State of Emergency

-Serenity-

I didn’t expect hell to come from around the corner for me. It all started with a text I received after work. I didn’t recognize the number at first. Who is this? Against my better sense, I opened the message. My heart sank at the single image inside. I was dancing on the big pole at the club. Huh? I hit the down button to scroll. The next line made my eyes widen.

Is this behavior of a suitable guardian?

My stomach dropped as I shook my head. No way… how did they…? I hit reply to the message.

Who are you? How did you get this picture?

I didn’t expect to get a text back so quickly.

I have friends in the club.

I nearly dropped my phone in the dressing room and fell backwards. My heart raced as I wished that I had read those messages wrong. Who was that? Did I have a stalker on my hands? This wouldn’t be the first time it has happened at the club. I couldn’t image why I would be the next victim. I nearly jumped again when my phone rang. Why if it’s them again? I crawled over and looked at my phone. My heart calmed down when I recognized this number.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Serenity?” my boyfriend asked.

I pressed my hand to my chest. “I’m so glad to hear from you.”

“Is something wrong?”

I pressed my lips together. “No, I’m fine really.”

“Alright…”

“What’s on your mind?”

“Listen, can we talk tonight?”

The glow in my face slowly dies. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Nope, I just want to talk to you in person.”

I try not to not think so negative. “Alright, cool. We can do that.”

“Great. Meet at our usual place?”

“Sure.”

“I love you.”

“Goodbye.” That sinking feeling wouldn’t go away even after I hung up.

---------

I waited in Jin Park. A wave of nostalgia came over me as I remembered that this was where I first met him. To make a long story short, I know it involved an ice cream cone and a sticky mess. However, I didn’t get time to enjoy happy memories. I came back to reality when I saw a handsome young man walking towards me.

“Hey you,” I said, perking up and waving. I stood up and let him hug me. My love happened to notice shaking.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “I was just a bit shaken up earlier today. What did you want to talk about?”

“Mind if we sit down?”

“Sure.” He sat down with me at the exact table where we shared that mint chocolate ice cream cone. I dreaded this part, but at the same time, I wanted to know what was going to come out of his mouth.

“What did you want to talk to me about, Miki?” I asked. He pressed his hands together.

“Listen,” he said. “I am going to America this summer.” A confused look came over my face.

“What?” I asked. “Why?”

“I got a new job,” Miki explained. “They are moving some of their workers to America.” He grabbed onto my hands. “Will you come with me?” My jaw dropped.

“Huh?!” I asked.

“Please come with me to America!”

I slowly shook my head. “I… I can’t.”

Miki’s smile dropped into a frown. “Why not?”

“I have my life here. I can’t leave school, my job, and brother.”

“You can get a new job and go to another school. Atsushi can come with us too.”

“Uh… well…”

Miki looked deep into my eyes. “You don’t want to?”

“I… don’t really know.” I glanced up at a disappointed look on Miki’s face.

“It’s fine,” he said. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“It’s not that!” I cried. “It’s just so sudden for us! I just need time to think.” Miki let go of my hands.

“I understand,” he said. “I’ll let you think about it until the week before I leave. Is that okay?” He’s got me trapped into a corner. I didn’t expect him to drop a bombshell on me like this tonight. Part of me wished that he would’ve broken up with me instead. I probably could’ve handled it much better. I pushed my lips together, nodding. He kissed me on the forehead.

“I love you,” Miki whispered. Somehow, this one cut me like a knife to the chest. It used to be so sweet when he told me that. However, in light of those texts on my phone, I don’t know if we can last like this if he found out the truth of my job.

Even so, I didn’t expect it to get worse when I got home in the morning.