I awoke feeling guilty that I felt so good about Kai staying with me. I tried my hardest to see things for what they were, which was Kai losing everything she had ever earned and having to start fresh, but all I could think about was how lucky I was to have her stay with me. I didn't need to go out of my way to listen to her very move through the wall or worry about her, because she lived with me. I was excited to see her every day. I pulled my phone from under my pillow and called the office. I told them to put Kai on paid leave for the next week, so she had time to recover. As I finished the phone call, I heard a glass shatter downstairs. I quickly jumped into some sweatpants and rand own to check what happened. Pieces of glass were shattered on the kitchen floor as Kai and my cleaner Choi were both standing surrounded by it.
"Oh, Mr Wang. I am so sorry. I am such a klutz. I apologise." Choi looked mortified, continuously bowing to me, while kai proceeded to rub Choi's back, telling her it was okay. "I'll clean it right up, Mr. Wang." She said ready to take a step forward.
"Don't move." I insisted, getting the broom that was lying against the kitchen table. I brushed the glass from their pathway, making sure to get it all in one pile, so neither Choi nor Kai step on it.
"Thank you so much Mr Wang. I'm so sorry." Choi continued to bow apologising, before taking over the sweeping. I came to stand beside Kai as Choi continued to swept up the glass and seemed to have disappeared. I looked over to Kai as she placed another glass in the sink and I realised she was dressed for work.
"I called the office and gave you a week off." I said, making her swiftly turn around and face me.
"Oh, Thank you." She said with a smile. We both stood in silence, not having much else to say to each other.
"I'll go shower and then I can change your bandages for you." I smiled turning around. She didn't say a word just watched me make my way upstairs, back to my room.
Kai's P.O.V.
In a matter of seconds my whole life seemed to change. I didn't think that was possible. I never thought something so awful would happen to me. I worked hard my whole life to be a good person, but it seemed it wasn't enough. I didn't know what to do with myself. I had lost everything I had ever bought, and I had nothing left. Fei had left me several of her clothing to wear around the house and to work, which only made me realise that I really had nothing left. Not even a piece of clothing to wear. I had nothing. My birth certificate, my laptop, my phone, everything was burned. I didn't deserve for this to happen to me. I'm a good person. I was lucky to have become friends with Jun and be offered to stay with him. I didn't want to be selfish and complain about having lost everything when he had also lost the apartment next door, which he had only just purchased. I tried my hardest to compose myself and just concentrate on starting over, but I didn't know where to begin. I was thankful that Jun saved me, and I was alive, but I was starting to feel like a burden. He had saved me so many times and now I was living in his penthouse. Surely, I was finished. There was no more misery to incorporate into my life, having been left with nothing.
I walked back to my room to change, having the week off to recover and plan my new start. My palms were still sore, but I couldn't really remember how I'd burned them. Everything was a blur. I could hardly put the pieces of the fire together. Jun had suggested that perhaps it was arson which made me feel uneasy. He continued to hide what had happened to the taxi driver and why his father was after me. I assumed It wasn't anything good. I was terrified to ask Jun anymore questions. I had no where to go, so I wasn't in a position to upset him and get kicked out. I knew that even Jun was starting to regret whatever he had done to the taxi driver. If I'd simply walked home like I had every single other time, none of this would have happened. I sat down on my bed waiting for Jun to come and help me change my bandages when I heard the lift door open. Curious, I peeked my head out of my door and found Jun's driver walking in. I had some brief encounters with him, but I still couldn't recall his name. Quickly Jun descended from upstairs and came to stand with him by the corner of the hallways. I tried my hardest to be quiet as I tiptoed to the corner and listened to their conversation.
"Did you find out anything?" Jun asked desperately.
"Yeah, it's not looking good." The man replied exhaling a deep breath. "It was definitely arson. So, we both know what that means." I felt a knot in my throat tighten. What does it mean? Am I in danger?
