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13. Sound of His Heart

Somin’s mouth fell agape when she unlocked the door to her and Haera’s dormitory. Right in front of her sat Young Saeng on her couch, with a coffee cup placed on the table. Her eyes wandered, trying to find where her friend was located, and she sighed in relief when Haera walked out of their bedroom, whole and safe. No scratches, no scars on her face was a good sign, but she was still looking like a burnt tomato. Heara’s hands were fidgeting with the hem of her sweatshirt and she felt small under the gaze of a certain courter. Although she disliked him, she didn’t show it. Nervousness and worry were the only two that were presented through her uncontrollable body language and as much as she wished to yell at him to leave her alone, she didn’t dare to. She was not Somin, her thoughts couldn’t be voiced around people she feared and people who overpowered her.

Somin didn’t know what was worst; walking away from a man who had just threatened her, or walking in only to catch a sight of that guy’s friend, who could have possibly threatened Haera too.

“Somin?!” Haera’s sharp, but relieved breath cut Somin’s thoughts off, and she turned her head to glare at her friend. Questions filled with worry and disbelief were floating in her eyes, and Haera panicked on the thought of Somin misunderstanding the situation as one lover visiting another behind the friend’s back.

Young Saeng snapped his head around to look at the girl standing in the entrance and he smiled upon the picture of her holding a phone in one hand, her purse hanging loosely on the other and agape, eyes fixed in an intimidating gaze mixed with fear and anger altogether. “Hi Somin, you’re back already?” He sounded almost disappointed, maybe that’s exactly what he was; disappointed that he didn’t have a reason to stay here any longer.

“Yes, shouldn’t I?” Somin scowled at him, and put as much hate as she could in her tone. It was obvious she had, had a not so good evening. Well practically, everything was perfect up until Hyun Joong showed up and killed the mood.

“No, no, of course you should be here.” He swallowed the rest of the coffee in one go and stood up afterwards. He then walked over to where she was standing and shot her a gentle smile. “How was your evening?” Young Saeng was acting like he was talking to the sister of his lover, and both girls were flabbergasted of how quickly his personality changed from being a cruel, merciless mobster to this humble and polite man. None of them had forgotten how he had attempted to grab and punish Somin that night when they first met, and that was also the reason why both shrugged in disgust when he spoke and acted like a gentleman.

“Fabulous” She answered with a blank face and cold stare, sarcasm was flying in the air.

“That’s good to hear,” Young Saeng quickly caught the clue; He could no longer stay in there, so he turned around and took a last look at Haera- who was still a nervous wreck. “I should probably leave,”

Somin replied instead of Haera. “That sounds like a good idea.” She needed him out of there as soon as possible, because the things she had experienced today needed to be told to somebody who could help her solve the problems.

Young Saeng didn’t have anger problems, but this woman in front of him was for sure about to bring out the beast hidden within. He didn’t want to behave improperly when Haera was around, so that’s why he, even though he felt insulted, controlled his temperament and mumbled a soft “bye” to Haera, before nodding politely to Somin and putting on his shoes to get out.

Once he was out and Somin managed to slam the door behind him, one big bomb exploded in the oversized dormitory.

“OH MY GOD!”

“WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE?!”

“OH MY GOD, THIS IS RIDICILOUS!”

“I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU DIDN’T LIKE HIM!”

“I DON’T, OH MY GOD!”

“QUIT SAYING OH MY GOD!”

“WHY ARE YOU SNAPPING AT ME?!”

“YOU ARE ONE BRAINLESS WORM!”

“WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SAYING SOMIN!”

“IT WAS AWFUL!” Somin clasped her hands around her friend’s arms and rested her head on her shoulder afterwards. She needed somebody to hold her, tell her it was going to be fine and reassure her that she had not just put herself in a dangerous mess. She wanted somebody to convince her that she was still an independent woman with free choices and decisions, that she didn’t need to be afraid of a certain man and that he was not capable of damaging her in any way. 

“What’s wrong?” Haera’s voice was laced with sudden worry, and she clasped her arms around Somin’s waist, just to soothe her, although she didn’t know what all of this was about.

“It was awful……” Her voice cracked in the end and she felt sudden urge to cry.

“What was awful?” Her friend asked softly and brushed her fingers through Somin’s hair. Haera had great skills in taking care of others and consoling them, after all she had lived like a part time mother for as long as she could recall. While her mother had been busy earning for the family, she had taken care of her siblings and raised them. She held good experience in this kind of field.

“The night was awful”

Haera breathed out as if she had predicted her to say exactly that. “I told you not to go.”

“I know, but I didn’t think he’ll come.”

“What?”

“Hyun Joong came.”

