Friday

Seolhyun's POV

After she kissed me on the lips the atmosphere became silent and awkward. Despite the fact that my heart feels like it'll explode any minute because of how fast it beats, I tried to put on a straight face. Which I failed miserably at and I end up looking constipated. 

"Sorry." Hyejeong said once she saw the lack of expression in my face. She looked away and tried to hide her blush.

"It's okay." I mumbled as I looked away too. Another awkward silence engulfed us. 

Why the hell did she even kiss me?! She already knows that I love her! She might as well have predicted what I'm practically feeling right now. Does that mean that she likes me too? I don't know what to feel. I'm just too confused. 

"Why...did you do that?" I whispered but I'm pretty sure she could hear. I didn't hear any answer so I forced myself to look at her. She's still looking away from me and by the fidgetting on her fingers, I know she can't answer me. 

"Why did you kiss me? Was it to thank me? Or something else? Can you reciprocate my feelings? Do you love me too?" I bluntly asked. I waited for an answer but I didn't get any. I sighed. 

She just made me too confused. This gorgeous woman is playing with my feelings. 

"Yes." 

I widened my eyes as I heard her faint answer. 

"Really?" I exclaimed. Feeling too excited. 

"I...I'm not sure. I don't know. You make me feel so confused everytime." She finally faced me and looked straight into my eyes; "You make my heart beat so fast whenever you touch me anywhere or when you stare into my eyes or when you say your warm words. In my dreams, you're always there shoving away the nightmares that I get. Your name, face, and actions crosses through my mind everytime. Whenever I'm with you, I feel so warm and secure. I always crave to be by your side, into your arms, getting taken care by you. I don't understand these feelings. Is it considered love when I feel this way to you?" 

I remained silent. Am I really that important to her for her to feel those things towards me? I unconciously smiled. 

"You're the only one who can tell if you love me or not. For now, let's drop this topic." I cupped her face, then I stood up, "You're getting cold. Let's get you home." 

She nodded and held my hand as we made our way back to the car. 

I didn't hear from that she loves me too. Heck, she didn't even imply that she loves me. But her answer made me realize how important I am to her life. That's enough for me. Atleast I know that I have a role in her life. Besides, too many things are going on in her, I don't want to add up to her problems. I'll let our relationship stay as it is. 

---

When we got home, Hyejeong immidiately went to her room while I stayed in the living room. I sat in the sofa and rested myself. 

"Get out!" 

I got alarmed as a shout was heard from Hyejeong's room. I ran to her room and once I opened it, I saw Minjun pinning Hyejeong to the wall. 

"Yah! Don't touch her!" I shouted as I pried his hands away from my girl. Yes. I'm claiming her. 

"Don't interfere or else I'll kill you!" Minjun grabbed a gun from his pocket and pointed it at me. I got stoned. I looked at Hyejeong. She seems fine, just worried...scared.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Stop caring about me when you have a gun pointed at you!" She shouted.

Yeah. I should probably worry about getting shot to death. 

I then faced Minjun, who's looking so frustrated and angry. What's he going on about?

"Leave." I bravely said even though I'm scared to death. 

"Stop getting in my way!" He shouted as he threatened to pull the trigger.

He almost pulled the trigger. But then I saw Hyejeong at his back and she tried to grab the gun in his hands.

I used this opportunity to charge at him and punch him in the face. He stumbled back but kept his composture. He grabbed Hyejeong's arm and pushed her away. She banged into the wall and got hurt.

My eyes widened. Rage overwhelmed me. I angrily glared at Minjun and charged straight into him without any hesitation. 

"Don't ever hurt her!" I shouted as I swinged my body with my fists for more power. He lost balance so I punched him repeatedly. 

I could see blood coming out of his nose but I couldn't care. He hurt my princess. 

"Seolhyun!" 

I stopped moving as warm arms wrapped around me. 

