KILL THIS LOVE | JENLISA

Chapter 146

Jennie

I peeked behind the bars, finding nothing in sight but debris and rubble. My teeth sunk into my bottom lip in vexation. I was here, now what? I shook my head, cursing myself for not thinking the plan through. My brain attempted to rationalize the scheme, reminding me that I thought I could talk to a security guard or something. However, it appeared to me that this part of town was eerily empty. It was more than just abandoned, it was forsaken.

As I contemplated my next plan of action, a drop of wetness landed right on my cheek. I touched the surface confusedly, glancing at the water on my fingertips.

"Excuse me."

I swivelled around at the sound of the throaty voice. My eyes locked with a woman's, not exactly though, considering her eyes were covered by dark sunglasses. The wrinkles and crow's feet all over her visible face told me she was in her late fifties, sixties even. My eyes trailed down from the lady's face to her hands in which she grasped a leash. A tiny chihuahua sat on the ground near her feet.

"Are you lost?"

I shook my head quickly, "Oh, no, I don't think so." It is then that I realized that daylight had begun running out, it would get dark soon and if I wasn't getting any viable information, I wanted to get back to Seoul. "Sorry to bother you, but do you know if there's someone I could speak to about the hospital before it burnt down. Or one of its patients at least."

A small grin came over the woman's lips. As the last of light burnt out, I almost didn't see her producing an object to my side. But I heard it, clear as day, those sharp clinks against the cemented pavement. The woman stepped forward in my direction with a walking stick.

"My, my; you've stumbled into the right person then." And just as she finished uttering those words, the sky tore itself open and began pouring down rain from the heavens.

My hands flew over to my head as the water began soaking through my hair and my clothes. I'd almost run over to the car instinctively, but it was as if my feet were cemented to the ground by what the lady had just said. Careful to not lose my footing, I made my way over to her. I couldn't quite see her in the dark, but the dog's howls from the impact of rainwater made it easier.

"Ma'am!" I yelled out, "I have acar here, please you must get in." I almost didn't wait for the woman to grant me consent as I clasped my fingers around her arm, leading her down to Mino's car. Once she was settled in the shotgun seat, her dog in the back, I hurriedly sat inside, shivering as the cold nipped at my skin all over.

"I live just down the road, you shouldn't have much trouble finding it I suppose, it's the first house you'll see.

Nodding as I switched the heater on, I couldn't help but wonder if Mino would kill me for getting his reupholstered seats wet.

"I assume you had family in the hospital?" The lady questioned twenty seconds into the ride.

"Yes." I simply said, "My grandmother." Ignoring the shaking of my limbs, I cast a quick glimpse at her, "Did you work there? In the hospital?"

"I did, for a brief but very long twenty eight years. Up until the very day it went down." Drawing in an audible breath, she began, "Your grandmother, was she a patient here between those years?"

As I nodded, she asked, "What was her name?I may have come across her."

Tightening my jaw, I croaked out, "Truth be told, I'm not here because of her."

"A friend then?"

A dry smile played on my lips, "Far from it."