Lookism: What Am I Even Doing?

Chapter 74: Prt 2.

(Ila's POV)

Richard nodded, taking my silence as confirmation then picked up the butcher knife from the floor. I had forgotten about that and must've dropped it at some point while trying to take my pills. He took it inside and came out with my mask instead. Now that I could focus a bit more I realized that he has his hooked onto the belt loop of his pants. It was almost identical. Though it was a bit pulled from the sides to sit his wider face.

"Working for bad people and doing bad things does not make you a bad person yourself. It only makes you desperate."

I looked up at him, "What?"

"Haruki's words, not mine."

"Oh, okay."

Even though what he said left me a bit confused, it was...a bit reassuring as well. I took the mask from him and stared at it for a moment. He handed me a hair tie and I took it. Tying my hair into a small ponytail then placing the mask over my face. As I did I could hear my heart pounding against my ears.

This was it...wasn't it?

I secured the straps behind my head and let out a shaky sigh. Richard nodded at me and put on his own mask. He bent over and picked the small orange pill bottle then walked over to the trash chute. There was a small clang as the bottle slid down the metal shoot.

I'll be lying to you if I said I wasn't absolutely fucking nervous. Right now I was standing behind Richard in the elevator having trouble finding the right pace to breath. I'm stuck somewhere between twice a second or only once but even that seems too quick. As we reached the white waiting room that I first encountered with Seo-ah, he quietly got out the elevator then walked towards the table at the center.

He pulled at the small chain of the lamp and we descended down to the floor beneath us. I followed him silently, already familiar enough of my surroundings to not doze around. If he minded me sticking to his back, he said nothing of it. When he opened the doors into the Bird Garden I was taken by surprise at the calm surroundings.

The last time I was here it was a vessel of hot sex and money. Women dancing on top of masked men or attached to poles on some of the farther tables. Lights flashed around the club and sensual music played overheard.

Right now it reminded me of an empty theater. I was in the upper part of the theater hallways while I looked down at the stage on the open lower floor. Its chairs and tables are all empty from the normal bustle. It was an atmosphere I could get used to. If I had to wa-I had to witness anything...I...I don't know what I would've done.

Richard led down the empty hallway to the office hidden away in the back. Several other doors tempted me with their velvety covers but I was also afraid of the things a place like this would store in there. We turned to the left and Richard opened the office door for me. I walked in and found Haruki sitting at the meeting table with a book in his hands.

It was a bit amusing to watch him sitting there with his theatrical mask reading a Korean book on how to make people laugh. Haruki...was an interesting character at the least. He looked up to us and his body immediately jumped out of his chair. He closed his book and walked towards me.

"Ah, Ila! You look very good! Seo-ah said you healed but I did not want to believe until I saw you first! Richard, does she not look good? But...is your leg okay?"

Oh...I stepped down on it a bit on my right foot, "Yeah. I just can't walk that well yet. I asked for a cane but I don't know if Jong-su will let me have one."

Haruki waved his hand in front of his mask, "Bah! And should he not?! You need help to walk, yes? So you will get one. I will make one if I have to."

Richard cleared his throat, "Why shouldn't he, Haruki. Not, and should he not."