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Irene blinked her eyes awake. Her body was warm and tightly snug in a hospital bed. Her arm was stinging painfully, but it was bearable.
The room was white and bare. The walls and cabinets were spotless. The sun rays were streaming onto her body with lines stretching across her body from opened blinds. She looked to see the tall buildings outside standing outside the window.
She was at the Seoul hospital. She remembered them telling her the best option and ther only way they would be able to fix her arm before it heals broken would be going under the knife.
She felt her heart quicken at the thought of all the medical expenses. She didnt know much about hospitals and billing since she never went, but she wanted to get out. She couldnt imagine the amount of money that would rack up on her. She wanted to fold on herself.
"Hey."
Irene jumped and looked over to the bedside next to her. She instantly felt her heart drop. It was the man with terrifying eyes from before. The one that punched Vasco and beat her brother down.
He sat in an all black and suit with a white under shirt. His hair was gelled back and he wore his glasses. He sat in a chair with his ankle resting on his other legs knee. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared ahead. In front of him was a man laying down. He was bandaged up with bandages enveloping all around his face like a cocoon.
"Hello." She sat up and nodded to him. She averted her eyes to her legs extended straight under the white thin sheets. She could barely look at him without feeling her body crunch up into itself.
"You, you're that girl from the auction, correct?" He peaked a night colored eyebrow at her.
"Yeah." She glanced back up for a moment to answer him in the eye. She felt the sudden weight of his gaze boring into her head. The air felt unbearably tense.
"How old are you?" He asked suddenly.
"Seventeen." She answered and glanced back up to see him shift his ankle to the ground and lean forward. He pressed his elbows on his thighs and spread his legs. He loosely intertwined his fingers together in the middle of his legs and watched her through his glasses. He cocked his eyebrows at her as a strand of gelled hair hung in front of his forehead.
His pure intimidation made her feel smaller than she ever had around a man.
"How'd you get in here?" He asked, blankly.
"I broke my arm." She answered quickly. She started to pat around for her phone to text someone. She pressured her brother to go to school and simply come back after her surgery when he could. She sighed with relief once she saw her phone and bag propped on the window seat. She lifted the sheets off her legs to reveal her bruised legs and her bandaged white wraps around her knee's.
"HOw'd you manage to get all that?" He asked, curiously. He watched her sigh and move her legs over the side of the bed. He watched her pull her hair over one shoulder to reveal some bruising on her neck under her ear. Her eye was pink with the socket a purple and blue discolored area.
From her injuries around her hand, legs, neck, eye and arm he knew well that that wasnt just a normal thing. She was caught in a fight. He knew that better than anyone.
"I fell down the stairs." She answered with a small, nervous smile and stood up to the seat. She pulled a black bag up to her and unzipped it.
She was happy to find a change of clothes in there and her phone. She grabbed her phone first and tried turning it on only to see it was dead. She was annoyed to see the crack across her phone caused from last night.
"You go to J high, am i correct?" He asked. Irene walked over to the outlet on the wall with her phone and charger in her hand and plugged it in quickly.
"Yes." She asked, trying to let the tension in the room lighten. She glanced over to the bandaged man sleeping on his bed a few yards away from her own chair. She stretched back up, feeling her ribs and back ache painfully while doing so.
"Did you take your GED test?" She asked. Gun widened his eyes a bit, realizing she remembered from the first they met.
"Yeah, its my last year to take it." He answered awkwardly, obversing her as she looked over at his client. It tends to happen when a client gets a little desperate and late on payments.
He caught Irene looking at the man with a worried expression.
"He fell down the stairs." Gun grinned. Irene looked over at him with her big eyes. She looked at him with a tense expression. He knew exactly what was happening in her mind.
He knew she knew he knew she was lying and threw it back in her face.
"Oh, sorry. Excuse me." She dipped her head to him before opening the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
She closed the door with a quiet sigh. She couldn't believe she would find someone like him in her room. She couldn't believe he was a teenager none the less. He looked like he was in his mid or early 20's and his frame didn't help. The man was taller than Euntae and Daniel. He had a very fit and attractive body.
