Angel Wings Forward (one)

by Westee

Based on a visual novel called Angel Wings, this story presents a "what if" scenario after one of the "medium" endings for Nuri, in which she blamed the MC (named Hwan in my story) for not protecting her from a stalker, breaking up with him.

Angel Wings Forward: Version One

Foreword

This is a short story based on one of several outcomes in the visual novel "Angel Wings". It is the type of visual novel that allows you to change the storyline depending on the choices that you make as you progress through it. It was developed by virusek20 and published by RumR Design. I have no affiliation with any of those parties and the characters are all theirs.

I played through several of the scenarios, trying to get the "good" endings for each of the possible love interests. But as is common with these types of stories, I had a hard time figuring out the "best path". However, in my quest to get better results I had one of the "medium" endings stick in my mind and it wouldn't leave. I kept wondering how things might have played out if it had continued. This story is how I envision it might have happened. I hope that you enjoy it.

One final note...in the visual novel you get to name the main character (MC). For the purposes of this story, I chose the name "Hwan". All other characters' names remain the same as they are in the novel.

Chapter One: Blast From the Past

I groggily make my way to the kitchen, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes. There is no sound of pots emanating from the kitchen, so I guess that Kei is not home. I stretch my arms high above my head and try to adjust to the bright sunlight that is pouring through the windows. On the counter, I notice a single book. As I glance at the cover, my eyes are drawn to the author's name...Nuri Lee! I open the cover and leaf through the initial pages. The words jump off the page at me! "Dedicated to Hwan..."

I slam the book shut and grab it, intending to throw it across the room. Fortunately, I didn't. Instead, I walk over and put it in the trash. "Why?" I think to myself. "After all this time, why does this have to surface in my life again."

I have to believe that Kei is behind this. Although she was very comforting and helped me to see that Nuri leaving wasn't my fault, it only resulted in my anger shifting to Nuri. Kei knew that. So why would she purposely bring this to my attention? Surely, she doesn't think that I have forgiven Nuri.

My mind goes back to the events of two years ago when Nuri was held at knifepoint by her crazy girlfriend, Elise. How she came out of that with only a few cuts, God only knows. I blamed myself for weeks afterward. I had promised to protect her. I had promised her that I wouldn't let the stalker hurt her. In the end, I failed to keep those promises. She wanted nothing to do with me after the incident, saying that she couldn't trust me anymore. I hated myself.

Eventually, Kei helped me to see that it wasn't my fault. There was no way that I could have known that one of her best friends was the stalker. Then I found out that Elise's brother, Zachary, knew that something was going to happen but didn't say anything to anyone. We had a little "discussion" about it which ended with him needing medical attention. Nuri was even more upset with me when she found out, saying that I hurt someone who didn't do anything. I tried to convince her that was the problem, but she wouldn't listen to me.

Nuri spent the rest of the month in Kei's house but then moved out, saying that she didn't want to live in the same house with me. She also got a new phone number, partly because the stalker had left hundreds of messages on the old one and partly so I couldn't call her. Along with her, she took a part of my heart. Now, just when I was putting it all behind me and trying to move forward with my life, the wounds have been reopened. They still hurt.

Chapter Two: Leave Me Alone

I spend the next three days avoiding Kei. I have no desire to get into an argument with her. In my time here she has been part mother, part friend, and part psychiatrist to me. She helped me get past the pain. But now she is being a royal pain in the neck. She has knocked on my door several times, trying to lure me out with her cooking, which is usually hard to resist. I can't even feel hunger right now. All I can feel is pain, the pain of love rejected.

She switched up her tactics when she couldn't get me out of my bedroom. I started getting texts from my friends. First, Jei, then Hyedong, followed by Seola, Jihyun, Yujeong, and Yuri. I didn't want to leave my friends hanging, so I told them that I just needed time to think, thanking them for caring about me. When that plan didn't work to Kei's satisfaction, she tried a different approach.

When Nuri left, I had found myself with a lot more free time. I was no longer spending hours at the coffee café conversing with the girl I cared so much about. I found myself drawn to two of my art classmates. Chaeng and Hyori are both incredibly talented artists, but they are also very different personalities. Chaeng is a rebel who rarely spends time in the classroom, opting to do the bare minimum required. We spend most of our class time sitting in an alley behind the school doing comic sketches. Our relationship is fueled by almost constant needling of each other. I very much enjoy her company.

Hyori, on the other hand, seemed like the model student. She was always focused on the lecture or was busy, intently drawing in her sketchbook. I did find out at the end of a semester that she was often working on private projects instead of assignments. I discovered that when I went into the classroom late one day to finish work that I had been lax in completing, only to find her working on the same thing. Somehow, the two girls were able to come together in an uneasy friendship, which made me glad. After all, it meant that I got two mentors to help me improve my drawing skills.

