Chapter 3: Final Words
Inhaling a deep breath, he prepared himself and exited the building into the sunlight.
Hyun was worried that they were lurking around the corner or maybe at the ramen shop. The ramen shop that he left Ha-Joon in. Alone, while those murderous individuals would surely do something as horrendous as kidnapping her until Hyun handed himself over. He was flooded with another cold sweat, even though the breeze hit him.
Would he return to Ha-Joon and check on her? She had messaged, but if they weren't outside near him they could be going back to her. Did they know his address? If they know where he works they surely know his home's location. His mind was scrambled.
Some people walked ahead of Hyun, dressed in casual clothing. He had his knife opened inside his pocket as to not alarm anyone unaware of his situation, which was everyone but him.
"How did you let him get away?!" The same voice called distantly into the alley around the side of the building. Passing people looked inside of it, being met with a shorter man's disrespectful grimace, the only one of their group visible to Hyun.
Hyun could hear a scuffle happening, so with the distraction he quickly made a run for it down the sidewalk in the direction of Ha-Joon and her shop. He had assumed that their main place to visit would be his home if they knew it's location, plus he wanted to make sure Ha-Joon was okay. His ring necklace Kyong gave him bounced up and down as he dashed despite his soreness.
After many minutes of adrenaline and pain, Hyun arrived at his destination. He knocked on the back door gently, but loud enough for Ha-Joon to hear if she was there, though she would surely hear his breathing through the door first. He sucked in the sweet air, shaking the sweat off his hair and rubbing his face to clear the droplets of sweat.
After many seconds without a reply, Hyun twisted the doorknob and entered, "Ha-Joon-?"
"Why didn't you knock!?" She yelled back at him, obviously startled at his entrance, though it was her fault for being so absorbed in thought.
"My bad, I just came back to check on-" Hyun couldn't finish because she jumped up out of her chair and stared into his soul.
"You came back to check on me-? I'm the one who should be checking on you! What just happened-?!" She yelled at him confused and worried. Her eyebrows furrowed and she made a face she usually did when she was angry at him.
"I'm fine, some guys just want to...well, hurt me I guess," He turned his eyes to face another direction, looking somewhat guilty and distressed, "I'm okay now though, don't worry."
"I don't even want to know what you did," She shook her head and gave a disappointed look, "I don't know who they are but-"
"I owe them money, lots of it," Hyun blurted out like his mouth and mind were separate living things. He had clearly thought to not say that to her, but it was too late now.
"I can't believe you," Ha-Joon dropped her shoulders and sighed. She then stepped forward and met Hyun in the chest with a hug. She tightened her grip around him, his left arm pinned at his side, the other awkwardly placed on her back. Her face buried itself into his torso.
"Um..." Hyun hadn't expected her to hug him at all. His worry and pain momentarily swept away as he embraced her back.
After a minute of just hugging, he released her but she kept her arms around his sides. She seemed tired, her eyes nearly closed completely. Hyun sighed and smiled, messing her hair up and scooting her away, her arms finally letting go.
"How about you just close up the shop and take the money back home for the day?" Hyun ran his hand through her blonde hair, his heart beating abnormally fast.
"Maybe you could come with me...?" Ha-Joon said shyly, looking down at the floor, "Those people wouldn't know that you went to my place, after all."
Hyun would feel his heart skip a beat. He had so much happen in one day, so many emotions. His legs and hands ached and his mind hurt just as bad, but for some reason Ha-Joon's presence made him feel less overwhelmed at the moment. Hyun squeezed every ounce of brain power he could to think, finally coming to the conclusion she was right about them having a lower chance knowing her house.
"Alright, but I have to leave early in the morning, okay?" Hyun would say calmly, but on the inside he was anything but calm.
"O-Okay, can you check the doors and windows to make sure they're locked on the way out. Just hurry out though, I don't want them coming back and wrecking my place because of you," Ha-Joon would say back to him in a frustrated tone, her voice and expression obviously hiding different emotions, whether they be sadness or happiness.
As she left the building out the front, Hyun hurriedly jogged to every window and both doors, practically limping at that point. While he opened the front door to follow, he slid his phone out to check it one last time, but also pulled out that business card too. He turned it over and stared deeply into it for a few seconds, remembering the man's words.
The whole drive to her house was mostly a blur to Hyun, he was lost in thought once more, even though he said to himself he would try not to. His mind went over his options. He could call the cards number, but did he really want to get pulled into something like that? There had to be some sort of catch, considering it's just performing games. Hyun knew his weakness of overthinking though, so he tried brushing it off and thinking without worry. He couldn't.
"Come on, we're here," Ha-Joon let Hyun know, pushing his shoulder a little and smiling.
"Oh, okay," Hyun was snapped back to the present time, undoing his seatbelt and pushing the door open.
Ha-Joon's home was on ground level, not elevated, and it was extremely clean looking from the outside. Hyun stepped up behind her as she unlocked the door, admiring the small decorations on her door. She pushed it open and revealed her entire interior of the house. It was just as clean as the outside, making Hyun feel a little embarrassed of his own rooms.
