Chapter Eleven

"Please complete this discharge form. After that you are free to leave" the nurse said, handing Hyukjae the form and clipboard over the reception. He nodded and began scribbling down the required details. Hyukjae had been in hospital for a little less than four days now but he'd already been given the all-okay to be discharged. I peered over his shoulder.

"Your cellphone number, it's 0404 not 4040," I reminded him.

He chuckled and swapped the numbers around. "Oh so it is, isn't it? My memory really is deteriorating, I don't even remember much from any time after I fainted here in the waiting room,"

I took the pen and paper from him and began filling in the form. "Well you were unconcious for two days you know, I don't blame you,"

"Two days straight, that's a record! Did I not even flinch once?" Hyukjae was seemingly proud of his feat.

"Oh...not even once, Hyukjae, not even once."

Really, I was lying. Had he forgotten those words "you are important..." already? I shook my head. That's not the point anymore, anyone can say anything after waking up from a close encounter with death, right? I handed the nurse the completed form.

"Here you go, the details should be all correct,"

She glanced over the details and nodded before flicking her head in Hyukjae's direction. He was staring intently at a pelvis bone model on the counter and prodding at it like a little kid.

"And don't worry too much about his memory. It's normal for him to feel like this after the anesthetics he's been receiving for the past couple of days. At least he's got someone like you looking after him, you seem important to him"

I smiled awkwardly. "I'm not really that...important. He just doesn't have any family in Busan. Anyway thank you, we'll be heading off now."

***

My mother placed the last serving of kimchi onto the dining table and settled down on the seat next to my father opposite Hyukjae and I.

"Hyukjae, eat up! The hospital food you've been having for the past few days wouldn't have done you much good. Don't be shy, there's plenty to go around" my mother said, urging Hyukjae to eat.

"Come on kid, you've grown skinnier since the last time I saw you. It's been hard on you, let's eat." my father said picking up his chopsticks and shovelling rice into his mouth.

I nudged Hyukjae. "Just eat will you..." I hissed under my breath. Hyukjae hesistantly picked up his chopsticks and began eating. My mother and I followed.

"So Hyukjae, how did you manage to fall down the steps and injure yourself so badly? You must be more careful." my mother said, initiating polite dinner conversation. Or what she thought was appropriate anyway.

"Oh, that..." Hyukjae glanced quickly over at me.

"Ah mom, Hyukjae is just really clumsy. Sometimes I can be stupid too. Really stupid. I don't even know what's wrong with him sometimes," I explained quickly. Hyukjae glared at me. Frankly, I was proud of my answer.

My mother looked from me to Hyukjae and from Hyukjae to me. "O-oh...you two are just so adorable like this!" she squeaked.

Father scoffed. "Speak less please. Anyway, Hyukjae, when do you think you'll be back at work? I have a lot of work for you to do---"

Ring ring...

It was Hyukjae's phone. He excused himself from the table before exiting the dining room and into the hallway.

"I don't-- no it's not that, I really didn't do--- no the police don't---"

I looked at my parents whose mouths had stopped chewing. They, too, were listening in on Hyukjae's phone call.

"Uh mom, dad I need to...uh I need to go to the bathroom. Be right back!" I stuttered.

I bolted out of the living room, met Hyukjae in the hallway and shoved him into my room.

"Mom and dad can hear you, you idiot!" I scolded under my breath.

Hyukjae sat on my bed. He had ignored all of my words but was focused on those piercing his ear from his cellphone. His face grew pale by the second.

"I-- no it won't happen again --yes I will have money by then. Alright I underst-- yes I will."

He hung up the call and buried his head in his hands. My hand smoothed his back as comfort.

"It's them again isn't it? You can't go back to your house tonight, you can't, what if they---"

"No. I have to go," he replied bluntly, straightening up again.

I removed my hand from his back. "Why? It's not safe for you to go back there, you know that. Let my help you, Hyukjae,"

He looked helplessly into my eyes. "I'm sorry, it's been hard on you...I'm sorry I had to look after Choco while I was away. I'm sorry I made you meet them. I'm just so sorry because I really---"

"Hyukjae! Stop! I know what we can do."

***

My mother was at the edge of the couch as she listened intently to what Hyukjae and I had to say.

"So...Hyukjae will stay at our house until he can find a safer home for himself?"

I nodded. "He can't go back now, we don't know what they'll do to him,"

Without thinking any further my mother agreed, "Well of course. We can't have Hyukjae being threatened by these horrible men," she squeezed Hyukjae's hand. "Welcome to our home!" she smiled.

Hyukjae forced polite smile onto his face, "But Lee sunbaenim..."

"It's okay, this is just our little secret!" she giggled quietly. I nodded and smiled, consoling the very nervous Hyukjae.

"Well thank you for your generosity Mrs. Lee, I will still need to revisit my home for a couple of things I need," he said.

"Oh but remember to go during the daytime. It's much too dangerous at night, understand?" my mother warned.

"Yeah Hyukjae, just give me a call. I'll go over and help you get your stuff" I offered.

Hyukjae nodded. "But, about my stay here. Where will I sleep?"

