Four

When I woke up in the morning, a sharp pain plagued both of my knees, forcing me to swing my body weight from one side to the other in desperate hope of finding some temporary relief.

But the pain can't compare to the one in my heart. Surely this pain would stop soon. Surely there's an end to this. I wasn't so sure and was ready to give up because of it.

I stroked my eyes while staring at my hands and legs, trying to figure out a way to relieve myself of this pain.

My entire body was trembling now. Weak and exhausted, it cost me all my remaining strength to keep fighting. I need to see Zhan ge next week Saturday and he can't see me in pain. It will hurt him more.

But I realized this was going to be a long day, but I am determined to not let this pain make this day an unfruitful one, so I stood up and went to the bathroom.

Picked up a wet towel and came to the room to clean the dry blood off of the floor, changed the bed sheet. Went to the bathroom and had a shower. I wince when the water touches the cuts on my body but the pain subsided. I had a long hot shower.

When I finished bathing I Bandaged my wrist and the cuts on my legs. Wore a black and white hoodie with skinny black jeans and my converse. Took painkillers and went to the restaurant

When I got to the restaurant, I was greeted by our staff and I walked into our office.

I sat on the chair and rested my head on the table. Took a deep breath and wore my fake smile. Calming my racing heart when I heard a knock on the door and before I could answer.

"Cheng badged in"

"What the fuck did I hear happen to Zhan?"

Good to see you too, Cheng. I frowned.

"Have a seat" I said sadly.

He sat down staring at me before he spoke.

I just got back last night and my dad told me some things that aren't adding up. I don't understand. "I want you to explain everything that happened from the beginning without leaving anything out." he brought out a jotter and a pen from his bag.

Flashback.

Five and a half years ago, I had just graduated from high school. But it started earlier than that. There was a boy in my school his name was Xue Yang, he is obsessed with me but he has a friend, Zhu Zanjin who is obsessed with him. He is oblivious to him and chased me instead.

"I told him several times I was not interested and that I had someone I am in love with."

But he didn't stop, Zhu Zanjin and his friends started to bully me. When Xue Yang found out he threatened Zhu Zanjin to talk to his friends to stop bullying me or he will stop being friends with him. That was how they stopped bullying me.

But I still wasn't interested in Xue Yang. I avoided him and once in a while Zhu Zanjin and his friend would open my locker and cut my books into pieces but I never confronted him, I understand he was just jealous, the person he is obsessed over doesn't even love him.

Zhan ge worked in your father's quarry for years. two years before I graduated he got sick. We took him to the hospital and they said he was expose to crystalline silica. Blast fumes contaminate the air, and sodium cyanide and its reaction products can also cause serious illness.

But Zhan ge explained to the doctor he always wore gloves for handling abrasives, goggles, and jackets. Maybe they should run the test again.

He gave us a note and told us to go and run the tests in another hospital and come back with the test results.

We did and it was the same results. So we went back to the hospital. His saving wasn't enough for his treatment.

Zhan ge called you and your dad several times but your numbers weren't reachable. I decided to go to your house but your security told me you and your dad traveled out of the country.

His condition was getting worse and he had spent almost all of his savings, I didn't know who else to talk to, so I went to see Xue Yang. Explained Zhan ge's condition and asked him to borrow me money and I will pay it back. He just said okay and asked me to leave.

That evening, he came to the house but he didn't see me, and our neighbor told him the name of the hospital we were in and he came to see us.

He gave me 7 million won and I promise I was going to pay it back once Zhan ge gets better.

Three days later, I got a call from Xue Yang, crying, I can't put his words together, he was just rambling.

When I asked him where he was, he told me he was at home.

Zhan ge was still in the hospital and he was sleeping then, so out of my good heart I decided to go and see Xue Yang. when I got to his house. He passed out on the floor when I entered their living room. I saw their maid trying to drag him up. She told me he had been drinking and crying. I helped her carry his legs and we put him on the couch.

I told her to tell him Wang stopped by when he woke up. She bowed and I left.

Immediately I stepped out of the house, I saw Zhu Zanjin with a guy I hadn't seen before.

I walked past them and I heard " is that him?"

Yup, Zhu Zanjin replied.

