Inside the car, Hyolee sits uncomfortably beside Kangta. She has never seen him in such a rage before.  She decides to try to distract him and calm him down.

Hyolee: Kangta, let’s go have lunch at the new Pizza Place.

Kangta: OK.

          They drive on in silence until suddenly Hyolee’s cell phone starts ringing. Surprised, she takes it out and sees who’s calling her.

Eugene: Hi, Hyolee. It’s me Eugene.

Hyolee: Eugene!

          Kangta was worried that it was Hyesung phoning Hyolee, and he is both relieved and glad that it is actually Eugene.

Kangta: Why don’t you invite Eugene to have lunch with us, Hyolee.

Hyolee: OK. Hey Eugene, do you wanna come have lunch with me and Kangta?

Eugene: Kangta?!

          Eugene didn’t expect Kangta to be there. She longs to see Kangta but decides to leave Hyolee and him alone on their date.

Eugene: Sorry, Hyolee ... I can’t make it today. I have a lot of work to finish up here.

Hyolee: Eugene says she’s busy, Kangta.

Kangta: Oh….well, maybe next time then. (His voice carries a tinge of disappointment.)

          Hyolee and Eugene hangs up after a while. Kangta and Hyolee arrive at the Pizza Place and they talk about the upcoming prom on Saturday, only two days away. After lunch, Kangta takes Hyolee shopping, because he knows she loves it. He buys her a stone bracelet which he thinks is quite beautiful, with different colors and shapes. Hyolee thanks Kangta and quickly put it away. After supper, Kangta drives her home and then returns to his apartment.

          He feels tired, but he doesn’t want to sleep yet. He has something in his mind he wants to think about.  It has been troubling him for a while already, but he didn’t want to think about it before, always putting it off for later. He senses a change in the relationship between Hyolee and him. They go out and they talk, but it all seems so hollow, so empty. Now that kangta thinks about it, they always do things that Hyolee likes. Kangta never liked shopping, he prefers walking on a quiet beach or simply doing anything outside. He also notices that they don’t really talk. Sure, they talk a lot, but Kangta has the feeling that they are avoiding certain subjects.  After the scene with Hyesung, they didn’t’ even say anything about it. It seems that it never happened. Kangta thinks they should have a serious talk, but when he picks up the phone, he suddenly feels strange. It seems awkward to talk about things like this with Hyolee now. Unlike Eugene and I, he suddenly thinks of the talks with Eugene. She has always such a good listener and so understanding. Kangta decides to leave it and see how things go instead.

***

          It is another story at Hyolee’s house. Her parents are furious that Hyolee is always out. Hyolee tells them that she’s got as much freedom to do anything she wants as they do. Her father answers her smart reply by giving her a slap right on her cheek. Her mother scolds her by her father’s side. Hyolee falls onto the ground and head hitting the wall. Hyolee starts to cry and holds her head. She then finds out that it is covered with blood.

Hyolee (Crying and scream): Go ahead! hit me again! I hate you anyway! You think everything I do is wrong. What about you two? You work at that corrupted company of yours and cheat innocent people of their money. You aren’t fir to be my parents. I am tired of both of you, tired of living here in this dump. I’ll go live at a place where I am actually wanted.

          With that, she leaves, banging the door on her angry and shocked parents faces. She starts walking in the direction of Kangta’s house, but she suddenly thinks of the stone bracelet and then Hyesung’s diamond necklace. She abruptly switches direction, heading instead, towards the direction of Hyesung’s house. As she had said, she is tired of living in a dump, and an ordinary live. She wants to live like a real lady. She wants to wear decent clothes designed by great Italian or French designers. She wants to ride around in a Mercedes with a rich boyfriend.

          She walks until midnight, since she didn’t take any money with her when she left. She looks up at Hyesung’s mansion. The lights are already out, for Hyesung and his parents are already asleep. Hyesung is in his cozy bed dreaming of Hyolee. In his dream, she is drowning in the ocean and he’s trying to get to her. He’ve finally reached her. He puts his arms around her to keep her above the water and starts pulling her to shore.  Once on the beach, he decides to give her cardiopulmonary resuscitation. His mouth is getting closer and closer to hers ---- Ding Dong Ding!

Hyesung: WHAAA???

          He jumps out of bed, confused and irritated to have been waken from his beautiful dream. He looks at his clock.

Hyesung: Who the heck would come at this hour?!

          He puts on a shirt and runs downstairs to open the door. It is so dark outside, he can’t see who is standing at the door. Well, whoever it is, is now falling straight into his arms. Exhausted from the long walk and weak from loss of blood that’s still trickling down her face, Hyolee cannot keep herself up anymore and has fallen right into Hyesung’s arms. Hyesung switches on the light and looks down at Hyolee’s face. He is so surprised to see her he almost dropped her. It is just like in his dreams, he is holding Hyolee’s soft body against him. 

Hyesung: Hyolee … what’s wrong??

Hyolee (Whispers): Hyesung … help me ...

          She faints in his arms, leaving Hyesung standing dazedly at the door wondering what the world has come to this time.

*** End of Chapter 9 ***