Dara was afraid to go home. She didn't want to face her father. She didn't want to explain anything to him. Because she knew what his reaction would be.

Dara didn't do anything wrong. The little seven year old wasn't trying to hide a bad grade from her appa or a teacher's notice for bad behavior. No. Dara was one  of the best students in her class, behavior and academic wise. She wasn't scared for herself. She was scared for the other children. The ones that pushed and pulled her hair. The ones that left bruises on her face, arms and legs. 

Children at school didn't like her very much. They knew who her father was. Everyone did. Her father had made sure everyone knew. He wanted people to be too scared to even think about laying a finger on his baby girl's head. But it honestly only did the opposite. Children her age and a couple years older didn't understand that concept yet. All they knew was that Dara's appa hurt their appa and they would take it out on her because they could. 

At age seven, Dara didn't know how to protect herself. She was a weak little girl who only knew how to hide. Her appa never wanted to teach her anything because he didn't want to drag her into that kind of lifestyle. So he left her defenseless, figuring his name alone should be enough to protect her. 

This had happened before. The last time it happened, she never heard from those boys again. She heard the teachers say they were forced to move. That they were threatened. And although Dara was still fairly innocent, she knew what that meant. She didn't want that to happen to anyone else again. She didn't want others getting hurt because of her. She wouldn't be able to bear it. 

"Dara?" a sweet voice called out to her. 

The small girl was reluctant to raise her head. She didn't want to reveal the bruises that trailed from her cheek to her chin. She didn't want to show her red eyes from all her tears or her ugly running nose. 

"Go away, Tabi..."

She knew it was Seunghyun. He was the only real friend that she had. Sometimes she wondered if it was just because his father worked for hers. She used to wonder if he was forced. Maybe he was at first but it didn't always feel like it. Tabi was nice to her. He wasn't scared of her and he didn't shy away from her because of her appa. He was a real friend. But right now, she didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk to anyone. 

"Dara... Are you okay? What happened?" 

Dara could hear the crunch of the sand under his neon colored Nikes. She frowned as she turned the swing around so she was no longer facing him. She didn't want to have to explain it because she knew she would start crying. Just because she didn't want the kids that bullied her to get hurt didn't mean their bullying didn't hurt. All Dara ever wanted was friends. She wanted to have a group to sit with an eat with at lunch or play with at recess. But none of the kids wanted to even talk to her. 

"Dara." Tabi said again, more commanding than before as he turned the swing around and made her look at him. 

His eyes widened at his best friend's condition. 

Crying. 

Beaten. 

Broken. 

"Dara... what happened?"

The broken seven year old looked up at her best friend. Tears built in her eyes and her bottom lip trembling with a pout. A choked sob left her lips and she shook her head. "T-they hit me.. and pushed me.. and kicked me. They yelled about Appa and how they hated them and me. And how I was no good and should just disappear.. T-tabi.. Should I really? Should I really just disappear?" 

Seunghyun's eyes widened. He was shocked and infuriated by the words of Dara's classmates. Sweet little Dara. His best friend Dara. He had never seen her cry like this. Sure, she would cry when she was scared of the dark or when her Appa didn't come home when he promised and she was scared something had happened to him. But this... This was completely different. 

Seunghyun shook his head as he took Dara's face in his hands, squeezing her squishy cheeks together. 

"No! You can't disappear! You just can't! I'll be too lonely without you. Who are those kids!? I'll kick their butts and make them apologize!" 

He was trying his very best to be strong and brave. He was trying to be his best friend's knight in shining armor. 

But the fact of the matter was... Seunghyun was as intimidating as a teddy bear. He had as much training in self-defense as Dara did, which was minimum. He knew how to scream and run if anyone tried to take him. 

The image of her Tabi trying to beat up those mean bullies at school was honestly kind of funny to Dara. Her face twisted and she started laughing, making Seunghyun pout and flush softly. 

"T-tabi! You're funny!" she said between her giggles. 

Even if it was at his expense, Seunghyun was glad Dara was no longer crying. He couldn't stand to watch her cry. It made him want to do the same. 

She wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand and sniffled. She smiled up at Tabi, her signature bright smile that Seunghyun rather enjoyed seeing. "Thanks, Tabi." 

"For what?" he asked as he kicked the sand. "I didn't do anything.." 

"For being my best friend in the whole wide world, silly!" 

At that, Seunhyun couldn't help but smile. Her best friend in the whole wide world, huh? He could live with that for now. He turned and rubbed the back of his neck so Dara wouldn't see his blushing face. "Stupid.. of course I'm your best friend. Now come on before your appa sends everyone out looking for you.." he mumbled as he held his hand out for Dara to take. 

The seven year old smiled and took her best friend's hand as she jumped off the swing. "Kay!" 

From that moment on, Seunghyun made a vow to himself. 

He would become strong just like the men Dara's appa hired. 

So next time anyone wanted to lay a hand on Dara, 

they would have to go through him first.