Shorter chapter, but you're getting one tomorrow so ;)
Translations:
Halmeonim - formal form of grandmother
Chapter 12
Young Do had never been in an accident. Never seen one up close. Never really thought about it. But he would never get the sound of metal crushing metal out of his head. Never be able to unsee the passenger flung from the car and the driver totally crushed as the body of his car folded under the semi's bumper.
His eyes saw people from the cars around him get out and run to the accident site. After a few minutes, his ears heard sirens in the distance. His arms prickled where shards of glass or metal had cut his arms slightly. But in his mind, all he saw was the person he had imagined to be himself crushed under the truck. Over and over.
Eventually, someone touched his arm, startling him nearly out of his seat. "Are you okay?" Their voice was muffled by his helmet, but he looked up to see the ambulance had already left and there was several tow trucks attempting to move the mesh of metal and flesh out of the intersection. The officer at his left looked at him with furrowed brow and he realized he didn't know how long he'd sat there staring. He shook himself and nodded to the officer who stepped back to allow him to continue through his green light.
He kept driving, doing his best to focus on driving rather than what he was driving from.
OooO
Yeong In stood with her arms outstretched, trying to wrap her mind around what had just washed over her. She didn't move, feeling all eyes on her, waiting to see how she'd react. Was this real life? Was there any way she could have fallen to sleep in some early onset of narcolepsy? It felt too cold to be a dream... Had the movie barfed on her?
"I'm so sorry!" a woman said from in front of Yeong In.
"Here, let's get you to the bathroom," Che Kwan gently took her arm, maneuvered her into the aisle, and out of the theater. She thought she might have heard Myung Soo's camera shutter, but she could easily blackmail him for those pictures later. She wiped her eyes but her hands already felt sticky, so she cracked her eyelids open enough to see her way to the bathroom. The middle-aged cherry coke owner followed her into the bathroom along with Na Ri, to her humiliation.
"It's been so long since I've gone to one of these movies," the woman said, grabbing a wad of paper towels and dabbing Yeong In's hair and arms. "It jumped out just as I was picking up my drink and, well, I jumped."
Yeong In splashed water over her face, knowing her makeup was already completely ruined. Why hadn't she thought to carry more than lip gloss in her purse? She looked up at herself in the mirror and groaned. Her makeup was indeed running all down her face, her hair looked like a wet, alley cat, and her creme blouse was splattered with light brown and translucent.
"Aigoo, it's not so bad," the woman said, "Just rinse your hair in the sink. Here, you can wear my extra sweater." Yeong In wanted to just go home. Pretend this entire weekend hadn't happened.
Na Ri came to her rescue, "I think Myung Soo would let us borrow a shirt from his car, but thanks for the offer." The older woman grumbled something, but left the bathroom quickly. Yeong In stared at Na Ri quizzically. "He carries around extra clothes. Don't ask why. Anyway, a simple bun will fix your hair and I might have the right color of foundation. We can save your date, I'm sure." Na Ri smiled and dug in her purse. Against Yeong In's preference, she let Na Ri apply foundation and a lot of eyeliner. She wasn't sure she wanted to save her date, but she was certain she didn't want to be leaving a crowded theater in her current state. When Na Ri was done, Yeong In looked in the mirror. Her hair was in a neat, dripping bun and her eyes still kind of looked like a panda, but at least now it looked mostly intentional.
"I think I'm just going to go home," Yeong In said, walking toward the door.
"Wait, Myung Soo has a shirt for you. It might be a little big, but it'll be dry and clean. Besides, I'm sure Che Kwan will like you no matter what you wear." Na Ri moved past Yeong In and out the door, returning a few seconds later with a soft, quarter-sleeved gray button up. Just from the feel of it, she could tell it was expensive and she wasn't going to think about how good it smelled. Maybe - a big maybe - if she ever got to know Na Ri or Myung Soo enough, she'd ask what kind of cologne he used. Moving into one of the stalls, she took off her sticky blouse and pulled on Myung Soo's shirt. She drowned in it. She tried tucking it in, but it nearly reached her knees, so it just bunched awkwardly in her slacks. She tried to scrunch it as best she could, but while she was forcing her pants to button with all the extra cloth, pain bubbled through her stomach and her back ache from earlier nearly crippled her. She undid her pants and groaned.
Officially the worst date she'd ever been on finished out with her period. In a movie theater bathroom. Without supplies.
"Um, Na Ri? Are you still in here?" she asked wearily.
"Yea, what's up?"
"Do you happen to have any pads or tampons?"
"Oh. Actually no, want me to go get some?"
Yeong In thought about agreeing, but another wave of cramps crashed through her and all she felt like doing was curling up and watching some mushy chick-flick. And devouring some chocolate. "I think I'm going to just give up on this hopeless evening and go home. Thanks, though." She tied the two ends of Myung Soo's button up to shorten it, but it still hung on her. She did her best to make a temporary pad with toilet paper and promised herself she'd try to get home as soon as possible.
~.~
She tried calling Kyung Ran Unni a few times, but there was no answer so she headed home. It was getting dark, so she assumed Aboji would be back home, which didn't bode well for her chick-flick.
When she got home, she crawled up the stairs and headed straight for the bathroom. She then sunk straight into the couch, not bothering to change. She felt all kinds of icky, so until her medicine kicked in, she was going to marinade in sticky beverage and sweat. After a moment, she opened her eyes; the house was totally silent. She worked her phone out of her pocket and called Byung Ho-ya. His answer echoed slightly as she heard him both on the phone and from his room.
"Noona, how is your date?"
"Is everyone still out?"
"They got back just after you left, but I think Appa went to bed already. He's getting old y-"
"Bring me some chocolate. And a movie."
"What? Where are you?" He opened his bedroom door and pocketed his phone when he saw her on the couch. "That bad, huh?"
"You have no idea," she grumbled. He retrieved her chocolate stash - one which everyone knew to stay away from under penalty of death - and popped in her favorite disney movie: Beauty and the Beast.
"Byung Ho-ya, you're a saint," Yeong In said, devouring several pieces of molten bliss.
"Don't you forget it," he said, sitting in the space she made for him on the couch.
"Will you rub my tummy?" she asked in her most pitiful voice.
He stared at her for a moment before sighing and motioning her over, "You need to find someone else to do this for you. It's weird."
"Looking weird is so not my top concern right now."
"Clearly, what are you wearing anyway? And," he leaned in and sniffed her head, "You smell terrible. What, exactly, did you do on your date to end up in such a state?"
"I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled, cramming more chocolate in her mouth in an attempt to keep herself from crying. "Anyway, your future wife should thank me for training you because you're going to make some girl very happy one day."
"Is that what this is? Training?"
"My only condition: You don't run off and get married before me."
"If that's the condition, you'd better find someone quick because once finals are over, Halmeonim said she has some meetings set up. If all goes well, I should be getting married by next year."
Yeong In sat up abruptly and winced, "You're so young though!"
"Not as young as some. Your pile of suitors has some pretty young faces as well."
"You've gone through my mail?"
"No, but I don't need to. Halmeonim hasn't given up on you joining the company and she discusses some of your possible matches with me sometimes."
Yeong In laid back down, glaring at Myung Ho-ya until he resumed rubbing her stomach. "Well, it's a lost cause, because I have no interest in being part of an Insurance company. I want to be a teacher."
"I will tell her."