Chaeng had a dream of completing a comic series, and I had been helping her try to come up with a good storyline. When Hyori began to join us in the alley, Chaeng was reluctant to allow her into our discussions about it, but it became a team effort. We had been making good progress, having completed two sets of stories. Kei decided to get to me by having the two of them visit me.

I heard the knock on the door. "Go away, Kei! I'm not hungry! Please leave me alone! Please?"

"It's Chaeng," the rebel's voice replied, "Hyori and I are here to work on the project. We need your help."

Although suspicious and looking like a total grit, I got off my bed and walked to the door, only opening it a crack. After confirming that Kei was not with them, I invited them in. "I apologize for not being very presentable. I probably don't smell very good so enter at your own risk."

I see a look of disgust come onto Hyori's face as the odor must have reached her nose. Chaeng does not look fazed but then, she rarely does. I motion towards two beanbags on the floor and return to sit on the edge of my bed.

"What is going on with you?" Chaeng asks, "You look even worse than usual, and I didn't think that was possible!" She cracks a smile as she finishes her words. I don't respond in kind.

Then, Hyori speaks up. "You haven't been sleeping, have you? I have never seen such dark circles under someone's eyes. What is wrong? You haven't looked this bad since..." She stops in the middle of her sentence, and I can almost see the light bulb go on above her head.

"He knows," Chaeng says quietly.

"Knows what?" I reply sarcastically, "That she wrote a book and dedicated it to me? Forgive me if I don't go out and buy twelve dozen of them."

"Does that mean you're not going to go see her?" Hyori asks.

The uncaring look on my face suddenly shifts to shock. "What do you mean go see her? Do you mean that she is coming back to town?"

"Oh! He didn't know," said Chaeng quietly, "Um, yeah. She is on a tour, doing book signings around the country. The book has done pretty well."

"The answer is no; I am not going to see her. Why would I? I don't even want to think about her, yet that's all I've done for days. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't keep wasting vacation days at work. I just want her to get out of my mind!" I say, with my voice rising in volume.

Hyori says softly, "She might have changed. She wants to see you."

Chaeng immediately responds, "I doubt that she has changed."

"People do change," Hyori replies, "You've changed."

"I have not!" came the retort, "I'm still the same anti-social rebel and troublemaker that I've always been."

"Wrong! Look! You have two friends now that you didn't have before and you're not running away anymore."

"What? Who told you about that?" Chaeng asked, looking angrily at me.

"Um, well, we..." Hyori mumbled, trying to avoid the wrath of Chaeng.

I decide to put an end to the conversation. "I didn't tell her. I didn't betray your trust in me. The last time you left, we were desperate to find you. We got access to your school file. The information was in the file."

Chaeng sits quietly, her eyes falling to the floor. After a minute of contemplation, she finally responds, "You were that desperate, huh? So much so that you broke into the school office?"

"Actually, I have the key," Hyori admits, cringing as she does. "I used to be student president."

"Hmm, that's good to know," Chaeng says with a mischievous smile, "I might have to borrow that sometime."

"Look ladies, I am guessing that Kei put you up to this and I do appreciate that you care about me. All I want is to be left alone so I can get this out of my system. I'll be all right, it's just going to take a little time. I don't want to be rude, but would you please leave?"

Both of them look sadly at me but grab their things and exit the room. I lock the door again and fall back on the bed. "Why does she have to come back here?" I scream in my head.

Chapter Three: Getting Normalcy Back

It's Sunday and I have decided that I need to get back to work starting tomorrow. I figure that on the days when Kei is home, I can just make a break for the door and say "Gotta run!" If she is not home, I can take time to get something to eat. Fortunately, Seola and Chaeng don't spend much time at the house, so I don't have to risk getting into unwanted conversations with them.

On Monday morning I wake up and listen intently for the sounds of cooking in the kitchen. I don't hear any, so I guess that Kei is working. That means that she has probably left something in the fridge for us "youngsters", as she calls us. I still can't believe that in more than two years I have not gotten her to tell me her age! She talks like she is over the hill already, but I would be shocked if she were even close to thirty.

After a good long shower, to get rid of the days of grime that was encasing me, I strolled into the kitchen. Sure enough, I find bowls of tofu with peppers in them. Once Kei found out that I liked that recipe she made it quite often, sometimes adding another ingredient or two to "keep it fresh". What I did not expect was the note that was on top of the wrapped bowl.

"Resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die."

"Thanks, Kei," I think to myself, "but I don't have resentment. I have pain and a lot of it." I crumble the note up and throw it in the trash.

After eating, I head off to work. My job has become too easy ever since Hyedong showed me how to automate most of it. I now have almost as much time to waste as she does. Usually, I spend that time looking for ideas we can use in Chaeng's comic series.

As I approach my desk, I see Hyedong twirling around in her chair. I am surprised that she is not permanently dizzy from all of the spinning that she does. She notices my approach and beckons me over. I set my things down on my desk and walk the few steps over to her.

