

Danbi just followed her friend without struggling or asking about her plan, because soon she found herself standing at the back of the place and guessed Hana’s idea. They will enter by other entrance. One which doesn’t have security or people around. Both girls entered the alley between the bar and the building next door and with careful steps they found a door.

Hana opened it with carefully and peeked from the small space formed by the opened door to see if there was someone around. And there wasn’t anyone. She sighed, opened the door wider and signaled Danbi to follow her.

The corridor was dark, but the sound of the music could be heard and the disco lights illuminated the place a bit. The only things left its found Li Hua and leave the place as soon as possible. They can be seen. It will cause Danbi’s father more trouble if he found out that both daughters where together in such a place and Hana will cause problems to Lu Han. They should be as careful as possible. They had to act like if they belong there. They should act as most of the people around.

“Danbi, what’s Li Hua using?” Hana asked as she tried to guess the way out towards the main room.

“A dark short dress with sequins and I saw her using a pony tail before she left home. Oh! Yesterday she died her hair light brown”

Finding a girl with Danbi’s description will be really difficult. How many girls might be wearing a dress with her description? But, at least, Hana is sure Li Hua has her hair tied up, because the latter hates changing hairstyles so frequently. She prefers a rather messy pony tail already prepared than changing it to a messy bun or let her hair down.

Every step ahead, the girls heard the music louder and the lights brighter, but also the people around the corridors were incrementing. And what made Hana and Danbi uneasy were the amount of couples around, some flirting and some making out.

They stopped as they noticed the bathrooms at their left. Danbi suggested going in and searching for her sister there. Hana didn’t like that idea, but decided to take the risk. But she didn’t enter the room, but peeked. And as soon as she opened the door slightly, she closed it. Her cheeks were red and her heart was beating as fast as possible. Luckily, Danbi didn’t notice the sudden color change in her friend’s cheeks, but guessed what happened. She cursed herself for such a stupid suggestion. What else did she expected? There were couples around making out and some were doing other things, just as the one Hana saw.

Hana tried to calmed her herself and tried to erase what she just saw too. Her priority now it’s to find Danbi’s older sister, but she couldn’t focus straight in that moment. Even if she guessed something like this happening the moment she step in this bar, it was different from what she imagined. She placed her hands against her cheeks and felt the warm in them. Hana tried to calm herself once again and faced Danbi, who mouthed “I’m sorry” and Hana couldn’t do anything but nod as she walked ahead with her gaze facing the floor.

A few steps later, the girls found the main room where the music was blasting out loud, the people were laughing, drinking and dancing, and the illumination made difficult to see where you go properly, this maybe because never did Hana nor Danbi had been in such a place, so they aren’t familiar with the bright lights.

The girls decided to walk together, because if they split it would be almost impossible to find each other again. At least, being together will increment the possibilities of founding Li Hua easier.

And indeed most females were wearing short, reveling and tight black dressed. Most of them were trying to revel as much as skin as possible. Hana noticed the majority of them wearing a heavy makeup; she saw different kinds of smoky makeup eyes combined with red or pink lipsticks. But most had let their hair down, so it made was easier to find a girl wearing a pony tail.

It just took the girls about ten minutes to find Li Hua, who was sitting at the table at the back of the room and playing with her drink. At first, the older was surprised to see her underage sister in such a place along with her best friend and was about to scold her, but as soon as she heard Danbi’s reasons, Li Hua calmed.

“I can’t believe he changed his flight for today!” Li Hua stood up and put her leather jacket. “He’s always ruining the fun! I’m sorry you both had to come and rescue me”

Hana giggled along with Danbi. Even with such a troublesome sister like Li Hua, she’s really funny and considerate. In that moment, Hana turned towards her left and noticed the bar table. And noticed to boys talking, one working at the bar and the other sitting in front with a drink on his hands. Her gaze got wider and blinked several times as she recognized the one standing. Hana is sure that boy working with the drinks is Xiumin and soon her gaze stopped at the other one’s back. She analyzed his position, the clothes he was using and the brown color of his hair. It took her a few seconds to realize who he was.

She couldn’t deny the fact she was left surprised and astonished. So this is the so-call bar where Lu Han works. At least, she knows where it’s located.

A few seconds later, Hana saw someone walking towards Lu Han. It was a girl with a red strapless tight dress. And Hana couldn’t deny the fact that girl looked beautiful with that dress that highlighted her body in the proper places, the heels that defined her long legs and her long hair made difficult to see her face properly.

Hana saw both talked comfortably, as if they knew each other. Were they friends?  But somehow Hana had the intuition they were strangers.

“Hana,” Danbi tapped her friend’s shoulders making her turned, “We are leaving already. It’s already late”

 “Oh. Ok” Hana turned towards the bar table hoping to find Lu Han, but he wasn’t there anymore neither the girl he was talking with. They disappear in a blink of an eye. As she lifted her gaze from the chair Lu Han was sitting, Hana faced Xiumin, who looked at her at the eyes.

She gasped in realization and turned as fast as she could. Then she took Danbi by her wrists and pulled her to leave the place as soon as possible, Li Hua following them in a hurry.

Hana hoped he didn’t recognize her, but he did.

That night Xiumin told Lu Han, he saw Hana in the bar.

That night, Hana didn’t sleep well, because of the feeling of being seen. 

author's note:  

Sorry it took me longer than expected to update. Last week I started college and this course I’m taking its really troublesome (but I like it at the same time) and it takes a lot of effort from me. Since college started already updates will be slower from usual, but at least I’ll try to update once a week. I also need to focus in my studies, guys. Please bear with me and wait patiently for the updates T-T

About the chapter, I hope you enjoy it! I wonder what will Lu Han tell Hana once he see her xD and thanks to Danbi’s sister Hana was able to find out the bar’s location! More secrets and details will be revealed soon! I promise ;)

Oh! And if you guys wonder, legal age in Korea is 20 (19 internationally) and Hana neither Danbi are old enough to enter the bar. Hana is still 18, which I will remark in the latter chapters.

Take care and see you soon<3