Jin Ki didn’t answer and walked away heading to his classroom.  They didn’t hear anything new until the night period when Hye Jin walked in Jin Ki’s classroom.

“Excuse me teacher. May I speak to Lee Jin Ki for a second?” Jin Ki looked up to the teacher who nodded and Hye Jin got in. “Taemin insist on coming back, tomorrow. Make sure he keeps his bandage.” She landed some papers on his desk. “It’s the notes for today’s classes. I’ll explain everything he needs to understand.”

She bowed and left without saying a word and a heavy silence followed her. Hye Jin got in her classroom, where half of them were sleeping. The teacher didn’t stop explaining, and Hye Jin didn’t bother to read what he was speaking of.

Her mind was a mess, as her father who was extremely pissed off when he called her just before she left the police station. They let her go as she gave, as well as Hanna, a similar version of events. She was accused for a homicide, alias a car accident with four deaths, and permanent injury.

 What pissed her off extremely wasn’t that she killed those people but that one of the death cases was a student who was crossing the road back then, wearing headphones so he neither saw nor heard the van flipping and falling up his head. “I killed an innocent soul.” She said automatically, as the police officer told her so, her eyes glittered, and she looked at her fingers in her hips, unable to feel other than pain and anger.

The day ended sooner than she expected and she headed directly to her room, locking herself inside her room. “Hye Jin. Open the door, please.” Her mother’s voice was heard and Hye Jin was tempted to ignore it but then she really never disobeyed her mother so openly. “It’s an order.” Hye Jin sighed as she opened the door. When her mother’s arms wrapped her, Hye Jin didn’t know what to feel as she fell on her knees. “It’s ok. Everything is going to be ok.” Her mother soothed as she caressed Hye Jin’s long black hair. “Believe me, it will be ok.”

“I killed someone yesterday… an innocent kid… he was crossing the road when I tried to stop the van and the people inside it.” Hye Jin said making her mother freeze. “I killed someone…”

“It’s an accident.” Sung Rin said pushing her away. “There is a huge difference between an accident and a murder. He was meant to die that day, in that accident. If you didn’t stop the van, they would have hit him, or perhaps he would have died in another way, that exact day.” Hye Jin looked up, confusion written in her face. “It’s the truth, Hye Jin. Death is something nobody can run from.” Hye Jin took a second to agree and she stood, tired. “I’ll bring you something to eat; you didn’t eat, right?” Hye Jin nodded and Sung Rin left after patting her face.

When Sung Rin came back to the room with a tray, Hye Jin was sleeping and looked really tired. “My poor baby.” Sung Rin clicked on some buttons and soon Hye Jin was locked in a cocoon kind of bed. “System Checkup.” As the woman said so, Hye Jin’s functions were displayed. “Strange, she has her batteries fully charged, yet her expression show tiredness… or sadness.”  She looked at the bed before noticing an odd thing. Siwon didn’t follow her in the room, like usual. She rushed to her husband side. “Did you fight with Hye Jin?”

“No. Why?” Siwon answered her as he sat in his bed, changing clothes. “Did she say I did?”

“Do you truly think she will tell me? Spilt the beans, she is sad. I’ve never saw her sad like this before.”

Siwon looked at her confusedly. “She caused the death of an innocent kid; do you think she will be ok with it?” He asked her, with a point of irritation. “She had to feel guilty and to be upset about it.” Sung Rin sighed. “Even if it’s an accident, Hye Jin can’t just get over it without a kind of trauma. She needs time.” Sung Rin sat on the bed, sighing. “Give her time.”

And time is what Hye Jin didn’t seem to have. She woke up, tired, and prepared herself for school, before sitting in the dining table, silently. They didn’t dare to speak to her, as she didn’t seem in the mood for it. “I’ll take the bus.” Hye Jin announced as she stood, bowed, and left the house with her back bag on. The bus station was a little far but she didn’t care, and she didn’t think of that either. Taking the bus, she noticed Taemin getting in with Jin Ki. It shocked her, since she didn’t know they were living in the neighborhood. Taemin noticed her, in the almost empty bus, and flashed a smile.

“Noona, good morning.” Taemin said as he made his way to sit next to her, with Jin Ki’s help. The later just bowed his head slightly and didn’t speak to her. “How are you today?” she looked away.

“Fine.” Her attitude shocked Taemin who looked at his brother, worriedly.

“Are you ok? You look tired.” Jin Ki dared to ask when she glared at him.

