Hold Me 9: Going Back

Previously

The hoobae refused to and started crying.

He stiffened. He didn't know what to do but he resorted to pat her head instead.

Joy didn't mean to pry but she accidentally saw the incident. Her face went unreadable for a second. She felt a tinge of jealousy rushing through.

Later that evening, Sungjae heard his doorbell rang. Something that is very rare. He opened the door grumpily and saw Joy standing in front of the door. He was surprised, to say the least.

"Hey, what is it about?"

"Date me."

***

'Hold me, so I will come back to you.'

Earlier that afternoon...

Joy knew she wasn't supposed to do this but she was staring at the stash of confiscated stuff that the teachers put aside from the raid they conducted on students.

She gulped...

It takes all her strength to walk away from it. Walk away from the temptation... walk away from the temptation to go back home drunk.. to piss the heck off her 'so-called' parents.

When she turned her heels away from the stash of goods, she was met with a smug looking Taehyung.

"Still can't get over the wonderful feeling of sin?" Taehyung chuckled.

She was shaken, to say the least...

"Quiet girl Park Sooyoung... now, Lee Sooyoung... and then you become Joy. Good girl Joy. You cannot really get away from this don't you?" Taehyung smirked.

"Did Sungjae know about this side of you?"

"He didn't need to." She glared at Taehyung.

"You need to let go of this hardworking and just come with me."

"Where?"

"Back to your hometown."

"I don't want to!" She slightly raised her voice, surprising even herself.

"They miss you." Taehyung sighed. "Look, I'm not looking for any issue here. I genuinely want you to just go back. Under your sister instruction. Just for a while."

"Minji?"

He nodded weakly.

Her eyes soften almost immediately.

"Why don't you ever look at me like that, Park Sooyoung? With that kind of eyes?" Taehyung voice softened.

But she will not be tricked.

He is clearly trying to flirt. She knows him all too well after all.

"I don't fancy you getting close to my little sister."

"The big sister didn't spare me any looks.. so little sister it is." He smirked.

She was pissed, to say the least. Just because he was well acquainted with her past. With her hometown, doesn't mean he can play the cards with her. Taehyung was bad news. But also, her close friend... she had wanted to bring him out of the pit hole but it almost drowns her too.

'Be the bigger person.' She chanted to herself repeatedly and decided to walk past him.

He grabbed her hand.

She closed her eyes and pushed him away. "Don't you dare come onto me Taehyung. I will go back but certainly not for you and stay away from my sister!"

***

"Nara Noona! Don't even start it. I would die if Sungjae knows!" Changsub called for her.

"I will just talk to her for a second.."

"Noona..." Peniel tried to pull her away but it was as if her body has some inner strength as she managed to let the latter stumbled with a mere push.

Joy was walking out from the school gate trying to compose herself when a woman suddenly come and grab her.

"Unnie?"

"See! We are on friendly terms." Nara glared at Sungjae's friends. "We just going to talk for a bit. You are okay with it right, Joy?"

"Where Sungjae though?" Minhyuk suddenly chimed in.

In her heart, Joy was fuming. He is too busy getting chummy with a girl. What else?

"Joy.. unnie is going straight to the point okay? Can you ask Sungjae to visit his mom? If not, he is really going to end up transferring school."

Joy eyes widened. "Transfer!?" She immediately stood up. Her heartbeats raised rapidly.

"U-unnie.. is this about him smoking?"

"Ne."

Joy felt her entire world crashing down. Not when she has just gotten closer to him. Not when she finally met someone she can be herself with...

Not Sungjae. Sungjae should never leave her like her parents did.. like her family did.

No, he can't do that.

"I will talk to him."

"And Joy? Can you observe whether he has been sleeping? Whenever he fought with my mom, he always goes a bit haywire. I have final semester coming up