Two weeks passed, and there was still no sign of mysterious Wang.
At first, I told myself I didn't care. It wasn't like we were anything. It wasn't like he owed me his presence.
But still... every time I walked into the club, I caught myself glancing toward the VIP section, expecting to see him. That sharp stare. That unreadable expression.
Nothing.
Work became routine, one day off, six days on. When I wasn't working, I was either sleeping or playing video games with small Wang, who had taken a liking to trash-talking me every time he won.
Grandma, being Grandma, had other plans for our little household. One night over dinner, she turned to Mia.
"You should stop working at the club," she said, matter-of-factly.
Mia, mid-bite, nearly choked. "What?"
"You're smart and talented," Grandma continued, ignoring her reaction. "Go back to school or do something with fashion."
Mia wiped her mouth and sighed. "School's a waste of time and money, Grandma. I'd just end up failing out."
"Then fashion," Grandma said simply. "You love clothes. Make something out of it."
For once, Mia didn't argue.
And just like that, she was on a mission.
The next morning, she was already out hunting for a small store to sell high-end clothes. By the time I woke up, she had already left, her determination surprising even me.
Life was changing again.
But for some reason, my mind still wandered back to him.
The air had changed.
Winter was creeping in, slow but undeniable. The once crisp autumn breeze now carried a sharp bite, slipping through the cracks of our small apartment. The streets were quieter, people wrapped in thick scarves and padded coats as they hurried about their business.
The sky stayed gray longer, and the scent of roasted chestnuts and hot soup wafted through the air. Nights were colder, and even with the blankets piled high, the chill still found a way to settle into my bones.
I was off work today, finally. I'd seen Dre once in the past two weeks, but my focus had shifted.
Right now, I had $10,000 saved up.
At first, I thought about surprising Grandma with a small store so she could showcase her delicious food, but the more I thought about it, the more I worried. She wasn't young anymore, climbing up and down the stairs every day would be too much for her.
No. We needed something better.
I was going to save more money, and when the time was right, we would leave Jeju Island for good. Start fresh. Somewhere that felt like home, where we could finally breathe.
But for now, there were smaller things to take care of.
I grabbed my jacket and headed to the thrift market.
Winter was around the corner, and we needed warm clothes. I picked out thick sweaters for Grandma, Mia, and myself—soft, sturdy, and warm enough to survive the freezing months ahead. I found a padded coat for small Wang, figuring he'd probably outgrow it by next year.
On my way out, I spotted a small mattress.
Without thinking twice, I bought it.
That night, I moved into small Wang's room, setting up my mattress beside his bed.
I wasn't sure why, but something about sharing a space felt comforting.
The first night sharing a room with small Wang was... different.
He snored. Loudly.
I had just settled under the covers, feeling proud of my decision to buy a proper mattress, when his first snort shook the room. At first, I thought he was joking. But when I turned to glare at him, he was already deep in sleep, mouth slightly open, one leg hanging off the bed.
I sighed. This is my life now.
Despite the noise, the room was warm. The new clothes I bought earlier were neatly folded in a bag beside me. Tomorrow, I'd give Grandma her winter things, maybe even cook breakfast if she let me.
I turned on my side, staring at the faint glow of the streetlights filtering through the window. Leaving Jeju Island felt like a distant dream, but it was real. It was possible.
I had $10,000 saved, and if I kept seeing Dre, I could triple that in a few months.
I closed my eyes, but before sleep could take me, small Wang stirred.
"You're still awake?" his voice was groggy.
I hesitated before answering. "Yeah. Just thinking."
"About what?"
I almost didn't answer. But then I sighed. "Leaving."
Small Wang shifted, turning toward me. "Like... leaving Jeju?"
"Yeah."
For a moment, he was silent. Then, in a quieter voice, he asked, "Would you take me with you?"
The question caught me off guard. I turned my head to look at him, barely able to make out his face in the dim room.
"Of course," I said.
He hummed, satisfied, before rolling over and snoring even louder.
