Daehyun's POV

"You disappeared for a few days and come back as and when you like? What do you think this place is?! A hotel? And you didn't even bother buying food back! Get out. GET OUT!" My Father yelled at me, obviously drunk as he threw a bottle towards my direction and it shattered. I felt a stinging pain but it wasn't the time to worry about it. I got bigger issues at hand.

"Come back when you have food!" He dragged me out and then slammed the main door, leaving me outside. Great...

I then realised I was feeling hungry... I subconsciously found my way to Young's house. I guess I needed some form of comfort and I'm surprised she meant this much to me, for me to seek comfort from her. I hesitated for awhile before calling her.

"Young." I greeted when she picked up after awhile.

"Hmmm..." She hummed probably semi-awake.

"Young... Are you awake?" I tried to get her attention.

"I don't think so." She replied. Her replies when she was not so conscious made me smile.

"It's fine then. Goodnight." I said. It wasn't right for me to wake her up for my sake.

"Goooodnightttt." She slurred before hanging up. I sat outside her porch, thinking what I should do.

Not Long after, my phone rang. I brighten up when I saw her name appeared on my screen.

"Young." I answered.

"Daehyun? Did you call me?" She asked, sounding more awake as compared to earlier.

"Yeah." I said.

"I thought I was dreaming. What's up?" She asked.

"It's... Nothing. Sorry for waking you up. Go back to sleep." Maybe I shouldn't disturb her...

"I don't think it's nothing. You can tell me anything. I'm already awake." She said. I could tell she was tired but she still said words that were comforting to hear.

"I'm actually outside your house." I revealed.

"You what?! Okay nevermind, give me awhile okay? Don't go anywhere. Or do you want to come in?" I could hear that she was shocked.

"No thank you. I'll be outside." I said. What would her parents think of me appearing in their house in the wee hours?

"Alright. Don't go anywhere." She replied.

I sat outside waiting for her I think. She said give her awhile. She was planning on coming out right? It's been twenty minutes. She probably went back to sleep. I don't blame her though. She isn't used to such odd hours.

"Daehyun!" She called when she saw me. I turned around and saw her in her pajamas looking adorable. Since when have I become so mushy?

"Sorry I took so long." She smiled as she took a seat beside me on the curb without caring if her clothes got dirty.

"Sit on my hoodie." I offered.

"Nah it's fine. I can change later. Oh! Have you eaten? I made something for you! I am not as good as my mom or dad and I kinda rushed it so don't blame me if it’s not yummy. I just thought you might wanna fill your stomach but it’s okay if you’ve already eaten. I’m blabbering again aren’t I?" She held out a lunch box containing ramyeon, some sausages and an egg. It smelt heavenly. I thought she fell asleep but in actual fact, she was cooking for me? We could have gone to the convenience store but she decided to cook for me instead. Why and how did I end up with someone so thoughtful and sweet?

"Thank you. I... Lo- nevermind." I said feeling touched as I caressed the top of her head. She passed me chopsticks. Why can’t I say it?

"Share." I held the chopsticks with ramyeon to her but she shook her head.

"I've eaten dinner. Supper will get me fat. You eat. It's for you." She said. I brought the chopsticks to my lips and she looked at me nervously. Her? Fat? What?

"How is it? Too salty? Is it burnt?" She asked as I took my first bite. Is she that nervous? She looked adorable to me being like that.

"Thank you" I wiped my lips on the back of my hand before giving her a small kiss on her cheek. She stared at me wide eyed. I felt a little proud of myself. I smiled just a little and went back to stuffing my face with food.

"Eat slowly!" She said, I could hear that she was still feeling dizzy about the kiss. I want to laugh. She made me feel better already. She even had a canned drink for me.

"Do you need more?" She asked when I finished my food. I shook my head. How is it a girl like her who is younger than me cared this much for me, more than my biological mother?

"Thank you for coming out. It's really late. Go back to sleep." I said feeling bad. I shouldn't affect her sleep time.

"I'm sure you didn't ask me out just to ask me to go back to sleep again. I'll stay with you till you feel better. If you want to come in I'm fine too." She suggested.

"Won't your family get worried if they don't see you in bed?" I questioned.

"My mom woke up when I was making noise in the kitchen. She knows I'm with you. Don't worry. My mom will understand." She said as she gradually lowered her head onto my shoulders. We weren't sitting hip to hip so I thought I should move closer to her so that it'll be more comfortable for her. I moved closer to her eventually.

“Daehyun! What’s that? Why is there blood on your calf?!” She panicked as she sat up when she noticed the blood dripping from the cut.

“Oh that… My father got mad at me and then he threw a glass bottle towards me but it landed on the floor. I guess one of the shards cut me.” I replied.

“Is it painful? Are you alright? Stay here. I’ll be back.” She said as she ran back home. Silly girl, she asked me questions but she didn’t wait for my replies and where else could I go?

“Here. I brought the whole kit out. I don’t know what stuff you need to patch that.” She said sheepishly. I dressed the cut by myself while she focused on watching me.

“Woah. You’re such a pro.” She was amazed when I knew what I was doing.

“It’s not the first time.” I replied without much thought.

“Sorry…” She apologized.

