“Hello.”
“Writer Oppa, what are you doing?”
“I had something to do, so I’m here at Buchun. Why is it so hard to see you? Are you busy?”
Jaegun went outside to the hallway. Dasul’s calm voice was riding the wireless line.
“I had work. Writer, how is your dad?”
“I told you. He’s better.”
“That’s good. I prayed for him.”
“You did? It must be because of you.”
“Haha.”
Silence came after the laugh.
Jaegun said carefully.
“When are you open? Don’t you want to get my first sign?”
“Of course. That’ why I called. Is today ok?”
“To...day? Yeah.”
Jaegun looked inside and made a quick decision.
It was a strange feeling.
A bad feeling that if it wasn’t for today, he wouldn’t be able to see Dasul anymore.
“Over at Hove karaoke? What time do you want?”
“About 5?”
“Ok, I get it. See you later.”
Jaegun apologized to the writers and left the office.
He turned on the engine and looked at the drawer on the passenger seat. The Storm and Gale that he signed first was still there.
Jaegun started to drive.
Before Jaegun, Dasul was already drinking. It was the place that they had drunk the first time. It was a simple place.
Jaegun’s twitter was on her phone. It was Dasul who felt that Jaegun was completely distant from her as he had gotten a recommendation from a girl group leader.
She sighed heavily.
It was shameful for her to admit that she couldn’t break off the temptation to see Jaegun once more. She had already drunk half a bottle.
Beep!
Her phone vibrated.
Dasul picked up.
“Hm, yeah. No. I already sent my bags yesterday. Yeah. There really wasn’t anything left. Hm yea. Ah, I’ll call later.”
Dasul quickly turned off her phone when she saw Jaegun.
There weren’t many people so Jaegun saw Dasul and came forward.
“You were drinking already?”
“I was bored. Did I tell you to come late?”
“I’m late? It’s 4:50.”
“It’s a joke. Get a drink. I didn’t order because I wanted to eat with you.”
Jaegun ordered something else.
Dasul already drank another cup. There was no time to stop.
“What happened? Something happen?”
“What? I just wanted to drink. You too.”
Dasul smiled and drank another cup. There was no confidence in her to say what she wanted to say.
Her vision blurred from the drinks.
Jaegun’s figure that she wanted to keep in her mind was losing focus.
Finally, Dasul became drunk so quickly.
“Ah, Dasul?”
Jaegun stood up quickly and took a hold of Dasul. Only 30 minutes passed and she was already like this. He should have stopped her.
“Stand up. Not today. I’ll take you.”
Dasul lifted her head up.
Drawing a circle on Jaegun’s cheeks, she smiled.
“Take me? Where?”
“Home? I’ll take you. Let’s go.”
“I don’t have a home?”
Jaegun stopped and looked at her.
Her face was smiling, but it wasn’t a happy one. As a writer who was good at telling these things, he could tell; she was filled with sadness.
“I don’t have a home, Writer oppa.”
Dasul muttered and dropped her head.
Jaegun pulled her towards him and put her head on his chest.
He couldn’t feel any motion.
‘This is bad.’
It was a long distance from where he put his car.
Jaegun sighed and looked outside. He could see a motel on the other side of the road.
‘That might be better. I’ll take her there.’
There was nothing better.
He had no other place to take her.
Jaegun ordered and put Dasul on her back. She was lighter than he thought and it was good that she didn’t have a skirt. But people still looked at them
Jaegun went in the motel.
“Hello.”
“How much is it?”
“If it’s for once, it’s 61 dollars.”
Jaegun got a one time pass. He went towards the elevator to press the button and get on the 2nd floor. But after a while, an employee told him.
“This is the 2nd floor. The 1st is on the parking lot.”
If he had told him earlier.
It was tiring. Jaegun said to himself that he was going to work out and turned around. Dasul’s breath was tickling his ears.
‘Sigh… is this right?’
Jaegun opened the door as he arrived.
As he put his card in, he turned on the light.
It was a small room.
Smaller than Jaegun’s one room.
A bed and a table filled one half of the room. A TV and a refrigerator were there as well.
Jaegun sat on the bed and put Dasul on her back. And then she put a pillow on her head and put a blanket on her.
‘Maybe I should get her a hot drink.’
Dasul was sighing like she was in pain. Jaegun didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t leave her like this.
‘I’ll buy her something to eat after she wakes up.’
‘It’s gonna hurt when she wakes up.’
There were only cold drinks in the refrigerator.
But Jaegun couldn’t leave.
Dasul had lifted herself up and was pulling him closer.
Before Jaegun could turn around, she whispered.
“Don’t go.”
“I’m not. I’m just going to get something to eat....”
“I don’t need anything, so don’t go…”
Dasul clasped her hands together like she wasn’t going to let go.
Jaegun only swallowed.
Dasul’s breath was hot and wet. He could feel that it was her tears. He could tell something happened to her.
“I get it.”
Jaegun was going to stay until she slept. He was going to wait until tomorrow to ask.
“I’m not going so just lie down.”
Jaegun turned around and looked at her.
Her eyes were wet with tears.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you dare leave. And don’t look at my face. It’s embarrassing.”
Dasul covered her face. And then started to shiver.
Her tears were covering past her hands.
All Jaegun could do was listen to her cry.