Despite the loud music and noises of people blaring through the room, In-Ha was lost and trapped in his own world. His opened eyes were utterly dead and dull. He lolled on the couch and blankly stared into space. He had been sitting there for quite a while, and he still wasnât sure why he was there.
He lazily lifted his eyes when he heard soft clicks of heels against the floor and someone appeared in front of him.
âHey, handsome.â A soft, coquettish voice greeted. âCare if I join you?â She flashed him a seductive smile, but In-Ha turned his gaze away. Taking his silence as a yes, she lowered herself to the seat making In-Ha turn to her with a glare, while his eyes trailed her from head to toes. A thought came to his mind, but he wasnât interested.
He knew why she was currently sitting next to him, but he wasnât feeling the way he would have loved to respond.
He wouldnât lie, this was partly the reason why he had visited the club. He had come to drown the heaviness in his heart but he hadnât been able to.
He terribly wanted to forget the hurtful words Eun-sun had said to him. To get rid of the pain of being rejected by her off his chest, but no matter how hard he had tried, he still couldnât get her out of his mind. The alcohol wasnât helping either, neither was his body responding at it should. He was just lost.
Before he had met her, this was his way of life. But even now, he was still thinking about her. About her round glistening eyes, which revealed the tenacity inside of her as well as her innocence. The texture of her lips which he had tasted and found crazily delicious, still lingered in his mind like a forbidden memory.
.....
In-Ha slipped his hand around the girlâs waist and pulled her closer, forcefully claiming her lips. But he grimaced and pushed her away when Eun-sunâs words suddenly reverberated in his head again, and her the image of her lips was all he could see.
âWhatâs wrong?â The girl confusedly blinked at him, wondering what could be possibly wrong with him.
In-Ha sighed disappointedly at his odd behavior. âIâm sorry, but you should leave.â He coldly told her.
The girl looked at him with shocked surprise. âYou said what?â
âLeave.â He drawled, almost trying not to snap.
She furiously glared at him for embarrassing her before storming away, so as not to attract attention to herself, there by causing herself more embarrassment.
In-Ha picked up his phone and stared at the picture which he had been viewing before.
âYou devilish girl.â He cussed.
âI thought you said you didnât harbor any feelings for her?â A voice said from around him, and In-Ha looked up to see a familiar face staring at him and the picture displaying on his phone.
He quickly put the phone away, and looked at the girl with a frown. âWhat are you doing here?â He asked.
âSame thing everyone here came for, fun.â
âNi-Na, you should go home.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âYouâre not my brother.â She retorted.
âIâll call him.â In-Ha frowned bringing his phone out of his pocket.
Ni-Na chortled. âYeah, go ahead. Like you can.â
In-Ha froze hearing her words. He couldnât call Dan-Han.
Ni-Na sighed seeing the dejected look on his face. She knew In-Ha wouldnât be able to call Dan-Han, as there was a silent war between them and she believed it was because of Eun-sun.
In-Ha picked up the wine glass in front of him, but Ni-Na snatched it away.
âThatâs enough. Youâre drunk.â She scolded.
âGive it back.â He snapped.
âNot a chance. Iâm taking you home, so you better stand up or Iâll call President Lee and despite whateverâs going on between you two, heâll give you a beating especially with his girlfriendâs pics on your phone.â
In-Ha chuckled at her threat. âWouldnât you be the one receiving all the beating?â A mocking smile curved his lips, but Ni-Na ignored him and tried pulling him up but the man refused.
âI donât want to go home. I want to get laid.â He drunkily said making Ni-Na frown.
âYouâve been getting laid all your life, arenât you tired of bed humping?â She glared at him.
âIâm heart broken.â He murmured.
âAnd a rebound sex isnât going to fix, Mr Kang In-Ha. So get you ass off this seat, or Iâm going to drag you out!â
In-Ha stared at her and hissed, while Ni-Na helped him up.
âNi-Na, are you leaving?â Someone asked. It was at this point that In-Ha realized that there were other girls standing behind Ni-Na.
Ni-Na gave them an apologetic look and nodded. âIâm sorry, but can we do this another time.â
The girls looked at the drunk man leaning on her shoulder and nodded.
âWill you be fine?â One of the asked while Ni-Na nodded before leaving with In-Ha.
âWhereâs your car?â She asked him.
âItâs not mine. Itâs your brotherâs.â
âAnd he hasnât taken it from you how generous.â She sighed and led him to the car when she found it. She helped him and bucked him up.
âWhereâs your place?â
âHotel.â He passed her the key card. Ni-Na sadly gazed at him when she saw the card. He was leaving in an hotel. That was the one place he hated going to in the whole world.
Ni-Na sighed and received the card. She drove straight to the hotel where he lived and helped him in.
Ni-Na was stunned at the condition of the room when she stepped into it. It was unkempt as the occupant itself.
âYouâre still a mess.â
âIâll always be a mess, I guess thatâs why no one truly wants me.â He sighed and collapsed onto the sofa. He kicked off his shoes and picked the bottle of wine on the side table. Ni-Na wanted to take it from him, but the warning glare in his eyes stopped her.
She watched him frustratedly chugged it down his throat. He rupt a derisive round of laughter.
âIâm really hopeless, arenât I?â He looked at Ni-na in the eye.
âI must really be so bad that no one would ever think of wanting me.â
âIn-Ha.â
âJi-A left me few days to my wedding to go be with my father. Eun-sun doesnât even want anything to do with me. My love life is cursed.â
âThat crazy ex and Eun-sun are two different scenarios. Eun-sun already has someone else in her heart and thatâs your best friend.â
âI know.â He hissed out. He knew that but he couldnât help feel this way. Eun-sun had warmed his cold and dead heart up. He had no idea how she did it, but he could feel himself wanting a woman again, not just any woman. Her.
Over and over again, he had told himself to forget her and not ruin his friendâs happiness but his heart responded differently. His head and heart are constantly in a conflict.
He raked his hand through his hair and sighed again. âI want it gone, but I canât help it.â
Ni-Na could see the pain and struggle in his eyes, and it pricked her heart, but she quickly knocked off that feeling. She could only look at him as she had nothing to say. Even if she did, this wasnât the best time to say it. The man was heavily drunk.
Slowly approaching In-Ha, she took the bottle from him and helped him into the bed.
âThank you.â He muttered as his eyes fell close.
Ni-Na sat by the side of his bed and pat his hair. âYouâll be fine, In-Ha. If I can do it, Iâm sure you will too.â She whispered to him.
Ni-Na arranged his room and got hangover pills before leaving. A voice in her head told her to stay behind and look after him, but discarded that thought.
She had always told herself to put some distance between In-Ha and her, and she wasnât going to stop now.