She quickly change into a baggy beige T-shirt with a logo on the front. She wore brown sweatpants she found in one of the bags Jay gave her. She was much more comfortable in her outfit from home and even happier with her blanket from home.
She went to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. A black eye, bandaged ribs, bruises on her chest and bandaged knees and hands. She was looking forward to seeing how her surgery went.
She stepped out of the bathroom a moment later to see the man with glasses on his phone. He glanced up at her with a raise of his eyebrow. Now he could see the bruise on her collar bone that seemed to go further down, but cut off by her shirt.
She quickly walked over to her phone seeing that it turned on.
Prince Charming: 3 messages
Idiot brother: 3 messages
Mira Mira: 2 messages and 1 missed call
ZoZoe: 2 messages
Mom: 3 messages and 1 missed call
Irene frowned and pressed on her moms contact quickly. She figured she must've called her or been worried since she called her every night religiously.
Mama: Im sure you're busy, my dear
Mama: Call me whenever you can honey
Irene was about to press her contact to call her when the door by the man with glasses was knocked on and cracked open. A late forty year old man with black gelled hair, scrubs, a white coat, clipboard and circular glasses stepped in.
"Irene Park?" He called out to her. Irene kept her eyes on him and looked at him with wide eyes.
"Yessir?" She asked and set her phone down on the bed beside her.
Gun now knew the girl with gold rimmed glasses name. Irene Park. It suited her. It was only his opinion, but he watched her. She may have been the prettiest girl he has ever seen, even prettier than Crystal. More like she was his type.
He glanced at her phone down on the bed and saw her phone. He read the texts and wondered what kind of family she had and what class she was in. He was there for the past three hours, watching over this guy, but the only thing was silence. He figured if her family were well off they would send her to a more prestigious high school and spend some time with her after surgery.
"Im Dr.Kim. I was the surgeon that worked on your hand and your arm." He said, looking down at the clipboard in his hands. He walked over to Irene and stopped a couple feet ahead of her. She cocked her head back to look up at him.
"Thank you so much for working on my arm." Irene dipped her head to him and pushed her hair behind her shoulders.
"Of course. I came to tell you that your surgery is successful and we were able to reattach the skin on your hand and replace your bones the correct way." He smiled. Seeing such a thankful teenager seemed less and less likely now days.
"But, try not to walk around with a broken arm for 2 weeks please." He smiled and placed a playful hand on her shoulder. She smiled and nodded, but Gun widened his eyes. He stared at his phone, but he was listening to it all.
"Im sorry, i wont again, but thank you." She smiled at him. Gun raised his eyes to see her gorgeous smile. Her blinding smile.
"Here's the plan. I am going to send you home now, set up our next check up in a week or two and i'll give you a schools note. Since your moms not currently here and we're heavy on patients and low on beds i'll give you the bill and kick you out now since you're all good and i'm sure you want to get home now." He smiled with a laugh. Irene nodded with a smile, completely understanding.
"Here." He handed her a paper folded in half and placed a hand back on her shoulder. "Have a good day, Ms.Park." He smiled and walked back to the door, glancing down at Gun.
Irene stared until he was out of sight. She looked down once the door clicked shut. She flipped open the paper and instantly found 'total.'
She physically felt her jaw drop and her hand clamp around her open mouth. Her eyes were as wide as a puppies. Gun watched the paper in her hand slowly begin to tremble. He looked up to see her eyes watering before she turned away and cleared her throat.
She really must've been poor to cry over the bill.
Irene sniffed and wiped the growing tears in her eyes. She was in shock. She couldn't believe the amount they were asking for. She physically felt weak. Her body was hurting like a thousand knives struck her body.
21,000 dollars. That as the fine. Irene could barely provide for herself and her brother(s). She had no time for debt. Exams were coming up, she was working, she was sending money back home. All the money saved up from Duke's stream was specifically set for her rent and groceries. She knew she never should've gotten in the ambulance. Now the debt was going to be set against her and her brother.
She quickly threw her phone in her bag and went to the bathroom to fix herself up in the mirror. She washed her face and brushed her hair into a messy bun. She looked at her black eye. She couldn't believe this was happening. She felt completely helpless.
