Finding Out.
The Doctor.
They had no idea that he had left.
None, at all.
They'd realized it, after four long days, when Dongwoo commented that he hadn't seen nor heard from the Doctor for a very long time that he missed him. The others missed Woohyun as well, and they knew this punishment that everyone was giving was long enough. They practically ignored him for Bomi, something they had never done before. But when they went to the hospital to find him, they had a shock when they saw another man sitting in Woohyung's office. Sunggyu asked him where Woohyun was.
"I have no idea. I was promoted to this position three days ago."
"Then where did Dr Nam go to?"
"None of us has seen Dr Nam these days, we heard he left."
"Left? What do you mean?"
The new Head of the department checked his watch before telling them to find the Dean instead.
"They said he was the last person that saw Dr Nam. He should be back from his lunch break by now. You can find him a-"
"I know the man. Thanks Doc, we'll be on our way now."
And the moment they left the office, Sunggyu started running to find the Dean. He led the others behind him to the office on the seventh floor and knocked on the door before opening it, not even bothering to wait for the Dean to allow them in. When the Dean saw Sunggyu, he smiled brightly.
"I was wondering when I'll be seeing you."
"Dean, where's Woohyun, has he been promoted or transfered to another department?"
"On the contrary Sunggyu-ssi, Woohyun is being demoted."
"What?"
"He resigned. Please don't tell me you only noticed it today."
As straight as it was in the face, Sunggyu couldn't understand what the Dean was talking about. But the older man took out something from under his table and gave it to Sunggyu. It was Woohyun's badge.
" that bastard left! When?"
"Three nights ago was the last I saw of him. How could you guys not know?"
"We were having problems of our own."
"Well, I hope it doesn't involve the little girl that I have in one of my wards."
"What do you mean Dean?"
The Dean heaved a deep sigh before telling Sunggyu the bloody damn truth.
Not that Sunggyu didn't know, but he still wanted to say it.
"What I'm saying Kim Sunggyu-ssi, is that Nam Woohyun has left all of you because of that little girl."
"He's capable of doing that?"
"I was just as surprised as you are right now."
Sunggyu exhaled loudly.
His mind cursing Woohyun a hundred times.
"It wasn't hard to notice. He checked on her everyday and asked so many questions that it made my brain hurt. It wasn't even difficult to see that he liked her. But he kept saying he hurt her, so he resigned his post and said he wasn't fit to be a doctor anymore. After that, he packed his stuff and left."
"What time was that?"
"Three in the morning. It was his last shift."
"Did he tell you where he's going?"
"Nope. But I told him that I'll tell you guys the moment he gets back to me."
Sunggyu collasped onto the seat in front of the Dean and cursed aloud.
The rest at the back was still too surprised about what they had just heard.
Woohyun, their second brother, was gone?
The Dean must be playing some big joke to them right now.
Yet the Dean wasn't playing a joke at them, sadly. And the realization that Woohyun had really left them finally sank into their mind. They shook Sunggyu up then and asked him what they supposed to do, Woohyun was gone and here he was, drinking a glass of water the Dean had just given him. That wasn't making any sense, why was Sunggyu acting so nonchalant?
"Don't yell at me Yeol. I'm thinking."
"Well think faster. If you haven't noticed it, Woohyun hyung is gone!"
"Then let him be gone."
The others stared straight at him with their eyes wide.
Sunggyu had just snarled at them.
"I worry for him, I worry for him more than all and any of you. Which is why I understand that he's leaving because he felt bad for what he did to Bomi. But this isn't Bomi's fault, so you guys better control yourself in front of the poor girl. Woohyun won't leave forever, just give him some time. If he doesn't come back soon, I will personally hunt him down. In this mean time, just try to convince Bomi to forgive Woohyun."
The kids couldn't understand and asked Sunggyu elaborate.
"The reason why Woohyun left, was simply because of what he did to Bomi. I can understand fully. If I hurt Hyuna in such a way, I'll find a way to leave her alone, at least till she forgives me. And since Bomi has nowhere to go, Woohyun will definitely want her to stay with us, which is why he left our house. Now do you guys understand?"
