Familiar faces of their friends and family gathered around Sulli and her mother. Condolences were offered to the new widow and her grieving daughter.

Sulli understood her mom. Her heart must ached so badly that she wasn't even able to talk in coherent sentences. Her eyes were puffy from the tears that she shed silently. And at that moment, Sulli was also pretty sure that her mother must've been trying hard to fight back her tears.

And that made Sulli feel like . Sulli felt dead. Her eyes were dry and she watched everyone passing by without shedding a single tear. Almost no tears at all even when she stared at the smiling picture of her father.

Her father was now in his final resting place yet Sulli didn't turn hysterical, bawling herself out.

Sulli felt a light touch on her shoulder and that was the first time that day Sulli started to feel something from numb and pretense.

Sulli turned her head as she felt the soft touch of her mother's hand on her cheek.

"Honey." Her mom said, tears cascaded her face. "Please. Just say something dear."

10 years old Choi Sulli just blinked at her mother, not knowing how to respond. Sulli's mother pulled her daughter into her arms. She squeezed Sulli's frame and cried harder.

For that moment, Sulli stared at her dad's picture again and then for an almost undetectable second she eventually gave in. The hurt suddenly became too much to bear.

Sulli turned away and immediately embraced her mother tightly. "Don't ever leave me as dad. You can't mom."

Sulli cried her heart out. The great pain of losing someone dearly and fear of the other would leaving her seeped through her heart but wanting to protect someone from getting hurt was what the little Sulli wanted to do. Her mother was too special to be broken like this. She was only the closest family Sulli left.

"Everything is going to be fine mum."

Sulli look up to the sky and she sighed. "Dad! I miss you so much but I know you are fine up there. Mom is good too if you know what I mean. I hope you are happy for her as much as I am now. She deserves it."

A few moments later Sulli realized the darkness began to crawl in bit by bit. She glanced to her wristwatch and then emitted a low sigh.

"Now what am I supposed to do here?" Sulli said from frustration and she kicked a rock. "Right, I'm supposed to wait for him."

Sulli saw students began to flee campus. She scanned the area and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. The sun already set by now.

Sulli pulled back of the long sleeve of her shirt and looked at her watch.

"Tsk! That guy is late again. How many times is he going to do this to me?" Sulli whined silently alone. She looked at her watch again when she heard some voice.

"Hey there baby! If you're looking for someone to pick you up you don't have to look any further."

Sulli turned around, noticing five guys standing by a wall to one of the school buildings. They were probably on the drunken state.

Sulli tightened her bag on shoulder. She ignored them and eagerly walked to the nearest street light. She looked up nervously when the light flickered on and off.

"This must be my unlucky day." Sulli mumbled and looked down the road. No one was coming from either directions and so she checked her watch again.

"I think you meant this is your lucky day darling because fortunately you are running into us." A familiar voice from earlier echoed.

Sulli turned her head to come face-to-face with the same five guys from before. The lead guy had a sly smirk on his face, probably the owner of the taunting voice.

Sulli focused her attention back to the road and tried to ignore them.

"Oh don't play hard to get. Any girl would be lucky to have us all to themselves."

Again, Sulli ignored them.

"Oh, I like that. If there's not a bit of cat and mouse to the game it wouldn't be fun."

Sulli fished her phone out and the luck was indeed not on her side as it was black. "Great!!"

Sulli began to walk down the sidewalk faster to the next street light. She looked over her shoulder nervously to see that the same five guys were now following her.

"Wait up girl!"

Sulli could hear the soft footsteps behind her but she didn't dare to look back this time. Instead she quickened her pace.

Startling, Sulli stumbled backwards as she bumped into one of the drunken guys and the leader of the gang jumped in front of her. Sulli took a step off the sidewalk tying to go across the road.

"Where do you think you're going?" The leader asked. He stood in front of Sulli and she quickly turned around only to be stopped by another guy.

Sulli hesitated to move as she was now being surrounded like a wild animal. She looked around for anyone else, someone to just help her. But there was no one. The whole area was completely abandoned now.

The leader gave Sulli a silly grin. He walked towards her and touched her cheek softly, causing Sulli to jerk her head away but he caught her chin to make her face him.

