Minho came home at around 1:00 am and was surprised to find no one in their house. He could swear he saw the Benz parked in the garage but his father was nowhere to be found.

“Dad!” he called. He didn’t give a if he was shouting at 1 in the morning. He just wanted to know where his dad was. “Dad where the hell are you?” he called out once more. There was no reply. Great, he thought, he just got back from a funeral and just got back from a fight with his girlfriend and he came home to a dark and empty house. Happy Motherers Day!

“Where the could that old man be?” Minho grunted to himself. He looked around the house and found no sign of his father. He ran a hand through his messy hair and decided to go around for a walk. The street was poorly lit and the only source of light was a couple of streetlights that flickered each time Minho passed by them. It made him sigh a deep sight of desperation, one that could only come from a man wanting to find inner peace.

Unfortunately, Minho found more than what he was looking for.

There, near the bright yellow colored house, a man in black was trying to sneak in. He looked all over the place for some bystanders or passers by that could ruin his opportunity to commit a crime. Minho hid behind a few bushes and a tree to spy on the criminal and possibly report to the police whatever activity he saw. The man climbed up the walls and entered the window to a certain room on the second floor. A string of muffled screams followed soon after but this wasn’t what Minho was most surprised about. The real surprise came when the man in the black everything took the mask off and walked away from the vicinity calmly.

It was Martin! Martin Yoon. Minho’s father. But what was he doing there? Minho felt his blood drain and his face fall to the ground. His very own father breaking in to other people’s houses and making them scream? If he could only see what his father did in there, he would tell Yuri.

I knew it! I knew my father was a diabolical man! I was never wrong to warn Yuri. I must tell her about this. She has to know! Minho stalked his father from behind the bush and continued to walk on the other side of the street,obscured by the bushes and the trees. Minho saw Martin looking at the mask that was in his hands, seemed to be deciding whether he was going to put it back on and victimize another or not. Martin decided he would do a little stalking that morning, he must’ve thought that his son was still out with Yuri. Little did he know that he was just on the other side of the street, spying on him. When Minho saw Martin put the mask back on, he stomached it no longer and rushed quietly back home, running from the point where he was to his destination. Home.

Upon reaching home, Minho plopped on the couch and remained in a daze. What he saw traumatized him, and he didn’t even see the best part. All he saw was his father breaking into a house.

Dad? Why would dad do such a thing? Confused thoughts raced through Minho’s head and voices talked to him from within. Voices. Telling him, dictating to him what he just saw. Though Minho tried to force negative thoughts away from his mind, they just couldn’t hide the fact that Minho saw it for real and it would never be forced out of his memories. Because of that, Minho stayed awake from 1:30 am to 7:00 am, the time that he was supposed to go to school.

His father arrived some time around 7:30. He was shocked to see Minho lying on the sofa, sleeping like a kid. Martin was pretty damned himself because he was late for work and he was late because he had some pretty erted business the previous night/morning. He shook his son awake.

“Son! What the heck are you doing still sleeping here?” Martin hollered. Minho pretended to be still sleepy and looked up at his father hazily.

“Dad, wh-what time is it?” he asked groggily.

“It’s 7 ing 30! Are you going to get your out of there and get ready for school or am I going to drag you?”

“Dad you really shouldn’t be talking to me like that. I’m sick. I can’t go to school today.” Minho said.

“Oh. Well I’m sorry son.” Martin’s voice was equally hazy. “Just go to your room and rest there. I don’t want no slop in the living room. “ Minho pretended to dizzily get up and climbed slowly up the stairs. As soon as he reached his room, he got inside and weakly shut the door. Martin followed suit and dressed up hurriedly for work. Once he was all dressed up, he ran down the stairs without bidding his son goodbye and headed to the garage where he got in the car and drove away to work. Minho was “sleeping” in his room.

Or was he?

“I have to find out what my dad did earlier.” he muttered to himself. He laid in bed and imagined the scenario he was met with 6 hours ago. His father entered a house and last thing he heard was screaming. High-pitched screaming. Female screaming. Around 14-17 years old, most presumably. The voice was young.
Minho looked out the window to check if his father was still there. Figuring that he couldn’t see it, he decided to go outisde and check the garage himself. He did so and saw that the car was gone. Good, he thought, now I can finally check my father’s room.

He had been living with his father all his life but never for once did Martin allow his son to go to his room. Minho never knew why but this time, it seemed as if there was an opportunity for him to go in his father’s room and figure out what it was that his father kept and prevented him from going into his room. Usually, whenever his father would leave, he brought the keys to his room with him so that if the curiousity bug should bite Minho, he wouldn’t be able to get a sneak peek. But his father this time made the costly mistake of leaving the keys in his hurry, thus allowing Minho to unlock the door and enter the mysterious room of his father.

