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The white car had come to mean happiness to the girl. Whenever she spotted it from her bedroom window, she knew he was there to take her on a new unforgettable trip. But that night, something was different about him when he picked her up. She wasn't sure what it was though. Something about the way he moved and talked and smiled wasn't the same. He didn't mention anything and she would've asked if only he hadn't kissed her the way he did and taken away all her worries.
"Wait for me here," he said against her lips. "I won't be long."
"Okay."
She followed him with her gaze as he stepped out of the car and walked up the stairs into the ATMs at the bank. And if she hadn't been distracted by that kiss and his beautiful eyes she would've noticed that something was wrong. She would've known in the way his insides shook as he took each step. Yeonjun wasn't alright at all.
The boy didn't look back as he stepped inside the bank because he wouldn't have been able to carry on if he saw her watching. And he needed to do it. There was no other choice, even though it pained him. That was why he hadn't even told her that he had run away from home. Telling her would've made it real, and it would've made real the fact that he was too much of a loser to deserve such a wonderful girl as her.
He reached the ATM and introduced his code only to be met by zeros. Of course, his parents would've blocked the account upon noticing their car and son missing. Yeonjun cursed under his breath. He glanced at the security camera to his right. He'd really hoped it wouldn't lead to this, but they had left him with no choice. He couldn't go back to that house, that much was clear, but he needed money to survive on his own. Biting down his pride, he introduced a new code and took the bills that weren't his. The paper burned his hands as he put it inside his bag.
Quickly, before he was caught, he left the building and skipped down the stairs to the car, knocking on the hood. Adrenaline filled up his veins with every second that he got away with it and he felt energised.
She beamed up at him as he got in and it broke his heart a little. The bag with burning money was still in his hands. He tried to throw it to the backseat bringing the least attention to its contents, but it didn't spare it from a glance from the girl. She frowned slightly, having spotted the green bunches. Thankfully, though, she didn't say anything and Yeonjun tried to act normal.
"I didn't take long, did I?"
She shook her head. "Barely any time at all."
He smiled in relief.
"So where are you taking me tonight?"
Yeonjun thought for a moment. "What if we just drive forever tonight?"
"Forever?" she considered.
"Well... remind me when's your curfew," the boy added bringing out a laugh from her.
"Midnight."
"We have enough time then."
He held her hand because his world was still shaking and he needed to know she was still real and his. If she stayed next to him, everything would work out. Yeonjun moved to start the car but before he could the distant sound of police sirens reached him and he tensed. Looking through the side mirror he could see the red and blue lights flashing at him. Blood began pulsing through his body with even greater fervour.
"Yeonjun?" the girl asked beside him, noticing his weird behaviour.
"Get down," he ordered, reclining their seats so far back they hit the backseats.
She knew something was wrong then. Really wrong. From her position, she could perfectly see the mounds of money stashed in the black bag he had taken into the bank. Too much money. Their breaths grew heavy as the danger drew closer and closer. Yeonjun tried to give her a comforting smile but she wasn't fooled. The police car drove by them and she kept dutifully quiet until it passed by. Once it was out of sight though, she sat up quickly and dropped his hand.
"What's that in the bag, Yeonjun?"
He didn't answer immediately and took his time sitting beside her. She crossed her arms defensively. Something was really off. Why would the police make him so nervous?
"It's... just money," he said finally.
"It's a lot of money," she noted.
"Yeah, I'm moving it somewhere else."
"All your money?"
"Yes."
She didn't buy it. The way he kept avoiding her eyes told her everything. He wasn't saying the whole truth, if at all.
"Why is the police involved then?" she added in a whisper. It frightened her to know the answer but she had to.
Yeonjun didn't answer at all.
"I want to go home."
He felt his world stop. "Baby, it's-it's nothing! You're...I would never hurt you or put you in danger, you know that!"
"Maybe not. But you are lying to me and I don't want to be with you like this. Now please, take me home." Even as the words left her mouth with certainty, her sight got blurry. She needed to get away before the tears fell.
The car moved slowly toward her house as every fibre in Yeonjun's body fought. He didn't want this to happen. She wasn't supposed to find out. By the time they reached the girl's house, the car resembled a mausoleum with the deadly silence that coated it. She didn't want to leave like this. He didn't want her to go.
"Please come tomorrow?" Yeonjun's plead was barely a whisper.
It broke her heart. She couldn't get the words out even if she wanted to because there was a growing knot in her throat. The girl only glanced at him before stepping out. From that moment on, the car stopped being a place where her dearest memories were stored. From that moment on, up until she got the call late at night, the white car brought only hurt.