I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head.
Maybe things weren't perfect, but at least, for now We had each other.
I woke up earlier than usual, the apartment still quiet, the sky outside barely shifting from dark to light.
Slipping out of my mattress carefully so small Wang wouldn't wake up, I padded to the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The cold air nipped at my skin, reminding me that winter was getting closer.
I decided to make breakfast for everyone.
Rice porridge with bits of beef and scallions, something warm to fight off the chill. By the time the smell filled the apartment, I heard movement. Grandma shuffling out of her room, small Wang yawning loudly as he stretched, and Mia dragging herself out last, still wrapped in a blanket.
"Wow, look at you, cooking so early," Mia teased, plopping down at the dining table.
I just rolled my eyes and set the bowls down. "Eat before it gets cold."
We all ate together, something we rarely did with our different schedules. It felt... nice. Like a small piece of normal life.
When we were done, I stood up and grabbed the bag of winter clothes I had bought.
"Here," I said, pulling out a thick hoodie and coat for small Wang. "I got these for you."
His eyes lit up instantly. "Oh my god, I love this!" He grabbed the hoodie, hugging it before slipping it on. Then, in a small voice, he said, "Thank you for treating me like I'm your blood."
Grandma smiled warmly. "It's okay, Wang. Family isn't just blood."
Mia grinned, slipping into the oversized sweater I picked for her. "Well, I have good news too."
We all turned to her.
"I got a store."
Grandma reached out, squeezing Mia's hand with pride in her eyes. "I'm proud of you."
Mia looked down, a little shy for once.
"Thanks, Grandma," she whispered.
"I'll help you with whatever you need," Wang said, grinning at Mia.
"Thanks for the sweater, Zhan," Grandma added, patting my arm with a warm smile.
I looked around at them, Grandma, Mia, small Wang. This makeshift family of ours. It wasn't something I ever expected, but now that I had it, I wanted it to last forever.
But reality had a way of creeping in.
I had work tonight at 9 PM, so by 5 PM, I headed to the convenience store to pick up some toiletries.
And that was when my heart nearly stopped.
Black.
He was there.
Standing near the drinks section, casually scanning the shelves, as if he didn't have the power to wreck my peace just by existing in the same space.
I panicked, immediately squatting down, pretending to examine something on the lower shelf. My heart was hammering so hard I swore it would give me away.
Slowly, I crept toward the back aisle, my legs beginning to cramp. When I finally stood up, stretching my legs
I slammed into someone.
A firm grip caught my arm before I could stumble back.
"Are you okay?"
My breath hitched.
I knew that voice.
I looked up, my heart stuttering, and sure enough
It was Wang.
Not small Wang. The Wang.
His dark eyes studied me, his hand still on my arm, warm, steady, grounding.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
But then, I forced myself to snap out of it.
I pulled away, masking the rush of warmth under a cold exterior. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Stepping out of the way, I turned away quickly, but I could still feel Wang's eyes on me—like he was trying to read something on my face that I wasn't willing to share.
I grabbed a random bottle of shampoo from the shelf, pretending to inspect the label even though my mind was spinning. Black was still in the store. Wang was here too. And I was stuck in the middle.
"You don't look fine," Wang finally said, his voice calm but sharp, like he didn't believe me.
I scoffed. "Since when do you care?"
There was a pause, long enough for me to regret the words. I finally glanced up at him, expecting irritation, but all I saw was curiosity.
"I don't," he said, but I don't like watching people lie to themselves.
That... struck something in me.
I turned to face him fully, gripping the bottle of shampoo tighter. "Then don't watch."
His lips twitched like he wanted to smirk but held back. Instead, he stepped forward, leaning in slightly just enough to make my pulse jump.
"You're hiding from someone," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "Who?"
I stiffened.
How the hell did he notice that?
"None of your business," I muttered and tried to brush past him, but his hand caught my wrist.
Not rough. Not demanding. But firm enough to make me freeze.