"That's enough. Stop." She buried her face into my hair. I felt air coming back to my lungs, my head stopped throbbing. My fists relaxed, I calmed down.  

I looked at Minjun, who's groaning in pain and sitting on the floor. 

"Get out!" I shouted. I'm still angry, but I also felt guilty of having to hurt someone too much.

"You'll regret this. The both of you!" He shouted as he stood up and grabbed his gun. I got alert and placed Hyejeong behind me.

But instead of shooting the gun towards us, he left the room and ran away. 

The intense atmosphere disappeared. I faced Hyejeong and cupped her hands. She held my hand in the proccess. 

"Were you hurt?" I worriedly asked. 

She swinged her head side to side while pouting. "You got hurt." She said as she pointed to my fist which has some scratch marks in it.

"I'm fine." I placed my fist behind my back to hide it to her but she held my hand and looked at my wound intently. 

She kissed my knuckles which made my heart go haywire. 

"Please don't get yourself hurt." 

I felt tears hitting the back of my hand so I panicked. I hugged her to stop her from crying.

"Sorry." She just nodded and buried her face deeper into my neck. Her breath is hitting with my skin! How can I calm down?!

FUUUUUU--

---

I just stayed with Hyejeong the whole day and I never left her side. That includes going to the toilet. Yes. I was that clingy to her.

I also discovered more about her. Like when I tried to teach her one of her lessons, she even outsmarted me in it. Hyejeong is undoubtably smart. She's just rebeling on her unbiological parents. 

I saw her scars. She had many scars on her wrists. I know where that came from. Aside from her wrists, I also saw permanent bruises from different parts of her body. Her stomach, legs, shoulders. I don't know why I only noticed those now. These wounds are a part of her past. And they can't be erased. They're just there to constantly remind her of her past. That's just cruel. 

And by the way, I'm happy to tell you that the cold block of ice in her eyes disappeared. Her eyes no longer looked distant, I can see many emotions whenever I look at it. I broke her walls. And I'm glad that it was me who was able to do that. Not anyone else. 

I discovered many things about her, and it would have continued if I hadn't realized that it was getting late. I need to go home. 

"Hyejeong." I called out to her in the balcony as she was busy staring into the stars. 

"Yeah?" She faced me. Her face literally beaming with the moonlight reflecting on her face. 

Goddess.

"I need to go home." 

I regretting saying that afterwards when I saw how her happy face changed into a disappointed expression. 

"I'm coming back tomorrow anyway. And I'll make sure Yuna will be there to accompany you throughout the night if you feel lonely." I said, trying to make her feel less sad. 

"It's okay. You have a family to go home to. Your life shouldn't completely revolve around me." She stood up and moved closer to me. She cupped my face and looked at me intently. "Just promise me you'll come back tomorrow?" 

I smiled at her and nodded. 

"Promise." 

---
When I reached home, I saw Mina and Yuna in our mini garden. They were flirting. 

I walked closer to them and playfully kicked them away from each other. 

"Ya! Seolhyunie!" Mina complained to me. 

I stuck my tongue at her and faced Yuna, "Go home. Your best friend is alone. You have some things to talk about, am I right?" 

Yuna turned serious and nodded.
"Is her past...that bad?" She asked me. 

I bit my lip and nodded at her.

"Damn. You get to be the first person to know. I don't know how I should feel about that." Yuna pouted. 

"What are you two talking about?" Mina asked curiously. 

"Nothing. It's not something that anyone should know." I teased my sister. 

"But the two of you know! Why can't I?" She complained.

"Just because." I nonchalantly said. 

Mina just playfully glared at me before facing Yuna. 

"Take care okay?" Mina said as she wrapped her hands around Yuna's neck. Yuna nodded and smiled. She held my sisters waist and brought her close. 

And they were kissing. 

Infront of me. 

When they were done with their 'bussiness' I pulled Mina away from Yuna. 

"How the hell did the two of you get so close in this short period of time?" I asked curiously. 

