Joon’s POV:

 

“Yea…mmm…okay…” I mumbled half asleep as Cheondoong tried to get my attention. He was violently shaking me and yelling into my ear, but I was too tired to care.  I kept tossing and turning until I tossed myself right off the edge of the bed.

 

“Damn. It,” I muttered as I rubbed my back. 

 

“What the hell is so important you have to-”

 

“You’re late for work,” he stated bluntly.

 

“!” I leaped up and sprinted to the bathroom to get ready, I heard the chuckles from the other room. 

 

“Why are you all laughing? School? SCHOOL?” I shouted, but it was ineffective as they continued their laughter until I ran outside the apartment. 

 

“Oh ha ha, it’s so funny. Pfft, idiots,” I murmured to myself as I ran quickly down the stairs. I dashed outside the building and down the road to the little café. 

 

“Ooh~ Someone’s gonna get it~” Jinyoung teased.

 

“What do you mean someone’s gonna-”

 

“JOON.” A loud shout was heard from the back of the shop.

 

“I should have expected this. I should have-”

 

“JOON!”

 

“COMING!” I yelled back, and I made my way hurriedly to the other room where Manager Hyo Jin was waiting for me with crossed arms.

 

“Heh…hey!” I said sheepishly.

 

“Hey? HEY? JOON. YOU ARE AN HOUR LATE!” She bellowed, I just cringed at her booming voice and she sighed, laying her hands on my shoulders.

 

“With how distracted and off you’ve been, I’m surprised I haven’t fired you yet.” I wasn’t making eye contact with her, I felt it would haunt me if I looked into her ‘angry eyes.’

 

“But…CheolYong has taken a liking to you I think,” she confessed smiling.

 

“Who?”

“Mir.”

 

“His name is…Cheol Yong? I thought his name was Mir…”

 

“Well, he doesn’t like being called by his real name. Just like ByungHee, and you CHANGSUN,” she teased while ruffling my hair.

 

“ALRIGHT. Haha noona please. I got it. I’m sorry I was late, I slept in because of the festival. It was…an interesting night,” I told her embarrassingly.

 

“Whatever. Just get to work,” she walked away from me and I stood there by myself awkwardly. I strolled out from the back room and met eyes with the one and only.

 

“Ah…Mir. Were you on time today?” I asked.

 

“Me? Yes. But you wouldn’t know since you’re an hour late,” he said with a grin.

 

“Get to work,” I shot back. He just stood there mocking me with his evil little smirk. Stupid kid. I eyed him as he was cleaning around the shop and counters. The way he was so concentrated in petty tasks was kind of intriguing. How can anyone enjoy doing something so insignificant?

 

“Is there something on my face or…” He questioned as he waved his hand in front of my face. I scoffed and turned back around to the register. I could basically feel that little smirk of his grow on his face. Not soon after some girls came in for a couple coffees.

 

“Hey, you’re pretty cute…” One said shyly. I winked at her before they started to leave.

 

“Oh wait, you forgot this,” I told her. She walked back up to me confused as I handed her a piece of paper.

 

“Don’t forget okay?” She laughed and left with her friends right after.

 

“What the hell was that?” Mir asked me, clearly irritated.

 

“What?” I asked sarcastically.

 

“Well…that whole charade. That definitely isn’t the Joon I know,” he finished proudly.

 

“Who is the Joon you know? CHEOL YONG?” He just glared at me with those eyes. He was piercing my soul with those orbs of his.

 

“Okay that’s enough,” he quickly began to ignore me and just busied himself with his trivial duties. I could only giggle at how much he hated his actual name.

 

“Changsun.”

 

“Hm?” He hummed, still not turning to face me.

 

“My name, it’s Changsun,” I admitted. I felt his smile despite the fact that his back was facing me.

 

“I don’t care,” he replied quickly.

 

“Alright then.” The conversation ended at that and the day went by extremely slow. The time finally arrived when my friends were to show but they never did.

 

“Hey, where are the others?” Jinyoung asked curiously.

 

“Beats me. I guess I’ll call them now.” I dialed Seungho’s number and no answer, same with G.O’s. Lastly, I called my one and only Cheondoong.

