19

Red Eyes at Night

CHAPTER NINETEEN

-6 months later-

Kris was leaning against the heavily cushioned headboard with his knees pressed inwardly on his chest, posing in a very laid back, comfortable position; his chin resting atop his kneecaps and his eyes only softly closed, listening intently to the relaxing tone of Hyoyeon’s voice. He was in another world, preternaturally lost in a drift of clouds as she stood in front of him rambling on about something, though he was too ensnared to know about what.

There was something about her voice that made it hauntingly addictive. Calling it unique was more than an understatement, it was an insult. He preferred to just experience, rather than having to explain it. Because it was like a sandy texture enveloped within a sultry exterior; extraordinarily soft as it undulated through the air and into his ear. It was a dirty secret of his, but he wouldn’t admit to her, fearing she might think it weird or unnatural; that Hyoyeon’s voice alone was enough to arouse him. It made his head throb and every nerve, from his head down to his spine vibrate resiliently.

“Ok, how about this dress?” Hyoyeon finally managed to break through his reverie, twirling at a full 360 degree circle, adjusting the straps at the top of her silver Empire evening gown.  

That’s right—he finally remembered.

Kris had tricked her into thinking that there would be a big celebratory party for the workers of Wu Textiles. And as irrational as something as an award’s dinner in the middle of August sounded, since it was the slowest month of the year, she believed it all whole heartedly. Hyoyeon was smart, but she could also be inanely gullible. Also, Kris had a way with words and could be formidably persuasive, especially if it meant keeping a gorgeous blondie bombshell locked in a room with him.

Subsequently, Hyoyeon asked him what she should wear, as he knew she would, falling into his mischievous trap. 

“Nope, take it off” He said trying to sound unsatisfied, but having to grab a pillow to hide the subtle smirk that was sure to betray his true intentions.

Hyoyeon tried many dresses, cluttering up the carpet. It had been a mistake to ask Kris for his opinion. He was faking distaste towards every piece of clothing, just so he could watch her undress, unbeknownst to her because Hyoyeon, naïve as always; was following everything to the letter.

“Take it off,” he repeated.

Hyoyeon bent over her ankles quickly to remove the dress.

“Slowly,” he added.

Hyoyeon’s hands paused at her ankles momentarily before she resumed with slower movements that satisfied his needy demands. But, she couldn’t have possibly known quite the extent of power she had over him. She undressed with subtle movements that made his brain a jumbled mess. Glimpses of her body set his blood on fire as he breathlessly looked, meticulously inspecting every inch of her skin.

With his speech impaired, his next set of command came out like a small string of incoherent words. “Black and short,” he was able to say, unintelligibly slurred past his dry tongue.

Hyoyeon sprinted to the closet and searched for a piece that fit his exact descriptions. Hyoyeon would have normally blown him off by the 4^th dress upon discovering his charade, but tonight she was being eerily obedient.

“What about this one?” She asked flattening the dress against her body confident that this time he wouldn’t refuse. It was a floor-length blue strapless dress that adhered skintight to her body and delved conveniently on the top rounding of her s.

“Hmmm…” Kris wrinkled his frown and cupped his chin, eyeing her pensively once he had gained composure. Hyoyeon was about sure he wouldn’t have complaints this time, but she greatly underestimated his desire to watch her strip. “No, take that one off too.”

She let out a haughty breath, whining. “But you gave me this dress. How can you not like it?”

“I chose it because I knew it would accentuate my favorite parts of your body. But now I’m not so sure. Take it off and pick another.”

“I’m tired. You get up and choose the one you like.” Her petite figure moved backwards, pulling the dress off and over her head quickly and absentmindedly. Forgetful that she was wearing very tiny and see through material underneath, she stood unobstructed to his view, glaring back at him with a judging resolve.

“Why? I’m not going to like any of them. Besides I was only joking, there’s no celebratory party,” he said laughing.

“Then what am I standing here for?!” Hyoyeon screeched putting a knee over the foot of the bed, reaching for a pillow that she immediately threw in his direction. But Hyoyeon had terrible eye to hand coordination and it flew right over his head and down to his chest.

