A/N: SPOILER ALERT!!! JINKI WILL BE IN THIS CHAPTER! Kekeke comment what you feel after reading ^^

Jieun’s POV

As I heard his voice I whipped around to face him, not trusting him when I didn’t have eyes on him

“I told you, we, need to talk.” He gestured between the two of us.

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head at him; my eyes flashed to me right to a very confused Min Kyung. Wetting my lips I looked at Jinki again.

“No we really don’t.” I said forcefully.

Jinki’s eyes hardened at the rude note in my voice.

“Well if you don’t want talk then I guess I can find someone else to talk to about what I saw that night. Maybe Jonghyun?” He asked, as if he knew Jonghyun was my weak spot.

“What? Jieun is this guy bothering you?” Min Kyung asked.

“Yeah Jiuen, am I bothering you?” He mimicked her question in a challenging tone.

I tighten my hands into fists, felling hopelessness bubble in my chest. My eyes went over Jinki’s shoulder, a small bubble of hope bursting in my chest when I realised Jonghyun wasn’t there. Sighing, I turned to Min Kyung and shook my head.

“No. He’s not bothering me.” I said reluctantly.

The smug on Jinki’s face made my insides tighten. Min Kyung didn’t look all that convinced, but one look to the clock telling her she was going to be late was enough to convince her she needed to leave.

“I’ll see you later?” She asked me hesitantly.

“Yeah sure.” I nodded.

She nodded, leaving the room taking a glance back as she reached the door before leaving. I turned to Jinki, tilting my head up and looked him dead in the eye.

“Don’t you have lessons too?” I asked him, hoping he would suddenly realise he had to rush away too.

“If you think I’m concerned about things like attendance, you’re thinking of the wrong cousin.” He said leaning in closer.

I held in a wave of nausea I felt as he did so.

“Were you actually going to talk or were you planning on standing there, staring at my face?” I asked, trying to subtly put more distance between us.

Despite my attempts at hurrying the conversation to close, or even start, he didn’t say anything for a while.

“I saw your house.” He said eventually.

“It’s not exactly invisible.” I shot back.

“I know it’s not invisible. I’m taking about the mess I saw in your house.” He said calmly.

My whole body felt cold all of a sudden. . How am I supposed to get away from this?

“I saw the beer bottles. The holes in the wall from where someone had punched into it.” His eyes never left my face as he spoke each word.

“No one has a perfect life.” I said, trying to keep my face as neutral as possible.

Jinki’s expression didn’t change as he continued to stare at me, as if he was trying to work something out.

“I just needed to know if that violence is ever directed elsewhere, not just at the walls.” He said.

I felt my heart jump in my throat. He knows.

“It doesn’t.” I tried to lie.

“Really?” He asked, stepping closer.

Instinctively I stepped back, almost stumbling over the desk.

“I think you’re lying to me.” He said.

“I’m not! And even if I was, it has nothing to do with you!” I yelled as I felt my anger flare up.

“Actually it does.” Jinki frowned.

“Enlighten me. How has my life got anything to do with you?” I asked tightly.

“I know how these things can affect the people around the person involved. And no matter how much of brat he is, Jonghyun is my cousin. His well-being matters to me.” He said.

“You know nothing.” I said through my teeth.

“Yes actually I do Jieun.” He said completely calm.

He lifted up the edges of his shirt to reveal a huge scar running across his abdomen.

“You’re dad right? Likes to drink right? Like to throw his weight around?” He asked.

My breath caught in my throat as I frantically shook my head to deny it. He didn’t understand.

“My mum and I went through it too with my step-dad. But we got out. You can too. The police can help you. He’ll go away. You just have to speak up.” He said encouragingly.

I felt my anger rise, along with my urge to cry. He doesn’t understand at all. I don’t have anywhere else. I don’t have anyone else.

“Stop.” I said feebly.

“You just have to let someone to help you.” He prompted.

“You don’t get it.” I shook my head at him.

“Weren’t you listening?! I’ve told you. I’ve been through the same thing!” His anger flared as he shouted at me.

“That’s not what I meant. What I meant is that he is my family.” I said.

He maybe violent and he may not be there a lot of the time but he was family. He stayed when my mother didn’t. No matter for how long he left, I always knew he would be coming back. He stayed when no one else did. I feel like I owe him loyalty. If I left him I would be no better than my mother.