The room looked no different from the ordinary room that parents (or dads) usually have. There was a cabinet, a dresser that once belonged to his mother (I suppose his mother has a new dresser in her new house now), two sidetable drawers on either side of the bed and the bed itself. Minho kept on thinking about his father’s words that echoed in his head from the day his voice started creaking and breaking to the present. What was it that his father had been keeping from him? With no one at home and Minho “sick”, he had all the freedom to check his father’s room out. Nothing was weird or out of place, though. Everything was fine and normal the way it was. So what exactly was it that his father didn’t want him to see?

The answer was all in his mother’s old dresser.

Minho checked practically everywhere for any form of oddity that could indicate why his father broke into someone else’s house that night. The only place that he hadn’t checked yet was the dresser and though he knew that his father never used the dresser, who knows, right? Minho opened the cabinet on the left, the one below the table and shock as well as paralysis came over him.

In that drawer were pictures of children. Teenagers. Young men and women. . In grotesque, awkward positions. Taken or taken from magazines, Minho didn’t know. All he knew was that his father was into ography and all the while he didn’t know. This made him even angrier at his father and the need to protect Yuri became higher. Now more than ever because his father had been making moves on Yuri. Who knows what his father will do next?! Wasting no time, Minho grabbed all the pictures and scurried out of his father’s room, produced an envelope from his school bag and kept them there. The keys were still on the sidetable drawer so Minho dashed to his dad’s room and restored everything, locking it as soon as he left before he could forget.

Throughout the day, Minho couldn’t stop thinking about the pictures and the insane act that his father pulled earlier that morning. In fact, it traumatized him to the extent that he could not eat, drink, nor sleep just thinking about what his father could and would do next.

No child in this neighborhood is safe. Who knows who he’ll come after next? If he has the guts to victimize children he doesn’t know, what more the people he’s more familiar with. For all I know, I could be his next victim. But I’m cool, I can fight my own dad if it means saving my dignity and my life but what if his next victim is someone I care so deeply about…

Yuri?

Yuri was the first person to enter Minho’s mind when he saw the pictures. He knew that his father had been very friendly towards Yuri since the day he introduced her to him. Since then, Martin had been asking Yuri to come over, giving her rides to work and picking her up. Those were just some of the things that Martin had done for Yuri but what about the things that Minho didn’t know about? Things that Yuri never told him. What if they did more and Yuri just didn’t tell him for the sake of their relationship, both between the two of them and him and Martin.?

I have to talk to Yuri. was the first thing that ran into his mind.

But no, said his brain. Remember, you hurt Yuri last night. Not only did you jerkily leave her to grieve for her aunt alone in the funeral house, you cussed at her and pushed her to the ground. You even smoked a ing cigarette when you told her, promised her that you wouldn’t! If that wasn’t enough, you made her wait for a taxi in the freezing wind by herself when you knew you had a vehicle that could take the two of you home faster. She paid a hundred won for that taxi, you son of a gun! Minho’s brain was angry at him now.

Now was no time to get personal. Now was no time to think about what happened last night. His father was a ual predator…scratch that out child molester and avid collector, e, ert, whatever else! Yuri was not safe. Minho had to do something.

Yuri was still in her room, sleeping. She had momentarily stopped studying (she needed to earn money first) so her primary focus now was her work. Her jobs, actually. Yuri recently applied for a job that she had not told Minho about yet and was planning on telling him last night had it not been for his ty acting up. Now, Yuri thought, was not a good time to talk to Minho about anything. She wasn’t breaking up with him or what but she needed some time for herself. Minho never knew that she thought about this and was even planning to tell her about his latest discovery.

Minho brisk walked from his house to Yuri’s place, ringing the doorbell.

God, I hope she ing answers the door. She can’t stay mad at me forever now, can’t she? he wondered to himself. Minho rubbed his forehead and anticipated Yuri to emerge from the front door. When she didn’t, he rang the doorbell once more. A frustrated and disturbed neighbor hollered out and said,

“She’s not there!” she said. “She left for work already.” the neighbor continued to pull out the weeds on her garden.

“Oh. Is that so? Well then, thank you. Best be on my way now.”

“Best be.” agreed the old woman. Minho glanced at her strangely and walked back to his house.

In his house, he pranced round, thinking of the words to say so that he wouldn’t this up the way he ed up their previous conversation. Once the words in his mind were already in their rightful order, he picked his cellphone up and dialled Yuri’s number.

I hope she picks it up. I pray that she’s not mad at me anymore.

“Hello?” answered the smooth voice on the other line.

