As the distance between Emily and Daniel grew less and less, Emily slowly closed her eyes, confidently preparing herself to be kissed by Daniel. However, when their lips almost touched, all the bitter memories of Daniel’s past about the death of his parents suddenly filled his mind.
“Mom! Dad! Don’t leave me,” cried little Daniel.
“The truck driver who hit your parents escaped,” the words rang out again, reminding Daniel of the unfulfilled justice.
“The truck driver we’re looking for has a daughter. She works for this company.”
With every voice that came, Daniel’s chest grew tight, and his reddened eyes showed the inner struggle he was experiencing. His hands gripped the sofa firmly, searching for a grip amidst the storm of emotions. And in that fateful second, Daniel chose to step back, letting the memories overwhelm him rather than continue the kiss that almost happened.
Emily, who felt nothing when closing her eyes, finally chose to open her eyes again. She looked at Daniel who was sitting in his chair, as if nothing had happened.
‘Did I just think wrongly that he was going to kiss me?’ Emily thought to herself. For some reason, her feelings hurt so much that she bit her lip and drank the drink in front of her.
After the movie ended, the two of them went out together. Both were lost in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, they stopped, their eyes fixed on a familiar figure, who was now passionately kissing a scantily clad woman in a dark corner of the theater. The familiar figure was Sean.
Sean felt a piercing gaze on him. When he turned his head, his eyes met Emily’s and Daniel’s eyes staring at him. Sean, who was caught in an intimate situation with a woman, chose to end his activities.
“I’ll call you later, go home first,” Sean said in a voice that tried to be calm. The woman, who was only wearing minimal clothing, was reluctant to let go of Sean’s embrace.
“I understand, dear. We’ll continue later,” Sean said, while slowly breaking away from her embrace. With unsteady steps, the woman finally gave up and walked away.
Sean looked a mess, his lips reddened by lipstick marks. He walked over to Emily and Daniel.
“What are newlyweds doing in a place like this? Shouldn’t you two be warming yourselves in bed?” Sean asked.
Emily sighed, her desire to leave the place was obvious. “Can we just get out of here?” she said to Daniel, her voice reflecting fatigue.
Sean, still trying to maintain his casual tone, said. “I don’t happen to have a car today. Can I take a ride with you guys?”
Daniel, who was too lazy to argue, said in a flat voice, “Whatever, hurry up.”
Sean finally followed them out of the theater. However, the quietness of the night outside the theater was disturbed when a burly man was seen approaching the three of them. The man grabbed the hair of the scantily clad woman who had been making out with Sean inside the theater earlier.
“You finally showed up,” the man’s voice echoed out, full of anger as he fixed Sean with a piercing stare. With a rough motion, he threw the scantily clad woman to the floor.
Emily held her breath, shocked, while Daniel seemed unperturbed. The burly man then grabbed Sean by the collar and, without warning, delivered a blow that sent Sean tumbling backwards.
Outside the theater, the normally comfortable atmosphere turned tense. Passersby paused for a moment, intrigued by this unexpected drama. Daniel massaged his furrowed mid-brow, feeling deeply disturbed by the situation he had to face.
“How dare you cheat on my wife,” the man exclaimed, raising his hand for another punch. However, Sean, with quick reflexes, managed to duck the attack.
Daniel, in a calm but firm voice, said, “Solve your problem, we’ll wait in the car.”
Emily, who looked terrified, followed Daniel, her heart beating so fast.
Emily and Daniel sat silently in the car, the tense atmosphere thick. Through the rearview mirror, the crowd outside the theater looked like moving shadows. “Won’t he die if we just leave him? That guy looks pretty scary,” Emily said in a shaky voice.
“He deserves it for interfering in people’s marriages. Let it go.” Daniel rested his head on the driver’s seat, seemingly unconcerned with what was happening outside.
Emily took a deep breath, trying to ease the pounding in her chest. ‘They’re really confusing, how can their natures be so opposite? But, equally annoying,’ she thought, as she stared out the window.
Not long after, Sean rushed towards the car with hurried steps, his face pale. The burly man seemed to follow him from behind, his steps heavy and intent. “Hurry up, Dan,” Sean urged, “We have to go now!”
Daniel started the car engine without words, and quickly drove the car forward, leaving the crowds and chaos behind them. The lights of New York City flashed by, creating flashes of light that danced across their tense faces.
Sean stared at his reflection in the car window, the corner of his lip bleeding and his face bruised. “How did my night get so unlucky today? That hit hurt,” he complained, his voice sounding tired and frustrated.
Daniel looked at Sean through the rearview mirror, his eyes showing no emotion.
“How could you just leave me like that?” Sean asked.
“I don’t like meddling in other people’s business.” Daniel emphasized each word, as if separating himself from the chaos that had occurred.
“You’re not only rigid but also very heartless,” Sean said.
Daniel remained silent, his eyes glued to the road ahead, his hands steady on the wheel. He chose not to respond, letting Sean’s words hang in the air.
Emily, who had been listening to the exchange of words with mixed feelings, couldn’t help herself. “That’s also your fault. Who told you to flirt with someone’s wife?” she said, her sarcasm sharp and to the point.
Sean stared out the window, a sly smile drawn on his battered face. “Loving someone else’s is challenging, and I enjoy every second of it,” he said, his tone full of forbidden satisfaction.
Emily shook her head, incredulous. “Crazy!” she exclaimed, her voice reflecting a mixture of frustration and amazement.
A naughty idea occurred to Sean. “My face hurts so much,” he complained, fingering his bruised cheek. “Stop at the nearest convenience store, I want to buy something to treat my wounds.”
The car slowed down and turned into a convenience store that was still open despite the late hour. The bright lights from inside the store greeted them, a stark contrast to the darkness and silence of the New York streets.
After buying some medicine, Sean got back into the car. From the rearview mirror, he looked at Emily who was sitting next to Daniel, in the front.
“Emily,” Sean whispered, his voice full of tenderness. “Can you help me to treat these wounds?” Sean asked.
“What?” Emily turned to Sean who was sitting in the back seat with an incredulous look.
“You won’t mind, will you, Dan?” Sean asked Daniel.