“He needs me.” I said softly.

On the nights he was so ragingly drunk he hurt himself instead of me. I helped him pay the bills when money got too tight. When he passed out wasted and needed someone to help him, I need to be there. I can’t leave him alone.

“Family doesn’t just leave family.” I said my voice growing stronger.

By the time I finished my sentence Jinki’s anger had left but he was still shaking his head at me.

“Family doesn’t abuse family either.” He said with conviction.

“He doesn’t abuse me.” I said quietly, without my strength.

It wasn’t abuse right? I swallowed hard, feeling ashamed of myself. I was being weak and I was letting it show.

“Jieun, you can’t possibly believe that.” He said shaking his head.

“Like I said, I has nothing to do with you.” I said shaking my head.

“Jonghyun does though” He said,

I felt my whole body going cold. That was the last thing I wanted, for Jonghyun to get involve in my mess.

“What if one day you get seriously hurt? Jonghyun doesn’t ever just open half his heart, If you got hurt so would he.” Je sounded so sure of himself.

“What if one day he walks in and get hurt in the crossfire trying to protect you – “

“I’d never let Jonghyun get hurt!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The louder I yelled it, the more truth it held behind the words. My hand flew to the necklace he had gotten me, that lay on the chain around my neck.

“You can’t possibly know that.” He sighed.

“I won’t let Jonghyun get hurt. I’ll make sure of it.” I glared at him with everything in me.

Jonghyun getting hurt because of me? I wasn’t a possibility. I wouldn’t let that happen.

Jinki sighed, but just as he was about to reply the door swung open revealing a stout teacher. It was only then I realised just how loud we’d gotten. I had forgotten where we were.

“Students are meant to be at classes right now.” He said sternly, his eye landing on me.

I realised then that I had this teacher in the previous year. He had hated me. I silently cursed Jinki out in my head.

Just great.

 

Jonghyun’s POV

I sat next to Taemin; trying to ignore the irritation I felt churning in my stomach. Today and it appeared it wanted to drag on for as long as possible too because there was still another half an hour to go before lunch,

“First day and he’s already got detention.” Taemin sniggered at his girlfriend’s comment.

My ears perked up at their conversation. There was only one new addition to the school today and that happened to be my cousin.

“What did he do?” I asked.

I was wondering what he actually managed to do to land him in detention on his first day here. The teachers were pretty lenient on the newbies. Chae Young looked over at me and smiled, welcoming me to the conversation.

“Apparently he was caught skipping classes.” She laughed.

“Why on earth would he do that?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Apparently he was caught making out with a girl inside an empty classroom.” Chae Young giggled.

My jaw literally dropped.

“Really?!” I asked flabbergasted.

I stared blackly at her. I wanted to say that was nothing like Jinki’s style but to be perfectly honest I didn’t know him as well as I used to. In fact, I only saw him again until recently, when he come to stay with us along with his mother because of family problems. They won’t give me details as to what happened though.

“If you think that’s shocking, wait till you hear who he was caught making out with.” Chae Young tittered.

“Who?” I asked, partly humour, partly because of curiosity.

Chae Young hesitated saying the name for dramatic effect, as she leant forward in her chair.

“Lee Jieun.” She said, before laughing loudly,

I felt my blood run cold.

Jieun? With Jinki? Making out?

I felt like someone had pulled out the floor from under me.

‘What?” I said.

I wasn’t sure if it was me or Taemin who said it – apparently it was news to the both of us – but judging from the fact I didn’t even feel I had a voice at this point I couldn’t see how it could have been me. Chae Young looked like she was about to die of happiness at all the attention her gossiping was getting her.

“I know right? Who would want to be with her> It’s ridiculous!” She laughed.

I felt irritation replace every other tangled emotion I felt upon hearing what she said. I felt my jaw tighten and I see Taemin trying to subtly shake his head at Chae Young to tell her that was the wrong thing to say.

“What was that supposed to mean?” I asked darkly.

She didn’t seem to pick up on how unimpressed I was though as she continued to explain what she meant.

“He’s super-hot and she’s Lee Jieun.” She laughed again like it was the stupidest thing she had ever heard.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I said with annoyance.

“It is a bad thing.” She laughed again like I was telling her a joke.

