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56. Your Hair Looks Good

"What happened to you? I thought it was just supposed to be a meeting?" Ten asked after noticing the dried blood on Taeyong knuckles.

"It was nothing." Taeyong mumbled as the others exchanged weary glances. "Did you take care of what I asked you to?"

"Yes. We've paid off the cops that will be at the event. It definitely wasn't cheap because we had to triple what Joon Suk gave them."

"That's the great thing about cops, though. They aren't loyal to anyone. Just wave cash in their faces and you've got the law in your hands."

"Still...I don't know about this, hyung. It's a really public event." Doyoung voiced his hesitancy. "A charity event, nonetheless...and in Daegu. Are you sure that's the right place for this?"

"There's no better time or place for this. Especially since Joon Suk is just using it as a cover to meet with his connections from Japan. I doubt he would consider anyone would ever be dumb enough to step into the middle of that."

"But we are..." Doyoung answered with a frown.

"If the guys he's meeting with find out about us, we're dead." Ten said.

"They won't. Besides, if their meeting is disrupted, it's Joon Suk that will take the heat for not being cautious enough. If anything, at least it will sever their ties and keep Joon Suk on a smaller scale." Taeyong rolled up his sleeves as he turned to leave the room. He left no opening to question the plan. He was in a hurry for it to be sooner rather than later, even if that meant recklessly driving in head first. "Get all of our guys together tomorrow so we can go over everything one more time."

***

The dark, rust colored blood was washed away by the water as he ran his hands under the sink. He dried them, but small scrapes still dotted along his knuckles from the impact.

He sat down on his bed, pulled his phone from his pocket and mindlessly spun it around in his hands. He wanted to call her. He wanted to hear her voice. Something in him hesitated, though. Maybe she would hear the same dullness in his tone that Mark had so blatantly pointed out and would worry. Maybe she would sound sad and he would lose focus. He had enough self control to be away from her all this time, but one more day seemed like too much. He allowed the moment of weakness to overcome him and without overthinking it any more, called her.

"Hello?" She answered after a couple of rings.

"I miss you. I can't talk long, but I wanted to tell you that."

"I miss you too." She answered and heard him sigh in response. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah...it's just all catching up to me, I guess. I really realized how hard it was to be away from you after seeing you again."

"I couldn't tell...even after that day, I called you and the others countless times, hoping to hear something but no one ever answered. You call me so easily today and I wonder why you didn't before." Her voice trailed off in thought. "I'm sorry. I am so thankful that you are ok and that I can see you again but I catch myself hung up in so much negativity every time we talk. I don't mean to be that way...I think part of me is just having a hard time letting it go."

"I deserve that. I don't expect you to just forget everything, but I hope that you can forgive me someday."

"I can. I will. When you are here and I can see you and touch you and know that you'll stay with me, I know I'll feel right again."

A brief silence brushed over them in mutual understanding. All both of them needed was to feel whole again.

"Hey...I didn't say this before, but I think your hair looks good." She said, growing weary of their constant heavy conversations.

"I know. You're a terrible liar." He chuckled.

"Ugh, so embarrassing." She laughed.

"I better go now. I love you." His voice was sweet and sad sounding.

"I love you, too." She made a kissing sound into the phone and instantly shuddered with regret.

"Ah, that's really not fair. Don't be so cute when you're about to hang up. How can I concentrate now?"

"I'll see you soon." She smiled to herself before hanging up.

"So it's like that, huh?" The man asked as he came into the room and sat down across from Yuna.

"Yeah, it is. So what? Mind your own business, Johnny. Quit listening to my conversations." She threw a pillow at him.

"Sorry, sorry! It was just so cringy I couldn't not hear it. Trust me, I hated it as much as you." He laughed, dodging another pillow.

Johnny was a long time friend from around her neighborhood she had known since she was in middle school. He came by from time to time to check in on her and Da Reum.

"It's just weird. I haven't seen you like this in a while is all." His expression turned melancholy.

"It's a good thing though, isn't it?"

"I guess...as long as you're sure about it."

"I am. You're being weird. Why are you saying it like that?"

"No, it's nothing. A few years ago I just thought I'd be seeing a different picture now, that's all."

She paused while his words sunk in. The skin of her forehead creased and her muscles tensed at the realization.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm not saying the two of you should get back together or anything, but it really messed him up when you left. He realized a lot of things and he's not the same person."

"Johnny...how could you even- you were there!" She raised her voice "You were always around and you knew exactly what was happening! How could you even think I would ever want to have anything to do with him again?"

"If you could forgive me for not doing anything about it, you could forgive him too."

"No. Fuck no." She shook her head in complete rejection of the suggestion. "I've known you half of my life and I didn't forgive you because it wasn't your fault to begin with. We all knew what would happen if anyone questioned his actions."

"I get it. You don't have to be best friends with him, but maybe you both need to talk."

She gritted her teeth to keep her tears of frustration from spilling out.

"He- he was my first love. At that time I would do anything for him and he took advantage of that. He manipulated me. He used me. He exploited me and then he terrorized me. No matter how he has changed, what he did in the past is unforgivable. There is nothing we have to talk about."

"Alright, alright. Calm down tiger. You don't have to" He stood and ruffled her hair as he smiled. "I didn't mean anything by it...just some advice from your older brother."

She knew he was only trying to help. That's how Johnny always was. Free and easy and always the peace maker among their group. Still, the suggestion was ludicrous.

"Good thing you don't have any actual younger siblings if that's the kind of advice you give out."

He laughed and she threw another pillow at him.