Teach Me How To Love [mxmxm]

XIX

[Jae Lim]

"Jae, what are you talking about?" Qi's voice cut through the haze of my false sense of calm. His question was repeated by several of the others who had previously stepped back.
I tore myself from his arms, crossing my arms over my chest in order to rid myself of the embarrassing feeling of vulnerability. Finally able to bring myself to step back, away from all of them, far enough that I could see each and every one of them in front of me.

The instinctive thought of securing myself from being attacked from the back ran through my mind, quick to come and quick to leave.

"I don't give a shit who's put a hit on me." Taking one step towards the door, my front still facing them, they jolted forward. "Hurry up and leave Korea. We don't take kindly to Triads now."

Some of their faces hardened and I knew my intentions were accomplished. I turned around and bolted for the door, barely getting it open before it was slammed right in front of me, another hand caging me in from the side of my head.

"We're not done yet."

"I don't think you're understanding something. You aren't my leader, nor are you connected to me in any way. So get your hands away and let me leave or I'll do it by force," I growled out my threats to not only Qi, who blocked my way out, but to the entirety of the group.

"Jae," I heard Granny's voice calling me from the living room. "Come stay the night. It can't be safe for you with a hit on your head. You'll be in trouble before you find her."

I turned around, ignoring Qi's towering form behind me, his chest in my face. I pushed by him, walking around in order to make eye contact with Granny. "What's that supposed to me? Think I can't handle a hit on my head? You're wildly underestimating me."

She pursed her lips, the wrinkles in her skin deepening as she did so. "That's not what I said. You're capable, yes, but you're not in the proper mental state to go out and find her. Collect yourself for the night and leave tomorrow morning."

"So I'm supposed to sleep the night away while those sick fuckers could be doing god knows what to her? And that's supposed to help me? Make it make sense." It was getting beyond aggravating to just talk to this lot of people. "I would've thought that your age would've made you wiser, but I guess my assumptions are wrong for the first time."

The thought of having to hear any more bullshit come from any of their mouths became unbelievably disgusting. Turning back to open the door to leave, I noticed Qi's arm was still extended, except this time more towards the side of my waist instead of by my head and resting upon the door.

"Get your hand away from my side before I break it."

His lack of response hand me clenching my jaw and curling my fists.

Did they like to test my limits?

"Stop trying to test my fucking limits."

"Stay the night."

"I said no. Did you not understand that?"

"Stay."

I could hear my patience being snapped, or maybe it was just the sound of me swirling around and socking him right in the side of his face. How satisfying it was to feel the skin of my knuckles slam into his cheek, the impact giving the rush you could only get from a fight.

Qi stumbled a step back, but that's all that it took for me to be able to get out the door, running down to the stairwell exit instead of the elevators where I knew they would be able to catch up with me. It was four floors down the stairwell that I slipped into that floor, catching the elevator ride down and practically running out the doors of the apartment buildings.