Yuri took a deep breath before knocking on her boss’ office, she knocked twice then opened the door, she peeked first to see if he’s busy doing something “Anneonghaseo... Sajangnim” she greeted as she enter..

“Omo... Yuri-ah” Jaejoong immediately stood up happily after seeing her. It’s the first time they saw each other after Jaejoong came back from Japan “How have you been Yuri-ah?” he asked approaching her, Yuri just gave him a bright smile and a thumbs up “I’m great... ahh... Here” she handed him a can of his favorite juice “I figured you might have missed drinking that” she said smiling comfortably

Jaejoong gladly accept the drink “I surely do... thanks” he patted Yuri’s head “By the way, why are you here... did you miss me?” Jaejoong said teasingly while twitching his eyebrows. He’s undeniably close with all his employees especially Yuri, among all his employees he’s most fond and comfortable with her although he knows she’s still keeping her distance from him not forgetting that he is her boss.

“Eh?” Yuri was a bit taken aback by his question. “Ani... just kidding... Do you need something?!” he asked.. Yuri bit her lip and scratched the back of her head “actually.... yes I did miss you a little... I guess... and.... I do need something” she said looking at him shyly “I have these tickets from the orphanage.... can you please buy 1? It’s for a good cause I promise” she raised her right hand and smile at him cutely

Jaejoong was about to take his first sip from the drink but stopped upon hearing Yuri’s words “Aigoo... chincha Kwon Yuri... this is bribery!” he hand the drink back to her “Yah I don’t like your drink.... you’re bribing me with this” he then turned his back and walk out of the room with a smirk in his face, Yuri followed him

“Ani... I really did miss you... a lot... and I’m not bribing you.... Oppa!” Yuri exclaimed while following him out of his office and down to the club “this is for a good cause... you will help the children there if you buy atleast 1... and it’s cheap.. Oppa... Jae Oppa” she called...

Yuri is getting tired and dizzy from following him around but he kept on ignoring her and kept on walking around pretending to inspect the  tables, the stage and the whole club. Yuri then, with a loud sigh went and stand in front of him to block his way extending her arms to the side, Jaejoong immediately drop his smile and put on a serious face “drink this first” she hand him the drink “please buy... just one... hhmm... please?” she pleaded with her puppy eyes. Jaejoong couldn’t help but let out a chuckle but still he shook his head and shove her out of the way, he took his phone out from his pocket and pretended to call someone... He will never let her win this game....

Yunho’s POV

I have a drinking session with Jae and Min tonight, well I’ve been really dependent on alcohol since.... since the day I woke up from the hospital, I never ever thought that living will be this hard for me.... I don’t really feel anything at all except from this big hole in my heart that gives me excruciating pain that I couldn’t even describe with words, and even though I have to admit that alcohol couldn’t even lessen that pain it still gives a kind of momentarily escape for me. Aside from that pain I feel nothing though.... I’m like this empty shell unable to feel any kind of emotions.... I am so hollow.... so dead.... I wanted to be dead actually....

I arrived at Jae’s bar a bit earlier than our agreed time, I went in and sat in one of the tables, and for the first time I didn’t sit on my usual place at the bar counter. I scanned the place to look for people but it’s empty maybe it’s still too early, then I heard someone talking and I turned my head to the side and saw Jae standing by the stair, a girl in front of him extending her arms, I looked at them closely and realized it was Yuri....

Jaejoong seemed happy he chuckled but suppressed it quickly then he shove her out of his way. “What are these two doing?”. Yuri seemed a bit annoyed but she sighed then pulled a playful smile and followed Jae around trying to get his attention making different kind of faces. She really looks so bright and playful, I didn’t know she has this side in her or maybe because I still don’t know her at all, watching her like this I really couldn’t imagine that this girl was once broken or is still broken like me.... How can she do that? How can she be that happy and playful?!

Yuri.... she really makes me curious about her life. The day we had our conversation in the orphanage I felt more closer and comfortable to her, there’s this feeling in me that makes it easier for me to open up and convey all of the things I’m going through with her... only her, it’s like she’s the only person that can understand me and can see through me even by just looking at me.....

