AZIZAM | kth

۷ haft - 7

هفت

Her eyes hastily opened. Sweat dripping down her temples as she tried to steady her heavy breathing. A nightmare had haunted her - a overexaggerated, dreadful memory - once again. Adjusting her breathing, she realized that she had fallen asleep in her car after giving back the van. Searching for her mobile phone, she saw the time. It was already dark and as she looked through the windshield, she saw the glistering stars shining bright. Leaning back, she let out a sigh. Opening the door, she got out and locked the door after getting her purse. As she walked down the busy streets of Seoul, all she could do was reminisce. Reminisce on the memories she had left. On the dreams, she had left. Strolling through the streets, she occasionally locked down, kicking stones away and when she reached the desired place, she finally locked up.

"I still belong with you, anywhere you are." Two particular stars shone brightly.

Mrs Yukihira recognized the petite instantly. With a heavy heart, she gestured to a waiter to bring Azizah her desired liquor. After the waiter put the bottles onto the table and left, Azizah leaned into the puffed seat. Sighing, she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry but without you I am nothing."

Holding onto his shirt, she sobbed heavily. "T-then... they j-just..." Hiccuping, she continued as her tears wettened his yellow shirt. "It's alright, you're with me now." Opening her eyes, she was met with his beautiful brown orbs. Despite her make-up being all smudged, her cheeks flushed and her eyes, he had never seen a more beautiful woman.

"They ripped off her hijab." "What?" Letting one arm go, he lifted her chin gently and asked again. "Those boys dared to rip of Maman Buzorgs hijab off?" Behind his gentle face, his eyes had hardened as rage filled him. She hiccuped as she nodded and he pressed her head back to his chest as he caressed her hair. "I'll take care of them. They won't bother you during your shopping ever again. I promise."

Opening her eyes, she chuckled. He really had kept his promise. She did not know how but she had always been able to count on him. Her thoughts travelled on their own and when they stumbled upon her dreadful memories, she quickly opened the soju bottle and brought it to her lips.

He was supposed to be on the highway to Daegu. Why he wasn't, he did not know. Although it was already past midnight, he drove to the building he had acquired the very same day. Parking in front of it, he got out and locked his black Hyundai before fishing the keys out of his jacket. While searching for the right one, he saw that Azizah had attached key clips with labels on them. Smiling at the memory of the pretty petite, he opened the shop and turned on the light. Looking around, he noticed how clean everything was. He wondered what kind of shop she had run in here and how it must have looked. Imagining a bell ringing whenever a customer entered, he visualized her greeting them with the kindest smile before asking how she could help them. Before his imagination could run wilder, even more, he shook his head. Why was he even thinking about that or her, in particular?

Just as she had explained, he walked through the room and was met with several small rooms. The wooden doors squeaked and had several scratches on them and he made a mental note about everything that needed to be fixed. Noting the ground as first since he wished to exchange the stone with marble - his favourite.

"What the fuck!" jumping when he heard a soft bump from the backdoor, he was alarmed. Unlocking his phone, he was ready to dial the police if anything was going to go bad when he opens the door but as he slowly did, he was met with a figure sitting on the floor.

Stepping outside, he got on his knees to gain a better lock on the sobbing figure. "Azizah?"

The woman with bloodshot eyes, puffy cheeks and swollen lips turned to the caller. "V?"

Surprised by her calling him by his stage name, he tilted his head before nodding. "Yes, it's me. What are you doing here, love?"

Rubbing her eyes, she asked again, hiccuping. "Is it really you?" "Why would I lie?" With that said, Azizah fell into his arms, crying again. "It's really you... I... You came back." Confused, he furrowed his eyebrows until smelling the alcohol from her hug.

"Azizah..." "I love you, Ved. Please don't ever leave again."

Realizing that she was mistaking him for someone else, he didn't know what to do about the drunk girl. Slowly pulling away, he locked his eyes with hers. Wiping her tears away, he noticed her smudged make-up. She lifted her hand to brush his hair that had fallen on his forehead, away. "I-I'm sorry I couldn't protect you the way you protected me... I'm sorry I couldn't protect Sarang." Tears were falling down her cheeks again and Taehyung only listened as she framed his face with her both of her palms, overwhelmed by the situation with an aching heart for the crying woman. "B-but, you're here n-now and p-please, I'll protect you t-two better just d-don't leave." That being said, she leaned in and closed the small space between the two figures, kissing him gently because she was afraid that he would be gone the minute she opened her eyes.