The kids nodded. So actually, they didn't need to worry for their Woohyun at all.
"Do you think Bomi knows about this hyung?"
"Up to ninety percent, I'll say she was the one that told Woohyun to leave."
"What? How could she!"
But Sunggyu raised his hand and told to keep quiet.
"I'm not saying she literally say get out and away from Sunggyu and his family. She probably just asked him to leave her alone or let her go like how she had been saying for those past two days. And Woohyun just took the matter further and ran away. Please. It's no one's fault. Just keep calm, understand that Bomi almost got bloody by our dear Mi-dearest and think about how should we tell this to Bomi."
They were clueless again.
"Tell her? She knew he'll leave anyway right?"
Sunggyu rolled his eyes.
Seriously, had his family's IQ dropped by fifty percent after Woohyun left?
"She knows. But that doesn't mean she won't regret and feel hurt about it. She likes Woohyun, that's obvious enough. She likes him alot. But asking him to leave was unavoidable. And like I say, we need to make her forgive Woohyun, understand? Look, just because Woohyun left it isn't the end of the world. Just relax and try to handle the things at hand. Alright?"
She acted as if she was listening to the weather.
Ignorant and uninterested.
That was how Yoon Bomi was when Hyuna told her Woohyun was gone. It was like she had expected it sooner, but they saw her shoulders tensed ever so slightly. They didn't know it was because they mentioned Woohyun's name that made her flinched or because she was hurt that Woohyun had really left. But either way, she did have some sort of a response.
The kids didn't know what to say. They were still dumbfounded that Woohyun had left. So Sunggyu had to take over the role of explaining things to Bomi. He just pray she wouldn't be difficult like how she has been to Woohyun those two days.
"You're under our care now Bomi. I'm sure Woohyun made that obvious. You're going to be discharge today so we're bringing you home. The house without Woohyun wouldn't be the same but at least you're going to have your own bed and own job and own bloody closet that was filled to the brim."
Bomi smiled sweetly, making the atmosphere in the room slightly better.
"I know you need money, so I'll give you a choice. You can either work for Sungyeol in his cafe, or work in my workshop. Although I would recommend the cafe since it's much easier and safer. I won't stop you from going back to the construction site. But I know Woohyun would never allow that. So-"
"Then I won't go back."
It was said so softly, so normally as if she was talking about the colour of her patient gown. Three days ago, she was yelling her head off because Woohyun had tried to control her too much and was making all the decisions in the world for her. But now, she was listening to him when he wasn't around. It was so frustrating in some ways, yet very adorable in another. Bomi was pouted, she looked as if she missed the annoying devil that used to float around her.
"Well then good, don't go back. The pay at the cafe is the probably more than enough so you don't have to worry. There's no need to pay rent to me since the rentor of the room you're staying in is gone at the moment. So basically, we got everything worked out for you. I just hope you don't mind me taking over what was Woohyun's job before."
He couldn't stop mentioning about Woohyun, they noticed. And the more he mentioned the Doctor, the more depressed Bomi was getting into. She was hugging her legs to her chest and thinking about that annoying man that used to boss her around. She missed him already, but she just couldn't bring herself to forgive him yet. It was so painful. No, it wasn't painful that he tried to her. What was painful was that he had tried to hurt her even though she thought he wouldn't. She was dreaming too high and too much.
"So do you have any questions?"
Bomi shook her head and thanked everyone with a smile.
After that, she went back to her own bubble and began missing Woohyun even more.
The others couldn't stand watching her like this.
"You know he wasn't going to hurt you right?"
Bomi looked back at Sunggyu.
"You do know that Woohyun was probably the last person on this earth that would really hurt you right?"
"But he did hurt me."
"That was because he was jealous. You, Hoya and Dongwoo looked so close and he made an irrational decision. You know deep inside that Woohyun will never ever hurt you at all."
Bomi kept quiet.
Of course she knew, how could she not know?
"Maybe so. But he did, not physically way anymore. But because he broke his promise, and I was dreaming too high."
"How so?"
