[ Kevin's POV ]

I stared silently as I observed her face. The sounds of the lightning is getting lower and lower now. I guess she must've felt safe when it's starting to fade away. She sobbed a little but from her face expression, I could say that she's going to sleep. I smiled alone when I saw her face. Slowly, I brought my hand and caressed her smooth cheek gently.

I thought you said that you're strong, Hyun Ae. But I guess you still need me.

A few moments later, I felt someone's presence. Someone opened up the blanket. I turned my gaze and saw Hyun Ae's father with a worried expression on his face. He stared at us worriedly and gulped. "Is she okay?"he asked. I looked at her and then turned back to look at her father. "She's fine."I said and smiled.

Her father sigh in relief when he heard it. He rubbed his neck and smiled gently at his daugther. I guess he must felt worried too.

----

I was sitting at the couch with her father, staring at the coffee in front of me. Since Hyun Ae had fall asleep, her father had asked me to accompany him at the couch. Well, I guess it's okay since the thunderstorms had stopped and she also had fall asleep now. Both of us remain silent since none of us spoke.

But then, her father broke it. "Thanks for comforting her."he started. I smiled at him. "You're welcome."I said. Both of us heaved a sigh. I turned my face toward him and bit my lower lip. "Um,"I started. He looked at me and waited. "Did she suffer from Astraphobia?"I took the courage to ask. I could tell that her father was taken aback when he heard it.

He then sigh in defeated and looked down onto the floor. "I don't really consider that she has an Astraphobia."he replied and gulped. I frowned when I heard it. Why did he say that? Didn't he saw that his daugther was completely scared of the thunders? If it's not Astraphobia, then what is it?

"She's traumatized."her father continued. I blinked my eyes innocently at him. "Traumatized?"I asked back; doesn't understand what he really meant. He nodded disappointedly and sighed. "She's been scared of thunders since that tragedy."her father said and leaned his head onto the wall.

"The tragedy that changed her life."

[ Author's POV ]

-Flashback-

The seven years old Hyun Ae was holding her mother's hand as they crossed the road. The clouds were getting thicker and darker signaling that it's going to rain. Hyun Ae's mother stared at her basket which contents some ingridients and then turned her gaze toward her little daugther.

She smiled gently at her and stopped walking for a while. Her mother bent down to her level and patted her shoulders. "Hyun Ae-ah, can you walk a little faster? It's going to rain soon."her mother coed as she cupped Hyun Ae's cheek. Hyun Ae quickly nodded and smiled at her mother.

Then, both of them started to walk faster, hoping they wouldn't get drenched with the rain. But, unlucky them when the rain started to pour down, making all the peoples on the street to run looking for a shelter. Her mother hold her up and ran toward a post office near them for a shelter.

When they arrived, she put Hyun Ae down and quickly took out a handkerchief from her handbag. She then wiped Hyun Ae's shirt gently as she smiled at her daughter. "Are you feeling cold, Hyun Ae?"her mother asked as she wiped the rain from Hyun Ae's body. Hyun Ae giggled and shook her head cutely.

Her mother sigh in relieved. She stood up and dusted her cloth from the rain as she stared at the dark sky. "I wonder when will the rain stop."she thought to herself and flashed a look at Hyun Ae who was shivering. She bent down to her level and frowned. "What's wrong, Hyun Ae-ah? Are you cold?"she asked.

Hyun Ae shook her head and pouted. She pointed her index finger toward the dark sky. "I saw something bright up there. It's scary."she started to cry. Her mother heaved a sigh and quickly faked a smile. "Don't worry, Hyun Ae-ah. That thing won't hurt you."her mother tried to comfort her.

Hyun Ae stared at her mother and nodded silently. "That's my daugther."she continued and pinched Hyun Ae's cheek. She stood back up and waited for the rain to stop. It had been a few minutes now since both of them waited there. Some peoples were complaining that the rain wouldn't stop as if God didn't allow them to go back home.

Suddenly, a man with a black hoodies walked passed by the mother and the daugther in the rain. He approached Hyun Ae's mother and then quickly snatched her handbag from her. Her mother who was startled was stunned when the guy suddenly ran away with her handbag. She quickly chased him; just to get back her handbag where all her important belongings kept in there.

Hyun Ae followed her mother. She ran under the rain; didn't even care whether she was drenched. All that she wanted is her mother won't be apart from her. They ran toward the road. The guy crossed the road and turned left toward the street. Hyun Ae's mother followed him but she was unlucky when a huge thing crashed onto her; caused her to fly away.

Hyun Ae saw her mother was lying onto the wet road. Bloods were everywhere around her mother lifeless body. Tears were flowing down to her cheek. Everyone started to gather around her mother's body and sometimes they turned their gaze toward the poor kid who was crying; shouting her mom's name.

Hyun Ae sat onto the road; watching her mother's dead body from afar. Suddenly, a yellow and white light strike onto the road and it eventually striked onto Hyun Ae's hand; caused her to collasped onto the road.

-End of Flashback-

"Since then, Hyun Ae was scared of thunders. When I asked her why she was scared, she will said that her mother died on that day. It's because of that tragic day."Hyun Ae's father heaved a sigh and buried his face into his palm. Kevin gulped when he heard it. Somehow, his heart ache when he thought about it.

He looked down onto the floor, thought about how poor the girl was. "My poor Hyun Ae."her father whispered and tried to hold his tears. Kevin patted his shoulder and rubbed them. "Kevin, can you promise me something?"her father said and looked up at him. "Please protect her and don't ever leave her alone when she's sad. Though she look strong outside, but she was just too fragile inside."her father continued.

Kevin heaved a sigh and stared at his eyes. He slightly nodded.

The next day, Hyun Ae fluttered opened her eyes tiredly. She stared at the window and quickly sat up. "What happen last night?"she thought and frowned. "Oh, Hyun Ae-ah. You're awake. I need your help."her father screeched when she got out from the room. "What is it?"she asked and arched her eyebrow. Her father smiled mischiveously. "Why do I felt uneasy about this?"Hyun Ae thought as she gulped.

----

"Have you find some?"Kevin shouted from the back. Hyun Ae shook her head in disappointment and looked down. Kevin approached her and sighed while he wiped the sweats from his neck. "Where could it be?"he mumbled and gulped. Hyun Ae turned her gaze at him and frowned.

"Why are you coming with me? I can find it my own."Hyun Ae said. Kevin looked at her and sighed. "Did you forgot?"he asked back. Hyun Ae tilted her head in confusion when she heard it. "You asked me to stay with you. So, I'm doing it."he stated and faked a smile. Hyun Ae frowned.

"When did I-"she thought but then something hit her head. "Omo! Is it him? I thought it was my father!"her mind yelled as she blushed. She looked at Kevin who was crossing his arms. Then, her heart started to thump again. "I must've have been crazy for mistaken him as my father."she pouted angrily.

"It-it's just for that- night."she said and quickly walked away, trying to hide her red face from Kevin. Kevin urked his eyebrow and chuckled. "Too bad I can't say that I wanted to protect you."he thought and sighed while followed her from behind.