“Did you get my notes?” Hye Jin asked Taemin suddenly, while Jin Ki sat by Taemin’s side, a little upset to get ignored as he put on the ear buds. Taemin nodded before hissing in pain. “It hurts still?” Hye Jin softly made Taemin look at her. She soon noticed the makeup layer on it. “Wash the makeup when we reach the school. Your skin got hurt too, and you shouldn’t put chemical products on it.”  Taemin pouted at it.

“But I have an ugly blue on it.” Taemin whined.

“So? Your health should be your priority and not how you look or how people look at you.” Hye Jin commented as she played with Taemin’s hair.  “I think I have a better idea to cover them, if you insist.” She picked a scissor and a paper blade and made Taemin’s hair go to the front of his head. She managed to give him a nice front cut, that reached his eyes level. “First aid kit.” She said as she opened the bag and got a bandage and cottons. She cleaned his injury’s area and put the bandage on it. “Now you are better.” Taemin blinked as he noticed the hair she did collect to throw in her bag. “We are almost there.” Taemin looked at Jin Ki who took off his ear buds, shocked.

“What the happened to your hair?” Jin Ki exclaimed as he stood as well. Hye Jin clicked on the stop button as the brothers stood by his side. “What did you do to his hair?”

“I used it to cover his injury. You got a problem with that?” Hye Jin coldly replied, without looking at him. “Hurry up; the gate will close in three minutes.” As she stepped down first, she picked Taemin up and ran before Jin Ki could even step out.

“Noona! My head hurts.” Taemin whined as he rested his head on her shoulder. She leaned down, to let him almost rest better. She made it before the gate’s cloture and let Taemin stand on his feet.

“Do you feel dizzy?” Taemin shook his head and she held his hand as she led him to the classroom. Midway, they met with the Kangta when one of them offered to hold Taemin’s waist until they reach the room but Taemin stepped away, scared.

“It’s ok. I can handle him.” Hye Jin said as she held Taemin tighter. “Have a nice day.” As they stepped away, Hye Jin squeezed Taemin’s hand. “Don’t fear them, I made them understand that, with me or without me around, you are my protected and they can’t dare to hurt you.”  

“Onew told them the same.” She froze and looked at him. “I’m sorry.” They walked in and Hye Jin helped him to sit and sat as well, focusing on the board. She soon noticed the small glances toward her, but ignored it. Suddenly, a paper showed up in front of her.

What happened to you and Hyung? You are like having a cold war.

He accused me of hurting you without giving me the chance to speak up. We are both ignoring each other for that.

He overreacts often when it comes to me.

I can understand that and I’m not speaking of it.

You are such a pigheaded person.

I’m your friend. In fact, you are my friend, the only one I have here, why would I hurt you? I can’t understand him and I will never do so. Let’s not speak of it now; we both skipped a day of school.

Taemin looked her, surprised, then looked back to the board. At the end of the period the teacher left and Taemin turned to look at Hye Jin. “Why did you skip a day?”

“I was asked in the police office, since I caused a traffic accident.” Hye Jin said nonchalantly but her expression changed as she said: “People died.” She stood to walk out, while the kid kicked his chair.

“Are you an idiot?” The kid by his side hissed when she slammed her fist on the wall.

“Don’t dare to even speak to him unless you have something nice to say.” She said loudly, making everybody look away from Taemin. Finally alone, she sighed, resting her head on the wall. “How am I going to live with this?” Suddenly, Jin Ki passed by her, with his friends, and they looked at each other enough long for her to glare at him, and get in. She sat back, while Taemin stood to speak to his brother.

“Your head hurts?” Taemin shook his head. “Good. Now, take the medicines.” Hye Jin looked up, carefully observing Jin Ki holding Taemin’s head so that the kid can drink. “Sit down, ok?”

“Ok. Go, the teacher is coming back.” Taemin said, with an embarrassment tone, while Jin Ki chuckled.

“I love you.” Jin Ki said as he fast kissed Taemin’s nose and ran away, laughing, while Taemin whined.

“Hyung! You are so mean.” Taemin yelled, ignoring the stares. He walked back to his seat pouting. “He’s embarrassing me.”

“He loves you.” Hye Jin commented back. “Rare are people who display such love to their relative, so you should be happy about it not embarrassed.” Taemin blushed and smiled. “You are. Oh little sneaky, you are enjoying it.”

“A little?” Taemin said, cutely chuckling. It made Hye Jin smile, slowly forgetting the event of the past day. She focused more on Taemin than on the lessons, and spent the day noting for him. By the six, Taemin slept, while Hye Jin closed her eyes, acting like asleep but mostly listening to the whispers.

