TEN'S POV of the past:

'There's no use crying Ten.' I said to myself as I went to my room, trembling in the process, and locked myself. 

Blood is dripping from my hands non stop and if I didn't do anything soon, I don't know what will happen to me. 

I'm scared but I need to be brave. I sitted on my knees as I removed the shattered glass in my skin one by one. Tears fell as I tried to keep my mouth shut from making any noise because of the pain.

There's one that's too deep that I can't help myself not to shout. "Arghhhhh" I groaned in pain as I  putted an old shirt, ripping it, and wrapped it around my hands. 

I layed down in bed and crouched my knees closer to my chest. My eyes feels so dry and my face all sweaty. I feel cold. So cold. My hands reached for the duvet and let my body be drowned in it.

The night arrived and darkness covered every corner of the room.

I didn't move a single body part. I feel so weak. After a minute, someone knocked through my door. I flinched. 

"Ten, you there?" It's Kai hyung.  

I tried to open my mouth but no words came out. My throat is too dry.

"Dinner is ready. Come down to eat with us." He knocked again.

"I - I can't" I speak up but I know it's not that loud for him to hear.

"Come again?" 

"I'm good" I said loudly. "I'm full." Even my stomach is so empty.

"Are you sure?" He asked worriedly. "If you say so." With that, he left me alone.

Then midnight arrived. My tummy is rumbling and I feel so hungry. I went towards the door and I opened it slowly. I looked through the dark hallway  and I saw that everyone is already fast asleep.

I opened my phone as a source of light and I went to the kitchen. On the way, I noticed that the broken plate on floor is nowhere to be found. That means someone cleaned it and no one even bothered to say a word about the stain of blood. That only means my Step mom was the one who did the job.

I went to the kitchen then to the  refrigerator and when I opened it, there's no more leftovers. I guess they really believe the idea that I'm full. I heaved a sigh.

"What are you doing?" Someone called behind my back and my body jumped, my heart nearly stopping. Then the lights began to lit up in the kitchen.

"Are you stealing food now?" 

I turned around slowly to see who it was. It's Jeno. I feel so embarrassed at my situation. I bowed down as I hid my hands began my back to hide it from his sight .

"If you want to eat something, here." He handed me a plastic wrapped bread. I gladly accepted it even if my hands are obviously shaking in nervousness.

"Don't think of this as a welcoming gift. I don't like you, keep that in mind." He glared at me. "I just happened to have some leftovers that I want to put inside the fridge."

But it doesn't look like a leftover though. I smiled at him, mouthing a "thank you."

"By the way, I was the one who cleaned the broken plate with some blood on it. He looked at my hands and averted his eyes on the floor.

If you're hurt, there's a first aid kit on top of that cabinet. He pointed the direction and I said "thank you." Again.

With that he left me alone . I went to the direction he pointed and aided my hands first before eating what he gave me. It hurts unwrapping the bread. After a minute or two, I finished it fast since I'm so hungry. I drank water and went straight back to my room.

Maybe there's still good that's happening to me and I smiled at the thought as I went to dreamland. 

------

The Next Day came and Dad wants all of us to eat together for breakfast. In the dining table, my step mom is the only one whose absent.

"Ten." Dad called out when he saw me walking down the stairs. 

When I went to grab the chair , he began to notice. "What happened to your hands?!" He stood up and went towards my current place. 

He grabbed my wrist and that made me gulped. "WHO DID THIS?!" He said angrily. I can't look him in the eye in 
fear.  He's so scary. 

Kai hyung and Jeno only looked at each other without saying a word. 

"It's nothing. It was an accident." I assured him but my words doesn't have an effect on him.

He then looked at his two other sons. "DID YOU TWO DID THIS?!"

"Is that the reason you didn't want to eat last night Ten?" Kai hyung asked with worry in his voice. "You should have said something."

"Then what if I did?" Jeno blurted out. It's not true. Jeno wasn't the one who did this. Why is he taking the blame?

Dad let go of me and grabbed Jeno's shirt and slapped him on the  face so hard that the sound echoed inside the room.

"Dad, please stop!" I holded his arms to pull him away even if my hands are already hurting. "It's not him!"

"Then WHO?!" He groaned. 

"I swear it was an accident. No one is at fault. Believe me." I defended.

Jeno then smirked and chuckled. "Why?" He continued. "Why does it look like I'm the bad one? I did nothing wrong in hurting him."

"Jeno enough." Kai hyung said. "Watch your mouth. You are talking to dad. Show some respect."

"Why are you taking their side hyung?!" Jeno groaned.

Dad is having a heavy breathing because of anger. 

"It's not Jeno, Dad. It was really an accident." I repeated.

"Oh Shut up Ten." Jeno glared at me.  "I want to kill you so bad that what I've done to your hands isn't enough." After saying those words, he left the table. 

