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❈Kun Jung-Hee

Kun Jung-Hee Appartment, Cluoshire
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"That utter and complete asshole!!"

Rachel plops down into the dining room chair, her face flush with anger and her arms crossed over her chest. I believe this was the third time she was cursing Samuel's existence since I told her about the events that took place last Friday.

Needless to say, I got fired that day.

It happened just about how I expected it to go as well. Samuel was literally yelling me up and down the restaurant until I left. Blaming the whole "fiasco" on me and doing a damn good job of schmoozing up the Young family to gain as much favor as possible. I could still feel the heated stares from the other customers as I left. Fortunately, I also left just in time to avoid the parade of paparazzi's flooded that place soon after. To say that Friday was a mess would be the biggest understatement of the year.

"You know what, fuck Sam. He's a bigot, bottom-feeding tool and we don't need that shit." Rachel hissed out in a scathing tone. "I'm sure we can find something else much better!"

She then begins to scanning the newspaper clippings I had laid out on the table to look through. I let out a deep sigh as soon as the word "we" came out of her mouth. I quickly dried and put away the final dish of the lunch we just finished. While I do appreciate her fervor to help me and try and "stick it to the man", she needs that money just as much as I do. And she knows it.

"You know you need that job for your mom Rach, don't worry about me."

"No way, I already hate working there Jung-Hee. What's the point of me staying?"

"Besides reliable income? Seriously Rach, don't stress about it. Unless you have a better job lined up don't endanger your future or your moms." I said sternly.

She just pouts at me but doesn't respond. However, I believe my point did stick with her. I dare never tell her that things are reasonably worst than I let on. You see not only was I fried from my highest paying job but my money-grubbing slumlord of a landlord is increasing our rent again. Even though it might just a small amount, between my mother and me, it's just not enough to cover. Hell, I haven't even told her yet that I was fired from Jubilee's. Thank god that everyone was out for the day due to the twin's insistence on seeing another and I quote "super awesome" movie. Kids are crazy about their movies I swear. But it gave me time to formulate a plan, one that had been brewing since that evening I was fired.

A bad one at that.

"Ohh what about this one? It's a customer service job but the pays pretty decent! Ooo or this one! Does a bartender gig sound more like you? The hours are late but at least you will be more available in the morning time?" Rach listed off, her eyes dancing from one clipping to the another.

I let out a small laugh. I knew what she was trying to do, cheer me up to the best she could but I knew what I had to do.

"Nono this one, this is the one Jung-Hee! ..Hey, are you listening ...to...me..." Her words trailed off.

Her eyes were glued to me, well to be more specific, glue to what I was doing. While she was rambling out jobs, I had slipped out a pack of cigarettes. Taking out of lighting it, I took in a deep drag. Nasty habit, I know. It's not one I indulge in for shits and giggles. It helps with the stress and honestly, I need that now.

However, for Rach and I, we both know it's not the cigarette that issue. It what I do after that's the problem.

"No..."

My eyes drift up to her. Her face is stony and cold. If looks could kill, I would already be under the floorboard. The kitchen was deadly silent. It was so quiet I could faintly even hear the couple a few units over having their usually shouting match. I averted my eyes and decided to play dumb.

"'No' what?"

I could see her jaw clenched out the corner of my eye.

"...Okay, you don't want to talk about it. Fine, I'll do it."

And then the flood gate opened.

"Let's dial it back a couple of years shall we?" She says in the most sneer and sarcastic voice she could. "This is around when my mom first got sick and I "suddenly" lost contact with you."

"Rach-"

"Ah, ah ah! You didn't want to talk. So now you listen."

My mouth shuts with a click as she continues her tale. She never looked away from me, as if she wanted to burn a hole through my skull.

"Come to find out you were avoiding me! It was a surprise for me I'll tell you that. And you want to know how I finally get to see you? On a fucking hospital bed! Your mother looked at me like she was fucking lost!!" Her voice becomes louder and angrier at the end.

"I then find out you have "teamed up" with some fucking lowlifes from high school and enter in a sketchy ass fight club!"

"I needed the money Rach..."

"FUCK the money!" She screams, slamming her hand on the table.

The kitchen was deadly silent once again. I didn't speak even though I doubt at this point she would listen. She took a breath, sat back in her chair, and continues.

"And you had the nerve to ask me to lie to your mother and siblings. And I did. Like a fucking dumbass." She spat out her words like they physically repulsed her.

I let out a sigh and sat back in my chair. I knew as soon as she got going, there was no way she was going to stop.