“Well explain to me then. Why do you thing Lee Jieun is such a bad thing?” I asked.

Chae Young seemed to catch on with my anger and looked at me in bewilderment.

“Oh come on Jong. Everyone knows Lee Jieun is the school .” She said rolling her eyes.

I clenched my hands into fists, feeling my stomach turn over at her words.

“No one know nothing about Jieun!” I spat.

Was it only a few months ago I would have just agreed with her? I suddenly felt horrible about myself. I was just the same.

I had judged her before I had known her. I had called her a too. I wanted to go back in time and punch myself in the face for being anything like that.

Chae Young looked towards her Taemin who had both hands up in surrender, letting us know that he wasn’t getting involved.

Seeing she wasn’t going to get any support, Chae Young slumped back in her seat, not taking the conversation any further.

I wasn’t able to concentrate on anymore of my work on the time leading up to the lunch bell. My thoughts were all too preoccupied.

I didn’t even say goodbye to anyone when the bell finally rang. Instead I left through the door almost instantly. The need to see Jieun to clear some of my thoughts burned strongly inside me.

It didn’t take long to find her. She stood by her locker as usual, waiting for me to have lunch with her. Just the sight of her loosened some of the many knots building up inside me.

As if sensing me there, her head turned towards me and the smile she gave me was enough to rid the rest of the knots in my stomach.

“Hey.” She said, when I reached her.

“Hey.” I found myself returning.

I chewed my lips staring down at her. I’d never really noticed how short she was compared to me before now. She didn’t even reach my shoulders.

How had I thought someone so small and delicate was a ?

She looked at me with two wide concerned eyes, making another wave of guilt hit me hard.

“I’m such a horrible person.” I mutterd.

“What?’ She asked. Completely bewildered by my sudden confession.

“I’m a horrible person aren’t I?” I said, running a hand through my hair.

Worry lit up Jieun’s eyes, making me feel that much worse about myself.

“You’re joking right? You’re last person I would ever call horrible Jonghyun.” She said comfortingly.

‘You’re not horrible Jonghyun. You’re the best person I know. If it wasn’t for you I would be failing English Lit by now.” She continued, trying to lighten the mood.

There was no lie in her voice. That was what she really thought of me. She didn’t see any selfish motives behind anything I did. She didn’t mind that not long ago I had been just as mean to her as everyone else.

She didn’t seem to realis that out of the two of us, she was the one who was the better person. Nothing she did hid any ulterior motives.

When she helped my bother. When she dedicated herself to working with me when she clearly didn’t want to. When she came to check on me when I was ill.

They did nothing to benefit her. If anything they inconvenienced her instead. But she still did them anyway.

I suddenly felt this desperation to be the person she thought I was. I wanted to be just half as selfless as her and I would be a far better person for it.

“Hey are you feeling alright?” She asked looking slightly frantic,

“I’m fine.” I laughed, flicking the end of her nose.

She pulled back away from me with an astonished look, making my smile widen at her adorableness.

“We should hang out today.” I said, out of the blue.

“For work?” She asked, looking confused.

“No. For fun. We can go wherever you want to go. Just name it.” I promised her.

She looked at me strangely, her eyes softening as she shook her head.

“I can’t. I’ve got detention.” She winced, frowning at the memory.

I felt my heart pull to s stop when I remembered the rumour about her and Jinki. It had to be a coincidence right?

The thought of the rumour being true had my heart tightening in a way I didn’t understand, and my stomach boiling in unwanted jealousy.

I wanted to grill her with questions but I couldn’t find a way to do that without sounding like a complete jealous imbecile.

Damn I had no right to be jealous at all. Jinki and Jieun are both unattached people. But she was my friend. That gave me some reason to feel this way didn’t it? I didn’t want my cousin so steal my friend away. I didn’t want anyone stealing Jieun away from me.

Jieun gave me a small smile, her eyes trying to read mine for some understanding of my weird behaviour. Pushing the unjustified emotion out of my mind I gave her a smile.

“Let’s go lunch.” I suggested.

“Yeah. I’m starving! I’ve missed your mum’s sandwiches. It’s been a long holiday without them. I’ve been eating left overs and take out for two weeks now. ”She confessed.

I grinned at her shaking my head, praying silently in the back of my mind for the rumour not to be true.