chapter 23

12:12, 8 February 2024

Chapter 23

“Clack”

SuA came home at 6 a.m., right in sight was the image of Siyeon sleeping on the sofa.

She was startled, did Siyeon sleep there all night?

Yesterday was the first day she didn't go home to sleep, she ended her night at the hotel….

With Handong.

But nothing was off limits, she and Handong just lay next to each other on a hotel bed and slept, just like she and Siyeon are now.

Last night Handong took her to a bar on Itaewon Street, the two of them danced, chatted and drank. SuA herself felt comfortable with this Chinese girl until Handong asked her to go to the hotel.

She suspected Handong was up to something, but she had drunk too much alcohol and couldn't go home. She couldn't even pick up the phone to order a taxi. During this time, she only traveled by taxi when going on private business, because she was not brave enough to drive herself with her slow reaction time. In the end, she reluctantly agreed to Handong's proposal. Handong drove her to a hotel.

When she entered the room, she climbed into bed and fell asleep immediately because she was so tired. The next morning she woke up with her clothes intact, nothing was lost, proving that Handong had done nothing to her. Because SuA was too shy, she took advantage of Handong being still sleeping to go down to the lobby to pay for the room and run away.

And now SuA just stood motionless at the door, looking at the sleeping Siyeon, thinking about yesterday's story, until someone approached her, then she returned to the present.

- Miss Kim.

- Oh, Mrs. Jo, since when have you been standing here? – SuA was startled.

- I've been standing here for a while, what are you thinking about?

- Why does Siyeon sleep here?

- She's been waiting for you to come home since last night. Then she probably fell asleep without even realizing it.

- ………….

- Shin is still sleeping, I'll go out for a while now.

- Okay – SuA bowed her head to greet Mrs. Jo and then turned back to look at Siyeon.

The space now only has 2 people left.

SuA bit her lip, feeling guilty, she didn't know Siyeon would stubbornly wait for her like that. She told Siyeon to go to sleep first but…

Sitting down next to Siyeon, SuA brushed a strand of hair out of Siyeon’s face. Her touch awakened Siyeon.

- Oh, you’re home.

- Why are you sleeping here? I told you to go to sleep first.

- Lying in bed I can't sleep - Siyeon said weakly, last night while waiting for Bora, she was very angry because Bora didn't come home early, but now that she saw Bora, she lost her frustration. .

- …………

- You didn't come home yesterday... was it because of work?

- Hmm...not really.

- Before, when you didn't come home, it was because of work.

- ………….

- But why does the job at Cherry restaurant require staying overnight like that?

- Yesterday I went drinking with a VIP guest of the restaurant. I was too tired to go home, so I slept at the hotel.

Siyeon was calm on the outside but felt like she was about to explode on the inside. She wanted to ask if Bora had gone to the hotel with anyone or alone, but she wasn't brave enough to ask.

She was afraid of Bora’s next answer.

Siyeon slowly sat up and went into the room.

---

As time passed, SuA finally arranged 3 consecutive days off to go to Piri with Siyeon. Siyeon is very excited about this trip, because the two of them will have complete private space.

But her emotions plummeted from the top when she saw the appearance of another person on this trip.

In front of the couple's house was a white Porsche, and out stepped a tall, beautiful girl.

- Minji, my friend, she is the owner of Cherry restaurant. Minji wants to go to Piri with us because she loves going to natural places, Minji has never gone to Piri.

- ………….. – Siyeon was stunned after the introduction.

- I heard that Piri is very beautiful, I saw it in pictures. After SuA talked about this trip, I really wanted to go with her - Minji smiled brightly, reaching out to shake hands with Siyeon.

Siyeon acted calm and shook hands, feeling like a volcano was about to erupt.

- So let's go now.

- Ah... okay - Siyeon put the last suitcase in the trunk of the car and prepared to leave.

Siyeon and SuA sat in SuA's red Audi, and Minji sat in her car and drove behind. After the brain accident, SuA couldn't drive because of slow reactions, so Siyeon was the one driving the car the whole time. When Siyeon couldn't take SuA, SuA would take a taxi.

The number of times Siyeon drives SuA somewhere is very small. If she took SuA to work every day, the number of times would be more, but SuA always has to go to work by taxi. SuA knew the reason Siyeon did that, because Siyeon didn't like her going to work at Cherry, she showed her passion for work and relationships there, so Siyeon was not satisfied.

SuA accepted that, she compromised with all of Siyeon's discomfort.

---

Siyeon was silent and drove, before Bora was the one who drove her and taught her to drive, now it's the opposite. The anticipation for this trip was extinguished from the beginning. Siyeon didn't know why Bora’s friend Minji wanted to go with them. Did Minji simply want to go sightseeing?

