Chapter 18
Worst Nightmare
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[[ JIYOO ]]
The horrors of my childhood.
The reason for my scars.
The nightmare that kept me awake and cowering in the dark.
As I looked at my father, I could hear the child version of me counting. Once again, everything would become quiet and all I could hear was his footsteps coming towards me. One, two, three...
He smiled wickedly. "Did you think I won't find you?" He asked.
I slowly backed away from him, like my whole being was trembling. There's a lump in my throat that I couldn't get rid of no matter how hard I swallow.
"W-What are you doing here, father?" I asked.
He laughedㅡthe way he did when I tried to talk back to him. "Did you seriously think your mother won't eventually give away where you're hiding?"
My eyes widened. "What did you do to her?"
I jumped and trembled harder when he slammed the alcohol bottle that he was holding against the wall. He aimed it towards me and I braced myself for the pain, "You piece of shㅡ"
But it didn't come.
I slowly opened my eyes and found Changgu holding his arm tightly. "If you try to hurt her again, I'll make sure to put you behind the bars this time." He said, jaw clenched and dark gaze unwavering, in a way I never thought he was even capable of.
My father looked at him. He looked at him and laughed hysterically, withdrawing his hand sharply. "Oh, who is this?" He asked, turning to me. "You've grown so much. You have a man in your house now?"
Changgu wasn't even shaken for a split second. "Please leave before I call the cops."
"Aish, this son of bitchㅡdidn't your parents teach you to mind your own goddamn business?" My breath hitched when he blew a quick punch on Changgu's face.
"Nooo! No! Stop!" I screamed, but the fight continued. Changgu blocked his punch and even though my father was a bigger man, he seemed to easily flip him over.
I looked around, trying to see clearer through the tears. I took a deep breath and looked for my phone.
I heard my father roar in anger and when I turned around, he's got an advantage on Changgu. "Stop, please!" I yelled. My hands shook as I called the cops. "911. What's your emergenㅡ" My phone flew out of my hand when father took it and threw it outside the door. I turned to Changgu and he was clutching his stomach, lip bleeding as he struggled to get up. "Changgu..."
"You ruined my life!" Father screamed.
But I couldn't look away from Changgu. Our eyes met and lingered in what felt like a slow motion. He's not okay.
"I've been out for some time. I asked your mom, that bitch, where she hid you." He laughed, "She didn't tell no matter what I did."
He grabbed my arm so tight, I felt like my bone would snap in two. "You're the reason why I had to spend my life in that stupid place, pretending they're getting to me." He talked closely to my face, I could smell the alcohol in his breath. "I promised myself I'll get back to you. It's what kept me going. That someday I can punish my own daughter who betrayed me-"
Changgu forced himself up, throwing himself towards my father to shove him away from me. "Get... away... from... herㅡ"
In a quick second, my father grabbed the bottle and smacked it on Changgu's head. "Nooo!" I screamed as he swayed and dropped on my feet. I crouched down and held his face. "Hey, you're gonna be okay. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." I told him, tears continuously falling on my face.
"YAAAAAH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Suddenly, a familiar voice was yelling in rage. Seunghyub ran so quick inside the house, his leg flying up and his foot meeting with my father's face. When he fell, Seunghyub took advantage of it by straddling him and throwing consecutive punches on his face. "HOW DARE YOU COME HERE?"
"Seunghyub, stop. Stop, you're gonna kill him! Please, Seunghyub..." I begged, watching his hand starting to get more and more blood.
And then I heard sirens.
Changgu chuckled despite his condition. "Criminal Code Act number 6, section 31, a person who assaults another in circumstances where the use of any form of instrument or substance, explosive
or otherwise, with the intention of inflicting physical injury..."
I looked at him and then moved my hand away from the back of his head, covered in his blood. "Changgu! Stop talking! Just... focus on staying awake, okay?"
The cops barged in and pulled Seunghyub and my father apart. Changgu reached for my face and stroked my cheek gently, "Don't worry. I'm not going die." He said, smiling weakly. "Just... testing my brain..." He tried to joke, but ended up coughing blood.
"I'm so sorry." I managed to say before the medics took him away. The next moments were a blur. Seunghyub put a hand on my shoulder. I looked at his bruises and pulled him in a hug.
⛄⛄
Seunghyub and I sat in the waiting room of the hospital. He just got his bruises treated. We were quiet for a while.
"How did you know to come?" I asked him.
"Your door is open. I heard screaming. My first instinct was exactly what I did."
"You're not the one who called the cops?"
"No, I didn't think about that..." He replied.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Changgu's gonna be okay, right?"
He nodded. "He'll be alright. But what about you? Are you okay?"
"I'm just waiting to hear about Changgu's condition. I'm leaving tonight. To mom."
"You don't think he did something to him, do you?" He asked, but before I could answer, Mijin showed up rushing to Seunghyub worriedly. "Oppa! What happened? Are you okay?" She asked, worriedly checking on him.
I gave them some time alone.
As I walked back and forth, recalling everything that happened, my attention went to the married couple who rushed towards the operating room's double doors. "Changgu, my son..." The woman said.
My heartbeat went louder as I made my way towards them. I bowed my head down. "Hello, I'm Son Jiyoo. I deeply apologize for putting your son into this situation." I said, before standing up straight.
