Jonghyun’s POV

                I jumped in surprise as my mother began to laugh softly.

                “Umma…,” I gasped, shocked at her reaction. “It isn’t funny…”

                She shook her head quickly and wrapped her arm more tightly around my shoulders. “It’s not that… It’s just… Wow, it took you such a long time to figure it out, dear.”

                I sighed. “Don’t remind me.”

                Her expression instantly shifted from one of amusement to one of deep concern. “Jonghyun… I know this must be hard for you…”

                “You have no idea, umma,” I whispered. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it from him…”

                “Then don’t.”

                I glanced over at her, and a small smile brightened her eyes as she looked at me.

                “Just tell him. You’ll feel a lot better.”

                “I can’t do that, umma. He doesn’t feel the same way, and it’ll just make things awkward between us. I’d rather keep my feelings inside forever than never speak to him again.”

                “How do you know he doesn’t feel the same way?”

                I stared at my hands, my fingers laced together on the tabletop. “We don’t really…get along like we used to. We argue all the time…and…he keeps secrets from me. He won’t let me help him…”

                My umma smiled sadly and took one of my hands in hers. “Did you ever think that he might be doing all of that so you won’t get dragged into his problems? Maybe he doesn’t want to worry you. You are his best friend, after all.”

                I opened my mouth to reply, but quickly shut it again when I realized that I had nothing to say. I had never thought of it that way. Was he really doing all of that…to protect me?

                “B-but…” I stumbled over my words as a new tide of emotions flooded through my system. “He can’t worry about protecting me! He’s the one who needs to be protected! He can’t deal with everything on his own! His father…”

                My mother squeezed my hand gently. “Then go to him,” she said softly. “Do something about it, instead of just saying that you will. Let him know that you can’t stand to see him hurting anymore.”

                “I’ve told him…,” I whispered.

                “Actions speak louder than words, you know.” She shut her laptop and stood up quickly, giving me a small hug as I stared at the tile. “You think about that for a while, dear. You never know, he might care for you more than you think.” With that, she tucked her laptop under her arm and headed upstairs.

                I ran my hands through my hair in exasperation. Actions speak louder than words? Think about that for a while? What kind of messed up fortune cookie advice was that?

                “Thanks a lot, Confucius,” I muttered to the empty room. I pushed my chair back roughly and trudged up the stairs, my mind swarming with conflicting thoughts like a horde of angry bees. I sprawled out on my bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

                Could it all be…to protect me?

                Did Key really care about me so much that he would be willing to suffer in silence just so I wouldn’t worry about him?

                “Idiot,” I whispered. “It’s too late for that. I worry about you every day.”

                “Do something about it, instead of just saying that you will.”

                I sat up slowly. My mother was right. If Key really was keeping quiet just to keep me from worrying, he would stay silent forever. He would never get help unless someone took action. He would sit in his house, day after day, drowning in pain and hate until it eventually overtook him. Mi Sun’s words suddenly shot through my head.

                “Consider me your lifeguard, okay?”

                She had been my lifeguard. She had saved me from my overwhelming denial and helped me see the truth. It was time for me to do the same. I would save Key from the hell he had to endure; I would make him happy, even if it hurt me in the process.

                I rolled out of bed and took the stairs two at a time. I flung open the front door and ran to my car, starting the engine with an impatient hand. The trees of my quiet neighborhood street flew past me in a blur as I sped toward his house.

                I pulled into the driveway and hastily turned off the engine, desperately hoping that he was home. I ran up the porch steps and raised my hand to knock on the door, when I realized I had absolutely no idea what to say. What the hell was I doing? I should have rehearsed something…

                I jumped as the door swung open to reveal Key, staring at me with a slightly annoyed expression playing across his features. He raised an eyebrow when he saw my hand, curled into a fist and raised to knock on the door that was now behind his back. I cleared my throat softly and hastily put my hand down.

                “What are you doing here, Jonghyun?” His voice was cold and distant, and the sound of it made my heart pound for two very different reasons.

