Start Again

Chapter Twenty-Four

Joon Soo

"Are you sure we have to part? Can't we hang out a bit longer?" Audrey asked, pouting slightly.

I rubbed the back of my neck and sheepishly looked down. "Actually, if I don't go home now and get to work on the magazine stuff, my head will be ripped off. The deadline is tomorrow."

"Did you want help?"

I shook my head. "I need to take responsibility for this."

Audrey sighed. "Fine. Want to get rid of me."

I grabbed her hand, and looked her seriously in the eyes. "Never."

Tears started to swell in her eyes again.

I pointed my finger at her eyes. "You promised on the subway, no more tears. Suck them back in."

She threw her head back and stared at the sky without blinking. "Okay. They're gone."

"There's no reason to cry anymore." I held both of her hands in mine now. "You got that?"

She nodded.

"Now hurry on in. I'm sure Kim Hye Ri will be ecstatic when she sees you."

She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and hurried in the opposite direction. I stood there for a while, watching her retreating figure, before I snapped out of it and headed off to the bus. Now, where did I park my car?

*

"Park Joon Soo!" my mother shrieked as I opened the door. I could feel the dark aura floating around the room, ready to consume me. The daggers were heading my way. My mother, with her vicious eyes, was quickly approaching me. "Where have you been? A whole night you're gone, without a call... where did you stay?"

"With Baek Hu?"

"Impossible. Baek Hu lives with his girlfriend. He would not allow that. No lies, Joon Soo. Where were you?"

A sigh escaped my mouth. "Twenty-four hours."

"What?"

"Give me twenty-four hours and I'll explain everything."

"What? Why twenty-four?"

"Because, eomeoni, I have to hand in the final proof of the magazine tomorrow and I'm only halfway done. Do you want me to lose the one job I've had?"

"Not like they pay you anyway," she muttered. "Fine. But you will tell me every single detail, do you understand that Joon Soo? And I will punish you accordingly."

"I'm twenty-six. Why am I getting punished?"

"Twenty-six? More like six! Act like a six-year-old and you will get treated like one."

Realising I was picking a pointless fight with no end, I quickly retreated to my room and locked the door. I had to get the work. Plus, twenty-four hours would buy me some time to think of a carefully planned lie.

*

I sighed back into my chair, feeling my spine stretch out. That was a close one. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I checked the time. Audrey would be getting out of class in an hour.

There were no magazine meetings today. I sent an email out to everyone first thing to ensure I had enough time to get everything completed.