 

“HYUNG! WE WON’T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, SORRY!” He screamed. I heard loud noises and music in the background. Were they having fun without me?

 

“Fine fine. I get it…yep…alright. Okay. See you later. Love you too, bye,” I hung up swiftly and tossed my work clothes on the counter. I could sense Mir looking at me.

 

“Is there something on my face or-” I smirked at him and started to leave.

 

“Oh ha ha. You’re a real funny one aren’t you,” he stuck out his tongue and I started to leave. Soon I felt a hand on my shoulder. Mir was stopping me.

 

“Hey.”

 

It was silent for awhile.

 

“So…”

 

“What is the matter with you?” I finally asked.

 

“What?”

 

“Do you have bi-polar disorder?”

 

“No.”

 

“Multiple personalities?”

 

“Not that I know of.”

 

“Well then why are you an , and then a cute angel in a matter of seconds?” He looked at me awkwardly, like I had offended him. Maybe I did…

 

“I didn’t mean it in a rude way. I’m just interested, that’s all,” I added before I was slapped. But he didn’t hit me, he didn’t even shoot a remark back at me. I flinched when I saw him move a bit.

 

“I don’t know. Maybe because-”

 

*RING RING*

 

I looked at the caller ID.

 

“Cheondoong. Sorry I’ll have to talk later,” I fastened my pace and left a puppy faced Cheol Yong behind.

 

“Yea? What is it Doongie?”

 

“Seungho hyung is drunk. Help us carry him home please…”

 

I let out a loud sigh, “where are you?”

 

_____

 

 

“And this is why we don’t consume 200 gallons of alcohol Cheondoong,” I joked. We finally reached the bedroom and we plopped our elder down on the mattress. He was lifeless, and I now knew why I didn’t consume as much alcohol as him. He basically sweats liquor.

 

Someone’s stomach growled.

 

“Fine,” I stated and the other two jumped in happiness. We made our way into the kitchen and I cooked up some noodles and vegetables. After our quick dinner we sat down in front of the television and played video games. 

 

My phone went off once again.

 

“God damn it. HELLO?” I answered frustrated.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Yes? Can I help you?” I replied sarcastically.

 

“Yes…”

 

“Oh…Mir? Sorry I didn’t check the ID. Is something the ma-”

 

“Can you come back to the shop please?” He was so quiet, and something was clearly bothering him.

 

“Yea sure. Is everything okay?”

 

“Thank you…hurry. Please hurry,” with that he hung up. I quickly gathered my things and headed out.

 

“WAIT. WHERE ARE YOU GOING HYUNG?”

 

“OUT! DON’T STAY UP TOO LATE!” I yelled back, and slammed the door. I began to sprint to the café, I was a tad scared. What if something happened?

 

“CHEOL YONG?” I barged into the shop. Glass was broken, things knocked over, but what scared me the most was the blood.

 

“CH-CHEOL YONG?” I shouted again. I looked behind the counter to see a cowering Mir with a gashed cheek and bloody hand.

 

“Jesus Christ…what happened? Are you okay?” My voice was shaky and my hands were trembling.

 

“I-I stayed to clean and set up…everyone else left. I locked the door but…he broke the door window and he…” Silent cries came from the small kid below me. I gathered him in my arms and we stayed there for awhile.

 

“Did…did you call the police?” He shook his head. I internally sighed, how could he be so naïve? He was in danger and he called me instead.

 

“Alright. Give me a moment…” I stood up and walked away as I dialed the number for the police to come investigate. Afterwards, I strolled back over to Mir and helped him stand.

 

“I need to get you to a hospital. Your hand… what happened?” 

 

“He stabbed it.”

 

“Your cheek?”

 

“He ripped my skin with that stupid knife…”

 

“Mir…Cheol Yong, once the police arrive I’ll take you, I’ll-”

 

“No. I don’t want to go,” he said sternly.

 

“But you have to. You’re really hurt and-”

 

“Can’t you just do it? By yourself?” I looked at him with wide eyes. Myself? Treat his sliced and bruised skin? How was I supposed to do that.

 

“No, I’m sorry…” I confessed. He started to walk away from me.