He is cute, the guy said and Zhu Zanjin nudged him.

Next thing I know I was been dragged inside by my hoodie, by the guy and Zhu Zanjin.

When I knew what was happening, I was already on the bed naked and being punched. The guy raped me while Zhu Zanjin just sat there pressing his phone with loud music.

I didn't know what happened, I passed out when the pain became unbearable. When I woke up the next morning I saw Xue Yang sitting in a chair beside my bed at the hospital.

I was so angry, but I didn't say anything to him. When the doctor came in to check up on me, he said I am fine to leave whenever I am ready. I just stood up and changed my clothes that were folded beside my pillow and I left the hospital.

Xue Yang didn't bother to follow me. I went to the mall a few blocks away from the hospital, got concealer, entered the bathroom fixed my battered face before I went to see Zhan ge.

He was worried sick but I told him I was fine and slept off.

Zhu Zanjin made school miserable for me, every one knew what happened to me, and the bullying got worse. But after a while, everything just stopped.

After Zhan ge got better, he stopped working at the quarry and also learned cooking. He took a loan and we opened this restaurant. Zhan ge deprived himself of so many things, and two years later he gave me the 7 million won to pay Xue Yang back. I told him how obsessed Zhu Zanjin is with Xue Yang and I avoid him like a plaque.

Zhan ge understood and went to give the money to Xue Yang and thanked him. After our graduation.

The next day, he came to look for me at the restaurant but Zhan ge told him to stop bothering me.

I was at the ice cream stall when he saw me and walked toward me.

Wang, can you at least talk to me, before I could reply someone walked past us and pushed him. He fell and hit his head on the pavement and he started bleeding.

Luckily, someone called an ambulance and he was rushed to the hospital, I even followed him. Next thing I knew I was been arrested in the hospital for murder. 

The next day Zhan ge came with a lawyer. And I explained everything that happened to both of them.

The next thing I know I was been released and Zhan ge was arrested. When I asked what happened from the lawyer several times he told me Zhan ge told the police officer he was the one that pushed Xue Yang and I was only taking the blame.

A week later we were in court, before we know what was happening he was sentenced to death.

I didn't know what else to do or who to talk to. I decided to go back to your house if your dad could help us talk to someone that could help remove the death sentence but I never got to see him.

I went back to Xue Yang's house to plead with his parents but apparently after Xue Yang died they relocated.  After three months we filed for an appeal but the same judgment was passed. "Go to prison for 6 years and die by hanging".

He has six months left and it kills me to think of it.

When I finished talking Cheng just sat there staring at me. His jotter was full. After what felt like forever, he spoke.

Wang, I have a few questions for you and I want you to answer them honestly.

How did you know where Xue Yang lives?

His parent owns the school, everyone knows their house.

Did you at some point have feelings for Xue Yang?

"What? No, never " I was and am still in love with someone else. I mumbled the last part.

Did you push him?

I didn't, I was a a bit far from him.

What does the person look like?

I don't know, didn't see his face. He wore a black hoodie and was shorter than me. But he smelt of tobacco and rum with vanilla. I will never forget that smell. I checked every store looking for something that smells like that but I didn't see anything close to that, after two years of searching I stopped before it drives me mad.

Did Zhan know you were been bullied at school?

No, I didn't want to burden him.

Did he know? He gave me that look a mother would give her daughter "are you sure you're not pregnant " when she complains of being sick and I understand what he meant.

"No, he does not know."

Okay, where's Zhan?

Maximum prison.

Oh, an hour and thirty minutes drive away.

Do you know there?  I ask curiously because he sounded like he knew the place.

My best friend's dad runs the place. I spent my childhood there when my parents were too busy for me.

Omg, I shift in my chair, can he help Zhan ge lift the death sentence?

I don't know and I can't promise anything right now until I speak with Zhan. I'll see you tomorrow. He stood up and left.

I had hope for the first time in 5 years and I hope I'm not just being melodramatic but I'm always reminding myself that I'm never been wrong about someone's character.

I can feel that there's a lot to Cheng. That he's got a story. One that is probably sad, one that he probably wouldn't want to share. I want to know who Cheng is. And for the first time in years I know, he'd pull strings for Zhan ge. I'm hopeful