Break Free

   They stared at each other for the longest time. Eunbyul took a frail step towards him as the rain stopped.
She didn't know what to say. She had suddenly abandoned them to fight brutally with her father and he just witnessed her emotional break, and it frightened her. What if he judged her? What if he no longer cared for her?
She could think of anything else to say
"....good morning... I'm back....?"
She croaked lamely.

Kevin smiled warmly at her, and all of her worries vanished. He chuckled at her simple response as the sun hit them graciously as if congratulating her. The fatigue of everything hit her at once as she stumbled in her second step. Kevin moved this time and quickly ran in long strides, splashing the puddles. He caught her limp figure in his arms and held her in an embrace. It felt good to be in his arms and it felt good for him to hold her and he couldn't help himself as his lips met her hair as he whispered softly.
" Welcome back... Are you alright."
 

A sense of twisted Deja vu made Eunbyul giggle.
" Now I am... Thank you for coming for me."
 

Kevin laughed as well, their scenario has been vice versa the day before but he didn't mind this twist.
 

" Wha... How?"
 

Kevin simply smiled and shrugged
" I followed the bond..."
 

Eunbyul sighed with a bit of amusement.
" I'm sorry...."
" Don't be"
 

Kevin held her tighter and lifted her gently to her feet. He made her lean on him for support as they looked for her father.
He was gone.... Nothing but the tonfas placed neatly there. There was no sign of him.
 

" Where did-"
 

" Don't worry about it... He does that a lot."
Eunbyul grumbled.
 

Cryptic old geezer... How did mother deal with him?
 

Kevin looked at Eunbyul with soft eyes. Before he could stop himself he gently cupped her face with a single hand. She leaned to his touch and looked completely relaxed for once. It was heartening.
" I'm tired..."

Kevin snickered.
" Out of all the things that happened... That makes sense I guess. Let's go home. There's people waiting for you."
Home... She looked forward to it more than usual for once in her stay in Seoul.

She had to wear the now drenched jacket to hide her bleeding as she collected her tonfas, hoping to not have to use them so vigorously ever again.
" So... How much of it were you there for..."
 

" Enough to have a few questions and a bit of a shock."
 

" ah.... That makes sense... Why didn't you stop it?"
 

They were down the main road now and he turned to her.
" Did you want me too?"
 

She shook her head
" of course not, but most people would have."
 

He thought for a moment before answering with uncertainty.
" It seemed like I would just make it worse. It wasn't really in my place to stop a family feud, especially one as epic as yours. All I was able to do was have faith. Trust me... It wasn't easy. It looked like it hurt."
 

His eyes drifted to her leg bruises. They mottled the smooth tone of color her long thighs had.
 

Eunbyul shrugged off the pain.
" And you just shrug it off like a small scratch. Really Eunbyul.. it's almost like you're immune to pain." he sighed almost exasperated at her apathetic behavior.
 

" When you've had your fair share of living with my dad. You'll understand my immunity."
Eunbyul scoffed.
 

Kevin snorted with amusement.
" Your fight was pretty...."

" Strange?" she finished
 

" Intense... It was pretty awesome."
Such a male response
 

She rolled her eyes but had a look of relief.
" It was the windmill that really saved me."
 

" ah... So it WAS the windmill. You can breakdance?"
 

She shook her head and gave him a smirk.
" I've watched Hyunseung shi enough times when he dances to understand Somethings."
 

Kevin looked at her funny.
" You learned to windmill by looking at someone windmill?"
 

She nodded slowly to emphasis her point, then her expression changed into a darker look.
" I was surprised I won..."
 

Kevin also grew quiet as he remembered the pit of dread when he thought she was a goner.
" What would you have done if you lost?" he whispered.
 

".... You heard what I said back there. I wouldn't stop fighting. I meant what I said and I said what I meant. I didn't want to do it though."
She spoke with a guilt.

Kevin sympathized with her.
" Well you ARE a rebellious teenager at some point."
 

" Yes because all teens rebel by striking their father's to their knees."

