Two Skins Apart

CHAPTER 15: PAINFUL MEMORIES

Hey Dear Readers, I am sincerely apologizing for the late update, I was busy with school stuff but I hope you enjoy this chapter cause something real sweet is gonna happen 😉

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"I don't wanna talk to you, so just stop trying already!"
Michelle had finished work for the day and was going to meet Jiyoon so they could go home together when she heard her yelling at someone. She followed the sound only to see her arguing with Minjae in the receptionist area, she walked closer to them and looked questioningly at Jiyoon.
    "Can you tell me what's going on here?"
   Jiyoon was so angry it felt like she would spit fire at any moment
   "Don't ask me, ask him"
Michelle turned to Minjae and sighed.
This was not the first time she helped settle their arguments; they always had some silly squabble or the other and she had involuntarily become their marriage counselor because they were always fighting like an old married couple but Michelle knew it was all love. She could see the deep love they had for each other and their small fights were all part of it.
      "What did you do this time?"
  "Michelle, please help me out here"
"Tsk, Won't you tell her what you did"
Jiyoon was glaring daggers at Minjae
    "Yesterday we were supposed to have dinner at a restaurant I booked reservations for but unfortunately,
Something urgent came up at work and I couldn't make it, so by the time I got there Jiyoon was already gone"
   "He didn't even call or text me so I would know he couldn't make it but instead he made me wait there for three hours like an idiot"
   "Minjae, I can't support you on this cause you did wrong, You should have called her to inform her about it"
Minjae turned to Jiyoon with puppy dog eyes and apologized.
     "I'm so sorry my love, I admit that I was wrong. Alright, let's go to that restaurant now so I can make it up to you, Hmm! please forgive me"
   Jiyoon eyed him up and down for a few seconds
   "Not a Chance!"
  "Oh come on, I'm really sorry my love"
  Minjae held her face in his hands and kissed all over it.
    "Fine! Alright, I forgive you. Stupid boy"
  Michelle just watched the two of them and shook her head with a smile.
   "Let's go now while it's still early"
They both walked away hand in hand, leaving her standing alone in the hallway.
   "They always do this, I fix their problems and they leave me standing here like I didn't even exist"
Michelle thought to herself and shook her again, she envied them because their love was sincere and real while her first love was filled with lies and betrayal but she didn't want to remember any painful memories so she quickly brushed the thought away and walked out to get a cab.
Michelle was very worried about Hyunmin so she decided to go see him at home, He had been absent from work for two days which was very unlike him. Michelle knows he is a workaholic so he wouldn't skip work unless something serious happened.
    Michelle soon got to the mansion. She noticed that most of the workers had gloomy expressions on their faces which she thought was very unusual. She briskly walked into the house in search of Mr.Changhak and Ma Seo but when she finally saw them and the anxious look on their faces she immediately knew something was wrong.
     "Mr.Changhak, Ma Seo, What's going on? Why is everyone so Moody"
   Ma.Seo walked towards Michelle, It looked like she was about to cry but she tried to talk calmly.
   "Today is Yeon Ju's death anniversary, he has been drinking since yesterday and breaking things in his room. We even went inside to try talking to him but he chased us all out"
   "He didn't cry on the day she died but he still cries four years after her death. He has been holding in the pain for too long and now it's breaking him"
She couldn't hold back the tears anymore so she walked away.
Michelle was too stunned to speak, she knew something happened but she didn't know it was this bad.
Mr.Changhak looked at Michelle and noticed she seemed in deep thought but before he could ask her anything she suddenly dropped her bag on the couch and walked up the stairs.
    "Michelle! Where are you going?"
She didn't answer him and just continued walking away.
Michelle already knew her way to Hyunmin's room from her last visit, she walked into the room and saw that everything was a mess; shattered glasses, scattered pictures, and countless bottles of beer. Just how much did he drink? She thought to herself.
Michelle looked around the room and saw him sitting beside his bed, she gingerly walked towards him.
   "Get Out!"
  "Hyunmin, I….."
"I said get out, I don't want to see anyone!"
Michelle flinched back a bit, she could hear the anger in his voice but she tried her best to stay calm. She slowly walked towards the door and locked it, she knew he needed someone and that she wouldn't be of any help if she was afraid to get close to him.
She walked towards the other side of the bed and sat beside Hyunmin, he sat on the floor, bare-footed with messy hair and a loose shirt looking like a madman.
Michelle could only imagine what he was going through for him to look this way, she could see tears dropping from his eyes, she slowly stretched her hand towards him but he suddenly raised his hand to the side of his face as if not wanting her to see his tears.
Michelle was taken aback by his sudden gesture but then she understood him, he didn't want anyone to see him crying or in pain, he didn't want anyone to pity or console him, and he didn't want anyone to see him being weak. She knew all this because she felt that way for a long time but what he didn't know was crying isn't a sign of weakness, it is a sign of holding in pain for too long.
Michelle cautiously reach for his raised hand and held it, He froze for a minute but suddenly held her hand in his so tightly she thought her knuckles would break.
Hyunmin sobbed softly and all she could do was embrace him, he tightened his arms around her and buried his face in her neck, Michelle hugged him back with the same intensity while slowly rubbing his back to console him as she whispered.
   "Let it all out"
  "I…. I couldn't save her, she….she was burning alive right in front of me and I couldn't do anything"
He said in between his sobs as tears flowed freely from his eyes. 
   "I tried to save her but I couldn't, I….I heard her scream in agony and pain but I couldn't do anything. I hear her voice in my dreams every night telling me to move on and be happy but how….how can I? When the pain won't let me breathe, how can I be happy when I failed to protect her"
Michelle didn't even know when tears started falling from her eyes, she always knew he had issues but to see the person you love burn alive right in front of you would be a horrible sight for anyone. He was going through so much pain but he masked it all by acting tough and being frosty, she now understood why he was acting the way he did.
She brought Hyunmin to the bed and made him lie down so he could rest, he fell asleep a few minutes later and so did Michelle.
She had already slept deeply on the couch when she heard Hyunmin's voice from her sleep, she woke up and quickly walked to the bed to see what was happening. He was mumbling something and writhing uncomfortably, Michelle placed her palm on his forehead and knew he was running a high fever. She was confused and did know what to do. Everyone in the house was asleep and there was no one to call for help, but then she suddenly had an idea. She rushed downstairs to the kitchen and got a big plastic bowl, filled it with water, grabbed a small towel, and rushed back to the room.
She quickly sat beside him on the bed, put the bowl on her lap, and soaked the towel in water then she squeezed it and placed it on his head.
Michelle repeated this action for about 30 minutes but his temperature was getting any better so she decided to take off his shirt so she could put the wet towel on his neck and torso to help cool him down, she frantically unbuttoned his shirt but paused midway when she realized she was about to see her boss half naked, but she didn't have another choice so she continued.
As Michelle was putting the towel around his neck and chest she couldn't help but gaze at his huge body; his broad shoulder, his torso, and well-toned abs.
She blinked her eyes severally to avoid getting distracted before she started having any lewd thoughts.
Michelle didn't sleep a wink till 3 am, she lay down face to face with Hyunmin; he was sleeping peacefully and seemed very comfortable.
Michelle removed the towel, she placed her palm on his forehead and neck; his temperature had become normal, she heaved a sigh of relief that finally, he was better now.
Michelle got up on the bed put her arm on the pillow and rested her cheek on her palm, she reached for his face with her other hand and rubbed his cheeks lightly, He is so handsome! She thought to herself.
Michelle laid back again but continued admiring him and ran her fingers through his hair while smiling but when she realized she was taking advantage of a sick person, she mentally slapped herself and was about to retract her hand when Hyunmin suddenly held her wrist. He shot his eyes open and stared at Michelle.
She was startled by his sudden action cause she thought he was asleep, she brought her face closer to his just to be sure he was sober; his eyes were clear and he looked very calm but what he did next shocked Michelle.
Hyunmin stared so deeply into her brown eyes that she started feeling uncomfortable, and then all of a sudden brought his hand to her face and kissed her
     "Beautiful! Your eyes are so beautiful"
He kissed her again before falling asleep.
Michelle was stupefied, what the heck just happened! he just kissed her, twice!! She couldn't sleep for the rest of the night till dawn thinking about a thousand reasons why he kissed her

