Meori Apeuda

Chapter 47

*** POV Chan***

“Faster! Hyung, please, drive faster!” I urged, my hands pressing against the dashboard, as if pushing would make the car go any quicker.

“Chan-ah, I’m driving as fast as possible, please sit back.” - “She’s there, alone with him!” I roared, grabbing my head in despair. I should have never left for that fucking shoot. What if I didn’t arrive on time? I couldn’t lose her, when I had just found her…

“Don’t even go there…” I heard Hyun-Ki murmur. I lifted my head and looked over at the man, who was like a second father to me. He checked the mirror and stepped on the accelerator, causing the car to shoot forwards, overtaking the car in front of us in a quite haphazardly way.

“I can almost hear where your thoughts are headed, Chan, and I’m telling you: don’t! We will arrive on time. We’ll get her and she’ll be safe, okay? You’re no use to her, if you drive yourself crazy now with ‘what if’, understand?”

I swallowed hard and looked ahead. “You’re right. We have to. There’s no other option…” I mumbled, wishing desperately for it to be true.

My manager had called the police already, while he was sprinting towards one of our cars beside me, after I had just yelled his name. One look at me and he knew what was going on. He hadn’t asked questions, he hadn’t told me to stay put and let the police handle it. 

Maybe he had noticed the determination in my eyes and decided that he’d rather accompany me than risk me to head there on my own.

It felt like an eternity, but only fifteen minutes after I had spoken to Kaylee we arrived at the street that led to our house. But instead of driving all the way up, Hyun-Ki-nim stopped at the beginning of the driveway.

When I looked over at him, half questioning half impatiently he calmly opened his seatbelt and- while opening the door already - answered: “I’d rather not have him know we are here…” 

I nodded and got out of the car myself. Crouching down we sprinted towards the house, using the vegetation and trees to hide when we drew closer. The house was awfully quiet and I wasn’t sure if I liked that. Was it a good sign to not hear her scream or was it the worst sign ever?

My gaze fell onto the balcony. It was quite high above the ground, considering that the house was built into a quite steep hill, but if Hyun-Ki would give me a little hands up, I could reach it and climb up.

In a few quick words I explained my intention and after a second he nodded. “Ok. You’ll watch from the back, and text me what you see. Don’t go inside, Chan, do you hear me? We have no idea if he is armed!”

I nodded automatically, but in reality I had no intention to wait for anybody, if Kaylee was in danger.

We hastily scurried over to the balcony and he leaned his back against the wall, entwined his hands and nodded when he was ready. I put my foot in his hands, held onto his shoulders and after counting silently to three he hoisted me up.

I grabbed the bottom strut of the railing and while groaning quietly I pulled myself up until I could grab the next one. Finally my training in the gym seemed to pay off and a few moments later I stood on the balcony.

I got down on all fours and crawled over to the balcony door. Carefully leaning sideways I peered inside and froze, when I saw Kaylee lying on the floor. But at that moment she moved, pushing herself up with her arms.

She lifted her head and I saw blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. White-hot anger boiled inside of me and I balled my fist. I’d kill that bastard. I pulled back behind the corner further to avoid being seen, if he’d suddenly appear, but before I could disappear completely Kaylee lifted her head more and our eyes met.