ICE AND FIRE - CHAPTER 21&22
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💜FIRST MOMENT💜
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HOSPITAL ★
“Am telling you mom,that’s exactly what happened!”Beom-seok explained to his mom whose eye’s wouldn’t stop bulging at each second.
“No,No I don’t believe this beom-seok. You can’t really do this! Where’s your morals? I remember giving you a proper upbringing so don’t try to defend that girl”his mom said, shaking her head… refusing to believe what beom-seok said.
“I didn’t do it with a clear eye mom,I was actually drunk and I wanted to rape her. She only did a self defense,I don’t understand why Seo-Jun have to lie against her”beom-seok said and his mom kept staring at him.
“I really have to go mom,at least to save her. She don’t deserve being in there”beom-seok pleaded and his mom sighed.
“You’re on drip”she said and beom-seok smiled, before successfully disconnecting the drip from his hand.
“What the hell are you doing?”His mom half yelled, staring at him with wide eye.
“Exactly what you saw,I really have to go”He climbed down the bed as he spoke.
“Beom-seok!!!”
“Mom,I need to do this”beom-seok replied
“Then I have to come with you”she said and beom-seok smiled.
•••
<WOO’S HOUSE>
“No dad,you don’t really have to do this”Hyun-Woo pleaded with his dad in tears.
“You had such amount of money with you and you kept it all to yourself?”His dad yelled angrily, pushing him off.
He was actually holding his legs, stopping him from going out with the box of money.
It’s literally his life savings and his dad is forcefully taking it from him to gamble??
“I still need to get mom’s drugs,buy the necessary textbooks for Si-Woo and I. Please dad,just take half of the money and give me the other half”He pleaded again and his dad laughed,it was short thou.
“You don’t tell me what to do,got it? Now f-__-king let go of my leg…else you need some beating”his dad said,and his mom chose that instant to walk in.
“What’s going on?”She asked weakly and Hyun-Woo wiped his tears.
“Nothing mom”he said, finally leaving his dad’s leg.
“Good boy”he smiled and began walking out with the box.
“I might be sick,but am not daft. Why would you take his savings? His life savings? Shouldn’t you be proud of him Instead?”His mom yelled standing up from the bed.
“Mom don’t please”Hyun-Woo pleaded with her.
“Proud? Why would I be proud of him huh??”He scrowled and the wife chuckled.
“He’s the one doing everything in the house,you calls yourself a man but your son feeds you. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself??”She yelled and what met her cheek was a hard slap,it actually came from the husband.
“Don’t yell at me that way,am your husband! Got it??”He barked and pushed her, making her fall roughly on the ground.
“Bastard!”He spat and walked out.
“Mom!!”Hyun-Woo rushed to her.
“I’m, I’m,I’m fine”She stuttered, holding her chest while breathing heavily.
“It’s going to be fine one day right?”She asked and Hyun-Woo forced a smile while nodding.
“Your sister?”His mom asked, after Hyun-Woo helped her up.
“I don’t really know”he replied with a shrug.
“Stay still, I’ll go get a glass of water for you”he said and his mom nodded.
The moment he entered inside the kitchen,he held the sink as the tears he was holding back rushed down freely.
All his life savings is gone?
Just like that?
He sobbed bitterly, while remembering all that he still need to do.
His mom have being sick for a very long time, and he’s the one buying the drugs, the one he bought few days back is just left only a pill which means he still needs to get another soonest and his little hope has been crashed?
Totally crashed!!
“I’ll have to think of a way”He sniffed, wiping his tears.
“There must be a way, definitely”He added.
••••
<POLICE STATION>
“Sir I swear,I didn’t do it. Am being wrongfully accused here”Aerum pleaded but they’ll paid deaf ears to her.
“After staying here you’ll learn how to work hard in your next life”one of the officer’s said and Aerum sniffed.
“I need to see my daughter”Aerum parents rushed in and the cops blocked their path.
“Sir that girl have being my best friend,I can swear on her behalf that she’s not a thief”A-Yeong said and Aerum’s parents nodded their heads,in affirmative.
“So? People change”One of the cop’s rolled his eye as he spoke.
“Can we see her?”A-Yeong asked with her hands clasped together.
“No you can’t”He replied and the trio looked at him, obviously shocked.
“Why can’t we see her huh? Why?”Aerum’s mom asked, already in tears.
“Aunt please”A-Yeong said, holding unto the woman who was gradually going down.
“We won’t take time,we promise”Her dad said but the officer shook his head.
Meanwhile, inside the cell Aerum is seen sitting at the end while hugging her knees with her tears flowing freely.
Was she going to spend the rest of tonight in this shitty place?
She asked herself as she looked around.
Her mind suddenly went to something and she clenched her fist tightly.
“You’re not clean either, Seo-Jun and Ha-Joon”She said, gritting her teeth as everything the guy told her replayed in her memory.
“Even thou I didn’t steal from him but the other was kinda correct. What if he died? But can I really stay away from trouble? That’s my middle name and I can’t avoid it. Gosh! I really need your help”She soliloquize within herself.
