Haera's Dilemma
The Outcast Club
Auditory Hallucinations (feat. NaShow) [Kill Me, Heal Me OST] - Jang Jae In
A/N: Thumbs up for you if you know this song! xD
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Haera had entered the booming party about half an hour ago, feeling uncomfortable and unsure. Her almond-shaped eyes flickered anxiously around the area, and secretly, she wished that at least any of the guys was there with her. If they were there, she would have been able to relax a bit, at least.
It was already close to eight o’ clock, and by now, the sky was completely dark. Still, hordes of people continued to file into the large, luxurious mansion, and Haera felt completely out of place.
It’s okay, Haera. Be calm, she thought to herself as her fists slightly tightened at her sides. She was dressed exceptionally pretty today, in a halter top and ruffled skirt. The girls she had hopped into the car with had taken the liberty to dress her up as well, as well as taking a few hours on their looks. Some of their clothing was horrifyingly inappropriate, but Haera tried not to say anything.
“I’m getting some more drinks!” One girl shouted across the blaring speaker system. Another girl agreed, linking arms with her, “I’ll go with you!”
“Me too!”
“Let’s go!”
No, don’t leave! Haera glanced worriedly at the shrinking number of people around her. She could barely see their faces clearly under the illuminating, dark-blue lights. How many people had she come to this place with? Six? Four? Staying alone was definitely not an option, especially since she didn’t recognize many of the party guests.
“Guard the table, okay?” one of the girls gave her a look.
Haera bit her lip. “Actually—”
“I’m back,” the female that had given Haera her invitation returned from who-knows-where with her boyfriend beside her.
“Oh good, you three can save the table,” the others nodded and sauntered off to the drink stands. Haera could spot the drink fountains– suspicious hues of blue and drops of pink and red made her wonder what exactly was in them. Whatever it was, she was certain that she didn't want to try them.
The girl’s boyfriend slung a casual arm around her and attempted to nuzzle her cheek as Haera blinked and quickly glanced away. It felt awkward to be there.
“Stop that…” the girl mewled. “Okay, seriously, stop! Honestly…”
The giggling was what got to her, and instantly, Haera bolted up on her feet, “U-Uh, I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back.”
The couple paid her no more attention than they would a fly and Haera sped off as fast as she could. She darted into the hall near the bathroom and let out a sigh. I want to go home.
Biting her lower lip softly, she pulled out her phone in her pocket and clicked the home key. She smiled fondly at the face that covered her screen and held it tightly. Just seeing the face gave her a small glimmer of courage.
“Shin Haera?”
Haera’s eyes fluttered up to the figure in front of her, and her body went rigid.
“You came,” the figure advanced on her, making her slowly recede back into the private bathroom. “I was waiting for you…”
After cornering her, the figure closed the door behind him with an inaudible click and Haera’s phone clattered on the floor, forgotten.
*
Traffic had been terrible, and Yura had decided to get out on the side of the road and bolt a few blocks to the mansion.
Half-angrily and breathlessly, Yura trudged into the party uninvited. Her sharp, precise eyes scanned the crowded, pulsing floor for Haera’s tiny frame.
She ducked around couples that were grossly pinning each other to walls, teems of stuffy, dancing bodies, and kids that weren’t exactly sober and were probably experimenting in the corners with some illegal acts. Nobody recognized her because the area was so dimly lit. To Yura’s infuriation, she couldn’t spot Haera so easily, either.
“Oh, man! This party is sick!” one kid who looked significantly older hooted.
“There’s a couple getting pretty frisky in the bathroom,” one with a red updo wiggled his eyebrows seductively to his friend.
“What else is new?” another asked in boredom.
“Wait until you hear this – it’s this gorgeous girl with caramel-coloured hair! What was her name? I think people called her Haera?” he guffawed. “She looks super innocent though… Who would’ve known she was such a whor—ACK!”
In an instant, Yura’s deadly face was inches away from his as she gripped him in a chokehold. “…Where is she?”
In a shaking fit, the boy pointed to the bathroom, and Yura hastily let go before making a dash there. A crowd had already hovered and were listening intently to the side of the door. They made inappropriate jokes and whistled cat-calls at the muffled voices inside.
That was the last straw.
Ruthlessly, Yura shoved people this way and that before kicking the door. It was locked. She cursed under her breath.
One grabbed her arm, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing? Nobody’s allowed—” In a swift wipe, Yura knocked him back with her elbow. Her long, dark hair whipped around as she growled at him.
“Don’t touch me.”
The crowd around her grew silent as they exchanged wary glances. The lights hit the sides of her face and they could instantly recognize her now.
“It’s Han Yura!”
“How did she get in?”
“Why is she even here?”
Yura slammed her foot against the door repeatedly. Boom, boom, boom. Eventually, the noises inside stopped, and Yura refused to stop kicking the door until it opened.
Finally, the door swung open, and an irritated male hissed at her, “WHAT?!”
Wham! Before anyone could bat an eyelid, he was flipped over on his back against the hard, tiled floor.
She could faintly hear him cussing in pain and barking profanities at her, but all Yura could see was the cowering girl in the corner.
