Chapter 3: Ho-Rim

~.::.~

The cafe buzzed with chatter from other customers. A waitress arrived at a table with two middle aged men with their drinks. A coffee for the more serious looking man and warm ginseng tea for the man with softer features. The two took a sip of their drinks as the waitress left. The man with the tea waited patiently for his friend to speak since he was the one who called for this meeting. The other cleared his throat,

"I guess I'll get right to the point then." He waited a beat before he continued. "I've received a threat from a former employee of mine. I'm sure he isn't capable of much damage but I prefer not to take any risks of underestimating him. What I'm saying is, I and my family need protection. However, as I'm a cautious man, I prefer to do business with your company through you. I know it isn't your job exactly, but I can't trust anyone with the safety of my family but you, Kwangsoo."

The man, Kwangsoo, took another sip of his tea. Deep in thought. Until, "Like you said, it's not exactly my department. But I'll do what I can to do business as you wish. It's the least I can do for an old friend." He gave a kind, humble smile.

~.::.~

 

The nights were cooler than the day, so I was thankful for them. I sat in my bed that was next to the window. The night sky was hidden behind the glow of the street lights, which was unfortunate. There was nothing like a beautiful scenery at the end of the day to heal the unpleasant aftermath of a bad experience. So the absence of the stars made me turn to something else for comfort.

I looked down at the stuffed animal in my lap. The soft gray wolf pup looked up at me with its green eyes. After the disappointing turn of events earlier today, Hoseok tried his luck at the claw game to get me a stuffed animal to take home. I smile at the stuffed toy, recollecting Hoseok's attempt at cheering me up.

"Don't worry, Yurim-ah. I'll get you one for sure!" Hoseok stretched his arms and legs as if he was about to run a marathon.

I giggled, "isn't that a bit much?"

"Why do you think winning this is rare, hm?" His hands rested on his hips as he rotated his pelvis. I snorted as another wave of laughter escaped me. "People don't apply basic warm ups." Hoseok twisted his torso left and right, cracking it both times before getting into his stance. "Okay!"

He failed twice before finally scoring on the third. When he scooped up the stuffed animal from the dispenser, Hoseok didn't miss the chance to do a silly dance before finishing off with a spin and finally presenting me with the adorable puppy.

"Here you go! This makes me cool right?" His smile was so big and bright. I felt so grateful in that moment. That we became friends. That I somehow found someone who I didn't repel.

I took the puppy gladly and nodded. "Very cool!"

"So what will you name it?"

"Name a stuffed animal? Do I look five?" I cringe.

"Yurim-ah~!" Hoseok whined. "This isn't just a stuffed animal! This is your guardian to protect you when I'm not around."

"Ohh~ is that so? Maybe it's name should be Hoseok then." We laughed.

"Okay, okay. How about Horim?" He suggested with a chuckle. I cringed. "Ho for Hoseok and Rim for Yurim. It's cute!"

The cute combo and Hoseok's child-like behavior put a smile on my face. There was no denying his ideas when they were so sweet. I nodded. "Horim it is." I then spoke to Horim the wolf pup. "Horim-ah, when the other animals mock you for your name, make sure to bite your dad okay? He's the one who gave you your name."

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"'Dad?'" He seemed surprised. "Does that make you 'mom'? Are we parents already?"

His comment made me blush. I slapped his arm, "that's not my point~!" Hoseok then bursts with laughter and ruffled my hair. "Aiiish, really!" I pouted.

I smiled at the memory and embraced Horim. It really did feel comforting knowing someone had my back. Friends were never easy for me to make. My family claimed it's my own fault for being too honest. But what was the point of making friends who didn't know your thoughts and feelings? Wasn't that the point of friends? People could be so strange in their logic sometimes.

"Eonni," my sister, Minju, popped her head into the door. She wore a headband around her head, her hairline drenched. Which means she was in the middle of her nightly skin care routine. "Mom and dad are held up at the Hot Spring. They said to eat without them."

I nodded, "okay, get ready." I got out of bed and left Horim laying comfortably on my pillow.

I had made cheesy kimchi fried rice with pork for dinner. But it looked like there'd be some left over. My parents owned a Hot Spring a few miles from home in the mountains. I work there over the weekends and enjoy a good soak every once in a while. Minju doesn't help out as much as I do but she sure seems to take every opportunity to give her friends an exclusive 'tour'. It wasn't normally busy on the week days but I suppose it was one of those days.

Minju returned from the bathroom, her routine complete. I scooped fried rice into a bowl and set it down in front of her before making myself a bowl.

"Eonni, what was with that doll you were smiling about?" Minju asked curiously. She placed a spoon on each of our sides. I felt slightly embarrassed that she caught me smiling to a stuffed animal. "Do you have a boyfriend all of a sudden?"

My eyes went wide when I looked at her. "Where did that come from? Why would a doll make you think someone had a boyfriend? And it's not a doll, it's a stuffed puppy." I corrected with my first mouthful of food.

"Why not? Boyfriends get cute things like that for their girlfriends all the time."

That's true I guess, I thought as I recalled the couples in the arcade today. And the way they made me miss Seokjin. I shrugged. "Well I don't have one, so don't get the wrong idea."

"Fine, I was just asking." Minju grumbled, chewing on a piece of pork.

I remained quiet for most of the meal, though Minju didn't mind. She loved talking about all the recent happenings of middle school and asking for my take on things. However, when she disagrees with what I say, she has no problem ignoring my insights. It usually annoys me when she does that, but tonight my thoughts were somewhere else. 

There were things that still bothered me. Some more than others. First, how I was so close to forming something with Seokjin, even an acquaintance. Second, the strange look in Namjoon's eyes as he was being escorted off the ice. The look could've killed someone. And most of all, my strange encounter with Yoongi.

The image of his intense glare just inches away from my face sent a strange feeling through my body that I didn't know was good or bad.

Bad of course! Nothing else made sense. I resisted the urge to physically shake the thoughts from my head or claw them out even. Now I was just being stupid. 

But I still couldn't get to the bottom of his last statement to me. Was he just messing with me? Ugh! Maybe all this is only bothering me because it's still fresh. Hopefully after a good night's rest, it won't seem like that big of a deal in the morning.

I nod to myself, deciding not to stress about anything anymore until I've rested properly. Though, typically, these things were easier said than done.

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