“I like watching you undress. Can you blame me? Look at you. ” He finally admitted proudly; his hands fisted over his knees, antsy to remove those last pieces of clothing that were annoyingly covering the only parts of her body, yet to be discovered by his peering eyes.

“Oh,” she said blushing, ignoring that she had been fooled and taking a peak at the mirror behind her, finally noticing that she had been standing erect with nothing but a black push up brassier that gave her s an extreme lift and a racy black floral lace , therefore nothing to hide the embarrassing scarlet blush on her cheeks upon her realization.

“Well then you should have told me that earlier.” Hyoyeon twisted her fingers into her golden mob of hair and used it to conceal the profusion of red on her face, hunching awkwardly to hide her body.

Kris threw her the pillow in retaliation, making her stand up straight. “You wouldn’t have undressed for me if I had just asked you.”

“Yes, I would.” She whispered shyly into her hair, muffling her words in the process.

“What was that?”

“I said, yes I would have.” She uttered more quiet and faster than before.

“What?” He persisted teasingly, igniting her to turn wide-eyed and annoyed.

“I said, YES I WOULD!!” Hyoyeon jumped on the bed and mounted over his body, enclosing his hips in between her thighs. They locked eyes on each other and refused to blink; a competition for Hyoyeon, a necessity for Kris to get lost inside the warming light of her brown colored optics.  

He grabbed her by the arms and flipped their bodies, trapping her beneath him, flat on the bed. She craned her neck and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

She used her shoulders to worm her way up on the headboard and spread her legs, letting him rest in between them. Kris dipped his head slowly to her chest and almost fell asleep on her s, but Hyoyeon meant to get up and shifted slightly, forcing him wide awake.

“Wait.” Kris held her back making his body weight slightly heavier on her so that she couldn’t stand, mindful not to place too much strength. “Let’s stay like this for just a little longer.”

Hyoyeon smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, interfusing them gently to reassure his worry. “I just need to get up to go to the bathroom. I’ll be quick. I promise.”

He debated long and seriously, sighing in resignation before moving to the spot next to hers. Hyoyeon swung her feet to the floor and walked to the bathroom at the corner of the room and closed the door behind her.

Kris waited impatiently before the atmosphere quickly turned dark and somber. There was a gloomy pressure on his shoulders and he soon found himself loosing track of time. Hyoyeon was taking an awful long time in the bathroom.

Losing slight equilibrium he stood from the bed and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Hyoyeon, are you almost done in there?” But he received no answer so he knocked again. “Hyoyeon this isn’t funny. Open the door.”

His hand flew to the yellow brass knob and his other hand pounded on the door, but as if it had been studded with nails, it would not budge. Anxiety was quickly replaced by panic as he saw the door creek open. He pushed it, walking in cautiously, but Hyoyeon was not inside. He turned around shaking vigorously only to have the lights turn off on him.

The muscles in his stomach contracted and fastened like a dangerously tight knot that quickly trickled up his throat. Frightened, he walked to the light switch on the wall and flicked it on and off repeatedly but to no avail. It had to be some bad wiring or short circuit, he told himself.

He turned around and whispered Hyoyeon’s name several times into the air. He crossed his arms over his chest and let his fingers hug his shoulders as he walked aimlessly lost and scared throughout the darkened bedroom.

When he came back to his senses he thought of a flashlight that he had saved in the nightstand drawer. He pulled it out and tried on its switch, but it didn’t work. He slipped his hand into his shirt pocket and conveniently found a small box of matches. Whatever ounce of stability he had left in his body vanished as the last remaining match broke in half and dropped into the blaring darkness.

Desperation beginning to set in, he stormed from the room and descended the stairs where he would have tumbled down had he not been holding on to the rail. The whole house was darker than his room and none of the lights would come on.

 “HYOYEON!” He yelled, running desperately throughout the house. Running uselessly because it seemed that the faster he tried to move the slower his body went. His legs felt like they were treading on heavy water. Exhausted he was ready to give up, but a flash of light coming from upstairs caught and lighted his energy.

He ran up and noticed that it was their bedroom the source of such blinding light.