I just sat on my seat and continue watching them play around... Every time I see Yuri, I see different sides of her.... In the orphanage I saw the fragile and vulnerable side of Kwon Yuri, how she was hurting and longing for her family, how hard she’s struggling to live her life alone.... and now I see this happy and playful Kwon Yuri that is full of warmth that I couldn’t even see any trace of loneliness in her.... She amuses me, how is she doing that? How can she be that strong?

End of POV

Yuri really didn’t give up she kept on following him knowing that he’s ignoring her in purpose, she wouldn’t give up she has to make him buy at least on ticket...

“Sajangnim.... Jae Oppa...” she calls him sweetly and cutely  while tailing after him shifting from both his sides “Uri kindhearted and children loving sajangnim please buy just one ticket please...” she’s running out of tactics now and also patience to this stubborn guy...

But Jaejoong is still decided to keep this game with Yuri on, he loves how she looks all annoyed and pissed but still controlling herself and kept on doing all those cute but annoying faces, that she herself also hates that she’s getting goose bumps all over her body, just to persuade him.

Yunho is still watching them intently from his seat wondering what the two of them are doing...

Yuri suddenly stopped with a loud stomp, her smile faded and was replaced by a glare “Yah!” she shouted. Jaejoong also stopped with his back still facing her, a wide smile can now be seen in his face and victory is all over it as if he’d won a major competition. He bit his lip, straighten his back, changed his expression from a happy playful one to a now deadly piercing eyes, he slowly turned his back to face her

“Yah?!” he asked her with his cold stare, and Yuri immediately realized what she has done “Did you just yell at me Kwon Yuri?!”

Yuri started fidgeting not knowing what to do “ani... I mean... I just.... Miane” she hung her head low and pouted losing all her hopes and confidence.... but then she suddenly heard soft chuckles and looked up to see Jaejoong trying hard to control his laughter.

She shoot him a deadly glare hissing a loud sigh “Aish.... Kim Jaejoong” she muttered to herself, then she finally turned her back to walk away. Jaejoong burst out into laughter but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him

“Aigoo... Yuri-ah.... Okay I’ll buy now” he said between his laughter

“Am I that funny... SAJANGNIM?!” she emphasized the sajangnim

“Yes” he immediately answered

She took a deep breath swallowing all the bad vibes away “Okay.... since I entertained you a lot... can you please.... buy two tickets now? Or three?” her bright smile suddenly reappeared looking at him a hopeful puppy eyes

“what?” he chuckled “You’re really good at marketing now huh..”

“Please.... remember... for a good cause” she’s now handing him three tickets without waiting for his answer

“Okay..” he sighed in defeat

“Jae” Yunho called Jaejoong. The two of them turned their heads towards Yunho, Yuri immediately bowed to greet him, Jaejoong approached him

“Yun... did you just arrive?” he asked looking at his watch “it’s still a bit early though”

“Yes I just did.... I know, I just don’t want to stay in my house and has nothing to go to so I decided to go here earlier... You can continue your work I’ll just wait here, Min is still in his office”

“No it’s okay I have nothing to do now”

They sat and started chatting and eating their dinner while waiting for Changmin. Yuri then suddenly popped out from their side...

“Excuse me... sorry to disturb you but... Yunho-sshi” she turned to Yunho. Yunho looked at her a bit surprised “Yes?”

Yuri smiled at him but before she could open “Do you know each other?!” Jaejoong asked looking really puzzled.

“Yup... were friends now, right?” Yunho answered, Yuri was taken aback a bit but nodded.

“Ahhmm... the kids.... in the orphanage will be having this fund raising show and will do some performances” Yuri paused “and they are selling these tickets for the show” she paused “I was wondering if... if you can buy some since.... you know those children?” she asked very slowly and shyly...

“Yah! Kwon Yuri... even Yunho couldn’t escape you huh?” Jaejoong suddenly said, Yuri just answered him with a smile and quickly shifting his focus back on Yunho

Yunho smiled... that’s the best he can do “O really?.... the kids didn’t tell me about that.... sure I’ll buy” he kinda sound not that interested though

“Really.... Thank you!” she bowed flashing her bright smile “How many?”