She glanced at Minji exactly once when she drove to Cherry restaurant just to check on Bora's workplace. The relationship between Minji and Bora is a relationship from the past, they have enough reasons to be close to each other. Siyeon sometimes doubts about their friendship, is it more than just friendship?

Then her brain became more confused when the name Handong appeared. She still didn't know who Handong was, but she guessed that it was the Vip guest that Bora had mentioned. She had many questions but didn't dare to say them out loud.

Really frustrated……

- Why...didn't you tell me before? – Siyeon asked coldly.

- About Minji coming along? Last night she suddenly got excited and wanted to go with me and texted me very late.

- Well, you can come up with a clever reason to refuse.

- She is my boss, I can't refuse.

- Do you really need that job? There is no shortage of jobs in the city center. You should remember that you are not short of money, your assets will last a lifetime.

- That suitcase is only 500 million won...

- Bora, you have been working and earning a lot more than that for the past few years, you just can’t remember, I told you this once. The house and car are all yours. Have you ever looked at your bank account?

- …………. – SuA didn't know what else to say. It's true that Siyeon mentioned her current assets once, but she unconsciously ignored it, assuming in her mind that the money she only had was in that suitcase. She doesn't even look at her bank account, but the truth is that Siyeon is managing that account because she can't do it herself.

SuA didn't know anything, perhaps her past in the slums had been imprinted for too long, making her think that she always had to have a stable job to maintain her life.

The silence lasted for a long time, Siyeon sighed and adjusted her tone.

- I'm sorry, I was a bit loud just now.

- It's okay - SuA turned to face outside.

- I hope we will have a fun trip, having more people will make it even more fun, right?

- Um.

The awkward atmosphere continued like that all the way.

---

After a few hours they finally arrived at Piri.

Minji stepped out of the car and saw the beach. She eagerly opened her arms to receive this space, it was really comfortable.

- Oh I love it, this place is really beautiful.

Siyeon opened the door of the house. When she comes, she called Irene so Irene could clean the house a bit.

- The house looks like new – Minji looked around

- This house is 8 years old, someone always comes here to clean it every week, once a year someone comes to restore the paint color, so it always looks like new - Siyeon talked, she didn't understand why she said something to Minji , her voice suddenly became colder.

SuA looked around this space and had a very strange feeling. Obviously this was her first time coming here but she felt it was nothing new.

- Seems strange, right? – Siyeon seems to guess what's going on inside SuA.

- Huh?

- We lived together here for 1 month, there are many beautiful memories.

- ……….

- You taught me how to drive here.

- Really? – SuA touched one finger on the edge of the table, trying to feel each object one by one.

She didn't remember anything, but the objects here held something very familiar to her.

- The house looks very warm, I sleep in the room upstairs, on the left - Minji appeared after touring the whole house.

- Um - Siyeon nodded, the house has 2 bedrooms, she and Bora will sleep in the other room.

After arranging their things, the three drove to buy things in Minji's car. While standing in the parking lot, SuA heard a stranger calling her name.

- Kim SuA !!

They all turned around, each with a different expression.

- Wow, so pretty – Minji was stunned.

- ……. – SuA was nervous because she didn't know who the other person was, it must have been someone from her forgotten past.

- ………… - Siyeon searched her memory, she saw that this person was not strange.

It took her ten seconds to realize that it was Jeno's person, she had met that tall girl at the Beatbox bar. That's the person who shot and killed Dami to save Jeno.

- Oh, I forgot you couldn't remember me – Yoohyeon approached and smiled. She came to this Piri area to do some work and accidentally met someone she knew.

- You... are a member of Beatbox - Siyeon said hesitantly.

- No, I'm more like Beatbox's enemy, call me Yooh, you must be Lee Siyeon.

- But….that night you….

- I shoot Dami?

- ……. – Minji shivered when she heard the strong words from the other person. Just a few seconds ago she felt that this girl was very beautiful and lovely.

- Dami has been leading Scream for a few years, that's enough, now it's my turn, to do that I have to act soon, do you understand?

- …….. – SuA doesn't understand anything about this conversation, who is Dami? how can that girl talk about killing people so carelessly...?

She is very similar to the loan sharks in Guryong.

- Anyway it's good for SuA, who's thanks to whom is she now free like this? – Yoohyeon looked at SuA and smiled.

- Oh...thank you - Siyeon bowed politely.

- Okay, I'm going now - Yoohyeon waved her hand and turned away.

- Hey girl – Minji called out.

- ……….. – Yoohyeon squinted her eyes.

- Can I ask for your number?

Yoohyeon laughed arrogantly, looking at Siyeon in a confusing way.

- Ah...SuA's friend, a new friend - Siyeon stammered in response, wanting to punch Minji in the gut, does she know who the other person is...?

- Call me - Yoohyeon gave Minji a business card, smiled deceitfully and then decisively left.