On our far right, there was a young woman being forcibly dragged by a drunk and older guy to the direction of the fire exit.
"Sick. Old guys preying on young girls," I heard one of my friends say.
"Looks like she's being taken by force though," another one said.
"Oh, I think I know her. Isn't she one of the girls from the literature club in high school?" my cousin asked me after taking a closer look at the strange couple.
And that was when I turned around to see what was happening, and then I saw her, the girl whose family I have learned to hate. She was struggling to get away from the clutches of the drunk man that was dragging her away.
"I am definitely positive it's her," my cousin added.
"How do you know?" one of our friends asked.
"Well, my brother would always point her out to me in high school whenever we see her on campus, that she might have a thing for him since she was the only girl in the club who would not ask him about me or Ryo," my cousin explained.
"How is your brother by the way?" the same friend asked out of curiosity.
And then the conversation got switched to my older cousin who chose to be an editor instead of a lawyer as we made our way to the elevator.
"Are we not going to do anything?" my cousin asked, the question was directed more towards me than towards anybody.
"No," I answered flatly.
"Okay, but I feel bad though. If she is the daughter of the chairman of Furukawa's Hotels, then she might not have anything to do with that drunk at all. And, even if she was one of those girls, it still doesn't look like she is being dragged with her consent."
"Why don't you do something then?" one of our friends told him.
"Well, I don't really want to get my hands dirty," my cousin said with a shrug. I knew Aki would not want to get himself into that since he is trying his best to stay out of any sort of trouble because his law school is so strict with them.
I glanced back and took one last look at them, the girl and the drunk man forcing and dragging her around, before entering the elevator. They were just a few feet away from the fire exit now, I wondered why was nobody saving her, where are her friends? Just as the doors to the elevator was about to close, I did not know what has gotten into me but I stopped the doors from closing, I stepped out of the elevator.
"Hey!" I heard my friends call.
"Ryo!" I heard my cousin call but the elevator door has already shut closed.
Next thing I knew my feet were already dragging me towards the girl and the drunk old man. When I reached them, I grabbed the man by the collar and punched him right in the nose without thinking. My punch sent him reeling to the floor in agony. With adrenaline still rushing in my veins, I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the fire exit where we made our way down and out of the club and into the parking lot.
I don't know what I was thinking but I sure blame my mother for it. She would always remind me never to hit or hurt girls, always help them instead, no matter how much you hate them. She would always tell me to protect the weak.
I ran towards where my car was parked, somehow, we made it there sooner than my companions since I saw that my cousin's car was still parked beside mine. We stopped running right in front of my car, we were both panting, I was still holding her hand but immediately let go as soon as I realized. She was wearing a black cocktail dress and wore high heels, I cursed myself when I did not even consider that and just dragged her with me out here to the parking lot. Her feet must have hurt.
We were silent and still panting from running, and then I heard my phone rang, it was my cousin. He asked me where I was and when I told him, he said that he and our friends have decided to drink another round on the bar. I told him that I won't be coming back there and would go on without them. The girl was no longer panting now but she was still silent beside me. I took off my jacket and quickly wrapped it around her, after that, I proceeded to open the door to the driver's seat.
"Does your feet hurt?" I asked her.
She shook her head.
"Thank you. For saving me," she told me with her head bent down. She looked like she was about to cry and I don't want that since I am not good dealing with women who activate the waterworks.
'Dammit, of all the girls it had to be her,' I silently cursed myself for meddling into her business.
"You going back there? Where are your friends?" I asked.
"I'm not sure if I'd like to go back, but yeah, my friends are still in the club," she said.
"I'm going home myself now, if you want I can drive you home, but if you'd rather you'd take a taxi," I faltered and asked myself, 'Why can't I leave her alone?'
"I'll just call my friends and tell them that I went home. I don't want to impose on you anymore so I'll just take a taxi home," she said.
I wanted to tell her that she was not imposing on me at all but stopped.
"Okay then, suit yourself," I said and got into my car. I can see that she was still shaken by what happened but I can't start caring now.
"Your jacket," she said to me.
"Keep it," I said and then I drove off.
***