"What's the matter baby? This is going to be fun if you join us and I think you sure can handle all five of us."

Covering her fear, Sulli fumed in anger. "I'm not going to handle any one of you idiots."

Sulli pushed his hand away and took a step back, trying to sidestep him but he moved in her way. Sulli emitted her frustrated sigh.

"Will you excuse me?" Sulli said through her gritted teeth. She tried to bypass him and again he moved in her way. She glared. "If you don't get out of my way, I'm going to make you break your bone!"

The leader laughed. "Oh I'm scared. Did you hear her guys?"

The other guys laughed.

Sulli walked again to the side but again the leader walked in her path.

"I already warned you." Sulli said angrily. She grabbed both his shoulders and kneed him right in his groin where it would hurt the most. She quickly ran as fast as she could.

Other guys were surprise and stunned at what just happened as they watched their leader fell to the ground.

"That ing little ! Why the are you all still standing here!! Grab her!" The leader yelled painfully.

A guy caught up with with Sulli and he grabbed her. "You call that running? I prefer that walking."

"Get off me!" Sulli shouted as she struggled to get out of the guy's grasp. The guy forcefully pulled Sulli with him back to their leader.

The leader looked up at her from the ground and he rose up slowly with a deep groan or two. "You little !!"

"I think she needs to learn a lesson." Another guy said.

The leader smirked at the other men in his gang and walked towards Sulli. "I think so too. How should we teach her one then?"

"Whatever it is, it should be something hands on." The other one said and the whole gang laughed.

Sulli closed her eyes when the leader swung his hand at her. How did she ever get herself in this situation? Fear ate her up inside.

Sulli suddenly felt the grip on her arms went slack and she opened her eyes to see the leader's eyes were of pure shock.

Sulli was confused, she turned and saw a guy from the gang was in a choke hold by a guy whom she believed was her savior.

Finally!

"WATCH OUT!" The savior yelled at Sulli.

Sulli turned around and saw the leader reaching out for her. She gasped her bag and with all her might she swung at him making the leader fell on the ground.

Sulli turned around only to see another guy throwing a punch her way, she ducked down and stood back up to kick him in the back, making him fall into his gang.

"Come on!" Her savior said with an outreached hand.

Sulli unhesitatingly grabbed his hand and kept up with him on foot as they ran. She turned around only to see the gang getting up.

"We have to hurry, those jerks are coming!" Sulli said to her companion, her breathing was coming out in short rapid breaths.

He stopped at a black motorcycle as he dropped Sulli's hands. He threw his leg over the sides.

"Put this on." He threw her a black helmet.

Sulli caught it, immediately put it on and got on the motorcycle, holding onto him. He turned the engine on and revved it two times.

"You ers!" The leader screamed. The gang were now running towards them at full speed.

"Hold on tight!" The guy pressed the accelerator and sped off.

Sulli's hands automatically tightened around his waist and she looked back. They were still chasing them even in the dark but they soon disappeared as Sulli and her savior got farther from them.

Sulli sighed in relief and squeezed her hand around him. She held on him for her life as the guy swirled between rushing cars and around sharp curves.

Finally, the motorcycle came to a stop in front of a house. Sulli pulled the helmet off her head and jumped off from the back and stretched.

"Thank you." Sulli said as she watched the guy get off the bike.

"No problem. Besides, you did pretty well for yourself." The guy said with a smirk.

Sulli smiled proudly until she remembered something. Suddenly a disappointed frown plastered on her face.

"By the way…" Sulli started and he looked her way as he pulled off his helmet. Sulli sent him a death stare before she snapped. "You were late!"

He smiled and kneeled to the ground to chain up his motorcycle. "I'm sorry I was busy doing things."

"Doing what Minho? Sitting at your desk and trying to come up with a decent storyline?" Sulli said as she rolled her eyes.

"I've just been having writer's block, you know." Minho said. He stood and dusted the dirt off his knees.

Sulli sighed, she turned and pointed to the door. "Whatever, can you please just open the door?"

Minho shook his head and walked up to the door of the house. Once he opened the door, Sulli pushed past him inside. Minho closed the door and watched her throw her things on the couch.

