Internal Demons

“The real question is why are you here of all places? Shouldn’t your salon still be open at this time?”

“Mind your own damn business.”

Tai glanced at me, and his eyes lit up. “Hey! Do I know you?”

I stood there petrified without even blinking this time. Of course he shouldn’t know me.

“Ah, apologies for my impoliteness,” he continued. “I guess I got the wrong person. I’m Ena’s friend.”

“H-Hello,” I replied. Was I supposed to bow? How should I greet him? Should I just leave?

Tai continued his smile. His face glowed in the light like a sunflower. “I’m also sorry about Ena. I saw from afar that she grabbed you by the arm. Please, is there anything I can do to-”

“Shut up,” Ena cut in. “You don’t even know what was about to happen! This guy’s aunt wrote a formal complaint about my business and was about to make her nephew…” she then pointed at me. “...send it off.”

I gulped and looked away.. Whenever Ena spoke, a wave of numbness swept through my body. I could barely describe how I felt.

“It’s rude to point at someone, stop that,” Tai grabbed her arm and lowered it. “I’m so sorry about her.”

“Just who’s side are you on?! We’ve been friends for so long yet you’re really going to take this dude’s side?”

I honestly wanted to say something. My mouth froze every time I opened it ever-so-slightly. Both my internal demons and my own anger pushed one another. On one hand, my social anxiety has never been higher, and I wanted to leave. On the flip side, a deep boil of hatred developed within me. Why was I confronted so rudely when I was just trying to get an errand done for my aunt? Did I deserve this?

At last, I bit the bullet. Me, of all people.

“Look, I was just trying to get an errand done for my aunt, and she told me about her experience at your salon. She has every right to send this complaint out.”

Both Tai and Ena twitched, perhaps surprised that I perked up so suddenly. Ena rapidly blinked, followed by a dumbfounded stare. I took a quick breath to finish my sentence: “...But I won’t because I understand where you’re coming from. Please stop bothering me. Goodbye.”

And with that, I darted off while crushing the letter in my hand and sliding it into my pockets. I had been preparing that exact line for a while. I sighed, relieved to have said everything the way I envisioned it in my head. Of course, I kept my head low and only focused on not bumping into anyone as I nimbled back home.

                                                                                   * * *

The next morning, a rare ding jumped from my phone.

I was in the middle of a work session - my desk was littered with opened snack boxes and paper filled with concept sketches. Food was running out in my aunt’s house, and I resorted to leftover snacks found in the kitchen drawers rather than going out to the convenience store. No way was I stepping out again for another week.

Ding!

My phone rang its notification bell again, this time forcing me to put down the pencil. I turn off all notifications usually, and the only time my device would ring is when my aunt calls or texts me. Is it my aunt? I thought. She usually never texted me during the day - only ever during the evening. My eyes hovered over the screen to see the text. They widened immediately.

Hey Rin, it’s me, Tai, the guy you met yesterday. I’m incredibly sorry again about my friend Ena. You’re right, you and your aunt have every right to file a complaint if Ena provided a terrible experience. She only just started owning her own hair salon, so she gets anxious about her business dying. It’s a struggle every day for her. I hope you’ll forgive her terrible behavior and the way she treated you.

Please, if you’re ever available, I’d love to send you a small apology gift to your door.

Upon reading the full message, which felt longer than it really was, not a single word left my mouth. I almost dropped my phone from my hand. The first thought which finally arrived was, How the hell did that man get my number?!

I tossed my phone aside, barely missing my bed. I stared at my monitor, deep in thought. When did that guy get my contact info?

While I wasn’t exactly furious - perhaps thanks to the heartfelt message he sent - perplexed would be a better word. Texting him back wasn’t even on my list of options.

Ding!

I swiped my phone off my blanket to read what I could only assume to be a follow-up text:

BTW, you dropped your business card! That’s how I got your number in the first place. Let me know if you need me to return it, and we can meet up sometime.

My wallet, which was still irresponsibly hanging in my coat pocket within the closet, was the next thing I checked. My fingers dug through every layer, which held various valuables such as my credit cards and my IDs.

Yup. That old business card of mine is gone. I must’ve dropped it back at the convenience store somehow.

The business card which Tai referred to had always sat at the front pocket of my wallet, which has since loosened from wear and tear, making it susceptible to falling out. Of course, that card was now obsolete; It had been 5 years since I worked at that company. For some reason, I always kept a copy in my wallet and never bothered to throw it out. Deep down, I knew why: to remind myself to return to the workforce some day.

Just thinking about it all threw my mind into a downward spiral of nasty memories which I previously stashed away. Honestly, I did my best to erase them from my mind, but they haunted me every-so-often without failure.