"Yongguk help me! Yongguk!"

You woke up immediately, clutching the sheets to your chest and looking wildly around the room. There was nothing to be frightened about, the dim light from the lamp had burned out, you recognized the smoky scent drifting in the room.  It must have been past dawn, faint sunlight creeping through the dark curtains of the double window.  Another nightmare, you sighed, collapsing back down onto the downy-filled mattress of swan feathers.

It had been a few weeks since Block B crew arrived at Nang port. Since the incident where you had unexpectedly fainted into Daehyun's arms, Yongguk refused to let you continue working nights at the bar.  

---

"The inn or the stockroom," he had said, sitting at your bedside after you had woken up.

"But Yongguk you need me there," you protested weakly. You weren't sick, certainly. It was just mental stress that you could overcome, right?

"There will be other girls entertaining men, a good distraction. If I need extra hands, it will be Zelo for a while."

"But Yongguk-"

"Yeon-ah," he softly spoke, placing his hand on your cheek.  "You aren't in any condition to work. I know how Captain Zico frightens you…"

Yongguk's eyes glinted with anger as he mentioned Captain Zico's name.  Indistinctively your hand rose to hold his, your delicate fingers intertwining with his large hands.

"He isn't frightening, just intimidating."

"You can't always be strong in front of me Yeon-ah.  When I saw you fall I just…" he trailed off, sighing. "You were lucky Daehyun and Youngjae were still standing around you. "

"Yongguk please let me work, it's the only thing I can do for you."

Yeon-ah, how I wish you knew, you do so much more for me, Yongguk thought as he let go of your hand and your hair.

"I'll let you come back at the end of the month, does that sound good? You will be well rested, your mind cleared from this mess. "

"Yes," you said, smiling despite being bedridden.  

"I care about you Yeon-ah.  If he bothers you again I swear I'll-"

"Yongguk?" you had locked hands with him again. He squeezed your hand lightly and rose from the chair.

"Rest well my love," he bent down to kiss your forehead softly, then left your room.  You never had gotten use to the way Yongguk referred to you as love or dear. It was difficult for a slave to accept such kindness, or affection. These days, Yongguk treated you even more kindly and more protective than ever. His voice echoed in your ears for hours before sleep washed over your body.  

"Rest well my love."

---

Yongguk decided rest was a good option, therefore you were now sleeping until past the rooster's crow, every now and then experiencing flashbacks through the night.  You knew Yongguk always left early in the morning, but something in your heart made you cry out for him.  A yearning, a call for help, and the feeling of being safe in his arms.

"Yeon noona! Is everything alright? May I come in?"

"You may come in," you grumbled, covering your head with the sheets.  It was rare for anyone in this household to sleep past the morning sunlight that now streamed through the curtains.

Jongup opened the creaking door, wearing nothing but loose pants as he hopped over to your bedside.

"Noona!"

"Are you not wearing a shirt again…"

"Oh! How did noona know?"

Because you always come into my room half-, you thought, sighing as Jongup left to find any upper garment he could wear. It was unsightly, really, for a boy his age to walk around with barely any clothes. The didn’t seem to think so, nor did the young lasses who flocked around the bar during the daytime. Any chance to see Jongup's glorious upper body as he flexed his muscles carrying shipment or repairing furniture.  They fawned over him, fanning each other, squealing when he winked at them. For Zelo, the girls had a similar, if not completely equivalent reactions.  His tall height complimented his younger features.  Even the village dogs followed him around. At least Zelo had the decency to wear clothes.

 To you, your dongsaengs didn't really need one of those girls. A sensible, suitable woman with morals would do them good. Then again, you reminded yourself it was not your place to speak, even with your older age.  Interrupting your thoughts, Jongup bounded back into room wearing bandages tied around his upper body.

"Jongup, you couldn’t find a shirt?"

"I had to come to noona right away! Wasn't noona having a nightmare earlier?"

"No I wasn’t," you sighed, sitting up and swinging your legs over the bed.

"Really? But I thought..oh well okay," Jongup slowly said, confused and scratching his head.

"Besides that noona, today Yongguk hyung gave me and Zelo the day off! Do you know what that means?"

"Ummm…" you pressed your lips together in thought as Jongup sat there, beaming. He was really excited, a boy who didn’t really speak most of the time was rattling off to you like an auctioneer.

"We're going out to the marketplace! Yongguk hyung even gave us more allowance!"

Yongguk giving the younger boys more spending money, you mused, opening the chest drawer and reaching for the ivory comb to brush your hair.

"How about that Yeon noona? I never get days off, I wonder what hyung was thinking."

I do too Jongup, you thought,  bit by bit weaving the comb teeth through layers of your dark hair. A slave that uses an ivory comb,  at first you had smiled at the thought of such a luxury.  Presently however the deeper intentions Yongguk thought about lingered in your mind. Jongup had stopped speaking, perhaps thinking you needed time to process the decision of attending the market festivities with him and Zelo.  

"Yeon noona?"

You put the comb back in the drawer, straightening your nightgown in the mirror.

"Yeon noona, you're pretty, even when you just wake up," Jongup commented behind you, his reflection a speck of his brown hair and smiling eyes.

"Don't say things like that Jongup-ah," you said as you touched the image of a skinny girl in the mirror, her eyes large, questioning the picture before her.  No, you are not a girl, you are not a person, you are slave by birth, the reflection's eyes saddened.  Yongguk treats me like a person though, you sighed, withdrawing your  hand.

"Yongguk hyung has good taste."

"What?"

"Don’t you know noona? Hyung, he really li-"

"NOONA!!"

Zelo burst open your door, his shoes clopping and fully dressed for the day.

"You're coming to the market with us right noona?" he took your shoulders and shook them slightly, his out-of-breath face causing you to laugh.  

In the end, these two made you forget about your pessimistic feelings.  Yes, a day in the marketplace.  There was no chance of meeting Captain Zico in such a cheerful place, would there?