"Check out this dog and tell me if you think it's the right one for me." She turns her phone towards me, and I see one of the latest hybrid types on the screen.

"I don't know. Why don't you do some research on the breed? You need to find out if they have special needs or some other unique quality. It would be bad if you just picked a dog based on its looks and then found out that it was a heavy shedder. I can't see you sweeping up dog hair three times a day."

"Ooh, you're right. That definitely would not be good. Thanks, adventure buddy!"

That nickname came from the fact that Hyedong is somewhat dissatisfied with her life. Although incredibly talented at her job, she feels like something is missing. Somehow, I got elected to help her find that missing something. The process started simply enough...leaving work at nine in the morning for "lunch" and little things like that. Then came the annual company party where she got very drunk and ended up kissing me. I found out the next day that she had inserted that one towards the top of her list and that it didn't mean anything more than a desired experience. I was okay with that. I wasn't ready for another relationship and if I had been, it wouldn't have been with her.

The most troubling event for me was the night she wanted to "explore downtown". I didn't know the plan until we were at the same fancy hotel where the company party had been held. She told me that there was a swimming pool on the roof, and we were going to swim in it. Somehow, we made it past the attendant who asked for our room key. We managed to spend about five peaceful minutes in the pool before security showed up. A smile comes to my face as I think about us running out of the place, soaking wet. The looks on the faces of the real hotel guests were priceless.

"Why are you smiling?" she asks me.

"I was just reminiscing about the swimming pool incident."

"Oh! That was so much fun! It reminds me that I need to find some more adventures for us. That's how I'll help get you out of the funk that you are in."

"Hyedong, I don't need help. I am getting out of it by myself. I mean, look, I'm back to work already."

"You missed a whole week though. What's going to happen when you see her again?" A look of concern comes over her face.

"I'm not going to see her again, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Oh," she replies. After a few moments of thought, she continues, "That's so sad. You two make a cute couple. Well, she's cute. You're just okay."

"Hey! I already have a complex from all of you telling me that I'm smarter than I look! Keep that up and I will get depressed."

Between going back to work as well as art class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I manage to get back to a somewhat normal life. The only bad times are when my mind is not occupied with other things. That is when her memory returns to haunt me.

Chapter Four: The Unwanted Guest

I knew that I couldn't avoid Kei forever. She corralled me one night when I got home from work. She expressed her disappointment with my decisions, and I expressed my displeasure at being reminded of someone I wanted to forget. We finally settled on a truce. She would stop bugging me if I would stop avoiding her. I felt like I got the better end of the deal as I had always enjoyed our normal conversations. In addition, she was teaching me how to cook which would be very helpful if I would ever move out.

I soon found out that there was a method to her madness. She was preparing dinner for us when the doorbell rang.

"Would you get the door, please? I don't want this to burn," she said to me.

I opened the door normally, not expecting anything unusual. What I saw sent panic racing through my entire body! It was Nuri!

"Hello, Hwan."

I couldn't even respond. I stood there, unmoving, and silent. Finally, Kei arrives.

"Don't leave the guest standing outside, Hwan," she told me, "Come in, Nuri. The food is almost ready."

As they embraced and closed the door, I practically ran to my room, slamming the door shut and locking it. Then I did a back flop onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. So many thoughts were racing through my head. I couldn't even focus on one train of thought. It was like someone had dumped a bunch of rubber balls out and they were bouncing everywhere.

A knock on the door was followed by Kei's voice. "Hwan, you're not being very hospitable. Please come out and eat with us."

"I'm not hungry anymore and I am not in the mood for visiting. Please leave me alone!" I replied, emphatically. I hear some mumbling and then silence. It doesn't take long for me to feel like a caged lion. I slowly make my way down the hall. When I get to the right spot, I make a mad dash for the door. I run with every bit of speed that I can muster, finally running out of gas near the stadium. There are almost no cars in the lot tonight, so I am guessing that it is empty. Maybe shooting some baskets will take my mind off things.

I get inside and discover that no one is on the floor. I locate a ball and start shooting but it is not taking my mind off of what happened at the house. Soon, I am heaving the ball at the backboard as hard as I can. As I chase down one of my throws, I hear a female voice.

"You really need to work on that shooting motion, Hwan."

I turn around to find Seola staring at me. "Yeah, well right now it's better for me to throw this ball at the backboard instead of throwing words at people that I will regret later," I reply.

"Wow, dude! What's got you so worked up?"

"Are you telling me that you didn't know about Kei's plan?"

"Sorry...I'm clueless on this one. What happened?"

So, I explain the incident to her.

"I don't get it," she replies, "Why is she so stuck on getting you two back together? It's your life and your choice to make."

"Exactly!"

"Hey! I'll tell you what will work a whole lot better than throwing this ball around. Come with me."

I follow her into another section of the stadium, and she leads me into a workout room. She points over to the corner where a couple of punching bags are. "I like to come down here after a loss and let out my frustrations. It's very therapeutic, with a side benefit of wearing you out enough that you might be able to get to sleep. Come on, I'll show you where the gloves are."