"Alright, get me all the information you can on the Park's. Don't say a word to Kai." Jun exhaled a deep breath and I quickly tip toed back inside my room and shut the door. My eyes began to water immediately, but I couldn't cry, I couldn't tell Jun that I eavesdropped on his conversation. I took a sip of the water, on my nightstand and sat back down on the bed, waiting for Jun to come in. A knock landed on my ajar door and Jun walked in with a smile. He was holding some new bandages and proceeded to come in and sit down beside me.
"So, what happens now?" I asked as he began to unwrap my bandages.
"What do you mean?" He asked looking up at me surprised.
"You said that that man was potentially coming after me for revenge. What happens if he does?" I asked bowing my head, feeling all of the emotions overwhelm me again.
"Then I will do everything I can to protect you." He smiled unwrapping the last bit of my bandages and rubbing oil into my burned red skin.
"Why?" I asked looking up at his perfectly aligned face. It seemed that no matter where you looked, he had it all. He was handsome and rich. He had a beautiful penthouse and a successful business. Why would he be interested in me?
"What?" He chuckled looking up at my serious face.
"I mean you didn't even like me until you moved in next door. Why are you doing all of this for me?" I asked looking into his deep eyes. His smile disappeared and he looked up at me concerned.
"That's not true, I never said I didn't like you." He shook his head concerned. "And why wouldn't I want to help you? All of this wouldn't have happened if I had let you go home when you were supposed to have left, instead of keeping you in there all night. Everything that's happened to you is my fault." He swallowed hard before looking down to my hands. He picked up the fresh bandages and began to wrap it up. I didn't know what else to say. "I shouldn't have let you stay so late that night." He shook his head again, continuing to wrap up my hand. I watched as guilt began to eat at him.
"This wasn't your fault." I said looking up at his sad face. "If it wasn't me it would have been some other girl who wouldn't have had someone like you to help her." I added on as he looked at me. We continued to gaze at each other for another second, as butterflies collected in my stomach. Intimidated by his eyes staring deep into my soul, I looked down to my bandaged hands. I could feel him continuing to stare at my face as I adjusted the bandage by my thumb. After a short minute, he cleared his throat and quickly got off my bed, collecting the old bandages and the wrapper from the new bandage and taking them with him. He stopped by the door looking back at me, but as our eyes met, he quickly took his leave. I wasn't sure what I had said to make him so uncomfortable. Though he had given me butterflies several times before, they had never been so strong.
I fell back on my bed, closing my eyes. I couldn't help but think of what happened. I could see the fire burning inside my mind. My heart began to race, and I tried to think of something else, something worth thinking about. The only other thing on my mind was Jun. His handsome face and deep eyes, staring into mine. The thought alone gave me butterflies. After a half hour of complete silence and my thoughts swarming with images of Jun. I lifted myself off the bed. As I sat up, I smelt the most beautiful smell of home cooked dumplings. My stomach began to growl instantly. I got myself off the bed and let my nose lead me into the kitchen, where a man was standing in a white uniform, cooking.
"Good afternoon Miss Chen." He bowed his head as he noticed me approaching.
"Hi." I smiled shyly as I approached the kitchen counter.
"I hope you like jiaozi." He smiled as I peeked to make sure he was making dumplings.
"I love it." I smiled exited. I could see from the corner of my eye Jun descending from the upstairs. He smiled awkwardly as he walked past the kitchen and into the living room. I gave the tall man in white a smile, and followed after Jun. As I walked into the living room, he was looking through some cupboards for something.
"What did I say?" I asked standing a couple feet away from him. I noticed his head cock up as he heard my voice and he slowly turned to look at me.
"What?" He looked mortified.
"Did I say something wrong? You practically ran out of the room." I said with a chuckle.
"No." He replied quickly. "I just uh…" He paused rubbing the nape of his neck. "I'm not very good at this. I didn't know what else to say." He looked around the room embarrassed.
"Okay." I replied with a smile returning to the kitchen.