"You're worthless! Dinner is ruined because of you!" Mother screamed, fanning the black smoke away from our small stove. She was too preoccupied with keeping the house from burning down to punish me right now.
Trembling, I backed away. She was always like this. This dinner she wanted cooked wasn't for us. It was for herself. She'd give us the leftovers, and there was never enough to share between us three kids. I couldn't muster any kind of apology. Part of me know that I'd done it on purpose. Her eyes fell on me finally, filled with hate. "You little monster!"
Making a scramble for the stairs, the commotion had been enough to alert my brothers upstairs, and they both came out of our room. Mother's rough hand grabbed my hair, hauling my small body backwards. I'd made a mistake. Trying to get back at her was a mistake. A scream left my lips and my eyes found my big brothers.
"Dammit!" I sat up on the uncomfortable couch, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes. Why can't I remember any more details about my brothers? They're blurry memories. That blonde woman… she'd taken everything from me. Finding the clock on the wall, I realized how late it was. The entire day had been wasted.
My stomach growled from hunger. It wouldn't hurt to walk down to the 24-hour diner at the end of the street. Dragging myself to the mirror, I jerked my fingers through my red hair, trying to untangle my locks. My hair brush had been broken over a month ago, and I can't afford to get a new one. Hell, I could barely afford this studio apartment.
The cool night air froze my cheeks. Autumn had set in a month ago, and the dropping temperatures were taking a toll on my health. Getting a new winter jacket should be my next priority whenever I acquire some more money. Getting cash was becoming increasingly harder. No one wanted to hire a girl who couldn't tell them who she was.
Taking my usual seat at the counter, the waitress brought me an espresso with extra cream, like I always ordered. The diner stayed pretty empty at this hour, only welcoming regular night customers, and the odd traveler. It's the only place that feels familiar to me.
"We'll split a breakfast combo, make it a large," A familiar voice came from beside me.
My head snapped up from the menu I'd been reading over. "Vanderwood? You came back," I said, dumbfounded. This man began frequenting this diner late at night. I didn't know much about him, but we'd become almost like friends.
"Would it be too strange for me to say that I hoped you be here?" Vanderwood asked, sitting on the stool next to me. We'd met here a few months ago, and it seemed every time I came, he would show up.
I laughed, thankful for the company. Being on my own is hard. It gets lonely. "No, I'm glad you came too. I've got nothing on my search for my family. Though, I don't get access to computers or anything very much. My phone isn't even one of those smart ones." My little flip phone came from 10 years ago.
Vanderwood held out his phone after pulling up a new contact page. "Here, give me your number and make a note of all the information you have on yourself. I'll look into it for you, if you don't mind." He smiled. This isn't the first time he's offered to help. I'd initially turned him down, but my options were running thin.
Chewing on my lip, I nodded my head, taking the phone. "Thank you…." No one has ever wanted to help me before. My last memory of one of brothers is from almost 3 years ago. It still haunted my dreams.
"Sori… Choi? That's an unusual name," Vanderwood commented.
The waitress set down our food and gave us an extra plate. "It's one of the few things I remember about myself. I'm sorry that I can't give you any more information." My name was the only thing I had left. Sometimes, it scared me that it might be forgotten one day. Sighing, I cut into one of the pancakes. "How is your friend? Is he still causing you a lot of problems?"
Vanderwood rolled his eyes but smiled. "His priorities aren't in line with the company we work for. I've been assigned to get him in gear."
"Well, tell him I said hi, and to not cause you so much trouble. You look more exhausted than me tonight," I joked. The warm pancakes were a pleasant change of pace to my usually cold dinners. Swirling around my fork in the syrup, I smiled.
"He's intrigued by you, you know. You're still a mystery him since I've refused to tell him anything about you. Are you sure you wouldn't like for me to ask for his help? As much as he's a pain, he's skilled."
Should I enlist the help of someone else? A stranger? Taking a moment to think it over, I replied, "If you think he could help me, then you can tell him." Finishing off my food, I thanked the waitress for the meal. As usual, Vanderwood paid. Walking outside with him, I shivered.
"Really? You've been against help for so long. It's kind of surprising," Vanderwood said, lighting a cigarette. The smoke blew in my direction.
Shrugging my shoulders, I waved the smoke away. A small cough escaped my lips. "My situation is deteriorating as we speak. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it on my own much longer." That woman would be looking for me. She'd bring me back to that place and start giving me those drugs again. I can't go back there.
Vanderwood nodded his head, not asking anymore questions about it. We'd both agreed not to pry into each others lives. Simply be friends in the moment. "Goodnight, Sori," he said quietly. He hated being out in the open, so our conversations outside the diner never lasted more than a few minutes.
"Goodnight," I replied with a smile. Content with receiving help from him, I headed back to my small apartment down the street. The temperature had dropped ever more, causing me to sneeze from the cold. The headlights of a car blinded me as it turned the corner and stopped, leaving me trapped in a spotlight.
Rain began to fall, one drop at a time, slowly. The car door opened, and someone called my name…. Sori. That voice… I remember it from that prison. They're with that woman! Panic set in. I have to get out of here! Taking a shaky step back, I hit someone. An arm wrapped around my shoulder, pulling me into their side. My struggle stopped when I took a deep breath. Cigarettes and pancakes.
Shielding me from view, Vanderwood laughed. "There you are Mina. Too many drinks tonight huh?" He turned his attention to the man who had gotten out of the car. "Who was it you're looking for?" The rain fell heavier, making it hard to hear the conversation. "Sorry, wrong girl. Though, there's a girl by that name that frequents that diner down there."
Is he… trying to save me?
Whatever he'd done, they left us, driving quickly away. Vanderwood kept a tight hold on me. "Sori, I need you to trust me. I'll keep you safe if you come with me." He spoke softly, leaning down to speak into my ear. "You seem to be in more danger than you let on."
"I trust you," I responded. What choice did I have? If they knew that I was in the area, then they'd find my apartment soon. Keeping up with Vanderwood's pace was hard in the pouring rain. My whole body was chilled. We walked for a few blocks before we reached a nice apartment complex.
"I'm going to leave you with my friend while I go to your apartment and get your things. What's the address?" He said, checking to make sure we weren't followed. In the elevator, he listened to me tell him about my apartment. "You'll be safe here, I promise."
A security system like I'd never seen greeted us at the door. Annoyed Vanderwood yelled at the camera, telling this Seven that this was an emergency. I couldn't focus on the door, instead, worried that someone would come around that corner any second to take me away.
The door clicked open. "Vanderwood, what are you doing with a girl? My apartment is not for your little flings." This man's voice reminded me of someone…
It got quiet for a moment, so I turned to look at him. Tilting my head to the side, I racked my brain for why he looked familiar to me. Our eyes met, matching in the same shade. His mouth dropped open slightly, and he stepped closer to me. "S-Sori?"
Do I know him? It kind of looked like I was looking in a very strange mirror. He looked so similar to me. My eyes grew wide as my mind finally placed this person. But… that's not possible. It can't be possible. How could we have been only a few blocks away from each other?
"Saeyoung?"