" The typical Brady bunch childhood."
He muttered. Eunbyul couldn't help but laugh at the sarcasm as she imagined Kevin with her hardcore father. His feminine attitude would probably had driven off her father in a matter of minutes, or left Kevin knocked out cold..
 

What a sight that would be.
 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Skylar watched them from the distance as the sun shone happily upon them. The weather seemed extremely odd today, and he couldn't help but think,
Were you watching Annabelle? It almost seemed like you were crying when you saw us... He wondered

The wind suddenly grew gently as if speaking to him.
Yes....
 

Did I do the right thing in letting her go?
The trees rustled and the puddles began to form currents.
.... What do you think?

He could almost feel her near him, watching over him.
I was right... She is more like you..

A light rainbow glowed with joy as the wind seemed to laugh as it ruffled his hair.
...perhaps....
 

He still felt that pit of failure and began to grow depressed.

Skylar thought back to when Eunbyul looked at him. He hesitated to attack because she looked startlingly like Annabelle that time. The way her eyes sparked with strength and her poise. He smiled. Their legacy, her legacy, will continue with their daughter.
 

******
They were almost home as the taxi stopped a couple of blocks away from the apartment complex. The taxi didn't comment on their soaked appearance since Kevin was willing to pay extra. Eunbyul felt a sudden chill which was unusuall. She never felt chills.
They were on the street when minwoo came sprinting out. He stared at Eunbyul in disbelief that soon turned to joy.
She came back....
" You're back... Your really back."
He sounded as if he was about to cry as his lips quivered before he smiled brightly. Eunbyul felt guilty for making him worry and gently went away from Kevin's support and held her arms open.
 

Minwoo sprinted to her and tackled her in a prisoning hug. Eunbyul didn't care about the protest of her cut or her bruises as she held her boy close.
" I thought you disappeared."
 

"... I though so myself... But I'm here Minwoo. And it's gonna take a lot to force me out."
 

Minwoo smiled and laughed a bit.
" Good.."
 

" NOONA!"
She refused to let her little magnae go as she saw her other little magnae run out and beam at her. Followed by the Jo twins and Teen Top. The private hug turned into a massive group hug as they crowded around Eunbyul.
 

" NOONA! Where did you go?"
 

" Did Niel piss you off?"
 

" Are you okay noona?"
 

Eunbyul just laughed, she was tired and sore, but it was all worth it.
" I am now. Sorry for making you guys worry."
 

Kevin smiled at her ease, he was happy she was happy. Yet he felt a bit bitter at the attention.
You got competition. Inevitable...

UKISS crowded over Eunbyul with stern looks.
" Yah! Lee Eunbyul! What the heck was that?"
Soohyun folded his arms with an angry expression as AJ backed him up with a grim expression.
Eunbyul became sheepish and sighed a bit.
" I'm sorry."
 

" That's not going to cover it Eunbyul."
 

Soohyun was really upset, his face showed no signs of letting this go. Eunbyul almost wanted to sink to the floor in guilt as she saw the seriousness.
She bit her lip and stepped up attentively to the leader, stretched on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around him.
" Please don't be angry oppa."
 

Soohyun couldn't keep his anger facade any longer and melted.
" Argh! YOU'RE TOO CUTE!!"
 

he spun her around and Eunbyul couldn't help but grunt in pain.
" Urgk.... Oppa... I'm tired."
She lied quickly, and he released her with a sheepish look. Seohyun came and wrapped her arm around Eunbyul.
 

" Here." she handed her the smart phone gently and squeezed her shoulder. Mika came through the get together and he smiled at her. They stared at each other in a silent conversation.
 

Welcome home.
 

Good to be home....
 

Eunbyul considered Mika one of her closer friends.
 

They all left albeit reluctantly after much coaxing and pushing. Eunbyul shut the door only to have Kevin stick his foot out to stop the door. she gave him an odd look.
" The guys want me to make a quick check up on you."
 

Before she could protest he opened the door wider and slid in.
 

Sly little weasel.... He's really to thin for his own good.
 

