http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_x2j8sLRQ&feature=related

Teen Top- Clap

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The school day ended.

After a mini-celebration with her staff in the office, Sohee packed up and headed home. She reached the gate and was blocked by somebody. Sohee cut short and looked up.

“Ready, ssem?” Niel asked with a sly glint in his eyes.

“Ready for what? Why didn’t you go home?” Sohee asked, clueless.

Niel rolled his eyes. “Are you sure you’re turning twenty-four and not one hundred and four? Your memory kinda , ssem. I told you I had a gift for you, remember?”

*Oh yeah. The gift!* “Daniel, you don’t have to get me anything. I know of your…circumstance-“

“I already got it, but I left it at home.” He shrugged. “Home?” She blinked.

“Come with me. I’ll give it to you at my house.” Niel grabbed her wrist. Sohee held back. “What about your dad?”

“He’s not usually home during the daytime. Come on!” Niel impatiently dragged her away.

Limply, Sohee followed him. Her mind was blank and dizzy. Whenever she was with Niel, she forgot about the boundry between a teacher and a student. The line became hazy, and she couldn’t tell the difference between a platonic relationship and a romantic one.

Before she knew it, they were in front of his house.

Niel paused by the doorway. He wanted to double check before he let her come inside. Niel unlocked the front door and poked his head inside. The coast was clear. His father wasn’t home, like he had predicted. *Bastard is probably wasted at a bar somewhere.* Niel looked back and flashed a smile. “Come in, ssem.”

Cautiously, Sohee stepped inside. She remembered being in here, and the memory was not pleasant. In fact, she had been traumatized. The only thing that was preventing her from running out the door was the fact that Niel was by her side. In his presence, she felt comfort and secure.

“Let me find your gift.” Niel went into his room.

Sohee looked around the soiled place.

The stench of cigarettes and alcohol lingered in the air. She didn’t feel safe being in the living room alone, so she scurried after Niel. She poked her head into his messy room. Clothes were strewn everywhere along with open packages of ramen and empty cans of soda. Sohee picked up one of the packages of ramen and looked at Niel worriedly. “Is this what you eat every day?” He glanced back and shrugged. “Mostly, but I eat out with my friends, too. Now where is that damn thing?”

Niel rummaged through his drawers, searching for her gift. He had safely tucked her gift into his drawer so that his father couldn’t find it. *Damn! Where’d it go?!*

“Is something wrong?” Sohee asked.

Niel cursed incoherently as he yanked out his sweaters and reached into his drawer.

*He’s making an even bigger mess. It looks like a tornado came in here.* Sohee sighed and shook her head.

Both of them heard the front door open, and they stiffened. Sohee and Niel looked at each other in horror.

“Your dad?” She whispered. He held one hand out and put a finger to his lips.

Carefully, he treaded over to the door and peeked out. His face turned pale. *! What the hell is that man doing home at this ungodly hour?! ! This isn’t good! If he catches ssem, he’ll hurt her again.*

Niel strode towards Sohee.

“It’s your dad, right?” She asked. He didn’t reply.

Instead, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her to his closet. Niel yanked open the door of his closet and practically shoved her inside.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” Sohee hissed.

Niel put a hand over with a somber expression. “You make a sound, and both of us are dead. Stay here until I come back for you.” He paused then fearfully whispered, “No matter what you hear…no matter what you see…don’t come out.” She opened to refute, but he held her gaze. “I’m serious. Don’t.” With a warning look, he shut the closet door.

Sohee bit her bottom lip in anxiousness. What did he mean by not coming out if she heard or saw something? Did he know the wrath he had to suffer?

Sohee slightly opened the closet door and peeked out.

Niel tossed his clothes on the bed and headed towrads the door. It flung open, and he stepped back in alarm. Sohee’s body tensed and tightened as Mr. Ahn approached him. She could tell he was intoxicated by t