"Zhan," he said my name like he was testing how it felt on his tongue. "If you're in trouble—"
Before he could finish, I heard a voice behind me.
"Zhan?"
My body went cold.
Black.
I turned around slowly, my stomach twisting into a knot. He was standing at the end of the aisle, his sharp gaze locked onto me.
And then his eyes shifted to Wang.
The air crackled with tension.
For a second, nobody moved.
Black's gaze flickered between me and Wang, his expression unreadable but dangerous.
Wang didn't let go of my wrist immediately. Instead, he turned his head slightly, acknowledging Black without a hint of fear. His grip loosened, fingers brushing against my skin before he finally let go.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Zhan," Black said, his voice smooth, but I could hear the underlying amusement—like he knew exactly what he was doing to me.
I forced myself to breathe, to stand tall even though my legs felt shaky. "Yeah, well. Me too."
Black took a slow step forward, hands in his pockets, eyes still lingering on Wang. "And you?" he asked, his tone shifting slightly.
"Just shopping," Wang answered coolly, shoving his hands into his coat. Unbothered. Unshaken. Like he wasn't standing in front of a man who made my blood run cold.
Black let out a soft chuckle. "Right. Shopping."
His attention slid back to me. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
Because the memories—the weight of what he'd done, what I had to escape from—were creeping back in.
Wang must have noticed something in my face because he suddenly took a step closer, standing slightly in front of me. Subtle, but protective.
"Seems like your friend doesn't feel like talking," Wang said casually.
Black's eyes darkened, but he smiled. "He and I go way back."
I clenched my fists, forcing my voice out. "We don't , Black."
For a moment, he just stared at me, like he was waiting for me to break.
Then, with a lazy shrug, he stepped back.
"Alright," he said. "I'll see you around, then."
And with that, he walked away.
I didn't breathe until he was out of sight.
"Zhan," Wang said, his voice quieter now, gentler. "Who the hell was that?"
I exhaled shakily. "Someone I don't want to see again."
Wang watched me, like he was trying to put pieces together.
Then, without a word, he grabbed the shampoo from my hand and tossed it into his basket.
"Let's go," he said, walking ahead.
And for some reason, I followed.
The walk home was quiet. Wang didn't push for answers, and I didn't offer any. But his presence next to me felt grounding, even though I still wasn't sure what to make of it.
When we got to the house, I barely had time to take off my coat before grandma's voice rang out.
"Zhan! You brought a friend?"
I turned in time to see her beaming, eyes crinkling at the sight of Wang standing in the doorway.
"Good evening, Grandma," Wang greeted smoothly, stepping in like he'd been here a thousand times before.
Mia peeked out from the kitchen, her eyes widening slightly before a knowing smirk spread across her face. "Ohhh, look who it is."
Small Wang ran out of his room, stopping short when he saw us. Then he squeaked in excitement. "Zhan brought a friend!"
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "He's not—"
"Yes, I'm his friend," Wang interrupted, flashing them all a charming smile.
Grandma looked so pleased that I decided not to argue. "Well, any friend of Zhan's is welcome here," she said, ushering him further inside.
"Actually, I was just about to head to work," I muttered, hoping that would be his cue to leave.
But Wang didn't budge.
"I'll stay," he said simply.
I frowned. "What?"
"I'll stay here," Wang repeated. "Keep Grandma company. Since you're leaving anyway."
Mia bit back a grin, clearly enjoying this way too much. "Ohhh, I like him."
Grandma clapped her hands. "That's wonderful! We were just about to start a movie."
Even small Wang looked thrilled. "Yes! Stay and play video games with me after!"
I glared at him, but he only raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"I guess I'm staying," Wang said.
I exhaled through my nose, defeated. "Fine. Do whatever you want."
As I grabbed my coat and bag, Mia sidled up next to me.
"You gonna explain this later?" she whispered, nudging me.
I shot her a look before walking out the door.
And as I stepped into the night, I realized something annoying.
Wang was getting way too comfortable in my life.