"And to think all this could have been avoided if I had noticed the glaring obvious sign." She looking at me. "That day, while I was stressing and complaining to you about everything that has happened, you were just sitting there, much like now smoking a cigarette. I should have known right then and there something was wrong."

For a few seconds, we just sat in silence. She glaring at me with a mixed expression of pain and hot anger. I let out a sigh and put out the cigarette.

"Better?" I asked

"Not in the slightest..." She shot back, her arms crossed over her chest.

I could feel my anger coil in my stomach and before I could even think, my mouth opened.

"Look, Rachel. I'm not asking you to lie for me since clearly, that was too much for you." I said scathing tone.

The room felt like it dropped a few degrees at that. Rachel let out a humorless laugh as she shakes her head at me.

"You really-"

"We're back!!"

Whatever she was going to say died on her lips at the loud announcement of the twins. Literally, a second later, the two were storming through the kitchen towards me, excitingly talking about the movie they saw, how it was "super cool" and I "totally" missed out on it. Just seeing the two of them so happy lighten the room, however out of the corner of my eyes I could still see Rachel giving me a measured look. The conversation may have been cut short but it clearly wasn't over.

My mother and Jae-Yun soon enter into the room as well. My mother, for the most part, seemed obvious to the tension in the room as she looked at the twin with a loving look. Jae-Yun, on the other hand, knew something was wrong as she looked curiously between Racheal and I.

"Rachel I didn't know you were coming by!" My mother said with a wide smile giving her a hug.

"Yeah, I just decided to hang out today. Been a bit of a busy week." She responded.

Her tone was still slight sprinkles of anger but mostly believable. My mom just nodded and start to herd the twins into the bathroom to freshen up for dinner.

Jae-Yun was still looking between us trying desperately to put the dots together. I refused to look at anyone and Racheal was still glaring holes into me. Talk about awkward. It at least got better when my mother returns to the kitchen.

 "Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"Sorry, not this time around. been feeling a bit...sick for a bit."

Racheal may have been responding to my mother but it was clear that her statement was meant for me. I just sigh and rub the back of my neck. My mother, bless her soul, still obvious to the tension just smile and nod. Racheal then gets up and proceeds towards the door.

"Jung-Hee... walk her at least station."

I sigh again and just resign to my fate. We were going to have this conversation one way or another. Fortunately the stations only a few blocks away so here to hoping. We soon found ourselves walking outside towards the stations, neither one of us wanting to talk. It was just turning night and the streets were mostly empty.

"...I know you think I'm overbearing at times but I'm just worried okay?"

I turn to her, Rachel wasn't looking back at me. Her eyes were set to the ground, her gaze sad and pained.

"Rachel, I'm sorry." I said in an instant.

I knew I was being a dick beforehand,  it is, unfortunately, a chronic problem with me. My "people" skills are almost nonexistent. People have always tried to be nice or friendly to me but I tend to lean towards social suicide and am as prickly as a cactus. Heaven only knows why Rachel hasn't abandoned me yet.

"Rachel, you know of all people know how shitty I can be. Don't take what I say to heart."

She just gives a small chuckle before looking at me.

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easily, Jung-Hee. "

I smiled softly at her. Where I was stubbornly anti-social, she was just stubborn. For those, she cared for she would do almost anything. After seeing her off at the station I started my relatively short trip back. The sounds of the night echoed around me. It was a good walk until of course, I turned onto the street next to mine.

"Ho ho, it's that the Mad Dog?"

I froze up instantly at the annoyingly familiar voice. There were only a few people who would call me that. I turned slowly and frowned deeply.

Remember those "fucking lowlifes" Rachel was talking about? Well speak the Devil's name and so they shall appear.

There were three guys in total. 2 of which I recognized almost immediately.

James and Ryan Peters, brothers who are experts in the art of being an asshole and A+ creeps. James was the older brother. Dark-colored hair and eyes with more tattoos than healthy. He was also the taller one of the two, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable under the look he was giving me. Fortunately, he wasn't much of a talker, that he left to his younger brother. And trust me, Ryan could talk more of an entire country if left alone. Ryan had dyed his hair again it would seem to a dark almost red. He too was gleaming at me with his own dark-colored eyes. The shit-eating grin on his face, however, was making me want to punch his teeth in.

The last person I couldn't see well in the dim light but when he stepped a bit closer I realized who he was instant. A dark shiver went up to my spine at the look on his face. He was tall, at least a head taller than the brothers. Short slightly spike dark-colored hair and forest green eyes which has the expression on someone who finally found something interesting to toy with. 

Zachary Blackwood, a man I knew by reputation and also the person who put me in the hospital a few years back.