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TRIGGER WARNING: Parts of this chapter might trigger some of you. It contains topics related to abuse, manipulation and gaslighting. Please proceed with caution.
-"First of all, tell me how you got to know my name," Kate squints at the two of us who sat across her on the old and slightly creaky couch, squeezed together nervously."Nathan's father remarried," I begin, clearing my throat as I straighten my spine to appear more confident. "The current Mrs. Kim helped us dig through files and inside the house to look for signs of you. She sent us your address and name today in the morning itself.""I haven't really told anybody about this house," she deadpans, eyes appearing bored but behind the film of denial was extreme worry for her child, her own blood. "How could she know?""Mr. Kim is a rich man with a lot of connections. It probably didn't even take him an hour to find your location," Mr. MiRelated chapters
COMBATIVE 57
"Don't you think this will be too shocking for him right now?", Mr. Min suggests, chewing on his lower lip with a concerned expression as he pulls his car into my apartment complex's parking lot."Yeah but she's staying with me and I'll make sure that the two of us don't end up coming back here later or atleast for a few days till Mrs. lee figures out the whole deal," I sigh and Kate's ears perk up at the suggestion as she shuffles closer to me from the back seat. "Hey, Kate, do you- would you mind me staying over at Nathan's since you know, we basically stay over at each other's all the time?""Of course not, why would I have a problem with that? You both are grown-ups," she chuckles. "I'm just excited to see him again, hear his voice again without the television screen."I smile back at the woman and nod softly. It was heartwarming to see how much she loved him and how accepting she was, of the two of us. What made me even happier was to know
COMBATIVE 58
A week later me and Nathan sat on the freshly white painted benches of the park nearest to his mansion with his arms draped over the back of it in exhaustion after our run. I smile at the look of sheer bliss on his face and the glow that emitted due to his constant lifted moods.Mrs. Lee had explained Nathan's disorder to him and he had taken almost a day off to accept it but he later mentioned that a lot of things were starting to make sense for him and that he felt better knowing the cause behind it instead of being confused all the time.Kate was yet to meet him, especially after Mrs. Lee's clear instructions that he must be told before the two met and now that he knew, I guessed what would be the right time for them to meet?"Quit staring," he laughs, chest heaving up and down and I feel the vibrations rake down my own body. Shaking my head playfully, I reach over to my opposite side and throw him a baby blue towel so he could wipe his swea
COMBATIVE 59
Nathan's head was soundly placed in Kate's lap. She was sitting on the couch across me and it was pitch dark when I gazed out of my window. All four of us were unaware when time had ticked by so as soon as Nathan's eyes drooped shut in exhaustion of how big a day this had been, Jo went to bed too."So, how did you two meet?", Kate questions, drawing my blue cardigan closer around her shoulders with a soft sigh. "You know, you and Nat are two very different people. How did it- how did this happen?", she emphasizes on the word 'this' and I could only laugh softly in response."I have no idea either," I perk up, bouncing my feet against the carpeted floor of my living room. "Should I start from the beginning or?", Kate sits up a little more comfortably as I quirk my brow at her curiosity but it was understandable. She hadn't met her little boy in what must be two decades."From the start, tell me everything," she smiles and I couldn't help but ret
COMBATIVE 60
It's five in the morning, my head rests back against Nathan's chest, we both have been talking for the whole night now, three hours washed away in love and unresolved matters. His back is against the headboard of my bed and the window is open ajar to let the chilly wind it.It seems like it might rain in the next few hours and I want nothing than to just lie down for one more day, waste a few more hours talking to him before we need to get up and face reality. Reality that there were lot of untangled ropes in our lives that were swirled around."Hey, Nat?", he hums, tightening his arm around my front. "Can I take up a nursing job or something? You know, I'll have to get my license and work," I trail off, feeling smaller with every silent second that passed by."What made you think you needed permission for that?", he asks, voice sharp and seemingly offended. "Do you think I have autonomy over your life? I can't believe you sometimes Soph."
COMBATIVE 61
"Is that-" he tremors."Yes," I assure."Are they-" he begins again."Yup," I confirm, last letter popping.Seok-Min was star-struck. He couldn't take his eyes off the three men huddled on the couch together for a whole minute. It wasn't like this was the first time Nathan had bumped into a fan or have somebody struck like that but there was a certain rawness to Seok-Min that made him shy.Maybe it was the fact that the past few days had been so rough on him that he didn't expect anybody to care about him anymore. He probably didn't expect the news announcer to be that whipped for him but it wasn't news to the rest of us. The man had literally defended Nathan on national television and risked his job trying to protect his name."Hey," Nathan chirps out, quietly and shyly rubbing the back of his head. I watch as Seok-Min smiles happily and I gesture for him to sit down once he had returned all their greetings."
COMBATIVE 62
My fingers tightened around the warm cup of coffee, it's temperature already helping with the shriveling cold outside even through my knitted gloves. They were a gift from Kate, she had been into knitting a few weeks back and made a cute couple on the back of them.The coffee shop was newly opened next to the Yongsan Seoul Hospital. I often came around to grab a cup of coffee for myself when I was particularly lonely or stressed out. The doorbell that chimed whenever somebody entered the shop made it's signature sound again and I ignored it, picking up a packet of brown sugar to rip it open and added it to my coffee."Didn't you already put two?", Hearing Mr. Min's voice, I jump up in surprise before a smile causes my cheeks to hurt. He smiles back at me, pointing his finger between the two already empty packets of sugar lying on the table. "You shouldn't put in so much, it's like aiming for diabetes.""I don't do that always," I lie, rolling m
COMBATIVE 63
"Good morning Sophie," Kate hums softly from the other side of the room and I hum back, not having enough energy and still half asleep to reply to her greeting. "I'll be on the lawn if you need me.""Okay," I mumble, finally, and then her footsteps faded into the distance. Once again, the room felt too quiet and solemn without Nathan's warm presence in it. Gathering all my energy, I get up and stop in a sitting position on the bed, smiling softly at the drawn curtains.Who would've known, Nathan's habit of keeping the curtains drawn originated from Kate? I yawn and stretch my arms up to feel the satisfying pop of my muscles after a tiring night with all the guys and then having to drive back, completely exhausted. My head thrummed with a slight headache and I wondered if it was some sort of handover.Nah, maybe just lack of sleep.I find myself slipping down the bed and towards the bathroom in haste to brush the weird morning breat
COMBATIVE 64
"You guys are really all going to sleep here?", my mouth was wide agape in bewilderment of my friends' weird request as they all nodded, not bothering to look away from the screen. "Well then, two of you can take the room upstairs, I'll sleep down here," I shrug and settle down on the round chair in front of Mrs. Kim and Kate."No, you sleep in your room and we take the living room," Mr. Min states in a no-nonsense tone, completely ridding me of any excuses. "It's your birthday, go have some 'me' time or whatever.""First of all, it's Nathan's room and my birthday is tomorrow," I dead-pan, picking at the hem of Nathan's shirt to busy myself and keep my thoughts away. "I'll have a whole lot of me time tomorrow, don't worry.""But what's the difference? What's his is yours and what's yours is his," Kate shrugged, nonchalantly throwing me a smile as she leaned back in her seat on the couch."Oh he's definitely not worrying and your bi
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