- I spoke with Jin a while ago. He will not be able to join us. He is under observation. He will stay at home for a few days because his mother is suspicious of him - Jisoo announced, returning to the living room.
It was the middle of the night, and they were sitting on the couch, waiting for Jin to show up at his secretly purchased apartment. He had acquired it some time ago, slowly tying his future to Jisoo. He realized that his family would never in his life allow him to marry the woman he loves, so he secretly secured his future from them.
- Why didn't my brother tell you the truth from the beginning? - Chanmi turned to her friend as she sat down next to them. - He was planning a future with you, he had long been able to give up all his possessions, and he told you that he would not be able to do so.
- Because he would rather not announce it - Rowoon interjected. The redhead furrowed her eyebrows, looking at him suspiciously.
- So you've known about everything for a long time?
- A best friend will always know everything first - Jisoo defended him. - It seems to me that for a while Jin himself was lost in all this. Although he was slowly securing his future, he himself wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to turn his back on his family. When I thought it over, I finally began to understand him.
Chanmi lowered her face and pushed her hair back, looking depressed. Instantly, she thought about it: who are her biological parents? Was she abandoned by them, or was she kidnapped for money to give her heart to the real daughter of the Kim family? If so, were they looking for her?
She still couldn't grasp why, after the death of the real Chanmi, she took her place? Why didn't they just get rid of her? Was she really meant to replace the sadness and despondency in the hearts of parents who had lost their child? If that was the case, why did they now throw her out of the house like unnecessary trash?
- Tonight I probably won't be able to sleep - she announced, lifting her face. - What do you say we have a drink of alcohol?
They looked at Chanmi as if she were a freak as she approached her brother's bar, which was located in the living room, right next to the kitchenette.
- Just like that, can we take alcohol that belongs to Jin? - Rowoon scratched his head. - He rather doesn't like it when something is taken without his permission.
- There are no strangers here. There is his best friend, his sister, well, and the girl who will soon become his wife - Chanmi replied.
- Wife? He hasn't even proposed to me. - Jisoo snorted under her breath.
The redhead set three bottles of red wine on the table, then handed them ordinary glasses, noting that her brother had not yet managed to buy glasses.
- Alcohol he has, but the right glassware is gone - she sighed. - I think I know what I should buy him for the apartment.
Wine made Chanmi able to forget, at least for a few hours, the unpleasantness she had experienced from the people she loved and respected, even though the same blood did not flow in her. Alcohol allowed her to laugh and joke with her friends.
Eventually, she became sad when her companions got drunk to the point of unconsciousness. Rowoon didn't have a strong head, which is why he never exceeded the norm, but Jisoo was like a bottomless well, so it's strange that she dropped out so quickly.
- You must have been tired, friend - Chanmi announced, patting her on the back. Her lips formed a sad shape as she concluded that she still wouldn't fall asleep. - Should I go for a night walk to get some fresh air?
If she had been sober, she probably would never have come up with this crazy yet dangerous idea. At that moment, however, she acted as if her brain had evaporated instead of alcohol.
She wrapped herself in a blue sweater as she stepped outside, then looked around. It was one o'clock in the morning, and at that hour she was passed only by drunk people who were returning home from a company meeting.
She walked ahead, contemplating her future. For now, she could stay with her brother and not worry about waking up under a bridge tomorrow. She knew that Jin would do anything for her and would never let her suffer. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to stay with him for a long time. She couldn't. After all, he also had his life. He planned to move away from his family, marry Jisoo and live with her in the place he had been preparing for them for a long time.
How could she be a fifth wheel in such a situation?
Undoubtedly, she had to do something with herself. The time had come when she should start being independent and coping with life.
The first step was to find a job and rent a room. She had to take a hard look at herself if she wanted to achieve anything.
- Chanmi... - She fixed her terrified gaze on the dark alley from which the voice came. - Don't be afraid of me, please.
Fear caused her to immediately sober up.
- Who are you? What do you want from me? - She asked in a panicked voice, slowly backing away. - Why do you keep following me? Where did you come from in the middle of the night?
She was one hundred percent sure that the voice did not belong to Jungkook. Could it be that her dream, which was a warning, actually represented the truth?
- I got scared when I noticed that you had left the apartment. I wanted to watch over you to make sure no harm came to you.
Her heart pounded like a hammer as she continued to look into that dark space, where she could only see the outline of a silhouette.
- Who are you?
- Your guardian angel. I don't want you to see me, but I want to protect you.
