Jongdae felt his head spinning and the pain belatedly crushing down at full force. He touched his lips. He was bleeding.

Ume stood, frozen to the ground and Kyungsoo started to speak, voice strangely calm. 

"Don't touch her." 

"Kyungsoo-ah..."  Ume muttered. Kyungsoo moved a step closer to her. 

Jongdae gave a dry laugh.

"So.. this is what it is?" His voice gravelled as he slowly got up from the ground.

Kyungsoo responded by shuffling even nearer to Ume, forming a half barricade between them. Ume subsequently hiding her face behind him.

Jongdae swallowed bitterly. He hadn't expected Ume to react this way.

It's like he lost even before he began the fight.

"You-- " he nodded to Kyungsoo, whose eyebrows had knitted into a scowl and stance defensive in case he tries anything again.

"Treat her well...  For me." Jongdae wiped off the blood on the back of his hand and slipped away. 

Ume released the breath she had been withholding. 

Kyungsoo heard her exhalation and shifted his attention to her. "Are you alright?"

Ume nodded, not daring to meet his eyes. Kyungsoo didn't question further. 

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When they got back to the table, Ume must still looked dazed, cos Chanyeol immediately noted: "Sam, what's wrong?"

Kyungsoo peered at the dumbfounded Ume and spoke up. 

"She.. isn't feeling too well." 

Baekhyun glanced behind them questioningly. Kyungsoo hastily explained, "Jongdae hyung just left. He had something on." 

"Ah... so fast? He didn't even say goodbye..." Baekhyun whined, drinking up the last of his orange juice.

"I- I have to go too." Ume finally found her voice. She picked up the box with the bracelet and her laptop. 

"I'll send her home." Kyungsoo said quickly and grabbed the bear. "She's going to need help with these and it's better if someone can see her home in this state." He peeked at Ume.

"It.. it's okay..." Ume started, but Baekhyun interrupted. "Yea, that's a good idea. D.O-ah, send her home safely. Ume noona, you must visit us soon okay?" Baekhyun pleaded smilingly. "Watch us well!" Chanyeol chirped. 

"I will, don't worry." Ume smiled.

_________________

The two of them didn't speak much on the way back. When Ume flicked on the lights of her small apartment, she turned towards Kyungsoo and took over the bear.

"Thanks." There was something more in her voice than purely thanking him for the trip home. She was grateful for Kyungsoo's interception at the cafe.

Kyungsoo lowered his head shyly, biting his lip. "Ah...It's okay. Will you be... alright?" When he looked at Ume again, she felt her prepared goodbye waylaid at the edge of her lips.

Don't.

Ume.

You can't.

"Do you want to.. come in?" 

She said it anyway.

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