She let it out and paced in the bathroom with tears streaming down her face. It was all her fault. She never should've let Logan get that close. She never should've blocked him, kicked him or run away. It was all her fault. She did this all to herself simply because she couldn't stand up to him.
Gun sat outside the bathroom, listening to the girl sniffle. From the amount she sniffled he knew she was crying. He didn't feel bad for anyone and never tried to, but he was now interested. Broken arm for 2 weeks, skin reattachment, bruises and bandages and black eye? It all seemed like so much.
He stood up on his long legs and walked over to her black bag. Sitting on top of her hoodie was the folded paper. He glanced over at the wood door and used his index finger to flip open the paper. He looked over all of what was done. She had injuries to chest, ribs, legs, arms, hand and face.
What happened to her?
Of course the bill was over priced as always, but he guessed she didn't have medical insurance. He was fascinated by this girl for some odd reason. He didn't have a reason nor did he have any attachment to this woman, yet he felt a spark.
"Hey." Irene said from in the bathroom.
"Irene! You're awake! How're you feeling?" Daniel immediately beamed at his sisters voice. She changed her tone not to worry him. She waited long enough to calm down, but the moment she heard his joyful voice her body broke into trembles with her eyes welling up with tears.
"Im feeling good." She said quickly to not let her voice crack.
"Good, so when can you come home? Are they keeping you over night?" Daniel asked.
"No. I was calling you to tell you im going to come home." She answered and pressed the back of her hand on her leaking nose to stop from sniffling.
"Okay! I'll leave right now." He said and started shuffling the speaker around.
"No, Daniel. I'll be fine." She said and stood up, wiping her face off with a tissue and splashing her face with water to try and cover the amount of redness in her face. She wiped her face with her shirt and walked over to the door and opened it.
"Im going to take the bus home. Its not like my legs are broken or anything, plus its broad daylight." She said and picked up her bag, hoodie and paper. She hung her head low to try and keep her bangs covering her red and puffy face.
"What? No. I'll just come pick you up." He said. Irene sighed as she pressed her shoulder to her face with her phone lodged between her shoulder.
"If you leave school and get me it wont be worth it. Im going to go grocery shopping to make dinner tonight and go home." She said and zipped her black hoodie up.
"Irene." Daniel said, sounding annoyed by the tone. Which he was. "You cant go back to normal. Just let me help you out."
"If you're worried that im still scared about everything last night—i'm not. You don't have to worry about me. This is all just a minor setback that we don't have time to worry about." Irene said and looped her arms through the straps of her backpack.
"...Fine. Don't overwork yourself, okay?" He asked. Irene smiled at his obliging voice.
"I won't. Make sure you bring my homework home." She said and quickly hung up her brother before he insisted he would do it.
She picked up the bill and placed it in her pocket. She turned around and jumped harshly. She didn't expect Gun to be standing up. He towered by the doorway with his hands in his pockets, glancing over her at her.
"Are you leaving?" He asked. Irene nodded and glanced down.
"Yeah, tell your friend i hope he gets well." Irene smiled at him and started her way toward him and the way out.
"I'll drive you home. Where do you live?" He asked and opened the door for Irene. Irene stood there just staring at him in confusion.
"I dont even know your name." Irene said with her eyebrows turned upward and a frown displayed on her face.
"It's Gun Park." He answered.
"You beat up my brother and my friend and this is only my second time meeting you." She continued with an almost disgusted face.
"I was only doing what my boss told me to." He answered.
"I appreciate the offer, but i dont want to bother you. I barely know who you are." She answered him and started toward the door, passing the man completely towering over her. He was 6'2 with a tall frame, long legs, slender but muscular body and broad shoulders.
"Ask me questions on the way down. If you know me by then, why not?" He asked with a grin as he followed Irene. She looked down at her feet as he stepped into sync beside her. She only reached his chin at best.
"How old are you?" She asked once they reached the elevator button.
"19."
"How do you have a car at 19?" She asked with a glance up at him as they waited.
"Good pay." He answered and shifted on one leg, leaning a little closer to Irene.
"What school do you go to?" She asked.