- Is this a joke?
She had no idea who this man was, but this was not normal. Did she have an app on her phone so he could follow her?
- I'm not joking, Chanmi said.
Chills ran through her body. She was starting to be scared as hell.
- I don't wish you to follow me. I can take care of myself - she announced in a raised voice.
- Don't be angry with me, please. If I could, I would show myself to you, but I would rather not scare you.
- It is at this point that you scare me the most! - she answered him with a shout.
- You are the one scaring him, hysterical. - Someone put his hand to her mouth, embracing her from behind. She was sure that this time she heard Jungkook's voice. - Since you can't behave, we'll kidnap you for a while.
All that came out of her mouth was a purr as Jungkook prevented her from moving her lips. She was so frightened when he started pulling her toward the car that she fainted in his arms.
*
She woke up on a soft mattress. With a concerned look, she looked around the room, realizing that she was in a strange place. She threw off the bedclothes and rose from the bed, eyeing every corner with distrustful eyes.
The last image she remembered was the appearance of her pursuer, followed by Jungkook, who covered her mouth and forcibly dragged her to the car.
Had she actually been kidnapped by this pig?
She reached the door and opened it wide, looking carefully around the apartment. It was a luxurious apartment, the interior of which even oozed wealth.
She ran down the stairs, spotting Jungkook sitting on the couch in the living room. He was sipping whiskey, looking relaxed.
- Will you explain to me sick bastard what you are doing?
He looked over his shoulder and set the glass down on the table, focusing all his attention on Chanmi.
- Have you come to your senses yet?
- By what right did you kidnap me?
- Stop panicking. I only kidnapped you for a while, since you couldn't behave on the street. - He rolled his eyes. - By the way... why were you wandering around alone in the middle of the night? Weren't you afraid?
- The only person I should be afraid of is you - she announced, piercing him with furious eyes.
- I just didn't like how you treated my brother.
- Your brother? - She asked, raising her eyebrows, but after a moment she understood who Jungkook was talking about. - This stalker who knows my name is your brother?
- I'm sorry, Chanmi, if I scared you.
She looked to the side and froze when she spotted a boy in a black sweatshirt, whose hood covered most of his face. In the light, only his mouth was visible to her.
- We understand that you were scared. We shouldn't play with you like that, forgive us," Jungkook stated. - This is the real Chansung. Your childhood friend, whom I'm trying to protect and, above all, avenge for the harm your family did to him.
Her heart stopped beating as the boy removed the hood from his head. Horror, sadness, as well as longing filled her heart when she saw the face that was covered with terrible scars. The boy's skin was so burnt that he looked like a monster at first glance.
Chanmi put her hands to her mouth, shedding tears. With horrified eyes, she stared at the boy's massacred face, unable to believe her own eyes at the sight she witnessed.
- This is what your family did to Chansung. Not only did they kill his mother and little sister, but moreover, they tried to murder him as well. Miraculously, he managed to survive, although he had a wasted life. He hides from people, only coming out in the dark when he wants to see you.
The redhead fell to the floor. Pale as a corpse, she stared at her best friend's face, feeling the monstrous pain ripping through her heart.
- How is it possible... - she said in a whisper.
- If it wasn't for me and my father, who that day stopped by car to help him, Chansung wouldn't be standing in front of you now. We saved his life when he was giving his last breaths," Jungkook announced, and Chanmi became weak again.
- Oh my god...
Chansung crouched down in front of her friend, looking at her with sad eyes. She raised her hand and touched his scarred face. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her heart was torn by terrible pain.
- How much did you have to suffer? - She asked in a whisper.
- My suffering was overcome by the thought of you. I wanted to survive, believing that one day I would meet you again.
Chanmi couldn't stand it and embraced him tightly, shedding tears into his shoulder.
- Chansung, I missed you so much. There wasn't a day when I didn't think of you.
He stroked her back, shedding tears of sadness.
- Do you remember? One sunny day, when we were sitting in the garden, I swore to you that I would not die until I saw you happy and living a good life. I kept my word. I'm going to help you to have a peaceful future away from that nasty, demonic family.
- No. This time it is I who must promise you that I will take care of you and compensate you for all the harm. I will take responsibility for the pain you experienced.
Jungkook smiled slightly as he watched his friends weaving in an embrace. He knew that Chansung had been waiting for this for a long time. He wanted to meet Chanmi again, talk to her, and hug her....
It was his longing for her that made him suffer the most.