Chapter 16

The whole scene was absurd. The hat and the knocking and the name calling. It felt too random and out of place. Enrique Geum was an idiot, Dok Mi knew, but he had never struck her as completely insane. Until now, that is. What sane person would stomp over during snow storm and pound on a girls' door calling her a dirty old pervert? And why had he called her that?

It wasn't like she had broken into his house. He had brought her there on his own. He had been the one to put her in his bed, not the other way around. He was the one who randomly hugged her and held her hand without any kind of provocation or consent. Yet he had the nerve to call her a pervert? How had she ever become friends with that boy?

At least Jin Rak had seemed to be on her side. Give it up, Enrique, he'd said. But give what up? Had this been some sort of ploy of his to get her memories back? If it was, it seemed like a completely idiotic plan. How could something like that possibly trigger anything other than fear?

Yet… she hadn't stopped thinking about him since. Maybe that was what he wanted, to keep himself in her mind. If so, it had worked. But she wasn't in love with him. If anything, it made her want to stay further away from him than ever.

It would be easier for the both of them if she didn't have to be around him anymore. But he lived across the street. Dok Mi couldn't live with her curtains shut 24/7. Every time either of them looked across the street, they'd be reminded of each other. What a horrible situation to be in.

He was back inside her mind and under her skin. This must have been exactly what he wanted. "Ugh" she said, much louder than she had intended to, surely Jin Rak had heard her. So what? So many people had been invading her space recently, sticking their noses where they didn't belong. She was frustrated at life and herself and most of all, she was frustrated with Enrique Geum.

"Ugh!" she yelled again, even louder than before, "Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh" she screamed until her throat was raw. How long had it been since she'd let everything go like that? Years, since high school even. She had never been good about sharing her feelings but since Do Hwi's betrayal… it had become impossible.

Dok Mi had to admit, it felt good to just scream all her anger away. After she was done, she felt oddly peaceful. Like she just wanted to curl up on her couch with a good book and hot cup of tea. She hadn't really used any water today, she figured she could spare some to make a pot of green tea.

While the water was boiling, she wandered over to her bookshelves. Just yesterday, she had been thinking about how many of the titles were unfamiliar to her. It was almost 2 in the morning and she wasn't even tired. Now might be a good night to start catching up on all her books.

That's odd, she thought. There seemed to be books missing. Admittedly, there were books all over her house, not just in her bookshelf. But it didn't feel like Dok Mi would leave gaps like that.

"Oh no" she said, "Oh no. Enrique Geum did not…"

But he did, she knew he did. She vaguely remembered seeing books on his kitchen table when she'd left his apartment earlier. He had taken her books. Dok Mi could take a lot of crap. She had been bullied and tormented, but she could not stand anyone stealing from her. And her books! Her most valued possessions.

She turned off the stove quickly, the allure of her tea already forgotten, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

This is crazy, she thought, it's two am. He probably won't even be awake. Good, maybe then he'd see what a nuisance he'd been to her, pounding on her door at midnight. At least she had a reason for coming over here. All signs pointed to Enrique just wanting to confuse and infuriate her, Dok Mi had a purpose.

She ran up to his door and pressed the doorbell vigorously. She wanted to yell at him, but she couldn't find the right words to express her anger. So she just settled for knocking and ringing the doorbell.

Eventually, he opened the door. He looked like he had been asleep. For a moment, Dok Mi felt bad for waking him, but her anger returned to her.

"Ahjumma, what're you doing here?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes and yawned, "Did something happen? Are you alright?"

His concern threw her off slightly. She had been angry when he'd showed up at her house uninvited. She hadn't once thought that maybe he had been into some trouble. Don't lose your nerve, Dok Mi, she told herself.

"My books," she said, "You stole my books."

"Stole your…?" he said, "Oh, the books!"

"Oh?" she yelled, "that's all you have to say?"

"Please come inside," he said as he grabbed her arm, "It's late and we wouldn't want to disturb my neighbors."

"Let go of me," she said, "I just want my books"

"Why are you wearing short sleeves?" he asked, dodging her request, "You must be freezing."

Now that he mentioned it, she was cold. She was normally so careful about putting on a coat, she couldn't afford to be sick, not on the salary of a stay at home editor.

"I know you can get careless when you're angry" he said. She looked up at him. How had he known what she was thinking?

"Oh," he said, "I can hear Ahjumma's voice"

He really is an idiot, the though.

"Insulting me won't make it untrue, Dok Mi," he said, "It's been a while since I've heard it, but you're always there. Right here" he said as he touched his forehead, "Now come inside and get warmed up"

She hesitantly stepped inside as he shut the door behind her. She noticed her books on his table immediately.

"You know," Enrique said, "That sounded kinda creepy. 'come inside and get warmed up', like something a serial killer would say in a movie."

She turned backed and looked at him nervously, "That probably wasn't the best thing to say," He said sheepishly, "Considering I'm trying to get back on your good side"

She couldn't help but laugh, "You coming to my house at midnight and calling me a pervert was your idea of getting back on my good side?"

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" he chuckled.

"I'm here because you stole from me," she retorted, "Not for personal reasons."

"I know you, Go Dok Mi," he said, "If you didn't want to come, you would've found a way to get your books back without having to see me." He stood up and walked into the kitchen, "No, you wanted to see me, Ahjumma"

"I did not," she replied defensively, "I want nothing to do with you"

"Green tea's your favorite, right?" he said. He didn't wait for an answer before he started making it. Even though green tea was her favorite, it was rude for him to ask then ignore her, "You can't stay away from me, Dok Mi. No more than I can stay away from you"

She stood up, "This is me staying away from you," she said, "I'm leaving"

He put the tea pot on the stove and walked over to her, "You can't walk home alone at this hour. It isn't safe."

"Well, you're not going to walk me," she said.

"It's not safe for me to walk back on my own either" he replied.

"You are such a child" she said.

"Ahjumma," he said, "just stay the night. I won't bother you, I promise"

"No" she said

"Please?"

"No"

"Why not?"

"It's weird…"

"At least it's not dangerous" he said, "Unlike waking a guy up at two am after walking from your house without a coat"

"I was angry" she said

"Do you always do stupid things when you're angry? He said, "Stupid question, I know you do"

"I'm going"

He stepped in front of her and blocked her way out, but somehow she didn't feel threatened, "Please, Ahjumma," he pleaded, "I made you tea and everything."

She looked out his window to her own apartment. She hadn't been relishing the walk alone in the cold, even though it would take her no more than five minutes, "Fine" she said meekly.

Enrique stepped away from the door, "Yay!" he said, ever the child.

I'm going to regret this, Dok Mi thought as she sat back down at the table.