•••
<OUTSIDE THE STATION>
“Aunt,I gat this… Aerum is going to come out”A-Yeong said,pacifing the woman.
“She’s all we got. How can she be in there? And she haven’t eaten since today. Won’t her stomach hurt badly?”Her dad asked, feeling really worried.
“Have you forgotten Aerum is a strong girl? She’ll overcome all this. Trust me Aunt, uncle”She said,assuringly and the duo looked at her,she nodded her head while forcing a smile.
“Let’s go back,we will try our luck tomorrow morning”A-Yeong said and the trio left the station, immediately they did…two car’s came to a halt instantly.
The first car door opened and beom-seok with his mom came down, shang-hoon came out from the other car and once the eye’s of the two brothers locked..they glared hatredly at each other.
“Ain’t you happy?”Shang-hoon asked,hatred evidence in his voice.
“I don’t have time to chat with you”Beom-seok scoffed and walked inside the station.
“We’re here to see Aerum deashim,the…”
“Where is she?”Shang-hoon cut beom-seok off, finally walking in.
“Who?”
“The girl,I mean Aerum deashim”Shang-hoon replied.
“She’s inside”the cop replied.
“Can I see her? No,it shouldn’t be a question. I want to see her”shang-hoon said
“I came first so I’ll be seeing her first”beom-seok retorted, feeling annoyed.
“When you’re the sole reason she’s here? I doubt she would want to see you”Shang-hoon scoffed.
“Wh@??ver,am seeing her first”beom-seok said and shang-hoon chuckled.
“How about this officer,go tell her we’re here to see her and let’s see who she chooses to see”Shang-hoon said, grinning.
The officer nodded and left to do as he was told.
Few minutes he came back.
“Come with me shang-hoon”He said and shang-hoon smiled widely before leaving with the officer, beom-seok folded his fist tightly and his mom came closer,she patted him gently on the back.
“Take a cool breath, we’re going to bring her out. Let’s go talk to your dad first”she said but beom-seok shook his head.
“You can go talk to him on my behalf,I still need to see her before leaving”Beom-seok said and his mom nodded before leaving.
“Don’t quarrel with your brother when he comes out”she stopped and said before continuing her journey.
It took shang-hoon 15minutes to come out,he had a bright smile on his face while coming out. Beom-seok scoffed loudly before facing the officer.
“Can I see her now?”Beom-seok asked with a serious look and the officer shook his head.
“Why?”He replied, slightly pissed.
His brother just saw her now so why can’t he?
“She said she doesn’t want to see you”the officer said and shang-hoon burst out into laughter,a laughter which showcased nothing but mockery.
“Too bad,poor thing. Phew”he said and walked out.
Beom-seok sighed and turned to the officer immediately,
“Just a second,can I see her for a second please”He pleaded and the officer sighed.
“The lady in question doesn’t want to see you”he half yelled and beom-seok smiled.
“Do you know me?”He asked slowly
“Of course, you’re Mr chul second son”he replied immediately.
“Good,then let me in”he said again, thinking it was going to work but the cop’s reply swept him off his feet.
“Sorry,but I can’t go against her wish. She doesn’t want to see you and letting you in is going to put myself in a line I won’t come out from,if you must excuse me..I have other things to take care of”he told him and began walking in,he turned to him after he have gone few steps.
“The door is behind you”He added and went inside completely.
Beom-seok ran his hand through his hair, feeling frustrated.
He pulled his hair roughly and a Yelp left his mouth.
“f-__-k!! I totally forgot I was injured”He said and sat down devastated.
•••
<NIGHT ~DEASHIM HOUSE>
“What are you doing?”Aerum’s dad asked her mom who was folding a bedsheet.
“Going outside to sleep”She replied and began walking out with the sheets.
“Outside? Why?”He asked shockingly.
“You don’t expect me to sleep in here comfortably when my daughter in inside the cold prison,freezing to death. I’m bearing her hard moment with her”she replied
“And you think sleeping outside is the best thing to do? What if…”
“Am sleeping outside and you’re not going to stop me”she said and continued walking.
“Then am sleeping outside with you too”he replied and the wife looked at him with a smile.
“Really?”
“Ne!”
•••
<POLICE STATION>
“Gawd!! Mom persuade him more”beom-seok said,he’s currently on a call with his mom.
“I tried beom-seok but he said he can only do a thing tomorrow morning”She replied and beom-seok groaned.
“Does that mean the poor girl is going to sleep there tonight?”He asked
“That’s what it means. Where are you? Ain’t you coming home?”She asked worriedly.
“Mom actually,wait I’ll call you back”He said and hunged up immediately.
Actually he saw a cleaner, heading to the prison. He’s currently outside thou,so an idea struck his mind.
“Hey hey”he rushed to him and the cleaner stopped.
“Where are you going?”He asked and the cleaner looked at him,from hair to toe.
“What do you think am going to do?”he scorned and beom-seok chuckled.
“You’re going to clean the cells?”He asked and the cleaner nodded.
“Over there, someone wants to see you”He said pointing at one particular position.
The cleaner turned to look at what he was showing him,but beom-seok hit him hard on the head and he passed out.
