Daehyun's POV

"Young."

"Young."

"Young." Gosh, I just love calling her name and knowing that she will reply me makes everything a thousand times better.

After having breakfast with Young and her mom, I headed to the gang's hideout while Young went to her dad's restaurant together with her mom.

"I got the money. Let's pass it to the boss." I said to my underling. 

"Wow Hyung, how did you manage to raise this sum so quickly?" He asked.

"I have my ways. Let's go." I didn't want to reveal too much.

"Thank you Hyung! Pass it to me, I'll go and explain to the boss instead." He said to me. I passed the money to him and waited for him outside boss's room.

I stood outside for quite some time but he still hasn't come out. I wondered if everything was alright. 

"GET DAEHYUN IN NOW." Was what I heard before the door opened.

"Hyung... I'm sorry. Boss is looking for you." He said as we went in together.

"What took you guys so long to get the money?!" Boss roared. Didn't my underling explain himself just now? Why was he in for so long then? I then felt him tug my jeans, giving me a sorry and pitiful look. What am I supposed to say?

"HOW DARE YOU TO TAKE MY MONEY AND USE IT!" Boss shouted as he came closer to me. What? 

"It wasn't me-" Before I could explain myself he cut in.

"Are you trying to say I'm accusing you?!" Boss taunted me. I looked at my underling, he avoided eye contact with me. So this was how it is... He pushed the blame to me... It doesn't pay to be nice.

"It really wasn't me." I said firmly.

"Well? What are you guys waiting for?" Boss questioned and at once, his assistants charged towards me and started throwing me punches. I couldn't even fight back. 

"Stop it! That's enough!" Hyerin entered and pushed his assistants away. They couldn't touch her.

"ALL GET OUT!" Boss ordered after assessing the situation.

"Let's go." Hyerin helped me up and supported me.

"Hyung I'm sorry!!" My underling supported my other side.

"I don't need your help." I removed my arm from his grip.

"Hyung hear me out. I'm sorry. I know what I did was wrong but I was scared. You have Miss supporting you. I have no one. I'm sorry." He explained. I didn't want to hear it.

"Get lost." Hyerin said to him. He apologized and left our sight.

"Sorry to drag you into this." I said.

"You're lucky I'm around." Hyerin said.

"Thank you." I'm grateful she came at the right time.

"Let's get your bruises cleaned up." She smiled as we headed to the medical room.

"I'll do it myself. Thanks." I said. Not sure if I was considered lucky, there were no bruises on my face, only on my body which meant that I didn't need to avoid Young. I could still visit her.

"Call me if you need help." Hyerin said and left the room.

I took off my shirt and looked at my body. The bruises weren't super obvious now but I know I would feel the pain tomorrow. I took the medicated oil and rubbed them.

"Daehyun, are you done?" Hyerin asked.

"Yeah. You can come in." I said as I wore my shirt. 

"Let's go and get lunch. Your treat." Hyerin smiled.

"Sure." I replied and we headed out.

"So what happened?" She asked. I explained everything to her.

"What?! How bold of him! You raised the money but he made you take the blame?!" Hyerin was angry. I sighed. I shouldn't have been so nice from the start. In the end, I was still implicated.

"I'll move him to somewhere else, you won't have to deal with him anymore." She said.

"Thanks Hyerin." I'm thankful that there is at least someone I could trust here. 

"Why didn't you inform me? We could have worked something out together." She asked. 

"I didn't want to drag you into this. I thought I was able to settle it."

After eating with Hyerin, I headed back home. My mind was filled with this dumb incident. I helped someone who didn't deserve it with Young's money... I was pissed with myself. Since when was I this stupid? It's times like this I really want to knock my head against a wall. Now I still have to find a way to raise this money to return to Young. Aish... I could only have myself to blame.

My phone rang while I was drowning in my own thoughts. It was Young.

"Hey!" She sounded really cheerful.

"Hey. You sound happy." I replied.

"Yeah and you sound sad." She replied.

"I sound like this everyday." I said. She giggled. 

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing. I miss you." I answered boldly. 

"Hmmm... Really?" She asked.

"Yeah. I really miss you." I repeated.

"I don't mean that!" She laughed. Oh.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I assured her.

"Hmmm... Okay! Where are you?" She asked, still sounding really chirpy. After so many things had happened, I realised how much I miss her cheerful character. Suddenly it felt like my problems were forgotten.

"Home. Why?" I said.

"Oh. What are you doing?" She answered with another question.

"Nothing much. Just lying around." I said.

"Okay bye!" She said and hung up. What was that about? 

I must have fallen asleep when I heard the door bell rang like an impatient person was ringing it. It was ringing non-stop. Who the hell was disturbing my sleep?!

I got up reluctantly and checked who was at the door and a smile appeared on my face.

"Young? What are you doing here?" I asked. I was surprised seeing her here because she don't usually do surprise visits.

"Am I not invited?" She asked with a really cute pout which made me want to kiss her.  What nonsense was she talking about? She's always invited. She needs to stop bringing attention to her lips. Wait, did I just realise how pretty her lips were?

"You usually call first." I said instead.

"Ta-dah! I brought your favourites! Our new branch hired a new chef recently and he cooked this!" She smiled as she raised up a plastic bag and entered like it was her place. I closed the door after she came in.

"You just woke up right?" She placed the food on the table and then lightly flattened my bed hair. I don't think she noticed but her face was quite close to mine. I had the sudden urge to cup her cheeks and give her a big kiss but I knew better than to do that...

"My favourites? You mean yours?" I asked when she took the food out from the bag.

"Don't lie! You love all kinds of meat!" She said as she handed me a pair of chopsticks. I wasn't really hungry and I didn't have an appetite but I just ate because she came here specifically and I don't want to dampen her mood.

"WHAT KIND OF A BITE WAS THAT?!" Young shouted which startled me and I almost spat my food out. She then smiled apologetically as she handed me a piece of tissue. 

"Nice?" Young gave up and fed me instead. I nodded. 

"What an enthusiastic reply." She made a face. I lightly pinched her nose at her sarcasm. 

"Eat more! I brought them specially for you!" She placed more meat in my bowl. 

"Young." I called her. 

"Why? You really don't like the food? I'll bring something else next time." She said as she reached for my bowl. I must have scared her by calling her name suddenly. I held her hand instead and shook my head. 

"Be my girlfriend." I said. I want to love her properly. I haven't been doing a good job at that. I am now certain I want her officially by my side. I want to be by her side too. The me in the past would probably wouldn't even dream of saying something like this to anyone and yet here I am asking Young. Let me be selfish just this once for wanting to have her for myself. She is the only one that makes me feel like I have someone who cares about me and I secretly really enjoy this feeling of having someone being there for me. She helped me so much, she appeared when I needed comfort, she stood by me when I was a mess. I want to do the same for her too, I want to be there for her. I don't think I will be able to handle it if someone takes her away from me...

"I..I'm fine with the us now..." Young hesitated before replying softly, avoiding eye contact with me. I felt like someone poured an ice cold bucket of water all over me. This . Being rejected by Young . The pain from the hits I endured just now couldn't even be compared to the pain I feel now. Did I misread her feelings for me? I thought the feelings were mutual? Her tone and body language... Is she hiding something or is she afraid that she would hurt my feelings? 

"I'm sorry!" She apologized after moments of silence before dashing to the bathroom. I ran after her. Why is it so difficult to handle this love thing? Is she perhaps... over me?