“Oh, he did?” Haera didn’t understand why her friend was unhappy because of her boyfriend being there. Wasn’t she supposed to be all giddy and giggly because of his presence? After all, she had spent the last days ranting on how she wished Hyun Joong would show up somehow and join their outing. “Why are you so sad then?”

“Just……” Somin didn’t know how she’ll tell Haera about what had happened. This would so bring shame to her name.

“Come on, tell me what happened!”

“Can’t you make cappuccino so we can drink and talk?” Somin retreated and gave her roommate a puppy eyes look, which she fell for instantly. It was easy to convince her into doing stuff, that her heart actually didn’t want to.

“Alright,” Haera sighed “Go and change while I get it ready, and then you’ll have to talk, alright?”

“Okay,”

One rushed to the bedroom, to get her clothes and into the bathroom afterwards, while the other practically jogged around in the little hole of a kitchen and started making coffee. Once both parties were done, the two large mugs were placed on the table, the owners settled on the sofas, and then the rambling started. Somin was almost choking on the coffee in the end of her talk about how good Hyung Jun was to her, and how Hyun Joong destroyed the whole experience by the end of the night. It was almost unbelievable to think that so many things had happened in just one night. It was also impossible to understand how a grown man can have so many mood swings and different personalities.

“I knew he was bad news all along!”

Somin rolled her eyes “Don’t you think I knew that too?”

Haera shook her head, showing her ignorance. “No, or else you wouldn’t have dated him in the first place.”

Somin felt ashamed of herself, how could she have accepted him just like that? It was so not like her to get along with his kind of people, so she couldn’t understand why she had missed him and wanted to be with him from day to day. Just days ago she had been sure she was falling for him, so what was this strange feeling of fear and disgust now? “I didn’t have a choice Hee!”

“Of course you had,” Her friend snorted “It was not like he had a gun pointed to your head when asking you out…..”

The accused girl felt a need to defend herself “Hee, I did –“

“Whatever, that’s not what we are talking about right now, let’s just get to the actual problem.”

“Okay,” Somin croaked and brought her knees under her chin.

“We need to get rid of him, that’s the only solution.” It was like the two were planning a murder, if somebody else had heard them talk about this, they’d be convinced that these were a part of some sort of mafia organization. Both sounded like professionals settling a deal, but not professional killers, rather two teenage girls who thought they knew exactly how they could disinterest a man without much effort.

“You need to be ugly in his eyes for him to leave you alone!”

“What do you mean?” She didn’t think she was beautiful in his eyes anyways, so what was the point of trying to be ugly? As much as she is concerned, he is only after her because he is a stalking freak who wants her down because of the bad manners shown.

“Jasmine, you don’t understand anything, do you?”

She shook her head like a little child who was been given training on how to behave at the dining table. “He is after you because he likes your appearance, and we need to change that completely, so that he’ll be disgusted.”

Even though Somin believed Haera had come to the wrong conclusion, she still played along. “Ehh, and how will I do that?”

“There are many steps, but the very first is that you will not use any makeup.”

“I only use lipstick and sometimes mascara Haera! That much should be allowed!”

“No it is not.”

“Why?”

Haera was starting to get irritated now. If her friend continued asking so many questions, they would never be able to see the end of this conversation. “Stop asking questions, or I am not helping you anymore.”

That made her shut in a thin line.

“Step number two is baggy clothes. You need to wear oversized and tomboyish clothes, because no guy likes a girl who wraps her body in a box.”

This is so stupid, she thought, but nodded anyways.

“And the next step is to smell bad. Don’t perfume yourself, and do not shower when meeting him.”

Somin jumped on the couch, unable to control her annoyance any longer. “EWWWWW, that is disgusting!”

But Haera wasn’t bothered by her complains. “Also, I’ll buy you fake boogers that you can stick to your nose.”

“EEEWWWWWWW, I WILL NEVER DO THAT!” Somin screamed in disbelief. Hello, there was something called self-respect…. Going out like a homeless person would only decrease her self-worth.

“You will Jasmine, now sit down.”

“I am not playing boogie man at any cost!”

“Boogie man is a horror figure Somin, he has nothing to do with boogers.”

“Whatever, I am still not doing it!”

“Just listen to the whole plan first, you aren’t even letting me finish.”

“Alright, alright, go on Miss I-have-a-master-plan.”

Her sarcastic remark wasn’t even commented on. “Step number four is to change personality, and that is the most challenging step, so you need to do it well.”

Haera explained how Somin has to be all awkward and boring to be around once they meet, and otherwise act like a clingy and obsessed girlfriend when they’re away from each other. Unattractive clinginess and obsession was to be portrayed through tons of irritating text messages every day, whereas embarrassing awkwardness would be created by not contributing to any face to face conversation. 

