SCENTED MEMORIES

7

"cruel burden"

     
     
"Who was that man that threatened you?"
Mr. Seokjin questioned me, sharp and attentively.

I couldn't answer at all. My mind blanked out the moment he entered inside the shop.

How could he still come after me.
After all that he's done to me and the people I once loved.

"Zaelia, snap out of it and tell us. Who is this man that's trying to hurt you? We can't help you if you don't say a thing"

I didn't wanted them to know.
I really don't want them to know about him, not this man.

It felt frustrating, not being able to speak about it. If they knew about it, they'd be dead by the coming days.

"Honey, give her some time. She seems scared and out of place. Let her rest for the night, we'll just have to wait until she recovers from it."
Ms. Kaylee came to me, wrapping her arms around my back. She rubbed on my shoulders, comforting me.

"Come and sleep in our place tonight, Zaelia. We never know what might happen if you're left alone. Let's leave this place for now."

As she took me out of the shop and led me to the backseat of their car, they both got in the front seats.

During the whole ride, I watched the two couples discussing about something serious, I simply stayed silent and oblivious about my being.

When we reached the place, they took me inside their home and led me to a spared room.

After a while, Ms. Kaylee came in, bringing along with her some change of clothes.

"Here's a change of cloth for you. We have food stored in the kitchen shelf, if you're hungry, you don't need to hesitate"
I reflected a bitter smile in response.

Then her hands came over my head, patting it gently.

"Whatever it is that's bothering you, Zaelia. You know that I'm always here to listen. Don't simply keep it to yourself. My husband and I will try our best to help you out, mhm?"
I simply nodded my head. And as much as I wanted to thank her for being so kind as always, I just couldn't speak.

"Alright then, have a good night"

After she walked out of the room and closed the door. I slowly fell on my knees, my body trembled terribly cold and in shock.

My chest felt heavy and I was out of breathe.
I quickly got up and opened the window. In doing so, I looked straight ahead where the night settled in.

My vision blurred me out and tears began to dripped from my eyes.

I don't want the same things to happen again.

As I quietly cried myself to sleep, that very night I dreamed of my mother, traces of her still laid dearly in my head.
Her long black hair, her lively eyes and her beautiful image, it all felt so real that I couldn't help but yearn for her return.

As her warm hands extended and landed on my head, it felt exactly the same as Ms. Kaylee's hands.

This is cruel.

So cruel.

Clutching onto my chest, I wished again, that I never met them in the first place, Ms. Kaylee and Mr. Kim Seokjin.
They're good people, such warm hearted and lovely couple they both were.

The next morning, Ms. Kaylee woke up early and attended to Zaelia first thing in the morning. She knocked on the door but there was no reply.

"Zaelia?"
Ms. Kaylee called out to her, but it was all too silent and off.

Worried that something might have happened, she barged into the room and to her dismay, Zaelia was nowhere to be found.

"Zaelia!?"
Ms. Kaylee called out for her, she walked round the house but no sight of her.

"Kay, what's wrong?"
Her husband came down, tired but alerted. His disheveled hair were a mess, signifying that he just got out of bed as soon as he heard his wife's sudden call.

"Zaelia! Zaelia is-!"
Ms. Kaylee was overwhelmed with worriness.

Mr. Seokjin took his wife under his embrace and hugged her tenderly.
Then he noticed that her hands holding onto a crumpled piece of paper.

"Did she leave a note behind?"
He asked her.

"S-she wrote that it was best if she stayed away, far away from us."

"What does that even mean? Was that man really that dangerous?"
He frowned, realising that Zaelia's matter was something even more serious than he had thought.

"Where would she go? Zaelia is-"

He calmly shushed his wife down, feeling bitter about her sudden leave as well.

"We can't blame ourselves, Kay, if this is what she decided, then she must have been prepared for it.  We have no clue where she left off to, we can't just go around without any destination. For now, let's just hope the best for her."

                     "Attention passengers, please ensure you have a valid ticket for travel. Revenue Inspectors do travel on the trains, and you will be expected to produce your tickets, when asked to do so."

My arms leaned onto the window, thinking of worthless thoughts again. As I watched the busybodies outside, rushing in a hurry to catch the train, the door slided open.

It was a nerve wracking moment for me but I knew that even if I try to flee or run away from this man, he would even go through hell to find me.

"So you've decided to return with me, is it? That was faster than I expected."
He sat on the seat, right opposite to where I was seated.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt them, after all I only wanted you"
He was smiling, but I was no fool, I know exactly what kind of man he is.

"You better keep your promise"
I warned him, eventually.

"To think that you would speak to me that way, but I guess that's acceptable. After all, you're old enough to understand your situation now"

A/N: Unedited

Extra note:
I tried to edit a cover for my own book and well I guess I'm satisfied with this outcome?

Haha I don't know. (ㅎㅅㅎ)"

[Images belong to the rightful owner. The edits are originally mine.]

And thank you to the readers, words aren't enough to express my gratitude. I'll be sure to update often, very soon.
-Jun