Haera’s skirt was tattered and frayed, her hair was a mess, and her mascara intermingled with the tears that slid down her pale cheeks, forming dark circles around her eyes.
Her blouse was ripped wide open, and her stockings had been forcefully tossed across the floor. Bruises decorated her delicate, peach arms, and her top half was exposed. Her collarbone was dotted in purpling hickeys – a horrid sign of what had occurred during the dreadful time in the bathroom.
Yura could only see red.
Before the boy could even raise an arm to hit her, Yura spun around with another swift kick and his back slammed against the side of the room. She pinned him to the wall with her shoe and dug her foot into his stomach as he doubled over.
“You sick bastard,” her eyes flashed. “Who the hell set you up to this?!”
“W-What are you talking about?” the male glared up at her and winced as her shoe shoved into his gut, “O…Obviously I—”
“Don’t with me. Who hosted this party? HUH?!” her voice shook as her face burned with malice, “ANSWER ME!” she raised her fist. The male braced himself for the hit.
“…M—Min… Doyoon,” a voice whispered.
Yura’s fury froze for a second before her pitch-black eyes trailed to Haera. Although the latter still didn’t meet her eyes, Yura could tell that Haera was shaking.
I knew it. Yura thought, fists clamping shut. While she was lost in her fury, the male grabbed her ankle and shoved her backwards, crashing her against the countertop of the sink. Yura bit her lip as her back slammed against the sink in shockwaves of foreign, dulling pain.
Everyone was stunned into silence as the male grunted and stood up. He called her an inexcusable name and grabbed her wrist tightly. He the corner of his bloody lip sneeringly.
“You…” Yura gritted her teeth with a loathing glare.
The male advanced on her. “I’ll make sure you regret this—”
WHAM! In a swift hit, the male was once again down on his back. Yura blinked at the new figure that had knocked out the boy.
“Han Yura,” the male his heels and walked towards her with an exasperated look. “You could’ve waited for me. I was looking everywhere for you two.”
Jungkook had appeared out of the blue, clad in dark jeans, a grey shirt, and a black hoodie that loosely hung off of his shoulders. His wine-red hair stood out starkly amongst the crowd as he flipped his bangs, casting a dark look at the attacker.
“Oh my god, it’s Jeon Jungkook!” A wave of stunned murmurs filled the room.
Perfect. More gossip. Yura glared at the audience. She would’ve relished in bliss by pummeling them one by one, but even she had to admit that they weren’t the main problem now.
Jungkook’s eyes – equally pitch-black – seemed to get even darker when they pinned on Haera’s lonely figure in the corner. Haera refused to look at either of them and her small frame continued to shiver.
“HAN YURA AND JEON JUNGKOOK ARE HERE!” voices were heard in the distance.
“They just knocked a guy out!” another added.
. Yura closed her eyes in pure irritation. Jungkook exchanged a look with her, “You two, get out of here, now.”
As much as she hated to follow orders, Yura didn’t question and grabbed Haera by the wrist roughly. Jungkook led the way and cleared out the path with his hands in his pockets as Yura took off her jacket and covered Haera’s chest up with her school blazer.
Amongst the murmurs and stunned chattering, Yura murmured in a voice low enough that Jungkook’s sharp ears could hear. “That guy attacked her according to a plan. Find Min Doyoon and beat the crap out of him, will you?”
Jungkook perked up as a deadly smirk took over his lips. “Judging by Jimin hyung’s complaints, I was wondering who this punk was. Hurry and go – Haera doesn’t need to see any bloodshed right now.”
With a nod, Yura stormed out as fast as she could, with Haera in tow.
As they hurried farther and farther away from the mansion, Yura’s pace gradually slowed down. In ragged breaths, they stopped on the sidewalk near an empty parkette and Yura let go of Haera’s arm roughly. Haera flinched.
The wind rustled quietly. All at once, Yura's suppressed emotions that were boiling up inside her finally spewed out, and there was no way of stopping it.
“…Are you stupid?”
Haera's bloodied lip quivered as she hung her head in shame.
“The atmosphere should’ve been a dead giveaway to possible danger. They weren’t hosting some freaking tea party! I warned you not to go, and what happened? You went anyway and almost got ! What the hell is wrong with you?! Why didn’t you leave?!”
“I CAME FOR YOU!” she finally shouted, finally staring into Yura’s eyes. Silent, hidden tears were welling up in her red orbs.
Yura instantly tensed up, taken aback. “…What?”
Haera let in a shaky breath.
“A-After our argument at school, I decided not to go to the party. The more I thought about it, the more I thought you were right. But then Hyeri, Sera, and Mina came. They told me that if I didn’t come, Doyoon would send his friends after you. I thought I just had to stay for a while, then leave – I just wanted to… to stand up for you, like you did for m-me…” Haera sniffled, lips quivering.
“I… know I can act like a kid – I’m not very bright, everyone calls me stupid, people act like they’re my friends when in reality, they just want to get something out of me… I-I don’t even have the c-courage to defend myself and just blindly follow what everyone else says, like a dog. And now, I risked p-putting your l-life in danger… You’re right, Yura – I am an idiot!” she wailed, breaking out in tears. Haera’s knees finally gave way as she sank to the ground, crying out like a lost child.
