Trapped in Your Love

Chapter 2 : Numb To The Core

She softly made her way into the dining room. The dark ominous dining room. The walls were matte black. So was the long outstretched glass table, the big chairs where the soles of her feet could never reach the floor, even the lamps dangling from the ceiling. From the tiniest detail like the black tissues which would always be folded into a triangle to the way the cutlery was all aligned immaculately, everything about the dining room just seemed depressing.

She glanced at the seat around seven feet away directly opposite her. Her father's seat. It didn't make a difference if he was there or not it was always dead silent. It wasn't like those happy takeaway meals where a family would be crouched around a small table laughing and talking. Instead, her father would be sitting seven feet away from her on the seat directly opposite and all the four seats on each side of the table would be empty as always. The only sound that could be heard was the cutting and the soft chewing of the freshly cooked meat.

Yu Na-Bi glanced at the steaming hot steak slice on the table. She looked up straight ahead at her father's seat again. Even though he's the way he is, she still loves him and always will. She knows he only means well. But sometimes she just couldn't stand him.

***

Na-Bi checked the clock on her bedroom wall. Nearly midnight. Her eyes glowed as a smile formed across her face. She glanced out of the windows, gazing at the stars. She always thought they were so beautiful. And if she saw a full moon, she closed her eyes and wished for a fresh start, a new beginning just like the characters in all the novels she read did. She wanted to believe that one day she'd get her happy ending too.

Opening her windows she smiled letting the cold air kiss her skin. Something so normal but it means the world to her. Carefully, she made her way out the window in her fluffy slippers and carefully sat up on the roof tiles.

A car swerved dangerously and stopped outside The Seong House. A drunk man stepped out of his new Benz car, slamming the door shut in anger. One of his drug dealings had taken a terrible turn causing him to lose out on a few million, as well as carrying the merciless murder of two men in his hands. But the latter was nothing new to him.

Even though it was dark everything was stunning. The stars in the sky. The deep dark green grass. She couldn't remember the last time she'd even touched the grass. She wondered, is it soft or prickly? And the pretty skyscrapers in the distance. She wondered what it would be like to live in one in the future. The Doppler Effect of the police sirens was somewhat soothing. The distant sounds of cars and motorbikes too. Oh, what she'd give to just go out there. Just for one minute.

He stormed inside his house. "Hello Mr Seong, Miss Na-Bi is in her room" Charlie's voice piped up greeting the drunken man.

The man took no notice of her and instead proceeded to walk up the big staircase. He wanted to see his one and only precious daughter. His only heart and soul. The only thing left from his beloved wife, which he lost sight of and chose to possess her as a possession instead. He believed his way was the right way and no one dared to counter his opinions or actions.

She layed on the tiles, looking up at the stars. So pretty, she thought. Gleaming and glistening like little jewels in a blanket of darkness.

Mr Seong flung open his daughter's bedroom door to see her daughter gone. The window was flung wide open and the curtains danced in the wind. His eyes grew wide in fear and his heart dropped. His baby girl was gone. I can't lose her, not her too. His mind screamed as he began shaking visibly. He rushed over to the window searching for his daughter. His eyes turned dark seeing Na-Bi sitting on the roof. Exposed and out in the open. It wasn't safe. Wasn't worth the risk. He wouldn't lose her too not the same way he lost his wife.

"YU NA-BI!" Na-Bi's heart dropped hearing her father's livid scream. Frantically, she grabbed onto the roof tiles to stop herself from skidding off the roof. She dreaded going back in, there was something about her father. He was completely wasted. Wasted and enraged not a good combination.

She quickly climbed back through the window and her father took that as an advantage to grab his petrified daughter by the roots of her hair. The strong smell of alcohol reeked from him causing Na-Bi to wrinkle her nose. She never did like him when he was drunk. He wasn't himself then. To be honest, after her mother's death he was a completely different person. "HOW DARE YOU GO ON THE ROOF!" He bellowed while she yelped trying to loosen his grip on her hair, "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU?!"

She needs to be taught a lesson now, he thought. He couldn't stand the thought of Na-Bi rebelling against him and her being lost forever. He needed her, she was his baby. Who he swore to protect while clutching his dying wife in his arms.

"Father...stop your hurting! Please let go-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Na-Bi cried. Her whole body trembled in fear. She knew there was no excusing this he was drunk. Completely wasted. She knew what was going to happen next and she feared it gravely.

"I CAN'T HAVE YOU DOING THIS! YOU SHALL NEVER REBEL BACK!" He dashed out and came back with a bamboo stick. She was frozen in fear.

"No" She whispered as all the past memories came flooding back in. Not the stick. Anything but the stick.

He had no other choice the anger took over him like a monster. He felt the need to make her fear. Fear to protect her. Fear to make sure she listens. Fear to make sure what happened to her mother never happens to her.

She screamed. Cried. Pleaded. But he continued whacking his defenseless child with a bamboo stick under her legs. To the point where Yu Na-Bi was choking on her tears and her throat and mouth became completely parched. Her legs burned and throbbed almost like another heartbeat. She knew she wouldn't be able to get up. All she could focus on was the screaming in her head, she started to become lightheaded.

She remained seated in her crouched position holding a dead, numb expression across her face. She went completely silent. Every hit felt like a thousand stings, but she didn't wince anymore. It wasn't nothing new. It felt a thousand times worse than a carpet burn.

Then the beating stopped and his footsteps stormed out the room. She sat there completely paralyzed from her legs. Na-Bi couldn't move her legs. At all. They throbbed almost like they had a heartbeat if their own.

Then his footsteps boomed towards her again. He grabbed her arm pulling it up. "GET UP!"

If her legs are bruised she can't climb up to the roof, he thought to himself. He felt a wave of relief. She's safe now.

She forced herself up and into her bed. Her legs were numb but not numb enough to block out the throbbing.

Mr Seong grabbed his daughter's left leg and cuffed it to the end of her bedpost. She panicked noticing the cuffs. Not the cuffs, anything but the cuffs.

"Please father don't" She pleaded. Although she knew he wasn't going to listen. He never did. She'd wake up the next day to see him bursting into her room apologizing and saying it was her fault for not listening and that he was only trying to keep her safe.

And as always Na-Bi would ignore him. Pushing him away until he goes on those meetings and she starts to miss his presence.

He left the room without a word.

"Please, father!" Na-Bi pleaded tugging onto the chains, it was hopeless.

"Father, I'm sorry!"

"I'm sorry, please!"

"Please" She whispered quietly sobbing herself to sleep.