"Gian High school—or i used to." He answered and stretched his neck, showing off his razor sharp jawline. Irene observe his outer appearance. He was gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful.
"Why aren't you going to school anymore?" Irene asked as the button on the elevator rung. The first thing they saw when the metallic doors open was an old man in pale blue and white patient uniform. He smiled up at Irene with the nurse standing behind him.
"Excuse me, sorry." Irene smiled and stepped out of the way for the two. She stepped Gun, who didn't move an inch for the man and nurse. They had to weave around him and turned to thank Irene. Irene dipped her head to them and stepped in the elevator with Gun beside her.
Gun glanced down at the pretty girl while she stepped in with him. She kept her eyes focused on the ground below her and sighed.
"It'll take you longer to get home if you take the bus." Gun mumbled out. Irene had no idea who this guy was, but she is an idiot and a people pleaser.
"Okay." She nodded and looked down at her bag. She clicked the ground button and waited for the dropping pit feeling in her stomach.
"Gun led the quiet girl to his car in the parking lot. He knew why she was quiet, but he really didn't see why she was still freaking out. It wasn't that big of a deal...for him at least.
Irene was shocked to see his car. A foreign black car. The rimming was sharp, the interior and exterior were completely spotless. It looked like it was just made in the parking lot compared to the other cars in the lot. It was the type of car a business man would definitely drive. He really did have the money he was talking about.
Gun opened the door for her and let her step in. He was interested how this would go for the two of them. H didn't know her and she didn't know him, besides that he was interested in her and Irene was cautious. Usually every woman in sight would die to be all over him, but she wasn't.
He saty in the car and motioned for her to type her stores address in the giant screen on the dashboard in the middle of them. She did so. He used his palm to elegantly shift the car out of the lot into the street.
He shifted the manual car into each gear as he began to follow the blue line towards their destination. The entire time, Irene held onto her phone, ready to use it as a weapon or get ready for an emergency call. She was particularly aware and tense. Of course, Gun saw this. He could feel her tense muscles as if they were his own. She was scared.
"Are you comfortable? Is it too cold?" He asked, touching the knob for the AC. He pressed the button down, eyeing her with caution.
"Thank you. It's a bit cold." She answered. She gulped as she subconsciously gave away her anxiety through her body language.
"Where are your parents? Shouldnt they be taking care of you?" He asked, coming to a stop at a stop sign. Irene brought her eyes over to him, wondering why he was starting the conversation now.
"My mom lives in a different city." She answered, flatly.
"So, does your mother not know?" He asked.
"No, i havent told her yet. She would worry too much and probably worry herself sick." Irene said, giving a slight smile at the thought. She was completely lost in the thought about the debt though. The debt and the thought of a man taking her home.
It scared her that he was gorgeous and charming. She was scared some part of him would be amazing at doing something wrong. Doing something that she wouldnt catch. She felt llike she barely could trust herself after the man. She initially thought he was a good man just asking for directions, feeling guilty for being cautious.
"Are you still planning to go to the rocery store?" He asked her, driving on a main road with one hand. He was so nonchalant about taking her home, spending time helping some girl he didnt know. Irene saw this as an oppertunity. She could go to the store and he could drop her off there, then she would feel more at ease.
"Yes. Its closer than my house from here. Can you take me there instead?" She smiled, perking up with interest.
"Thats not a problem." He answered, then handing her his phone. "Play whatever you want."
"Thank you." She smiled, taking his newest version of the Apple iPhone. He had a lot of money. She saw his spotify and thought for a moment. She felt a little scared to open up some sort of her music taste to someone random, scared of being shamed.
"Do you like western music?" She asked.
"I'll listen to whatever." He answered.
"Well, that wasnt the question." She said, trying to make a small jab as a joke. She saw him grin and a cock of his angular brow. His fierce eyes shifted off the road to glance at her momentarily.
"Yes, i do." He answered, his deep voice rolling with perfection.
"Are you a music person or movie person?" She asked.
"When i said 'you can ask me any question' i think i was expecting more... serious questions." He said, grinning at her opening shell.
"I'd say this is a pretty serious question. Depending on your answer it changes my view on you." She said with a light heartedness. He scoffed.
