Sunbeam

15.

October 7, 2019

"I'm really sorry" Ari looked down, nervously playing with her fingers in her lap. "Hey, it's okay, I knew it wouldn't work." she looked up in surprise and Jeon smiled at her.

"But can we stay friends?" he suggested and she smiled nodding. "I hope he's worth it or I'll steal you away" Jeon winked at her and Ari blushed in embarrassment.

After much thought, Arie could no longer deny that Namjoon was right. Her body only wanted him, no matter what her mind told her.

And she had no right to play with Jeon. He was a wonderful man and there was a woman out there, who would give him her undivided attention and not use him to distract herself from her feelings for another.

The two talked a little more before Jeon paid the bill and sent her to her apartment. This time, though, he just hugged her before she headed for the door and he got into his car and drove away.

An hour later, she was drying her hair in soft warm pajamas when there was a frantic knocking on her door. Ari raised an eyebrow, looking at the clock.

She got up and went to check who it was, looking at the peephole in the door. Her eyes widened in horror. Hwan stood banging on the door looking drunk.

She went back to the bedroom and called the police directly, who assured her that they had a car nearby and not to open the door. She curled up on the bed, clutching the phone to her chest.

Five minutes later, she heard the shouts of a drunken Hwan and a few other voices before it all went quiet and someone knocked lightly on her door.

She opened it carefully enough to admit. "Miss, are you okay?" the policeman asked and she opened a little more, slightly worried. "Yeah, thanks for the quick response" Ari smiled slightly and he nodded at her, smiling.

"We're going to hold him tonight so don't worry, if you want you can press charges for harassment?" he suggested but Ari shook her head. "As you wish miss, good evening" he touched the brim of his hat visor, bowed and left.

Ari leaned against the wall and slumped against it, hugging her knees. Hwan was taken away by the police for the third time this week alone. Last week, twice, and she could no longer mentally withstand this harassment.

She had begun to act paranoid, looking around like a frightened rabbit on the street, hiding behind a mask and hood in a neighborhood store.

She barely slept and her nerves were on edge, making her jump in terror at every noise. Ari sighed and stood up.

"Miss, that's our job, but you should really think about a restraining order. We're just letting him go after 24 hours like this" the police advised her again, and she really thought about it.

"I'll do it on Monday thanks" Ari smiled tiredly and he nodded, closing the door behind him. She looked at the clock, 6:30 in the morning, there was no point in going to bed anymore.

Shaking her head, she walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. "How do I cover this up?" she sighed, looking at the huge dark circles around her eyes.

Such exhaustion was written on her face that even she was afraid of herself. "Maybe I should call in sick and stay home and get some sleep?" she thought aloud, but quickly dismissed the thought.

Ari dozed upright, slightly bent over the dryer, head propped in her hands as she waited for the last few minutes of the program to wind down.

"Did you do as I told you?" the deep raspy whisper sent her over the edge of terror and she screamed jumping up and down.