CH12- Vulnerable

Vulnerable

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Youngbae’s POV

I walk away from Sandy with a heavy heart. I wanted to dance with her for a little while longer but here I am, walking towards Krystal. While dancing earlier, we could see her from where we were and Krystal doesn’t look too happy at Sandy and me. I bet she’s thinking why I suddenly became a player. For the past couple of weeks, Sandy has been coaching me on how to act around women and even gestures that would catch their eyes. She would also make me send Krystal sweet messages and flowers and then ignore her for one or two days and then shower her with attention again. I thought I could get away with just bluffing that I indeed did as she instructed but she would check my phone and would sometimes type in the messages herself. Sandy is hell bent on making me a ladies’ man and I can’t believe that it’s actually working.

Tonight’s the first time that Krystal has seen me with my new look and she and her friends were all raving how I look so different. Victoria even said that I look hot! And it wasn’t only them. A girl in a bunny costume and one dressed as Lara Croft even flirted with me earlier. This is definitely a new experience for me and I should be happy. A month ago, I would have been overjoyed by their reaction knowing if just for a little bit that girls knew I existed. And as for Krystal? I had a crush on her before so I didn’t protest when our mother’s set us up on a date. It was a very awkward one with me not knowing what to say and Krystal kept her answers monosyllabic. I guess she was just pressured by her mom to go out with me which made her agree to be my date to the engagement party on that fateful day when I met Sandy. I then knew that whatever I felt for Krystal is nothing compared to what I feel for Sandy.

I took a backward glance at the retreating figure with her glittery wings, gliding away amongst the crowd.  All of a sudden, there’s this man in a black tuxedo that grabbed her arm and hugged her. Sensing danger, I immediately ran to Sandy not minding the people that I shoved on the way to her.

Upon reaching Sandy, I see her standing stiff and visibly upset. I removed the guys hands on her and pulled Sandy to my arms. “Are you okay?” I rub both of her arms soothingly.

She nodded. She still looks upset, though.

The man in tux grabbed my shoulder forcefully and glared at me. “Who the hell are you?!” he said sizing me up and then turned to Sandy before I can speak. “Dara, we need to talk …”

I looked at Sandy. “Do you know this guy?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No” she answered in a whisper. “No,” this time in a louder voice.

“You heard the lady” I faced the man. “She doesn’t know you so I’m warning you to back off!”

“Dara! What are you saying? It’s me! How can you say you don’t know me?” he said in a hurt tone. He moved as if to reach for Sandy’s hand but I blocked him and Sandy hid behind my back.

I know that she knows the guy but obviously wants to pretend that she doesn’t judging by her reaction. “Leave her alone” I warned. “I suggest you stay away from her if you don’t want any trouble.”

“No. I won’t leave until I get to talk to her. Dara, please …”

The guy is testing my patience and although I’m normally the most cool-headed guy, I was rearing to throw a punch at his face.

Sandy began pulling at my coat. “Youngbae, let’s go” she said in a small voice. I nodded and draped my arm around her shoulders to guide her but the guy made another move to hinder us. I had my fist balled up and was ready to punch him when Jiyong stood between us.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked menacingly, looking at the guy. “Is he bothering you?” He looks at me and Sandy.

I took a deep breath and willed myself to calm down. “No, nothing’s wrong. We don’t want any trouble, right?” I looked at the guy and he then noticed a significant number of people looking at us probably seeing the tension.

He, too, audibly sighed and shook his head. “No. No trouble here.”

“Good. Ji, please tell the others that we left early and that I’ll send Sandy home.”

Jiyong gave a nod.

Sandy and I were a few steps away from them when the guy called out. “Dara! I’ll definitely find you again.”

“That son of a bitch!” I hissed and was tempted to go back and beat him to a pulp. What he said sounded like a threat more than anything and I felt Sandy shake upon hearing his words.

“Don’t” she said, holding my arm. “Let’s just leave. I want to go home.”

Looking at her face, who lost all the sparkle in her eyes that was there earlier in the night, I can only obey. Her wish is my command.