My eyes widened. I had not even thought about this yet even though I was the one who came up with the idea. We had been living in our house since I was born and it was a small house perfect for my father, mother and I. Our home consisted of one bathroom, one laundry, a joint kitchen and dining room and two bedrooms.

My mother laughed. "Oh that's easy, you can share a room with our daughter!"

I gave her a dead look. "Mom..." I growled.

"That's sounds great! I've---" Hyukjae shrinked when he saw my glare. "---I mean, I should just sleep in the living room..."

"Oh no Hyukjae, that would be hard for you. It's much too cold in the living room. Our daughter's room is very well insulated, with double the amount of body heat you'll be able to keep each other warm!" she exclaimed, getting more excited by the second.

"Mom!"

Hyukjae tried to suppress his laughter. I nudged him hard in the hip.

"Oww..."

***

I paced back and forth...back and forth. I was waiting at the bus stop near Hyukjae's house for him to arrive. He had agreed to meet me there at 4:30pm but now it was already 5:30pm, a whole hour later.

"Where the hell are you, Lee Hyukjae?!" I hissed under my breath.

It was already becoming dark as the sun disappeared behind the run down buildings in the area and the street lights flickered on. As I paced I scanned the area. I had been here multiple times but every time I felt like I was a stranger, an outsider. On the other side of the empty street was a man. A woman. No a man. He rocked forwards, backwards, forwards, a little to the right, sometimes the left...insane cackles and sounds of stupidity emitted from his mouth washed out with whiskey. I clutched the hem of my beige trench coat and continued to stare at the druken mess of a human being. He looked. He looked at me. Directly. My breath was caught in my throat, I was neither breathing nor exhaling, and my heartbeat was amplified in my ears. He orientated his body so it was in my direction. He walked. He stepped off the pavement and onto the road. He reached the flush median. He---

"YOU PUNK COME BACK HERE I SAID TWENTY FOUR HOURS. IT'S EITHER YOUR PAYMENT OR HER LIFE."

I snapped back and tried to focus at a distance. Fast paced footsteps were coming closer at a messy rhythm. Suddenly my arm was grabbed. I screamed in horror as I pulled away by a sprinting figure. Hyukjae.

"Just....fo...follow me!" he panted as he dragged me along behind him.

I turned around for a split second but the hoard of agitated voices had trailed off already. Hyukjae turned into the nearest alleyway and let go of my hand as he panted almost lifelessly. He lay against the brick wall and his chest heaved up and down, consuming air to its full capacity. His blonde fringe was drenched at the tips from his sweat, and some of it dripped off the side of his face and chin.

"Hyuk...Hyukjae! What the hell is happening? You idiot!" I yelled, still petrified from the event prior.

"I'm...I'm sorry...your father made me work over time...and...and so...so they found me before...before I found you..." he said, exhausted.

"Do you know how---"

"WHERE DID HE GO? WHERE? YOU IDIOTS WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST STANDING HERE? GO FIND HIM. NOW!" shouted the same voice from before.

My eyes grew wide and my pupils will diluted with fear. Hyukjae's rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated growl. He pulled me violently and pinned me against the wall. I gulped.

"Lee Hyukjae! What do you think you're doing?!" I squealed, squirming from underneath his overheating body. There was less than one centimetre between us. He put a finger to my lips.

"Trust me."

I stared up at him. I didn't move. I couldn't think. I couldn't speak. I was safe.

The footsteps approached and the sound of soles slapping concrete echoed and rebounded off the walls of the dead ended alleyway.

"Hyukjae...!" I squeaked helplessly.

"Shhh..."

They had arrived. The footsteps. At the mouth of the alleyway.

"Hyuk---"

My lips were concealed before I could continue. Concealed with his lips. The steps were now less rushed, less confident and more cautious as they approached us. It was one of their mafisos. Hyukjae's lips continued to massage mine in a way that was unexplainable.

"Ah...excuse me sir? Madam? I'm sorry to disturb your little uh...thing. But by any chance have you seen---"

Hyukjae managed to mutter a negative reply of which vibrated against my lips.

"Oh...I take that as a no then. But do you think---"

Hyukjae began to undo the buttons on my coat. From top to bottom.

"Oh oh oh um...I'll leave you two alone then. Sorry to disturb! Have a nice...a nice night!" he stuttered before bolting away again.

From the corner of my eye I saw the coast was clear. I let out a sigh of relief. Well I tried. If Hyukjae's damn lips weren't in the way.

"YAH! LEE HYUKJAE WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" I shrieked, shoving him away.

Hyukjae's hand clutched his upper chest where I had pushed him. He looked up at me with a content smirk.

I growled and slapped him over...

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT DO YOU THINK BEFORE YOU DO THINGS?!"

and over...

"TRUST YOU? TRUST YOU MY LET ME SHOW YOU HELL!"

and over...

"OH SO WAS IT FUN TO YOU? WAS IT? DON'T EVEN THINK ANY FURTHER!"

A/N: Okay I don't even know what to say about this chapter. I haven't written in so long and I think this chapter is lacking a lot...please forgive me! I hope I got the general plot across again and I hope you were all able to remember what happened in the previous chapters. I hope to bring you a better chapter soon! Meanwhile please leave your comments below, your comments are important because you motivate me to write better ^^ thank you for sticking with me, especially those that have been here since the beginning!