Paris En Tu Invierno (ChuuVes FF)

xviii.paris,france

"Where is she?" I asked Heejin.

"I don't know! I checked. Max isn't even at his apartment. I don't know where they are. I called the school and they had no information. The police don't even care, Yves...."

"Shit." I breathed in and out of my mouth as I got a little dizzy. My anxiety was starting to act up. Heejin bit her lip and looked down at her phone. She kept playing with it and began picking at her cuticles. Heejin never changed.

"I think it's best that she just come back home to Korea with me. Or somewhere that isn't here. She must be horrified," Heejin sighed. "I took care of her the entire time we were in Korea when her parents kicked her out. Jiwoo isn't the same Jiwoo from high school. She...broke." Heejin paused for a moment. "What broke her more was being with someone like Max. She saw Max as a protector, a blanket. He would come up in here and act like he's a boss. He made her do makeup and told her to keep dying her hair....she didn't want to though."

I felt anger burn through me again. "The more things I here about Max the more I have the urge to kill that fucker-"

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"The police," says a guy in a heavy French accent. Heejin rushes to the door and opens it. She lets him in. A short guy with auburn hair and brown eyes comes in, with police uniform. He has his hat off and his coat opened. I guess he didn't feel bothered by the cold. "I have some news about your friend who went missing, what you say...a few hours ago? I tried to help the best I can because the district didn't find this case important."

"What did you find?" I asked, knowing fully well that I wasn't recognized as a guardian.

"Well, they found her in Bobigny. And she's being taken to the district for questioning. She was found with illegal substances and another girl was there too. Your friend didn't look very good. We know that she's being persuaded and not mentally sane right now."

"Mentally sane?" Heejin asked. "What's wrong?"

"Well, the officer told me that your friend was separated from the other girl. And she seemed more at ease. We'll get more details but until then she's in holding because she was helping a criminal. We've been chasing down Maxine Chastain for the longest time."

"Wait...Maxine is a criminal? With a record?" I asked, slightly shocked.

"Well, over this past year a lot of things traced back to her. And it seems like your friend got into the mix of trouble. She didn't need to..." the officer sighed.

"This is going to fuck up her visa," Heejin huffed to me in Korean. "what to do??"

I knew people who could help. I noted to make sure I get some of my fathers' best lawyer associates to help Jiwoo. Also noted to have her things moved into my place for the time being. The officer left and I sat with Heejin while she made some tea. "Well I'd be damned," I say, blowing on the mug she gave me. "Our Jiwoo got with a criminal."

"I swear this is insane," Heejin said. "At least she's found and safe...but she could be deported. And she's always wanted to come here and study."

"I'll help her get a home," I offered. "I have a lot of money. You can trust Jiwoo with me."

"Jiwoo isn't a baby. She just needs...somebody," Heejin said. "And are you sure I can trust her with you?"

"Yes. I love Jiwoo. I always loved Jiwoo..."

Heejin sighed again. "Then why did you fuck everything up, Sooyoung? You had one simple thing to do to keep her: not tell her family."

"And what good would that have been? I want a life with Jiwoo. They deserve to know who's in her life, Heejin. She's grown now and there are things that need to be voiced to her parents." I crossed my legs. "I'm sorry Heejin. But...yeah."

"I just need to know she'll be okay when I go back to Korea. Please, Sooyoung. Take care of Jiwoo. She's suffered a lot. Love her like you say you do."

+

A few hours later, we get a call from the officer. Jiwoo wasn't placed in a holding cell after Max confessed the actual truth: Jiwoo had nothing to do with the drugs she was dealing with. Jiwoo was sent home and Heejin told me I couldn't visit yet. I just sat in my apartment, watching the night go by. There was a phone buzz and I immediately jumped for it.

"Hey," said a tired voice. It was Jiwoo.

"Where the hell did you go, kid?" I asked. "Why did you disappear? Why-"

"Just shut up and come here."

I went to the apartment in my robe and slippers. Jiwoo was exhausted. There were circles around her eyes and she had a bruise above her lip. Her neck was red and she probably had more bruises. She looked at me with relieved eyes. She came up to me and wrapped her arms around me. I could feel her heart beating against my chest. I kissed her hair. "It's okay..."

"I still wanna stay here, after all this I've been through..I'll try harder next semester to pass all of my classes...."

"Stay with me," I said.

She released me. "What?"

"Stay with me. In my apartment. You can live with me," I immediately said. "You know...you can live with me."

"Well, I was going to search for a job and then keep this little pla-"

"You don't have to. Stay with me. It'll be easier...well until, you get a job."

Jiwoo gave me a pensive look, before she shrugged. "I suppose it'd be for the best."

Heejin sauntered into the living room. "It's my last day. We should all get some breakfast and hit the shops. I never had time to even buy clothes."

Jiwoo grinned. "Me either...hey, Sooyoungie, wanna come?"

I smiled back. "I'll heat up the car."