Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 386: Her Past -

Hei-Ran threw herself into an anxious pace across the breadth of the living room as she anticipated Dan-Han’s call. It was morning, and she longed to know the result of his visit to Mr. Yang last night. She wasn’t sure if she should be patient and await his call or be impatient and put a call across to him first. It was a dilemma. She picked up her phone from the table but sighed and laid it back.

The anticipation was driving her mad. She had barely slept after returning home with Jin-Hai from the hospital at the earliest hours of the morning. Her restlessness wasn’t solely to the tendrils of worry wrapped around her spine for A-Yeong – who, according to the doctor, had signed against medical advice and left the hospital despite the bad state she was in, but her restlessness had more to do with the imaginations of what was going on between Dan-Han and Mr. Yang.

It wasn’t until 3 am that Jin-Hai successfully coaxed her to sleep, much to which she willingly obliged because she knew if she hadn’t slept, he would also suffer the same fate.

Hei-Ran thought about A-Yeong again, but she quickly discarded the thoughts of her in her mind.

Out of the graciousness of her heart and her fickle conscience -which she despised for not being able to hold a grudge, she had informed her parents, and not A-Yeong’s parents, about her situation as it was obvious the girl didn’t want her parents to know – or if she went according to A-Yeong’s word, anyone for that matter. But she couldn’t care less about what that girl truly wanted. Her parents would send someone to look after her. Whether or not she sent the person away would be no business of hers. Absolutely none.

She had done her best for her.

For all she cared, A-Yeong could do with her life as she pleased. After all, it wasn’t her who was in danger. If she wanted to die, then she wasn’t going to stop her. As a matter of fact, she’d wish her a safe ride to hell and probably throw in a bouquet to accompany her off.

.....

She was already going through so much hassle trying to sort whatever mess or hole A-Yeong had stupidly plunged herself into when she should be having the time of her life with the man she loves, happily indulging herself in all the sensual activities she had longed missed out on in her six years of singlehood. But no, here she was fixing A-Yeong’s mess, even though she had volunteered for it out of spite or revenge, as Jin-Hai called it.

She sighed.

She truly wished she could hate A-Yeong a bit more for what she had done to her, but that would be if what she already felt could pass up for hatred.

Hei-Ran was beginning to think that she was maybe too vulnerable at heart. A-Yeong was someone who had caused her the most pain in life, and she should be happy to do the most harm by exposing her bad deeds, but rather than doing that, she was formulating various lines of defense on why A-Yeong might have indulged herself in whatever was going on with those shipments. Something which she believes was certainly illegal.

“You really have to stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy.” Jin-Hai’s hoarse voice suddenly came from behind her and slightly startling her to a halt. She whipped around to see him leaning against the frame of the bedroom door with a worried frown on his sleepy face. His droopy eyes and tousled hair, which had a few tendrils loosely hanging over his face, slightly distracted her for a second till a wry sigh escaped her lips, and she resumed pacing.

She couldn’t afford distractions, and Jin-Hai was obviously that.

“I can’t help it.” She said and picked up her phone, her fingers anxiously tapping on it as she contemplated dialing Dan-Han’s number.

Jin-Hai sauntered over and snatched the phone, earning him a hard glare from her dark eyes.

“Jin-Hai!” She snapped, her lips parting to say more, but his finger pressed against them and kept her shut.

“Shh..” He softly hushed her as he put his arm around her and pulled her close. He saw the agitation and frustration in her eyes, but he cupped her face and tilted it up so she could look directly into his.

“Take a break, Hei-Ran. Rest, just for a few hours, and we’ll get back to this.” He told her, but she stubbornly shook her head.

“I don’t have a few hours. I don’t think I can relax, especially not as you want me to.” She said as she tried reaching for the phone again, but Jin-Hai wouldn’t let her as his grip on her face tightened, keeping her still.

“Just a few hours, Hei-Ran. Two hours.” He bargained. “I’ll run you a bath and make us breakfast. If after that he hasn’t called, then we’ll call him.”

Hei-Ran was ready to throw in a protest, her face revealing the reluctance in her, but the pleading look in his eyes made her sigh defeatedly.

“Two hours.” She said, and he readily nodded.

“Fine.” She grumbled out, and Jin-Hai’s face broke into a happy smile. He pulled her closer and softly kissed her lips.

Jin-Hai went well on his promise. He ran her a warm bath, and while she soaked in the rose-scented tub filled with warm water to make her relax, he made breakfast.

He stood over the stove, watching the strips of bacon and sausages he had popped into the pan sizzle and burst out oil while he whisked the eggs. If there was anything he had known about Hei-Ran in the six years of pining for her and a few months of being with her, it was that she loved western breakfast with a warm cup of coffee with just the right amount of cream and sugar.

“You look pert in that apron,” Hei-Ran said as she walked into the kitchen, her eyes taking in his sturdy back rippling with hard, lean muscles. She had seen them a few times when he indulged her in sensuous lovemaking. Her fingers had dug into them while she cried out his name – her cheeks flushed at those memories, but no matter the number of times she saw them, they still made her burn with lust.