"This was never Namu's fault, it wasn't even his problem, right from the start. But he chose to care for me, and fell in love with me even though I made it clear that I couldn't return those feelings. And because of he was so kind and loving to me, I took advantage of him."
Sunggyu looked surprised.
"Elaborate please."
Bomi looked away.
Biting her lips as she thought about the man she had gave her first kiss to.
"I wished Namu was mine, I wished he could always care and love me like how he does right now. But I wasn't supposed to dream like this. I said this before, he's too good for me. Therefore, I blamed myself more for thinking that I could actually give myself a chance to be with him. But I was wrong. The reason why this happens, was because I was too selfish. I shouldn't have wanted him. We were never meant to be in the first place."
Bomi was silently crying when she was done.
As painful as it was to admit now, she loves him.
"That's not true."
Dongwoo came forward and sat beside Bomi.
She looked at his puffy red eyes and realized he had been sad for the past few days as well, for both her and Woohyun.
"I fell in love once Bomi. Just once. She was beautiful. Hanuel was perfect in every way. I couldn't stop myself from falling deeper in love with her and by some miracle, she loves me too. I was just a guy who loved dancing and have nothing but music. And not many parents could accept such a guy as their daughter's boyfriend. Like what you believed in, I wasn't worthy of her."
Dongwoo smiled at Bomi, the memory of his love was the best time of his life.
"We moved in together, and Sunggyu hyung was our landlord. That year was paradise. I promised to marry her, to get her a beautiful ring and the keys to our new real home someday. But it was all too good to be true, because she died."
Bomi gasped at Dongwoo's tale, completely absorbed to what he was telling her.
Never once in her mind would she expect something to happen to her favourite idol.
He looked so happy always, so who would have thought.
"Her parents found her and I vowed to love their daughter for the rest of my life. They refused. They believed too that a wonderful girl like their daughter was too good for a guy like me. But Hanuel was persistent, she refused to leave. They sneered at her, mocked her until she couldn't accept that she was nothing but a pawn of her parent's perfect life. So she ran to the kitchen and took a knife, placing it against . She said she would kill herself if her parents still refused to let her go. They didn't, and she killed herself in font of me, Sunggyu hyung and Woohyun hyung."
Bomi couldn't believe her ears.
"I tortured myself for months. Thinking that if I hadn't got together with Hanuel, at least she'll still be alive. But then, even if she was alive right now, we won't be together. It hurts me to say this, but I rather we be together even if she has to die in the end. We all will one day. I know she's waiting for me, and I'm not scared of dying. Because I've lived the happiest moment of my life. I have nothing to regret. Tell me Bomi, do you have any regrets right now?"
Bomi hugged herself tighter on the bed, crying onto the blanket.
Dongwoo hugged her.
"He loves you. Woohyunnie loves you so much that he left you. The hurt you're feeling now couldn't be compared to the pain Woohyun is feeling. So forgive him, he didn't want to hurt you and I know he'll never hurt you again. Trust him, give him another chance. Call him back."
But Bomi refused and shook her head.
She sniffed before speaking.
"You told me a story Dongwoo oppa, so let me tell you mine now."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm glad Namu isn't here, because this is what I couldn't tell him."
Bomi pulled back the sleeves of her gown and stared at her scar filled arms.
If they had saw her body before, they would have known she was in some serious trouble.
It was almost disfigured.
"I don't have a father and I grew up only with my mother by side. She was lovely, charming and hilarious. I love her so much. But to raise me alone when she herself had so little, was very tough. I remembered how she'd fell asleep the minute she got back home because her horrible boss was making her work so hard. But she always had time for me, always, even it was just to say how was my baby today."
Bomi smiled brightly when she talked about her mother.
It was obvious she adores mother so, so much.
"I tried my best to not bother her with money issues, since I know how important money was for our home. I never once told her I got bullied in school as well for having no father and money. But she knew, she somehow knew I was in pain and will come and save me. She was my Wonderwoman. She saw what I was hiding and holding back. And she brought me shopping, it was our first shopping trip, it was wonderful."
