Moonlight + Paradise (18+)

11. I miss you

There is more than a little worry in her mind as she climbs the stairs to her apartment unit, despite the beautiful, tended garden raised in her chest when Guk dropped her off a few minutes ago. 

What will Somi say? She must already be angry for not hearing from me for the past 2 nights...oh, she will definitely shout at me about work! But what can I do? What can I do - I don't think I'll be allowed in Paradise anymore, even if I want to buy some time to make it look acceptable. Oh, stupid Lily - getting involved without asking! She already said I should ask more -

Lisa halted when she noticed a man on a ladder, just as she reaches her floor. She rarely sees anyone on her and Somi's floor. Those that they had bumped into were at the staircases or the lobby usually. Who is this guy? Oh, and another one! What are they doing?

She realised now that her hands are shaking with the house keys. Come to think of it, she has never been anywhere much without Somi by her side throughout her independence in Tsusima Island. Ever since she stepped off from that bus in Busan and onto the ferry, the girl was always there, patiently waiting and staying with her. The past 2 nights were probably the first longest time Lisa had spent without Somi around. 

"You're back!" The next door beside her own opened and Somi squeals as she jumps out towards her. "I miss you!!" 

"I - I miss you too!" It caught her off-guard to find no worries on her friend's face. "I um - I'm sorry -"

"Whatever for? Go on then, I wanna hear everything!!" Somi nudged her to be quick on opening the door. 

Oh...okay! The last that she had spoken to her friend was right before leaving work with Guk the other night. Lisa did wonder - when she had a little bit to herself that is - if Somi would be worried that she hadn't been back. 

But since she doesn't seem to be angry at me, "Who are those men outside?" She asked once they are inside her apartment.

"Oh, they're just installing CCTVs around the condos. The management sent a memo yesterday."

Oh... "C-C-T-B?"

"CCTV." Somi chuckles. "It's to monitor...live surveillance cameras to keep us safe."

Keep us safe? "From what?"

"Anything. Theft maybe...I heard a unit on the second floor got broken into last month."

Lisa gasped. "I didn't know that! Was anyone hurt?"

"I don't know much about it. I guess they're just tightening the security around here which is a good thing, definitely. Let's move on!" Somi claps her hands after she's sat on her small sofa. "So?"

It instantly made her blush. "So what?"

"Don't be coy with me! What happened? Did he treat you well?"

More than well! "I um...I guess..." But first things first... Lisa sat herself down on the carpet - with her bucket bag and the paper bag given by Guk this morning still beside her. "I um...I've got something to tell you."

Somi blinked. 

"Please don't be mad. I mean...you can be mad, but maybe not so mad -"

"Just tell me - what is it??" The tone is more impatient than it is annoyed.

"I'm...I um..." Jeez, this is so hard to spill! 

"Lily -"

"I'm fired." The expression on Somi's face is stoic. "He um...that guy, I mean...I didn't know it then but uh...it turns out that he's the owner of Paradise. I um...I didn't think he'd do anything about it when I found out but um...he doesn't want me to work there anymore so um...I'm fired." She's still calm...is she thinking about it or... "I'm sorry...I should've gotten to know him sooner - ask him more things like you said I should, I know that now! It was kind of...kind of too late by the time I realised it...I'm so, so sorry..." Lisa can almost cry as she fidgets with her fingers.