 

“I’m not going. I don’t want strangers touching me,” I held onto his shoulders. And embraced him. The poor kid was traumatized and he didn’t even want to heal his wounds. I didn’t know what to do anymore with him.

 

Soon, the police arrived and asked Mir many questions and took out the surveillance tapes and said with luck they can get the criminal. They stayed to look around and I took Mir with me as we walked to the nearest hospital. His hand and cheek were dripping blood, and he seemed to ignore it. I took out some tissue and began to wipe his bleeding cheek and wrapped my scarf around his hand.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“You asked me to help you. So I’m doing all I can until we get there,” I told him with a small smile. He began to blush a little which caused a giggle that I tried to hide. We reached the ER and they took him in to get his hand bandaged up properly. But he dragged me in, despite the doctors telling him no.

 

After a couple hours his cheek was stitched up and his hand suitably bound. We walked out into the night in silence.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered.

 

“I cause you so much trouble, but you still help me. So for that…thank you.” I stopped and looked at him. He studied me and I pulled him in for another long embrace. Tears fell from my eyes.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. If I just would have stayed…” I suddenly felt arms hugging me back and a face nuzzle itself into my neck. We stayed like that for awhile. And it felt comfortable.

It felt warm.

 

_______

 

“My house is here…” He told me after walking for awhile.

“How about you stay with us tonight? J-just so I can make sure you’re okay,” I stuttered. 

 

“It’s just a hand, and a cheek. I’ll be fine,” he confessed. I pouted slightly and he changed his mind. “But if you insist.” 

 

We started to walk to my apartment when Hyo Jin called.

 

“What did she say?” Mir asked with a hint of guilt in his voice.

 

“We won’t have work again until the matter is sorted out and the shop is back to normal,” I answered.

 

He just hummed and I knew he felt horrible. “It isn’t your fault Mir. Let it go.”

 

He didn’t respond and the walk home was in silence. I quietly opened the door to find two sleeping gamers by the television. I walked over and turned off the TV and the system. I had Mir follow me into my room.

 

“Well since Cheondoong fell asleep out there you can sleep here,” I pointed to my bed.

 

“Is this your bed?” He asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you…share with Cheondoong?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Ah…” was all he said. I got some blankets and tossed them on the floor.

 

“Wh-what are you doing?”

 

“Sleeping on the floor. Why?”

 

“Why don’t you sleep in your own bed?”

 

“Cause you’re sleeping in it.”

 

“So?”

 

What was I to say to that? I just sighed and lied on the floor under the blankets.

 

“Good night Mir.”

 

It was silent for a long time, but I just couldn’t fall asleep. Suddenly a small voice pierced the silence.

 

“Hey…you still awake?”

 

“Yea.”

 

“I can’t sleep.”

 

“Me neither.” He sighed and I did too. I sat up to look at him and he turned his body towards me. 

 

“I was so scared,” he admitted. 

 

“I know.”

 

“I thought I was going to be killed. He just kept coming after me…he wouldn’t stop.” Tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

 

“Crying doesn’t suit someone like you.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Someone so thick and hardheaded. So don’t cry alright?” I told him proudly. He gave me a small smile, and that’s all I needed. I took his hand and set my head on the edge of my bed.

 

“Now…just go to sleep already,” I teased. He squeezed my hand tighter and closed his eyes. I’ve never watched anyone sleep before. But for some reason, I couldn’t help but stay awake to watch him. He was so peaceful, every bad bone in his body seems to leave when he sleeps. All the meanness and bad temperedness disappears and just leaves this little kid. This little kid who is full of life and energy and want. Someone who just needs someone else. 

 

I knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight.

 

_______________

 

A/N

So

yea

sorry T.T

A lot of dialogue in this chapter, but I needed it c;

Hope it was alright~

It's been awhile ONCE AGAIN T.T

I'm so horrible at updating l0l0l0l

I love each and every one of you.

Every comment makes me so happy, and every compliment makes me want to cry from how sweet you all are.

And even if 1 person votes up this story, that makes me extremely extremely happy to think someone finds it deserving enough.

So enough sap for today.

-Sorry for mistakes-

I love all of you~

Until next time

~Parkkimi