Chapter 24

Lee JiHan

I left Na AhJung sitting in the restaurant as I went to the bathroom to wash up. I washed my face with cold water to erase the memories but I could still hear Lim Daechul’s voice as if he was sitting right behind me.

Who are you? What do you think you’re doing?

I’d stopped in the middle of an empty road and pulled Lim DaeChul out of the car, grabbing him by the collar and pushing him against the car. I could still feel his skin against mine. Disgusted, I washed my hands roughly. As my train of thought continued, I glared at the mirror in front of me as I had glared at Lim DaeChul.

“Na AhJung is not going to marry Lee JiKyung.”

What?

“So you stay away from her. Even if you cross paths by accident, run away if you want to live.” I could see Lim DaeChul’s frowning face in the mirror.

Who the hell do you think you are? What do you know to get in my way?

I’d turned his body towards the opposing traffic lane. He’d froze in fear and shut up. I left him at the divider line as a car whizzed past him.

“I’m the person who will do whatever it takes to break up their marriage,” I’d answered as if this was possible at that very moment. “I have that ability and I can get rid of someone like you as well. So which side do you want to witness? Will you watch quietly from a distance as I break up the wedding? Or do you want to disappear off the face of the earth?”

At that moment, another car had zoomed by. Lim DaeChul stood frozen, unable to say a word, his eyes pleading for mercy. I wanted to erase that face from my memory. That scum.

I closed my eyes to stop the flashback, then tossed more cold water onto my face. Of all the people my brother could choose to date. Even Na AhJung was better! Trying to rid myself of the memory, I shook my head vigorously. Droplets of water flew off my wet face.

***

When I returned to the restaurant table, AhJung was chewing on her nails instead of the steak in front of her, like a rabbit eating a carrot.

“Why are you sitting there like that? You should have started eating,” I scolded.

“Did DaeChul sunbae say anything weird to you?” she asked nervously.

“I didn’t listen to anything that guy said. I was the only one who talked.”

“What did you say?”

“That I’ll kill him if he ever shows his face in front of you again.”

“Why?”

Because I can’t let him tell you my brother is gay. I swallowed the words I was unable to say out loud and only said the words I chose to reveal.

“Because I don’t want to see anyone bothering you.

AhJung dropped the fork when she heard my answer. She must have been surprised by an unexpected answer. It made sense, I had bothered her this whole time. Me saying this now was a bit unbelievable.

“What’s with that face? I’m not lying. For the past month, I was the only person bothering you so now I think it’s obvious that I should be the only one allowed to continue doing it.” I shrugged, picked up my fork and knife and started to cut the steak. “Anyways I don’t want to share this with some other jerk so if there’s anyone else bothering you, let me know.”

“Oh...” AhJung nodded as if she finally understood. “I thought—” she started to mumble.

“Thought what?” At my interruption, AhJung came back to her senses and shook her head.

“Oh, nothing! It’s nothing.”

AhJung tightened her grip on the knife and started to cut her steak. She sawed at it hurriedly. She must have been hungry. I waited patiently, not saying or doing anything until she swallowed three pieces. She chewed thoughtfully, but her reaction was not one I was accustomed to. There were no words about how wonderful the steak was. Wondering if there was something wrong with it, I placed a bite into my mouth. It tasted quite delicious. Why was AhJung acting like that?

I chewed the steak, and after swallowing I asked her if there was something wrong with hers. She froze at my question for a moment, then shook her head.

“No. It’s delicious.”

“Then why is your expression like that?”

AhJung flinched at my observation, as if I knew something she didn’t want me to know. Then she straightened up.

“Oh, it’s, uh...good. OhI mean... this steak is good but it doesn’t compare to the one you made me. My taste buds must not be the same as before now that I’m used to your cooking.” She smiled looking embarrassed. “It may become a problem, my standards becoming so high. I’m worried that I won’t be able to eat anything like I used to.”

Like the sound of silver bells, her choice of words made me putty in her hands whenever she spoke. My lips twitched and a smile escaped me. Because AhJung was no longer my foe, I didn’t try to hide my laughter or run away from it. I just continued to look at her.

“Worry about the far future later,” I said. “Let’s just pick a menu for tomorrow. I’ll make all three meals for you tomorrow. Is there anything you would like to eat?”

With my head propped up on my hands, I smiled comfortably at AhJung. Her cheeks burned red at the sight. Why is she blushing? The moment I thought this, she shot out of her seat.