He walked in doubtful and distraught, surprised to find the bed conspicuously done. It wasn’t so much the bed sheets that he could have sworn were not the ones he was laying on a few moments ago, but there was an envelope neatly placed at the center of the bed.

His vision was hazy and he could barely walk, but he moved forward stumbling until he made a sudden stop that jabbed the breath right out of him. He could see that the envelope had his name on it. To not open it would have been equally frightening, but he didn’t know what to expect. He opened it. And like a sick joke it read:

I had to take an urgent trip to California.

A ‘business deal’ emerged. I don’t know when I’ll be back.

MAYBE, I’LL ALSO TAKE TWO YEARS.

Take Care of the house.

-Hyoyeon

Kris dropped to his knees and started to shiver uncontrollably, a sliver of sweat dripping down his neck. “Hyoyeon please,” he whispered into the lonely room with a deranged appearance as he pressed the letter tight to his chest.

“DON’T LEAVE ME!” He woke up yelling, his eyes tearing at the realization that just like every single night for the past six months; it had all been just a dream, every single little thing, a figment of his delusional imagination. His subconscious was merely reaffirming one thing, what he had feared all along; that he would not know how to live without her.

He knew he was at the fringe of insanity.

However this didn’t bother him, he rather go crazy than have to deal one more day without her. He was still lucid though, enough to realize that at least this time she only just disappeared. He had to admit that this one was a good dream, it wasn’t like the others, she hadn’t turned into sand or she hadn’t been eaten up by fire like she did in so many others. He liked it when his dreams seemed possible, he liked to fool himself into thinking they were real.

As final evidence that he was truly awake, he yawned while shooting a glance at the mirror and noticing that his eyes were bloodshot red. He didn’t know if it was from the lack of sleep or from the infinite amount of tears he had shed. Crying, nowadays, was as involuntary as breathing; automatic and unavoidable, harder to suppress than hunger or sleep.

He itched to do something reckless to forget about her for a while, but he refrained from moving an inch against the bed; where as if it were an eternity of nights ago, she had slept on him. To take a break from what had become his usual routine, he flung himself off the mattress and ran down the stairs.

The house was solemnly quiet, it was stinging, and he had to get out of the house.

But just as he was about to exit through the front doors an even greater silence lured him into the garden.

The moonlight drained color on the lawn and the rest of the surroundings. His eyes moved disparagingly from their hand built hammock to the couch and into the bed of roses. These places no longer gave him peace or a sense of protection. They only brought a solitary emptiness that no one understood and that magnified with each passing day.

He walked further into the garden and sprawled on all fours with his forehead pressed to the ground. He screamed as loud as he could, hoping that the earth would swallow his pain.  

When he was up again he walked over to where the hammock was tied and leaned against the tree trying to steady his breathing. He shook with anger. The open air was infuriating him, the place where he had shared the most beautiful moments with her; was now an enclosed space of deafening silence. The birds no longer sang at night, and it bothered him tremendously.

He seized a rock of dirt and flung it up at the tree. “SING!” he yelled desperately, but when the bit he threw dispersed into several fragments between the leaves, nothing. He had concluded that the birds had remained silent only to mock him. But not a peep was made, not tonight and not for many more nights to come.

“GOTDAMIT, SING!” he yelled louder once more into the open space, but again with no response.

He walked hopelessly to the couch and hugged a pillow that had her fading scent which he inhaled deeply before crying himself silently back to sleep.

-Another 12 months later-

Summer was here again at the verge of August; still hot and drastically unbearable. It was another lonely year for Kris while Hyoyeon remained cast in a bed connected to the respiratory machine that kept her ‘alive’. She was announced brain dead a year and a half ago.

Kris had woken up with a bruised face only to find out that the doctors hadn’t really saved her. She still had more life than most people; blood still pumped through her body and other than her brain, all other organs seemed to be working properly, it was more than Kris could say for himself. It was as if he had just stopped working along with Hyoyeon.

He’d gone over an indolent change in the course of one year.

He let the blonde in his hair fade; outgrown and quickly replaced by his natural brown hair. He cut it short and styled it frequently, but this was as kept as he was willing to go. The rest of his body however looked worn.

