September 15, 2019
Ari stretched and sighed. She had no desire to get up, but she had to. Her shift was in less than two hours.
After what happened at Izeul's home, she had been hiding with her friend Mae for a while, but for a week she had her own rented apartment and was working as a waitress in a restaurant.
Ari hated second shifts, but she had no choice. She didn't want to go back to being a babysitter, she couldn't bear to look after a child that reminded her of Izeul.
She missed the little one terribly. She stood up and walked to the bathroom, wondering if Izeul was following the regimen she had imposed. Does anyone remember that five days ago she had a checkup at the dentist.
She looked into the mirror and craned her neck. The traces of that man's hands were almost gone. Ari forced the memory away and undressed, stepping into the shower.
After about an hour and a bit, she had almost reached the restaurant where she worked. Staring at the ground, Ari was still thinking about Izeul.
An arm slid around her waist and she flinched, gasping in shock. "Hi honey" she gritted her teeth at the familiar voice.
"Are you following me?" Ari asked, looking up at Hwan. "Of course, honey, how else can I make sure you don't have other men hanging around you" Ari gaped at his blunt answer.
"You know we broke up, right?" she asked but he just shrugged. "You may have broken up with me, you may have even slept with that first one, but you're still mine, baby, and always will be until I decide otherwise" he shook his head.
"For God's sake, get off me!" she hissed, removing his hand from her waist. However, he pulled her back and his fingers dug painfully into her body. "No, thanks" he whispered in her ear and she shuddered in disgust.
"Let me go, Hwan!" Ari looked around, but no one was paying attention, and she gritted her teeth. "Oh no, baby, you're not escaping me, ever again!" he wrapped his arms around her back, synchronizing their steps.
Ari looked up, a few more steps. She tried to break away from Hwan's arms again. "Leave me alone, dammit!" Ari hissed angrily and spun around, delivering a loud slap to his grinning face.
He let her go and grinned even wider. "You know, I used to get bored of you, but this new boldness of yours… It's so arousing, baby…" he leaned over her and she blinked, ready to throw up in disgust.
"Go, Hwan, I'm at work!" she stepped back, clinging to the restaurant's staff entrance, hoping to get rid of him that way. "Only if you say you'll come back to me!" he demanded and rested his hand on the wall, looking down at her.
"Never!" Ari hissed and backed the door open, sneaking in and slamming it in his face.
That was all she had left, as if her life wasn't bad enough, her ex had also decided he wanted her back. As if she would once again give in and leave herself in his hands.
Ari sighed and opened her locker, preparing for her shift. She changed, tied her apron around her waist, put her errand bag and pen in her pocket, tied her hair in a ponytail, and put on her official smile.
"Isn't that a little too much?" Seokjin raised an eyebrow and Namjoon gave him a sidelong look. "Why should it be more?" Namjoon asked looking around. “She works here, Namjoon,” Seokjin reminded him.
"She works for me, it's…" he stammered. "It's....Temporary, yes, temporary" Namjoon nodded, sure of his words. “Hyung, just hold back” Jungkook pleaded, standing on the other side of Namjoon.
"I'm always restrained!" Namjoon stuttered and Jungkook looked at him curiously. "Yeah right." Hoseok laughed.
"Let's wrap up and go home." Namjoon demanded, but before he could take a step Seokjin stopped him. "Namjoon, don't push her, I'm sure she's scared enough of you already" Namjoon glared at him.
"It was a mistake, clearly, it won't happen again!" Namjoon growled and Seokjin shook his head. "God help us" he sighed and followed Namjoon.
Ari wiped her hands on her apron and began arranging glasses on the tray. "Is that all?" she nodded and gave the bartender a small smile.
The moment she turned to take the order, however, her plate dropped to the floor. "Ariii!" Jungkook lunged at her and she blinked, dropping the tray.
"Jungkook? What…" he held her close and she gasped for breath. "I missed you so much!" he chirped and pulled away slightly, showing her his bunny smile that nearly closed his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Ari asked looking around. He pulled away, smirking. "Namjoon hyung insisted" he explained and she lowered her eyebrows looking around.
Everyone in the restaurant had turned and stared at the door. Ari blinked in amazement as she watched the six men approach, dominating the setting.
Her eyes met Namjoon's. He walked confidently ahead of the others, keeping his eyes on her. "Jungkook, what is He doing here?" Ari asked quietly, stepping back until she was behind him.
“I told you, he insisted” Jungkook looked over his shoulder at her, still smiling. Ari shook her head, cringing. The closer Namjoon got, the faster her heart beat.
"Damn it!" she muttered under her breath. "I'll call you" she whispered into Jungkook's ear and, not wanting any scenes, looked away from the group, walking towards the kitchen door.
"Get her!" Namjoon's voice boomed and before Ari could hide and run, her wrist was trapped. "Let me go, Jungkook!" she cried, looking at him pleadingly.
"Listen to him Ari please" he looked at her with his big doe eyes and a small smile. "Please, Jungkook…" she timidly looked back at Namjoon.
"Please, Ari, just…" he was cut off by the manager. "Any problems sir?" Jungkook looked at him with annoyance. "No" he replied and turned back to Ari. "Then would you let go of my waitress's hand?" asked the manager again, interrupting him a second time.
"She's not a waitress!" Ari closed her eyes, lowering her head. "Please?" the manager blinked at Namjoon who was coldly staring down at him.
"Can we talk?" Namjoon ignored the manager, glancing at Ari who avoided his gaze. "Nothing to talk about" Ari replied quietly.
“Miss Hyun…” Namjoon bit his lip, looking at Seokjin. "Ari, please, let's get out before this guy kills someone because of you" Seokjin leaned towards her and she looked at him startled.
"Fine" she sighed at last, taking off her apron and handing it to the astonished frowning manager, walking back to the changing rooms. Namjoon's hand stopped her. "I'll just get my things" he nodded and let her go.
"Good boy" a grinning Seokjin praised him as they all walked out to wait for Arie outside. Namjoon snorted but said nothing. It was more than clear to everyone that he was uncomfortable, it was not easy for him to apologize.
"Alright, I'm listening" Ari walked out the side entrance and stood across from them, clutching her bag tightly. "Shall we go home?" Hoseok suggested looking around.
"Why, so he can finish what he started?" Ari asked and glared at Namjoon who gritted his teeth. “Namjoon…” Seokjin growled warningly.
"Just wanted to talk in peace" Taehyung stepped forward and Ari blinked. "I don't think there's anything to talk about. Your Mr. Kim tried to kill me. End of story" she sighed and closed her eyes, lowering her head.
Yoongi stepped forward as well, grabbing her armpit and pulling her aside. "Ari, please. What Namjoon does is important to him, as it is to us." Ari glanced sideways at Namjoon, who had his eyes locked on her, watching her intently.
"What does that have to do with me and why should I do anything for him? He tried to strangle me without even giving me a chance to defend myself" she snorted and looked at him again. “I know but now we are with you and I assure you, he will never do anything like this to you again, just give him a chance” Yoongi gripped her shoulders.
“Ari, this is the first time Namjoon has tried to make an effort to act like a human being since his wife was killed…” she gasped.”She was killed? I thought…” Yoongi shook his head. “She was killed and died in his arms. He's been more machine than human ever since.” Ari looked at Namjoon again.
"Please give him a chance, he's not that bad…" she bit her lip, still looking at Namjoon who didn't move from his seat looking at her.
"Besides, Izeul misses you so much, she refuses to even look at him" he smiled slightly and Ari sighed in resignation. “It's blackmail, I hope you know that” Yoongi nodded and smiled widely.