Twenty Eight (1/1)

At night, the same day, Seung Ho was parking the car at the basement. He turned off the machine and got out from the fancy car, with the lady who was drunk at the passenger seat. Seung Ho opened the door on the lady’s side, gently unhooked the seat belt. He shook down the lady’s shoulder to wake her up, “Noona, wake up.”He had to do it several times until the lady opened her eyes. She smiled when Seung Ho stared at her with empty face. He helped her got off from the seat, but she’s unbalanced that she hit Seung Ho’s chest. “I’m sorry,” she giggled.“Come on,” Seung Ho coldly replied, “I take you to your room.”Both of them entered the empty elevator. Seung Ho hit the level button as the box lifted them to the tenth floor. The lady was still leaning her head on Seung Ho shoulder while putting her arms around his waist. Seung Ho was uncomfortable, but he couldn’t do anything since she hadn’t paid his fee for that night. He gulped, begging his own body to stay patient. It would be over soon.Seung Ho got a hard time when they finally arrived at their destination floor. The lady was too drunk and she started shouting random things. Like how her boyfriend left her for another woman, her parents who didn’t care about her anymore, friends who stabbed her back. She was lucky that she had a full-time job and got pretty big sallary.“You know how it feels to be ignored, right ? You understand me, right ?” the lady asked.“Yes, I do. Now, walk forward,” Seung Ho put his arms around her shoulders. He opened her purse and looked for the key. As he grabbed it, Seung Ho walked faster until they reached the door. He quickly unlocked the door and pushed her inside. “Now you’re home already, I’ll go now.”“Ya, wait a sec !” the lady called him back. Seung Ho turned his body and saw her taking out cash, “Don’t you want your payment ?”Seung Ho gave out his palm for the money but the lady was faster. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. She moved forward, making Seung Ho had to take steps back until his back hit the wall. She smelt like a rotten apple.“Thank you for accompanying me tonight,” she whispered, but her hands were circling Seung Ho’s neck. She started kissing the boy, making him taken aback at the sudden attack.“Noona, you know making out is not part of the service,” Seung Ho reminded her. “I really have to go—”“I know you did it with other girls. Why so hesitant ?” She circled her arms tighter, making Seung Ho a little bit suffocated. He tried hard to push her away, but her persistance and frozen sense made her uncontrollable. She tried to unbutton his shirt, but Seung Ho prohibitted it.“I...really have to go now,” Seung Ho said. She pushed her away for the last time, making her tumbled to her bed. He quickly grabbed her purse, taking some cash. He said goodbye and didn’t look back again.Inside the cab couple minutes later, Seung Ho pinched his nose bridge, trying hard to not fall asleep although his head was already dizzy. It was past midnight yet he hadn’t arrived at his apartment. He was so tired working all day to please those rich ladies, yet actually he only wanted to quit.He honestly told to himself that working like that was risky, unpleasant and lowering his pride. But the payment was big and Seung Ho had to save money for himself. He meant to enter art college next year after taking the high school’s equivalent test. Leaving house because of his pride and ego was stupid, Seung Ho already knew that. He just didn’t want to live in falsehood.He only needed to work for at least a month as an escort. Then he would find another job, better or worse didn’t matter now, as long it related to dance. It was his only passion but he wouldn’t lie that money also took a role until he reached his dream. Seung Ho had to hold himself.With heavy steps, Seung Ho went upstairs to reach his door. He unlocked the key, throwing his shoes without caring where were they landed. He stepped in as he turned on the light, but he got surprised by the figure who was sleeping on the couch.It was Hae Won, wearing her sweat shirt and long jogging pants. Her textbooks were wide open on the floor and her tummy, with lots of notes in it. She was studying for the upcoming final test while waiting for Seung Ho to come home.Seung Ho himself didn’t expect to see her again that night. He only acted nice just because Hae Won was type of person who would pursue anything that was important for her. Seung Ho unintentionally smiled at the word which spinning inside his head : important. Seung Ho walked to the couch, he kneeled down, staring at the sleeping face. He shook Hae Won’s shoulders to wake her up, but she just ignored it. Taking her to the bed was not a good option either, so he decided to change his clothes to casual one while waiting for Hae Won to wake up by herself.A couple hours later, Hae Won suddenly woke up although the sun hadn’t come out. She sneezed and stretched her body and noticed that she fell asleep on the couch. She rubbed her eyes and sat on the couch, surprised at Seung Ho who was lying on the bed with eyes wide open. He was staring at her, his eye bags looked worse.“You’re home,” Hae Won startled. “I didn’t hear you open the door.”“How did you know if you snored like a hippo,” Seung Ho teased.“I didn’t snore !!” Hae Won’s reaction only made Seung Ho laughed. “Anyway, why are you still awake ?”“I’m not sleepy yet,” Seung Ho answered but the he couldn’t hold his yawn anymore.“Ah...” Hae Won grinned, “Are you waiting for me to wake up ? You’re enjoying my pretty face while I was sleeping, right ?”Seung Ho bursted. “What a joke.” He turned his body to the other side and wrapped himself with the blanket.“Aay...don’t deny it... Yang Seung Ho, stop pretending that you’re sleeping,” Hae Won walked to the bed, poking Seung Ho’s waist to annoy him. “Ya, wake up.”“Stop it.”But Hae Won wouldn’t listen to him. She kept poking Seung Ho harder, making the boy couldn’t hold his rage anymore. He turned his body again to Hae Won, grabbed her arms, throwing her to the empty side of the bed. Seung Ho’s body was on top of Hae Won, their faces met each other. Seung Ho whispered, “I said stop it.”Hae Won felt awkward with the position between them. Seung Ho’s face was close to hers, and their bodies almost pressed to each other. Hae Won could feel her heart was beating faster, her face already reddened. She closed her eyes as Seung Ho kept staring at her with his deep gaze.“Well, the situation has turned,” Seung Ho replied. “Look who’s scared now...”“I’m not scared,” Hae Won’s voice was trembling.“Oh really ?” Seung Ho immediately brought himself closer to Hae Won, blowing light air to her ears, making her ticklish. Hae Won could hear his breath on her neck, how his lips running around her jaw line. Part of her body wanted Seung Ho to continue what he’s doing, but on the other side Hae Won didn’t want to be one of those girls who got seduced by him before. Seung Ho knew that Hae Won liked him, maybe that’s why he used her feeling to tease her. Hae Won didn’t want to be fixated, so she hit Seung Ho’s forehead with her head, making the boy jumped backward with pain on his head.Hae Won breathed deeply, while Seung Ho moaning and rubbing his bruised forehead. Seung Ho should learn that she’s not an easy girl.