She laces up the gloves for me and then stands behind the big bag. "Let's see what you've got, Hwan."

I have no idea how long I attacked that bag. What I do know is that I do feel better mentally and worn out physically.

"Wow, you have more stamina than I thought you would. Are you heading home now?"

"I don't want to if she is still there."

"How about if I go ahead of you and check it out. I can text you when it's clear."

"Seola, I don't want to trouble you with this. I'm sure babysitting me wasn't in your plans for tonight."

"It's no problem. That's what friends are for, isn't it?"

"Well, I would be grateful."

About half an hour later, I get the word that Nuri just left. I wearily make my way home. Kei does not seem to be around, so I head for my room. As I am gathering things for a quick shower, I notice an envelope on my pillow. I recognize the handwriting and immediately start to tear it up, but something makes me stop. I slowly open it and pull out the paper.

Hwan,

I know that you're still mad at me. I deserve that. The way that I treated you was wrong. None of what happened was your fault. I know that now. I wish that I could go back and do things differently, but life doesn't work that way.

You are a wonderful, kind, and caring young man. It makes me feel worse to know that I am causing you to take out your anger on your friends. I wish you wouldn't. Please know that Kei was only trying to help. She told me that she had never seen you happier than when we were together. She was hoping that maybe we could be that way again. It is very clear to me now that it can never be. I blew my chance to find love. I will forever regret what I did. I don't ask you for forgiveness. I don't deserve it. But please, don't take it out on your friends. I left some pictures with Kei that are from the tour. Get a dartboard and tape my picture on it. Maybe get together with Chaeng and Hyori and draw all over my face. Just don't snap at them. They just want to help.

I will always love you,

Nuri

I sit down on my bed, with thoughts racing through my mind. There is a huge battle going on inside me. Part of me wants to believe that she has changed. She knows that what she did to me was wrong. The other part of me is still raging about the weeks and months of hurt that I went through. I don't know what to do. Finally, I pull out my phone.

What's her number?

I get the answer from Kei, along with several emojis including happy faces and red hearts.

Don't go sending out wedding invitations. One little letter isn't going to solve this mess.

I know, but it's a start. A girl can hope, can't she?

Just do me a favor and don't hold your breath. I don't think your platinum-colored hair would look good next to a blue face.

I put the number into my contact list, take a deep breath, and then make the call.

Chapter Five: Worrywart

Hello?

I got the note.

Silence.

I can't forget and I won't make any promises.

I wouldn't expect you to.

Somewhere, deep inside, there is a part of me that still loves you. It's been buried under a mountain of pain. I'm not sure that I can dig through all of that. I almost tore up the letter without reading it. After I read it though, that little part of me cried out. The good memories flooded back into my mind...all the little things that I love about you. Now there is a battleground there. I can't tell you which side will win. I have decided to try. That is why I called. I don't want to talk anymore tonight. I am too emotional right now. So please, give me some space and time to sort things out. Good night.

Good night, Hwan. I'm glad that you called.

I fall back on my bed again, wondering if I just made a mistake.

Nuri had to leave town to continue her book tour. We texted once a week at first, gradually increasing the frequency as the weeks went by. By the end of the second month, we chatted on the phone once a week.

As we talked one night, I asked her if she was traveling with anyone.

I am traveling by myself.

I don't think that's safe. Why would they not send someone with you?

I'm fine. I don't need a babysitter.

A beautiful, young woman like you should have someone with her. This world is full of crazy people!

A moment of silence occurs as we both remember the situation with Elise.

Hwan, I know that there are psychos in the world. I seem to remember you telling me that I couldn't live my life in fear. I'm doing okay.

By this time, my anger is rising up. Fear is one thing, being stupid is another!

And I went too far. Nuri, I'm sorry. That was a poor choice of words. I...guess I just feel helpless. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you again.

It's...okay. I know you didn't mean that in a bad way. I understand what you're feeling. But, Hwan, you're never going to be able to protect me from everything even if you are with me around the clock. I do love you, but I don't want to be around you all the time.

I can picture her smiling as she says that last part.

I know that what you're saying is right and I can tell myself that a hundred times a day, but it doesn't make the worry go away. I was reading the other day about an author in America who was being stalked by a woman. She was going to most of his signing events, showing up at his hotel room, and even tracked down where he lived. It turned out that she was a serial killer, and he was lucky not to be her next victim. How can I not be worried about you after hearing something like that?

What do you want me to do, wrap myself in bullet-proof bubble wrap every time I go out?

I'll see if I can find some on the internet.

We both laugh a little.

Look, Nuri, I'm trying very hard to keep a level head about this. Obviously, I am not having a lot of success. Maybe I'm moving too fast. I've gone from not wanting to see you or think about you, to thinking about you all the time and wanting to see you again. I wish I could get the needle to stay somewhere between the two extremes.

