Chen was resting with Luhan during their break when his phone suddenly vibrated. He looked at the caller ID.

"Why would Hyori noona call me at this time?" He asked Luhan, who shrugged back at him. Chen excused himself before picking up the call.

"Noona! Why are you calling? Aren't you in school now?"

Then, he heard her calling out his name. Her voice sounded weak and shaky. Chen froze.

"Noona, what happened?" He had replied in a sharp voice. Did her schoolmates bully her again? Just then, his worst fears were confirmed.

"I can't take it anymore." From the other end, he could hear Hyori crying. That made him numb. He knew Hyori wasn't the type to cry, and when she did, it worried him.

"Do you want me to wait for you at the park?" The words came out automatically.

"C-can you do that?" Hyori sniffed. I'll do anything for you, Chen thought.

"Yes. See you."

Chen went back in. He immediately went up to Young Deuk.

"Ssem, I have to excuse myself. It's an emergency," Chen said in a low voice. Young Deuk looked at him in concern. "What happened, Chen-sshi?"

"My noona's in trouble. She needs me now," Chen sounded tense. Young Deuk nodded. "But I'm not in charge of you this year. You have to tell that to him," he nodded over at GD. Chen shuddered.

"I'm .. scared," he said sheepishly. "And it's my first lesson with him too. He'll have a bad impression of me .." his voice trailed away.

Young Deuk smiled. "That man's not unreasonable. He may be a strict perfectionist but he is not unreasonable."

Chen nodded. "Okay."

"And Chen-sshi."

"Yeah?"

"I hope your noona will be alright."

"I hope so too."

Chen walked over to GD.

"Excuse me, GD seongsengnim," he began in a timid voice. GD gave a friendly smile. "It's Chen right? You have great vocals," he praised. Chen felt elated at the same time he's mentally breaking down.

Chen smiled. "Kamsahamida, seongsengnim. May I ask a favour from you?"

GD smiled and nodded. "Go on, kiddo."

Chen took another deep breath before hurrying on. "Can I be excused from training now? My noona's in trouble and she really needs me." He bit his lip and looked down, afraid to see his idol's reaction. "I'm really sorry, seongsengnim. I will make it up to you by practicing even harder due to the time lost. I promise. But please let me go to my noona."

There was a pause.

"Look at me, Chen-sshi," GD's gentle voice caused Chen to feel slightly relieved. He looked up, and saw GD giving him a really warm smile.

He squeezed Chen's shoulder. "Go on, but remember your promise to me."

Chen looked confused for a moment. Then, comprehesion drawn on his face. "Oh! Yes seongsengnim! Thank you!" He bowed before saying a quick goodbye to Luhan and his friends and left.

This time, he was going to get an answer from Hyori. Whether she likes it or not.

*

After Hyori had hung up, she tended to her wounds. She washed her face and combed her hair with her fingers. She'll be meeting Chen soon. She needed Chen. She can't explain why she needed him so badly, she just had to. She had to leave, even though it was still school hours. She had to-

"My dear, what happened to you?"

Hyori turned. There was the school's admin, gaping at her. Her facial expression mirrored Hyori's for a moment. What was an admin all the way from downstairs doing at the highest floor of the school?

Then, Hyori quickly turned away, rubbing her puffy eyes. "It's nothing, Madam Lee. I fell."

Even to Hyori it sounded like a feeble lie. Madam Lee frowned and walked up to her, gently turning Hyori around and cupped her chin so that her face tilted upwards, and she gasped.

"You didn't fall! Your bruises and wounds look like you got hit!"

Hyori averted her eyes, her lips trembling. "It's alright, I'm fine-"

"Miss, you're the opposite of fine. Has someone been bullying you?"

Hyori felt suffocated by the endless questions. "I'm seriously fine, I need to be somewhere-"

"What's your name?"

"You don't have to know!" Hyori flared up. "Dammit, who do you think you are, my mom?! Let go of me, I have to be somewhere now!"

Madam Lee paused. She had to change tactics. "At least let me clean up your wounds first. Then you're free to go."

Hyori fell silent. Madam Lee took it as a yes and lead her out to her office, gently holding her hand.

*

"You're unique, Park Hyori-sshi (Hyori had unwillingly given her name to Madam Lee). Usually most girls can't stand the sting when I apply antiseptic on their wound," Madam Lee complimented. Hyori gritted her teeth. "I've had worse."

As Madam Lee continued dabbing and pasting bandaids on her wounds, she scrutinized Hyori's face. She had a pretty face, but her eyes were filled with sadness and pain. She wondered what might have caused this.

"I'm done," Madam Lee announced as she stuck the last plaster before getting up. She headed to her fridge and pulled out a chocolate bar.

"Here, have it, you'll feel better," she smiled. Hyori took it gratefully and began nibbling on it. Then she remembered, she had to meet Chen.

"Ahjumma, is it alright if I leave now?"

Madam Lee smiled. "But I have to call your mom."

Hyori froze mid-chew. She shook her head quickly and gulped the bit of chocolate that's in . "My mom can't know-"

"My dear, when you get home, your mom will see the wounds. You have to tell her the truth sooner or later. Plus I need a parent's signature before you can leave. And I want to help you too, Park Hyori-sshi. You're just starting your first year here and you've already been bullied."

Hyori remembered quite clearly she didn't tell Madam Lee she was bullied, but Madam Lee knows it all.

"I can help you, if you're willing to let yourself be helped," she continued kindly. Her tone was way different from the tone she used on Hyori back at the toilet.

Hyori sighed. She knew what Madam Lee said was true. "Please make it quick." As she gave her mom's number to Madam Lee, she realised whether she liked it or not, she had to tell the truth to her mom. She gulped. It's not going to be pretty. But she couldn't stand the pain anymore. And Madam Lee looked really concerned and willing to help her.

While Madam Lee was on the phone with her mom, Hyori sent a text to Chen.

- I'm sorry, I might be late. I'm at the general office now. Mom's heading there.

A few minutes later, Chen replied.

- I ran into her. We're going there together.

Hyori's lower lip trembled again.

*

Double update because someone's not happy that I ended my prev chap with a cliffhanger! (Says the person who ALWAYS ends her chapters with a cliffhanger :P)

YGFamily97, considering your username, ofc you'll love that part (; & thank you!

P.S: I cried when I saw this. Credits on the picture. BUT OMG. WHY.

OH OH OH BTW GD'S COMING TO SINGAPORE FOR HIS 1ST WORLD TOUR OMG WHOOOOOOOOOO! <3