“Yuri. It’s Minho, where are you?”

“Haven’t you insulted me enough to come calling me? Are you trying to play with me again?”

“Wha-Yuri what the are you talking about?” asked Minho, worried.

“Why are you calling me? To say sorry? Minho your promises are as real as the 30th of February. “

“Yuri! Will you-”

“Shut up! I don’t care about whatever it is that you have to say because whatever that might be, it’s just another lie for damn sure!”

“I want you to shut up for one ing moment and listen to me if you don’t want to get yelled at again. I discovered something so gruesome and your life can be put in danger if you don’t listen so if you still want to see the sun set, I suggest you shut that whiny hole of yours and ing listen to me, you !” Minho got so angry but he ranted in a calm way. So calm that Yuri actually followed, disregarding the hurtful words he just said. For some reason she just followed him and kept shut.

“What?”

“After I sent you away last night, I stopped by at the local pub and bought me some drinks, of course after lying and telling them that I was 21. They gave me a couple or so and after that I headed home. I was sober enough to know what was going on so the moment I got home, I knew dad wasn’t around because when I called he didn’t reply and the house was empty. So I went back out and looked for him, I also went out for a short walk but what I saw was something strange. I saw a man climbing up the walls of a house and forcing his way in through the window. I heard then a shrill, coming from presumably a girl around 14-17 years of age. Sounded as if she was , which I think was likely. Then when the guy got out, he took the mask off and revealed his identity…”

Yuri started to feel scared. “What happened next?”

“…it was Dad! Dammit, Yuri it was Dad! I stood hidden behind bushes and trees and stalked him til he entered another house and when he entered another house, I ran all the way home and stayed up til God knows what time. Dad came home at around 7:30 and I told him I wouldn’t go to school so he’s gone now. He’s at work now. And that’s not even the best part. Guess what happened next?”

Yuri didn’t answer him. His story was starting to piss her off.

“I went to Dad’s room but it wasn’t easy, dear. Oh no. Dad’s room is always locked. He never really let me in the room since the day I started thinking about girls and now I know why! He left the keys here at home in his hurry and bingo! I found pictures! Not just but pictures of some girls in the neighborhood! Goddammit Yuri, my father is one dangerous man!”

Finally, Yuri spoke up and said, “Is this another one of those lies? Another one of those pranks you pull to impress me because if it is, honey it’s not working well. After you continously ruined your father’s image because of your paranoia, your fear that he’d get me from you and after you lied about not getting into any vices you expect me to believe this bull you’re telling me? You must be one lucky son of an if you think that I’m buying your story. It’s so made up, Minho. Coming from a drunk, immature, obnoxious son of a !” Yuri breathed heavily. This tirade made her tired. “You don’t deserve my trust, Minho. Like the boy who cried wolf!”

Minho’s heart sank, especially at the words ‘you don’t deserve my trust’.

“What are you talking about, Yuri? I’m not lying! This is for real! I’m telling you! Dad is a ! He’s a e! You can come over here and take a look at the pictures if you want! Yuri, you’re in danger. Stay away from my dad. I think we-”

“You must think I’m really stupid then!” Yuri cried. Honestly, hurting Minho like this was hurting her even more. “For all I know, you just cut or took those pictures and placed them in your dad’s room! You’re the e, Minho!”

“What? Yuri the you talking about?”

“I don’t mean to hurt you, Minho, but your father is a better man than you. He’s the man you will never be. I guess not all things run in the blood.”

“Are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I’m going back to work. Goodbye and stop calling me to tell me crap. If it’s crap you want to share, share it with other people. I may be weak at times but I’m not one to crap around with.” Yuri hung up and went back to work, sighing heavily from time to time but inhaling deeply knowing that her pride enabled her to talk back without breaking down. That was a good attitude, she thought.

Minho detatched the phone from his ear and slammed it against the wall, shattering it. He leaned against the post of his bed and sat on the floor, banging his head repeatedly on the wall. The young man fought the urge to cry but at one point, he just felt his tears rolling down without him knowing.

So this is the price I pay for trying to protect someone. Minho said. As much as I don’t want to believe that Yuri likes my father more than me, everything seems to be making sense.

Yuri on the other hand, worked busily at the diner. She walked around with trays in her hands, taking orders and delivering food to the tables. That wasn’t the only job she had that day, though. She had another job and it was at another place at another time…

All she had to do now was wait for her shift to end and she could go.

[LATER AT AROUND 5:30 PM]

Yuri took another cab ride to the bright and busy part of Seoul, a place that was a far cry from the quiet village that she lived in. In that bright and busy part was the nightlife and in the nightlife, that’s where Yuri worked. But what was Yuri’s job?

