Lonnie rushed to the rooftop and sees Lani on the floor, and she was breathing heavily. After Lonnie told his mom that he was going to do what she say, she told the man who held Lani hostage to release her.
“Lani!” He rushed to her, squatting in front of her and holding both side of her shoulders.
“Are you alright?” He asked worriedly and Lani shook her head.
“I was so scared, Lonnie. I thought I was going to die, I thought that I am never going to see you, my grandma and my friends again, I was so scared” She said crying.
Lonnie blinked back his tears and hugged her. “I’m sorry Lani, I promise you that you won’t be in danger again”
Lani continued crying in his arms.
***
Lonnie carefully placed Lani on the bed, she slept off in the car, so Lonnie carried her to her room.
Eloise wasn’t home yet, so he sat beside Lani on the bed, caressing her hair, Lani turned and held his hand.
“I hope what I’m about do to won’t hurt you badly. I don’t want you to get hurt, so I hope you will understand me. It hurt seeing you in pain that’s why I’m going to do everything I can to protect you” He said
“Lonnie” Lani called his name in her sleep and Lonnie could feel the sting in his heart. It felt like his heart was being pieced with a rod.
He cleans his tears and slowly took his hand from Lani, covered her with the duvet and left the room.
He was coming downstairs when he saw Eloise, she just came from her restaurant.
“Good evening grandma” He greeted.
“Evening son-in-law. Where is Lani?” She asked with a smile.
“She is sleeping already”
“That’s unlike her, she doesn’t sleep on time except when she had a bad day. Did something happen between you two? Did you both argue?”
“No we didn’t” Lonnie answered in a low voice.
“Why is your voice faint? Even your face too, did you cry?”
“No I didn’t” Lonnie answered forcing out a smile.
“Are you hungry? I can prepare something delicious for you”
“No, don’t. Good night” He bowed to her and went to his house.
“Something seemed off with him, I hope he is okay” Eloise muttered and entered her house.
***
Lonnie lay on the couch thinking on what to tell Lani when a message chimed on his phone. He look at the message and it from his mom.
•Make sure I see you in Seoul tomorrow,
or I will come back to Hadong and finish
what I have started with that countryside girl•
Lonnie threw his phone away after reading the message, he covered his eyes with his hand, sniffling.
******
•STEWART HIGH SCHOOL•
“Really? Verity came home and stole from your mom?” Lani asked. She chose not to tell her friends what happened to her last night. Moreover the man was wearing a mask and she couldn’t see his face, so even if she tells her friends, they won’t be able to find him.
“Yes she did. I need more part time jobs so I can help raise the money before the farmers comes knocking at our door” Posy said.
“How much is it?” Dami asked.
“Twenty thousand won” Posy replied.
“I am going to give it to you. I still have enough money from the money you all took from my mom, I’m going to give the money to you, Posy”
“Don’t bother Dami, I don’t need your help” Posy said and stood up to her feet.
“I won’t be staying till classes are over, so see you all tomorrow” Posy said and she bumped into Rory when she was about leaving.
“Posy do you want to eat lunch with me? It’s going to be on me”
Posy smiled and was about replying, but when she remembered how Rory carried Dami last night, she frowned.
“Eat alone, I am not hungry” She leaves.
Rory furrowed his eyebrows and went to meet Dami and Lani.
“Is everything okay with Posy? She isn’t herself” He said.
“Well Verity cause problem for her and her mom again”
“I offered my help, but she refused” Dami said and sneezed.
Rory quickly took off his hoodie and gave it to her.
“Why are you giving it to me?” She asked.
“The weather is cold. Why do you always forget putting on a hoodie when you know how cold Korea is?”
“What about you?” Dami asked.
“Your heath matters more. I will just talk to Posy” He smiled at Dami and leaves.
“Awww, how sweet?” Lani teased.
“Stop it Lani. Rory is just being a good friend to me, and beside I don’t like him”
“What so wrong with Rory?”
“Nothing. He is okay if you ask me, but you already know I have a huge crush on Camren. I couldn’t talk to him because of the madness that Sage was displaying”
“Should I ask Lonnie to help you out? Camren is the closest to Lonnie, I can ask him to tell Camren to come over to Hadong”
“Daebak! I love the idea so much! We might end up dating celebrities!”
Dami and Lani squealed holding hands.
“Stop disturbing the peace of the class! Can’t you see someone is reading?” The class president asked. He is also known as a nerd, because his eyes is always on his books.
“Sorry” Dami and Lani said and they giggled, silently.
***
“Posy! Posy!” Rory ran after her when she was about leaving the school. She took a reasonable permission from the principal.
Posy stopped walking when she saw Rory running towards her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Dami and Lani told me what happened, where are you going?” He asked.
“Well I was given a job by Mrs. Kim, she wants me to do the laundry for her, she is going to pay me after I am done”
“I will go with you to give you a helping hand”
“You don’t have to”
“I care about you Posy, and I won’t allow you to do this difficult task alone. If she is insisting on paying you after doing the laundry for her, it means there are many clothes to wash”
“I can manage”
Rory held her hands and Posy looked at him. “I will be right back. I’m going to get my backpack and talk to the principal. Wait for me, I’ll make it snappy” Rory said and rushed back inside the school’s building.
