Chapter 3: The Hotel
The drive home after was silent, mainly because I was still trying to wrap my mind around Dae Hyun and his father's company. My father was one of the most paranoid people ever and commits to a complete check of the school before I begin attending. How did a piece of information as big as this get missed?
I shake my head as the car pulls into our driveway. Maybe my father was learning to be more lenient. I almost laugh at the thought.
I make my way to my room and sink to the floor as soon as I close my door. I did not have to do much today, but I felt like I ran a marathon for some reason. I sigh as I get up and begin the piles of homework I had already gotten. A few hours go by, and the sun has set, the only light illuminating my room being my lamp and the moonlight pouring in through my balcony.
When I look up at the sky, I think of my mother. On nights like these, I like to think she's thinking of me too and that she's safe. I walk out into my balcony and feel the cold cement on my bare feet. I lean my head forward towards the sky, feeling the wind brush past me. This balcony was one of my safe spaces, where I learned the constellations with my mother all those years ago. My mother had bought me my own telescope for my 5th birthday, and we spent the night trying to count the stars in the sky. I smile at the memory and glance at the sky one last time before returning to my room.
As I closed my balcony doors, I hear glass being shattered downstairs. I crept down the spiral stairs, witnessing my stepmother and father arguing. My father's hair was disheveled, and his fingers dripped blood onto the marble floor. In his other hand was a bottle of liquor that was half empty. My stepmother was trying to calm his drunk episode down, but to no avail. There was no point in trying once my father was drunk. The situation always ended up violent no matter what. I could only make out half of what they were saying.
"I can't live with her anymore...she looks just like her." My father slurred as he stumbled toward my stepmother. Her arms were on his sides, ensuring she could catch him if he fell.
"I can't do it anymore. Where is she? Bring her to me NOW! I need Hyejin right now."My heart sinks when I hear my mother's name. My father screams, trying to push past my stepmother. My stepmother pleads with him as he makes his way to the staircase I was hiding in.
I swiftly run into my room, and moments later, my father is banging on the door of my room.
"Hyejin! HYEJIN, COME OUT!" He yells, slamming his body onto the door, trying to open it. I quickly grab a duffel bag and throw clothes and my wallet into it. He was about to break down the door, and I did not want to be on the receiving end of a half-empty bottle of alcohol.
I climb down on ivy growing on the side of my balcony, and run through the gates of my house. I did not have a plan, but I would stay the night at a hotel until my father returned to working long hours again.
I walked around the night city of Seoul, putting on my mask because of the polluted air. Not paying attention to the signs, I walk into the first hotel I see.
"Welcome to DH Hotels. How may I assist you, ma'am?" The front desk host asks as she bows toward me. I mentally face-palm myself. How could I have not recognized the white lotus emblem, the logo of the DH Foundation? I looked at a clock hanging on the wall, it was getting pretty late, and there were no other decent hotels within walking distance near me. I drag my feet to the front desk and book a decent-sized room on the 16th floor.
After all was settled, I walked into my room, more tired than I already was. I ran my hands through my hair after taking off my cap and mask. I sat on my bed and familiarized myself with the room. I'd be here for a few days, a week at most. I go towards the bathroom, undressing a piece of clothing as I go. A long and hot shower would definitely soothe me. If only I could wash away the pain and let it seep through the drains. Just as I am about to open up the bathroom, a figure comes out in only a towel wrapped around his waist. I fall backward and scream. How did this person get into my room?
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH"I screamed in a high pitched voice. I look at the man's face and wanted to scream again because I recognized who he was.
What was DAE HYUN doing in MY hotel room? He stumbles back, clearly confused seeing me.
"I know you are into me and all, but I didn't think getting you in my room would've been this easy." He says with that stupid smirk on his face. His eyes show an apparent shock, but he hides it behind a cocky smirk. In this situation, a logical person would walk away and speak to a manager or work through this misunderstanding. I, however, wasn't this logical person.
"Get out of my room. I don't know how you did this but leave me alone." I say, standing up and facing him.
"You mean to say my current state doesn't intimidate you? We are all alone in a hotel room." He says while leaning closer to me. He looks into my eyes, inching closer and closer.
"It doesn't even scare me, want to know why?" I say while putting on a smirk of my own. I step closer to him, crossing my arms.
"Why is that?" he asks.
"It's simply because I know there isn't anything impressive under there." I say trying to stifle the laugh that was creeping its way in.
Dae Hyun's eyes widen, and his cheeks turn a dark shade of pink and his lips part in shock.
"T- That's-" He stumbles, stepping away from me.
"I don't need an explanation for something I don't care for." I interrupt him, holding my hand up, stopping him from continuing.
"Now, get out." I say while pushing him towards the door. Dae Hyun, still shocked and red walks out, his eyes looking dazed. I close the door behind him heaving a sigh of relief. What more could go wrong?
"W- What j- just happened?" I hear him say outside of the door, still in apparent shock, My god, why was he still here? I started to think, Dae Hyun was the heir of DH Enterprises, and I was in the DH Hotel, I started to think if there was a better way for me to have handled that situation.
I hear Dae Hyun sneeze outside the door. I look through the eyehole to see Dae Hyun huddled near the door, shivering in his towel. I feel a pang in my chest. I hold a hand onto the door to steady myself. I begin to hyperventilate as I remember what happened two years ago.
****
The sky was a deep shade of grey as it poured, lightning flashing through the sky and illuminating the street for a second. The smell of rain was comforting to me, and the sound of raindrops on the roof always managed to help me sleep some nights.
I heard a pounding at the door and my father's drunk, incoherent words. I ran to lock the door but was a second too late as he barged into the room. Father stumbled towards me, knocking everything off my shelves. We made eye contact as he charged toward me. He grabbed a fistful of my hair as he dragged me through the hallways and out of the door. He hollered through the door, telling me I couldn't come back unless I had brought more alcohol for him.
The wind began to pick up, and the light shower I had admired turned into a complete thunderstorm. The palm trees bent at the wind's strength and pieces of roofing flew off houses. I ran into the shed in our backyard, my clothes completely drenched. I sat in the dark, cold shed, shivering and wishing I was someone else. I stayed there until morning the next day. Because of this, I ended up getting pneumonia.
*****
I take in deep breaths trying to calm my heart from the memory. I remind myself that it was two years ago and that I was safe now.
No matter how much I hated the guy, he didn't deserve to get sick because of how cold it was. I grabbed his clothes that were sitting in a pile in the bathroom. I open the door slightly and place his clothes and extra towels for him to dry off.
"Thank you" I hear him whisper but loud enough for me to hear.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone