Mystic Messenger: Life After

Chapter 2

ZEN, 707, Yoosung

ZEN: Ha Eun's gone
Yoosung: WHAT? Gone where?!
ZEN: To work
707 : Lovebirds...
Yoosung : You shocked me! I thought something happened again!
707 : It's quite funny, she is the one that's usually here. Now she's off, working.
Yoosung : Ha Eun does have a life outside RFA.
Yoosung : Zen, why are you not saying anything?
ZEN : I miss Ha Eun....
Yoosung : .....
ZEN : It has been a habit of reaching my phone after I wake up, it's usually to call Ha Eun. But now ...
Yoosung : Aaaaahhh! I want a girlfriend too!
Yoosung : Oh right, since Seven did a background check on Ha Eun the first time ever, you knew what's her job, right?
707 : I do~
ZEN : I don't.
Yoosung : What?!
ZEN : But she said she's telling me everything tonight. So I want to listen from her directly.
707 : You want a hint?
ZEN : NO!
Yoosung : I do I do I do I do!
ZEN : Ah! Ha Eun left a note for me, got to go!

ZEN has left the chatroom

---

Zen walked towards the kitchen where a note was slipped under a mug. A tidy handwriting fills the piece.

'Oppa, I'm off to work. I'm sorry I can't make you breakfast, I will next time, okay. I borrowed your glasses, I found one in your wardrobe. Have a nice day, I'll be thinking of you! Love, Ha Eun'

Zen smiled and placed the note to his heart. This warm feeling, is truly amazing.

Suddenly he can feel his stomach growling. He was tired from the party and the deed they done over the night. Seriously, Ha Eun barely got any sleep and she's off to work. He doesn't know if he need to worry or be amazed of her stamina. She just handled the beast all night after all.

---

Ha Eun's steps to the 2 storied building. Her pace was slower, her steps even heavier. Her Cinderella time is up.

"Oh! It's Ha Eun!"
"She returned!"

Loud voices greeted her when she entered the staff room. The man with sharp perfume approaches her. The women with the mirror in one hand, make up in other, gave a look at her as well. Ha Eun gave an awkward smile.

"You left a lot of work, you know!"
"Ah, her glasses is new? Did you disappear for almost 2 weeks to find new glasses?"

Laughter followed the woman's statements, Ha Eun stood in silence.

"Something that only she would do right?"
"Don't worry, I noticed it."

So be it, whatever they want to say, whatever they agreed upon, Ha Eun went for 2 weeks to look for new glasses. Their laughter still heard even after they left.

The 4 people in their respective desks return to talking amongst themselves, ignoring Ha Eun. She can breathe now, at least. She went to her table, the one in the corner. Everyone's desks were conjoining like teachers desk, but thank goodness they were odd numbered that no one sat next to her. The woman that was busy with her make up, sat in front of Ha Eun's desk gave an annoyed smirk.

"Your dad called the office every day. How embarrassing."

Ha Eun just gave a small sorry nod and lowers her head down so the partition can hide her face.

---

It was lunch time and she went to her usual place, the building' backyard, with her lunch in hand. Without shade, the girls don't like to sit there. The sun apparently damages their skin and the boys, would stay everywhere with the girls. So it was her safe haven, no one to disturb her.

Her phone vibrates. Zen. She looked around before answering.

"Nae sarang~."

Ha Eun automatically smiles because of the sweet voice at the other end. Her heavy burden seems to have flown away. Her expression softens. He truly was her joy.

"Did you eat?", asked Zen.
"I am now. You?"
"I'm working out now. So I'll grab food later."
"Don't forget to eat, okay. Especially after exercising! But give it some time."
"No, I won't. And don't push yourself too hard for your first day. What do you want to have for dinner?"
"Ah! About that...."

There was a pause in the conversation.

"What is it?"
"I don't think I'm coming back tonight."
"Whaaaatt?"

Ha Eun knew Zen would react this way. She felt bad as well.

"No, no, no. I'm meeting my father. He must've been confused I went missing with no news. I should go home and tell him not to worry. And besides, I should tell him I'm moving out, right?"

Moving out, the word immediately calms Zen down. Moving out~~

"Oh, right. Family is important! It's okay, I'll just look at your photos and think about you~"
"How many photos did you take of me, seriously?!"

Ha Eun knew Zen places a photo of her from the backside as his background. And the photo of the two of them as his profile photo. If he would take her pictures from the back, who knows how many of her photo he has stashed in his phone? There's a thin line between Zen and a stalker.

"Many many many many many. Oh, you should finish your lunch or else the break time will be over. I'll call you later okay."
"Okay."
"Saranghae saranghae saranghae~'

---

The sky was already dark again. The steps to her home was as heavy as the steps to her workplace. Maybe she walked slower to buy time, maybe she's lying to herself by coming here.
She took a deep breath before entering the small house.

"I'm home."

She bend down to take her shoes off, and he was there. Her father, with face furious red.
And a hard blow to her cheek. She almost lost her balance. Her hand flew to the wall to support her.

"Where have you been?! What kind of daughter left home for 2 weeks with no news at all! Since when are you this ungrateful?!"

Ha Eun stood still as she touches her stinging cheek.
Her father's face changes drastically as he knelt on the ground on Ha Eun's feet. She was blank.
This is normal.

"Ha Eun-ah! Dad's sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was merely worried!"

Ha Eun entered her house that got messier while she's away.

"I went to a friend's and lost my phone.", Ha Eun replied slowly.
"Which friend, I called your workplace and they say they don't see you either."
"Another friend."
"I was worried sick waiting for you! I can't have you leaving like your mother!"

Ha Eun sighed, this was nothing new. There was no end if she continues arguing either.

"Dad, I'm moving out."

---

Zen scrolled his phone screen through Ha Eun's pictures. It was weird, he worked with a lot of women, saw a lot of beautiful women. But now, this was the face that captivated him most. He tries to get a picture of her as much as he can.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"A guest? This late? It's 12PM. Who is it?"

Zen hurried as the knocker kept impatiently knocking. And there she stood. With bags on both arm.

"Ha Eun? What... why? Why is your face swollen and why are you crying?!"

Ha Eun gave no reply as she pushes Zen inside and trap him in a hungry kiss. She just want to forget.