I have to admit that I am shocked at the turnaround. Shocked and thankful. Maybe you're right though, about taking things slower. How about we take some time to chill and let the dust settle?

I don't want to agree but, yeah, let's back off a bit. Oh, wow! It's getting late. I need to get some sleep. I don't want to go into work like a zombie. I'll talk to you later.

Good night, Hwan.

I slowly prepared for bed and then climbed under the covers. Sleep did not come easily though. Is it even possible to slow down emotions? If there is a way, I wish that someone would share it with me. I start to pray, asking God to protect Nuri on the rest of her tour. I also thank Him for the second chance that we have to be together.

Chapter Six: Jealousy Erupts

The last two months of the tour passed without incident. Towards the end, Nuri called me with a question.

Would it be all right with you if I moved back into Kei's house?

I don't see why not.

Okay, I'll ask her later today.

So, in the space of six months, I have gone from not thinking about Nuri to seeing her every day. It sure has made keeping my emotions in check a lot harder. It has been so wonderful rediscovering our relationship and all of the things that I love about her. I was soon to find out that, although Nuri had changed in many ways, there were some things that hadn't.

I got home from work at the usual time, but Nuri wasn't waiting for me. I went back to her room and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I headed for the kitchen to see if Kei had cooked anything for us. As I was passing through the living room, Nuri came through the door.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"Oh, I went to the library, and I ran into my literature professor. We started chatting and got a bit carried away. I didn't realize how late it had gotten. Sorry, I should have texted."

Well, there's something that hasn't changed. She always did tend to forget that I might be concerned about her.

"Are you okay?" she asks tentatively.

"Yeah."

"I think that Kei made dinner for us. She was cooking when I left."

"Okay."

After putting her books in her room, she came to the kitchen and sat down beside me to eat. The conversation was muted. I didn't feel much like talking. I know that I shouldn't let a little thing like that bother me, but it does. She must have noticed something because she asked again if I was okay.

"I'm fine," I lied, "just a bit tired today. I will probably clean up the dishes, do a bit of reading and make an early night of it."

"You don't want to hang out tonight?" she said, sadly.

"You should know by now that I'm not very good company when I'm tired. I think that you have even called me a 'grouchy bear' a time or two."

"That's true. The grouchy bear is not fun to be around. Did you not sleep well last night?"

"I think that was part of it. When Seola got home last night she had the paparazzi chasing her again. Those people have no consideration for anyone else. I had a bit of a hard time getting back to sleep after that commotion."

"Yeah, I think that I heard them too. They really are rude. Anyways, I guess I will get started reading one of the books that I picked up. Good night."

With a kiss on the cheek, she left me in the kitchen, stewing in my thoughts. I wish that I wouldn't let this bug me so much. Still, how hard would it have been for her to text me that she was running late? I clean up the kitchen and head to my room.

Seeing as how I wasn't really tired, I started working on a storyline for the third series of Chaeng's comic. I must not have noticed the time because, when I heard a knock on my door, the clock showed that a couple of hours had passed.

"Hwan?"

"Come in, Nuri."

She looks at me, puzzled, and says, "I thought you were tired."

"I was but I started working on Chaeng's project and I got too involved in it. Sometimes it's hard to put it down, sort of like you when you get a book that you really like."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. I've lost a lot of sleep through the years due to books. Are you sure you're all, right? You seem a bit distant tonight."

"I'm fine," I reply, with a bit of exasperation, "I'm just going to wrap this up and get to bed in case those yahoos show up again tonight. I'll see you in the morning."

She doesn't seem to buy my answer, but she tells me good night and heads down the hall.

Things got worse a week later.

Once again, I got home before her and once again there was no text from her. I was already a bit angry when she got home and told me why she was late.

"I stopped at the coffee café where we used to meet all the time. By the way, I picked you up a frappe. Anyhow, Z was there, and we talked for a bit. It was good to catch up with him. He's changed a lot. He wants to get together with us."

By now, I am really seeing red.

"So, you're late because you were talking with Zachary, and you didn't even text me?"

"You haven't even been home five minutes. It's not like I spent hours talking with him. Why is it such a big deal?"

"You know how I feel about him, and you know what happened that last time that he and I 'got together.' Do you really expect me to be excited about this?"

"Hwan, I told you...he's changed. He said that he had some things that he wants to tell us. Can't you leave that stuff in the past?"

"Leave it in the past? Just forget about the fact that he could have stopped his sister from attacking you? Just forget that he didn't say a word to anyone until it was almost too late? I still have nightmares about that day. I see the knife heading towards your throat and I wake up in a cold sweat! How am I supposed to leave that in the past?"

She storms past me and heads to her room. I hear the door slam.

Chapter Seven: A Resolution

We didn't speak to each other for several days. Nuri stayed mostly in her room while I carried on the best I could with my normal routine. Kei noticed something and asked me what was wrong.

