-43-

Sunggyu check his phone for the tenth time in a few seconds, as he waited for her to arrive.  He knew that he should not be meeting his mother, but Sunggyu needed to know if his mother knew what his father was capable of.  He wanted to know if she was ever threatened by him or is still threatened by the horrible man he has to call father. Sunggyu wondered if those threats were the reason why she divorced him.

Sunggyu knew what he was risking if caught meeting her by his father, he would be forced to face the consequences. Not following the rules his father put in place when his mother left was a dangerous move, but he no longer cared what Kim Sunghoon did to him. All Sunggyu cared about was obtaining the truth.

Sunggyu sat in a private room of the same restaurant that he met Yura a few weeks ago.  He knew his father would not come to this place, unless he had to.  Sunghoon came to this restaurant to be spiteful towards his mothers friend.  He was grateful that this woman who barely knew him anymore was still willing to go of her way to help.

Sunggyu continued to fiddle with his phone when the door to the private room. He looked up and saw his mother standing there with a worried expression on her face.  Sunghee knew that her son would not call her unless it was serious, but the voicemail he left her was painful to listen to."Mom..."

"Oh my, something is wrong..." She hurried over to Sunggyu and sat down next to him, taking his tired face in her hands. "What is going on my son? You look exhausted. Is Myungsoo alright? He is not hurt is he? You are not hurt right? So help me if Sunghoon laid a hand on you I am going too..."

"Did you know?"  Sunggyu cut her off.  He did not mean to be disrespectful towards his mother, but he was growing impatient.   

"Did I know what?"

"Did you know father killed Woohyun's father and brother because father did not want me to be friends with Woohyun? Did you know he killed many people that he thought had a bad influence on Myungsoo and I?"

 "I did…"

"You knew and did nothing about it?" Sunggyu questioned.  He knew his mother would not allow harm come to others, she would fight it, but Sunggyu did not know what she attempted to do.

"I tried to do something about and look where it got me" Sunghee said, "It got my two boys taken away from me and…"

"And what?"

"It would only upset you if I told you." Sunghee said as she looked into her sons eyes, there were dark circles under them.  She started to fuss with his hair.  "Do you every take care of your hair? It is a mess…"

"Mother, my hair is fine. Please stop fussing with it.  I have the right to know the truth, even if it will upset me.  I am old enough to know what happened ten years ago!" 

"You do Sunggyu, and I have should have told you sooner." Sunghee placed a hand on her sons face, "But every time I tried to get close to you or Myungsoo, your father sends his bodyguards stop me.  Sunghoon wanted you to hate me."

"You know I could never hate you, mother.  You are so caring towards Myungsoo and I, even though father tried to get you out of our lives.  I was punished many times trying to find you."

"He did not hit you, right?"

Sunggyu looked away from his mother, he could not lie to her about this.  She has every right to know what that horrible man does to him when he disobeys.

"Sunggyu, tell me this instant." She turned her son's face towards her, "What has Sunghoon done to you?"

"He hits me, he drags me by my hair…" Sunggyu bit his lips as tears started to stream down his face.  He could not hold it in any more.  "He doesn't allow me to eat sometimes.  He controls every aspect of my life, even who I am allowed to date or love.

Sunghee stood pulled him into her embrace.  She hated seeing him so upset like this, and could not believe Sunggyu has been abused by his father for the past ten years.  "I'm so sorry Sunggyu.  I should have fought harder to gain custody of you and Myungsoo.  You have suffered so much because I could not do anything to protect you. I am so sorry. I am a horrible mother."

"It is not your fault, and you are not a horrible mother.  You should not be telling yourself that." Sunggyu sighed deeply.  He felt safe in her arms. 

"I am at fault though, I know your just being nice Sunggyu.  You do not need to lie to me." Sunghee smiled.

"I am not lying mother." Sunggyu bit his lip. "You are a wonderful person and I need your help.  I cannot ask anyone else for help in the matter."

"What do you need my help with?"

"Father is targeting a girl I care about, and I tried so hard not to fall in love with her, but…" Sunggyu arms wrapped around his mother.  "I cannot hold bake my feelings for her anymore.  I am so scared that she is going to get hurt because of me.  I want to give her up because I know there are others who care as deeply for her as I do. I know that they can protect her better, but I am greedy.  I want Hyerin for myself."

---

"What happened between you two in the woods?" Hoya asked harshly.  He did not want to interrogate her, but he needed to know the truth, Hoya wanted to know if he still had a chance with her.

"He saved my life twice. He was just keeping me safe after I hurt myself." Hyerin looked up from her book. "Is it bothering you that I was with Sunggyu in the woods? Like I told you before, we happened to meet unexpectedly in the woods.  I did not choose to travel with him, it just happened." Hyerin was trying not to make Hoya feel jealous.  He offered to travel through the woods to find the flags, but she refused.  Hyerin wanted to find them herself. 

"I'm grateful for that, but you two were sleeping together."

"We were trying to keep each other warm. Our clothing was soaked and cold. Do you think I wanted to freeze to death." Hyerin sighed. She knew Hoya was only asking her this because he liked her, but she was confuses about her feelings, still. She cares for all of them, and does not want to hurt them.

"Are you sure that is all?"

"What are you trying to imply?" Hyerin asked as she closed her book.

"I am not trying to imply anything.  I am just trying to figure out what Sunggyu means to you and what you mean to him.  I see the way he looks at  you.  He obvious has feelings for you.   Sunggyu is not the type of person who gets involved with others, especially girls.  He tries to stay far away from people because his father is a tyrant.  I have heard stories from Jonggie about how Myungsoo is treated."

"Is Myungsoo not treated well?"

"According to my brother, both Myungsoo and Sunggyu are not treated well by their father.  According to Sungjong, Sunggyu takes punishment from his father for both himself and his brother."  Hoya explained. "I am not sure how much of it is true though, you should not worry."

"It's true…"

"How do you know it is true?"

"Because Sunggyu's father has threatened me before about being friends with Sunggyu."  Hyerin said as she looked at Hoya and was not going to mention what Sungyeol revealed to her about Sunggyu behind punished for running into her in Hongdae that one night, "I am scared what he might do to me if I ever become more than friends with Sunggyu."

"So something really did happen between you two?" Hoya asked as he looked at the girl.

"It is none of your business if something has…" Hyerin looked at Hoya.

"If it put's your life in danger, then I have a right to know.  I do not want Sunggyu's father to target you because you have a relationship with his son."  Hoya slammed his hand on the table. 

"It is my problem then…" Hyerin rose to her feet and placed her books into her bag. "I will talk to you once you stop interrogating me."  H