“Am sorry,just for tonight. I believe you’ll wake up by morning”He said, carrying him to the nearest place to swap their clothes.
He came out after few minutes, dressed like the cleaner..then he wore a nose mask too.
“You gat this beom-seok”He exhaled and made his way inside.
He began cleaning the cells, almost vomiting his life out with the horrible smell.
“There lots of better prison,why must they bring her to this hole?”He muttered inaudibly while cleaning the cells.
Soon it was the cell Aerum was locked in,he exhaled before opening it and luckily for him,she was the only one there.
“Who are you?”Aerum asked, lifting her face.
“I’m the cleaner”Beom-seok replied,but Aerum kept staring at him.
Obviously she knows the voice,where did she?
“Beom.. beom-seok?”She stuttered, standing up.
“You caught me”He said and removed his nose mask.
“What are you doing here?”She almost yelled but beom-seok was quick enough to cover her mouth with his palms, preventing her voice from being loud.
“Shhh,just keep quiet”He muttered.
“First,let’s quickly clean this place up”he said and left her,then began the cleaning.
Aerum just sat at a corner, looking at him as he did the cleaning.
Soon he was done,and just when he was about talking, they heard voices of some cops approaching.
“Oh no!!”Beom-seok screamed and Aerum stood up,she began pushing him under the small bed.
“Hide there”she said and beom-seok nodded,he stayed under the small bed trying so hard to breathe.
He was literally suffocating in there,just then the door opened and two cops walked in.
“Wow,the cleaner already cleaned everywhere. He left quite early too”one of the cops said with a smile and the other nodded.
“I know right”He said and the two left,and what followed next was the locking of the door from outside.
They’ve just been trapped inside.
Beom-seok came out, breathing heavily.
“I almost died”he said
“How are you going to leave fool. They’ve locked the door”Aerum said and beom-seok smiled.
“Do you think I was planning on leaving? Good thing they locked the door. I’ll have enough time to ask for your forgiveness and yes,I promise to get you out by morning”He said and Aerum shook her head before sitting down.
Her stomach made a loud grumble and she held it tightly.
Gawd!! She haven’t tasted anything since today.
“Hungry? I brought some food”Beom-seok winked and brought out the bag he came in with.
“And who told you am hungry?”She scoffed.
“You’re not? Thanks then,I guess I’ll have to enjoy this alone”He smiled and sat down,then opened the bag and brought out the food.
Immediately he opened it,the appetizing aroma filled the whole place.
“Bibimbap and samgyeopsal??”Aerum screamed inwardly peeking inside the flask.
“You’re seriously not eating?”Beom-seok asked.
“I’m not”Aerum replied hurriedly.
Her stomach made another grumble and she peeked at the flask again,while licking her lips. Beom-seok who noticed kept smiling to himself.
“Aerum swallow your pride and eat already”Her subconscious mind told her.
“Don’t you think he’ll think am a foodie?”She asked her subconscious mind.
“What’s foodie in this? Unless you want to die but I don’t want to,just eat the d@mn food already,my stomach is burning”Her subconscious mind yelled angrily.
“Hey you’re really wicked”Aerum gritted and beom-seok looked up.
“How am I wicked?”He asked slowly.
“You could have persuaded me to eat,but you only care about yourself”She rolled eye and beom-seok couldn’t help but laugh.
“Seriously? I called and you…”
“Am eating”She said and beom-seok chuckled.
He gave her a fork and like flash, Aerum began devouring the food hungrily. Beom-seok stopped eating and rested his hand on his jaw, staring at her.
Aerum stopped eating too, then looked up with a mouthful of food.
She gave him signs with her eyes if something is wrong,her mouth is full anyways so she couldn’t talk.
Beom-seok replied with the eye sign too, blinking his lashes and nodding at her to continue eating with a smile.
Aerum resumed to bitting the food which was in her mouth slowly while looking at beom-seok.
Beom-seok smiled more and took his hand to her lips, wiping off the sauce and then took the same hand to his mouth and licked it off.
Aerum’s eyes widened and she kept staring at him, while beom-seok kept smiling more charmingly.
“Eat up”he gestured and aerum blinked before taking her eye’s back to the food.
After eating, beom-seok cleared everything off and sat down close to her.
“Why are you doing this?”Aerum asked after a long silence between them.
“Doing what?”He asked
“Being nice to me. The last time I checked,you where nothing but a total jerk”she said and beom-seok smiled.
“Want to show you how truly I am sorry,and I won’t be a bully from henceforth”He smiled and Aerum gave him a kind of look.
“Just sleep it’s…”He was still talking when Aerum’s head met with his shoulder.
“Have you slept off already?”He asked but no reply came from her.
He chuckled and lifted her head from his shoulder,then began staring at it..he lost completely,staring at her beautiful face that he felt the urge to kiss her lips.
He quickly shook his head and blinked his eyes before carrying her to the bed,then laid her on it.
He brought out a jacket from his bag,and helped her in wearing it,after he was done…he kissed her shortly on the forehead and went to lie down on the floor,since the bed is really small and can’t accommodate them both,he laid on the floor instead and soon…nature took it’s cause.
He drove off to sleep.
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TBC…