“Just right here mister, thank you.” after paying the cab driver a hundred won, Yuri stepped out still in her waitress uniform. She opened a door hidden in the backlot of some building which led her to some sort of dressing room. That’s where the simple 17 year old waitress down at Jin’s Eats transformed into a sultry singer. Yuri wore a red tube dress that was only a little above half her thigh and had a division in between her s. Her hair, which was messily done in a ponytail, was let down and tossed a bit to give her that bad girl look. Heavy makeup was applied on her face, dolling her up beyond recognition. Once her transformation had been completed, she exited the dressing room and sat atop a grand piano where she was to sing. The piano was not the only instrument in the room, though. It had a Big Band Era setting with old school drums and cellos. There were not so many people around, though. Yuri could easily make out their faces.

[song: “Give Me“ by the Nine Muses]

The lights dimmed down and Yuri began her number. The men population of the crowd raised their eyebrows at a rapid speed and whistled, yelped, howled and did all forms of flirting and cheering. The ladies in the audience remained calm and collected, maybe some were feeling a bit insecure. Yuri-though only 17-looked like she was a woman of 22, thus eliciting arousing feelings and temptations in the guys. Some guys stood up and moved closer to the stage, hoping to get a better view of the young lady. When you’re 17 and you’re performing for drunk, , tired, middle-aged men, even if you’re performance is as decent as Yuri’s song number without any stripping or skin showing (save for some cleavage and legs), expect instant symbolism.

Yuri was too lost in the song to notice the door at the back of the bar open. A middle aged man, a familiar looking middle aged man came in. Loving the feeling of attention and the sultriness of the song, Yuri looked up and failed to recognize him but once the song was about to come to an end, Yuri realized that she had been followed by Martin Yoon. All of Minho’s words came back to her and it distracted her, thus disabling her from further heating up the already hot atmosphere in the assumingly air-conditioned bar.

“Is that?” Martin asked himself. Despite the heavy makeup she had on, he was still able to recognize Yuri. He knew this was wrong. He knew 17 year old Kwon Yuri shouldn’t be doing this because she was still a minor. He knew it was anything but just. Yet, he didn’t do anything about it. Yet, he didn’t object. Why? Because he liked, no loved every mothering moment of it. Just the sight of Yuri’s caramel-vanilla skin and the sight of her smooth, long legs turned him on. Why stop it if it’s beneficial, right? He sat down by himself and ordered some Hennessey. The alcoholic drink came just in time for the ending of the performance. Finally, he thought, I can now ask Yuri to come and have some shots with me. And when we get drunk, that’s when the magic happens.

Sadly, magic isn’t happening tonight.

Yuri’s performance ended with a bang, eliciting huge roars from the 30-40 year old men population. She bowed and exited, going back to her dressing room. In her dressing room, she thought of all the words that Minho told her and was thinking of reconsidering them. What if he was right? Maybe his father was a e, maybe he wasn’t but it never really hurt to be careful. If Minho was right, then she just saved herself the trouble of getting by an old man. If he wasn’t, then she would still be careful, at least she would be knowledgeable that such people existed in their subdivision. One of the makeup artists peered through her door.

“Yuri, someone wants to see you?” Yuri raised her eyebrows and stood from where she was, walked to the direction of the lady’s extended hand. Martin was waiting for her at a table with two glasses of wine.

“Siddown.” he said. Yuri shook her head and smiled.

“I have to get going. I still-”

“Siddown.” he insisted. Not wanting to piss him off, Yuri pulled the chair and sat down. She pulled the glass of wine towards her and sniffed it. She decided that the smell was too strong and pushed it away.

“Mr. Yoon, it’s really nighttime. I-”

“I’ll take you home.” he said with a sly smile. Yuri felt uncomfortable and recalled all the things Minho said. The words e and suddenly popped up in her head and she began to feel scared. But Minho’s acts of lying and pretentious behavior blocked that fear and with the faith she had in her that Martin wasn’t a e and that Minho was someone not to trust, she stayed.

“Okay then. So what brings you here?”

“I come here a lot. To relieve myself of stress. Bout you?”

“First night of the job. Just applied two nights ago, got accepted last night. Just finished my first gig. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my days.” Yuri thought about what Minho said again and wondered if she really needed to reveal it to his father. Did she really have to let him know that his son went snooping around in his room and took out the not-so-pleasant pictures?

Nah! Minho was a liar. He deserved no Yuri.

So for the remainder of the night, Yuri spent it talking with Martin over drinks. She found herself actually, to put it in her terms, “in like” with the guy. That’s when she decided that they would make really good friends.

Despite of what Minho said.