A Beautiful Stranger

Chapter 13: Between Pleasure and Sleep

*A/N This part came a bit later because I am 1. v busy in school and 2. wrestling with where I want this fic to go, tbqh. I wasn't sure I would ever get readers and now i feel the pressure to take this story to a certain place, but my characters reveal more of themselves to me every time i write so thank u for your patience. 

Trigger warning for some sexual content and blood mention as usual. I hope u r okay with Moon-Jo's slight departure from canon. I'm on my second SFH rewatch and theres just not enough of him to go on i love him OKAY shutting up*

**Haru's perspective**

A single flower was in his right hand, his phone in the other. He glanced at the time. 3:50pm. Nalia had promised to meet him at 3:55, just in front of the main steps of the school. It felt like the sun was already setting, as autumn had come to rear its chilly head in Seoul. He shivered, but it wasn't because of the cool afternoon air.

He hadn't seen Nalia since his tussle with Moon-Jo at Eden Residence. She'd ignored his calls, his texts, and his efforts to talk to her through their previously-mutual friends. The way that the other girls looked at him told him that she had said something about it, even if she didn't reveal all the details. Luckily Jack, who was relatively easygoing, still hung out with him, but he had drawn the line at talking to Nalia for him. It was a miracle she'd even been up to meeting now.

She appeared around the corner, and his breath hitched in his throat. Now he could see why she'd agreed. Moon-Jo, in an all-black ensemble of a long-sleeved button-up and loose-fitting pants, was walking next to her. His hand gripped hers tightly. Haru could see the smirk on his face even from a hundred feet away. 

He's not going to let her out of his sight after what happened, he thought sadly. He swallowed hard and tried to look apologetic, which was the plan.

"Hi," he greeted her once she finally got close enough. He raised his arm and then stopped, remembering that they wouldn't hug anymore. He held out the flower instead. "Thanks for meeting with me."

"No problem," was her even-toned response. She took the flower. Then, she turned to Moon-Jo, who now had a protective arm around her. "Baby, you can wait in the car, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Moon-Jo asked, his voice full of concern.

It was so different from the voice he'd used when he was threatening him that Haru was taken aback. It didn't last long though. This, too, was a threat, albeit a totally different tactic. He wanted Haru to know that Nalia had a shadow. He wanted his presence felt.

"Yes, I'll just be a few minutes."

Moon-Jo pressed a soft kiss against Nalia's temple. "Okay, jagiya. I'll wait across the street."

"Wait!" Haru's voice joined theirs.

He was burning up inside, his insides molten with anger. Jagiya. Jagiya. Jagiya. What a word to just throw around, to say to someone in public who he'd just started dating, to call a girl whose friend he had murdered in cold blood. He's insane. A twisted psychopath. I hate him. I hate what he's done to her.

Haru felt absolutely sick to his stomach for what he was about to say, but it had to be done. Nalia was angry at him and Moon-Jo was out to get him, so he had to act in the exact opposite way that they expected. Like the cunning dentist, he too was always thinking ahead.

"Moon-Jo," he began softly. He pushed a long strand of hair out of his eyes and looked up into the dentist's emotionless ones. "Er... I mean, Dr. Seo, I guess." He said his words in English so Nalia would be sure to understand. "Listen man, I was... out of line the other night. I'm sorry."