Bomi tilted her head left and right, showing her excitement at the memory to everyone.
They smiled at her innocent behaviour.
"My mother had a gift with words. She was cheerful and out-spoken as well. So I told her to try being a travel agent, or a tour guide. It'll earn more and all she needed to do was to bring tourists around. She heeded my advice, gave it a go, and got hired on the spot because of her smile. I didn't know she would have to leave me to travel overseas for the job. She told she'll reject the job, but I told her not to. It was a chance for her to live for her own as well, without the burden of me. She went because I told her to."
Bomi's expression suddenly became glum.
"I was fifteen when she left, and spent most of my time alone at home. I admit, it was scary and lonely. But I knew my mother would make up for our missing time with another girl's outing, so I waited. When I was nineteen, she brought home a man. He was fine at first, nice to my mother and me. He said he'll take care of us. My mother thought that was nice, but I won't say she love him. She told me when I was younger than she had only love one man in her life, my father, who died before I was born."
She clenched the blanket tightly.
Nana moved forward and rubbed Bomi's back and hands, as if to give her the strength she previously didn't have.
"My stepfather, he proclaimed himself, was fine when my mother was there. But the minute she left for another tour, his personality changed drastically. I was in too much shock at his change that I didn't see his fist coming my way. He hurt me because I'd accidentally spilled his orange juice. I was stunned, too in pain to run away too. That day, ten minutes after my mother left, I experienced my first punishment."
The anger and hatred in Bomi's eyes made Nana's tears fall uncontrollably.
She didn't dare hear the rest of the tale, but Bomi couldn't stop, her words rushed out and her pain intensified.
"I was forced to quit school a week later because the money in the house was all used up by him. I was mistreated. He forced me to work. My pay had to be given to him, all of it. I had to nick food from the eatery I was working for at that time to survive. He gambled the money away, drank every night and slept around. I thought about how unfair it was that I had to suffer because of him. I was weak, I couldn't fight back."
Tears rolled down Bomi's cheek, but her eyes felt so much hatred for the man who tortured her.
No one dared to stop her, they felt that they needed to know this too.
"He abused me every night too, calling me a and a worthless piece of trash. He hit me, sometimes with his fist, sometimes with his feet and sometimes with his belt. I hid in my room once for safety, but the minute he caught me the next day, the pain doubled. I was only safe when he's too drunk and had passed out of the couch or when he went out ot sleep around. I rejoiced at that small happiness. And this went on for two years. Two long bloody years."
Bomi's anger blazed through her eyes.
Sunggyu had no idea how she was able to show so much hatred.
"He tried to me as well. I came home exhausted from work, and he sneaked behind me and ksised my neck. I kicked his balls the first time. There was a huge enjoyment in doing that actually. But the second and third time, he was smart to protect it. He didn't get me once, I managed to get away all the time, through the screams that I made, help and attention came to the house. That had to see this was coming one day."
Sunggyu had to give it to the smaller girl, she was strong.
Very strong indeed.
"I remembered washing myself hard to get his touches away, my skin turned red, broke and bleed. There was scratches everywhere that I made to myself too. On the fifth time, I wasn't that lucky. He tied me up with that damn blet of his and smirked evily at me. I struggled and cried so badly because he was that close to me. I was so scared."
Hyuna covered her ears, willing herself to not hear anymore.
Sunggyu went over to calm her down.
The memory two months ago was coming back to her.
Sadly, Bomi didn't get that action.
"Thankfully, the police came. Because someone next door had complained of my screams and called the police to check on me. He got arrested on the spot and I felt safe for the very first time. But because it was only attempted , he didn't get to stay in jail for long. I knew I had to leave. My mother was on a three year tour overseas, she didn't know what happened. And I couldn't being myself to tell her. That bastard finally got what he deserved."
Sunggyu found his first smile.
Bomi had an unbreakable spirit that he admired.
"So I left, worked somewhere for money to go back to school. I thought I was free, I thought I can finally live a decent life. But he found me, two years ago later. He tried to catch me back, but I got stronger then, I wasn't that weak twenty one anymore. He got mad at my defiance, and I kicked his balls again before running. He told my mother was in his hands, I stopped and turned back. He said if I don't come back, he'll kill my mother!"
