Speak up already - Phan

Chapter 24

Dil smiled nicely at the lady too.

"Hello, new customer I presume? I don't seem to recognise your face. My name is Jin, this is Dil." Jin gestured to Dil who was sat besides him now. "He's in training currently so I hope you don't mind his observation."

"Of course not." The lady replied with a delightful smile, letting out an amused giggle.

Her high pitched voice hit Jin as he stared at her closely with sudden shock. Jin felt weird. He recognised that laugh.

Why did he recognise that laugh?

Why does she look familiar?

Jin was sure he had an exquisite memory so the fact that he couldn't pinpoint this one lady bugged him.

He began to do her nails, all the while asking simple questions in hopes to ring a bell of some sort. He felt pools of anxiousness somehow sworn in his stomach every time she let out a small giggle after an answer.

Dil had noticed too but luckily the woman hadn't. Jun had clearly tensed up every time this occurred with a fake smile to cover it. He could tell it was fake as it didn't quite reach his nervous eyes.

"Can I ask if you're around here?" Jin asked another question trying to keep the conversation light, looking down at her nails.

"Oh no, I live quite far but a friend of mine recommend this place." She smiled, face crinkling. He could see the wrinkles appear in her smile showing that she seemed at least over 30.

"Oh where abouts?" Jin smiled back.

"I live in East London about twenty minutes away." She replied.

"I use to live there." Jin muttered off-handedly. Dil could practically see the gears twisting and turning in his friend's mind after that offhand comment.

"You wouldn't happen to know...a James Burns would you?" Jin asked quietly, focusing closely on the nails.

"Yes! Of course I do, how do you know him?" The lady said with a bright smile once more letting out a laugh.

Dil watched as Jin let out a bitter laugh. A laugh do fake even Kei turned around to see what had happened.

"Small world. He was just a friend of mine." Jin replied with a wide grin. Soon after, the woman had payed and left, Jin not cracking a single smile.

"Jin." Dil said quietly, voice laced with uncertainty. "Are you okay"

Jin shrugged. "Perfectly fine. "

"How did you know her?" Kei interrupted, his final client for the night also gone.

"There's some faces you just remember." Jin spat, making his way to the empty back room. "Like the face your dad cheats on with."

**

Dil and Kei had decided on giving Jin some time since he seemed upset but was highly unlikely to show it in front of them or talk to them about it. So instead, they sat and talked in the front room, getting ready to lock up in twenty minutes or so as instructed by their boss who has left early.

Jin sat alone in the backroom, knees up to his chest, throat dry with a throbbing sensation as he held back any more tears. His chest felt tight, hurting as the same scene ran over his mind.

A toddler Jin sat on the stairs of his small house watching as one of his dad's finally came home. He was about to run downstairs to hug and kiss him since his other dad was currently away for work leaving him home by himself most of the day, but his dad wasn't alone. The woman who followed had a soft high-pitched laugh. She had a melodic tone and through the dimmed light it was noticeable that her eyes were bright.