Practice Love
The Practice

#Practice 041
Promises are meant to be kept, and keeping them depends on each individual. 

"... I won't leave..." She breathed, eyes staring at the woman determinedly. She has made her decision. It was a rational decision, she knew that, but somehow, somewhere deep within her heart. It hurt. She watched, the woman who once had a stoic expression softened, lips curled into a wide smile as she gets up from her seat. "That's a good girl." She said, about to approach Mia when the door swings open.

"Noona!" Junhong walked up to them and stood between the two women. Eyes darted coldly at the elderly woman, he pulled Mia behind his back. "I know what you want." Their grandmother's smile was wiped off instantly. The once gentle, pitiful looking woman was gone, replaced with the look of fury.

"You disgrace of a child." She spatted, and Mia's brows furrowed slightly. What did she just called Junhong? She parted her lips, about to speak when the woman continued. "We don't need you. So hand over your sister now." Mia's shoulders tensed. Hand over? She pursed her lips and shifted her gaze to Junhong who clicked his tongue. 

"Look." He walked up to their supposedly grandmother. "It is possible for me to file a police report for this. You have, after all, abducted my sister." He tugged his hands into his jeans pocket and blew a bubble he had been chewing on. 

"I'm a family member." The woman said, eyes furrowed dangerously at the tall boy.

Junhong shrugged his shoulders, his tongue rolled the gum back into his mouth. "Ever heard of family abduction?" He blew another bubble. "Because I heard that it's a crime." He turned to Mia, brows frowned slightly when he found the faint red spot on the back of her neck. "Should I include family abuse as well?" Mia's fist clenched slightly at Junhong's cold words.

Junhong wasn't usually like this, not unless he was mad. 

"Junhong-"

"Let's go, noona." He pulled Mia close when people came and stood by the exit. He clicked his tongue. "What now, are you going to lock us in?" He turned to the elderly woman who was unusually quiet there. Junhong wasn't going to entertain her, at least, not anymore. He was aware of her true intentions, unlike his sister, and he will make sure that his grandmother would never get what she wants. 

She wants his sister? Then she'll have to step over his dead body for it.

The woman walked up. From there, he saw how her fist was clenched tightly, hands shaking by her side. She's mad. A light, cocky smirk appeared on his face as he tugs his free hand to his jeans pocket. "I wasn't expecting anything from you after knowing your academic results. But I guess you did take after your father's intelligence." She turned to Mia. "Though you used it in the wrong aspect."

Mia pressed her lips. Why is her grandmother treating Junhong with such hostility? She couldn't understand it at all. "At least I know when to give up. Unlike a certain someone who decided that it was fun to kidnap her own granddaughter." Junhong blew a bubble and turned to the guards that stood by the door. He furrowed his eyes. "Move." He scowled, and the guards fidgeted slightly. 

The woman glared. There was no comeback for that statement. She knew that. So she lifted her hand up. "Let them go." Her eyes squinted when she notices the smirk in victory. "That doesn't mean you have won, child. My granddaughter is better off living in my world." Her heels clicked as she walks up to them. Her gaze shifted to Mia, who frowned slightly at her. 

"You are Juno's masterpiece." She stated, and Mia's fingers curled. Uncomfortably, she shifted slightly. Masterpiece. Her grandmother made it sound like she was an item, a product that was made to be sold to the consumers. "... While you're a failure." She glared at Junhong, who popped the bubble. "Even masterpieces has its flaw, haven't heard of that?" He clicked his tongue and grinned. "Caution, product has already been used." He smirked and turned to Mia, who furrowed her eyes at him. The hell did he just said? And suddenly, it came to her.

"What the hell? Junhong! We didn't-"

"It's bound to happen one day." He turned to their grandmother. "Well, this product has been reserved. You want her? Get in line, please." He cocked his head to the door when they heard a loud slam to the wall at the further end.  

It came from the entrance. 

"Mia!" Mia froze, shoulders stiff when she heard her name. It wasn't just anyone else, it was from the man who turned her dull world upside down. He was the sun that brought the day out of her cold, starry night, the flame that melts the snow. His hair was a mess, a beautiful mess. His face was drenched, drown in sweat, and he was panting. She pursed her lips, feeling the light tuck of her heart. Go to him. Her conscious was urging, her fingers were twitching, and her legs... They just moved on their own. 

His arms might not be as strong, but she felt safe in them.

He might not have been the toughest man on earth, but it was more than enough for her.

For as long as he's Mark Tuan. It's fine.

She closed her eyes, arms wrapped around his waist as he pulls her closer. It hadn't been a day, but it felt like forever. She missed everything. His arms that protectively wraps around hers, his lips that would press comfortingly on her head, his warmth that melted her knees... Everything.

Mark sighed in content. His heart finally settled at the sight of the girl standing strong on her feet. She's safe, unharmed. She wasn't afraid, nor was she crying. That was more than enough for him to calm down. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her petite frame into his arms as he embraced her cold figure. Relief. He felt his tensed muscles relaxed. Her scent calmed him down, and her soft breathing by his ear assured him that she was, in fact, safe in his arms right now. 

"Ahem." He heard someone cleared his throat and looked up, realizing that Junhong was still there. A light grin appeared on the blonde's face before he turns to the woman. She didn't look happy, that's for sure. "See? Reserved." He pointed at Mark who raised an eyebrow at him. What the hell is he saying? He loosened up slightly when he felt Mia shifting, her eyes turned to glare at Junhong. "That brat..." She groaned under her breath.

Clicks. Mia heard the sound of heels clicking on the ground. "Mia!" She stiffened. Someone called her name again, but this time, it was different. She wasn't contented, nor was she delighted to hear the voice. It was a mixture of feelings, jumbled up like a tangled wire. She shifted her gaze towards the woman who stood before the door. Her mother was panting, and Daehyun was just right there trying to keep her from falling to the ground.

"Mother..." Her mother turned to the elder woman, who had a permanent frown plastered on her face. "Don't call me that." The elder woman spatted. "I have no business with you-"

"You shouldn't have. But we do have business with you." Mia froze, her legs stuck tight to the ground at the man who came in next. He was a tall man, mature looking, and charismatic. His eyes shifted and his gaze fell on Mia, who flinched and looked away. She didn't know what to say to him. He wasn't a bad man, she knew that, but she still couldn't accept the man to stand beside the woman whom she calls her mother. 

The elder woman fidgeted. "You're Juno's friend." She breathed.