FLAME - EPISODE 2

JUNG AERA

I arrived at the laundry mart I work in after so many huffing and puffing in exhaustion and hunger.

“Aera,what happened to you? Why are you all sweaty and what is with the bump on your head?”my close friend who works in the same laundry mart with me asked.

I plopped on the reception sofa since the mart is not due to open till 10am and this is still 8am.

“The usual”,I said casually like it was nothing. This is my compulsory start of the day. If I haven’t have a good beating,my day hasn’t started.

“Oh God!”,she shook her head with pity at me and disappeared into the shop.

Seconds later,she came out with a pack of ice.”This should lower the bump”,she mumbled and placed it on my forehead.

I winced as the ice touched my forehead.

My stomach grumbled and Goo Cho-Hee dragged me out of the mart.

“We need to do something about that”,she pointed at my stomach.

“I don’t have any money on me”,I pouted my lips.

“Did I mention that you’d pay?”,Cho hee smirked at me.

I shook my head vigorously,declining her offer. “I don’t want you spending your money on me”.

She dragged me to the nearest food vendor shop. “Do you think its up for a debate. I am paying and that’s final”,she glared at me and then bought three plates of food and some dumplings and gave two plates to me.

I frowned.

“I am okay with a plate”,she assured me.

“I can’t wait to lay my hands on Ara..I’ll so batter her face”,Cho hee snarled as she stabs the poor dumplings repeatedly.

“Please don’t”,I pleaded with her.

“That will only add to my ever piling problem”,I added.

She nods her head and agreed to what I said. “Sorry! I forgot that you’d be the sacrificial lamb”.

“Let’s get going! I have to start washing the piles of cloth my mom dumped on me”,I said and we left for the laundry mart.

Cho-hee somewhat knows Ara. They attended the same high school and all the story I heard about my sister aren’t pleasant. I didn’t have the privilege to attend a sophisticated high school like Ara,instead I attended the public high school which I loved…I didn’t have to worry about fitting in.

I went to where the laundry machines were kept and carefully placed all my mother white dress in it and turned it on…the vibrating sound filled the air.

“We have a costumer”,Cho-hee announced.

“But we are not opening till Ten”,I yelled so that she can hear me amidst the washing machine noise.

I rushed outside to where she stood. “She is rich”,Cho-hee whispered in my ear and I stared at the white saloon car that packed right in front of our mart.

Its strange and rare for rich people to patronize our service! They go to the big names and only the average fella’s come here.

“Do you think the person wants to wash cloth?”,I whispered to her.

“There is only one way to find out….wait!”,she said and gasped.

“Ohh! She is a fine lady”,Cho-hee squealed as the lady stared at our shop before walking in.

We bowed respectfully at her.

“I heard your laundry expertise are top notch in this neighborhood?”,her melodious voice waft into my ear.

We could only our head sheepishly.

She is so beautiful!

What is she doing in this neighbourhood? She looks like those who lives in a majestic home with maids at their beck and call.

She signalled her driver to come and he did with a a bundle in his hand.

“I want you to wash this cloth for me…I’ll collect it this evening”,she said and left.

We stared at each other once she left.

“She looks like a goddess”,Cho-hee gushed over the lady beautiful.

“Let’s get to work”,I dragged her and she frowned at me for pulling her out of her drooling state.

* *

Evening of the same day……

The mysterious lady walked back into the laundry mart and I rushed out with her already well ironed dress and handed it to her.

“Thanks”,she smiled at me.

I nodded and she paid her fee and even gave me a heavy tip of ¥1000 won.

“Ma…I don’t…

“Shh”,she hushed me and left.

I stared at the money in my hand and thought of a safe place to keep it in my home.

My eyes darted lazily to the counter and I saw a pass card and a black card on the counter with the name Lee Mi-cha on it.

“It belongs to that beautiful lady”,I gasped and rushed after her but her car has already left. I checked the time and it was already 4:30 pm and I need to be home by 5pm in other to avoid my mom wrath.

Should I just leave it here?

No! I don’t trust other workers in here except Cho-hee but she has gone home.

I looked at the pass card and saw that it is for an event that will be held this evening.

She won’t be able to go in after she already got her dress.

I stared at the money in my hand and it strengthened my resolve to help the beautiful lady. And so with that thought I went straight to my bicycle and raced to the airport. She took the road that only leads to the airport and so I raced there hoping to see her before she boards the plane.

“Lee Mi-cha”,I shout her name continuously with my heavy panting.

A huge man came up to me and eyed me with contempt.

“Are you a fan?”,he glowered at me.

I shook my head vigorously and stretched out my hand for him to see what I am holding.

“She forgot these and I want to give it to her”,I told the hefty man.

“Give it to me and I’ll pass the message. I am her guard”,he said.

I declined.

“I’d prefer to give it to her”.

“What’s going on here?”,her sweet voice rang in my ear and saw her walk over to me with a white shawl wrapped around her neck and her hair was pulled to the left side of her face.

“You forgot these”,I showed her what is in my hand.

She gasped and stared at me in shock.

she searched her purse frantically and then looked up at me with gratitude in her gaze.

“Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you!”,she hugged me tightly as her perfume swamped all over me.

“You don’t know how you helped me”,she said as she broke the hug and collected the cards from me.

“What’s your name?”,she asked me.

“Jung Aera”,I smiled at her.

I do have a sense if fulfilment once I do something good for someone and they are so grateful,it makes me feel like I have a superpower and I am making the world a better place.

She stared at her expensive Rolex wristwatch. Everything on her is screaming MONEY!

“I’ll be late to where I have to be but I’ll really come back to show my appreciation”,she promised me and hugged me once more.

“Thank you Jung Aera!”,she said and stepped into her plane while waving at me.

I smiled at my accomplishment.

Poor Jung Aera doesn’t know what awaits her when she gets home.

Its 5:30 pm already!

…………….

Authoress POV

AT JIN COLLEGE….

“Another one has been caught!”,one student yelled and everyone rushed to the direction the voice is coming from.

Students can be seen trooping towards the locker of a poor student who has been caught in the trap of A.S.H but they are popularly called BULLY QUEENS. They are three ladies.

In Jin college,once a green card as a GO signal for the student has been placed on your locker,the whole student rushes to your locker to find who fell into the trap of the high and mighty’s of Jin stars.

“What is her crime”,one asked.

“She refused one of the bully quuens request to carry her plate of food”,another answered.

“Where is she?”,more crowd gathered to the locker.

“She has hidden herself in the restroom”one divulged and everyone raced there and dragged her out.

“Please!”

“Help!”

“I’m sorry!”,her voice rang out with so much plea as she was attacked by angry student.

In the midst of the it So ji-hoo and Park Taeyhung walked past them with a grin on their face and then decides to interfere.

“Stop!”,Ji hoo voice came out in an authoritatve manner which freezed everyone on the stop.

“Let her be! She has learnt her lesson and has gone through enough pain for one day”,he said and stepped off leaving drooling stares and hanging mouth behind.

“Its oppa!”,all the girls gushed.