36 Thirty Five : Unwanted Messages

Kim Sora POV,

November 10, 2019,

* tring

"Do you think you're beautiful?? you're like a whore! You'd better just die!"

I turned off my cell phone and took a deep breath. This is the 5th times today that I received bad messages like this. My head hurts so much every time I get a message from unknown number. It's been 3 days I got messages like this.

At first I replied to the message and asked who he/she was and what the message meant. But I only got harsher curses from them. So far I have blocked 6 unknown numbers. However, every day there are more and more unknown numbers that contact me.

I told this to Sunmi, and she asked me to call the police. But I remembered the terror incident two years ago. At that time I also received cursed and threatening messages from numbers like this. When I reported it to the police, they couldn't do anything about it, because those unknown numbers are a prepaid card that is only used by foreign tourists when they're visiting Korea. A prepaid card like this doesn't require registration, so it's very difficult to trace the owner.

At that time I was desperate. Whenever I get a message from an unknown number, I will definitely delete it immediately and block the number. And I just found out that Minwoo was the one who sent these messages. He confessed everything he did to the police, including breaking into my apartment without permission and cutting my clothes.

I was angry, I want him to be punished but at the same time feel sorry for him. He kept crying and apologizing to me. During his observation at the hospital, he didn't want to eat and just keep quiet. Then his parents came to visit me and begged me not to continue the legal process. They knelt in front of me and my parents. His father promised to take Minwoo away from my life. He said Minwoo was sick, and he needed help not punishment.

I know Minwoo's parents quite well, they are very kind people and come from a well-respected family. I feel sorry for them. His mother kept begging me to forgive him. Until finally I agreed to cancel the lawsuits as long as they kept their promise to take Minwoo away.

I stared at my computer screen with a blank stare, my heart ached remembering what happened two years ago. Why do incidents like this happen again now? Did Minwoo do it again?.

* tring

"Jagiya~ what are you doing? I just finished dance practice. After this we will go to a place for shooting Run BTS. Don't forget to eat and rest. I miss you", message from Namjoon

I massaged my forehead and started writing a reply for him.

"Annyeong oppa. I'm working on something in Minerva. Me and Sunmi will have dinner together today. Have a nice day and take care of your health too. I miss you more", I haven't told Namjoon about the messages

I don't want him to worry. I will try to solve this problem by myself. I saw the clock showed 4.30 in the afternoon. I turned off my computer screen and headed for the first floor. I order a glass of ice Americano and sit at my favorite spot by the window in the reading room.

* tring

"Hey bitch! Do you think you're great? If I were you, I'd better drown myself! What a shame!"

One more rude message came to my phone. And from a different number. I really don't know what these messages mean. I don't feel like I've done anything wrong.

"Noona, are you okay", Yunsu came over to me with a worried face

"Huh? Why? What's wrong, Yunsu~aahh?", I asked, confused looking at his face

"Did something happen, Noona? I was calling out to you few times but you looked like you were thinking about something", asked Yunsu who was now sitting across from me

"Ani, I'm just tired, Mianhae...Why did you call me?", I asked with a smile

"I just want to ask if we still need to find a replacement for Jang Bora? Because frankly we are short on staff at the coffee shop, Noona," Yunsu explained, still looking anxiously at me

"Ah, ye. We need to find a replacement for Bora. If you have any recommendations who want to work here, I will be very helpful", I said

"Ye. Actually, Go Minhyuk -our barista- has a friend who is looking for a job. She also has experience in coffee shops. I think she can be a suitable candidate", said Yunsu.

"Ye. Of course. Arrange the time as soon as possible, ask her to meet Aeri. Let Aeri decide ", I replied

"Ye, noona. I'll talk about it with Aeri noona too. Gomawo Noona", Yunsu replied with a happy face

"Ye", I replied

I watched him walk away to the reception desk to meet Aeri. I sighed looking around me. Lately I have been busy looking for a new place to build a new book-cafe. Until I forget that we lack employees here. So far Aeri has given me two candidates, but for one reason or another, we have not accepted them yet. I didn't want my personal problems to keep me from focusing on managing Minerva.

"Annyeong, welcome to Minerva", Aeri's voice welcoming visitors from the reception desk

I looked towards the entrance and found Park Minwoo walking alone toward the reception desk. I have to talk to him, I thought. When Minwoo was sitting on the chair beside the stairs, where he and his friends used to spend time in Minerva, I walked over to him.