“Where do I even start with this stupid plan of yours?”

“I’ll help you get in to it, give me your phone.”

“Why?”

Haera rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from Somin’s hand. Just after browsing through the contacts and typing a quick message, she handed the smartphone back.

“What did you do?”

“I texted your boyfriend.”

Somin’s eyes went wide as saucers when she opened up the text.

To Hyun Joong

Hi, do you want to go to the skating hall tomorrow?

Sent 09.37 PM

“HAEEERAAA!!!”

* * * * *

It was cold.

And it was getting darker and emptier in the skating hall where a certain someone was waiting for her boyfriend. She had been looking out for him in her baggy and most ugly clothing, at least according to her, for the past hour, but he hadn’t shown up. She was afraid she’d end up catching a cold after meaningless waiting hours and nerve-wrecking thoughts about how to behave like her friend had instructed. Her hands were numb from the cold, and her face red and stiff.

She had truly believed he’ll come and spend time with her, because he didn’t reject her when she had suggested it. He had only kindly asked her to postpone the plan one more day, since he was busy on Saturday. And then, there was their set up: “Let’s meet there directly 7 o clock on Sunday.”  

Those were his words.

She didn’t like the skating idea, since she obviously couldn’t skate, but went along with it anyways after being lectured by Haera.

“You can’t skate, that’s the point. Now when you go there and have no idea how to stand on ice, he’ll think you are one embarrassing and stupid wreck for inviting him to something you have no clue about. Believe me,that is a total turn off!"

Somin believed Haera. Not like she had any other option but to be sent out with those oversized sweat pants and running shoes forcefully. She hated that her hair looked like a bird nest and that her face was bloated because of the big amount of instant noodles she swallowed yesterday, but what hurt more than knowing you look like a mess, was being ditched.  So cruelly, in this weather, at this foreign place. Ditching for her is like a slap on her face. It’s like indirectly telling somebody you have no time for them, nor do you value their time and feelings.

The loud ringing tone echoes through the hall, and she clumsily pulls out her phone, thinking it is him, but it is not.

“Hey there little missy”

Her brother’s deep, but soothing voice sends a wave of deprivation down her spine. “Oppa!”

“You should’ve called me sooner if you’re that happy to talk to me little one.”

She grumbles in a joking manner. “I am always happy to talk with you!”

“Oh really? I wonder who’s been ignoring my calls for the past week.”

“I was not ignoring your calls!” Somin quickly defends. “I was at work those times and then I forgot to call you back.”

“You work too much Somin,”

Somin rolls her eyes, there he goes again……

“We’re not having this discussion again Oppa!”

“It’s sad to know you’re trying to get so independent you don’t even need me anymore.”

“No, don’t talk like that!” Somin whines into her phone. She hates it when her brother tries convincing her to quit working and instead accept monthly allowance from him. He has already payed for her studies, she wants to do the rest on her own without burdening him. “I always need you, you are my guardian angel after all.”

His hoarse and air-like laughter is heard. “Alright, but on a serious note. If I feel that you are doing bad for your health with all that over-working, I will take you back here without discussion, arasso?”

She rolls her eyes once again. “Okay.” And then brushes off the topic smoothly “Anyways, how are you?”

“Healthy like a fish”

“Hahahah, Oppa, you’re such a weird thing.”

“Thing?”

“Yeah, how is your work?”

“It’s good, you know me, I top everything and everyone.”

“Don’t be so cocky!” She playfully scolded “What’s up anyways?”

“I am having dinner soon.”

“Do you like having dinner alone now that I am not there?”

“No, I miss you piggy”

“Awww I miss you too handsome”

Her brother chuckles before continuing “But I am not having dinner alone today.”

“Are you with friends?”

“No, I am at……...home. Mom invited me.”

“How come you accepted the invitation?”

He sighed tiredly “He needs some help with his…… stuff…..”

“Dad?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to help?”

It was silent for a moment before the reply came. “I don’t know, I’ll think about it.”

Talking about their father is one uncomfortable thing for the two siblings, so they switch topics once more. “What are you doing?”

“I am in a skating hall,” She looks around, but there is still no sign of him. And her bum is getting kind of cold…..

“Who are you trying to fool Somin, you at that thing!”

“Oppa!” Somin cries childishly, feeling insulted. “You’re such a meanie!”

“But it’s true, why would you go to a skating hall?”

“I am waiting for a friend” She doesn’t dare say boyfriend. A mess would be created if her brother freaked out on that word and her father accidentally got to know of it.  

“When is your friend coming?”

“Well, the plan was to meet up an hour ago.”

“And she is still not there?”

“Not yet……”

He scolds her for waiting overtime in that freezing place and orders her to go home.

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