collateral damage 🔞 - COMPLETE

•thirty-three•

~~~~~????

Naomi was supposed to meet me with the flash drive 2 days ago, but never showed. When I call her, the message that the caller is unavailable is all I get. It's completely unlike her to be this out of touch, so I'm actually worried. I don't normally care much for her, it's true, but she's always been nice and I don't want bad things to happen to her. This concern is what brings me to Rush.

I walk in the door and I'm immediately stopped by a huge, muscular male. He won't let me progress until I pay the cover charge. When I ask how much he tells me it's 1 million won. I stare at him with my mouth open. I can't come up with that kind of money, so I beg him to let me just check if my friend is working.

He asks who that is, and when I tell him Naomi, his face totally changes. He grabs me by the elbow and almost pushes me out the door. He says she doesn't work there anymore, and that I need to leave. As he releases me, he shoves me forward, causing me to fall onto my knees. Hissing in pain, I look up and see a beautiful woman with dark hair approaching. As she stops to help me to my feet, I'm in awe of her beauty, and I stare at her, mesmerized.

"You alright?"

"O-oh... Ye-yeah... Thanks!"

If I looked like a potato next to Naomi, I look like the dirt potatoes grow in near this dark angel.

"Were you trying to go in the club?"

"Ye-yeah... I'm supposed to meet my friend, but she didn't tell me about the cover... I don't have that much..."

The lie comes out of my mouth effortlessly, and I smile shyly at the goddess, hoping for her help.

"Aaahhh... Well, how much do you have?"

"Only half, but it's all my money, so I can't imagine spending it to go to a club."

"I understand. If you tell me your friend's name, I'll go in and let her know you're out here."

"Oh! That would be really great. Thank you."

"It's fine. So... Her name?"

I giggle at my stupidity, but tell her what she asked for.

"Her name is Naomi. She works here."

The change is instantaneous. The face that was once welcoming, is now cold and hard. The glare she gives me makes my knees tremble, and she steps back from me as if I'm contaminated.

"She doesn't work here anymore."

She begins to walk by me, but I panic and grab her arm. She stops and looks at me, and then where my hand is holding her. I can tell she wants to rip her arm away, but I clutch onto her harder.

"Please... Do you know where she is? She isn't answering her phone, and the last I knew she was on her way here... I'm really worried about her."

"Take your hand off me... I don't know where she is. All I know is, she isn't here."

I let go, feeling the ice in her voice, and she turns to walk inside. Before she disappears where I can't follow, she turns one more time to glare at me.

"It was you she was taking the footages for wasn't it?"

"Wha-what?"

"That's what I thought... Don't you dare to come back here... If you don't want to end up where your friend is."

Her voice was dark and made me shake. What did they do to Naomi? Is she hurt because of the pictures she was going to get for me. I watch the woman who started out friendly, turn and stomp inside. I'm left outside wondering if I'll ever see Naomi again. What she said last makes me feel like she's gone... And not just on a trip...