A rakish smile played on Jin-Hai’s face as he turned and glanced at her. His eyes toured over her in delightsome appraisal.

She looked fresh, relaxed, and beautiful. Her jet-black hair freely hung behind her, revealing the fair neck skin her spaghetti onesie, which barely covered a third of her thigh, revealed.

“And you’re a sight for sore eyes.” He said as he rounded the kitchen island and stopped before her. He took her look again before claiming her lips in a sensuous dance.

“And I guess it’s not the Apron that has you blushing?” He raised a teaseful brow at her while her cheeks flushed harder.

She shyly peeked at him from beneath her lashes. “Believe me, you don’t want to know.” She said with a shake of her head while Jin-Hai flashed her a knowing smile. He would grant her some privacy in that not-so-innocent head of hers.

“If you’ll treat me to this sight of you every day, then I’ll obediently cook every day, and I’ll ensure to put the apron as part of the deal.” He winked and dropped quick fluttering kisses on her lips. Hei-Ran giggled as she shyly nudged him away.

“I might consider it only if you don’t serve me charcoal for breakfast.” She teased. She burst out in laughter when he gasped and skidded towards the pan, quickly flipping the sausages and bacon over and narrowly saving them from burning.

Hei-Ran smiled as she eased herself onto one of the high stools on the kitchen island, where she watched him with easy eyes as he moved about the kitchen – her kitchen.

It was a beautiful sight to behold.

He set two breakfast plates before them before taking off his apron and slipping on his shirt.

“I like you with no clothes on.” She shamelessly uttered as she ogled at him.

Jin-Hai couldn’t help the turn over of his lips. “You’re becoming wanton, Ms. Su. What have you been learning in that company of yours? Do I have to come to rescue you before you become too wild for me to handle?” He faked a serious look. Hei-Ran’s face flustered a bright red, but that didn’t stop her from giving her reply.

“Not too wild, but I can tell you I’ve learned a few things that shouldn’t be said over breakfast tables and definitely not with fully clothed bodies.” She winked while Jin-Hai watched with dropped jaws.

His eyes traveled over her, but he cleared his throat and picked up his cup of coffee. He took a sip and set it down. “I’d love to take you on that invitation, but I know your mind and body are not in perfect synchrony. So I’ll wait, but be rest assured I’ll take back with interest.” He softly said, but Hei-Ran knew he meant it.

She hid away her face, which was struggling not to get as red as a cooked lobster. How silly of her to throw such a word at a tricky man like Jin-Hai?

She lowered her head and focused on her food, making Jin-Hai chuckle before paying attention to his food. They both ate in between short moments of silence and making small talk.

“You’re the first guy making me something this great, except my dad, of course. That’s if his toasts and teas really count.”

Jin-Hai furrowed his brows. “First to make something delicious or first to cook for you? Which is it?”

“The first one,” Hei-Ran replied with a shrug, while Jin-Hai frowned.

“And here I was thinking I was breaking a record.” He hissed, forcefully stabbing the plate and stuffing his mouth with more eggs.

Hei-Ran watched him amusedly. “Jealous?”

“Of what?” He glared.

“Of burnt noodles and eggs?” She raised a brow, the side of her lips twitching with unconcealed amusement. “If that’s what you consider a competition, then boy, I’m sorry for you.” She tsked and shook her head, but she soon burst into laughter when he gaped in surprise.

“Who was he?” He finally asked after a few seconds of Hei-Ran taunting laughter.

Hei-Ran suddenly went silent for a little while. He thought she wouldn’t answer, but then she spoke up. “The scumbag who worked with A-Yeong to get me into trouble.” She casually replied. Jin-Hai gave a look of realization. He instantly regretted asking.

He searched for any streak of sadness in her eyes, but there was nothing. She seemed okay as she talked about it; at least, that was what he deduced from the calm look in her eyes. She had never really spoken about the guy before, except in passing. He believed she must have been really hurt at the time, hence why he never asked. And why should he care about the past? Because that was what the guy truly was-her past.

Jin-Hai peered at her as she awkwardly became more silent. He placed his hand over hers. “Don’t talk about it if you don’t want to. I don’t care about him, so don’t taunt yourself.” He honestly told her, his voice almost pleading, but all he got was a blank look in her eyes.

Seconds elapsed until her voice broke through. “He was my first.” She started, a sad smile lilting her face. “He was my first boyfriend, first love, first sex, and first friend in college, who I met in my third year. He was a nice guy, at least he looked like he was, and I fell for that.” She sighed.

“He was sweet, with a nice charm that you couldn’t really resist, and he’d always say silly things that made me smile and make my heart flutter. Oh, how I was helplessly and hopelessly in love with him, and I thought he was too, but what a stupid thing to think.”

Jin-Hai grabbed her other hand and gave her a comforting squeeze. “Hey, it’s not stupid to think about love. I’m not stupid, and you’re not. He was the stupid one because he didn’t know what an angel you are.”