He used to cast a prodigious shadow with his strong aura, an air of superiority and a golden immune system that kept most illnesses away. But now, he got sick at least once a month; small flu symptoms kept him from work for weeks and his blood pressure was always high.

He wasn’t the only one that changed.

Kai much like his best friend Kris, was left devastated, also just a reflection of whom he used to be. He was mad at only one person, but this anger was formidably large and negative. No one could take away that it was Kris’s fault. Kris had caused it.

“He took her away from me!” Kai yelled, drunk out of his mind, flaring his hands to shoo Seohyun away. As of late, she had found herself feeling comfortable, constantly berating at her new brunette-headed friend.  

‘I like our constant bickering,’ she pondered to herself. It was this rather than admitting that she actually really liked him and his company. Also, Kai was usually too drunk to even push her away. It was easier trying to comfort him than her ex-boyfriend who had closed off his house to her completely.

“He came back after two years, prancing around like a shining knight in black armor as if nothing had happened and he just took her away.” He swiveled around from his stool and paraded his newly opened beer bottle up in the air, letting the liquid drip down his fingers. “He took her away from me.” He continued to repeat, pricking his fingers on his chest.

“There was nothing between the two of you to begin with.” Seohyun reminded him.

“Because Kris got in the way,” he said raising his voice at her for the second time that day.

Seohyun knew how to push his buttons. It was incredibly amusing to watch someone be almost as miserable as she was. Hyoyeon again invading the thoughts of someone she really liked.

“Alright that’s enough.” Seohyun forcefully took the bottle from his hand and helped him up. She slipped a hand around his waist, feeling the small of his back against her fingertips, watching mesmerized as his torso elongated before her eyes.

“Seohyun,” he whispered putting one arm around her shoulder for support and bringing her back to reality. She looked down timidly, induced with a flush of bright red, confused by their closeness and the gentle calling of her name. She looked back at him and she nudged him for his question to be asked.

“If Kris hadn’t come back, she would have loved me?” There was a long pause as he waited for a response. “Right?” He questioned looking for an answer that would indefinitely break him if not answered the way he wanted.

Seohyun sighed dejectedly, feeling he had ruined the moment with his blithering question, but he asked crying, pouring his soul to her for the first time ever. She swallowed her pride and lied to him. “Yes. She would have loved you.”

At least Kris could dwell on the nice moments he had created with her the last few moments Hyoyeon was awake. Kai had made very little since his return and he hated Kris for it. He felt robbed and cheated; Hyoyeon was his best friend too.

Around the time he met Hyoyeon, he had found out that his father had not died that he had just abandoned him. Just like for Kris, Hyoyeon had also helped him survive some very lonely times. And only now did he truly understand what it meant to be alone. Hyoyeon had left a big vacuum in his heart and clearly alcohol wasn’t doing a very good job of filling it.

The first few months, they went at it with angered fists and furious words, but it became tiresome after a while that now Kai only went to visit her when he knew Kris wouldn’t be there. At work and at the hospital, if it was possible they avoided each other at all costs. They had become complete and utter strangers.

It was 7:00 PM and the sun was just beginning to set on the horizon in a burning disarray of oranges, slowly manifesting through the low hanging trees of the hospital.

Kai got out of his cobalt blue convertible, brought to mirror his elegance as he stepped out in all black and a red striped tie neatly fastened around his neck. The only time he groomed himself now a days was if he was going to visit her.

He slammed his car door and went around to the passenger seat, where he took out a vase of barely bloomed Blue sapphire orchids. He pressed them protectively over the right side of his chest and bent slightly letting his left arm graze the closed passenger door.
 

“Today’s the day,” he said out loud, slicking his brunette hair to the side and smiling cheerfully, watching his reflection from the side-view mirror.  

He walked exceptionally happy today, but a familiar voice eradicated this feeling.

“Jongin!”

Kai blinked once and then turned around. There was only one person in the world who ever called him that name.

“Kyungsoo.” Kai settled the flowers on a nearing bench and pulled his uncle close. He needed a hug, he needed someone other than a fastidious Seohyun to talk to, someone like his 40 year-old uncle Kyungsoo to relieve a bit of the pain, although he could be just as equally frustrating.

