Minho tapped his car GPS and impatiently waited for Krystal to appear from the convenience store. He had been restlessly waiting for her all week ever since she broke out of the school. He wondered why she didn't return back to Taemin's house to sleep. When Minho asked Taemin about it, he had no clue why either. The both of them were very worried, but knew it was too suspicious to force anything upon her. He watched her from afar as she stepped out of the store. She swung the bag of snacks in one arm and carefully counted the change in her hand. He saw that she only had around 10,000 won left. Krystal had gotten skinnier since he last seen her staying at Taemin's house. He didn't think it was possible for her to get any ghost looking. Yet, she still looked beautiful.

She didn't get to pocket the change until a man from out of nowhere snatched it out of her hand and tried to make a run for it. Krystal shouted desperately and ran after the man. Minho knew there was no way she could catch up, especially when she looked like she lacked nutrition. He took the keys out of the car's ignition and stepped out of his car. His coat flapped behind him as he ran in the speed of light towards Krystal and the pickpocket. He felt his eyes tearing because his eyes were so large to begin with and he was running really fast.

People were cursing and pointing at the three of them as they knocked passerbys to the side.

“ THIEF! THEIF! HE STOLE MY MONEY!,” he heard Krystal cry up ahead. He realized that she hadn't stopped for a second to catch her breath or slow down. On the other hand, the man who stole her change realized that he stole from the wrong person this time. This person was too fast for him. He tripped over a crack on the sidewalk and collided into a foot cart. Covered in spicy rice cake, people all around were laughing in ridicule at him. He tried getting up and escaping, but Krystal was faster than him. She kicked him in the stomach over and over again. Minho was shocked as he watched from behind. He was still gasping for air but Krystal was too busy being angry to notice that she just ran 15 blocks just to get back 10,000 won.

“ Do kick you kick have kick any kick shame kick in kick stealing kick from kick a high kick schooler?,” she gritted kicking him repeatedly in the side. “ You have no idea how hard it is for me. This is the only money I have left. GIVE IT BACK.”

The man was too frightened for words but shakily went through his pockets and wriggled out her 10,000 won. Krystal snatched it from his hands and saw the crowd that formed. They were all looking at her scandalized.

“ Omo. So violent for a high schooler.”

“ Dont look daughter. Such bad influence.”

“ Somebody help that poor man up. Its only 10,000 won. Why is she so upset?”

Krystal looked as if she was ready to pounce on a new victim so Minho decided it was his time to appear. He enclosed his comforting hand on her shoulder and she turned around to see that it was him.

To his surprise, she had tears in her eyes and they were glaring her down with the most hatred he ever seen her with. It was painful to see her like this.

“ Get your hand off me,” she sniffed wiping her nose with her sleeve. “ I dont want to see you.”

She was going to walk off again, away from him. He quickly blocked her path and cocked his head.

“ Why are you crying?,” he asked her, bringing his hand slowly down to her own hand. However, she rejected him coldly.

“ I said I dont want to see any of you. What dont you understand? Come stalk me another day,” she cried running away.

Any of you? Stalk?

What was she talking about?

Minho ran after her. He wasn't going to lose her this time or watch her from afar.

“ Let me buy you something hot,” he begged. She stopped walking and saw her fingers curl.

“ Why? Because I'm charity? That I can't take care of myself anymore so I have to live off people for money and food?”

Minho was at a loss for words. He didn't know why he wanted to treat her to food. Was it because he saw her sorry state?

“ No. I want to take care of you. I I...I like you,” he blurted.

Krystal scoffed. “ Is this a game to you? Am I a game to you? Like. Do you even know what that means?”

“ I'm still concerned for you either way. Listen to me and come with me. Let me take care of you. You know you need it.”

Krystal looked down at the 10,000 won in her hand and knew he was right. This was her only offer of help. But she also had her pride. What was she going to do?

“ Here. Eat this,” he said wrapping her a lettuce wrap filled with meat. She took it gratefully and stuffed it into without a second bite. Guess she was really hungry.

“ Slow down. Take a drink.” He handed her a cup of water and she chugged it likewise without a second breath.

“ Have you been eating?,” he asked her.

She shook her head.

“ Have you been sleeping?,” he asked her. She shook her head again. 

“ Didn't you have a place to stay? I'm pretty sure you did,” he said as a matter of fact.

“ Left,” she simply answered.

“ Why?”

“ Stayed past my visit,” she said.

“ I see....then you wanna stay at my place for the time being?”

“ And to keep you safe until I think of what to do and explain the truth without you flipping out?” he thought nervously.

“ Sure,” Krystal said, ready to test where his loyalties lied. She couldn't bear to get betrayed again, but she had to know the truth.

------

" Of course," Krystal said plainly, slapping her thighs in exclamation. " You're rich too!"

Minho had parked into a private lot and  the both of them entered Minho's house. He beckoned for her to sit down on the couch and she did.

" I don't think I can keep this from you any longer. I thought the less you knew the better off you would be but I dont think that works anymore. You're in danger."

Krystal stared back at him and folded her arms. They were finally getting somewhere towards the truth. However, she had no intentions in forgiving him.

" Elaborate."

" I'm part of an underground gang assocation and my group is called Shinee. There's the five of us and your brother was our leader before he ended up disappearing on us."

" What does it have to do with me?" 

" To put it in simple words, your brother has changed. I don't know what happened to him during his stay at the prison and afterwards but he isn't the same person anymore. He's after your life and told me and Taemin-"

Krystal stood up at Taemin's name and reached for the vase that was propped expensively on the shelf. 

" What about you and Taemin and my brother?," she roared, threatening to drop the vase if he dared to say the wrong thing.

" He's part of Shinee." 

" So you guys used me. You guys are using me."

She threw the vase it shattered into a million violent pieces against the wall. Krystal made a run for it past Minho but he was quicker. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.

" PUT ME DOWN. PUT ME DOWN," she screamed, kicking him in the stomach and continued to send him harsh punches on the back.

" NOT UNTIL I FINISH EXPLAINING MY STORY."

" DO I FEEL DEJAVU HERE? I DONT WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. LET ME DOWN!"

Her shrieking was like a loud poodle and Minho desperately wanted to put her down just so she could be quiet. He found his broom closet and threw her inside. Closing the door and locking her in before she could escape, he leaned against the door and felt the pounds of her fist bang against it.

" IM SCARED OF THE DARK WHY DID YOU PUT ME IN HERE?," she screamed, this time with fear in her voice.

" ILL LET YOU OUT WHEN I'M DONE."

There was things being kicked around and then silence.

" Okay. I'm going to sit here on this bucket like a good girl and listen. But afterwards you're going to let me out of here and feed me a nice bowl of ramen. Do we have a deal?"

Minho should have been on guard and realized that her voice was oddly calm and sugary, but he didn't take notice at the time.

" Me and Taemin have a theory that Onew is after your parent's fortune. He's been plotting your death for months and told us to handle it....but....things got in the way....and....you're still alive because we couldn't hurt you....we didn't want to hurt you. I don't know how you met Taemin and it doesn't matter but I can't keep the truth from you any longer. I like you and I want you to be safe. Please just go along with what I have to say and trust me when I tell you you have to trust me. I don't know what Onew is going to do next and who he's going to use against you...but...I like you...."

Silence.

" Yah! I said I like you!"

Minho put his ear against the door and didn't hear her. He unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing an empty closet and open window. ! HE FORGOT THERE WAS A WINDOW! He ran towards it and peeked his head out, seeing the trail of footprints leading away towards the high way.

" STUPID GIRL! I SAID YOU'RE NOT SAFE!," he screamed desperately out the window into the night.