Gift Me Your Wings - Jibo

8: With a single bright ray of light, shine on me

[Chapter title from the lyrics of 'Alldaylong' by Dreamcatcher]

"Hi, it's me."

There was a pause after Minji spoke the words. She was standing by the window, looking out, not really focusing on anything but the unsteady breaths that were coming from the other side of the call. She bit her lip when Bora didn't say anything, wondering if it was a bad idea to call. But then she spoke up, words scattered into scratchy sounds.

"I know."

That was the exact same words she told Minji today, in the morning, at school.

Of course she knows. She has your number.

"I was wondering if you had time to stop by." The soft croak of her own voice startled her, "Your dress is washed and dry. You can take it." She worried at her lip still, reluctant with what reply she would get.

Again, a pause. But then a quick breath of a reply came, and it felt like Bora was holding in her breath this entire time. "Are you sure?"

Minji worried her brows that met each other high up on her forehead, feeling guilty for making Bora feel this unwelcome. "Yes. Yes, Bora, I'm sure."

Bora's breathing sounds were much sharper now as Minji heard her take a breath, "Alright. I'll be there soon."

The call ended, Minji hearing the beeping sounds before taking her phone down from her face.

She has been thinking about what happened a lot for the entire day. She has been thinking about Bora's face, the shake in her voice, fear in her eyes... She stared down at her hand. She had already taken off the bandages, and now the purple skin was all shown, reddened at the parts that were cut. She got reminded of how she got that injury and then suddenly felt like throwing up.

To not let her mind stay on the thought of Bora struggling against that man, she walked to the kitchen and took a wine bottle along with two glasses, placing them on the small table back in the living room while her mind was heavy with disturbed thoughts.

She realized she didn't like to see Bora in distress. She hated it. She hated herself for not saying anything when Bora thanked her that evening for saving her, or when she asked if Minji's hand was okay.

Then Bora started saying sorry, explaining how she couldn't reveal her identity to a customer, especially Minji, when she's her daughter's teacher, and then--

"It would be simple... If I didn't start getting feelings for you."

Those were the words that kept repeating themselves in her mind. Bora having feelings... for her.

Even thinking about it overwhelmed her.

But Minji knew, in the end, that she had to fix everything. She had to talk to Bora even though she felt so embarrassed, so ashamed, but she had to explain that she wasn't mad.

How could she be? Minji was the one who went to that bar in the first place, she was the one who asked for the lap dance, and who... kissed the stripper without knowing it was Bora. And even after everything that happened, she complicated things even more when she returned to that place once again.

She probably made everything so hard for the woman. And she had no justification to be mad at her.

A soft knock was heard on the door, followed by a ring. Minji's heart suddenly flipped and her nausea became stronger. But she collected herself before walking to the door, opening it to see Bora right in front.

They didn't say anything, but the look that they shared probably already didn't need any words. Minji noticed Bora could hardly lock eyes with her, apprehension fidgeting right through her quick glances.