Let Me Protect You (Sahyo)

Chapter 16.2

Sana was rudely woken from her sleep, head throbbing like she was hungover even though she didn’t have a single drop of alcohol. Something woke her up, but it took a second for the haze to clear from head before she realised what it was.

She tossed the thick blankets aside, yelling for Jihyo but piecing it together that she was out for food when there was no reply. She used the walls to steady herself as she stood up, and hurried to answer the doorbell. 

“Parcel delivery!” A young man chirped at her when she cracked open the wooden door just a little. 

“Hi,” she greeted. Jihyo didn’t tell her of deliveries she was expecting, nor did it make sense for this delivery to be their lunch. “Can I see the label please?”

“Parcel for Minatozaki Sana-ssi.” The man read out the label on the box, as he handed it to her.

Sana halted, not accepting the box into her hold. This was Jihyo's residence, her address and unit number written clearly on the label, so why was it addressed to her? Even if her girlfriend wanted to buy something for her, why would she ever use her real name? Jihyo should know better, their food delivery app addressed to a certain ‘Park Mi Cha’. Something was amiss.

“I don’t remember what I ordered, what company is this for?” Sana feigned ignorance and tested him, hoping to get the delivery man to reveal something.

“We’re just a courier company, so I do not know, maam.”

“What company will that be? May I see a receipt?” She pressed on, noting how he was stuttering and not meeting her eyes. He had a strange look on his face, though, one that made her feel more than a little uncomfortable. 

“Just a local courier company.” He looked like he was thinking of what to say, his grip on the parcel tightening as he tried to make her take it. “Why don’t you open the gift to check?”

“Gift?” Her tone was menacing now, as she quickly understood that he was not who he claimed to be. “One last chance, which company do you work for, or are you even a delivery man? My bodyguard is in the house, all it takes is one shout and you are done for.”

She knew jihyo wasn’t home, but it was satisfying to see him pale at that threat. One second she was glaring at him in challenge, and the next, the box in his hands was tossed past her and into the house, dropping in the middle of the living room with a loud thud. 

Sana held her breath as she backed away from the box on the floor for a second, exhaling when it didn’t explode like she feared it would. She had no time to panic. The man was running away, and she could hear his urgent footfall down the staircase landing one door over.

There was an umbrella hanging on a hook nearby, so she armed herself with it, slamming the wooden door shut behind her. The staircase door that was still slowly closing was kicked open in her haste, and she followed the sound of the man’s footsteps, taking several steps at a time down. 

Her head was spinning from the adrenaline and her exhaustion, as she neared the ground floor. She saw a flash of his black shirt from the corner of her eye, running behind the wall. She raised the umbrella high over her head, rounding the corner, but he was far gone. 

She continued giving chase, her makeshift weapon firmly in her grasp by her side, looking past trees and bends trying to catch sight of him. But the lack of food in her system, the sunlight’s dizzying assault on her eyes and her already weakened self from all the cumulative lack of sleep made her feet heavier and heavier.

She felt the world spin around her, a ringing in her ear that grew louder, until her legs gave way beneath her. 

“Sha! Baby are you okay?”