Even if those words hurt, nothing will change the fact that I see him as a kindhearted child.

"JENO?! WHAT DID I DO WRONG FOR YOU TO SPEAK THAT WAY TO ME?!" Dad shouted.

"I'll talk to him dad." Kai hyung then walked away to follow his younger brother. 

"Ten let me see your injuries." He went to reached for my hands. "I'm sorry. I know that I promised you a good life with me but it seems like you are having a hard time. I'm your father. I must be the one to protect you but instead I'm bringing you harm."

"I'm okay." I smiled and also left him alone , crying. 

------

Weeks have passed and this family is slowly shattering apart. I don't know what to do anymore. 

No one is taking initiative in fixing the problem. Dad and my Step Mom have grown with their pride. No one seems to be showing any sign of weakness. Kai hyung on the other hand don't want to be in the trouble while Jeno is doing what you call the Silent treatment.

Everything is a mess. The only thing that I was able to do is to watch the whole scene play in front of me. How can this be? It's my fault for coming here in the first place. I ruined a suppose to be a perfect family. 

One day, I heard Kai hyung talking to dad on the telephone. It seems like they are discussing Jeno's Birthday next week. 

Even though I know that he hates me, I want to give him something, a gift. But I don't know what he wants. 

-------

Without knowing it, that Day finally came but something also came up. Everyone became busy all of the sudden and it turns out, they have so much work to do. 

Dad and my Step Mom have gotten busier that both of them don't even came home anymore. Kai hyung is currently with Dad helping him with all he needs. I hope they can come home even if it's just for dinner. It's his birthday.

I went out without telling anybody and you can say that it's my first time walking in the streets of Seoul. The place is so different to the place I'm from. 

It's a perfect weather and somehow, I feel at peace. The trees are waving and the sun is slightly hidden. It's not too warm and it's not too cold. It's just right.  

Went I went to turn on an empty street, the peaceful atmosphere changed.

I saw a young man same my age fighting with three other guys .Then I saw a another one crying on the corner with his head bowed down low as he sitted besside a post. He must be hurt, with all the bruises and everything. 

I came to a conclusion that the one who is fighting , the scary looking guy, must be protecting the crying teen.

The way he threw punches amazes me. He was able to defend himself from them. 

"HOW DARE YOU HURT JAEHYUN?! MY YOUNGER BROTHER DIDN'T  DO ANYTHING WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?!" He shouted angrily, nearly choking the guy because of the way he held his shirt.

"Why? because he is annoying as ." He still manage to say some bad things to his brother even though he is already beaten up. Blood is dripping on his nose.

"Hyung STOP!" The other called. The scene is so familiar to me. With the fighting and everything but the only difference is no one seems to protect me. The younger one must be so lucky to have  hyung like that.

"Hey let's go!" One of the three bad guys said as they drag each other away and ran from the two. They escaped.

What a hero I must say. You'll really do everything just to protect someone you cherish. 

"Are you okay Jaehyun?" He asked, crouching down to pat the younger's head. "If those guys came for you again, better tell me okay?"

The younger nodded as he hugged his hyung.

I didn't notice that I was watching the scene so intently that the scary guy looked at me. I made an apologetic look and went away. 

I walked slowly to the busy streets for me to avoid getting lost. It's really bad if I did get lost. Imagine a foreigner in a foreign place. Does that makes sense? I laughed at the thought.

There are plenty of good things and I don't know what to get. Without even realizing it, it's already nightime. My knees are tired but I won't come home until I get something.

I came across a store that sells cakes. Since I don't know what to give anymore, I might as well just buy him a cake. I went inside and decide to buy my favorite. Chocolate cake. I just hope that we like the same kind of food though.

I asked for them to write a Happy Birthday Jeno on top of it and it came out well. It's really pretty and I hope he likes it. 

When I got out of the store, I stroll happily. I'm like a girl being excited to surprise someone. 

I take small steps as I try to remember the route I took and I came infront of the house. It's dark and the lights are turned off. 

Where is Jeno? I guessed he went out? I went inside and I noticed that no one is at home or so I thought. I heard silent whimpers in the living room. 

I the lights and I saw him crying on couch. "Jeno?"

He looked at me and stood up fast, trying to ran away from me and I tried to stop him.

"Please wait." I said.

He stopped on his tracks and without looking at me.  

"I know that you hate me but I want to thank you for what you did for me last time." He just listened without saying a word and I continued. "It's not something special but Happy Birthday." 

He looked at me surprised. He haven't expected it coming from me. "T-ten. It's not my birthday." He denied. "Does this look like I'm celebrating?"

"Then do you want to celebrate together?" I smiled at him and I didn't expect him to nod shyly. 

We went to the dining table and lit up the candles and I sang him a Happy birthday song. Tears are still on his face but he still manage to smile at me. 

"Happy Birthday Jeno." 

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