Once I made sure that Su-Jin's fever had subsided so he could keep sleeping peacefully, I got up and walked over to the pile of clothes.
My dress was still damp, but it was also late in the evening. I was starving and needed to go to the bathroom quite urgently.
So, despite the moisture of my clothes, I shoved it into my bag.
I needed to leave even though I knew Su-Jin wouldn't want it.
Not because of me, but because of his character, who would rather let me sleep in the middle of his huge bed, just so I wouldn't have to walk the dark streets alone.
I know he would.
Moreover, I knew he disliked my personality. He didn't like my facial expression, annoying nature and he didn't like my behaviour.
If he split right now, one of his selfs would lie there as helplessly as he is now, and the other self would like to slap me and weep for caring about something I have nothing to do with. For being in a guy's apartment that I don't even know the last name of.
Because of that I became even more aware that I had nothing to do here.
Through the spacious hallway came the sound of the door closing, which I tried to silence as much as possible.
In a few moments I was marching away from the extremely bright hotel complex with headphones plugged in my ears.
My hooded head covering my eyes as soon as I got off the bus near my apartment, staring at the ground, I ran to the main entrance.
I took the elevator to my floor, where my steps suddenly stopped.
Taking a slow glance from the apartment number to the visible slit, I saw that the door had not been closed and locked as I had left it.
My heart missed a few beats and my face paled.
The bag slid off my shoulder as I stepped into the ajar door with a sudden movement.
However, as soon as the sound of satisfied purring was heard, my muscles relaxed so much that I thought they would let go and I'll end up on the ground.
Sphynxie was in perfect order and was lying on the knees of a brunette in a tracksuit.
,,Mate where have you been?" This random carefree question came out of her lips and my world almost spun.
,,I will hope you didn't leave that door open on purpose." I said in a strangled voice and turned so I could go get my bag off the floor in front of the elevator.
,,I did what?" I heard behind me.
Just as I was about to put it off, something hard hit me on the top of my head.
It turned out to be a book that had been sitting on the back of the couch before.
My face lit up in surprise.
,,What makes you think you are able to walk into an apartment that is open at night, alone, without a weapon, even though it is locked?" Aurora frowned at me.
,,You're being serious, aren't you?" I was in disbelief.
Then another slam with book followed.
,,Mate! I'm the one should hit you with random stuff!"
,,I didn't do it on purpose!" she copied my tone of voice.
It was as if the pressure held somewhere in the back of my head had completely eased and immediately faded. Everything I kept in my tongue, I could now drop out. Carelessly.
My brain was relieved when she was here.
,,I'm so glad you're back." As I pulled her into a hug, I realized our home would no longer be empty as it had been for weeks.
,,What are you wearing?" she posed a question when she noticed the length of clothes of mine.
,,Something I have to return."
Unknowingly, I pulled the sleeved off t-shirt a little lower.
She nodded.
,,That brings back my previous question. Where have you been, Millie?" a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
The thought that I was unable to figure out what to call him made me look down.
How was our relationship?
,,Oh shit. Like for real? Have you really been to some guy?" As her expression changed, she seemed to be in amazement.
,,I was helping."
,,I know you were." She chuckled. Then she leaned over and buried her nose in the dark fabric.
,, It truly was a male company!"
A sarcastic look settled on my face.
,,How do you like putting kicks into my self-confidence?" After a brief pause, in which our gazes battled with each other, I spoke.
Within seconds, I felt my phone vibrate in my totebag and reached for it right away.
Despite the urgent tone of the voice coming after I picked up the call, I wouldn't know who it was if I didn't have time to look at the name on the lockscreen. Suddenly she sounded very different.
,, Did you make your way back to Mr. Jee's room after your walk?"
,, ... I'm afraid-"
,, Millie, he hasn't been seen since..." I was allowed to put a mental punch to my mind after Mrs. Kwack let her sentence stand.
,, We've already alerted the police, they'll be looking for him, don't worry. It was just a matter of making sure that you knew nothing about him." Even though she sounded kind, I knew that the guilt was mine and she knew it too.
,, Are there any others searching for him?" Another attempt to breathe from the water I was drowning in.
,, Several people from the night shift got involved."
,, Should anything change, please let me know." I tapped the red icon with those words.
It was a matter of course when I reached for my jacket with a plan to go out.
,, Is there something you wanna do tonight?" Aurora followed me into the hall, where I started putting on my old sneakers.
,, I need to fix something." I muttered as I took my beanie and scarf. There was a chill in the air as it grew colder outside by eleven o'clock in the evening.
However, when I was about to reach for the front door handle, her palm on my forearm detained me.
,,What's the matter?"
,, It is of utmost importance... I'll be right back." I assured her and left our apartment.
I tried to mull over some locations where he might be, but the only place he would really go if he got freedom was the only one.
We both knew her address, but it wasn't clear to me yet whether he could muster up the courage to really go there.
Nevertheless, if I wanted to track him down that was a good place to start.
This time, however, I didn't risk a walking path in the moonlight, so I preferred to catch a taxi.
After a few minutes' drive, the driver parked the car in the older neighborhood, but at the plot on which the half-broken house stood.
I got out, and if my senses could vomit, they would do so at that moment. It wasn't only a stink, but also an atmosphere that dug uncomfortably through my skin to the inside.
,, Would you mind waiting a sec here for me?" I turned to the man behind the wheel before striding slowly toward the ruin.
Growing weeds, unreal dust on everything I've looked at, cold and a lot more, which indicated that this building hadn't been inhabited for quite a few years and what caused this damage didn't happen only recently.
A frown appeared on my face. I was perfectly sure of the address, as if I couldn't be when it was written on every single letter that came to Mr. Jee and he then put it in a drawer one by one, all unopened.
A hint of a heart attack passed through my body as the loud sound of a car honking rang in silence.
It took me to a point that didn't add to the relief on my chest.
I headed back to the taxi with a clear goal to return to the area around the clinic. I didn't intend to give up.
Frankly with myself, the truth that now came to light before me turned all the certainties and uncertainties about Mr. Jee upside down.
All the envelopes on which his daughter's name was written must have meant much more.