.05% | lty

25. Crying in Front of Strangers

Mark stood behind her and held her bound wrists.

"Lucas tells me you're kind of feisty so if I cut these ties and you start something, you're in trouble."

"I'm sure I'm not as bad as he made it sound." She rolled her eyes as the tightness around her wrists disappeared and her hands were set free. She rubbed at the reddened skin before sitting down on the floor next to the first aid kit.

"Well hurry up and sit down." She motioned to the floor with her hand. He hesitantly complied and sat in front of her with his legs folded. "Let me see." She gently took his hand and extended his arm toward her, lightly pushing up the fabric of his sleeves. She knew what it was immediately. A burn. The skin on his forearm was a mix of red and transparent pink with oozing blisters dotted along the serpentine trail that wrapped around his arm. It almost looked as if someone wrapped a cloth soaked in gasoline up his arm and set it ablaze.

He watched her face as she uncovered his arm, expecting shock or disgust from the severity of his burns. Instead, she methodically examined it and then took what she needed from the first aid kit and got to work. Her head tilted downward and her dark hair covered some of her face. With her hands occupied, she shook her head and threw her hair back out of the way, exposing the pale skin of her long neck. Her pink lips pressed into a line as she concentrated. She was focused and practiced, strictly business like until she started to speak.

"There was something else I wanted to ask you..." She said quietly.

"You can ask anything you'd like, but I can't promise I'll give you an answer." He said, clenching his jaw from the burning pain of the anesthetic.

"You said that Kyung Chul is a sick person...what do you mean by that?" She continued working without looking up.

"He hasn't told you?"

"He has only told me that Kyung Chul wants to use me to get back at him."

Mark was surprised. He wondered how Taeyong could not have warned her about what could really happen to her. Her eyes met his as she looked up, curious about his silence. They were big and round and clear. The eyes of a being that was untouched by such matters. For a moment, he could understand Taeyong, but it quickly passed. She should know there is a monster out to get her.

"He's a murderer. He rapes and kills women for fun." He said, not bothering to ease into the heaviness of the revelation.

She only stared at him, blinking periodically. Her eyes didn't show fear or shock, her mouth didn't even twitch, but he felt her hand that still held his wrist begin to faintly vibrate against his skin. Her eyes began to gloss over and her hands dropped into her lap. He could almost see the words floating around her and then barrage her all at once. The reality of the situation had finally hit her. Droplets fell from the corners of her eyes and turned into streams that streaked her cheeks. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

He sat rigidly in front of her, feeling guilty for making her cry and uncomfortable because he didn't know how to fix it. He felt a pang in his chest at her vulnerability and desperation as she wept. She didn't ask for any more explanation. She didn't get angry, nor did she care for a reason. She only cried as if she had fallen apart and was waiting until the pieces pulled themselves back together. A moment of weakness that would pass by and not be touched again.

After a few minutes her cries slowed as he sat by quietly until they finally stopped. She rubbed at her face and eyes, trying to get rid of the remnants of her tears. Her cheeks and nose flashed with color and the rims of her eyes were a soft pink. He felt a sudden urge to put his palm to her cheek and tell her not to cry, but he resisted.

"Sorry." She said softly. "I don't usually cry in front of strangers. This is embarrassing. Maybe it's because you remind me of my little brother. How old are you anyway?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Eighteen." He answered. "Can I call you noona too?" He asked, trying to make a joke, but the look on his face was more serious than he had anticipated.

She raised an eyebrow, her pupils constricted and her eyes still glazed, then got back to work on his arm, resting his hand on her knee so she could finish cleaning his wounds. He felt his ears warm at the contact. The conversation didn't continue and they were both quiet as she finished cleaning his skin, putting ointment on and wrapping it up.

"Done." She said as she put the supplies back into the first aid kit. "Um...about earlier, I'm really sorry again. I've been kind of on edge lately and I think that might have been my limit. I didn't mean to dump it on you, but thank you for being honest and telling me." She muttered as she looked at the floor.

"I get it." He shrugged. "You seem like the kind of person that thinks unloading yourself onto someone else will only add fuel to the fire. I hate to tell you, but it doesnt work like that. When you have no one to cry to, it builds up and then explodes and that's when you end up crying in front of strangers."

"You're surprisingly perceptive."

"There's a lot of things about me that would surprise you if you want to find out." He winked.

"I'll pass." She stood up. "Can I go home now?"

"Ouch." He laughed as he stood up and reached into his pocket. "Call Taeyong and tell him to get you at the Y bridge in 30 minutes." He tossed his phone to her before taking the first aid kit from her and leaving the room.

***

They neared the spot where they had agreed to meet Taeyong. Mark and Yuna sat in the back seat while Jungwoo and Lucas were in the front.

"Make sure you keep that clean and change the bandages everyday." She gave a nod to his injured arm. "Maybe ask Jungwoo to help instead of Lucas. It might hurt less." She whispered to him.

"I heard that." Lucas laughed and exaggeratedly clutched his chest with his hand. A pained expression drew on his face, despite his attempt to sound light and carefree. "I'll forgive you for that because you're pretty."

"Uh...thanks."

Mark laughed at her strained expression.

They came to a stop and saw the other car from the window nearing quickly from a distance.

"Here they come." He turned back to Yuna and smiled. "Since it wasn't that bad, I'm counting on you to convince him not to try to kill me for taking you."

"I'll do my best." She gave a half smile back before reaching for the door handle.

"Wait." He stopped her before she could pull the latch. "Thanks for this" He held up his bandaged arm. "And watch out for youself."

She nodded before opening the door and getting out. He followed her with his eyes as she walked around the front of the car to the other side as the other car sped closer. Before the wheels had even stopped spinning, the door had opened. It came to a screeching stop and Taeyong jumped out looking crazed and disheveled. He ran to her, slamming his body into hers as they made contact. His arms were around her tightly as if he would squeeze the life out of her small frame. He kissed the top of her head with his eyes closed and his brows furrowed, a look of complete relief as if he himself had just escaped the chopping block. Despite the excessiveness of his demeanor, never did he look so ordinary, clinging on to that girl.

As Mark watched all of this, it all became clear. Taeyong's sudden change and the minute differences in his actions. It came from the desire for affection and normalcy and support. Something beyond a physical attraction. A luxury people in their line of work could not have. Something Taeyong had the nerve of holding in his hands and was desperately trying to keep there. It was sad and admirable and enviable all at once.

Mark scoffed at the thought and rolled down his window.

"Remember what I said." He called to her. Taeyong broke his hold and she turned to him. "And if you ever need a shoulder to cry on again, call me. I'll come to you whenever you need me. See you later, noona." He grinned and rolled the window back up. "Let's go."

"Maybe it's not such a good idea to taunt him so much." Jungwoo said as he drove off.

"Nah, it's fine." He watched Taeyong in the mirror seething with rage and Yuna pulling him back. "Good things should never come easy."