“Erm... maybe five? Is that enough?” he took out his wallet to pay her

“Yes.... thank you!” she hand him the tickets, bowed then turned her back to leave but she suddenly stopped and faced them a again raising her two thumbs up “Mr. Jung... Hwaiting!” then hurriedly run off to the kitchen. “What’s that for?” Jae asked dumbfounded, Yunho and Jae just chuckled with her cuteness...

____________________________________

Yuri is sitting in the bus stop waiting for the bus to come it’s almost midnight and she’s heading home from work, she was able to get off from work earlier today since there’s not much people in the club tonight so Jaejoong made her go home earlier although she’d rather stay in the club and work than stay at home and be eaten up by loneliness. Yuri really loves her job although that’s not really what she had wanted to be, she likes it and enjoy it, and it also serves as an escape for her in a way since she’s required to work from evening until dawn and sometimes even until early morning. It’s been years but Yuri still hates being alone in her apartment especially at night, she hates the deafening sound of silence, she hates eating dinner alone, sleeping alone, and doing all other things alone.... It’s not that she’s not used to it, she is... but sometimes she couldn’t help but feel being eaten up by loneliness and the pain that she had locked deep down inside her will suddenly burst out and attack her.

She was busy playing with her feet when a car suddenly stopped in front of her, she looked up and saw two men hop out of the car, she ignored them and look back down at her feet. The two guys approached and she actually half expected it though.

“Excuse me miss, aren’t you the bartender from Oasis?” one of them asked, Yuri ignored them as she put on her earphones. All these years that she’s working in a club and always goes home late she’s actually kind of used to this kind of things but of course she still couldn’t help but feel nervous and scared.

“Hey... can’t you see that we’re talking to you?” the other guy pulled her earphones from her right ear, she looked up and shoot the guy with a deadly glare but deep inside her, her organs are all shaking in fear, she noticed that they are drunk and that adds up to her fear.

She gathered all her courage though since she has no other choice, she stood up “Will you stop bothering other people’s life and just sleep with your drunken butts off?” she then turned and walk away, but one man grabbed her wrist making her flinch a little “Woah... what a fierce chic we have hear” Yuri tried to pull her arm from the man’s grip “Let go of me” she said coldly, she’s really scared now but she couldn’t show it she have to be strong and not show them any hint of weakness. She struggled to get the guy’s hand off of her

“Why don’t you come with us for a while.... it’s late now, we can drive you home” the guy grabbing her hand started pulling her “Let go!... I won’t come with you dirty erts!” both the guys are pulling her now making it hard for her to resist, she tried kicking them and resist them will her might but she’s to weak “Yah!... let me go.... I said let go!” she started screaming still struggling from them “Will you shut your ing mouth and just come with us!!” the guy said pissed and still pulling her forcing her to get in the car but she can’t let them she has to fight no matter what “where the hell is the freaking bus?”  she thought to herself. “Let me go... you -“

“Let her go.... now!” a cold mad voice was suddenly heard, the two guys stopped pulling and looked at where the voice came, Yuri also turned her head and saw Yunho standing few steps away looking all pissed and mad. “didn’r you hear me? I said put you filthy hands away from her” he said as he was walking near them, Yuri still struggling from the guys grip.

“tss... and who do you think you are huh?” one of the man asked, he let go of Yuri and started walking towards Yunho arrogantly “Me? I’m Jung Yunho... and you?” Yunho suddenly pointed a gun directly on the guy’s head making him stop and freeze on his place, the other guy immediately drop his hand off of Yuri and Yuri’s jaw dropped on the scene “Now... do you still want to continue this conversation or you’ll just run for your lives?” Yunho asked coldly, the two men hurriedly hop in their car and drove as fast as they can leaving the frozen Yuri and chuckling Yunho behind..

Yunho approach Yuri who’s still frozen in her place “Are you okay?” he looked at her bruised arms

Yuri snapped out “wh... why d... do you have...th...that?” she stuttered pointing to Yunho’s gun. Yunho chuckled “This?.... it’s fake I just found it in the car I think it’s Changmin’s”

“wh...what?!” Yuri couldn’t believe what she’s hearing “It’s fake... so get your senses back and let’s go I’ll take you home” Yunho grabbed her hand lightly and pulled her into his car. Yuri’s still in shock so she wasn’t able to respond and just followed Yunho.