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  "Good morning Hyunmin"
Ma Seo brought a glass of water and some painkillers to him when she heard he was awake, she knew he would have a hangover after drinking so much last night.
   "Thank you, Ma Seo, I badly needed this cause my head is banging"
  she sat beside him on the bed and looked at him with questioning eyes
   "So What happened last night?"
He creased his brows as if in deep thought
    "I don't remember everything that happened but I think Michelle was here last night"
  "Yes, she came here yesterday to check up on you but when she found out about what was happening to you, she came running to your room like her life depended on it"
Hyunmin was very confused, he remembered very little of what exactly happened.
   "I'm truly sorry about last night, I made you and everyone else worry"
Ma Seo held his hand in hers and looked at him with a loving gaze.
    "It's alright Dear, I couldn't help you but God has answered my prayers and sent someone who will, I am very happy that for the first time, you allowed someone to comfort you"
Hyunmin didn't know what she was talking about but he knew she was making hints at Michelle.
   "It's really surprising that you suddenly slept like a baby last night when you've been having sleeping issues for years now"
Ma Seo gave Hyunmin a knowing smile before leaving the room.
Hyunmin was astonished, he had been having nightmares about Yeon Ju's fire accident since she died and he always had trouble getting good sleep because of it. He wondered how he could sleep so comfortably all of a sudden, could it be because of Michelle? He thought to himself even though he found it hard to believe.

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Ma Seo was smiling from ear to ear the entire morning. She saw Michelle sneaking out of the house around 6 am and it was obvious from the way she tiptoed that she didn't want to get seen.
Ma Seo wanted to ask Hyunmin about what happened but she was disappointed when he said he didn't remember much. She wasn't sure of anything but she had a feeling that something happened between them.

What do you think about Hyunmin kiss? Does he secretly like her or he was just hallucinating? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

WITH LOVE FROM BLACKISH IVY