Blink.

 

 

Both teens began to chuckle lightly, filling the room with arousing uneasiness.

 

 

“Errr…you go first Shinhye ah…”

 

 

“A-Aniyo! You first, Jiyong ssi…”

 

 

Jiyong immediately complied, not wanting to create another fuss over such a small matter. “ Araso.” He began as he gulped in his saliva. He gazed directly at Shinhye’s round, expressive obsidian pools. It was now or never. He kept his demeanor stabilized but it the end his heart expressed itself as his voice broke down, tears descending from its hiding place. “M…Mianhae…mianhaeyo, Shinhye ah! Mianhae for hurting you…mianhae for not being your savior…mianhae for causing you so much pain…mianhae for eve—”

 

 

Shinhye couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled towards her and enveloped him in her sweet comforting embrace.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Tears threateningly fell from Minsoo’s shocked orbs. There was a stabbing pain on her chest that wouldn’t just go. The same statements echoed in her mind.

 

 

If only they (her together with her family, Eunki & her family as well) hadn’t left Korea.

 

 

If only she could stop time.

 

 

If only she wasn’t too preoccupied with her job to remember her beloved best friend, she could have prevented Shinhye from going through so much pain and torment.

 

 

She felt useless. Useless in the sense that she hadn’t done anything to save Shinhye from the forces of evil.

 

 

“Aigoo…I’m a terrible friend! Eunki and I shouldn’t have left. None of these was supposed to happen if we stayed. Aish…if only we stayed, s-she wouldn’t be r-r---”

 

 

“---Minsoo ah! Stop blaming yourself! It already happened. There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s nothing I can even do about it.” Seunghyun muttered sadly as he turned away. He too felt what Minsoo had felt earlier.

 

 

It wasn’t easy for him too. Shinhye was the most precious person to Seunghyun. Though she may seem rough and vexatious on the outside but she’s actually fragile and innocent inside. Seeing her go through such treachery made him want to murder the out of her stepbrother. It made him want to commit suicide over and over again.

 

 

Tension rose yet again as silence filled the void. Not too long Minsoo’s constant sobbing finally evaporated. She regained her posture once again, face strained with dry tears. She couldn’t control herself anymore. She just wanted to let out what was on her mind.

 

 

“W-Why didn’t you do anything? You were always together, damn it! Why didn’t you stop her bro---”

 

 

“---I DIDN’T KNOW! , stop interrogating me as if I didn’t do anything! I did everything to find out what was wrong with her but still I failed. She was too good on hiding and keeping things to herself. I never knew about the until one incident 2 years after.”

 

 

FLASHBACK:

 

 

SEUNGHYUN’S P.O.V.

 

 

I know there’s something wrong. I can feel it deep within me. Since when was Shinhye tardy? She’s a straight-A perfectionist! Since when do perfectionists consider tardiness and a constant tardiness no less?! This is so unlike her.

 

 

I sat idly on my seat, completely ignoring the boring and uninteresting discussion as I waited for Shinhye’s arrival. I’m pretty sure my brain was about to explode from extreme boredom until a knock came on the door. All eyes focused on the door, a gasped escaping from everyone, except the teacher.

 

 

“Kyeunhee ssi, you’re late, again. What’s your reason this time and what happened to your uniform?” I stared at her quizzically. Now, there is really something wrong!

 

 

“Mianhae, Park sonsaengnim. T-There’s just a… family problem going on that’s why.” Koh jid mal. I know that was lie. There was no family problem going on in their house. She’s a late comer, and now she’s a liar too? What’s going on with her? Aish…I have to fine out as soon as possible!

 

 

Park sonsaengnim heaved a sigh as he shook his head in worry. “You do know that this has been surprisingly happening for the past months. I’m worried that your tardiness might affect your grades, Kyeunhee ssi.”

