Dalnim
" Dalnim, so the moon, why'd your parents name you the moon goddess?" He asked, from the living room, as I walked back from my room.
I shrugged my shoulder, and sat there unsure how I felt about the current situation I was partaking in. I didn't know whether to tell him about Ae-Ra or remain silent considering I too was in the dark. I checked my phone waiting for a call but the one I wished would call, never did.
" What an awful boyfriend, if I was your boyfriend I'd call you often Dalnimshi, you're smart you're beautiful you have a strong mannerism." Hae-ju said with a drunken stare. I bit my bottom lip and stood but as my face grew hot for whatever reason it may have been.
We stared at one another for alittle longer in the silence, Hae-Ju leaned towards me but I didn't move, I didn't want to though I did, my emotions stirred in the heat of the moment. I moved out of the way, like one on a diet walking past a beautiful piece of cake.
" Sir go to sleep we have work in the morning." I responded as I quickly walked and got comfortable sliding into the comfort of my bed. I pondered a bit in uncertainty while I checked my phone rewatching the filmed moment that was recorded through my security camera, before deleting in fear of anyone ever seeing it.
The hardship in the events of moments prior had to do with the soothing stare he gave when I was simply making a joke of my beauty. The way he stared made me feel both at ease but guilty to receive such a stare.
It was a simple drunken gaze, even so, I melted in the midst of winter under my blanket due to the accelerating heart beat I was cursed with at the moment, I watched the door, my eyes glowing in the dark, I felt by how I opened them, the dark brown of my eyes shrinking due to the adjustment to the dark in anticipation as they stood guard just a little over my blanket, watching the voice of my drunk guest slip through the cracks of door and into my room to sing into my ears.
After I hid myself in a room alittle longer, thirst got ahold of me, so silently I slipped out of bed to walk towards the kitchen. From the kitchen as I got my drink, I peered over towards where he laid and took a sip. I took in his face with my eyes, his innocent aspect of a handsome aroma when he's silent and not annoying.
While I distracted myself and was about to take in another sip, he gave a loud sneeze causing me to jolt and drop my cup of water onto the counter. After cleaning up the indirect mess he made, I walked over to my room and brought back an extra blanket, I laid it over him the best I could. And was ready to head out, yet out of random he grabbed my arm, brought me in and gave me a hug. I laid there with my hands on his chest ready to lift myself up but I didn't have the mental strength to do so.
He raised his arms tighter around me as he pulled me onto his other side, squishing me a bit.
" agh... sir, " I managed to say. Still he was sound asleep, thinking of Ae-ra as it would make sense to do so. After a few more pats of his shoulder he finally woke up alittle just as confused as I was at the action made in me first place.
" Yah! Dalnimshi, what... what!" I sighed and pointed over my tv " I have a camera if you need proof, you pulled me towards you, you might've been thinking of Ae-ra I promised nothing else happened." I said as I excused myself ready to run with the heat of the moment converting into a very uncomfortable position for me.
" ah, good night sir." I managed to say as I rushed away towards my room. I took in a mental high of confusion and withheld myself away from the random beating of my chest, surely I needed to workout more often all that it seemed to convert to was the fact that I had been out of shape, surely that's what it was beating for. I sighed once more and walked towards my bed.
Just like that I forced myself into sleep... it wasn't till around an hour before work when I felt a hand poking at my shoulder. " surely you're constantly almost late for work. You don't give yourself enough time to get ready." I heard someone say.
" look at the time!".
" I'm not ever late for work." I mumbled back.
I regained comfort in my sheets, after a few moments my eyes opened wide and I did a 180 to face the scariest yet most beautiful site in the world, my mother and in from the door my sister walked in with a plate of food.
" Eomma!" I bellowed out of both fear and happiness.
" sorry we left earlier without word my love." she said as she came in and gave me a hug.
" How'd you hold up? You must be hungry, eomma made some food for for you, I'll prepare it for you." My mother said as she walked over to the kitchen she was dressed in black pants, with a beautiful burgundy blouse to match, with her hair up in bun, all I saw was the image of my youth when she did just the same, preparing food for us all.
Once she got to the kitchen I heard her shout out.
" You aren't starving yourself are you? I told you many times-."
" Eomma I'm not!" I responded back. " Then why is your fridge so small, you have nothing in here but alcohol, Dalnim!"
" I had a bunch of food yesterday but I had a —." I started before I remembered the reason the sight of my mother also became fearful.
" Shit! Si—." Before I could finish my sentence I heard a scream from the bathroom, likely coming from my sister.
" well shit, and all things unfortunate." I mumbled.
" Ah jinja.... what was that?" My mother asked while she marched over.
" Oh nothing!" My sister yelled as she opened the door up alittle, and peered over to look at my mother while I walked into the hallway. She raised her brows up, seductively implying the worst, then gave me a wink, while my mother kept peering over towards the stove at what she was cooking.
