HIS AFTERGLOW

Chapter | FOUR

[SOMETHING ABOUT YOU]

We don't meet people by accident, they are meant to cross our paths for a reason.

It was almost one in the morning - five thousand won short on sales, zero tips plus a three-month unpaid suspension just because I tried to trifle with fire on the job and failed miserably.

I closed my eyes then tightly clutch onto my bag, what the fuck will I do with those three months? I can't just stick to the cleaning job as Jackals pays triple even four times fold when it's peak season which would be those three months that I am suspended.

I exhaled trying not to burst out crying as passersby might think that I am insanely drunk, I snapped my lower edges while scouring the street for a cab drowned with that urge to just head home and rest. I have no idea why it's taking longer than usual to get one today when this has not been an issue before.

"Kang Sera!"

I jolted entirely disrupted after hearing an unfamiliar voice of a man. I didn't turn around as I was sure he was standing in a close distance just behind me - he recognized me outside from work which was something I am dodging particularly around this time. 

I just have to ignore him maybe he'll go away.

"Hey, Sera!" he roared and even jumped in front of my face, damn it! He was that perverted guy from last night, he seems dead drunk by that stench of alcohol from him. I simply bow my head slightly and forced a smile while striving to keep my calm.

"Do you remember me?" he asked in a peculiarly ominous tone. "Of course, you do!"

"Hi." I briefly returned then slowly stir my head away avoiding his grim stare entirely.

"Oh, you are acting shy all of a sudden when you were literally checking me out last night?" he taunted confidently taking a few steps forward closing in our distance. 

"You must be mistaken, Sir. It's part of my job at Jackal's to entertain every guest, I always have to be polite and -"

"No! When you looked at me last night, it doesn't seem like you are being polite at all. Come on, let me know if you want to go home with me tonight - I have my car parked right over there maybe you can give me a pre-service kinda -"

A loud smack and the man was now lying flat on the floor, his nose was literally bleeding after someone punched him hard in the face.

"Fucking asshole!" someone breathed out, I immediately turn my head and saw a face that I wasn't expecting to see at all.

He was heaving deeply while gawking at the man who was wailing in pain while stroking his broken nostrils, the man who was standing beside me just scoffed then gently kicked the injured man's feet as if he was showing me that the guy on the ground is still alive.

This is completely disturbing, he could have killed that man. I was gasping for air, shocked, and still comprehending what he just did and just why.

"He's alive, but with a broken nose - for sure." he slurred, far from the firm and rude vocabulary he has earlier at the bar.

"How? Why? What the -"

"It wouldn't hurt to say thank you."

"No. I mean, why? No way I would thank you, I was fucking suspended because of you now you punched someone right on the freaking nose and you want me to thank you?" I yelled in panic.

"Oh, should I just let this asshole bring you home then - okay. Point taken, I just didn't know that you can be this low like -"

He stopped. His face that was already flushed because of the alcohol got redder after I slapped his cheeks with all my might.