                “We…” My voice was weak and quiet. I cleared my throat again. “We need to talk about…some things.”

                He scoffed. “Oh, do we? Last time I checked, I didn’t have anything to say to you.”

                “Well I have some things to say to you, Kibum, so you’d best let me in.”

                His eyes widened at the use of his real name. He scowled slightly before stepping aside and gesturing for me to enter. He shut the door securely behind him and sat down at the worn kitchen table, resting his chin in his hand.

                I hesitantly pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. I rubbed the back of my neck self-consciously and did my best to keep my gaze away from him.

                “Well?” His voice echoed throughout the empty house. “Get on with it.”

                I took a deep breath and looked up at him. My heart’s tempo instantly sped up, and I felt my face grow warmer. God, I had really never noticed all of this before?

                “Um…” I paused, searching for the right words. “Key, I’m… I’m not going to let you deal with this by yourself anymore. I don’t care what you say; I’m going to help you. I can’t-” I broke off as a sob began to build in my throat. My voice fell to a whisper as I tried to control my emotions. “I can’t bear to see you hurt…”

                He sighed. “Jonghyun, we’ve been over this-”

                “Stop it,” I said forcefully. “I don’t want to hear it. I know your parents abuse you, and I’m not going to sit back and let it happen. How could you honestly expect me to do nothing while I know what’s happening to you? What kind of a friend would I be if I just watched you go through so much pain without doing anything?” My voice had been rising as I became more and more upset, and the last sentence came out almost as a shout.

                Key was staring at the table with his forehead resting on his hands. His fingers slowly curled into fists and his eyes slipped closed. “Jonghyun,” he whispered. He looked up at me, and his eyes shone with tears in the dim kitchen light. “Why do you care so much?”

                I froze. What kind of a question was that? Why did I care so much? Wasn’t it obvious?

                Because I’m in love with you, I wanted to scream. Because I cherish you more than my own life and I would do anything to make you happy! Because I want to be by your side when you smile, when you laugh. I want to be there for you…

                “Because you’re my best friend,” I said softly.

                He had opened his mouth to reply when the front door flew open and slammed against the wall, echoing throughout the house like a gunshot. His eyes widened and a look of sheer terror flashed across his face as he hastily pushed his chair back.

                “Get out of here, Jonghyun,” he hissed under his breath.

                I spun around to see his father standing in the doorway, swaying slightly and glaring at the table with a look of murderous rage. The bitter stench of alcohol seeped into the room like poison.

                “Did I say you could have people over, boy?” He roared, stumbling into the kitchen and wrapping his fingers around the back of my chair. I scrambled to my feet and ran to Key’s side, unthinkingly wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close.

                “Oh?” His father smirked and began to make his way slowly around the table, clutching the edge for support. “Is this your boyfriend, you miserable little ?”

                “Don’t touch him,” Key said forcefully, pushing my arm away and moving to stand in front of me.

                His father barked out a harsh laugh and stumbled to the kitchen counter. I saw Key’s entire body tense as his father slowly drew a long, curved knife from the block. The dim light from the dusty bulb glanced off the wickedly sharp metal as he examined it closely.

                “It’s my lucky day,” he muttered softly, his voice laced with venom. “I get to take out two faggots at once…”

                Key stumbled back a step, and I reflexively grabbed onto his shoulders to keep him from running into me. He glanced back at me, and his cheeks were tinted with a faint pink shade.

                “Get out of here,” he hissed again, pushing me back with his elbow.

                “I’m not leaving you, you idiot,” I hissed back. I tightened my grip on his shoulders and pushed him back, standing in front of him protectively.

                Actions speak louder than words. I wouldn’t let him get hurt this time. I was here for him; I would protect him at all costs.

                His father turned slowly and ran his finger along the knife’s edge. “It looks like your little boyfriend here is willing to die for you, boy. Are you really going to let that happen?”

                I froze as Key’s fingers wrapped around my wrist. He pulled me backward until his lips were mere inches from my ear. I felt my face heat up, and my heart began to race wildly.