To my surprise, his mom hit my cheek with a sickening slap. "Heyㅡ" Seunghyub yelled, but I signaled for him to stay back.
"Honey, you're being too harsh." Changgu's father gently told his wife, holding her arms as if to prevent her from laying a hand on me again.
"I'm sorry." I apologized again, tears welling in my eyes. "I never wanted for him to get hurtㅡ"
"How dare you?" His mother said in a deep, warning voice. "I'm sending my son to a prestigious school. I raised him so wellㅡbut he hangs out to the likes of you and he ends up in the hospital."
I bowed my head down again. "I apologize."
"Son Jiyoo, it's not your fault!" Seunghyub argued.
"Stay away from my son." His mother warned. My breath trembled as my heart broke.
"Please allow me to stay until I learn about his condition." I pleaded.
"Stay away from son right this instant."
"Honey..." His father seemed to disagree, but couldn't say anything more.
"Just until heㅡ"
"Do I have to repeat it slowly for you to understand? Stay. Away. From. My. Son. Right. This. Instant. Do you understand now?"
Seunghyub grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away. "Let's go." He said, then turned to Mijin. "Let's go, Mijin-ah."
I let myself cry silently outside the hospital. Neither Seunghyub or Mijin spoke. I took a deep breath and wiped my tears away before I turned to them. "I'm sorry for all of this. Thank you, Seunghyub, for being here." I turned to Mijin, "I'm sorry for putting Seunghyub in this situation."
"Eonni..."
"But can I ask you guys another favor?" I asked them.
"What is it?" Seunghyub asked.
"I'm going to the police station to give my statement. Please stay here and try to find out Changgu's condition. I'll take Seunghyub's phone for a while. Give me a call immediately. I'm leaving to my hometown. I need to check on mom. She's not picking up her phone."
Seunghyub looked at me worriedly. "How will you do that? There are no trains available anymore at this hour."
"I'll... take a cab. Can you do this for me?"
He sighed before nodding, "Fine. Will you be okay?"
"Do you want me to come with you, eonni?" Mijin asked softly.
I smiled at her gratefully. "No, you stay here with this tough guy."
"Be careful." Seunghyub said.
I went to the police station to give my statement. I asked them to contact the police department in my hometown to check on my mom too. And then, I went home and packed some clothes and money.
"What's your relation with the perpetrator?"
"He's my... father."
The words echoed in my head as I packed my things. In the end, I let myself sit on my bed and I began counting to calm my nerves.
I dialed my mom's number again and finally, she answered the call. "Jiyoo, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She immediately asked worriedly.
I shut my eyes close, tears escaping them again. "I'm not hurt. Are you okay? Why weren't you picking up, mom? I was so worried about you."
"I'm sorry, my daughter. I was already sleeping when I heard knocks on the door. The cops showed up here and told me what happened."
I took a deep breath. "Let's talk about this later. I'm coming there."
"Jiyoo, you don't need toㅡ"
"Mom! You and I have to talk."
There's a short silence before she spoke again, "Alright. I'll wait for you."
⛄⛄
[[ CHANGGU ]]
I woke up feeling a little dazed. When my vision began to clear, I found my parents hovering over me.
"Son," Dad said, leaning closer towards me. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"
"Jiyoo... where is she..." I muttered weakly.
"She left." Mom replied before sighing. "Why did you let this happen? What were you doing in that kind of neighborhood anyway?"
"I was... checking on my friendㅡ"
"That late at night?" She asked. "Changgu-ya, what's this? You're twenty-four. Isn't it too late to do things like these?"
"Honey..."
I looked at her in disbelief. "Things like what?"
"Are you rebelling? Is that girl bad influence to you? Changgu, my son, this is not you. You've always been good."
"Mom! My friend was being attacked! Do you expect me to just stand by and do nothing?" I asked, eyes widening.
"What did I tell you? Fist-fighting will only lead to injuries. Fight with law. Use your mind and your mouth."
I chuckled in disbelief. "Sometimes, we have to use all three."
"What? Son!" She exclaimed in shock.
Dad sighed, squeezing my hand. "That's enough. The important thing here is you're safe."
I looked away just in time to catch a glimpse of Seunghyub peeking through the window. I turned back to my parents. "I want to rest. Let's talk about this next time, please."
Mom argued, "Butㅡ"
"Alright, son. We'll talk about this later. You should rest. The doctor said you're fine. You just need a good rest." Dad said, giving me a reassuring smile.
"Thanks, dad."
Mom let out a sigh before turning her heels and walking out of the room with dad.
Seunghyub and his girlfriend, Mijin, came inside the hospital room. "Seunghyub-ssi, where is Jiyoo? Is she alright?"
He nodded. "Yeah, she's alright. Well, physically. Anyway, she wanted us to check on you. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Why isn't she here?"
He swallowed hard. "That..." Seunghyub told me everything that happened while I was unconscious. My fists clenched tightly as I listened. "Help me get out of here. I... I can drive Jiyoo to her hometown." I told him.
"Are you crazy? Your head just bledㅡ" He stared into my eyes and sighed. "Jiyoo will hate for me this."
"Please, help me."
"Are you sure you can manage?"
I nodded. "It's not like I was stabbed. I'm fine. I swear."