Dohyun exited the taxi cab and stepped onto the crowded curb. Friday night in Hongdae would serve as the best hideout. There were a few performers busking with growing crowds of young people he could blend in with.
However, knowing Madam, Dohyun assumed she would have stationed a few guards at every conspicuous location, so he still needed to be careful. Dohyun pulled the edge of his hoodie over his hat as he weaved through crowds.
Two high school students wearing school uniforms chattered along without looking forward as they walked toward Dohyun. Before he could dodge them, one of the students bumped into him, causing her phone to fumble out of her hands, clattering to the ground.
Dohyun leaned forward and picked up the cell phone, inspecting it briefly before holding it out to her. “Luckily it’s not broken.”
Her fringe bangs brushed the edges of her wide eyes and her mouth went slightly ajar when her eyes met Dohyun’s.
Dohyun tilted his head and smiled questioningly at the frozen girl. He leaned forward and placed the phone into her hand and waved as he continued on his way into the heart of Hongdae.
The two girls squealed in delight and whispered to each other. “Do you think that oppa (term for older brother used by younger females) is famous? He was so tall and good-looking!”
“His hands were so big, too!”
“Someone like him definitely must have a girlfriend, right?”
—- GOMI KIM —-
Gomi flipped an obaekwon (500 won, the coin value of approximately ~50 cents) and snatched the small silver coin in her hand after it twirled in the air. “Shall I go to a coin karaoke while I enjoy my chicken feast???”
Jenny was right.
Hongdae was crowded beyond her expectations. For some reason, there were masses of high school students roaming the sidewalks.
“It’s so crowded that I can barely see where I’m going!” She grumbled. “There better not be a line at KoKo’s.”
Seeing a narrow pathway of escape from the crowd, Gomi slipped through the small opening. Finally feeling like she was able to breathe, she let out a long breath before starting back on her mission toward KoKo’s Chicken.
As Gomi walked, she noticed two blushing young girls squealing away while staring at a phone. Without looking up, they bumped into Gomi and the student holding the cell phone dropped it.
After staring at the phone for a second, the girl bent down to pick it up, then looked up to Gomi with an indignant expression on her face. “Uniee! (term for older sister used by younger females). You cracked my screen!”
The way the young student puffed air out of her mouth and made her bangs float up irritated Gomi for some reason. “Hey, brat. You should watch where you’re walking.”
“Did you call me a “brat”? You should pay me for the damage to my phone. You’re the one who ran into me.” She stomped her feet.
Cute. Did this kid really think she was scary…?
Her friend standing beside her had been quiet for the most part, but when she pushed up her glasses and looked up, she noticed the subtle crinkle between Gomi’s brow and the chilling smile that inched at the edge of Gomi’s mouth, sending involuntarily chills down the back of her neck.
Gomi leaned forward. High school girls these days have no fear. Maybe, I should teach her a lesson on how to respect her elders.
“Uniee!” The friend with glasses stumbled forward. “We’re sorry, we’ll watch where we’re going next time. Please forgive us. We’ll be going now.”
“Hey! What are you talking ab–” the girl with bangs began to complain and fought against her friend who was trying to pull her away by the arm.
The friend stopped and whispered into her ear urgently. “Trust me. I don’t think we should mess with this uniee… Let’s go.”
Though the girl wasn’t pleased, she followed her friend begrudgingly.
Gomi crossed her arms, and with a satisfied grin, she waved her fingers at the girl with bangs when she glanced back, mouthing “brat” before she turned away.
Gomi’s stomach growled loudly and this time she turned and jogged through the crowds until she arrived at Koko’s. Luckily it wasn’t too crowded and after a quick moment, she was carrying out her box of chicken like they were the most valuable spoils of a raid.
“Chicken, check! Now, it’s coin karaoke time! I hope they have the new Blvckpink song,” Gomi hummed as she pulled out a handful of obaekwons from her pocket while exiting the restaurant.
—- DOHYUN KANG & GOMI KIM —-
Dohyun searched along the road. He knew his friend’s apartment was somewhere near a chicken restaurant because the chicken aroma would often waft through the open windows when he visited a few times in the past.
Since his friend was studying abroad in America, Dohyun knew the apartment would be vacant. Dohyun would often stay over when he wanted to escape the suffocation of his family home, so his friend had shared the door code with him.