“Did you hear the last news? They said that she caused the death of a senior of the school in the opposite way of the street.” A girl said to her friends

“Really? You mean the one we compete against every year?” Another girl asked and as the first girl nodded they gasped. “Oh my god. We are doomed. They will try to take revenge in this year’s competition.”

“True. I heard it’s one of the best dancers of the school’s crew.” The gossips were suffocating her while Taemin groaned as he turned his head and fixed his position. It made her attention and theirs shift to Taemin. “Doesn’t he look different with his hairstyle?”

“He does. He did it to hide the blow in his eye.” The girls nodded at it. “Do you think she gave him the blow?”

“Nah, they are pretty close, she won’t hurt him. In fact, that is such a lucky , now even the Kangta smoother him.” The giggle that followed it made Hye Jin stand and walk by their level.

“Don’t you have something better to do than gossiping?” Hye Jin coldly asked them. “I’ve been nice and I didn’t speak about your gossips about me, but if you dare to speak about Taemin or any of his friends, I’ll make sure you won’t see another sunrise.” Hye Jin made the tour of the class. “All of you. Get away from him, I warn you for the last time.”

The seriousness of her tone made even the teacher speechless. She looked at him and apologized for the interruption then sat back. Taemin opened his eyes slowly then locked them, shedding a tear of happiness. Hye Jin walked behind him the whole way until the bus stop where they both stood waiting for the rest of them. “Hi, Taeminnie. Hi Hye Jin Noona.” Jonghyun said with a smile to which only Taemin replied. Hye Jin kept a serious expression until Jin Ki’s appearance and she glared instead. They were chatting loudly and lively, as she observed them, and wondered why such lively people got bullied. She noticed Jin Ki’s silence and his eyes on her, but kept ignoring it.

“Hye Jin Noona, here’s the bus!” Taemin called and she snapped up. She was the last to get in, so the bus moved as soon as she stood in the stairs. She was about to fall when a hand pulled her, and she collided with a soft surface. She didn’t notice that she had the eyes closed until she opened them to notice the eyes on her and the man holding her. She inhaled the scent the kid was using and she recognized it immediately. She was about to push Jin Ki away when the bus stopped and she held on him instead, gasping in shock.

“Hold on me, tightly.” He whispered on her ear, making her shiver as she held on his shirt, and the bar. Her body started heating up, and she felt like fainting due to the closeness and how fast her heart was beating. In fact, her whole system was screaming for mercy. His hand slid further in her waist, and he pulled her even closer.  Her tights accidentally brushed his, and Hye Jin blushed madly, slowly pushing herself away.

“Are we close?” She shyly asked, looking out of the window and noticing the weird expression in the people’s face.

“No. We aren’t.” Hye Jin made the mistake of looking straight into Jin Ki’s face and she looked away, embarrassed, while his straight face broke with a smile. Taemin observed them, amused and happy. He was euphoric that finally they were interacting in other ways than glares and cold shoulders.  Soon enough, they reached their stop, which was the one before Hye Jin’s, when she stepped out of the bus.

“It’s not your stop, Noona.” Taemin pointed out, curious.

“I’ll walk you home.” Hye Jin said holding his arm. “Besides, it’s not like the other side of the city; I’ll just walk five more minutes.” Taemin nodded happily, resting his head on her shoulder, when suddenly she held him in bridal style.

“NOONA!” He tried to struggle on her hold while she laughed. “Put me down! I’m heavy.”

“Stop whining, baby boo. I’ve held you from the nursery to the school’s front gate without hassle.” She pointed out. “You are lighter than my back bag, seriously. You should eat more and gain some strength.”

Taemin pouted. “It’s not true! Hyung told me I have a strong body.”  Taemin blinked sever times before looking behind Hye Jin’s shoulder. “Hyung? Why are you so silent?”

“No, nothing.” Jin Ki said as he held Taemin’s hand. “I’m tired, that is all.”

Nodding, Taemin rested his head on Hye Jin’s shoulder, and soon dozed off. “Oh. I think he slept.” Hye Jin had fast scanned his heart beats and noticed so before looking at Jin Ki.

“I know. He used to sleep in his mother’s embrace this way, all the time…” Jin Ki commented, sadly. “Thank you.” The sudden words made Hye Jin pause walking and look at Jin Ki who did the same and faced her. “For what you did to my brother, thank you.”

