Finding True Love

Pop...Korn

"Knock I have an errand I need to run." Korn stood along with Knock outside the food court near the busy street. Phu and his sister had departed only moments ago. Driving away in a sight Korn never thought he would see in his life. His sister tucked behind Phu on his bike, helmet on, arms wrapped around his waist.

"Where are we going?" Knock asked. Korn stared deep into Knock's innocent brown eyes. This was something he was not yet ready to share.

"This is an errand I need to do on my own. I'll meet you later today?" Korn couldn't miss the flicker of surprise that slipped through Knock's simple smile.

"Oh, okay. No, that's fine. I needed to go home, anyway. This actually works out well. I'll talk to you later." Before Knock could turn away Korn grabbed his hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Knock pulled his hand free. "I said it's fine. I'll talk to you later." Knock escaped before he could say another word. Korn felt a twinge of guilt for not bringing Knock with him. But as much as he cared for Knock, he didn't think he would be fair to Pop either. Not until he knew what she needed from him beyond her cryptic phone call. Korn waited until Knock was out of sight before hailing a taxi. Giving the driver the motel address, he settled in for the ride. His mind drifted back to the call he'd received at breakfast.

"I need you to be my boyfriend one more time." He had never expected to hear from Pop again. He had hoped to never hear from her again. Because if he did, it meant something bad had happened. As it had been a few years since he had heard from her he thought maybe things had turned out for the best. But now, with her calling unexpectedly, it couldn't be for anything good.

The first day they met had to have been one of the hardest days of his life up to that point. He'd been walking home from school when he came across them, Pop and who he later learned was her boyfriend.

They were crammed deep into the alley, hard to see, and yet impossible to miss. He saw Pop's arms tucked over her head, her body low and her back hunched over. Her school uniform a complete mess. With the shirt untucked and missing a button, her skirt twisted and ripped. He saw her boyfriend standing tall and straight, with his chest puffed out, his arms held at sharp angles, ending in tight fists. His own uniform in pristine condition, minus one untucked corner of his shirt.

What happened next happened so quickly Korn didn't have time to react, let alone time to comprehend what he was seeing. The boyfriend's fists fell on her arms one by one, beating on her as if he was moulding stiff dough.

When the blows didn't generate the outcome he desired he moved on to kicking her legs out from under her, sending her into a heap onto the graveled pavement. Her skirt flying up and twisting around her waist. Korn remained frozen as he watched this play out.

All around him others ignored what was happening feet away. Either from ignorance or indifference. He too could be one of the masses. He too could move along and not involve himself in another person's life. He too could walk away from a young girl getting beaten.

"Hey!" Korn yelled. All eyes turned on him. From the indifferent pedestrians, to the nearby shopkeepers, to the boyfriend in the alley with his foot raised, to the young frightened girl who lay at his feet. Korn was now the center of everyone's attention for the next three seconds. He had to make it good. Korn pointed down the alley. All eyes followed his direction. "Yea, Pervert."

The boyfriend could not be ignored now. The crowd could no longer pretend to not see the poor girl's plight. The boyfriend was no longer invisible in the crowd of indifferent spectators. He set his foot down and took off running down the opposite end of the alley. Away from power of the crowd. He was getting away, but it was enough for now.