unpretty

20

June 08, 2012

Days passed yet I still haven't figured out who the loiterer was.

A lot of things had come into my mind and fortunately they weren't enough to drive me crazy.

Yesterday, he showed up again on that same spot where I saw him the last time. I was disposing the garbage bags outside when I noticed him, clicking his camera as if he meant no harm at all.

I thought of approaching him and asking him why he was doing this, but who knows if he had brought a weapon with him in case he got caught?

But on the other hand, he didn't do anything offensive. He didn't attack me when I was out alone and there wasn't anybody else on the streets. It's as if he just really wanted to take some pictures. I knew that what he was doing is wrong and that it's punishable by law.

But I still tried to give him a chance. If he shows up again today, I won't think twice to catch him myself and hand him to the authories.

Ailee already went home with Hoseok first since I told them that I needed to stop by the bookstore.

On my way home, I was walking through the narrow alley where people from our block would usually pass by when I heard those familiar clicking sounds again.

My ears perked up, immediately realizing that it was that guy. His back was facing me as his attention seemed to be focused on taking pictures of my house, oblivious to my presence behind him. He didn't seem dangerous as I observed that didn't have any weapon with him.

"Excuse me, Mister," I held his shoulder, causing him to flinch and stop what he was doing immediately.

He was about to run when I gripped onto his sweater tightly and pulled him before me as I tried to get a glimpse of his face. He struggled to let go by shaking his shoulder furiously, since he can't use his hands which were holding a seemingly expensive DSLR. That's when I saw that he was wearing a mask.

He kicked me in the leg, causing me to stumble backwards that was caused by the impact, but failed when my sleeve got caught with his bag zipper.

Banuce. I read. His bag was a brown leathered sling bag that had a Banuce mark in the middle. I made a mental note to remember how it looked like.

"Boksung?" A familiar voice called me from behind. It was Hoseok.

He suddenly panicked when he saw my situation with the hooded guy. I ignored him and tried to get a grip of the guy again but he instantly pulled his bag away from my sleeve before I could do so. I saw how it got ripped when he forced to remove it from my hold.

"You bastard--"

It all happened so fast. Hoseok suddenly appeared in front of me and hit the guy hard in face, causing him to tackle forward. But he abruptly stood up in a hurry when he noticed that his camera lens was broken.

And just like that, he ran away without looking back.

He didn't even notice that something fell out of his bag.

I picked it up, only to find out that it was a stolen photo of Ailee wearing her uniform and was about to enter our house in our yard.

"Hey, are you okay? Did that guy hurt you?" Hoseok asked worriedly as he held me by my shoulders tightly.

I shook my head, smiling a little, "I'm fine, Hoseok."

"Who is he? He even had a big ass camera."

"He's... Ailee's stalker," I let out a shaky breath as I looked at the picture in my hand, "I'm so stupid. I let him go."

Hoseok frowned as he examined the same photo.

"How long had he been stalking her?"

"Since last week."

"It's been a week and you haven't told anyone about this? Even me?

"I was--"

"Hey, are you crying?"

When he said that, it was then when I felt it. The warm tears that were coming out from my eyes. It also startled me.

I immediately wiped it off, embarrassed because it happened in front of Hoseok.

"Our Boksungie," my breath hitched when he suddenly held me by my wrist and pulled me to his chest.

"You were scared, weren't you?" He whispered in his deep voice as I felt his chin on top of my head, his arm surrounded my shoulders as his other palm caressed my hair.

It seemed like magic, because when he did that, it calmed me down.

I huffed, "I'm not scared. It's just that I hate myself for letting that man get away. What if he does something bad to Ailee? I couldn't bear to let that happen--"

"Our Boksungie, my Boksungie," he suddenly sang in a low tone while gently swaying side to side.

"What are you even doing?" I just let out a small giggle. I couldn't even budge from his hold.

The reason why I couldn't move right now is because my leg was getting numb from being kicked by that man earlier. I found it hard to move.

"I don't usually say this to anyone but," Hoseok pulled away and looked at me in the eyes, "Don't be scared, okay? I'm here now. I will protect you and your sister. Okay?"

"Okay."