"Annyeong, Minwoo~aah", I said, standing in front of him

"Huh? Sora~aah? Annyeong. It's inconceivable that you greeted me first ", Asked Minwoo a little surprised to see me

"actually I have something to talk to you. May I sit here?", I asked

"Ne, please. How are you Sora?", He asked smiling looking at me after I sat across from him

"So-so. How about you? Are you alone?", I asked

"I'm good. I finished earlier, so I came here earlier than my friends", answered Minwoo while smiling at me

"I want to ask you something, Minwoo~aah. To be honest, I've had some unpleasant incidents in the past month," I said with a sigh

"Is there something wrong?", Asked Minwoo as he leaned forward and put his hands on the table

"Ye. Something has happened and it's exactly the same as what I experienced two years ago", I said looking at his face seriously

"Huh? What do you mean? I don't understand, does this have anything to do with me?", Asked Minwoo confusedly while frowning

"A few weeks ago, my car tire was damaged by someone, not just once or twice, but six times in two weeks. Then, it has been 3 days now that I have received messages that contain swearing and harsh words from several unknown numbers", my voice sounded a little trembling with emotion

"What ??I, I.... do you want to ask if I have anything to do with all this? Did I repeat my actions to you?", Asked Minwoo in disbelief

"Ye, you've done it. And right now what's in my head is you, Minwoo", I said looking at him seriously

"Kim Sora~aah, it looks like you still suspect me of my past actions. I've repeatedly apologized to you and said I'm not the person I used to be. I really mean it. I won't do things like this to you again", replied Minwoo shaking his head

"But this is exactly what you did before to me. Exactly the same. You must understand why I suspect you. Tell me honestly Minwoo~aah, did you do it ?? Did I make you angry? Did I do something wrong to you ??", I asked with teary eyes

"No, Sora! No! I didn't do it. I know what I did was wrong and hurt you a lot. I won't do it again, I don't want you to hate me anymore. Besides, I don't know your cellphone number, "Minwoo said with red face, holding back his emotions

He clenched his fists on the table and looked at me in disappointment, as if I had hurt him.

"Then who? Nobody knows about the incident except the people closest to us. How could this happen exactly like what you used to do", I said in a trembling voice, holding back my voice from being heard by the people around us

"I don't know, Sora~aah. Do you think I would tell other people about it so they would do the same to you? I'm not that low Sora! I never told anyone. I've never been proud of what I did to you", Minwoo replied with teary eyes as he leaned towards me

I bit my lips to hold back the tears. I can't think. I don't know what I'm doing. Should I believe him or not.

"I swear Kim Sora, I didn't do it. I won't hurt you again. Please, Trust me Sora", Minwoo said softly in a sad voice

"I don't know, I don't know what to do," I said, shaking my head, rubbing a tear that ran down my cheek

"Don't cry Sora~aah. Please don't cry. You must be very hurt right now. I'm so stupid. I hate myself for always making you cry", said Minwoo, bowing his head

"Have you reported this to the police?", Asked Minwoo again

"You must know that it's pointless. In the past I also reported this to the police but they couldn't do anything about it. Right now I can only block their numbers and delete the messages", I replied holding back my tears with difficulty

"Ye, you're right. Lots of pre-paid card out there ", said Minwoo rubbing his face. "Isn't there nothing we can do? I will help you as best as I can, Sora .. ", said Minwoo again

"I don't know yet...", I replied staring blankly at the stairs

"I'm so sorry that you have to go through things like this, Sora", said Minwoo with a sad face

"You don't have to be sorry if you didn't do this," I replied and staring at him. "I have to go, sorry for disturbing you", I said as I got up from my seat

"Kim Sora ~ aah, mianhae, jinjja Mianhae (sorry, really sorry), I hope it will end soon", said Minwoo earnestly

I did not answer his words. I left without looking at his face. I returned to my seat beside the window and covered my face with my hands. I struggled to hold back my tears earlier, now I can't hold it in anymore.

I took a deep breath, trying to stop my tears. My emotions are mixed at the moment. Upset, angry, disappointed, and hopeless, all in one. I don't know what to expect from my conversation with Minwoo. I don't know whether to believe him or not.

"Sunmi~aah, sorry. I can't have dinner with you today. I'm not feeling well. I feel very tired and want to take a rest. I'm sorry, how about if we have dinner tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?", I wrote a message to Sunmi

Right now I don't feel like doing anything. I feel tired because of the emotions I've been feeling since the last few days. I just want to go home and be alone.

*tring

"Are you sick? What do you feel? Do you want me to bring something to your apartment?", Replied Sunmi's message

"No Sunmi. I don't need anything. I just want to sleep and rest", I replied

* tring

"Arasso, go home soon and rest, Sora. We can have dinner next time. Hope you get well soon. I love you", wrote Sunmi

I put my cell phone on the table and looked out the window. I really want to meet Namjoon. I want to hug him and cry in his arms. But that is impossible. Currently he is busy doing his job.

"Why am I so selfish", I said quietly to myself

I wiped the remaining tears on my face and headed off to my office. I'll go home and rest. Hopefully tomorrow I can think clearly and find a way out of this problem.