"You're one to talk. You cuddled with my bestfriend on the bed, you broke her walls. A feat no one has ever done before." Yuna smirked. After that, she got inside of her car and left. I sighed as I faced Mina. 

"Looks like my Seolhyunnie has some romance going on? And it appears to be Yuna's bestfriend. What's her name?" Mina asked. 

I was about to answer her but a loud scream was heard inside the house. Mina and I shared a worried look before rushing inside. The shout was heard from our Choa Umma's room. 

Once we reached the room, we saw our umma clutching the sheets of her bed while her eyebrows are furrowed, her face in agony. 

"Mina, get the pills!" We both panicked to aid our mother. 

It continued on for a while. This frequently happened. She would have extreme pain as a result of her brain tumor. I felt tears falling from my eyes. I...I don't want to lose her. I don't want to lose my umma. 

"Please...hold on." I whispered in her ear as I bit my lip. 

"Seolhyun...Mina..." Umma kept on repeating our names and I could just cry. 

"Here!" Mina banged against the door, emergency pills and water in her hands. We made her drink the medicine. She's still shaking and her face is too pale. 

"No...please. Hold on. I'm getting you treated. Just a few more money, and you can be saved. Umma please. Don't give up just yet." I said between sobs. Choa umma looked at me. She's also crying. She opened to say something but no words can be heard. 

"Umma." Mina cried as she kneeled beside me. 

Choa umma smiled, "Not yet...I'm not giving up just yet." She mumbled as her conciousness sliped away. 

Mina and I panicked when she laid there unconcious. We checked her pulse...

"." I breathed heavily, "Thank God." 

I laid on the floor and wiped the tears in my eyes. She's still alive. Just sleeping. 

Mina laid beside me, having the same expression. 

"I can't lose umma. You and umma are the only one I have. I can't let someone drift away from me again. Not again. " Mina cried. 

I sat up and hugged my unnie. 

"She's gonna be okay. With the amount of money I'm earning in tutoring her, we can get umma to treatment immidiately. She'll get better." I reassured Mina.

Mina didn't say a word afterwards. Minutes passed and when I looked at her, she's sleeping. I piggybacked her to her room. 

After I laid her down, I got out of my house and sat in the grass of our mini garden. 

I looked up into the sky. 

"Choa Umma....Hyejeong...Mina..."  I mumbled as a train of thoughts invaded my mind. Too much is going on. 

"How can I protect Hyejeong...when I can't even protect my umma from death? Stupid." I pulled my hair out of frustration. 

"And I even got a death threat from Minjun." I laughed bitterly. 

I'm getting myself too involved in Hyejeong's life, and I forgot about the family I had. I forgot the main reason why I met Hyejeong in the first place. It was to tutor her and earn money for my Umma. And now I just added more problems to myself. 

Strangely though, I'm not annoyed of the fact that Hyejeong gave me more problems. Instead, I feel like it was me who wanted to get involved in her life. Yup, it was definitely me. 

I stared into the stars again. It feels like I got connected with Hyejeong through the stars. Come to think of it, when I left, Hyejeong was staring into the stars. Maybe she's still doing that. 

Hyejeong and me, though we're not side by side, I feel like we're interconnected somehow. In one sky, doing the same thing at this current time. 

Why am I even thinking like this. It feels like some corny romantic scene. Hyejeong does things to my mind and feelings. Some things that I've never even done before. Like facing a gun pointed to me but my whole attention was on another person's safety. Or risking my life just to save someone. 

I'm no hero. But whenever I'm with her, I feel like I'm the only one who could protect her. 

"Damn. I fell for you hard, Shin Hyejeong." 

------

Merry Christmas to everyone!
Tell me in the comments what you think about the chapter :) 

And btw, the actual conflict will be starting in like, after 2 chapters. I'll be breaking a lot of hearts. Mainly Hyejeong's. OOPS!!! *grins evily*