Chapter 2:
Karma
PORSCHE
“DON’T TELL ME you’re ditching me at the same gas station as last night.” Kinn’s voice was hoarse and faint. Despite the black and blue bruises covering his face, though, he was in better shape than last night. This guy was pretty tough.
“When did they start tailing us?!” I swore to myself instead of answering him when I saw motorcycles approaching fast in my side mirror. Damn it! Those thugs had come prepared tonight. They even had people waiting to go after us!
I revved my engine and skillfully weaved my bike in and out of different alleyways to evade our pursuers. Thankfully, I had a dirt bike, so I could easily maneuver through narrow roads.
“Take it easy!” Kinn yelled against the wind. One of his hands clutched tightly at my waist while the other held onto the edge of the seat.
“Just hold tight!” I yelled back, twisting the throttle to gain more speed. His grip on my waist tightened even further, and I felt him bury his face into my back as he used my body to shield himself from the wind.
“Am I still alive?” he muttered before carefully checking his surroundings. When I was confident that we were no longer being followed, I slowed down. I kept taking a lot of bends and turns for quite some time, long enough to confuse them and get them off our trail. When I finally pulled to a stop in front of my house, I sighed in relief. It felt like we’d just driven through hell itself.
“Where are we?” Kinn asked.
“My place,” I answered. I didn’t want to bring Kinn here, but on the brink of disaster, the route to my home was the one I was familiar with the most. I’d taken a final turn and arrived at my house before I even realized it.
“Well… Let me wash up a bit, then,” Kinn said after letting out the breath he was holding.
“Wait!” I called out and stopped him on his way to my door. I didn’t look at him as I fumbled for a pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of my pants. I took one out, lit it up, and took a long drag before letting out a puff of white smoke.
He looked at me without saying anything, raising his brows as he waited for me to continue.
“Fifty thousand,” I said casually, the cigarette still dangling from my mouth. When I finally turned to face him, I put my hands on my hips.
“Hmph.” Kinn chuckled in disbelief. “You took my watch yesterday—”
I gulped nervously but interjected before he could finish his sentence: “Yesterday was yesterday.”
I said it shamelessly, even though I feared he would ask for his watch back. There was nothing I could do if he did. I had already pawned it and used the money to pay Chay’s tuition fee, fix the broken air conditioning unit in my bedroom, and pay off our numerous debts. There was barely anything left…
“You asked for fifty thousand last night and another fifty thousand tonight. I imagine you already sold my watch. If you weren’t stupid enough to get ripped off, you should’ve raked in at least four hundred thousand from it.” Kinn pretended to be calculating as he spoke with a slight grin. Then he looked at me with an authoritative expression. “So that means I’ve already paid you in advance.”
This was the first time I took a good look at him. He was a few inches taller than me, and he stared back at me with piercing eyes. I could sense this was no ordinary man. His facial features looked European. Despite the bruises, he was devilishly handsome, and the way he carried himself suggested that he came from a powerful family. I couldn’t help worrying he might seek revenge for me threatening him to pay up.
“Just go back the way you came, then,” I said flatly. I always expected something in return for my actions.
If I don’t get anything out of it, don’t expect me to help you out of the kindness of my heart.
“You know…you seem like a decent enough guy.” Kinn looked at me with his arms crossed and sneered. “Why are you acting like a crook?”
That bastard! He was insulting me and looking down on me. That sanctimonious attitude of his was starting to get on my nerves.
“Just shut the fuck up and get out of my face!” I snapped.
The front door of my house suddenly creaked open. “Is that you, hia?”4 my little brother called out. He was in his pajamas. “What’s with all the noise?” He looked at me sleepily.
“Um…hello?” My little brother greeted the unfamiliar stranger, and that fuckwad acknowledged him with a nod.
“Go back inside,” I told my brother sternly.
“Why are you guys arguing out here? You’ll wake up the neighbors. Come and talk inside!” Chay said, opening the door and beckoning me inside.
Damn you, Chay! Have some respect for your older brother!
“Well, thanks for the invitation,” Kinn said. He was about to step through the door when I yanked his collar.
“I’m going inside my house, and you can go back where you came from.”
I dragged him away from my door. He glared at me in annoyance, his brows furrowed, before swatting my hand off his collar. He straightened his shirt and grunted. “How dare you!”
He sounded pissed off, but I couldn’t care less. I gave him a shrug and turned to leave.
“Stop! No one has ever disrespected me like this!” He grabbed my arm and squeezed hard. I shook him off, unintimidated by his threat, shoving him hard in the chest.
“So? Who the fuck do you think you are? I can do more than just grab your collar!” I looked at him furiously with no intention to step down. “If you don’t get out of my sight,” I continued, pointing at his face, “I’m going to beat the shit out of you!”
Chay came back outside because of the noise. “What the hell is going on, hia?” he asked.
“Nothing! Get back inside!” I pushed my little brother back inside the house, following close at his heels. I slammed the door in Kinn’s face, not caring that the neighbors might curse at us.
I didn’t give a damn what happened to that guy! Maybe if he got his ass handed to him again, he’d stop being such an arrogant bastard. I was no longer surprised that those thugs came after him—he probably got on his high horse about something and pissed them off… Ha! I’m not afraid of you, asshole. I was only concerned that he might ask for his stupid watch back.
I finally had time to call Madam Yok and check up on her. Her voice was as chirpy as ever when she told me the police came and settled the commotion shortly after we fled the bar. She kept scolding me, thinking I had antagonized some gangsters and they had come seeking revenge. I needed to settle everything with her tomorrow and take responsibility for all the damage.
Tomorrow came, and I sulked at Madam Yok’s office, listening to her talk.
“Honey, I told you not to be so hotheaded,” she said. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to listen to my explanation. She was already assuming that last night’s fight was my fault.
“I’m sorry,” I said. She heaved out a sigh and shook her head, as if saying I didn’t need to apologize.