Kiku turned to Yong Soo at the same moment as Yong Soo's fist connected with his cheek. Mei screamed, trying to get away. In his drunken state, Kiku's blows were wild, and Yong Soo was able to dodge them easily.
Yong Soo grunted as Kiku laid a blow to his hip, surprising him. "Mei, get away!" he shouted.
Kiku swore in Japanese as he almost fell over his feet in a drunken state. "You can't take away my honor," he muttered angrily before trying to grab Mei.
"What does this have anything to do with honor?" Yong Soo wondered aloud. With a solid kick to Kiku's exposed back, Yong Soo backed away from the Japanese man's unconscious body.
Looking to Mei, he asked, "Are you alright?"
"I- I think," the pretty girl stammered. She scurried away from Kiku's limp form. Mei studied Yong Soo with a cautious gaze. "Y-Yong Soo?"
"Uh (1), it's me," Yong Soo confessed. "I was-"
"What were you doing here?" Mei demanded.
"You're in Seoul…my hometown," Yong Soo said.
"Kiku dragged me here," Mei spat at the unconscious man's form.
"What are you to him? Why can't you leave?"
"He follows me and threatens me. If I don't go with him, he always tries to-" Mei burst into tears and Yong Soo checked his watch. It was well in the early morning, four. She had probably had a long day.
"Do you want to…come home with me?" Yong Soo asked hesitantly. "It's really late, and…I don't want to leave you here with him."
"I can manage," Mei sniffed out. She was proud of her independence.
"No, I don't think you are," Yong Soo said. "Please, don't make me beg you. I want to make sure you're safe, at least until the next World Meeting. Do you have anywhere to go?"
"No," Mei admitted. "I…I really don't want to talk anymore about my situation. I'm sorry, Yong Soo. I trust you more than Kiku, but-"
"That's alright," Yong Soo said. "It's not your fault. You can stay with me. There's nothing to be repaid."
"Is there, Yong Soo?" Mei questioned. "You could have left me to be violated. By a drunkard."
"Please, come with me," Yong Soo begged. "It's late and I can't leave you here. Who knows what crawls behind these godforsaken walls?"
Mei shivered, thinking of Kiku's raged and drunken face looming over her.
I don't want to be like that ever again. This is the last time.
"A-Alright. Just this time," Mei said.
Yong Soo gave her a small smile and put his hands in his pockets, thumbs twiddling like crazy. They made their way to the side of the road, the glow of the Red Light District illuminating their faces. This side of town was alive only at night, kept alive by the dim glow of the cheap lights and drunken tourists. He hated and loved this place, in his Korea. He still remembered how his mother had always warned him to-
Mei looked just like Im Joseon, with her graceful features yet steely interior. That's who she reminded him of.
He stared down the road, flagging down a taxi, trying to focus his eyes on the eerie lights and will away the tears.
"Are you getting in or not?" Mei asked, poking his arm.
"Uh, let's go," he agreed and stepped into the taxi.
Yong Soo unlocked the door to his apartment in Gangnam-gu, the expensive neighborhood on the other side of Seoul. It was the complete opposite of the ratty, falling-over places that he was used to in the Red Light District. There, the streets were littered with cigarette butts and unknown stains from one-night stands and lovers' trysts. Here, everything was clean, a slate waiting to be written on.
The lights came on to illuminate the clean apartment, bathing the room in white light. The place was simply furnished but efficient, usable, and elegant. Only the simplest of white and beige furniture was used. Flowers burst into bloom on several tables, brightening the room with their petals.
Several panels of photographs of the Han River and the Seoul cityscape gave the apartment a classy feel. They were on canvases on the walls and Mei admired Yong Soo's clearly artistic eye.
However, the simple furniture provided a frame surrounding for the larger-than-life family portrait that hung on the largest wall above the crisp white sofa. Mei gasped when she saw the whole Im family sitting together in their traditional hanbok. Im Joseon looked on majestically with her hands on the shoulders of her two sons, Im Yong Soo and Im Hyung Soo. It was painted in light colors on silk, the traditional art that Korea was famous for.
"It's beautiful. Is that-"
Yong Soo nodded sadly. "My eomeoni (2), Im Joseon."
"And your-"
"My brother. Im Hyung Soo."
Mei bit her lip and looked down, ashamed that she would ask such prying questions. She knew he had a twin- North Korea, and that he was banned from the World Meetings. She finally understood his reclusiveness, how he was so enthusiastic yet mysterious. His mother had died long ago and no one could help his brother. Im Yong Soo was alone.
The silence in the apartment seemed to stretch out the space between them more, twisting their emotions and suffocating the air between them. They were still.
"Well, it's late, we should go to sleep," Mei tried to repair the long canyon between them but to no avail.
Yong Soo nodded. "The guest bedroom is down the hall on the right and the bathroom is connected to it. If you need anything, knock on my door across from yours."
"Goodnight, Yong Soo. Thank you."
Without a word, the host turned on his heel and shut his bedroom door behind him, running a hand through his messy hair. He was tired and didn't want to shower, just sleep with the lonely ghosts that haunted him. He was alone, even with Mei sleeping across the hall, but he tried to forget. What a shame.
He closed his eyes and cried himself to sleep for the first time in fifty years.
(1) yeah or yes (to one of similar age, thanks to stormjade for telling me!)
(2) mother
Finally, the first chapter in a long time! I'm super happy that I made it through chapter two. Even though this is short, I hope you enjoy the long-awaited update! I'm happy to announce that I am picking up Serenity again for all you KorTai fans :) No longer on hiatus, it's freaking summer!
But remember, the easiest way to encourage me to write more (and faster!) are reviews! REVIEWS MAKE MY DAY, I FALL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR ANY SORT OF REVIEWS. PLEASE! This is how I write more and better!
Suggestions are welcome, but please do not hesitate to make a review!
Please?
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