Blaze

Hidden Truths

~_____~

It was just momentary shock, the doctor had explained, that had caused Namjoo to black out. But even so, she still hadn't woken up from it. She had slept through the whole procedure while the doctor stitched up the cut on the side of her head. It would scar, the doctor had said. Kris wondered then if Namjoo cared about the scar it would leave her and whether if she every time she saw it, if it would remind her of what had happened at the brothel.

Namjoo was sleeping on her side again. He assumed she slept better when she was leaning one way than on her back. Slowly reaching his hand forward he gently ran it over the stitches on the side of her forehead. If Namjoo was feeling any pain, she wasn't waking from it. She was sleeping really well.

~_____~

Chorong ran her hand over the bandage on her face in the lobby and felt remorseful for the scar it might leave her. Though the cut wasn't deep, it was a cut on the face after all. She worried if it would destroy the beauty in her face. What if no one found her attractive? Would Suho date a girl with a scar on her face?

"Here," Suho's voice broke into her head and she looked up to find him handing her a warm cup of water.

"Thanks," she lightly smiled and took it to warm up her hands.

They were quiet even when he took the seat beside her. The tingly feelings of being shy and embarrassed swarmed over her. He seemed so chill compared to her.

"Are you ok?" he questioned.

Chorong nodded.

"It must have been scary," he comforted, "but you did well."

She felt warmed by his encouragement. "Namjoo must have been more scared..."

Suho only smiled in reply and Chorong felt a little jealous when she realized he was worried about Namjoo. If it had happened to her, would Suho be as worried?

"It's a good thing you found her in time," Suho said.

The picture of finding Namjoo sprawled on the floor stayed inside Chorong's mind for a long time. Chorong almost accidentally crushed the cup filled with water at the thought of it. "It gets me angry the more I think about it. Men who hurt women and take advantage of them like that, I really want to hurt them all."

She turned when she felt his hand on his hand on her shoulder. "I guess you do have a tough side to you. I thought you might always be quiet."

Chorong immediately turned away shyly.

"We kind of match now," Suho joked. Chorong's heart pounced inside her chest. "That cut on your cheek will match the stitches on my face."

Chorong's face flushed and she was unable to find the will to look at him.

~_____~

Victoria followed Hyukjae into a tiny inn where they settled into a tiny square room. He immediately switched the lights off when they got in and peered out the window as if someone had been following them. Each of his unexplained movements made her suspicious.

"Why are you in Yeongwol? Why are you looking for me?" Hyukjae dropped to sit down.

She stared straight at his sharp features and narrowed her eyes, "Are you really Hyukjae?"

"You don't need to know that."

"Or is that a code name?"

"Look here," he started, "you shouldn't be here."

"I don't think you should be either," Victoria quickly hissed. "Where are they?"

"Who are you talking about?"