That night Nicole couldn’t forced her eyes closed. She had enough sleep all day that make her didn’t feel sleepy at night.

When she took a look at time, it was already 11 P.M, usually Hara would get back from work already. She took the phone under her pillow, texting her friend if she got everything done with her work when one new message came.

It was from Jaejoong asking her if she was at home.

She immediately got up from the bed and made her way outside home walked to the alley, didn’t even realised why she got so much confident that the boy was near her home. But true her instinct, she was shocked when she reached the end of alley found a familiar car parked at the side of the street.

She was ready to walked over when the door opened, revealed the person inside waving at her and calling her name.

She hurriedly came over and caught him when he was stumbled backwards a bit. “What’s wrong?” she asked worried. She could smell the strong alcohol from him and she was sure something big had just happened that made him became like this.

“Nicole,” he looked at her and drunkenly smiled. “You’re here...”

He once again stumbled, and she caught him fast. She help him sat back into the car and she sat beside him. He keep his head hanging low, grunt and murmur under his breath. She was helplessly looked at him and decided to send a text to his friend to take him home.

It was silence for some minutes, only the sound of his hard breath could be heard until he looked up absentmindedly at her.

“Is something wrong?” she bravely asked because she knew, there was a party held by his aunt that night. Junsu told him the other day before, and looking at how formal the clothes he wore, she was sure his aunt was the cause of this all.

“Do you believe when people say, the truth will always wins?” his head tilted up slightly as he closed his eyes. “I always let those bad people spreading the lies. And I’m hoping someday the situation will turned otherwise and everything’s gonna be back to normal. But I seemed to let those people wins over and over again.”

She didn’t response him immediately. He looked so distressed and dejected. And what make her worried was she noticed he had been in this situation lately. And he seemed to be really closed with his problem.

“I believe that, but you need to put your trust into it to make you win in the end. You might lose sometimes, but take it just as a small battles in order to win, the biggest one is yet to come, remember success always takes time.”

Slowly his lips curve into a wide smile, completely fascinated with her words. “Nicole, do you know that my aunt was behind my dad death?” he muttered under his breath, enough for shocking the girl and turned her froze in place. “She was behind it all, so his husband can take my dad place in the company. But,” he chuckled, and shifted his eyes to her, this time with a serious manner, “Who would’ve thought she could cruelly killed his own husband too? So his son will take the position instead. She knew her position as the kim’s wife was at the dead end cliff. That was so terrified when her husband was going to divorced her so she take a move first. Since his husband gone, I most likely will replace him, next year I guess? So she must be frightened right now, right? Haha.. she must be busy right now thinking the way to get rid of me...”

“But Nicole, I’m not scared if she kill me too. What I am scared of is, if she is going to kill me, how about my mom? I can’t leave her alone... I can’t let them hurt her...”

She let the tears flow down her cheeks freely. She had no idea, his life could be this dark and it hurt her that he needed to bear with it for years. She reached his hand and murmured, “Everything’s gonna be alright. It’s all about time, she will never win over you.”

“That was what I believe five years ago,”

“Oppa...” she tightened her grip on his big hand. His piercing eyes never lose her as she continued, “If you’re give up now, who’s gonna protect your mom? I believe your dad won’t like it, and so you are. You need to hold it in a bit longer, I believe you can do it. You always have friends who willingly to help you anytime, and I always got your back oppa.”

A sparkle appeared in his eyes as he ran his fingers along her cheek delicately and said under his breath, “I’m glad you’re here with me.” slowly he leaned forward, closed the gap between them until they could felt each other heavy breathing as their eyes still locking. Out of sudden a hard knock on the window startled a girl a bit following by Jaejoong’s head fell on her shoulder as he closed his eyes.

“Hyung..”

Nicole moved his body slowly and slide the window opened.

“What’s wrong?” Junsu panicked when he saw the boy inside already knocked out in his seat.

“Help me.”

Junsu ran to the other side of the car and opened the door.

“What’s wrong?” Yoochun asked worriedly as Junsu and Changmin brought Jaejoong inside their car.

“He’s drunk.”

Yoochun sighed, “Something happened in the party. He must be stressed out.”

Nicole nodded, didn’t ask any further about it eventhough she was curious. “He need friend. Don’t let him down on his own too long.”

“Never. Thank you for informed us, Nicole. See you later.” Yoochun waved and walked over the driver seat and started riding the car down the street.

***

The bell tinkled when Nicole stepped inside the coffe shop. A girl in the counter flashed a friendly smile at her appearance as she waved her hand.

“Back from school?”

“Yes.” Nicole nodded and she leaned forward to greet another person in the small kitchen beside the counter. “Where’s Hara?”

“Hara? She didn’t come since two days ago. Didn’t you guys supposed to be on school trip for three days?”

“School trip?” Nicole raised her eyebrow confusedly.<