"I told you that this wasn't going to be easy." was all I could say.

On Saturday morning, I had gotten up and showered. Then I went into the kitchen and found breakfast waiting. Kei had made my favorite again. She really is a special lady.

My heart almost jumped out of my chest when I felt a hand start rubbing my back.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I thought I was alone," I said as I wiped up the food that had escaped my mouth.

"Will you go somewhere with me today?"

"Yeah. Where to?"

"I want to keep it secret."

I finished eating and cleaned the kitchen. Then we headed out. Nuri took my hand in hers and looked at me with a half-hearted smile. We talked as we went along.

"I've been thinking about what you said and I'm sorry," she said, "I realize now that I wasn't taking your feelings into consideration. You have every right to feel the way you do. I was wrong to expect you to feel the same way that I do. But having said all of that..."

We had entered the skating rink where the incident had taken place. She stopped me in front of the door to the hallway. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck rise up and I shivered.

"I also realized that I haven't 'put it in the past.' I get scared every time that I walk by this building."

"So...why are we here?"

"You told me that I couldn't live in fear. I'm here to face my fear and I want you with me."

She slowly opens the door, and we walk through it. We stop about halfway down the hall and both of us just stare, remembering the events of that day. She stands in front of me and grabs my hands, wrapping my arms around her. I hear her softly sobbing. Tears are running out of my eyes as well.

Then she turns and buries her head in my chest. "I'm so glad that you were there for me that day. I might not be alive if you hadn't come in the nick of time. I'm sorry for the way that I treated you after that."

I wrap my arms around her and whisper, "I'm glad that you made it through as well as you did. You were so brave."

"I didn't do anything. I ended up crying in the corner while you tackled her."

"But you grabbed her arm first. You provided the distraction that allowed me to get to her."

"I guess we did it together, didn't we?"

"Together. I like the sound of that."

She pulls back a little and reaches up to grab my face, pulling my lips down to hers. If this is what a make-up kiss feels like, it has to be one of the greatest feelings on Earth.

She lets go of me asking, "Are you ready to go?" I nodded. "One more thing. Promise me that you won't get mad when I tell you."

"Right now, I'm not sure you could say anything to make me mad."

"Zachary is waiting outside the door. I would like you to just listen to what he has to say."

The moment of bliss has vanished, but I manage to hold my temper in check for her sake. Z comes in and apologizes profusely for his inaction. Somehow, I manage to accept the fact that he did act at the last possible moment. I also apologize for the beating that I inflicted upon him. He says he understands and would hold no grudge against me. I tell him the same and we end with an uneasy truce between us, much to the pleasure of Nuri.

Chapter Eight: The Table Turned

A few weeks later I got a text from Chaeng. She wanted the group to get together to discuss some new ideas for the comic series. We agreed to meet at Kei's house since two of us were already there...sometimes. I let Nuri know that I would be tied up that night in case she was making plans for us.

The night arrives and the three of us head to my room since Chaeng has only bare minimum furnishings in hers. There is only has a mattress on the floor and a string of Christmas lights hung from the ceiling. At least I have a couple of beanbag chairs.

We spend a few hours going over some ideas as well as doing a bit of drawing. We had a fun night together. After we split up the meeting, I went looking for Nuri. She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen, so I went to her bedroom and knocked on the door. There was no answer. I noticed that her shoes were still by the door, so I figured that she just went to bed early. Very early. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet and she usually doesn't go to bed until after ten. I decided not to worry about it and went back to the kitchen for a snack. I was disappointed when I looked at the cereal selection. I just can't get Kei to spend the money on the non-generic brands. I wonder if she even tastes this stuff.

The next morning, Nuri was not up at her usual time. I send her a text before I leave for work, asking if she is sick. I didn't get a response and that starts me worrying. In all the time I have known her, I have never seen her sick. I text again and tell her that if she needs some medicine, I can pick some up on the way home.

I still did not get a response by the time I left work, so I rushed home, declining Hyedong's offer to go out for drinks after work. She told me that I couldn't be her adventure buddy if I was going to be wearing a ball and chain. I told her that I would take the shackles. She laughed and told me to get home.

Her shoes are still by the door but there is no sign of her. I go to her door and knock lightly in case she is sleeping.

"Kei, I told you that I am fine! Please leave me alone!"

Where have I heard that before?

"Nuri, it's Hwan."

"Oh goodness! Is it that late..."

"May I come in please?"

"Um, just a minute," she replies, "Okay, now you can come in."

One look at her face and I can see that she has been crying.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. My allergies are acting up. I've almost used a whole box of tissues."

"That's odd. I've never known you to be allergic to anything. What are you allergic to?"

"I'm not sure what aggravated it. Maybe Kei is wearing a new type of perfume or something."

"You're terrible at lying."

"What?"

"Nuri, please tell me what's wrong."

She turns her face away from me. I reach over and brush the hair away from her eyes. I can hear her start to sob.

