The Call Girl

Diary 4: Entry 2

I'm sure you'd all love to hear what Sua and Siyeon had to say about what happened to me. Would they have felt guilty? Sad? Shocked? Pity? Were they sick of me? Or would they feel nothing at all?

From Jiu's apartment, I painstakingly made my way to Siyeon and Sua's apartment. I took not one, but two, morphine tablets to get me there and even then my tummy area was sore. All this walking was not what the doctor ordered.

Tinges of purple and orange stained the sky by the time I arrived. Sweat beaded my forehead and I clutched my stomach, grimacing. I took a few deep breaths to steel my nerves before I nodded to myself. I could do this. I could face them.

My knuckles knocked loud against the door. A few moments passed. No answer. So I knocked again, louder this time. I hissed in pain, glancing at my now-reddening knuckles. Still no answer. My heart beat faster.

And then my nerve broke.

I hobbled away as fast as I could, hoping they hadn't heard anything, not stopping until I collapsed on the bench of a nearby park. My breath came heavy and hard as I watched dusk fade into night. Cool wind brushed my damp face and I closed my eyes at its touch. To simply lay there...what a privilege it was. I didn't have the energy to move anymore. Darkness cornered my vision, and dragged out of waking.

I saw Siyeon and Sua. They were happy. Without me. I saw Jiu, and her sad eyes. Life had broken her, and she couldn't fix things. How I would do anything - anything - to put things back together again.

My eyes sprung open as I woke in cold sweat. A strange man in a suit - a businessman or a lawyer - was shaking me.

"Hey," he said, "it's not safe here at night. Do you have a place to sleep? Any friends?"

I almost nodded, but I was sick and tired of being rescued by the mere pity of my friends. Instead, I said, "I have a place to sleep. I can get there on my own."

The man frowned sceptically. "Are you sure? You don't look a hundred percent."

"Yeah." Despite my mood, I forced a smile. "Thanks."

The man smiled back, dazzling and handsome. "Get home safe. Call the cops if you're uneasy." He waved goodbye and walked off.

But as I swallowed down my nausea, I couldn't deny the truth: I wouldn't make it back home. I had pushed myself too hard, and now my body paid the price. Still, I couldn't bring myself to call Siyeon and Sua. That left only one option.

Jiu picked up in a split-second. "Yoohyeon?" she asked. "What is it?"

"Boramae Park," I gasped. "Pick me up."

"What?" Jiu exclaimed. "Yoohyeon, are you okay?" I heard her rummaging her things together in the background. "What happened?"

Jiu couldn't see me, but I smiled wryly anyway. "I'm thirsty."

"Oh my goodness..." Jiu muttered. Her door slammed in the background. "I'm coming, just sit tight!"

"Yes, baby. Come for me." I chuckled.

"Oh shut up." A pause, then, "I'll come for you as much as you want if you promise you won't do anything stupid again." By the ambient voices I could hear through the phone, Jiu was probably getting on the bus now.

"I'm sorely tempted...but I won't make promises I can't keep."

Jiu didn't reply. We stayed on the phone like that for most of her bus trip. Silent. Listening to each other breathe. She asked me if I was still there a few times. I said yes. It was a struggle, though. Every few minutes I had to pinch myself to force my eyes open again.

My eyelids were all too heavy when I finally saw Jiu running towards me. She knelt beside the bench I lay on and slid an arm under my shoulder. Her gentle strength lifted my heart.

With a soft shake she said, "Hey, it's me. You need to drink this."

The rim of an open water bottle nudged at my lips. I opened my mouth. Ice cool water streamed down my throat. Jiu was mindful enough to only give me a few sips at a time, so I didn't choke or cough at all. I simply lay there with eyes half-open drinking in what I needed most. As I drank I felt my body cool down. My sweat dissipated, leaving me cold and shivering; but I was alert. Jiu held me in her arms and gazed at me in such a soft and tender way I almost cried.

When the bottle was empty, she asked me, "How are you feeling?"

I grinned. "Much better thanks to my knight in shining armour."

Jiu ducked her head momentarily and hid a giggle behind her hand. "I'm far from that, but I'm glad I could help. Can you stand?"

"I think I can."

Jiu kept her arms around me as she helped me to my feet. After a brief wave of dizziness, I was steady enough. Hesitantly, she withdrew her arms, and I shivered. It was too cold.

"Thanks for helping," I said. "I'll be alright getting home from here."

"Yes, you will," she said, "because I'll walk you there."

"The uni campus isn't far, I'll be okay," I said.

Jiu raised an eyebrow again. "And if you faint again?"

I shrugged. What did she want me to say?

Jiu gave me a look that was almost heartbroken. "Come on, Yoohyeon. You're worth the effort."

I snorted.

She wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me with her. "And that's not up for discussion."

There was no point in arguing. I let her walk me all the way back to my dorm room. In the end it was good that she had come. A few waves of dizziness assaulted me on the way, but she was armed with another bottle of water for me to sip on. With her by my side, I made it back home.

And before she left, she kissed me softly on the cheek and, with a sad expression, said, "Take care of yourself, Yoohyeon."