The car is full of silence as they drive to Yuri’s home, Yuri wanted to say something but her mind couldn’t function well and Yunho is just waiting for her to get herself together and kept on glancing at her worried that she might be so shocked but he’s also wondering how she’s different from other girls, she’s expressionless that it’s hard for him to read her, he expected her to cry or faint or whatever other girls usually do but she didn’t she just stayed quiet and blank... “Are you okay?” he asked making Yuri wake up from her trance, she looked at him “Ahh... yes” she paused “Thank you so much... for helping me from those erts” she bowed to him “It’s okay.... why are alone at this hour?” he asked

Yuri looked at him and chuckled “I’m always alone” sadness can be heard from her voice making Yunho feel guilty for asking that “I was on my way home and was waiting for the bus to arrive”

“Ahh... I see... next time you should bring pepper spray or whatever kind of protection” Yunho looked at her bruised wrists again “You have bruises let’s buy medicine first” Yuri looked at her wrists and realized how bruised it is and pain started to hit her “Ani... it’s okay I have them at home” she said while examining her arm “Are you sure?” Yuri just nodded

“Do you always go home alone?... I mean... don’t you have someone to accompany you like... Hyemi?” yunho asked curiously “Sometimes we go together but most of the time it’s just me” Yuri answered honestly “then.... Isn’t it hard like... like what happened earlier?”

“Ahh... actually encountering that of things and people is not the first time... Of course you can expect that given how late we always go home but I think what happened earlier was the worst of all... thank God you came” she said with a thankful smile “then how do you... I mean what do you usually do when you encounter those... don’t you feel scared?” he asked

“I do... all the time but I can’t show it to them I have to be brave and fight cuz no one will fight for me except me... right? I can’t expect anyone to help me I have to handle it on my own so what I do is I act brave and don’t show any himt of fear at all then I fight and yell at them... and it’s usually effective except now” Yunho suddenly felt a sense to protect her, he saw another side of Kwon Yuri again the strong and independent one... but he can’t help but feel bad for her cuz he knows that she’s like this because she has to, she has no other choice but to be brave and independent because she has no one to depend to than her own self. But she’s a girl, how hard could it be for her living and struggling on her own? She look so fragile but how come she’s this strong?

“Is that thing really fake?” Yuri asked breaking the silence and waking Yunho up from his thoughts “Yeah... it looks real right?” he chuckled “really does look real... I was so shocked seeing point it on that man’s head... I can forget their faces they were so scared that they could pee on their pants and run and hide under their mother’s skirt” Yuri said as the two of them laughed on the thought “Aren’t I a good actor?” yunho asked between his laugh. Yuri gave him a two thumbs up “Daebak!”

“Yuri-shi...” Yunho suddenly became serious, Yuri looked at him “Erm... About the thing I asked you when we were in the orphanage?” Yuri smiled at him remembering and knowing what exactly he is saying

“Look for it.... time heals.... and there’s always an answer and a way to everything you just have to believe... remember, you wouldn’t really live past it cuz it was... she was the greatest part of you she maybe half of you and half of you is gone now but, there’s still the other half and it’s still alive and you have to make it take over to make you whole again”

Yunho looked at her sincerely and she looked back and saw something in his eyes.... was she able to give him hope now? Is that a glint of hope she sees in him?

“Help me” he said looking straight into her eyes “please...”

“Actually I really don’t know and I don’t really have any kind of formula or way to help you cuz no matter what, no matter how much help we give you... it’s still in you, you’re still the one that will decide and lead your life” She looked at him looking for the hope she saw in him that time “I can only promise you one thing” she said seriously, Yunho looked at her “I can promise to be your friend, I’ll support you and accompany with every step you take and every decision you make.... and I promise to stay by your side until you’re whole again cuz like what I said there’s no easy way and there are no shortcuts in this...... that is if you’re okay with it?”

“Why do I feel like you understand me so much... and do you know how much hope you have given me with all your words?” Yunho said looking at her “Thank you Yuri-ah!”

“Then.... chingu?” Yuri flashed a bright smile and extend her right hand for a handshake which yunho gladly took

“Chingu...” he answered and patted Yuri’s head. Somehow her genuine smile added to the blocks she is helping him build in his heart to cover up the hole and make him whole again...

“And then he gives me a smile that just seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me.” 

― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

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