Eunbyul left the door and went to change her clothes. He probably had a million questions in his mind.
She closed her room and began to change into her pajamas. She applied first aid to the bleeding stitches and debated whether to seal the wound shut by burning it.

Then again... That would be painful and it might frighten Kevin so she reconsidered it.
A sudden sneeze came out as she began sniffling. She left to the living room only to see Kevin stare at a picture she took out from her duffel. There wasn't much to unpack for her so it had taken about 30 minutes. The last thing she placed was the Star Flower, and gently placed it with a small thunk on the table. It sparkled with content at being in it's right place.
 

Kevin continued to stare at the small family portrait with curiosity.
" Is this your mother?"
 

Eunbyul remained silent as he looked up. Her back was towards her but she nodded, her expression unseen. He looked back to the beautiful woman in the picture. She resembled Eunbyul with her eyes, but she seemed much lighter in character. Her father looked younger but he still had the striking charisma Eunbyul seemed to have inherited as he stares at the woman with oddly loving eyes.
 

" She's beautiful."
Like you....
 

Eunbyul grabbed a towel and rubbed her head.
" She was..."

Kevin then realized something. He has seen her father, but where was her mother? She hasn't mentioned her family much, which was understandable when he saw her father. He looked at picture carefully trying to decipher something when he glimpsed the identical cross necklace in the old photo. A small pit of dread grew as he dared to ask to confirm his theory.
" Where.... is your mother?"
 

Eunbyul looked away, her face set like a stone.
" she's dead..."
 

Her tone was monotonous as she remembered her mother.
 

" When did you lose her?"
 

Eunbyul sighed.
" When I was 10."
 

Her tone left for no further pestering. Kevin fought the urge to pity her. He couldn't imagine not living with his mother, she was a lovely woman. He felt awe in place of pity, she turned out to be a one of a kind girl. Her mother must have been young.

 

Eunbyul didn't say anything. She didn't move. She waited for him to question her, to bombard her with random questions. He didn't say anything and she relaxed and went back to her work.
" So this is where you live?" Kevin tried to change the subject with a light hearted tone as he idly sat down on the sofa.
 

" Well yes."
 

Eunbyul stretched her shoulder out, feeling the familiar bruises that gave off a dull pain. She was going to be sore tomorrow...
" Isn't it lonely?"
 

She ruffled her long hair.
" Not anymore."
Kevin wondered whether she meant she was used to the isolation or now that she was with them, she felt different.
 

The bruises distracted him as they were now purplish blue against her body, it contrasted quite severely with her usual light and toned skin.
Eunbyul gave a small sneeze and sniffles her nose as she shivered involuntarily. Kevin gave her a reprimanding look.
" You caught a cold."
 

" Che I never catch colds." she scoffed off his foolish assumption. Kevin gave her a disapproving look as she searched the fridge for some juice.
 

" Now if you don't mind leaving Kevin shi... Unless you want to stay here while I shower." she thought of no other excuse.
 

Kevin's ears grew read as he cleared his throat and got up from the sofa. She escorted him to her door and he gave her a shy nod.
" Oh... Kevin shi?"
 

Kevin turned around with his soft eyes.
" Yea-"
She kissed his cheek attentively. His cheeks felt soft against her lips as the skin made contact. She looked into his wide eyes and smiled radiantly.
" Thank you."
 

And quickly shut the door, leaving him speechless and beet red. Eunbyul didn't know why but her heart kept fluttering as she realized what she just did. She ignored it and went for the shower, coughing a little bit. A sense of giddy joy welled in her. She broke free.. She could live on her own life the way she chose to..

She stepped out of the shower only to be startled enough to leap as her neck hair bristled. In front of her was the same black metallic suitcase her father gave her. She grimaced

How the heck does he do that?

A black note was attatched to the case in the same silver writing of her father.

You seemed to have left this. Keep it. I was serious when I said it was a gift.

P.S The suit is in there as well, in perfect condition, and I decided to add a few things in it. You are welcome my dear.

P.S.S I have my ways of getting in places, so there is no need to grimace at the suitcase. Take care of yourself. I will be checking up on you once and a while.

Black Wolf