Unseen Strings

Chapter 6

He had a point. The bus was indeed a less than ideal mode of transportation. And the thought of sleeping in for a few more precious minutes was quite appealing.

"Well..." I conceded, a small smile playing on my lips. "I guess I'll accept."

"Good," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "The bus is overrated anyway."

Just then, the car came to a stop in front of my apartment building.

"Do you want me to let you off here, or should I go park?" he asked, his eyes scanning the street.

"Go park," I urged, "We'll go in together."

He smiled, a slow, appreciative smile that made my heart skip a beat. He pulled into a parking garage nearby, and as we drove down the ramp, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation.

There was a man in a tiny booth, a uniformed attendant with his hand outstretched as we approached. JJ opened the center console and withdrew a wad of cash, his movements fluid and practiced. I couldn't help but steal a glance at the thick stack of bills, a small tremor of apprehension running through me. He paid the attendant and expertly maneuvered the car into the garage, parking a few levels below street level.

"Come on," he beckoned me as he parked the car and opened the doors.

I shook my head, still a little dazed from the speed of his departure. Before I could even open the back door, he was out, his long legs carrying him towards the apartment building with an effortless grace. He even had the audacity to grab my backpack from the passenger seat, signaling for me to hurry. I raced after him, suddenly acutely aware of the height difference between us. From the car, he seemed tall, but now, standing beside him, I was dwarfed by his presence. He was easily six feet tall, a towering figure that made me feel small and insignificant.

We entered the building, and I quickly realized this wasn't our apartment complex. These weren't the familiar, slightly worn double doors of our building. Instead, we were in a sleek, modern lobby with elevators and a uniformed doorman. Our building, with its peeling paint and creaking elevators, seemed a million miles away.

"Uhm," I stammered, trying to keep up with his long strides, "where are we?"

"I need to stop by my apartment," he said casually, "to grab something for Hae-Won."

"Laci," I corrected him, a hint of amusement in my voice.

He chuckled, "Right, Laci. Forgot for a second."

He pressed the elevator button, and as the doors slid open, my heart plummeted. He pressed the "PH" button, the penthouse floor.

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing my sudden stillness.

"Oh...yeah," I managed to stammer, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. Had I ever been in a penthouse before? No. Was I about to experience the high life? Yes. Was I prepared for this sudden escalation of events? Absolutely not.

The elevator ascended in silence, the smooth ride a stark contrast to the jolting motion of our building's ancient contraption. My mind raced, trying to process the whirlwind of events that had transpired in the last few hours. The elevator doors slid open, revealing a small, exclusive hallway. This was a different world, a world I had only glimpsed in movies and magazines.

"Come on," JJ strode past me and pulled a key out of his pocket.

"You...you live here?" I asked as he was turning the key in the door.

He chuckled, "Of course I do." He shoved the door open.

I felt my mouth gape, and thus my hands flew to cover it.