Where was the nameless girl who had saved him from the mob? Jimin was tired of staring at the walls of her apartment. He had thoroughly studied every mural on the wall, especially the unfinished ones. They were the most interesting for some unknown reason.
Just then the door swung open, and the beautiful girl breezed through the doorway, her auburn hair swinging behind her. He found that he wanted to see her enthralling, emerald eyes again. He looked at her expectantly, but she turned her back towards him to lock the door.
“You’re safe. I was able to stow my car a few blocks away. It’s not a permanent solution. I’ll have to move it before early morning. But no one will find you now as long as you’re here with me.”
That was the problem. He needed to let somebody know where he was, so that they wouldn’t be frantic. Right now, Tae was probably the only one who knew he was missing, though. So he had some time. But he was worried about Tae. Just then his stomach growled loudly again, distracting him from Tae.
The girl laughed. “Are you hungry?”
He nodded. “I was on my way to dinner when I was accosted. With my friend. I’m worried about him.”
“Did you call the hotel?”
Jimin shook his head. “Your phone was locked.”
“Oh, sorry,” she made a little moue with her lips.
She strode across the room towards him. “How is your ankle?”
He shrugged.
“It still hurts, doesn’t it?”
It was better before I decided to spy on you.
“I’m so sorry! It just stinks that this happened to you! Do you have to dance any time soon?”
He looked up at her. She knew he was a dancer?
“I briefly googled you when we came back to my apartment before I handed you my phone.”
He nodded. “We have a performance in a few days. But we practice almost every day.”
“Oh, man.”
His stomach interrupted their conversation.
“Can I get you something to eat?”
He perked up. Food would be awesome!
“What do you have?”
She opened her fridge. “Well, I cooked a duck last night.”
What was that expression? “Sold!”
She looked up and laughed.
“I love duck!”
“Ok. I’ll heat some up. I’ve got a crock of potatoes too.”
He nodded. He didn’t care. He was starving.
As she prepared the food, he spoke. “I’m Jimin, by the way.”
She looked up, surprised. “Oh, we never introduced ourselves, did we?”
He shook his head. He still didn’t know this elusive woman’s name.
“Eileen.” When she spoke her name, there was a pleasing, little lilt to her voice.
Jimin rolled her name around on his tongue.
“Eireen. Hi, Eireen.”
She looked up at him and bit back her laughter. The way he said her name was so cute.
“Eireen, the girl with the green eyes. Green Eireen.” It was easy to remember too.
Eireen was actually a different girl’s name, but she could tell he was doing his best to say her name, so for his sake, she’d go by another girl’s name as long as he was the one calling it. Eireen. It meant ‘peace.’ It was a good name too. Though she still preferred the meaning of Eileen, bright and shining one.
She smiled at him. “Do you want to use my phone?”
“Yes.”
She unlocked it and handed it to him. He looked up the name of the hotel and dialed its number. He left a message at the front desk. He hoped that was enough to assuage everyone’s fears.
They were just about to eat when there was a knock at the door. Eileen went to answer it. Her grumpy neighbor was standing there looking panicked.
“There’s a crazy crowd out in the street. They’re threatening to come in the building and search every apartment for some celebrity. It’s him, isn’t it?” He pointed over her shoulder at Jimin.
“Thank you for telling me. Did you call the police?”
“Someone did, but who knows how long it will take them to get here? If you want to take him out the back way, I can see you safely there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Boucher. I think we’ll stay here. We should be safe locked in my apartment, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know. They seem pretty persistent.”
She glanced at Jimin. Jimin was looking forlornly at the duck.
He sighed. “We’d better go.”
He walked over to the dish and grabbed a piece of duck and popped it into his mouth. Even reheated it was delicious. He grabbed a few more pieces.
“Let’s go. Thank you,” he responded to the man.
They escaped out the back, but not before they were seen. Boy, he wished she hadn’t moved her car! Now they were running again, and this time it hurt.