Then, he finally spotted the brightly lit red signage–KoKo’s Chicken.
Just when he increased his pace, Dohyun stopped dead in his tracks after spotting the man–though he wasn’t dressed in the strictly formal attire that the guards were typically required to wear, the stiff expression older man looked out of place, lingering near the entrance to the apartment building.
The attempt to blend in was abysmal and Dohyun was almost disappointed in the madam. Maybe she's losing her touch with age. He could only dream of her going senile.
The man glanced in Dohyun’s direction, though didn’t react in any way.
It doesn’t look like he recognized me yet, but if I just suddenly walk in the opposite direction, then he’ll become suspicious.
Dohyun dropped his head down slightly and walked forward slowly, hoping the guard would turn away. However, from the edge of the sightline, he could see the guard continued to stare in his direction.
“Mr. Obaekwons, are you blinking ready?!” Gomi swung her chicken happily in one hand and simultaneously tossed and caught a handful of coins in the other without dropping a single one.
It’s her again. Gomi had exited the chicken store and walked toward Dohyun slightly blocking him from the guard. Though she had her hair up now and was smiling from ear to ear, he knew it was her. The girl from the hospital…
The guard focused a little closer after Gomi’s sudden exclamation.
Dohyun took his chance to keep the guard’s attention on Gomi. Before it could shift, Dohyun closed the gap between him and Gomi within a couple long strides.
As if time slowed, Gomi tossed her handful of coins in the air just as someone suddenly grabbed her and whispered, “Help me out one more time.”
With each clink of her obaekwons hitting the ground, a new circumstance registered in her head.
Clink. My obaekwons are falling.
Clink. Someone’s hand is on my back.
Clink. My body won’t move.
Clink. What is this warm feeling on my lips…?
Dohyun saw the man turn away as he received a phone call and pulled away from Gomi slowly.
When the guard walked away in response to the phone call, Dohyun crouched down and picked up the obaekwons that were scattered on the ground around them.
Who carries this many obaekwons around? Dohyun mused as he retrieved each one.
Gomi wore a stunned expression and for once as Night Gomi, she didn’t know what to do.
“I’m really sorry about that. I promise this isn’t my usual behavior,” Dohyun said. He placed the coins back into her hand. “Take good care of your Mr. Obaekwons.”
He paused for a moment, but Gomi’s eyes were unfocused and he wondered if she had stopped breathing.
Though he felt apologetic, Dohyun knew he needed to use this chance to get into the apartment before the guard returned.
“I would stay to explain but I really need to get out of here due to some circumstances, but I swear I’ll compensate you next time.”
Dohyun hurried away toward the apartment entrance.
“Compensate” me…? Did he just kiss me and… leave?? Does he think I’m some kind of escort??? This f*cking bastard.
Then all reason snapped in Gomi. “HEY! BASTARD! STOP RIGHT THERE.”
Dohyun’s body froze and he spun back to look toward her.
Just as he turned, he saw the fire blazing in Gomi’s eyes.
“Take this, you pervert!” Her arm was loaded and she launched one of the obaekwons from her hand and it came hurtling through the air straight at Dohyun’s face like a bullet.
Dohyun barely snatched it before it hit him square between his eyes. He flinched when the metal hit his hand. That’s some scary good aim. That would’ve left a mark if it hit my face…
“I’m really sorry! But I’ll be sure to make it up to you next time,” Dohyun apologized. “And… I’ll keep Mr. Obaekwon safe until I make up for today.”
Dohyun made his way toward the apartment entrance. She seems so different from when I saw her at the hospital. And it looks like I’m really going to have to make it up to her.
“You, stop right there!” Gomi stomped forward.
Crunch.
“Crunch”?
Gomi’s heart dropped to the ground at the same time her eyes did. “NOOOOO!!!”
She lifted her foot off the smashed box of KoKo’s chicken. “My chicken!”
Argh… that pervert! But by the time Gomi looked up, Dohyun had disappeared. “He escaped!”
Gomi cradled her smashed box of chicken closely to her chest. Why did it have to be so dark! I barely got a good look at him since he was wearing a hat and his hood…!
But the next time I see you, I’m going to make sure you regret that.
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