                “Kim Jonghyun,” he whispered harshly, raising goose bumps along my neck as his breath caressed my skin. “I don’t care how much you think you care for me; you need to get out of here right this second. I’m not going to let you get hurt for me.”

                “Shut up, pabo,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “I’m going to be here for you this time. I would never forgive myself if I let you get hurt…”

                The sound of his father’s approaching footsteps caused me to jump and spin around. Cold, bitter fear washed through my veins as I took a hesitant step backward.

                “Don’t think I won’t kill you, kid,” he said menacingly. “You can try to protect your love as much as you want, but I’ll just end up getting you both.”

                “I’m prepared to die for him,” I whispered. “But don’t think it’s going to be easy. I’ll protect him up until my last breath, you bastard.”

                I heard Key catch his breath behind me. “Jjong…”

                I closed my eyes. It had been so long since he had used that nickname. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. I would do anything to protect him. Anything. He meant more to me than my own life; if I had to die for him to be happy, then so be it.

                “Jjong, don’t…” His voice shook with suppressed sobs as his fingers tightened around my wrist.

                I stumbled back another step as his father brandished the knife wildly. If I turned to run, Key would be exposed to the blade. I kept him safely behind me as I stepped back, running my hand along the kitchen wall. In one swift motion I grabbed Key’s arm and spun around, pushing him ahead of me and sprinting for the door.

                I gasped as a cold pressure sent white-hot agony shooting up my arm. I jerked away instinctively and stumbled forward, the shock of the intense pain sending bright lights across my vision. Key’s father came to stand before me. The knife clutched in his fist was now dripping with crimson blood, and my stomach churned when I remembered that it was mine. I shook my head quickly and sprinted forward again, grabbing Key’s hand firmly.

                Worry and terror fought for dominance amongst his features as my blood ran over our intertwined fingers. His eyes widened and he cried out as his father grabbed the back of his shirt. His hand slipped from my fingers as he was thrown to the floor.

                My blood pounded in my ears, and the pain in my arm all but vanished as Key struggled to get back to his feet. I ran forward as if operating on instinct and slammed my fist into the side of his father’s face as hard as I could. He stumbled back in surprise and I used his brief moment of inattention to pry the knife from his grasp.

                He glanced wildly between Key and my hand, and his lips twisted into a small smirk. He spread his arms wide. “What are you going to do, boy? Kill me? You’d risk going to jail just to save him?”

                “I’d die to save him,” I said forcefully, taking a threatening step forward. “Haven’t we established that already?” My hand shook as the gravity of the situation began to sink in.

                “Come on then, boy. Try to kill me, if you really think you can.”

                I glanced back at Key. He was sitting on the floor with his hands behind him, as if he had frozen in the middle of his attempt to get back to his feet. His eyes were wide with terror, and I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to throw the knife to the ground and wrap my arms around him. But his father was the one who had made him this way… And here, now, I had the power to end it all…

                “Key,” I whispered. “I could do it, you know… For you, I would. I would do anything for you…”

                My words were cut off with a cry of pain as the knife was wrenched from my grasp and I was thrown roughly to the floor. Key’s father dug his knee into my chest and laughed maniacally as I gasped for air. He brought the knife to my throat, and I squeezed my eyes shut as the cold metal bit into my skin.

                “It’s foolish to die for love,” he hissed.

                I stretched my hand out blindly, and sighed in relief when Key laced his fingers through mine. If the last thing I felt was his hand in mine… If the last thing I heard was his voice in my ear…

                I would be happy.

     I'm sorry it's been so long...again. I know I say that a lot.  -_-  *sigh*  I'm not going to promise quick updates anymore... >.<

And this chapter was... a bit depressing. -_-" 

But intense, ne? I hope it wasn't disappointing~  >.<

I worked hard on it!  ^;^

Anyways~ I love you all sooooo much  \(^o^)/ 

Kamsahamnida for sticking with this story even though the updates have been slow... >.<  I'm sorry~~~ 

<3 <3 <3

Let me know what you think~!  <3