The Innocent: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #3

Chapter 17: Flinching

He was waiting for her. The next morning. As she passed by the hwarang complex.

He approached her. Hesitantly.

And she noticed.

She glanced up and smiled at him shyly.

"Hi, Soo Ho."

But his normal amiable demeanor was not in evidence today. Instead, he bent a sober gaze upon her.

"Is it all right if I walk with you this morning? If not, I can follow a few yards behind." His voice wasn't as bold as usual either.

She frowned. "What's wrong, Soo Ho?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. But for some reason, you thought you had to lie to me. If you didn't want my company anymore, all you had to do was tell me. I would have left."

Her heart sank. "I..."

She turned away from him as tears suddenly stung her eyes.

She had hurt him. That was the very last thing that she'd wanted to do. It was, in fact, the reason that she'd lied to him in the first place. Because she knew that he wouldn't understand.

"I do want your company," she mumbled. Still not facing him.

"Do you?" he breathed. "Do you really? You're not even looking at me now."

He reached out to touch her arm. She flinched as his fingers brushed her sleeve. He drew his hand away. Abruptly.

"That's another thing. You always pull away from me. Every time I try to touch you. I'm not going to hurt you, you know."

She was frozen. Trapped in a memory. That just kept echoing in her heart.

He grabbed her and shoved her up against the wall. Then he shouted some obscenities...in her face. Before his hand followed those words. She flinched as his palm connected with the already bruised flesh of her left cheek. She whimpered. Instant tears slid down her cheeks. Following the sting.

Soo Ho was about to give up – and walk away – when he realized that she was trembling. But it was the pitiful sound slipping past her lips which alerted him to her distress. He moved closer to her. And disturbed the tears flowing down her face. And felt his heart catch.

"Jung Sook?" he whispered. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Her eyes were sealed shut. "Please," she spoke so quietly that he almost couldn't make out her words. "Please don't hurt me."

"I won't," he answered, his heart shattering at the tremor in her voice. She sounded like a tiny child. She looked like one too. Cowering before someone much stronger.

"Jung Sook?"

But she wouldn't look at him.

"Did your husband...?" He allowed his voice to trail off as he saw her tense at the mention of her husband. He cleared his throat and began again. A little less specifically. "Did...someone...hurt you?"

Her eyes opened suddenly. She looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. "Hurt me?" she echoed softly.

Trying again, he reached out his hand to touch hers lightly, but she flinched and pulled away. He stood, staring sadly down at that beautiful hand of hers.

"You never let me touch you," he whispered.

And her stomach flipped over at the tenderness in his tone. But she had learned long ago never to trust a man.