“I have to go to the bathroom!”

Without waiting for my answer, she bolted.

“Did she get food poisoning or something?” I muttered as I saw her disappear.

She pushed open the restaurant door and headed outside. But the bathroom’s... not outside of the building. Am I mistaken? I waited for AhJung to return, but after ten minutes she did not show up. Thinking something was wrong, I called her. The phone rang for a long time before her voice answered the call.

[Oh...uh, I had to...um, stop by my house because something happened. I’m heading over my house now.]

“What are you talking about?”

[So, anyway, don’t wait up for me. I need to hang up now. I’ll call you later.

“What’s going on?” I asked, but she’d already hung up.

What could possibly have happened all of a sudden? I frowned in disbelief, staring at my phone.

***

Returning home without AhJung, I headed to her room. The new furniture was set to be delivered today since no one would be home until later. I opened the door to check on it and inside, I found a replica of the princess room in the catalog I had seen at the store.

The white canopy was draped over the bed. The luxurious white tea table sat delicately in the middle of the room with a golden vase sitting on top of it. The vanity was next to the desk and drawers. After checking each one, I walked to the bed. The white canopy hung like a large veil, but one thing was missing. The teddy bear.

Where in the world did this girl put it? I looked around and finally tried the closet. I opened the closet door doubtfully but found it sitting there. Why did she but this in the closet? Did I give this to her to wear? I removed the bear and took it to the bed. I positioned the teddy bear inside the canopy next to the pillow like I’d seen in the catalog.

After completing the setup, I stepped back and looked at the finished product. My gaze was drawn back to the bed. To be exact, it was drawn to the teddy bear sitting on the bed. I frowned as I saw the lonely teddy bear sitting there by itself. Everything is here, but where is that girl.

I sat on the edge of the bed and checked the time on my phone. 9:00pm. It’d been an hour since she’d said she was heading home. She wasn’t staying out tonight, was she?

Annoyed at the situation, I called AhJung but I was put on call waiting. I tried two more times, then a third but faced the same result. After 20 times, she seemed to still be talking to someone else. During this time, I was getting 20 times more annoyed.

***

Na AhJung

I sat in the corner of the sauna with a towel wrapped around my head, afraid someone would recognize me. I whined to JiKyung over the phone.

“Hurry up and come, JiKyung. Can’t you just come tomorrow? Please? I’m having a hard time. I need you.”

[What exactly is going on? Is JiHan bothering you again?]

“No, it’s not that...”

There was no one within a 30-foot radius of me but I was still unable to utter those words. When your brother smiled, my heart almost stopped! I could never say those words to Lee JiKyung!

“I’m just having a hard time! I can’t stay in one house with your brother anymore!”

[You seemed to be okay hanging in there even when you were afraid of him. What’s happened now?]

“Nothing! Nothing happened!”

Truthfully, JiHan didn’t do anything wrong. He’d said the words I’ve wanted to hear my whole life, chased away DaeChul sunbae, given me all the flowers from the flower shop, and finally, like the lead in a romance drama, he smiled at me! None of these actions made JiHan bad. Me falling for him was bad! I closed my eyes and in a sobbing, practically dying voice, I spoke to JiKyung.

“You’re brother did nothing wrong....”

[Then what’s the problem? If JiHan didn’t do anything wrong, then why can’t you live in the same house as him.]

Chewing at my fingernails, I tried with all my might to find an excuse. “It’s...JiKyung, you can’t tell anyone this okay? Especially your brother...”

[Of course. Now, what is it? What’s the problem?]

“That house...the Dogok Dong apartment...has a ghost!” I said this as if revealing a shocking secret. “But I’m the only one who can see it. So don’t tell your brother and just let me get out of there.”

JiKyung was silent.

“Your brother has a strong aura so he probably can’t see the ghost. It won’t be a problem for him, but I’m not like that. Until you come back, I want to stay somewhere else. Can you tell your brother to let me live somewhere else?”

[AhJung, just admit that you can’t handle JiHan bothering you. You’re just trying to avoid having me saying anything to him because you’re afraid it will make the situation worse, aren’t you?]

I should have just said that. That was a lot more believable.

“Uh, yeah. If you say something, it will put me in a tough spot.” Because your brother didn’t do anything wrong this time! “So don’t say anything. Please, just find a place for me to stay until you come back,” I begged JiKyung.

