Daehyun's POV~

 

My eyelids slowly lifted up to be welcomed by a bright light, blinding me. Once my eyes adjusted to the light, I scanned the room I was in to see a female standing besides me with her back faced me. 

 

"Hanbyul?" was the first person I thought of. 

 

"Hanbyul?" the woman asked and turned around. "It's your umma."

 

"U-umma? What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sit up but my mom gently pushed me back down. 

 

"Don't use too much of your energy," she softly smiled. "I was told that you were in the hospital, so I took a few days off. I was worried you'd never wake up."

 

"Never wake up?" I asked as she nodded. "How long had it been?"

 

"It's been 2 long days since you were in the hospital," she said, fixing the flowers in the vase. "By the way, who's Hanbyul? Your girlfriend?"

 

"No, she's just a friend," I said with a sigh, feeling my head throb a bit. 

 

"It must be the girl who came and visited you yesterday," she giggled, making me round my eyes. 

 

"Sh-she came yesterday?!" I asked, feeling my heart pound against my chest. My mother smiled and nodded. 

 

"She bought these flowers too," she said as I looked at the flowers she was rearranging. "She said you were supposed to go back to school yesterday and so she waited, but you never showed up. Youngjae had told her that you were in the hospital, so she came to visit instead of going to school."

 

"Really?" I asked as my mother nodded. I hide a smile when I realized Hanbyul heard the news from Youngjae. "You said that Youngjae told Hanbyul, right?"

 

"Yeah," she answered, pouring a glass of water for me. I grabbed the cup and drunk the water. "He was the one who also brought you to the hospital."

 

I choked on the water and looked at my mother while coughing. 

 

"He did?" I asked as she nodded. 

 

"He told me that you two were hanging out late that night and was just heading home when a group of guys showed up. That's when they asked for your money, but you refused to give them any so they beat you up," she said, making me grip onto the cup. 

 

"I didn't pay you to kill him!"

 

I scoffed and stared out the window. He had the guts to lie to my mother? One of the top lawyers in South Korea? She's not that stupid to believe it.

 

"But he had the confidence to lie to my face," she said with a smirk and as I had thought, she isn't stupid enough to believe it. "You know something, don't you?"

 

"And what if I do?" I firmly asked to have her sit next to me. 

 

"Tell me exactly what happened and I'll bring him to justice," she said with a professional tone. 

 

"There's no need for you to do that," I said, placing the glass cup on the table besides my bed. "Just because you're my mother and a lawyer doesn't mean I'll take advantage of you. I'll handle this matter myself."

 

"Daehyun-ah, this is the second time you've been hospitalized. I can't take it anymore-"

 

"Umma," I cut her off. "I said I'll handle it and I will. I won't bring him to justice, instead, I'll bring him down to hell."

 

My mother sighed and stood up, grabbing her jacket. 

 

"I took off enough days for you to wake up," she said, sliding into her jacket and walked towards the exit. "Whatever you do, don't mess up. I don't want to be the one to bring you to justice for killing him. If be ashamed."

 

"I may be a bad person, but not to the point where I'm going to cut him open," I said with a scoff. 

 

"I know, I was just warning you," she said with a soft smile and walked out of the room. 

 

I deeply exhaled and stared out the window at clouds passing by. I stared at the sky a bit longer when I heard the door slide open. I turned my head and saw Hanbyul in her school uniform. 

 

"You're awake?" she asked with a soft voice. 

 

"No, I'm dead," I said with a soft smile to see that her eyes were tearing up. 

 

"Pabo," she cried in a whisper. "I thought you'd never wake up."

 

"Who told you to give up on me so easily?" I chuckled just to lighten up the mood. "It's only been two days."

 

"2 long days!" she cried. I could hear and see the pain in her. 

 

"I'm sorry," I said looking down to have her suddenly hug me. "Han-"

 

She cried louder and hugged me tighter. I swallowed hard and hugged her back. 

 

"I'm really sorry for worrying you," I softly said. "But I'm alive, so don't cry."

 

"How can I not cry?" she shouted at me. "You're alive! So I have to cry!"

 

I softly chuckled and pulled her away, looking into her teary red eyes. I smiled and wiped her cheeks dry with my thumbs. 

 

"Pabo, because of your tears of relief your eyes have gotten puffy," I said as she pouted with trembling lips. "But I'm strong. I won't die that easily."

 

She softly sniffled and forced a smile. I smiled back and brushed her cheeks with the back of my hand. That day, Hanbyul had stayed with me till the sun set. 

 

"Will you be okay sleeping alone?" she asked, putting on her jacket as I gave her an are-you-serious face. "Oh, right. You're used to it."

 

"Of course I am," I smiled when Youngjae suddenly popped up in my head. "I want to ask you one thing before you leave."

 

"What is it?" she asked, zipping herself up. 

 

"What's Youngjae been up to lately?" I asked as she blinked her eyes, wondering why I was asking. 

 

"I don't know," she replied. "But lately he's been less social."

 

"Why is that?"

 

"I don't know myself," she said, playing with her scarf, then smiled. "Maybe it's because his friend is in the hospital."

 

"You're talking about me?" I asked as she nodded. "You've got to be kidding me."

 

"I don't think I am," she giggled, then looked at her watch. "Well, I have to get going before Yongguk oppa yells at me for coming home late."

 

"How scary," I snickered. 

 

"Well then, I'm heading out," she said and walked towards the exit. 

 

"Wait!" I said as she stopped to turn around. 

 

"What is it?" she asked as I bit my bottom lip. 

 

"Whatever happens without me there, you have to he strong," I said as she furrowed her eyebrows. 

 

"What are you talking about?" she asked. 

 

"It's nothing really...but no matter what, you have to show yourself as a strong person. If you show any sign of fear, you'll be showing your weak side and someone will take advantage of that," I said. "And don't resist or use your fist to show that you're strong, that'll only make you weaker." 

 

"Daehyun, nothing's going to happen to me so don't worry," she smiled. "But I'll keep that in mind. I'm going now."

 

I nodded and she closed the door behind her. I pressed my lip together and deeply inhaled. 

 

"I really hope nothing happens to you...but if and when Youngjae does something to you, I hope you listen to my words," I softly said.