*I care about you, Posy* Rory’s voice echoed in her ear and she smiled, looking at her hand that Rory held.
“I guess what happened between he and Dami last night was nothing. He was just carrying her because she had an injury on her knee” Posy nodded her head, agreeing to what she said.
******
“That a male’s watch, so why are you buying it? From what I remember, you don’t have a brother” Palmer said.
Shopping was her daily routine, so she is shopping with Opal. Both come from a family that can boast of getting anything they want.
“It’s for Rory” Opal answered with a smile.
“You both aren’t close, so why are you buying him a gift?”
“His birthday is three days away, so I want to get him something”
“I thought you were over and done with your crush on Rory?” Palmer asked, making an irritating face.
“Of course not. Why would I stop crushing on Rory when my feelings is slowly increasing. You are a fashion queen, do you think he would love it?”
“How should I know? Do I look like his sister?”
“This is the reason why no guy in school have ask you out. You’re too serious”
“You think I am interested in those immature kids in school? I don have time for puppy love, my priorities is passing high school with a good grades, pass the exams into Seoul national university and become the best plastic surgeon”
“Fine I have heard you. You’re so boring”
“Wh@tëver” Palmer said and continue picking out the clothes she likes.
“I hope he likes my gift” Opal muttered with a smile.
******
•SEOUL, THE UNBEATABLE MANSION, SAME DAY•
Camren came out from his room after having his shower, and he sees Miles standing at the doorstep of his room.
“Why do you want?” Camren asked.
“Please talk to Sage, she has been in her room all day. I have been begging her to open the door, but she paid a deaf ear to my pleadings. She is crying, please talk to her” Miles said with a worried look on his face.
Camren sighed and went to Sage’s room.
“Sage, open the door, it’s me, Camren” He said knocking on his door.
“I know it’s difficult for you to bear, but I am here for you Sage, so please open the door” He knocked again, but Sage refused to open the door.
Camren was about leaving when Sage opened the door, her face was soaked with her tears.
“Sage….”
Camren was cut short, because Sage hugged him, sniffing.
“I’m going to try my best to forget about him. Lonnie’s happiness makes me happy, but please don’t leave me too. I won’t be able to take it” She hugs him tightly, sniffling.
Camren smiled and hugged her back.
“I won’t ever leave you, so you have nothing to fear or worry about”
“Thank you” She rest her head on his chest.
Miles saw them together and gave out a sad smile before going to his room to cry properly.
******
•HADONG, COUNTRYSIDE OF KOREA, SAME DAY•
Lani had a smile on her face as she entered the compound, holding a nylon containing watermelon. She bought it on her way back from school because it was Lonnie’s favorite fruit.
“I am sure he is going to give me a kiss for buying his favorite fruit” She smiled and went to his house.
She was about knocking, but she stopped when she discovered the door was open.
She entered inside the house calling his name, but there was no answer from him, so she went to his room and sees him packing his clothes inside a luggage.
“Lonnie what are you doing?” She asked, but Lonnie didn’t answer her.
He zipped his luggage and was about leaving the room, but Lani blocked his path.
“Move” He said with a cold voice.
“What’s with the cold expression, where are you going?” She asked.
“I’m going back to Seoul”
“When are you coming back?” She asked with a low voice.
“I have no plans on coming back here. Once I leave, you can sell very furniture here and keep the money” He said trying to leave, but Lani quickly held his hand.
Lonnie got emotional the moment she held his held, but he knew he has to act strong in order to make it look real.
“I… I don’t understand, you said you were going to live here in Hadong with me” Lani said. Tears were already producing itself from her eyes.
Lonnie turned to look at her and he took his hand from her. He felt like consoling her when he saw her tears, but he restricted himself from doing so.
“Let’s forget about everything. Forget about the kisses and forget the fact that I ask you to be mine”
“What the heck are you talking about? I don’t understand!!” She yelled crying.
“I just realized that you and I can’t work. I mean you’re a kid in high school, I can’t date a minor”
“I am not a minor, I’m in my final year in high school and you are… you’re just six years older. Please take your words, can’t you see I’m crying? You made a promise that you won’t be the reason for my tears” Lani said, crying.
“I was just being stupid. Forget me and go back to the times were you haven’t met me” Lonnie said.
“You think it’s easy! Don’t I mean anything to you for you to just walk away like this?”
“No you don’t. I only realized it now that I was just carried away by your cuteness. You don’t mean anything to me”
Balls of tears falls down from Lani’s eyes and she lost balance and falls to the ground.
“Have a good life” He said and left.
Lonnie came out from the compound and his driver was already waiting for him.
He sniffles and called Dami.
“Hello Lonnie, why did you call?”
“Can you go over to Lani’s house?”
“Why? Did something happen to her?”
“Just be with her, I don’t want her to collapse” Lonnie said and ended the call.
“Should I start driving?” The driver asked.
The tears he had been holding since, rushed out from his eyes and he buried his head on the headrest of the car.
“I’m sorry Lani. I wish I wasn’t the son of Mary-Jane then I won’t have been in this mess. You mean a lot to me, Lani. You’re my life and I’d do anything to protect you” Lonnie said, and continued crying, heartbreakingly.
……
TBC