 

 

“Y-Ye. I’m completely aware of that, Park sonsaengnim. Mianhaeyo…”

 

He glanced at her one last time as he continued his meaningless babbling on the wonders of chemistry. Tch, what so wonderful about it anyway? Anyway, my eyes bore holes on her figure as she made her way to her seat, which was right in front of me. She met my gaze and she gave me a rather weak smile. That was weird. She usually grins and throws a punch at me and uses her out-of-character shrill voice to call me ‘hyung’. She never acknowledges her presence with just a smile! I deepen my research as I scanned her from head to toe. As my eyes went lower, I couldn’t help but notice a large bruise on her upper arm. It wasn’t the first time I saw her with a bruise but this time it was different. It looked like a tiger had scrapped her or iron man had gripped her too hard. I motioned to call her but the shrill ringing of the school bell cut me short. Everyone started to move out the room for lunch, leaving me with Shinhye. She hurriedly grabbed her bento box and ran out of the room. I followed my instincts and went after her. For once my fast reflexes had a purpose. I was able to grab hold of her, ceasing her departure.

 

 

“Yah, Shinhy---”

 

 

“—LET GO OF ME!” Before I could react, she pushed me hard enough to send me to the depths of the ground. That was definitely a first! What the hell did I do?! It took me a while to comeback to reality. Aish, she knocked the sense out of me!

 

 

I got on my feet, ready to find her only find out she was nowhere in sight.

 

 

. I have to find her. There’s no way I’m letting her out of my sight knowing that there’s something going on without my knowledge. I ran passed every single hallway, rampaged every classroom, harassed—I mean, politely asked almost the entire lower and upperclassmen but still none of them knew the whereabouts of Shinhye.

 

 

RRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!

 

 

Damn it! The school bell just rang and I don’t have any other classes with her. Aish…I guess I have to wait ‘til the end of the day.

 

 

As soon as the earsplitting screech of the school bell reach my ears, I frantically stormed out of the classroom, and headed towards Shinhye’s English class. Upon reaching there, the place was practically god forsaken. Not a single soul was left inside. Hmm…this was her last class, so meaning, the next place she would most likely go was none other than the school parking lot!

 

 

I immediately took off in full speed, hoping to catch her at the right time. I’m glad God was so merciful towards me today. I made it just in time. I wanted to just haul towards her like I usually do but seeing what happened earlier I’d rather take caution and not get near her or else I won’t get the answers I needed.

 

 

I observed her from behind a nearby bench where she silently strode towards her usual waiting spot. That was strange. How come she didn’t wait for me? We always meet each other during dismissal time! I suddenly got some sort of vibes to my query when a certain sports car stopped right in front of her. The snake bastard driving the car smugly made his way out and towards her.

 

 

“Shinhye ah, soduruseyo (let’s go)! Appa and umma won’t be home early today. I want us to have an early start.” That son of a bit---satanic !  How dare he command her like some kind of slave! Why I ought to pound the living out of that ! Who the hell gave him the right to talk to her like that?! He’s supposed to be her goddamned brother. He’s supposed to fulfill his duties as Shinhye’s savior when I’m not around her! And what the hell did he mean about them having an EARLY start?

 

 

I transferred to a different base to get a better view of what was happening. He roughly pulled her towards him, the next scene causing my sanity to loose.

 

 

He kissed her! He kissed his own sister! That’s ! Well, technically not by flesh and blood but it’s still the same! His father married her mother so they’re basically related!

 

This was too much. Was he on drugs? Has he forgotten they’re related? I was then snapped back to reality when I saw her flinch and pushed him away from her.

 

 

“G-Get away from me!”

 

 

“Bwo? You dare to shout at me?!” She merely yelped as her demon of a brother gripped her arm hard. He used his other hand to force her to meet his gaze. “Yah, don’t ever dare raise your voice at me. Or else you won’t be able to walk straight for the next succeeding days, araso?”

 

 

“…” I saw the tears slowly flowing down from her eyes as she kept silent.