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We were silent all through the car ride even when we reached the street where I usually drop Sandy off when I send her home. She’s deep in her thoughts and I wanted to give her space and I can only patiently wait for her to open up if she wants. After she removed her seatbelt, she automatically opened her door before I could reach it and walked on home without saying a word. It was like she’s on automatic pilot. Worrying, I decided to follow her but kept a respectable distance but near enough for her to know that I’m just behind her. Normally, she would have scolded me already just like the few times I offered to walk her home. She said that she doesn’t let her clients know where she lives. She must really be affected by the earlier encounter because she’s still not asking me to stop and leave.

It took us 10 minutes to reach a small line of houses in a dark and dingy alley. She turned towards the one farthest to the right and it looked to me like a dilapidated ancient apartment. How one can live in such a neighbourhood is beyond me. The city government should have long condemned this place. I looked at Sandy standing there in front of the door that looked like it can be broken by a single kick and at the glass windows with packing tapes to cover the broken parts. Once again, my heart feels constricted with the overwhelming emotions for this girl. How can she live all alone in such a place? I wanted to pick her up, take her away from this place and keep her safe forever. She doesn’t belong here. She looks like a fragile princess ... vulnerable. Like Sleeping Beauty in the middle of the enchanted forest.

She’s been immobile for maybe a minute now, just standing in front of her door. “Is there something wrong?” I asked quietly.

She looks at me, not giving any indication if she’s surprised by my presence. “I forgot my purse at the party.”

“Your keys are in your purse?”

She nodded.

I pull out my phone and dial Byul noona’s number. After confirming that the purse is with her, I turned to Sandy. “Byul noona has your purse. Wait here and I’ll get it okay?” I was about to leave when I changed my mind. “I think it’ll be better if you come with me. The night is cold and it’s much warmer in the car. You don’t have to go back to the party. You just wait for me in the car …”

“No” she interrupted. “You don’t have to. I think it’s still here …”

I see her crouch towards the various plotted plants lined up just under her two broken windows. She began digging on the biggest pot with her bare hands and I immediately kneeled next to her and took both of her now dirt covered hands on mine. “What are you doing?” I asked, attempting to remove the dirt. “Let me do it for you …”

“No” she said and pulled back her hands and resumed digging. Finally after maybe a minute, she pulled at what looks like a small zip lock bag triumphantly. She opened it and held up the key to show it to me.

“I’ve almost forgotten I kept a duplicate here for emergency” she gave a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She inserted the key and opened the door. Stepping inside, I see her reach out and light filled the small house. She then turns back to me and asked, “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea …?”

My heart gave a little jump from the unexpected invitation. “Coffee sounds great.” I tried not to sound too excited and followed her inside her house.

Her apartment looks like a studio type with a little kitchen counter and a little door to the right which I assume is the toilet. It doesn’t look like there a bedroom since I see pillows and a futon on top of a small wooden cabinet in the corner. There’s barely anything inside the room and everything looks mismatched. There’s a small TV set, a wooden table less than 2 feet tall with books and a table lamp on top of it and a rug in the middle of the room and that’s pretty much it. I don’t even see a single chair. Her place is pretty neat and tidy though despite the worn out wallpaper and old curtains.

“Uhmm, make yourself comfortable.” She must have noticed me assessing her humble abode when she said, “It isn’t much but this is home. Please, sit” motioning the quilted rug.

I sat and after washing her hands, she filled up the kettle with water. While waiting for it to boil, she removed the books and lamp from the wooden table which I guess doubles as a dining table and placed it in front of me. She then reached for something on one of the kitchen shelves. “I only have instant coffee and some tea bags.”

“That’s fine” I assured her with a smile as she sets them on top of the table with a container that’s labelled sugar and a creamer and two mismatched cups. “How do you like your coffee?” I answered and she said we have the same taste.

Hearing the whistle of the kettle, she turned off the stove and carried the kettle and filled both of our cups with water.

We sat there in front of one another in silence, enjoying our cups of coffee. Although dying of curiosity, I didn’t ask her lest she kick me out of her house. It was already a great achievement that she allowed me to see where she lives. While drinking from my cup, I sometimes surreptitiously steal a glance of her sombre face. I never thought she has this vulnerable side to her. She was always projecting this strong, independent and fierce woman.

After we finished our coffee, although I didn’t want to leave yet, I had to say my goodbyes so she can rest and I told her so. “Don’t worry about your purse; I’ll get it from noona tomorrow.”

She nodded. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then…”

“Will you be working at The Black Widow tomorrow?” Now that we have an exclusive contract, whenever we’re not together and I’m busy with school and our business, Sandy would be at Gummy noona’s café where I often pick her up once I’m free, usually in the afternoons.

