Wait for Me
"What were you doing with him!" L.Joe screamed at her, and pushed her towards the wall while he steadied himself. Soo Min felt the collision against the wall in her bones and she fell onto the floor, limp.
"I-I w-was just t-talking to him." She stuttered. This fear that was greeting her, was no stranger. In fact, it was a rather constant feeling that accompanied her recently. A tear she didn't manage to hold in, slid down her left cheek
"Talking?" He scoffed. "He was holding your hand!" He yelled the last part out.
"Y'know what? Cry your damn tears and see if he cares!" L.Joe walked out of the house, banging the door to make sure she understood that he, Lee Byunghun, couldn't care less.
At times like this, she found herself yearning for Woohyun's company. He always knew what to say to make everything alright again.
With shaking hands and soft sobs, Soo Min reached out for the phone in her pocket and dialled the only number she had committed to memory.
For some reason, the dial tone was longer and for an instant, she was afraid that he was ignoring her.
"Soo Min~What's up?" His warm and comforting voice reached her, making her feel safe and finally, she let down her guard. Soo Min cried everything out - all the pain inflicted, the lies, and every memory that surfaced was another reason to cry.
"Soo Min, what's wrong?" Woohyun's voice turned serious and stern and she could easily imagine the crease between his brows while he was frowning. The silence dragged on for a bit before she finally told him.
"H-he s-saw u-us j-j-just now." She hiccuped.
"Oh . Did he hit you again? What the hell is wrong with the guy?" Another silence consumed them. "Meet me at the junction of the mall in 5 minutes, alright?" Woohyun added on.
Soo Min nodded her head, momentarily forgetting that he couldn't see her, before letting out a muffled 'okay' and hung up.
The cold air greeted her the moment she was out the door and even her jacket couldn't protect her from the wrath of the weather. She trodded down the only-too-familiar path down to the mall.
Woohyun was already there when she reached, and he was obviously oblivious to the gaggle of girls behind him, giggling. His face lit up ever so slightly when he saw her.
"I know this is a stupid question to ask, but are you okay?" Soo Min nodded, hesistant at first, then firmly. He seemed pleased with the answer and didn't probe further.
"Let's go grab some donuts. It'll make you feel better. My treat." Woohyun added when he saw that Soo Min was about to open to protest. Again she nodded hesistantly and he held her by the wrist, wanting to pull her off.
But she flinched at the contact and Woohyun frowned. He instinctively pulled up the sleeve of the jacket, which was hiding bruises at her wrists.
"What the - How is this okay! How can you be okay!" Pulling up the jacket's sleeve even further up, he saw cuts and bruises. Some healing, some new.
"Leave him. Where's your phone? Call him now and tell him you're going to break up with him."
"No, Woohyun, I can't .." Soo Min let her voice trail off, because frankly, she wouldn't know what to say otherwise.
"Why? You know it better than me that he cheats behind your back. He hits you and abuses you! Why are you still with him!" Woohyun hit his own leg in frustration.
"Because, Woohyun, I love him."
"What about me? How do you think I feel when the girl I love is just, letting herself be some punching bag for a guy without enough balls to just break up with her, instead of being a possessive jerk? How do you think it feels to watch you constantly get hurt?"
"Woohyun.."
As if on cue, L.Joe walked in front of them, in plain sight. Soo Min saw his arm around the shoulder of a girl she didn't even knew, and bit her lips, trying not to cry.
"Please, don't do this to yourself. Rely on me, just this once, because you're not alone, Soo Min. You've never been. Don't change, because this person you are now, is the person I'm in love with. I could say all the pretty words, but it won't be right for you to change heart just because of that. Just know that, I don't and won't ever, ever treat you like that nor will I regret ever loving you."
Woohyun's arms pulled her into an embrace and for once, she felt safe near a guy.
Flipping out her phone, she scrolled to L.Joe's name in her contacts
Let's break up. She sent. Her heart was aching but it wasn't as painful as she thought it would be. Then, she deleted his number.
"Woohyun, wait for me." Soo Min whispered in his ear.
"Haven't I always been?" Woohyun smiled, humor returning to his face.
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