 

 

“Silent treatment, huh? Well, this should teach you a lesson.”

 

 

He brutally smacked her right on the face, creating a fresh wound on her bottom lip.

 

 

“Now, did I make myself clear?”

 

 

“A-A-Araso.” She muttered lightly, still not facing him.

 

 

“Mwo? I didn’t hear you. Say it again.” He held her in utter harshness. I could feel her agony, and it pains me more to see this stuck up bastard inflicting such punishment that she doesn’t deserve.

 

 

I felt the fire burn within me. I couldn’t stand it any longer. The last string of patience and sanity left within me finally broke. I wanted to break that pretty head of his. I hurdled towards their direction, ready to pounce on my prey but suddenly a flash came before me and in just a matter of seconds, Changsun was sent to the ground with a bruised cheek and Shinhye protected by an unknown individual. Alarmed at the situation, I hurriedly sprinted towards them. Her said savior made way for me as I dropped on my knees. I gently tugged her towards me and cuddled her in my arms. I withdraw from the hug as I examined her form.

 

 

“Shinhye! Guenchana? Aigoo…why am I even asking you that?! Of couse you’re not okay. Shinhye ah…mianhaeyo for not coming on time…” 

 

 

She remained silent, her stare as blank as the dark sky. Hand marks were visible everywhere. I swear on my grave, I’m going to make that bastard pay!

 

 

“Yah…yeoja chingu (Is she your girlfriend)?” A voice came up in front of me. I felt my face heat up as I grimaced at the stranger’s sentence.

 

 

“Bwo? A-Anio! She’s my best friend!”

 

 

“Woah, no need to burst out like that man. I was just askin’! You pretty much act like her boyfriend. Well anyway, the name’s Kwon Jiyong.” The boy held out his hand as I gladly shook it.

 

 

“Nice to meet you, Jiyong ssi. Choi Seunhyun imnida. I wanna thank you a lot for saving my best friend from that bastard brother of hers.”

 

 

He grinned back, scratching the back of his head modestly. “Nice to meet you too, Seunghyun ssi and no problem.”

 

 

I was about to ask him more but out of the sudden, my whole world began to blur and eventually became a black hole.

 

 

I slit my eyes open as I woke up from the melodic tune of a violin sonata. Aish…I feel a new headache coming on. What the hell happened? I scanned the new environment as I took in the passed events. My eyeballs stuck out widely.

 

 

Shinhye!

 

 

As comforting as it felt, I entangled myself from the comforting covers of the silk blanket. Due to my never ending clumsiness, I fell from the so-called couch, face first.

 

 

“Seunghyun ssi! You’re awake. Yah…what are you doing on the floor?”

 

 

I removed myself from the floor, catching a glimpse of the owner of the voice. “Jiyong ssi? Mwo…Odi..?” Damn it, my woozy head’s causing my mouth to malfunction!

 

 

“Oh, you fainted. Your best friend’s brother knocked you out.” I felt my blood boil. That bastard! What the hell was his problem?!

 

“What happened after?”

 

 

“He made an attempt to take your best friend but I blocked him. He gave up and went off saying he’d be back for her again.”

 

 

“What about Shinhye? What happened to her? Where is she?” I nervously asked. Oh dear God, I hope she’s okay.

 

 

“Oh, your best friend? She’s there behind you. She’s sleeping soundly on my bed. After he left, she fainted too. I didn’t know where you guys lived, so I brought you here in my apartment.”

 

 

This guy really is a life saver. I don’t know how much I could thank him. I went over to him and out of my own will, I hugged him. “Kamsahamnida, man. We just met and you’ve done a lot for us. I don’t know how to repay you.”

 

He hugged back, flashing a sincere smile at me. “You’re welcome, Seunghyun ssi. Thank you is enough for me.”

 

 

I too smiled back. I’m guessing this a start of a beautiful friendship.