Bringing this back. I wrote the linked Youngjae oneshot a long time ago, and planned on writing a short series on it, but decided to do it like this instead. I hope you guys enjoy. I'm going to end the year on this note, ad I hope you guys all know, that no matter where I am, no matter whether I'm on or not, here or not, you guys will always be my support and for that, I thank you.

Where I am, it's goodbye 2013. Let's go forth into 2014 together, happily, with hope for new starts, better life stories and more love and happiness. 

-Commander J, signing out for this year ♥

            She was beautiful from afar. Up close, she was a mirror of scars. Her arms were made of the criss cross of scratch marks and she had spots of pink and purple, red and blue, violet and sometimes a tinge of green on inconspicuous all over her skin. It was barely there at a glance, but only at a closer look could you see how they made the patterns of pudgy fingers.

            Youngjae walked up to her. It was one year later, and not a lot has changed, except for maybe the two of them. The awkward teenager was older, and she, she had grown up to be more beautiful, but more fragile if possible as another year has taken its toll on her.

            She was curled by the riverside, notebook tucked by her side and Youngjae sat next to her. “Hey, do you think you should throw this notebook away? He’s finally in jail and you’re safe now. By tomorrow, you’ll be moving in with your aunt.”

            She looked at him and he saw the last remnant of stitch by . Her father had managed to throw a vase at her right before he was taken away. For the year after Youngjae had found the notebook, and found her, he had been helping her cope, before eventually telling the police. She had been angry at him at first but when she saw how badly her mother needed it, she had given in.

            The girl, young woman now, stood and threw herself at Youngjae. “I still dream that he will come back. Sometimes, I picture my brother and I wonder how it would have been different if he were still here. I remember back when my mom was happy and beautiful and then I think of how much has changed. Youngjae, I’m scared.”

            He hugged her, smelling her hair and tracing a long line down her arm, the signs of her own self-infliction.

            “You know that you can always still call me, contact me. I’ll be here.”

            She leaned against him and sniffled. “I’m going so far away.”

            Youngjae could feel a lump grow in his throat. “No, it’s not. There isn’t such a thing as distance that could stop me from protecting you.”

            She looked at him and he saw that she was wearing the ring he had left for her. “Youngjae, pick me another blue flower?”

            He smiled a little and held her hand gently, making sure to wrap the stub of where her pinky used to be. They walked along the river banks and she confessed, “You know no matter how many times I came here, and the river was waiting to take me, I never thought of committing suicide that way. I cut myself, thought about drugging, but I never thought about jumping.”

            He looked at her and wanted to cry again. He wanted nothing more than to be able to take away her horrible past and let her reborn as someone new, a happier person, one who was as beautiful inside and out, without the scars. “It’s because my spirit was there, keeping you away. Don’t mess with my river,” he joked and she smiled.

            He held her arm to his chest and examined her. “The bruises are definitely fading.”

            She nodded. “Yeah, it’ll take a long time. He’s grabbed me in the same place for two years already. I don’t think those bruises would be fading an time soon.”

            His mouth twisted and he tried to control his voice, to keep it from shaking. “I’m going to miss you, you know.” It was probably the most to an admittance of how much he liked, loved, her and how badly he was taking this. He had wanted to be strong for her.

            She stopped walking and pressed closer against him, a large feat, considering how at first she had trembled whenever he came closer.

            “Youngjae, you know that I’ll always be here, somehow. And who knows, maybe I can convince my aunt to move here so this way we would still be together.”

            He laughed lightly, knowing that it was all fantasy. Reality would never allow it. He pulled her down on the rocks and held her to him. “We’ve been friends for a year, haven’t we?”

            “You’ve been my guardian angel for a year,” she corrected. “And yes, we’ve been friends for a year too. It’s funny how two years with him seemed as if time didn’t pass, and yet with you, every day was something I had to hold on to.”

            He smiled at this and she, initiating for the rare time, wrapped her arms around him. “What am I going to do without you?” And just like that, she was crying again. He held onto her and with tears running down his own face, reached into his bag and brought out another teddy bear. “For you. This way you won’t miss me too much.” He had painstakingly stitched his name on the bear’s T-shirt.

            This parting present didn’t help her smile. It only made her cry harder as she held the soft toy to he, clutching at it and sobbing. “Promise me, you’ll always be here?”

            Youngjae nodded and she pressed her lips against his cheek. His heart thudded and he looked at her. Even with all the bruises and knife lines she was beautiful. He turned his head so that he could brush his lips gently across hers. She jolted and smiled shyly, her eyes still red from the tears.

            She interlaced her fingers between his and he saw how her four fingers still fit perfectly among his five. He hugged her to him and stared out at the gently rustling waters, knowing that no matter where she went, he was hers for life.