"Where are your keys?" Minho asked but Sulli didn't bother to respond. "Yah! I'm talking to you." Minho said when Sulli sat down at the kitchen table.

Sulli took out a notebook. "I forgot my keys in the room. Hey, would you mind getting my notepad out of my bag for me? Oh, don't forget a pen." Sulli commanded.

"Why it is so hard for you to call me oppa? Tsk!" Minho mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Oh nothing." Minho sighed and opened her bag and got out a small pink notepad that had a pen hanging on it. "Here you go, princess." Minho said, throwing it to her.

He opened the fridge, grabbed a beer and sat across from her. He peeked at what she was scribbling. "Are you writing what have happened today into your journal?"

"Yeah." Sulli nodded and then she covered what she was writing. "This is very personal and you are not allowed to look at it."

Minho smiled. He got up and went to the cabinet above the fridge. He pulled down a gift wrapped box and placed it beside Sulli's elbow.

Sulli looked at the box questioningly. She closed her journal and eyed Minho suspiciously. "What's this?"

"Just a little gift." Minho explained while he took a sip of his beer.

"Little gift?" Sulli picked up the box but still kept her eyes on Minho."What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. Just open it." Minho said as he chuckled.

Sulli ripped off the wrapping and opened a velvet box. Inside the box was a pair of thin black glasses. Sulli pulled them out and placed them over her eyes.

"I know you will like it." Minho smiled.

"Of course I do. These are the ones that I wanted when we went shopping the other day." Sulli said and Minho nodded his head.

She smiled. "Well thank you, Minho. I needed a new pair. My old one is lost."

"What's a brother for?" Minho joked as he smirked.

"You do mean stepbrother, don't you?" Sulli said coldly and Minho his lips before he sighed. "But you know what, thanks for the glasses but I really need to write my journal." Sulli placed the glasses back in its box and concentrated on what she was writing.

Minho finished the rest of his beer and threw it into the trashcan. He watched Sulli scribble down and he sat back in his chair.

In all honesty, Minho had only known Sulli for a year but he knew she didn't like considering him as a stepbrother. His father married to her mother three months ago. Still, this stubborn girl hadn't lightened up to the fact they were now a family.

Thought it was a good thing his dad had found happiness. Minho tried his best to warm up to his new family and especially his stepsister but everything he tried had little effect on her.

Sulli decided to go to college after high school and because he wanted to get to know her better, Minho had insisted she should stay with him in this house. And the campus wasn't that far from here after all. It was just about ten minute ride and Minho actually needed a roommate to help in paying rent. It was a good trade after all.

Actually Sulli didn't want anything to do with the situation, it was her mom who convinced her to move in and stay with him. Minho smiled at the fact that Sulli was so tough. She didn't seem to like him yet but Minho did get the feeling it wasn't take long. Just sometimes she began to warm up to him just a bit. So soon she will warm up to him completely and accepted him wholeheartedly as a big brother.

Sulli shifted in her chair and pulled out the hair tie that was holding some of her hair in a ponytail.

Minho watched her soft black hair tumble to her shoulders. His eyes were mesmerized at the way she placed some it behind her ear.

Sulli stuck the pen in . She caressed her neck and looked up to see Minho staring at her. "Do you mind?" Sulli smiled sweetly as she asked.

"Huh?" Minho replied, caught off guard as he came out of his daze from staring at his stepsister.

"Can you go somewhere? Because now you're sort of distracting me." Sulli said, now with a small irritation itched on her face.

"Sure your highness. I'm going to bed now." Minho said and he stood up. "Don't make me wake you up every morning sleepyhead princess. I will take you to school tomorrow. And don't stay up too late."

Sulli watched Minho as he made his way to his room. She smirked. "What kind of a man that is so nagging. Ne umma, arraseo!" Sulli mocked softly and she saw Minho smile at her comment.

"I heard you brat." Minho said as he opened the door of his room and went in.

Sulli heard the sound of a door slamming, it brought a slow smile on her face. She picked up the glasses Minho gave her and looked again at his bedroom.

"Fine! You are forgiven for picking up me late."

To be continued.

Thank you dear readers.

Till the next update.

Minsul fighting <3