Persona Non Grata (2)

Dignity and principles. 

Perhaps she had none. Like a worthless pebble on the street that people kicked around for fun. And when they had enough fun with the pebble, they abandoned it on the road and go home to where their family were, to where their kids were and to where their life were. They would move on and find entertainment in something else. People like her weren't meant for keeps. A person like her was only good for a passing distraction in a damp, dark alleyway. 

"I've seen the way you look at me. You want me too." 

Kyunghee snapped out of her thoughts, looking at him as if he was deluded. She rolled her hands into fists, ready to pounce him again, but was shortly stopped by an interruption. 

"Jung Minjoon!" A loud shrilly scream echoed down the hallway ferociously and Minjoon instantly sprang away from her as if she was poison. His smugness and arrogance was gone in a blink of an eye, replaced by fear and apprehension as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. The space in front of her should have made it easier to breathe, so why didn't it feel any easier? She was still repulsed. 

She craned her neck and saw his wife, Jung Chaerim, running down the hallway baring her canine-like teeth and the eyes of death. 

"Chae—Ow! Ow!" He yelped in pain, cowering when she grabbed his left ear and twisted it mercilessly in her hand. "I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I promise I won't do it again!" 

'Pathetic,' Kyunghee thought. 

A minute ago he was acting all Alpha Male and the shit, but the roles were now switched. Perverted bastards like Jung Minjoon only had guts to prey on people in vulnerable positions, on people they deemed lower than them on the social and moral hierarchy. Maybe she wouldn't be the only one to burn in Hell. 

"What do you think you're doing down here!? Do you think I won't notice you gone in the middle of the night?! How dare you come down here and talk to her." Chaerim shot Kyunghee a vicious glare. 

If looks could kill, she would have died a thousand times over. 

"Do you think I'm dead?" Chaerim snarled into Minjoon's face like a tiger about to devour its prey in the most torturous way. Her veins were visible, looking as if it was about to pop any moment. "Even if I'm dead, I will haunt you like a ghost, so don't think about looking for other women. Let alone someone of her kind." 

"Chaerim honey, let me go! Ow, you're hurting me!" His face contorted in agony. "I can—I can explain," Minjoon pleaded in desperation, clasping his hands together to beg, his left ear turning red as the seconds passed. "She was the one who seduced me!" He pointed to Kyunghee accusingly, a sudden 360 degree change in attitude, but she expected no less from a rat bastard. 

Chaerim narrowed her eyes then turned towards Kyunghee, gradually letting go of Minjoon's ear. Minjoon immediately sighed in relief, rubbing his tortured ear then took a step behind Chaerim. 

He lied without blinking his eyes, "She was the one who called me and told me to come down and meet her here. I refused, but she kept pestering me and I had a lapse of judgment, I swear." 

Chaerim approached Kyunghee with both hands on her hips. There was nothing friendly about Chaerim as she confronted Kyunghee. There was nothing friendly about Chaerim in general. "You slut, don't you have the slightest bit of shame left? Where are your principals, going around seducing people's husbands? There are a whole bunch of men out there if you're that desperate to be screwed but stay away from my husband." 

"I didn't seduce him. He came to bother me," Kyunghee responded coldly, yet knowing fairly well that Chaerim wasn't going to believe her words. Time and time again, she had sided with her perverted husband even though the truth was right in front of her eyes. 

"Don't lie to my face, you slut!" Chaerim yelled boisterously as she raised her hand and, before Kyunghee could defend herself, a hard slap had landed on her face. 

The pain stung her cheek as she stared at the ground, shocked. For a moment, all Kyunghee could feel was the pain from the impact but soon enough, the pain grew numb. She balled her hands into fists as her body vibrated with indignant fury. She raised her head and met Chaerim's venomous eyes directly. 

Although she badly wanted to slap Chaerim—give back what she had given in equal parts—but Kyunghee was not one for physical violence. 

