The Sun to my Moon

Chapter 10: Revisit

Cha Dal-geon ended up taking the car to Busan, dropping off Go Hae-ri at Jessica Lee's house with a promise to pick her up later that afternoon. He had a nice chat with Jessica for a few minutes before Hae-ri got fidgety and he deemed it prudent to excuse himself.

Cha Dal-geon found Jeong Molly in a dive bar called Boo's in the center of town, serving as a bartender.

Gone was the fresh-faced, if frightened young girl he remembered from months ago. In her place was a woman with hair dyed a dark red, wearing a blowsy top and a wary expression. Heavy dark lines of eyeliner framed her eyes and she wore lipstick that was several shades too dark for her skin tone.

It was the middle of the day, so the bar wasn't crowded, but it wasn't empty, either. Most of the patrons were settled in corner tables or were gathered around the pool table, however, so Dal-geon felt fairly assured of having a relatively private conversation when he went straight to the bar.

"What'll you have?" Molly said without looking up from the glass she was drying.

"A hello and soda," Dal-geon told her, taking a seat on the barstool nearest the tap.

"What?" she did a double take.

He gave her a gentle smile. "Annyeong, Molly. Do you remember me?"

She gave him a wry smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'd hardly be likely to forget, given the circumstances under which we met. How are you, Dal-geonssi?"

"I'm well. I can see the same can't be said for you, however."

She stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Well, look at you. You're obviously unhappy."

She looked away. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You're miserable. Still grieving for your sister, suffering from survivor's guilt, wondering why she was the one chosen to die while you were spared. You're looking for something to drown the pain, or at least to dull it, but you won't turn to drugs because you secretly believe that's what got you into this mess in the first place. You try alcohol sometimes but you're afraid of going too far down that path because you're afraid of becoming like your mother, relying on a bottle to get you through the day. So instead you try to distract yourself with sex, engaging in a series of one night stands, but never getting attached, never letting anyone get close. You allow men to use you because deep down you believe you don't deserve to be treated any better." Dal-geon shook his head. "You and your sister were good students. You should be in University somewhere, preferably far away from this place, but instead of setting the world on fire with new ideas, here you are, slinging drinks in a run down bar in the middle of the day."

She drew back. "Was there something you wanted?" she asked coldly.

"Yes. I want you to stop blaming yourself for what happened to your sister, and for what happened to you."

"That's what you came here to tell me?" she said disbelievingly.

"No. I came here to ask you how you met Jerome."

Her expression grew even more guarded. "I don't want to talk about him."

"Not even if it could help avenge your sister's death?"

She looked at him. "What good would that do? She'll still be gone."

"Jebal, Molly. It could help us catch her killer. Prevent other people from being hurt by him."

She was quiet for a moment. "All right. Ask your questions," she said finally.

Dal-geon repeated his earlier question. "How did you first meet Jerome?"