"Just make yourself at home for the night, I'm going to be in my bedroom for a second," Ha-Joon let Hyun know before letting herself into the door across the whole room. He decided to sit down on her couch lightly, and wait for her to return. It took forever.
Hyun pulled his phone out and looked at the time. It was nearing 7 p.m. to his surprise. Did it really take that long? He stared into the black screen of the t.v. sitting in front of him, just looking at himself. He rubbed his nose, just now noticing a small cut on its bridge. His face was also scuffed up a little.
Laying his phone down on the couch arm he stood up to ask Ha-Joon her bathrooms location, she had been in her room long enough anyways. He neared the closed door, seeing that a small light was on under it.
"Ha-Joon, are you there?" Hyun asked politely as he stood maybe a foot away in front the door.
"Y-Yeah, I'm just cleaning up. Do you need something?" Ha-Joon seemed a little nervous from the way she talked fast.
"Where is the bathroom, I have a cut on my nose," He informed her as his hand touched the almost dried blood. He didn't have any recollection of anything hitting his nose.
"It's the door right beside mine, just to the left," Ha-Joon told him while still talking fast.
"Thank you," Hyun called back, bowing even though she wouldn't see.
The light flickered on and was bright enough to light the other room. He reached to the shelf and pulled out a black bandaid from the box. His fingers quickly peeled the paper and stuck it on his cut. To him, he didn't look too bad, kinda like he had been in a fight and just got a little bruised.
The door behind him, Ha-Joon's room, popped open and she walked out in some pajamas type clothes. She walked over to the couch, seeing his phone, doing some things he couldn't see from the other side of the couch. He gathered himself by washing his scratched up hands and splashing some water on his face. Hyun was incredibly tired, but it wasn't even all the way dark out.
"Hey, you wanna watch a movie to take our minds off stuff?" Ha-Joon asked Hyun as he entered the living room again.
"If you want to, but don't expect me to stay awake the whole time," Hyun replied, feeling his head become heavier with sleepiness.
Ha-Joon smiled sitting down away from where his phone was layed. Hyun sat down on the grey couch cushion while she turned on some comedy show, not really interesting him, but he didn't say anything. He just sat there trying not to nod off, laying his head back and feeling his consciousness fading out. Before Hyun would fall into a deep sleep, he would see Ha-Joon resting on his shoulder, already out cold.
Dead silence filled the house, yet Hyun's eyes slowing found themselves opening to look at the ceiling. His neck ached from the odd position, letting a groan out as he popped it. Ha-Joon was asleep on his shoulder still, her beautiful hair drooped over onto his chest, not too far since it was shoulder length. He brushed it aside and swallowed. He hadn't had much physical contact with humans unless it was being beat up or high fives from Kyong, the only other female being his ex.
Hyun smiled at Ha-Joon and instinctively checked his pocket, feeling the business card inside it by accident, reminding him of his troubles. He withdrew his hand grasping the card and his phone, the moonlight finding it's way through the blinds in slivers across the floor.
After a moment, Hyun swallowed hard. He had made up his mind, starting to type the number into his phone. He couldn't live like this anymore, he needed his debt paid. Hyun was tugged out of his thoughts as the phone answered his call immediately.
After a couple minutes, he turned his phone off and set it down, the conversation being over. He swallowed again and sighed. Tomorrow was the day he would be leaving for awhile, to participate in the games. He layed his head back down but this time onto Ha-Joon's. Hopefully, everything would go fine, but deep down he knew something wasn't right. They didn't even tell him the estimated amount of money he would win, but what other choice did he have?
Hyun couldn't sleep well. Not at all. The morning sun rays made slivers, replacing the moonlight ones. Hyun was just ready for the day to be over with already. He didn't know if he could stand another chase like the previous.
"Ha-Joon, can I call off work today?" He muttered to her and shook her. She opened an eye slowly, obviously not fully awake.
"So I don't have to have those guys worrying you over your place?" Hyun asked a question once more.
Ha-Joon raised up fast while starting to blush a little, making sure there was space between them, "You want to stay with me-?"
"I never said that, but-" Hyun was confused, looking over at her.
"Oh, my bad! Yeah you can have the day off, thanks to your money you provided," Ha-Joon fixed her hair and stood up, looking embarrassed.
"Thank you so much, I'll be heading home soon then," Hyun responded in his usual almost monotone, soft and empty voice.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay...?" Ha-Joon asked him disappointedly while looking away, "We didn't really get to hangout much since we fell asleep."
"I would like to, but I need to go home," Hyun would stand up and walk towards Ha-Joon, giving her a gentle hug from behind, "I promise I'll be back, and perfectly okay."
Her face would turn bright red, and Hyun would let go of her. She would turn to look at him as he pulled open the door, stepping out and pulling the door shut, leaving only a gap.
"See you later," Hyun would say while backing outside completely and closing the door. Ha-Joon was still standing there as Hyun left, the last he seen was her blonde hair and her hand waving goodbye.
As he sighed and spun around, he realized he didn't have a clue on how to get home from her house since he wasn't paying attention. Facepalming and preparing himself for the walk ahead, Hyun started fast walking down the sidewalk. The aching still gnawed at him.
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