Bomi was crying out in fear, she was shaking in both fear and anger.
Yvonne was trying to calm her down, along with Nana.
They had tears in her eyes, they couldn't stand to see Bomi like this anymore.
"I couldn't go back, it was hell, he'll torture me again, where can I run to then. So I told him, the only way I'll go back, is when I'm died and buried underground. He was angry, but he was more concerned about money. He said he'll make a deal with me, as long as I sent money back, he'll leave me alone and not harm nor kill my mother. I was scared, I couldn't lose her, anyone but my mother. I haven't seen her in four years then, but I don't mind as long as she's alive. I needed to protect her, she's my only family. So we had a deal, and I sent money back every month.
Bomi closed her glaring eyes and took deep breaths, her tears were finally stopping.
"It was fine at first, he didn't ask for much. But his appetite soon got bigger. He found where I was living and threatened me again. I got scared. I felt like that defenseless nineteen year old again. I didn't dare go against him when my mother's live was at stake. So I worked, worked and worked, getting whatever job I could to pay him. This went on for three years. Three, long years."
Bomi could feel the stress fading from her body.
The pain that she had single-handedly carried for so long had been let out.
She turned to look at the others now.
"I'm a girl with an ongoing debt. A debt that can never be fully paid even if I sold my soul. A girl like me shouldn't even be dreaming about knowing such a nice guy like Namu. Because every night, all I could see was my mother screaming in pain because I failed to protect her. How could I be with someone when my mother is in danger. And here it is, the real reason why I'd rejected Namu. When I slashed myself back then, I thought how I was finally seeing my mother when she joined me in Heaven. I was so happy then, and got so angry when Namu saved me."
She smiled sillily next.
"I used to dream that a gang of gangsters can come and save me. I wouldn't mind repaying them with anything. Even if I had to sell myself, I won't hesitate a single second. As long as they get rid of that pest for me, I'm willing to do anything. But that was a dream, who would help someone like me.."
Sunggyu and Sungyeol stared at one another and sighed tiredly.
Why was it that everytime they met someone new, they had to introuduce their old identities.
Sunggyu looked at Bomi, getting sandwiched by the two wives while Hyuna sat in front and wiped the younger girl's tears away. Sunggyu guessed those tears were all the pain she had suffered for so long. She looked at the other guys who were holding back their own tears now. But in Sunggyu's mind, he was imaging Woohyun's reaction if he knew about this. Gosh that would be terrifying. He sat back on the couch in the room and thought long and hard. He had been wiating for a phonecall from an old from till now and-
//Ring-ring-ring.
Speak of the Devil.
"Hello Inspector Oh."
"I found her."
"How is she?"
"Yelling in my ear and asking about her daughter."
"Do you mind giving me her details so that I can take over from here?"
"Yes, please take the excited ahjumma away from me."
Sunggyu chuckled.
"Have some respect for the elderly Inspector."
"Whatever. I got to go now. I expect my first paycheck to be big Mr Kim!"
"No worries. You've done it in less than a week. I pay well for good service."
"I'm your friend damnit, don't talk to me like a client!"
The Inspector was impossible.
"Fine. I'll see you when you get back."
"Will do. Good bye."
Sunggyu got up from the couch then, everyone was crowding around Bomi to give her hugs or pats on the back and what nots so they didn't hear who was on the phone with Sunggyu. He saw that they were close to squashing that poor girl to death.
"Bomi."
The innocent eyes against the small nonchalant ones.
"I found your mother."
She refused to sleep on Woohyun's soft bed at first.
It was like a torture chamber, Woohyun's room without him in it. She rested her tired bones while thinking about the events that happened that morning. She didn't know if it was a wonderful morning or the most damning one of all. She still couldn't believe that Kim Sunggyu had found her mother.
"What are you talking about? You found my mother?"
"Yes. I found her."
"You don't even know her name."
"Jung Eunji right?"