" I'm just fascinated by how beautiful this bathroom is." My sister answered. My mother shook her head and rolled her eyes as she walked away.
" maybe if you passed your exams you could live the same lifestyle." My mother mumbled as she walked away from my sister and I back into the kitchen.
" He's not disappointing." My sister mumbled.
It took a while to hint onto what she implied. I widened my eyes and shook my head.
" Unnie!" I whispered with anger in both distaste and annoyance, unable to shout.
" I'll distract mom, you walk him out. " my sister said, the plan hadn't even started yet, when Hae-ju walked wrapped in a towel towards my room,
There was a clearing of the throat, My mother came over in front of all three of us, the blanket and his clothes folded onto the couch neatly she held in her hands. Her face petty as ever as she shook her head. My sister tried walking onto the bathroom but I reached to grab her, almost falling over Hae-Ju. While he tried to save me his towel almost fell.
" Are you trying to flash an old woman right now?!?" My mother asked in pettiness.
He shook his head and backed away in fear.
" Eomma... nothing at all like you think I have a video camera over there, by the tv on the couch where he slept I have one in my room I could show it to you, nothing happened! He was stressing and came in for a drink, I didn't want him driving or walking home." I added.
I watched my mother's face relax, as she shot a few stares towards Hae-Ju. " Then let's watch it." She said as she walked over to the couch. She patted besides her for Hae-Ju to sit, and I sat on her other side. The recording played and it wasn't until the part of staring at him from the kitchen did I move away from my mother.
Both she and Hae-Ju in shock, my mother out of confusion at why her precious daughter was touched by a man, and Sir by fear for getting killed by my mother as well as shock of his actions being how drunk he was.
" Eomma!" That was all!" I defended.
My mother said nothing she just started into the recording of my room. All the recording showed was me sleeping for a few hours, fanning myself, peeking out the door, then sleeping, my mother looked over at me then fast forward a bit before stopping.
Hae-Ju was in my room, it seemed.
He placed something on my night stand, stared at me for a few seconds, then came back to readjust my blanket over me properly.
" Don't get sick, and work hard, I'm sorry for my words at times, alright? Thank you for always helping me out." He said.
Now aware of his words, he avoided my eyes as I avoided his.
Then the recording went back to an empty room where I slept before my mother came.
We turned off the television and Hae-Ju continued to avoid my eyes, my sister stood up, went to the room and brought back what was left on my nightstand.
" A check." My sister said with her eyes opened wide.
" this is like 1000 USDs." My sister said in confusion.
" Sir..." I mumbled. Everyone turned and stared at him.
" For letting me stay the night, eat your food, drink your alcohol and for a new fridge, you barely have food to begin with and it's much to small." He ranted.
" Who are you to look down on my daughter's fridge size." My mother intervened.
" Eomma..." I whispered.
" Eomma you said the same thing not too long ago." My sister chimed in.
My mother looked beside her and gave Hae-Ju his clothes, then barked.
" go get dressed!"
Hae-Ju did so.
My mother walked my into my room and helped me get ready, keeping a barrier between Hae-Ju and I; after I got out of the shower. She gave me a white blouse with a black knee length skirt, before ordering me out the room. She helped me with my makeup then walked Hae-Ju and I to the door.
" So you're the one that helped pay for our brother's bills." My sister interjected from beside my mother, you're better looking in the daytime too." She finished.
" Dalnim, nae dongsang ( my little sister ) good catch." She said before my mother tried getting a wack at my sister.
" Come home together both of you I'm may be preparing dinner. " my mother insisted. " We'll see that is if your brother doesn't need me."
" Eommaaaa, we don't live together!" I insisted, she nodded her head and shooed us away. "truly ma'am It's not nes—." Hae-Ju made effort to do.
" I really despise people who try to get out of things they are required to do." My mother interrupted.
" does 7:00 or 6:00 in the evening work best for you?" He quickly asked. I stared with my mouth left a gap and shook my head, as I walked away.
" She'd kill me and never get acquitted I can't risk that." He finally said once we got to our cars. I just nodded my head and walked to my car. Before I got into mine, I took the check out of my pocket and opened his hand placing it into.
" Sir, the things you said..?" I asked but didn't get a chance to finish before he became defensive.
" Don't read too deeply into it, Dalnimshi, I don't want you to think I see you romantically, as much as I see you as a little sister. No offense but you're-." He was looking at the sky as he went into a rant. I ignored the rest, therefore unsure whether I cut him off or not, I just began to speak.
" The gesture is enough, keep your money, I'm paying you back for going through what my mom just put us through just now." I chuckled awkwardly.
I gave him back the check and walked into my car. He stared as I drove away, then walked to the doorbell and handed my sister the check. Before walking to his car and too driving away.