They sat in a bench outside in between the entrance and a marble fountain.

“I wanted—“

Kai cut him off. “You wanted to come sooner. I know.”

Kyungsoo shrugged and raked his fingers through his jet black hair. He finally looked up at Kai. He finally saw the vast emptiness in his eyes and he smiled in an overzealous fascination. “So, you fell in love.” He paused and laughed. “With Kris’s wife, no less. And Kris fell in love too?” He said mockingly, it was incredibly funny to him.

Birds of a feather, flock together couldn’t be more befitting for the two. Both shrewd and resiliently arrogant; Kyungsoo could have sworn that the two friends would end up alone. But they seemed changed.

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo placed a hand on the brunette’s hand.

Kai turned his head to him, fast and suddenly as if he had been awaken from a dream. “Please stop calling me like that. You know I don’t like it.”

“Why? Why don’t you let people call you like that anymore? It’s your birth name.”

“And it’s my father’s middle name. My mother died waiting for him and that’s enough for me to hate it.” Kai fisted his hands on his thighs unconsciously; the mere thought of the man made his blood boil.

“You know he didn’t just abandon you by choice. Aren’t you curious about who he is or what he looks like?” Kyungsoo questioned, smiling disturbingly.

“NO!” Kai bolted up angrily at his uncle’s suggestions.

“Jongin, please sit back down. I really didn’t come to talk to you about your father. I was actually really worried about you” Kyungsoo changed his tone of voice and patted on the spot besides him. Kai sat back down reluctantly. “You’ve really changed and I don’t think a girl should be reason for you to do so.” Kyungsoo continued with his hand on his shoulder as if it would have some sort of convincing power over his nephew.

“She’s not just any girl. “ Kai replied through forced laughter. “What would you know?”

“I understand that she’s the one standing in the way of your career. This place is holding you back; you could be a greater lawyer somewhere else. No woman should be made important enough to throw away one’s life. You’re deteriorating, but I thought you were smarter than that.”

That last comment was it for him. His uncle could insult him, but not Hyoyeon. He grabbed him forcefully by his collar and threatened him. “Don’t you ever devalue her in front of me.” He spoke firmly silencing the superficial Kyungsoo. He was Mr. Wu’s best friend for a reason.

His uncle looked back at him unimpressed and sighed. “Amusing,” he continued cynically.

“What is?” Kai let him go slowly, wary of his next words.

“You and Kris, you’re more alike than I thought.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Kai brought his brows together, utterly confused.

“Nothing,” Kyungsoo scoffed, “But it’s just that the two of you won’t hesitate to knock out a family member in the name of Hyoyeon. Even half-dead she’s got the two of you fighting like cats and dogs. I didn’t think she was that intelligent.”

Kai didn’t warn him this time. He quickly got up and forced his uncle up with him; giving him a swift blow to the stomach, hindering his next breathes completely. Kyungsoo bent over his knees and held on to his abdomen, wailing exaggeratedly. Kai narrowed his eyes. “I told you, NOT in front of me.”

“I was just trying to get you to see your potential that you’re wasting because of her. You should think better of what you’re doing.” His uncle heaved, trying to make sense of the words that were coming out through his rugged breathe.

“You chose your career over a family. You spent sleepless nights to get where you are now. Your career is everything to you, but it still hasn’t managed to make you happy. Hyoyeon makes me happy. Being a great lawyer,” he narrowed his eyes, “that means nothing to me. I discovered that when I gave her up I regretted it immediately with every part of my heart. I’m done feeling like that. If she wakes up; I’m not going to detain myself this time.” Kai bent slightly near his uncle’s ear because he was still dramatically holding over his stomach.

“Well what exactly are you going to do? I saw those two. Especially Kris, at his father’s last birthday dinner, he’ll never let her go. Those two are perfectly made for each other. Get it through your thick skull.” Kyunsoo lifted from his position and tried to ring some sense into his stubborn brunette-haired nephew.

“They’re not!” Kai snapped. “And I’m done playing nice. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time I take something away from Kris.” He added smugly.