Yura was at a loss for words. She stared at her, off-guard, and crouched down to her level, instinctively leaning in to touch her arm. “…H-Hey—”
Haera’s whole body suddenly started to quiver in terror. She let out a yelp and shoved Yura away with all her might, backing away from her and cowering in fear. Yura’s eyes widened in shock as Haera covered her ears and closed her eyes, backing away.
“N-NO! L-Leave me alone… P-Please… p-please…!”
Yura cautiously approached her. “…H.ae…ra?”
Haera shook her head violently. Now, she was convulsing in pure fright, and Yura grew alert.
“P-Please… don’t hurt m-me… get a-away… don’t t-touch me… I’ll do anything; just please don’t take me into that r-room again…”
Yura was paralyzed in a mixture of shock and confusion. Suddenly, Hyeri’s previous words echoed in her mind:
“You’re not innocent, you’re tainted – both in mind and in body.”
Everything clicked into place. Yura closed her eyes in remorse and exhaled sharply.
So she was abused.
Yura’s hand hesitated before she awkwardly touched her arm. Haera flinched again, but Yura let out a quiet ‘shh’ sound and began to gently pat her back in rhythmical motions. Although she usually did this when Shinbi was frightened, this was the only thing she could think of to attempt to calm Haera down.
“Shin Haera. Listen to me. I’m not that person. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m only going to… help you.”
“…H-Help?” she sniffled, her shaking stopping momentarily.
“That’s right. I’m not going to hurt you,” Yura assured in a quiet voice. “I’ll help you. I will.”
She’ll help me. This person will help me. Haera couldn’t come back to her senses yet, but she felt her head gently being guided into the odd comfort of someone’s small shoulder. Not realizing that it was Yura, a relieved, calming feeling dulled her frantic nerves as she closed her eyes and rested until the fear subsided, like a lost child in the reliable arms of her mother.
*
After a while of waiting, Jungkook appeared, claiming that everything had been ‘taken care of’ and they didn’t need to worry about Min Doyoon anymore. Haera had become more stable, thanks to Yura’s reassurance. She seemed to be aware of her surroundings now.
“Did she go into a fit?” Jungkook pulled Yura aside. His expression was calm, but it was easy to spot the anxiety in his eyes. When Yura slowly nodded, Jungkook’s eyes widened in mild surprise before he let out a sigh. “Are you… serious?”
Yura furrowed her eyebrows.
“No, I mean, usually nobody can calm her down, not even me. Well, I guess, except—” Jungkook halted mid-sentence as Yura curiously stared at him. Jungkook quickly shook his head and waved it off, “Nothing. Never mind.”
“G-Guys…?” Haera worriedly called a bit away from them. Immediately, Yura watched as Jungkook approached her.
“Everything… okay?
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. Come on, I’m taking you home.” Jungkook announced. “I’ll drop you off—”
“NO!” Haera absolutely refused. “DON’T!”
“Haera...” Jungkook trailed off in surprise.
“I… don’t want anyone to see me l-like this right now. I can’t… I can’t—” she clutched onto her chest, swallowing air in sudden gulps. “Mom and D-Dad have never—they’ve never seen this s-side of m-me—”
When Jungkook touched her arm worriedly, Haera stepped back for a short second. Yura caught notice of that at once and something dawned on her. What Haera needed most at the moment was the presence of a fellow female friend – her mental state had taken a serious dip, and Yura could relate to that. She was well-aware that Haera must’ve felt slightly shameful and didn’t want to be questioned by anyone at home.
“I-I want to see N-Namjoon. Namjoon and Y-Yoongi.” Haera declared quietly. Yura thought it was also plausible since she remembered that the three were childhood friends.
Jungkook ruffled his red hair with a curt sigh. “I already know that, but you know they left for their three-day senior trip today. They’re probably in Jeju now.”
Yura studied Haera, who tried to stop shaking and looked very lonely. Suddenly, she got a text message, and scanned the contents. She closed her eyes and exhaled.
“…Damn it all. And I can’t even bring you to my place,” he cursed under his breath.
“Why the hell would she go to your place? That’s a scandal in itself.” Yura finally spoke up.
“I know, I know,” he said in aggravation. “I’m sorry, Haera, but you have no choice but to go hom—”
“I’ll take her,” Yura spoke, making both Jungkook and Haera’s heads snap up in stunned silence.
“My cousin just told me he’ll be taking a night shift, so it’ll be just me and my sister until he gets back in the morning. Is that okay?” she nodded at Haera.
The two exchanged wary gazes as Haera bit her dry, purpling, bottom lip nervously.
“Unless… you want to go home?”
“N-No!” Haera blurted, suddenly growing meek. “I mean… is it okay…?
Yura stared at her for a second before averting her gaze to Jungkook.
“Let’s call up a taxi.”
[The Outcast Club] Well damn guys, I just updated. I kept you all waiting, didn't I? Hope you guys enjoy, and I'll be working on some more updates soon!
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