[All right. But truthfully, you don’t need my permission to stay anywhere. Don’t worry about JiHan, do as you please.]

“That’s...true. Besides, your brother doesn’t like living with me. He was only living with me to get me away from you. He will like it if I’m no longer there. Plus, he said he promised fair play so he’s not even bothering me anymore. There’s no reason for us to live together.” I nodded, persuading myself of this fact.

[So where are you going to stay?]

“I’ll just sleep in the sauna. If it’s alright, I’ll stay here long term.”

[Where exactly are you planning to use the $500,000 I’ve given you? With that money, wouldn’t a hotel be a better permanent solution?]

“I have to spend that money wisely! How could I use it like that? Do you know what it took to get that money?”

[Can’t even eat the cake when it’s given to you...]

“I’m just not spending it on something useless. I have plans of my own for that money.”

[AhJung, I’ll give you a bonus. Just stay at a hotel.]

“Oh, forget it! You must not know because you’ve never slept in a sauna, but the facility is pretty good. Don’t worry about such useless things and resolve the issue with DaeChul sunbae. Did he call you?”

[No. Not yet.]

At JiKyung’s answer, I remembered JiHan dragging Lim DaeChul away. If what JiHan said was true, Lim DaeChul would have had his life threatened. Would he look for me even after that?

I hoped that he wouldn’t. “If he calls again, let me know.”

[Okay. I’ll tell JiHan that you’ll be spending time at home for a while.]

My stepmother’s house, my home. The words did not seem to fit together. But then again, there was nowhere else I could call home. “That’s fine.”

[But are you going to stay at the sauna?]

“Yes. Until you come, I’m going to stay safe here.”

[How is the sauna safe? It’s going to be at least three weeks until I’m back. If that’s the case, you should just stay at our new house.]

“If I stay there, Lee JiHan may show up,” I said fearfully.

[Are you so afraid of running into my brother?]

No, I’m afraid of my heart fluttering. If I see Lee JiHan again, it will flutter again. That’s why I’m afraid to see him.

As if my fingers weren’t enough, I started chewing on the edge of the towel.

[You said he was being nice to you these few days. Did he already change back?]

This time I was the one who’d changed. Unable to reveal the truth, I changed the subject.

“It’s not your brother we should be worrying about. Your ex-boyfriend is causing me more grief, you know that? He grabbed me by my hair today!”

It was better to insult Lim DaeChul than Lee JiHan. I changed the attack’s direction and poured out all the atrocities I’d faced from him.

***

After my conversation with JiKyung ended, I immediately got a call from JiHan. My face flushed. Why am I getting red again? I only saw his name!

Depressed by my sudden burning face, I tried to ignore the call, but my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. It seemed to be angrily demanding that I hurry up and answer, but I was unable to gather up the courage. I took the towel off of my head and wrapped it around the phone which muffled the sound a little. If I just waited, JiKyung would sort out the situation. I was supposed to be at my stepmother’s and until the day of the wedding, I would not have to meet JiHan again. JiKyung would sort it out.

Believing that, I laid my head on the sauna pillow and tried to ignore the phone. I curled up like a shrimp and tried to sleep.

*Buzz buzz* I imagined the sound was a lullaby.

***

I didn’t know how much time had passed since I’d fallen asleep, but someone was shaking me awake. I opened my eyes sleepily. A well-built man was sitting there watching me. Making eye contact, the man held up a picture and compared the person in it to me.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“What?”

“I’m looking for someone and I’m wondering if you are her.”

I was dazed from being suddenly woken up but feeling like I was in danger, I forced myself up.

“Who...are you looking for?”

“Uh...I’m a detective, and someone asked I find a student for them. You look like her. What’s your name?”

“What is the name of the student?” I asked, not wanting to trust him.

The man scratched his head and answered. “Kim SungHee.”

“Oh. That’s not me, I’m Na AhJung.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Should I show you my ID from the dressing room?”

The man took another look at the picture. Then he touched his chin and smiled as if pleased. Thinking this strange, I watched warily as the man got up.

“Then continue sleeping. I’m sorry I woke you up.” Then the man left without regret.

Hmm. I hoped the runaway Kim SungHee returned home soon. Thinking that it was a shame, I clucked my tongue and laid back down on my pillow. It didn’t take long to fall back asleep.