Bomi jumped up from the bed and ran towards Sunggyu, holding his right arm and pulling it in and out, shaking Sunggyu harshly.
"How did you know? How did you know my mother's name?"
"I have my ways."
"How?"
"Don't ask how. It's trade secret. In any case, I found her because you told me you needed money to save your mother."
"I told you? When?"
"When you got drunk."
Bomi thought hard before the memory of that first night in Sunggyu's house came back to her.
"Oh, since that night."
"Yes and I found her."
"How is she, is she well, was she mistreated?"
"I can't answer you now."
Bomi frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I'm not sure as well. I need to make a phone call, but I can only make it in the night because of the time difference."
"Then-then.. can I talk to her too?"
"Only when I'm done, alright?"
"Yes yes! Thank you thank you so much Sunggyu oppa!"
Bomi hugged Sunggyu so tightly that the oldest man thought he was going to die of suffocation. She was crying again and now jumping around to each and everyone that was in the room.
"Thank you Sungyeol oppa, Myungsoo oppa, Hoya oppa, Dongwoo oppa! Thank you Hyuna unnie, Nana unnie and Yvonne unnie! Thank you so so much! Namu, Namu did you hear..."
Bomi searched around then and saw no sight of the gogeous annoying devil. He wasn't here, she had forgetten. She had asked him to leave. Everyone smiled at her adorable behaviour, it was true. Like Sunggyu had told them, Bomi shares and leans on Woohyun for support. But now, Woohyun wasn't here, Bomi had gone completely quiet. She missed him, she need not hide her feelings anymore.
"I like Namu, maybe even love him."
"About time you confessed, but the main guy isn't here."
"I knew I'll fall for him the minute he waited for me in the rain, our lives will never be the same."
"It happens to all of us honey, Woohyun is just like that."
Hyuna smacked her boyfriend.
"Don't honey her. She's Woohyun oppa's girl."
"I know that dear, it's just the way I speak."
"And since when do you speak like that?"
"When Woohyun isn't around to do the same thing."
Sunggyu turned back to Bomi.
"I suggest you find Woohyun soon. Because I need him back."
"What for?"
"Revenge girl, revenge."
"On?"
"Just find him. Other than working in the cafe and staying at home. Your other mission is to find Woohyun."
Bomi pouted.
"Must I?"
"Don't lie to me that you don't want him. We all know you do."
"I do, a lot."
Sunggyu felt exasperated.
"Then what's the difficult part?"
"I don't know what to say when I see him."
"Easy, just say what you've been telling us and the magic three words."
"What magic three words?"
"The magic words that can make Woohyun come back and do anything for you?"
"That powerful?"
Sunggyu heard the others giggling from the side.
"Yes. Now you're going to get discharge. We're going home.You can learn the ropes from Dongwoo today. Alright?"
"Yes Sir!"
They were in awe, all of them. Who would have thought the two loggerheads would be good friends now. Just a few days ago they were screaming and shoving their fist down each other's throat, now they were acting as if they were brothers and sisters and the best of friends. It was magical indeed.
"Sunggyu oppa, why can't you just find Namu like how you found my mother?"
"Because that would be too easy for you. Try hard Bomi, you need to get your off the bed once in a while."
She playfully struck Sunggyu's stomach before running to hide behind Hyuna. Maybe they were still loggerheads, and probably would be forever.
Bomi covered herself with the comforter, the soft bed suddenly felt very uncomfortable because of the lack of its owner. She inhaled the scent around her, it was Woohyun, everywhere around her was him. She could imagine him entering and leaving the bathroom, laying and sleeping on the bed, standing infront of his own closet and searching for suitable clothes and fixing his hair before leaving. It was like he was here, but not.
It was like a prision, they had gave her Woohyun's room so that she could miss him every moment of her night. Being in his room only intensifies how much more she misses him. She missed his warmth. The way his lips curled up like a grin before fully smiling. She missed kissing him most, the soft kisses that he gave was so delicious that no amount of chocolate could satisfy her. And the way his strong arms brought so much comfort and security to her, she wanted him back that instant.
She regretted asking him to leave.
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