Mystic Messenger: Life After

Chapter 3

Zen pulled the covers over Ha Eun's body that lay next to his.

It was shocking to find Ha Eun in such condition, it was usually him that is in wreck, not the other way around. But when she came at him with such fierceness and hunger, he was hesitant but he knew it was the release she needed.

"Have you calmed down now?", Zen asked softly.
"The things you do.... Is enough to calm even a hysteria....", she gave a wicked grin.
Zen groans at her reply. It was typical of her, to tease him, his weakness.

"No, now is not the time. Don't distract me. Why are you red and swollen?",he said as he took a deep breath.
She raised an eyebrow, as if saying 'really?'. He corrected his words immediately.
"Apart from the things I did earlier. This I mean."

Zen ran his fingers softly against the and before registering the flinching response from Ha Eun. He had kissed her but he always kept a mental reminder to avoid her cheek. One that was a bit swollen than the other

"It hurts?", he asked softly.
"My dad.... He hit me, when I got home and told him I'm moving out."
"What?!"

Ha Eun sat back up, followed by Zen. She can see the worried and surprised look in his face.

"Okay, calm down. I'm telling you everything."

She took a deep breath, as if she was gathering her courage.

"My mother has been aspiring to be a researcher, she worked hard, studied hard. But she had me. So she had to settle down as a housewife to raise me, with my father working as a shop owner. But such world wouldn't satisfy her. So she left me when I was small."

Zen gasped and gave a pain look. He quickly reaches Ha Eun's hand. But she places his hand back down, she no longer wants sympathy for her story. She moved on from it.

"Since then my father has been.... Paranoid... In the other hand he can be very possessive and aggressive and the other hand very helpless. But he always make sure I remembered that I lived till this day because of him. I was nothing and he was everything. It was because of him. So even though I knew it was wrong, I didn't have the courage to go and run like you.

So, when this all started, the messenger, RFA. I accepted it mostly because I can start anew. No one knew me, well Seven maybe. But I can become someone new. I was selfish."

Ha Eun stares into Zen's red eyes.

"This is who I am. I am not as good as you thought I am.", she said.

Zen pats her head gently.

"The one I fall in love with was you. It doesn't matter how long I have known you, or what life you had before we meet. It was still you, and I'll love you for it."

Ha Eun took the big hand and placed it on her cheek, the stinging pain no longer bothers her. This warm hands, so protective and gentle. At least she knows she is in good hands.

"Okay, what do you want to know next?", she asked Zen back.
"Hmm.... Your work?"
"I am a biomedical scientist."

Zen gave a gaping mouth reply, Ha Eun grins and pinches his face.

"I don't know what that really is but that sounds cool. As expected from my babe!", his playful voice returned again.
"I have a medical degree but I'm more into research. I don't think I'm suited to meet people."
"Why? You are perfect!"
"The glasses.", she replied and motioned a wave in front of her eyes.
"What's with the glasses?"

Zen remembered he had come home in messy braided pigtails and his fake glasses. She was nowhere near the woman that had stood proudly on the Fundraising Party.

"Just like how your parents brainwash you to believe that you are ugly. I, too, felt that I am not worthy and have low self-esteem. That's why I wear glasses, braid my hair, looks down all the time, never talked. With it, no one will ever reach out to me. And I have been like that. In why I choose it, I believe that if I follow my mother's footsteps as a researcher, she would come and see me. But how am I supposed to be known if I couldn't even stand up for myself. It's a little bit sad actually."

Zen took her in his arms again and pulled her back to him.

"You've been through a lot. Don't worry, I'll be here for you. Forever.", he said firmly.

Ha Eun nods softly. It was a miracle that she was able to find Zen and is very grateful for him.

"So, where do you work? Do you want me to pick you up after work?"
"NO! No, no. So much for not standing out!", she exclaimed.
"Wae? I want to see you at work!"
"Besides, it was a university laboratory. Not much work was done there, mostly because all of the staffs were lazy graduates. It used to be a great place with the professor before, but he left and the place became a wreck. But still they give me a lot of work though, since no one is working, but mostly trivial work."
"You shouldn't let them do that!"
"It's okay, I like the work after all."

Zen looks at Ha Eun's face. Still the calm and serene face that turns out harbored great burdens inside her. They really are each other's mirror. It's as if Zen is seeing the old him in her.

"And your father? Do you need me to talk to him?"
"Hmm-mm, no, I'll deal with this myself.", Ha Eun shook her head in reply.
"Now that you have me, you can just live here with me. You don't have to stay in that house."

---

Zen woke up early that day. He observes Ha Eun's peaceful sleeping face before he left the bed. Observing each and every detail of the face as if he's going to paint her face by memory.
She was there through his dark time, helped him see his problems in a new perspective. Changed the person he was, and now is his time to do the same.

First step, making breakfast.
Ha Eun wakes up to the sound of the shower. She was even more surprised to find the apartment already tidy. She had slept so well, she couldn't hear the hustle Zen made before. That man.....

"Ah, you're awake."

Zen appeared from the bathroom with his wet hair and all the glory of his fit body.

"Good morning.", she greeted him back.
"I made breakfast and ironed your clothes. I took it from your overnight bag, it's okay right?"
"You shouldn't ask that when you've already took my clothes off me.", she teased him.

Zen chuckled and gave a heavy smile. Self-control, self-control, he muttered to himself.

"No, no, no. I don't want you to be late for work.", he said.

He approaches her and wraps her to his chest. No fierce and hungry kiss, no burning lust. Just a warm embrace.

"What's with you.", Ha Eun asked.
"I mean every word I said. Everything I've promised to you, I'm not planning to break any of it. I'll tell you where I am all the time, I won't come home late because of drinking, and I'll work hard...."
"Step on a lego block for me?"

Laughter engulfed the two of them. Ha Eun felt her heart lighter now that she has Zen by his side.
So when Ha Eun appeared at Zen's door with her big luggage several days later, their life together starts for real.

"Stay with me, forever."