Jayoung the shower, closing the glass door as she started to slowly get undressed. She let the oversized jacket slip off her thin frame, pooling around her feet. She caught her reflection in the mirror above the sink and froze, turning to stare at herself. There were many cuts and bruises littering her pale skin, and she fought back the sobs that began to rise in . Turning her back on the mirror, she opened the door to the shower and adjusted the heat before stepping under the water. Jayoung stared at the water running down the drain, turning red as the dried blood washed off her body. Hesitantly, she took some of the shampoo that belonged to the male, lathering the soap into her hair.

Youngbae waited until he had put the leftover stew on to slowly reheat to go through his bedroom, digging around in his drawers for a pair of sweatpants and a warm jumper for the female. He hesitated before grabbing a pair of boxers; sniffing them just to double check they were clean. Folding everything neatly he left his bedroom to the laundry, placing the clothes just in front of the bathroom door as he quickly left, closing the laundry door behind him again. He headed back to his bedroom, changing out of his uniform. He got changed into similar clothes that he had given the female, humming appreciatively at the smell of the stew. The bartender rushed out to stir it, making sure it didn’t burn. Hearing the shower stop, he began to boil some water for tea, waiting anxiously in the kitchen. He thought for a moment, before taking out the first aid kit as well.

Jayoung reluctantly turned the shower off, stepping out of the shower and grabbing the clean towel that was hanging on the rack. She wrapped it around her thin body, opening the door a crack to make sure she couldn’t be seen before yanking the clothes in. Using the towel to dry her sensitive skin, she pulled on the clothes the male had given her. Although similar in height, they were not similar in build, and the clothes drowned her small stature. Drying her hair, she held her dirty clothes tightly in a wad against her chest, exiting to stand out front of the laundry. Watching the male rush about the kitchen, she cleared rather loudly, startling the male. Wordlessly she held up her clothes, and he smiled and rushed over to her.

“You can put your clothes on to wash, I don’t mind” He the washing machine and put in the washing powder, standing back so Jayoung could put her clothes in, having a sneaking suspicion that she might react badly if he tried to take them from her. She put them in, and he closed the door and started the machine. “Do you feel any better? Are you hungry?” Jayoung nodded wordlessly, her stomach grumbling loudly. Although she felt a lot better after the shower, she was obviously starving. With a small chuckle he passed her, heading to the kitchen with Jayoung in tow. Youngbae didn’t want to stare, but after seeing her face clean like this, he could see how beautiful she was, even with all the cuts and the black eye. He pulled out a chair for her at the breakfast bar, and she sat down watching him. Her stomach grumbled again as the smell from the stew on the stove, and it made a small smile crawl onto her face. Youngbae pretended not to notice, handing her a cup of brewed tea.

“It smells nice” She offered quietly, blowing on the hot liquid before taking a sip. “I like stew” The male broke out into a bright smile, turning back to the stove to check if it was warmed all the way through.

“Perfect!” Youngbae said happily, placing a full bowl with a slide of bread in front of her. “Eat up! You’re looking very skinny” He chuckled, watching for any signs of emotion on the female’s face. Jayoung nodded slightly, slowly eating the stew. She felt his gaze on her, and she shrunk back slightly, looking down at her food.

“You know my name . . . but why didn’t you tell me yours?” Jayoung lifted her head slightly, staring at the male. Youngbae studied her, looking the female and her outfit up and down. She looked good in sweats.

“I’m Youngbae. It’s a pleasure” He held out his hand for her to shake, only to be left hanging. Dropping his hand to his side, he quickly began to clean the dishes he left behind. When he turned his back, Jayoung dug into the food, eating big mouthfuls. Jayoung was so so starved; after weeks of getting fed titbits and scraps, she was finally eating something filling and delicious. Youngbae watched her interestedly, picking at his own bowl of food. The meal passed quietly, and they finished it with sipping on tea. Youngbae paused, pushing the first aid kit towards her. “Jayoung-ssi. You should clean your wounds with this. It will stop the infections.”

Looking up, she hesitantly pulled it towards her and opened it, taking out some cotton balls and antiseptic, soaking them before rubbing them over the cuts. She winced, holding in small whimpers of pain as the liquid stung the open wounds. He watched her, reaching out to help only for her to pull away. “Please. Let me help” He pleaded, moving around the island to hold out his hands. She stared at him for a moment, a small staring contest ensuing as neither was willing to back down. Finally relenting, she dropped the cotton balls onto the island to let him take them. She held out her arms, pulling up the sleeves of her jumper. Youngbae smiled triumphantly, picking up the discarded cotton balls and gently grabbed her hand, not failing to notice her flinching at the skin on skin contact. He began to continue her task, trying not to hurt her too much. He frowned every time she flinched or made a small noise, mentally kicking himself every time she did so. He moved quicker, not wanting her to suffer from the contact for too long.

“There. All done” He smiled as he stood, gently pulling down her sleeves. He looked at her curiously, watching her yawn. “Please, go to sleep. You can sleep in my bed. I’ll take the couch” Youngbae left to grab sheets out of the cupboard, spreading them out across the couch with a pillow. He heard a small mumble, and looked up curiously at her. “What was that?”

Jayoung glanced at him before looking away.”No. I can’t take your bed” Youngbae smiled, before shaking his head, chuckling softly at her words.

“I have to get up early anyway. Just sleep in the bed. The sheets are clean, I promise” He grabbed the sleeve of the jumper, avoiding contact with her skin, and gently tugged her to the bedroom. “Go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow” He closed the door after leaving, standing quietly next to the door as he listened. It was quiet, but he heard the faint rustling of sheets as she settled under the blankets. Smiling to himself, he walked out to the lounge room and placed his jumper besides the couch, slipping under his own cotton sheets. The bartender soon passed out, fleeting dreams of bruised mysterious girls filling his sleep.