"You were just having such a good time last night without me. I just started feeling jealous. I couldn't help it."

"Jealous of me? I'm the jealous one. I can't believe that my girlfriend is such a smart, talented woman all the guys want to be with. Me? I'm just the dog-faced boy who is smarter than he looks. At least, that's what you all have told me."

She laughs a little in spite of the tears. "You are not dog-faced! Besides, I am the lucky one to have such a caring young man for a boyfriend. It's just that every time that I walked through the hallway last night you all were laughing and talking."

"Nuri, have I ever given you a reason to doubt my love for you?"

"No, but..."

"Please don't start now. Chaeng and Hyori are just friends. They were there for me when you left and we spent a lot of time together, mostly skipping out of class when the professor turned his back."

"What did you do?"

"We went to the alley behind the school and drew and talked. In spite of the personality differences, the two girls have actually become friends! Not best friends, but friends nonetheless."

"So, what you're basically telling me is that it's my fault that you three became good friends. Great! So now I've been mad at you when I should have been mad at myself...again!"

"Nuri, don't be mad at anyone. Remember what you told me in the letter. You can't go back and redo or undo the past. You just have to deal with the present reality. I hope that you understand I really don't want to drop out of the group. It's been a lot of fun creating the series and it's starting to become popular. We'll never sell as many copies as you have, but it's a success for us starving artists."

"I don't want you to quit if it really makes you happy. I want you to be happy. I can't tell you that it's not going to bother me though. I will try to understand but it won't be easy."

"Hey! Wait a minute! You're a writer. Maybe you could help us out with storylines! That is the biggest thing that we struggle with. I mean, the girls are great artists and I'm just the guy they let hang around, so they have a punching bag to insult. You might be the missing link to make the series really great!"

"I don't know, Hwan. I would feel like I was intruding. Besides, I'm already planning my second novel. I don't know how much time I will have left once I get going on it."

"Look, I will talk to them and see how they feel about it. If they're okay with it, I think you should join us. We don't get together that often. Chaeng is so meticulous about her drawings that she takes forever to get them the way she wants them."

"I'll think about it."

With that, I lean over and kiss her on the forehead. "Are we good now?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry for being a jealous pain-in-the-neck."

"You're my favorite pain-in-the-neck," I reply with a smile.

Chapter Nine: A Heart to Heart

I get home from work a bit early. Nuri had texted me and said she would be a bit late getting back from the library. I made sure to thank her for the warning. I hear the sound of pans in the kitchen and figure that I must have caught Kei at home for a change. Sometimes I wonder if she is leading a double life. I don't think she is here more than twenty-five percent of a given day.

"Hello, stranger," I say in a loud voice.

"Hi! How nice to see you! Do you live here?"

"I should be asking you that! I spend more time here than you do."

"I know. We lost a person at work and the boss is dragging his feet when it comes to hiring a replacement. The rest of us have to cover the hours."

"So now you are working sixty hours a week instead of fifty?"

"Something like that. So how are you? Are you still mad at me?"

As she says that, I realize that we haven't had time to really talk since Nuri came back. She is always busy with work, and I spend my extra time with Nuri.

"I wouldn't say that I am mad at you. I was for a while. However, I'm still not happy about some of the stuff you did."

"Thanks for being honest about it. I was just trying to help."

"I know that, but I kept trying to tell you that I didn't want help. You didn't listen to me."

"But look at where you are now!"

"You don't get to take all of the credit for that. We've been trying hard to make things work."

"Problems?"

"Some. Mostly they have to do with jealousy and trust."

Then I shift the topic.

"I don't think that you realized how hurt I was. I mean, you knew that I was hurting but have you ever felt like your heart has been ripped out of your chest, thrown on the ground, and then stomped on? Because that's how much I was hurting."

She pauses for a long time, "Yes."

"Wait! What?"

"I know what that feels like."

Her face has turned very somber.

"Well don't just stand there! What happened?"

"It was a long time ago. I was younger than you are now. I met a man at a bar. He was older, but he seemed really interested in me. He had a lot of money and hung out with the movers and shakers of this town. He took me shopping and to ritzy parties all over town. I fell madly in love with him."

She continues, "After a month or two, I noticed something at the parties that we went to. I would catch people looking at me with sadness in their eyes, especially the women. I couldn't figure out why, so I just blew it off. After three months, he just stopped calling me. He wouldn't answer my calls or texts. He just dropped me. One time I went to the place where I knew a big party was being held. He arrived, just as I thought he would, but he had another young girl in his car. He was just using me. I was crushed."

"Wow! That's horrible! How long did it take you to get over that?"

"Years! I hated him and kept coming up with plans to get back at him. I never carried any of them out. I wasted a lot of time on him when I should have been getting on with my life. That is why I left that note on the bowl. I didn't want you to make the same mistake that I did."

"Yes but, I never really felt that way about Nuri. I never wanted anything bad to happen to her."