"Music." He answered. She was silent as she picked the Butterfly album from Mariah Carey. "Did i answer right?"
"I suppose." She answered. She set his phone down on the middle console, letting the voice of Mariah make her go silent.
They talked minimally about music, and it made Irene feel a little less on guard. There was nothing she was absolutely set on when it came to him, but she did enjoy the banter and edge of the conversation. He drove smoothly with one hand resting on the door while steering, another set down on the shift stick. He took her to her neighborhood market and pulled into the somewhat empty parking lot around the corner. She was expecting him to drop her off at the front and unbuckled her seatbelt.
She was surprised to see him pull into a lane and start to park in between two fo the front cars. She gave him a confused look.
"Thank you for driving me. I genuinely appreciate it, but you dont have to come in with me. I will be okay from here." She said, feeling a little shy now.
"I understand, but what kind of man lets a hurt woman walk herself home and not help her?" He asked. He faced her for a short moment with the two of them trying to get a read on each other.
"Thank you." She gave a closed smile.
"Don't move. I'll open the door for you." He told her, opening his own door.
"Just because my arm is injured, it doesnt mean im completely crippled." She said as he was getting out of the comfortable, leather interior.
"Even if you werent injured, i'd still do so." He said, ducking in the car to tell her. She watched his pearly teeth clench as he grinned at her, closing the door.
While she was in the car by herself, she thought to herself. 'What are you doing, Irene? You have to be stupid to be with this man after what just happened.'
The other part of her watched as he opened the door for her on the other side. He was staring down at her, patiently waiting for her to step out of the car. Looking up at him, she thought to herself 'i want to trust him.'
In the store, he followed her around with a basket. He didnt say much, but allowed her to take her time as she was looking for good, cheap deals. He didnt complain about how long it took for her to choose one item, followed her around, picked up everything, held everything for her with ease. She was surprised he wasnt complaining, because consciously she knew she took long to decide with her indecisive-self.
"What're you looking for now?" He asked, standing behind her. she's been looking at this shelf for 6 minutes, walking back and forth for the tenth time. Shes been staring at the toiletries, trying to choose the best brand and deal on sanitary wipes.
"That one." She said, stepping up on her tippy toes to reach up for the green, plastic jar. She reached up, doing the thing where she could barely skim her fingertips, hoping she could get it to fall down to her.
"Didn't i say 'i'll get everything for you?'" He asked, his voice low and close as she watched his hand stretch out and hold the plastic jar. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat, turning around instantly. The scent of his strong cologne was pleasant and felt expensive. Her eyes travelled up from the chest of his suit, up to his adams apple, up his prominent jawline, to his dark eyes staring down upon her.
"Okay." She said, feeling her skin grow hot from embarrassment. She ducked away from his body and walked quickly to the next aisle.
Gun drove the two home and helped her take all the groceries inside the house. Undoubtably, she tried to assure him she didnt need his help, but he insisted. He was surprsied to see how awful her home was and how torn down it was. He was appalled by the conditions all inside the neighborhood. He tried to fathom how such a beautiful, kind woman lived in the slums like this. It added onto the layers of this woman he didnt know.
"Thank you for everything. Is there anyway i can repay you?" She asked, standing outside his car window. He looked up at her, examining all of her doe like features. No flaw could be seen on this woman, besides her injuries.
"No, our conversations were enough." He grinned once again. A confident mannerism.
"Are you sure, i can pay you- not much, but i can." She insisted.
"No, i dont need your money. Just make sure to keep yourself out of any fights in the future. I would hate to have to do this again." He said, giving her a look over his sunglasses.
"I told you it was from the stairs." she said, catching her off gaurd.
"Right. Call me if you need me." He said, using his index and middle fingers to hand off a business card. The card was black, and felt expensive with a matte cover.
"Really?" She cocked her brow at him, not impressed, but continuing the banter.
"I enjoyed today, so if you text i wont turn down any moves." He grinned, starting to put up his tinted window. She didnt realize how tinted his windows were.
"Hey-"
The car drove off, leaving Irene feeling some sort of unidentifiable feeling. How strange.