Blaze

The Options Given

It burned her throat as it flushed up. Maybe it was the food she'd had at Chorong's house or maybe it was just the soup itself, but Namjoo felt like a lot more came out than she'd expected. She was feeling whoozy by the time she stumbled over to the sink to wash her hands and her face.

Her chest was heavy and she felt sick as if her guts had twisted. Leaning forward desperately for some stability she could see stars in her eyes and she felt it come back up. Slamming the faucet off she dashed back into one of the stalls again.

When she finally stepped out of the bathroom the shuffling of feet surprised her. She turned to see Kris standing beside the door as if he'd been waiting anxiously.

"Are you ok?" He worried. "Are you sick?"

Feeling flustered Namjoo took a hold of her dress, "Sorry, I don't think I can eat right now."

"Are you feeling unwell?" He went on. "You should have said something."

Namjoo glanced at the floor before looking up at him. Should she feel bad? Should she compromise him in some way? She wasn't sure.

"It's ok, I'll just bother you another time," he still seemed to be in a good mood. "I'll drive you home."

Clutching tightly onto the food Chorong's mother packed for her, she dubiously stared out the window quietly. She could hear it at the back of her head. There was something knocking against the closed door at the back of her head telling her to pay more attention. The note hidden in the bathroom drawer reappeared in her mind before she quickly shoved it aside. She definitely was not going to believe the reality handed to her on a piece of paper.

It wasn't right.

It was a mistake.

"It fits you well," Kris' voice entered her ears.

Namjoo turned to him wondering if she'd missed something he'd just said.

"The dress," he glanced over at her before turning back to the road. "Thanks, for wearing it. It's pretty."

Namjoo felt her guts twist again and she saw that damn piece of paper flash its way back into her head. There was an urge to slam her head against the window. Why was it still so vivid inside her head?

When they turned into the parking lot Namjoo glanced at the building before turning to look at him.

"Do you," she started, "want to come in for a bit?"

~_____~

He shot her a surprised glance, but Namjoo pulled the handle and stepped out. When they walked into her apartment she headed toward the kitchen to put the food away. Kris turned to watch her before sitting down. He didn't mind that they couldn't have dinner. It meant, for him, that there was another time. Maybe he'd make her promise him to have dinner again.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked looking into the fridge.

"Do you have something special?" He asked jokingly.

Namjoo turned to shoot him a glance and grabbed him a glass of water instead. Kris watched her set the glass of water down on the table in front of him and thought he did well choosing that dress for her.

Namjoo seemed about to walk away, but quickly calling out to her he asked, "Can you sit down for a bit?"

Her eyes tended to roam over him as if to figure out whether he had something hidden up his sleeve. Slowly making her way around the table she sat down, but not close enough to him. Anyway, he didn't think it mattered. Kris just wanted a small heart-to-heart talk...just for a little while. It was important for him to figure out what went through her mind, whether she liked him a little or not at all.