★ || 4 || ★

“I don't know what to do” Selene sobbed pleading for help. “I think you need to think about yourself and Nora”  Minah whispered. “Did he do this to you before?”. Selene shook her head. “No!”  and wiped the tears from her eyes trying not to ruin her make-up. “I am helpless. All I can think of Nora. She's been through so much already and the last thing I want is to bruise her even more”. Minah nodded. “I understand, just look out for a new place. You can't just stay there”. Selene nodded. '” know” and released a sigh. “But what if he's really sorry? Maybe it's just a one time thing and he just had a bad day?” she continued kind of defending him. “Selene, hear yourself. If he thought of you one second he wouldn't have hit you. What if he does it again? The thought of it alone makes me worry about you two”. Selene nodded playing with her hands. “Well I need to stay there until I find something, I just hope it's soon”. “I will help you okay? But just be careful alright?” Minah insisted as she looked worried at her best friend. “Thank you”  Selene whispered.
 

The whole day Selene and Minah pretended as if nothing happened. The whole incident was kept between the two of them and the both of them agreed on telling everyone it was a little accident if someone asked. Between the work both girls had to do they looked and searched for apartments over the internet, but that wasn't so easy as they thought it would be. Selene wanted to find a place that wasn't too far away from Nora's school and close enough to her job.

A few weeks passed. Autumn left and the winter officially made it's way into the city. Whenever Selene was dropping off little Nora, she would find herself bumping into Yonghwa more often. Without Youngwoon knowing she was searching and looking for apartments. The last thing she wanted was for him to find out what she was doing behind his back. That she planned her escape. All of it, just to get away out of his house. In the meantime a few more little incidents happened where Selene ended up having a scar or a bruise in her face or arm somewhere and just when Selene thought things wouldn't get worse, he stopped hitting her and it looked like as if he had calmed himself down, but did he really?

Just like any other day Selene picked up little Nora from school. All the little kids were jumping, squealing and smiling because it was a school Christmas break. Nora agreed with her best friend Jinah to come over sometime to play at her house so that aunty could have some well deserved time for herself, at least those were her words. “See you soon Nora” Jinah smiled waving at her best friend as she was picked up by her dad this time. “Bye” Nora waved and held onto Selene's hand tightly until they reached the car and she climbed in. Selene stepped in after Nora was buckled in safe and secure and headed home to spend some one on one time with her little niece.
 

As soon as they arrived home Nora ran into the house and dropped her backpack in the hallway while Selene closed the door behind her and cleaned up after Nora. “Auntie can I have something to drink?” Nora asked as she climbed onto chair in the kitchen. Selene smiled and took a cup and filled it with some fresh made lemonade. “How about we will make some cupcakes today?” Selene continued with a smile taking a sip from her glass of water. “Can I help?” Nora cheered after she placed the cup back down on the kitchen table. Selene kissed the top of Nora's head. “Of course you can help. These will be our cupcakes. You'd like that?” she asked once more as she ran her hand over Nora's head. Nora just nodded. “Okay”.
 

Selene took out everything they needed to make the cupcakes and she brought a chair into the kitchen for Nora to stand on so she could reach the counter and started to help out wherever she could. It was priceless seeing the smile on Nora's face and it gave Selene a good feeling to have her involved a little more. After they filled all the cupcakes, Selene slid the plate in the oven and all they had to do now was wait before they could go and decorate them. When the cupcakes were ready and cooled off, both Selene and Nora started to decorate their cupcakes and of course, Selene let Nora do the most of them. Blue sprinkles here, pink hearts there, she used every little bit of imagination she had.
 

While Selene and Nora were in