Instead Kyunghee held her head high and straightened herself. "Is that all you've got, Chaerim?" Kyunghee asked in a mocking tone. "All you have in you is to act like an uncouth, jealous housewife. No wonder your husband's eyes are always wandering elsewhere. Minjoon, forgive me darling. I didn't know you were having such a hard time living with someone as controlling as her. No wonder you needed a release." Kyunghee's gaze was on Minjoon, looking at him seductively. Her voice was sweet and sultry. They called her a slut, so she would use her sex appeal to retaliate. 

"T—That's ok…" Minjoon stuttered stupidly. He was reeled in by that pair of magnetic hazel eyes. Just one look and he found his blood draining, his thoughts scrambled, forgetting that his wife was right in front of him. 

"Jung Minjoon!" Chaerim snapped at her husband, irate at the spell bounded look on his face. "What the hell are you doing?! Stop staring at her!" 

Minjoon snapped out of his trance and shifted his gaze elsewhere, but he couldn't help stealing glances at those hazel eyes. "Let's just go back, Chaerim. It's late now. We're just making a scene." 

"What?!" Chaerim shouted in disbelief. 

This time her shouting had an effect as the rest of the residents on this floor began opening their doors and poking their heads out in curiosity. 

"C'mon, let's go back." Minjoon glanced around nervously. At the same time, he was trying hard not to look at Kyunghee. He was afraid that if he took one more look at her, the excitement in his pants would become too noticeable, especially in front of his wife. "Let's not bother the other neighbors," he said as he quickly dragged Chaerim towards the elevator while she grumbled and ranted nonstop. 

The scene was so pitiful that Kyunghee wanted to laugh, but she couldn't. 

"What's going on here? Do you guys know what time it is? It's almost two in the morning. Can't a person have some sleep without all this nighttime drama?" It was the middle-aged woman from across the hall. She stifled a yawn as she leaned against the doorjamb, crossing her arms over chest as she looked at Kyunghee accusingly. Clearly she was less than impressed with the late-night antics. 

This was also not the first time unwanted drama had followed Kyunghee to her doorsteps. Despite the many apologies she had made for the inconveniences, it was never enough. Needless to say, most people in the building didn't have a good impression of Kyunghee and tended to stay away from her. 

"Sorry," Kyunghee responded simply. There was nothing else she could say. 

"Instead of keep saying sorry, why don't you do everyone a favor and move somewhere else?" The woman grumbled, shot Kyunghee a glare and then slammed the door in her nose. 

Seeing that the drama had ended, everyone began closing their doors again. The fourth floor was bathed in peace once more. 

Kyunghee quickly picked up the scattered mails then she pulled out her keys to the unit. Her hand slightly shook as she tried to insert the key into the hole. She stopped to inhale and exhale and gathered her calm before turning the key to open the door. 

Kyunghee pushed the door wider and stepped inside. The femme fatale façade she had put up earlier immediately disappeared. For a while, all she did was lean her back against the closed door and sought solace with closed eyes. She touched her pink cheek—the spot where Chaerim had slapped earlier—and gently massaged it. 

Silence engulfed her like the dark as thoughts rummaged through her head. 

Maybe it really was time to pack up her bags and relocate to another place where nobody knew her. Ever since people in this building found out what she used to do and did now for a living, Kyunghee felt as if the walls were slowly closing in on her as each day passed. She could explain all she wanted, but nothing was ever going to change. She wasn't obligated to change stranger's minds either. 

She didn't want to deal with Minjoon and Chaerim, or the cold glares and ostracized silence. Wasn't home a place where she could rest her mind and rejuvenate? Wasn't home a place where she should feel welcome and safe? Wasn't home a place she should look forward to every night after a hard day's earning? Kyunghee didn't feel any of that here except for cold shoulders and reproachful looks. 

She was the unwelcomed person, all because she used to sell sex for a living. Now, she was a stripper at one of the most famous joints on the Entertainment District. There was a very fine line between the two roles, but what did it matter to any of these people, to the world? That kind of business was all one in the same.