Beer and Spicy Rice Cakes

Chapter 4 - Paperwork

It was already past midnight when my shift ended.

I went to the dressing room again and changed into the clothes I brought with me earlier that day, when Jinhye approached me.

I gave her a gentle smile and kissed her forehead for a brief second, before I shouldered my backpack. 

"Thank you.. for, you know, pretty much saving my ass again."

"Don't worry, already used to it."

My lips formed a crooked grin while I slightly patted her head and walked back into the store to grab my phone and wallet from the cashiers counter.

Jinhye left and I was alone.

As I looked around the store, I decided to clean up a little, as the customers left a lot of footsteps on the floor.

Nothing unusual with the weather being like that. But my Boss would've probably been pissed again if he came here and saw it.

"Damn Tae and his damn OCD..", I mumbled to myself as I fished the mop out of the storage chamber, when I felt the vibration of my phone in the pocket of my sweatpants, which made me jump and let the mop fall to the ground.

Still a bit startled, I took my phone and widened my eyes as I saw the message I got.

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KAKAO TALK

Gangnam, You

Gangnam, 12:26AM

Go outside and look up!

I cjkrnl

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"What the... "

I wasn't able to finish my thought, when I saw the profile picture of the person who texted me.

Being too tired to live for the last few hours, I was wide awake all of a sudden.

And before I even finished thinking about what to do right now, my legs walked me outside the store and my eyes searched down every window of the building in front of me.

I saw her walking in there today, I knew it was the right one.

And after a few moments I spotted a pink-purple mob of hair in one of the windows of the third floor.

The curtains just slightly moved to the sides, she held one hand over her mouth and pushed a piece of paper straight to the glass.

I narrowed my eyes to see it better, but it was impossible to read.

I panicked for a second, but tried to keep calm and started to gesticulate wildly to make her call me, but she didn't.

Instead, she disappeared for a moment, making me even more confused than I already was.

But it didn't last for too long.

Her face was visible again and another piece of paper was pushed to the window. With much bigger letters this time.

I walked closer towards the building and could finally read what she wanted to tell me, one piece of paper after another. 

"He smashed my phone."

"He's beating me up, he's drunk."

"Help me!"

My heart started beating faster and faster.

What exactly was I supposed to do right now? Call the police?

I looked at my phone and back up, but that thought was buried in the next second, as she showed me another paper.

"Don't call the police. Please don't!"

"I think he's asleep now"

"Please, get me out of here!"

I didn't think about it for too long, I just ran straight towards the building, pushed the door open and took the stairs until I reached the third floor, where I found another piece of paper.

I picked it up and read it silently.

"Don't knock.. You might wake him up. I'll try to snitch the door key from him."

I took a deep breath and  started digging through my backpack, until I found a pencil that has probably been in there since I went to highschool.

"Good enough..", I whispered, before I pushed the paper against the wall next to the door and scribbled a small 'Hurry up' on it.

When I was done, I pushed it back under the small doorslot and let myself sink down on the wall.

I slightly shook my head and leaned back afterwards, to stare at the ceiling and question everything I ever did at this exact moment. 

It didn't take her too long, even if it felt like I was waiting for hours.

When I finally heard the small crack of the doorlock, I straightened myself up and pulled her out immediately, when the door opened, to ran down the stairs, having her following me.

We reached the store, I grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her towards the dressing room to push her down to the bench where I was sitting earlier.

I was glad, Jinhye didn't put the stuff that she used on me away.

For the first time, I was thankful for her chaotic mind.

I kneeled down in front of the girl and looked up to her, inspecting her face for the second time this day.

She looked almost as horrible as I did, and I felt anger boiling up inside of me.

But I didn't say a word.

I just began to carefully put the ointment on every bruise that was visible and a band-aid right below her lower lip.

When I was done, I looked at her face again and widened my eyes, when I spotted a tear rolling down her cheek.

For a vague moment it felt like time had stopped around me, until I carefully got up and held my hand out for her. 

"Let's take you home for now.."

She looked up to me, still unable to stop crying and after a moment she slightly nodded and eventually grabbed my hand to let me help her stand up.