nyctophilia | j.jk ✔️

0|2|The Pain Of The Jobless

0|2|The Pain Of The Jobless

"Are you finally going to tell me?" I asked her patiently.

"Ah," she bit her lower lip as I looked at her carefully. She hid her face behind the curtains of her long black hair. "Sorry... I wanted to say sorry to you that I, I can't tell you about it. I know you're worried, but you don't say anything because you know I like to have things my way. I act like this even when I know I shouldn't... And it's not that I don't trust you!"

"Then what is it?" I asked her sadly. "Why can't you tell me? Remember? When my first boyfriend had cheated on me? I cried so much that day, but you went over and beat him up so badly his parents came to ask for his hospitalization money."

She smiled at my attempt to make her remember our tight bond. I continued.

"And that one time I never told you about my boyfriend? And you didn't tell me either and we kept it a secret when unknowingly he was dating us both. When we came to know.... We made him regret every bit of it, but do you remember? We made a promise."

"A promise," she said softly, all sleep in her eyes now out of the window. "To tell each other all of our secrets. Every single thing. No matter what it is."

"Uh-huh," I hummed in agreement, waiting for her to speak. She sighed and looked up at me and I could see her sparkling eyes. She was crying. I immediately went to her side and hugged her. "C'mon, let's go to the couch."

I helped her to the couch and we sat across each other, our legs tangled in the middle.

"Jisoo," I started, "I'm your best friend. For life. You can't get rid of me. We have known each other since childhood. There's nothing in this world that you can do that will make me leave you. Nothing. So please. I don't know what you are afraid of, but if it's about me leaving or hating you, rest assured."

"Do you mean it?" She asked, her tears now streaming down her cheeks. I gave her a soft smile.

"You could be a secret porn-star and I wouldn't mind, young lady," I said to her, leaning towards her. "Please... Tell me where you work. What you do. Because everytime you leave for your job, I get worried because if something happens to you, I have no clue where you are or what you are doing. Please."

"Promise you won't leave me?" She asked, sniffling as she rubbed her tears. My arms went around her upper torso on their own and I rested her head on my chest.

"Never." I stated quite firmly. She looked up at me innocently, tears in her eyelashes gliterring in the living room lights.

"I, I," she took in a deep breath. "I work in a late-night bar. As a stripper."

I blinked, trying to process the words. A second later, I was trying not to laugh as I pulled her into a hug. I heaved a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness it's only that!" I said. She struggled in my hold.

"Only that?!" She cried.

"That's still way better than finding out you were a thief or murderer," I reminded her. "And that's what I was forced to think when you came home with a lot of money at times."

"The job pays good," she mumbled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. I cupped her cheeks and smiled. "You- You aren't disgusted? Disappointed?"

"Well, I guess I could be," I said to her. "But I choose in trusting my friend. I don't know what drove you to do this, but whatever it is, I understand."

"I, I, I couldn't find a job anywhere," she stated defeatedly. "No one took me in and I didn't have any talents so I was desperate when the time came to pay our rent. I couldn't make you pay for me and pressure you. So as a last option, I picked up this job. It pays well, but sometimes I just, I hate myself for all this."

"Don't," I embraced her again. "Don't hate yourself. It's not your fault. Your situation drove you to make that choice. You should've told me, Ji-soo. I would have got you some part-time jobs till you got yourself a full-time one."

"You don't understand," she said. "This was when you were struggling to find yourself a full-time job too. You were juggling so many part-time ones that I felt this need to protect you; to make sure that you are not overworking yourself. I tried so hard to find a full-time job... I guess only a bar will take me in."

"It's okay, it's all going to be okay," I shushed her. "Promise me you won't drink again. You never drink unless your problems take a toll on you, so I know that the past few months have been very rough on you. Now, I want you to relax and spend today lazing around with me, okay?"

"Oh, um, I have something more to say," she said. I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to speak. "I, I kinda forgot to tell you that some mafia people come to the bar often and that's why I was having a rough time. I'm worried that I will go in jail because of all this."

"What?!" I nearly yelled. "You didn't interfere in anyone's business, did you? They will hunt you and kill you, Ji-soo!"

"I know, I know," she said desperately. "But I can't do anything. If they request for me, I have to do my job for them."

"Wait, like, you have to do it with them?" I asked, searching her face for answers. She hid her face in shame and I held her close once again.

"Sometimes," she mumbled guiltily.

"Are you okay with it?" I asked, combing back her front hair with my hands. She half-nodded.

"I don't really care about this as long as I'm getting the money," she said. "It gives me more money."

"Hm," I responded with a hum. "What about diseases? Did you get a check-up?"

"I take one every month," she said and I nodded. "Still clear, luckily. I was just, straining under the pressure, y'know? Of not being able to tell you because I know, I know you are somebody with high morales and principles. I thought you would think less of me if you knew my job."

"Hey, hey," I held her cold hands, trying to warm them with my soft, warm ones. "It's a job. Sure, it might not reach my level of standard of life, but it's a job. A way to earn money. And I can never hate you for doing something that doesn't match my level."

"You're really the greatest friend in the world, you know that, right?" She asked, squeezing my hands. I grinned.

"So, are you thinking of getting out?" I asked her. She paused and looked at me.

"I never said that," she said quietly. I sat up straight.

"Wait, you don't want to leave the job?"

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A/n:
Double updates because I decided that I can't wait for 33 weeks to finish uploading this one. Get your weekly dose of Nyctophilia in 2000+ words! 😆💜

Updated/Published On:
11th May 2020
11/05/2020