“I did nothing.” Hye Jin sternly said. “You are partially right, I caused his injuries, but I didn’t mean to leave him alone. I didn’t even expect them to dare and hurt him this way.”

“I know.” Jin Ki closed his eyes a little tight and opened them to look back to her. “He’s… extremely bullied since he got in the school, because he was seen with my friends Jonghyun and Key who are a couple.” The information made her blink confusedly. “They attacked him in his first day of school, when he tried to defend Key and got badly injured so I got in that school to protect him, two days after. But, that didn’t stop them from attacking him mercilessly. I lived a nightmare in that school too, but I’m the son of a rich man, they didn’t dare to touch me. Then, you came in the picture a week after that. I didn’t mean to be an with you but I had to. I have to be an with everybody trying to hurt my brother…”

“I can understand that.” Hye Jin commented as they continued walking. “I have a sister too, I’ll be an with whoever hurt her. Besides, he’s my first friend, so I’ll protect him the best I can, even if it means for me to lose my dream of being the model student.”

“Why anyone would want to be a model student?” Jin Ki commented laughing; “It’s boring. Being a badass is funnier.”

“You know the difference, right?” Jin Ki’s smile fell.

“I do.”  She looked at him, confusedly. “I was a model student in the best school in Seoul, but then… I gave up on everything for him.”

“Your parents must be pissed off about it.”

“Dad is. He accused Taemin for bunch of things already so this… this worsened the situation at home.” Jin Ki admitted. “Since you are his friend, you better know this from me before someone else tells you. Taemin is Gay.”

“So?” Hye Jin gave him a curious expression. “I don’t find it… I mean, it’s normal for me.”

Jin Ki studied her expression for a second. “I thought you will be a little conservative, since you are Choi’s daughter.” She gave him a shocked expression. “Key saw your dad in the car and told me.” She nodded. “As well, my dad and yours are in the same political field.”

“I see.” Hye Jin nodded. “So, how your dad knew about his uality?”

“Well, you can say that Taemin and I were speaking about it when he got in, in my room.” Jin Ki admitted. “Taemin was excited about someone in middle school asking him out for a date, and he admitted he was attracted to the kid as well. Gladly, Dad’s reaction blew everything, because the whole date was actually a dare and he was about to get humiliated.”

“I hate this world already, don’t add details.” Hye Jin growled. “I don’t understand the world. Honestly, I don’t. It’s their choice, their life, why is it bothering the rest of the world?”

“I don’t know how to answer that.” Jin Ki commented. “I’ve been surrounded with gay people my whole life and I’ve never felt it affecting me or my ual choices. I mean, I still like girls.” Hye Jin blushed madly, and he chuckled. “And holding you close felt nice.” She glared at him. “I was kidding with you. Kind of.” He teased earning a blush. “You are cute when you blush.”

“Stop teasing me.” She tempted a pout and it was Jin Ki’s time to blush. They kept a comfortable silence until the Lee’s mansion, and Hye Jin knelt to rest Taemin on her lap. “Hey, little boo. Wakey wakey.” Taemin stirred and held her tight. “I can’t breathe buddy.”

“I don’t want to let go.” Taemin whined. “Please, let me sleep a little more.” Hye Jin checked her batteries as she checked the wrist band’s screen, surprising Jin Ki who didn’t comment.

“Well, my mom expect me in less than twenty minutes, so I think I have to put you in bed myself if I want to go back home in time.” Taemin whined as she said so and he left her arms, and stretched cutely, when Jin Ki’s arms wrapped him.

“I’m too heavy for you.” Taemin commented as he pushed Jin Ki away then hugged Hye Jin who gave them a sincere laugh. “I thought you won’t smile again, Noona.”

“Thank you for bring the smile back to my lips.” Hye Jin commented, before kissing his eyes. “Good night sweetheart. I’ll wait for you, tomorrow morning.” She stepped back and waved shyly to Jin Ki. “Good night Jin Ki.”

“Good night Noona.” Jin Ki said with a teasing smile. She waved and ran before they could get in their house’s front gate.

“She ran fast.” Taemin commented yawning.

“She is. I heard Minho saying that she caught a driving car.” The detail made Taemin frown at his brother.

“She spoke about a traffic accident and seemed so upset about it.” Taemin commented. “I don’t remember why though.” Jin Ki looked at his brother’s way, wondering suddenly of how in the actual logic a girl managed to catch a driving car. Ok, it happens in films but those people are highly trained to do that.

That night was promising to be sleepless for Jin Ki’s busy mind.