As soon as you get home, you take a freezing cold shower. As the water soaks through your hair and numbs your senses, your mind flashes back to the scene behind the school. Had Kris missed you as much as you had missed him? Had he cared at all? It hadn't seemed like it...

Your mind flashes to a more violent image and a cold shiver goes down your back. Finally feeling the temperature in the shower, you shut it off and head to your room with a towel around you, bare-foot.

As you're drying your hair, your phone's message-alert sounds and the doorbell rings simultaneously. You grab your phone and run downstairs, forgetting you're wearing nothing but a semi-transparent nightgown.

The text reads, “OMO!” Raising your eyebrows, you check the sender and absentmindedly unlock the door. The door is flung open as you realize Jinyoung had sent you the cryptic text.

 You look up to see Chen standing in the doorway, gripping the door frame and panting hard. “Can-can I come-,” he starts, but you quickly usher him inside and shut the door.

As you force Chen to sit down, you realize he's in a bad state. His pants are ripped at the knees and his palms are scraped and bleeding.    

“Omo!” You gasp. “Chen, what happened to you?”

Your fingers start to tremble and you make an effort to steady them. Chen starts to speak but you cut him off.

“Wait here, I'll get the first-aid kit!” You call over your shoulder as you rush to the washroom.

Chen shouts back, “Did you think I'd be going anywhere?”

You return with the kit and get down on your knees in front of Chen to examine his knees. “You fell a lot, hmm?” You remark. “What even happ-,” you then see that the cuts extend farther up Chen's legs and you gasp again.

“Chen, take off your pants.” You order, then realizing the innuendo, blush madly. “I mean- I- never mind. Keep your pants on.” You make the mistake of looking up at Chen. He's gazing at you lovingly and you feel your face warm slightly.

You quickly turn your attention back to his wounds and apply disinfectant with a cotton ball and a pair of tweezers. You dab gently, but Chen cringes slightly every time the solution touches his skin. You get the feeling that he's holding back, but he doesn't say a word.

In between dabs, you sneak a glance at him. His eyes are closed, teeth gritted, eyebrows slightly furrowed. You feel bad for his pain, and you blow gently on his cuts. You then remember what you had been coming to ask him.

“Oh, Chen...what happened to you?” He looks down at you, and you take his hands in yours. You look at them, taking in the scratched, the peeling, and the bloody.

Suppressing a shudder, you start to apply disinfectant to his hands. You look back up at him.

“Well?” You press.

He grins sheepishly. “I was being chased.”

You look up at him sharply.

“By who?” You inquire.

Chen looks embarrassed. “Not by who, but by what.” He corrects you.

You blow gently on his right hand and reach for a bandage. You wait silently for him to continue. And continue he does.

“I was on my way here, to tell you something important.” You nod. “And then I saw a big dog. It was really big. But it was really handsome!”

You look up at him quizzically. “A handsome dog?” You ask.

He smiles and shrugs. “Yes, a handsome dog. So, you know how I love animals...”

You almost laugh aloud. Chen loved animals, but animals absolutely despised Chen. It was quite the sad love story, really.

“Of course, I went over to the dog, thinking it was chained up to the owner's house or similar. But as I went to pet it, more dogs came from behind it -they must have been its family. Then as I got closer, the big dog barked at me, then pounced on me. It bit me really hard. Of course, I ran and all the other dogs followed. I fell down a couple of times, but since I was already on my way here, I decided to just come here.”

You try to quash your amusement, but a bubble of laughter escapes your lips. Then you burst out laughing. Chen grins at you, and then joins in your laughter. Your laughter echoes around the room, and then Chen's laughter subsides into whimpers of pain.

For a split second, you can't help but think how ual he sounds. You mentally slap yourself before you can conjure up an image of Kris.

“Sorry!” You gasp as you realize you've spilled disinfectant all over his hand. “Oh my gosh, stay right here, ne?”

You run out of the room as Chen calls, “So where exactly do you think I'll go?”

 You come back with a roll of paper towels, and you rip one off and press it into his hand to soak up the excess disinfectant. Chen moans as you press the towel to his wound. You look up at him to see his eyes are wide and watering.

“Aw, don't cry, Chen.” You coax. “I'm so sorry, almost done now...” You trail off as you realize that most of the disinfectant had dripped off his hand and was soaking into the upper area of his pants.

You blink twice. Then you reach for another paper towel. Just as you press the towel to Chen's upper thigh, he catches your hand. You look up, surprised.
He regards you with a face of raw, unrestrained passion. And as you continue to stare into his eyes, you see sadness.

“you, will you ever see me as a man?” Chen says sadly.

You feel a rush of empathy towards him, his boyish features tugging at your heart. You place a hand over his.

“Chen, I do see you as a man. Just...not...a lover.” You reply with a small smile. Chen's heartbroken expression has your heart twisting and wringing itself out.

All of a sudden, his expression changes. He brings his face close to yours.

“Do you realize...how enticing you look right now?” He whispers. 

>.< Thank you for all your lovely comments!!! I appreciate them so much!! so much support~<3 Feel free to leave another, you~

...double update tonight because...this was originally one long chapter, but it was too long...therefore...this. argh fail explanation 

OTL is the main girl moving too quickly? 

bunnyxwarrior: you got it right! lol next chapter, you'll see...

[no chapter preview because of the double update \(^o^)/]