She shook her head. “I think I’ll sleep all day tomorrow. Just call me to let me know what time we should meet. Oh! I forgot … my phone is in my purse…”

“I’ll just pick you up around 6PM then?” I suggested and she nodded. Now that I know her house, she doesn’t seem to mind that I show up at her doorstep and I felt glad.

Before fully stepping out of her apartment, I asked. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Don’t worry … I just need to rest …”

“Okay then …” Before I lose my courage, I step forward and gently cradle her head in my hands and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.  “Goodnight.”

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Dara watched as Youngbae walked and disappeared for her line of sight. She was thankful that he kept his silence and seemed to be attuned to her feelings and didn’t ask questions of what had transpired tonight. Seeing that man again after more than three years brought a rush of memories and pain that she thought she had long forgotten. Her past is catching up on her and she doesn’t like it one bit. Fighting the tears that threaten to spill from her eyes, she took deep breaths. She locked her door and washed the coffee cups and prepared for the night. She prayed that it will be a dreamless sleep.

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Meanwhile … inside the chauffeured car

The man in black tuxedo answered his phone on the first ring. “Speak”

“We followed them, Boss. We know where she lives …”

“Good. Good job.” Ending the call, he leaned back onto the car’s plush seat and started to form a plan. He wants to go and see her right now but he knows that it’s a stupid move if he does. Most likely, she will just bolt and runaway from him. He can’t blame her. After all, it was his fault why she acted like she didn’t know him.

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The next day….

Youngbae knows that he’s early but he wants to surprise Sandy with an early dinner. He bought some Chinese food that Sandy seemed to enjoy in one of the times they ate out after their exercise sessions. On his other hand, he’s bringing 6 packs of ice cold beer.

He excitedly knocked on her door for multiple times only to be greeted with a scowl. “You’re early” Sandy complained with her hair sticking out in different places.

“Don’t be mad … I brought food” Youngbae smiled, raising his arms.

At the mention of food, Sandy’s face lit up and ushered him inside. “Be thankful you came bearing gifts or else I’ve already kicked your ass for disturbing my sleep.”

Youngbae laughed; glad to hear that Sandy seems to be back to her old sassy self.

Sandy came out from a quick shower and found Youngbae comfortably leaning on the wall enjoying a bottle of beer and surfing channels on her second hand television. She also sees that he already set the table and that he’s brought fried chicken, sweet and sour pork and black bean noodles.

Her stomach grumbled from the delicious aroma and she realized that she didn’t even get to eat dinner last night. She picked up her chopsticks as soon as she sat down and stuffed a couple of pork strips in her mouth and then started mixing her jajangmyun enthusiastically.

Youngbae was amused seeing her concentration and opened another bottle of beer and handed it to her.

“Thanks” she mumbled, she has now dived into her noodles. “Mmmm, mmmm …”

Youngbae reached for some napkins and wiped her face. “Ya, I didn’t know you eat like a pig” he teased. “You can chew your food, you know…”

“Mian. I don’t even remember the last meal I ate since yesterday …”

“Aren’t you glad I came?” Bae asked her with both of his brows moving up and down in a playful fashion.

Sandy put both of her thumbs up. “Youngbae is jjang!!!”

After an hour or so, they were both lounging in front of the TV but not really watching what’s being shown. Sandy took one pillow and handed one to Youngbae as they relaxed with their last bottles of beer.

“Aigoo” she said, half lying down, half leaning on the wooden cabinet. “I think this is what they call food coma.”

“Ive never seen a girl eat as much as you did …”

Sandy playfully kicked Youngbae on the leg. “This is your fault …”

“Me? I wasn’t the one inhaling the food like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Ya!” Sandy said, embarrassed and Youngbae chuckled.

After a while, Sandy looked at Youngbae whose eyes are closed and is now lying next to her feet. “Hey, aren’t you going to ask me about last night?” she said in a small voice.

Youngbae opened his eyes and turned his body towards her. “Do you want me to? Is it okay if I did?”

Sandy shrugged and didn’t answer.

Youngbae took her silence as consent. Sitting up, he looked at Sandy. “Who was that guy?”

She took a swig of her beer before answering. “He was my first love.”

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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All rights reserved by Ms/Mzbookworm4life. © April 2013.