"The note wasn't about her. It was about me. You know the old saying 'If looks could kill?' There were a couple of times that could have been applied to you."

"No, Kei! I never wanted any harm to come to you either. I just wanted you off my back. Why were you so intent on getting us back together?"

"It wasn't about getting you back together. It was about giving you the chance to. That is another way that our stories are similar. About a month before you arrived here, I saw an article in the paper about him. He had developed a very serious disease and was in the ICU at the hospital. My first thought was 'Good! He deserves it!' I even went to the hospital, intending to rub it in his face."

She continues, "But on the way there, God softened my heart. I still went, but only to the waiting room. There, I talked with his father, who told me that he had changed over the years. He had even sent flowers with a letter of apology to any of those girls he could locate. The funny thing is, I remember getting flowers and seeing his name on the tag. I threw them out without reading the letter. So, I went several years, rehashing my pain every time I saw his name in the paper when I could have gotten some closure and less anger. I didn't want that to happen to you. That is why I tried to force you to at least listen to what she had to say."

"I almost tore the letter up without reading it."

"I was worried that you would. I hoped that the love you had for her would make you read it."

"I'm glad that I did. I owe you one. Put it on my tab!"

We both smile. I walk around the counter and give her a big hug. Just then, Nuri walks into the kitchen.

"Do I have to be worried about you and Kei now?" she says, smiling.

"Nah," I reply, "I'm just thanking her for saving us."

Nuri walks over to us and makes it a group hug.

Chapter Ten: The Big Question

During our talk, I told Kei that I was planning on proposing to Nuri in the not-too-distant future. She seemed excited for me, but also gave me a warning about the importance of trust in the relationship. She suggested that we go to counseling with our pastor. So, I set up an initial visit to talk about the issues we were having. Then, I needed to convince Nuri to come along.

It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. She said that she wanted our relationship to be the best that it could be. So, we went to several sessions with our pastor and tried to work through our issues.

Nuri's were less of a problem because I didn't really hang around with my female friends. Her jealousy almost disappeared after she joined our comic group. Still, she recognized that if it had happened once, it could happen again.

My problems were more ingrained than hers were. I explained to her how hurt I felt in the early days of our relationship when she didn't text me and then I found out that she was with Zachary or one of her other male friends. I told her that those feelings keep popping up whenever I don't know where she is. When she realized how important that was to me, she promised to communicate better.

I've come up with a plan for my proposal and am finally ready to put it into action. The first step is finding a day when Kei will be home. Then, it has to coincide with a day when Nuri goes to the library. I know her well enough to plan on her being late coming home on those days. That would give me enough time to make a supplementary purchase.

Things finally fall into place on a Thursday. I notify Kei that the plan is a go. Leaving work, a little early, I stop off and buy the dinner items. Then I race home just in case she is not running late. I make it home five minutes before my usual time and hand the bag to Kei, who immediately pulls out the food trays and fixes the "surprise". I am still trying to catch my breath when Nuri comes through the door. She takes her book bag to her room and then joins us in the kitchen.

"What culinary surprise have you whipped up for us tonight, Kei?" she asks.

"Actually, I didn't cook tonight. I have Bento boxes for us and here are yours," she says as she places the boxes in front of us.

Nuri looks down and starts to explore the different items in her box. Then she spots it...the box within the box!

"No way!" she exclaims, as she hurriedly extracts the jeweler's box. She opens it and then comes over to give me a big hug and then a kiss. Kei is beaming the whole time.

"You two are very sneaky! But I love you both!"

"I wanted Kei to be involved in this because she played such a big part in us being together. In fact, if it weren't for this house, we probably never would have met in the first place. However, there is something else that I want to say to you."

I continue, "In giving this to you, I want you to know that I am fully committing to this marriage...one hundred percent. This isn't a trial membership for me. I believe that, with God as our guide, we can work through any problems that arise. I will continue to work on making myself a better man so that I can be a good husband to you. For your part, I ask for the same commitment. Don't say yes unless you are willing to give it your all."

Then I got down on one knee and said those simple words, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!"

Epilogue

The ceremony was a simple one with very few people. I did finally get to meet Nuri's parents and they were surprisingly welcoming to me. In fact, they went a little overboard. I think it was because they learned that my parents would not be there. They had both passed away while I was living my new life.

When I learned of their passing, I was relatively unfazed. We never had a good relationship and I moved out as soon as I could. They resented the way that I spent the inheritance that I received from my uncle. They never tried to contact me, and I never felt the need to contact them. In a sense, it was a fitting end. But there was one small part of me, buried under a mountain of relationship garbage, that was saddened by the news.

And before you ask, yes, Zachary was at the wedding. Nuri insisted on it, and I was okay with it. I saw the change in him and realized that he was a different person than the one I messed up in the alley. In fact, a year later, he asked me to be the best man at his wedding, saying that I was the only guy who didn't treat him like a cash machine. I was happy to help him.