Tattooed Boy. || ENG

|11|

Jisung grabs my arm – this time only slightly in order to give me a direction – and leads me to some kind of weird stone wall. Art? Or no money for a proper fence? I don't know. And don't really care either.

"Sit down here for a second, okay? Just sit there and stay still. Don't move."

I role my eyes at his words and sit down. Not because he told me to but because my legs suddenly feel tired. Or is it pain? I can't tell.

Hopefully these stones stay in their places. Would be kind of embarrassing if we'd be rolling over the streets together. No wait. I wouldn't roll. I still have that much of a sense of balance. At least I hope so. I can't help but giggle a little.

A small smile lets the tips of Jisung's mouth raise when I look back at him. He pulls out his phone and for a second I think he's about to take a photo of me but then he turns around and takes two steps away from me, raising the phone to his ear. I stretch out my tongue towards him.

He treats me like a child anyways so why should I keep trying to prove him wrong. He's too stubborn. I'm drunk on top of that and that will count as an excuse for my behavior, right?

"Thank you." I raise my head to see Jisung turning around while hanging up the call.

"C'mon, let's get you into a nicer place." Damn that sounds shady. As if I would come along. Does he think I'm dumb?

"Don't wanna" I reply and shift some small stone around with my shoes.

"Zoe."

"Hm?" I raise my head again. He reached out his hand. I glance at it, then look at his face. His expression is ... is it friendly? Hard to tell with that stubborn black hair and all the tattoos covering his neck and temple. Even the hand he is holding out to me is inked in black.

"Let's go" he says.

I don't over think it again and just get up. Without his help, though. Now not my legs hurt but my butt. I rub it and whine silently. That stone wall was uncomfortable.

A silent laugh rings through the street. Even with the night pulling them into darkness, his laugh actually does sound friendly.

Weird.

While looking at him it would've sounded creepy, wouldn't it? Or are these just prejudices of mine?

I turn around to Jisung and blurt out: "Why do you have such a friendly laugh with these looks?" I notice how I probably should've turned the question around to make it sound nicer. Couldn't care less, though, thanks to the alcohol in my blood.

"I was born with it. The looks were my decision" he replies.

I don't hear any anger in his voice. I take a closer look at his expression to figure out what he's thinking. Not that it worked some time before. But I'm able to recognize a grin on his face in the light of a street lantern.

"Why did you decide so?"

He shrugs and catches up a bit so that we're walking next to each other. Or did I stop walking?

"I liked the thought of expressing myself with my body and with art. Altogether this is what happened."

"And you like it." It's rather a statement than a question, but he answers with a nod.

"No regrets?"

Again a slight grin. "No. I know what I want."

A cold night breeze makes me shiver. Or is it the look in his eyes? I stay quiet and look around. This dude who throws the party lives in quite a nice neighborhood actually. The stone wall earlier was probably rather art than a sign of poverty. Oh by the way ...

"Where are we going?" I speak out my thoughts. We're already two streets away from our starting point and I honestly don't feel like taking a walk.

"Closer to the main street."

"Ah" I say, not really bothering about the answer of my own question. "Can we go back already?"

"A taxi will be here soon."

"We should have brought some drinks along. It may get boring out here compared to the situation inside." Wait, what taxi?

"You've had enough, in my opinion" Jisung says and raises an eyebrow.

I groan. Is he being serious? "Stop trying to protect me, please!" I stretch the last syllable. "I'm old enough to know what I'm doing."

"Drunk people never know what they're doing?"

I laugh humorlessly. "Do you wanna tell me you're not drunk at all?"

"I may have had some alcohol tonight but not as much as you. And I can take it better as well." I don't like the grin appearing on his face the more he talks.

"Oh, oh, stop bragging." I role my eyes. How can he be so self-confident sometimes? I may be drunk but not dumb. And not a child either. Can't he just let me drink when I want to for once? He's not my father.

"Look, there's the taxi" he then says and points into the distance. A car pulls out of the lane and stops next to us.

"I gotta go back then" I tell him but he grabs my arms once again, pushing me into the taxi. "Wha-?!"

My head is dizzy when I feel the soft seats under my butt. Can't he be more careful with a person who lost a bit of her sense of balance? He said himself that he can take more than I do, so why can't he consider that when he needs to? Damn I'm getting annoyed because of him again. Maybe it's a good idea to just leave now.

"Move an inch." I do so, still everything else but clear in my head. He gets in after me and names my address.

"What are you doing?" I question confused, holding my head with one hand.

"Bringing you home."

"Can't you just send me home with the taxi?" I don't ask because I doubt his actions, but because I really don't know. And maybe because I don't really want him to come along.

He shakes his head with a slight move and seems amused. However, when he starts talking his voice is deep and serious. "I don't trust any men around you anymore."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Our eyes meet. Maybe it's just my drunk self, who's easy to influence, but I only see honesty.

"Not even my father?"

The corner of his mouth raises a little. "He proved already that he's worth the trust." I raise my eyebrows in silence. "You may not be all innocent anymore" he explains further, "but to him you're still his little princess."

I can't help but giggle. I wasn't so sure about that. I mean, whose princess' father would let her go to a party without asking any further questions such as where and with whom. My parents have been spoiled with my sister being able to take care of herself without any problems. I'm that kind of party person who'll get into every available trouble. I mean, look at me: sitting in a taxi after being kidnapped from a party by tattooed stranger.

"Put on your seat belt." Jisung somehow seems caring out of sudden. Sweet. Wait didn't he annoy me just a few minutes ago? Well who cares anyway ... gosh why am I so tired?