Pacifying Ma Ri

" How much do you need?"

Tae Yoon's words appear to me like a slap on my face. Is he that embarrassed to see me, his housemate, in the police station that he is willing to give me money just to stay in the house? Did he think that I'm a materialistic woman? Oh, yeah, this is indeed a misogynistic country after all. I feel so hurt and embarrassed of myself that I know I'll burst out any minute now. It has been an awful day so I do not have any more strength to argue. I storm out of the room to take a break.

Trying not to look so pathetic. I smile at the young officer that volunteers to guide me in the restroom.

"What's your name?"

He is just around my height and he looks like someone too gentle to become part of the police force. His voice is even more gentle than his face when he answers me.

"I'm police assistant Geum Ji Sook."

I nod slowly, acknowledging his name.

"I'm Yoon Ma Ri," I said in return.

"Can I call you, Ma Ri-noona?"

I stop for a moment and look at him inquisitively. Why should he call me noona?

"It seemed like you and Detective Ri know each other. He would be here for quite some time so I guess we will see you too," he clarifies, seeing my expression.

I scoff and roll my eyes, "I don't really care about his affairs. So, no, you won't see me always."

I turn my head away, the annoyance coming back, but then I remember something so I turn to him again.

"So... Tae Yoon is a detective? Not a serial killer?" I ask him, keeping the last question on to myself though.

"Yes. He's a detective from Seoul, tasked to capture a serial killer. You don't know that?"

My eyes widen in disbelief. He is a detective, not a serial killer, after all. That explains the gun under his pillow and the call he received that night. I am anxious for nothing!

"Thanks, I can manage now," I tell Eun Dong when we reach the comfort room.

I watch him go. He may be coming back to the room with so many monitors. I wash my face and gaze at myself in the mirror. This day will certainly go down to my books. It's the first time I have entered a police station. It never crossed my mind to visit one, much less being captured.

I stare at my nervous hands. Beyond the strong woman I was a while ago... I, too, feel scared actually. What could have happened if Tae Yoon was not here? I frown. I was not only sent to the police station but I was also embarrassed by my affairs.

After taking a deep breath, I go out of the restroom and contemplate if I will go back to that 'monitor something' room or go home without saying goodbye. But then I remember that I left my bag in the room. With heavy footsteps, I retrace my steps back. When I open the door, they look like they are seriously talking and stop when I enter the room. Good, they should know that I'm not a force to be reckoned with.

I stride to the chair where my bag is and say grumpily, "I'll get going now." I did not glance at Tae Yoon and walk to the door. I am about to open it when they start talking again.

"So, where are we going tonight, Detective Pyo?"

"Yes, we have to celebrate the successful operation."

'Tonight? Celebration?' My hand stops above the doorknob.

"How about chimaek (chicken and beer)?"

"Great! Let's go to the BBQ Chicken and Beer restaurant we went to last time!"

Chicken? Beer? I gulp down. Just hearing the word 'chicken' makes my stomach growl. And chimaek is one of the food pairings I wanted to try in South Korea. And, beer, too. I badly need to distress right now.

"Detective Ri! You should come too, huh," one of them says to him.

I look sideways to see his reply. He nods. I heave loudly and go out of the room. I am already outside the station, waiting for a taxi when a familiar car stops in front of me. It is Tae Yoon. 'Why is he here?' I snort and look away.

He goes out of his car while I just remain standing there looking somewhere else. He opens the door of the passenger seat.

"Come on. I'm heading home too," he says snappishly, but in a softer tone.

I sigh in resignation and come inside the car. I'm too tired to argue anymore and so is he, I bet. We are silent on the ride. I catch him snatch a glance at me now and then but I dare not look in his direction. Once we arrive at the house, I immediately dash off inside and into my room. I pull my neckerchief off and throw it away before slumping myself to the edge of the bed.

"I haven't eaten yet," I murmur to myself, feeling pathetic. Plus, the thought of cooking the foods that Tae Yoon paid for makes me more sullen.

"Ma Ri... I'm sorry for what I've said. I didn't mean to insult you," his soft baritone voice resonates outside my door.

I inhale deep and glance at his shadow, the door is indeed too thin a barrier for the two of us. Thinking about the things he did to me in the past few days soften my heart. I clear my throat and speak:

"I know that I made trouble today, but I never expected that to happen. I won't say sorry about that," I say firmly. Sorry is a word I have never spoken in my whole life. I apologize differently.

"Yes, you don't need to," he replies with the same low soothing voice.

"And... I would still come out and look for a job!" I say in a slightly higher tone.

"Yes, you can look around for a job," he speaks, softly again.

I glance in his direction. He sounds different.

"But-" My face arches up, my ears preparing from what he will say.

"... give me your number so you can call me when you need to, and that I'll know what's happening."

I pause for a second. He wants to get my number. Well, uh, okay... we are housemates anyway. We will need communications too in the future. I fumble over my phone.

"Okay, what's your number?" I ask, still sitting on my bed.

The door opens a bit and a hand appears on the door.

"Give me your phone," he says.

I ponder for a moment and stand up from the bed. I put my cellphone in his hand. From the small crack on my door, I see his fingers type in something on my phone. He lingers longer than usual so I peek and open the door widely, my head popping outside.

He glances at me furtively then made a call. His cellphone ring from his pants. Then he gives my phone back in which I take aggressively. I give him a frown.

"I'm heading back now in the station," he says which I did not reply. I fumble over my phone instead and look at the number he ringed. I save it under the name "Ri Ahjussi (Uncle)". I smirk and then put on a serious face immediately when he speaks up.

"By the way, they will have a victory party later and I might join them," he explains.

I twitch my brows and then I suddenly recall what they were talking about a while ago. The thought of chicken and beer make my stomach growl the second time around.

"Victory party?" I scoff aloud like a laugh, "After successfully capturing women?"

"Illegal prostitutes. That's the law. We have to stop prostitution," he explains, "If you want to join us, I can fetch you here in the house," he offers.

The thought of chimaek fills my mind but no thanks! Hmph!

"No, thanks!" I say with a bit of attitude. I will see that Detective Pyo again and the thought of him irritates me. He gazes at me with his dark eyes point-blank and no matter what I try, I can't spell out what he was thinking. Is he disappointed that I declined?

"Suit yourself!" he says nonchalantly then leaves.

After hearing the car drove away, I walk to the kitchen and cook ramen, if boiling water and putting the noodles on it can be considered cooking. I am definitely not in a mood to cook something else. All I need is something to warm my stomach.

While I slurp my ramen, the thoughts of them biting the crunchy chicken and gulping a beer tonight run across my mind. The noodles become tasteless in my mouth and its soup becomes bitter. Should have I swallowed my pride and joined them instead?

I plop in my bed after my lunch. Thinking about what to do tomorrow. What's my next plan? I open my laptop and search for the nearest hospitals in Jeju. The other hospitals are too far away from my place. I will have problems with transportation. I sigh and sleep.

The day is already over when I hear a car stops in front of the house. Knowing that Tae Yoon will not be coming back before dinner, I come out to see who's outside. Surprisingly, the gate opens before I could reach it, and Tae Yoon appears. 'What is he doing here? He did not attend the party?' I pout and am about to go back inside the house when I suddenly hear other voices behind him.

"Oh... Ma Ri-noona!"

I turn around and am taken aback to see that the officers a while ago are with him.