I Love Yoo, Maybe

Chapter 95

SHIN-AE:

"Please," I beg, stilling Kousuke's hands on his phone. I can't let him call the authorties. "D-don't."  He quickly steps back.

Weird. Does my breath stink? He always seems distressed around me. Maybe he has thing for germs?

"Ms. Yoo," he begins. "You don't know what you are saying. You are clearly severely distraught from this tribulation and not thinking well."

Now it's my turn to step back from him. His condescending tone takes me aback. "Not thinking well...?" I ask. Incredulity drips from my tone.

"Yes," he affirms. "It's a common occurrence from those facing variation of trauma, but do not worry. I will alert the authorities and have this matter resolved." Once more starts to dial his mobile ...now that he thinks he clarified the situation for me.

As if I already don't know my own life.

But I can't let him call the authorities...not just yet. Once more, I breech Kousuke's personal space. Only this time, I take his phone away. "Ms. Yoo!" he chastises.

"No Kousuke!" I shout back.

He raises his brow. "I beg your pardon?" Why is he shocked? He's not listening to me!

"Kousuke," I begin, clutching his phone. "I know this seems odd to you, but please trust me. I can handle this."

"Your ability to handle this is obviously questionable at best, since you don't want the proper authorities involved," he states, suspicion crawling over his face. Then he crosses his arms and asks, "You know the identity of your intruder, Ms. Yoo?"

Panic starts to rise within me and I quickly look down.

If he sees the truth on my face, I risk my (potentially true) sister's future!

"N-no...not really," I answer him quietly. It's kinda the truth. Whether or not my stalker/intruder is my indeed my sister, I don't know exactly who she is. All I know is what she told me...so I don't REALLY know her.

"That is not a proper answer, Ms. Yoo."

"I - I think I might know her. But..." I sigh. My eyes close with realization.

After everything Kousuke and his brother have done for me, he deserves to know the truth.

"...but she claims to be my older sister," I continue. "The one I was separated from." My eyes open and I return my gaze to him. So, I steel my spine, my will and my tone, "And if she's telling the truth, I won't do anything to risk her future."

Kousuke looks absolutely baffled, standing there mute. I think a whole 60 seconds go by. And he just...stands there! Looking at me.

What do I say now?? The silence is getting reeeaaallly uncomfortable!

So, I plead one last time, "Let me at least find out for sure if she's my sister!"  Yet, my gaze returns to the floor as I tell him, "And if she's lying, then you can all the authorities and write this incident down as another example of how stupid I am."

I clench my fists. I feel so defeated. Because...maybe Yeong-Gi is wrong.

Maybe I am stupid.

I'm so lost in my own emotional turmoil that I don't even notice Kousuke moving towards me... until my eyes catch his shoes getting closer to mine. I look up and find him staring down at me.

"Ms. Yoo," he says firmly. "You are not stupid." I smile, remembering.

That's what Yeong-Gi told me.

"Perhaps a bit naïve," he continues. Aaand now I feel my smile fall a bit. "But I assure you, you are not stupid."

With a nod I say, "Thank you, Kousuke."

Quickly changing the subject, he tells me, "Now, Ms. Yoo, at least let me inform your father of the ordeal. I'm sure he - "

"He already knows," I finish for him.

"He knows?" Kousuke questions, confusion written all over his face. "How can he know of this night so quickly? Can your family afford private security? I didn't realize that was possible with your father's assumed salary."

With a straight face and monotone voice, I reply, "He doesn't." This guy...why does say everything that comes to his mind! I already know what we can and cannot afford. I live here!

"Then how can he - "

I interrupt him, "I told him the first time I found her breaking into my home."

Shit. Now I've done it.

"Don't worry," I attempt to reassure him. I can't have Kousuke thinking that I'm perpetually in danger, so I add, "I had Dieter, Soushi, and Yeong-Gi to help me."

"N...Yeong-Gi was with you?" he asks me.

"Well yeah," I answer. "I think between the three of them, he's the only one with a car and originally I called Dieter since he has a black belt in martial arts and thought he could help me but he freaked about being in my apartment and had to involve Yeong-Gi and Soushi who tried to calm him down but somehow I think the poor kid just fainted anyway and I didn't even know that Yeong-Gi and Soushi came with Dieter until - "

Kousuke stops me mid ramble, raising his hand. "Take a breath, Ms. Yoo. Your answer (although quite unnecessarily long) was satisfactory." He then drops his hand. His eyes search my face.

What now? Do I have a bug on my face??

"Who else is aware of your predicament? And please tell me you are no longer staying here and currently reside with a relative?"

How can one man make a "please" and two questions sound like a demand?

Well, he IS my boss. I guess he feels obligated to my safety.

So, I answer his demand/question, "Just the guys, my dad, the landlord, my girlfriends Rika and Maya, and Maya's family."

Huh, so much for keeping the incident quiet. That's a whole room full of people! Hopefully I can keep it to just them and Kousuke.

"And as for where I am staying," I continue, "it's just me and my dad so I'm staying with Rika's family until..." I trail off. How much of my problems am I willing to share with Kousuke? Sure, he's my boss. But they're MY problems. Not his.

"Until what, Ms. Yoo?" Kousuke voice sounds firm and unyielding. I guess I don't have a choice. Best I tell him now before he finds out later.

"Until my father is strong enough and released from the hospital."

Realization dawns on his face. "Your father..." He pauses. "He wasn't working that night I dropped you off at the hospital, was he?"

I'm confused. "When did you..." I trail off. Shit, that's right! He dropped me off at the City Medical Center after he signed my discharge papers! And...I purposefully misled him.

**Flashback**

Is your father sick? Is that why you're asking for money? (Kousuke)

He works the overnight shift as a nurse? (Shin-ae)

You're not lying to me are you? Is that why you wanted to leave by yourself? (Kousuke)

I just want to visit him (Shin-ae)

**Current time**

"Oh..." I mumble.

"Oh?" Kousuke asks. "Is that all you have to say?" His voice sounds disappointed and...hurt? No, that can't be right. "How about the truth, Ms. Yoo?"

"That was the truth!" I exclaim, my hands clenching at my sides. "I didn't lie! I said I wanted to visit him and that he works the overnight shift as a nurse – which he does!" But I set my eyes over his shoulder as I admit, "He just wasn't working that particular night...or any night since that horrible company party."

Please don't fire me...I wasn't lying.