“Why? It’s not your fault. Thank you.” Thank you for worrying about me Young… She gave me a smile and then went back to resting her head on my shoulders again. We sat in comfortable silence while my mind drifted off. Is it because we just started that’s why she cares so much about me? Why must my mother’s words appear in my head out of nowhere again? Will she still care as time pass when it happens one too many times?

I got distracted from my thoughts when I heard pounding sounds. Young was lightly hitting her lower back.

“Go back and sleep.” I said to her, feeling guilty. As much as I really wanted to follow her back to her house, I’m not ready yet. I feel really bad about her sitting outside her home like she was kicked out or something. It didn’t suit her image.She really amazes me.

“Hmmm?” She looked at me.

“Go to sleep. You’re tired. Don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.” I said.

“What? No! I wasn’t sleeping just now! I was just erm. Resting my eyes, yup! Resting my eyes. See, I’m wide awakeee!” She blabbered as she forced her eyes wider using her thumb and index finger on her eyelids.

“But your back is hurting.” I said.

“No it’s- Yes! So let’s lean back to back!” She said smiling. This girl. We changed our positions slightly and now we were leaning back to back.

“You know, you can share with me anything right? I’ll not judge. I promise to be a good listener!” She said.

“I… I went back home today and my father chased me out because I didn’t get food for him. How would I know if he wanted food? I thought there will be food there. Then he just chased me out…” Maybe it was the fact that we weren’t looking at each other, it was much easier to spill my words to her.

“That’s mean… But lucky you came to me! I knew you would want to eat!” She chuckled lightly.

Eunyoung’s POV

“May I ask you something?” I asked Daehyun, biting my lower lip.

“Yeah but I’m not sure if I’ll answer it.” He replied, it sounded like he was teasing me but I believe if he were to keep quiet, there’s nothing I could do too.

“What’s your first impression of me?” I asked, curious. Daehyun went from ignoring me to talking to me and now he even came to look for me when he’s troubled. I must mean something to him right? I hope.

‘Not sure if I want to answer that. You’ll probably not like me.” He replied as he tilted his head back, resting on my shoulder.

“Was it that bad? It’s okay! I can take it!” I replied. Now I’m dying to know!
 

“Then what’s your first impression of me?” He asked.

“You cheater. I asked first!” I whined a little.

“You tell me first and then I’ll tell you.” He said sounding playful. I made a face.

“Fine…” I don’t think I can ever win him.

“Okay, let’s see… Hmmm… You were nice?” I tried my luck.

“Nice try. The truth Young.” Daehyun put more of his weight against me, probably teasing me.

“Okay okay. But promise me you’ll not get mad.” I said.

“I should be the one saying that to you.” Daehyun replied slightly softer.

“I.. at first I thought you were some really bad kid. Like I’ve heard rumours of you bulllying teachers, stealing, threatening kids and stuff and I admit, I used to hope that we would never cross paths. I guess you could say I was afraid of you. Oh no. Did I say too much?” I suddenly sat upright, causing Daehyun to almost lose his balance.

“No, it’s fine. I’m not surprised. You’re the hardworking good girl in class. I would have expected that.” Daehyun said but I could tell he was slightly affected by the truth?

“Then you didn’t appreciate my help at all and you seemed so grumpy all the time, like an old man so I thought I really shouldn’t get close to you. Whatever I did then seemed to get on your nerves. Then that day when you threw this hoodie over my head, I came to realise that maybe I judged you too quickly and maybe you were actually a nice person.” I continued, trying to recover myself from being guilty for hurting his feelings. I took his hoodie and wrapped over his head.

"You knew you were getting on my nerves?" He asked.

“I always wanted to do this back at you.” I shot him a victory smile after successfully covering his head.

“I’m not nice.” He said, I could hear his voice almost sounded like a whisper, like he genuinely didn’t believe he could be a good person, that hurt me a little.

“Then I started thinking that maybe those rumours were really just a bunch of rumours because come to think of it, I never witness any of those horrible things before. After persistently bothering you because you looked really lonely, we agreed to be friends and now this, I can officially say that you are cute and fluffy so stop looking down on yourself! If you aren’t nice in the first place, you wouldn’t act like how you did!” I said, looking at him.

“Only you’re crazy enough to talk about me like that.” He replied. I could feel that he was not beating himself up as much.

“I never said I was normal!” I pushed his shoulders very lightly.

“I bet that hoodie thingy was a test!” He said, pointing fingers at me. I laughed out loud.

“So... you fell for me because I saved you from embarrassment that one time?” He asked with that teasing grin on his face. I looked away, not wanting to admit. Well, it was half true, only after hanging out with him then I started having feelings for him but I don’t think I should say this.

“I can totally see through you!” He added.

“Shut up!” I said jokingly. Ah I’m so embarrassed now.

“Okay, I’m done with my side of the story. Now yours. Quick, I’m curious!” I urged him.

“You asked me to shut up.” He said.

“Come on!!!” I shook his whole body.

“You’re a hardworking good girl.” He laughed.

“You already said that! I’m sure there’s more!” I whined a little. He knows how to joke too.

“Alright alright. But I have to say this first, this was what I felt then. Then and now is really different so I don’t want you to think too much about it alright?” He explained. Did I really make such a bad impression? I just nodded, trying to prepare for the worst.

“You were really annoying. Annoyingly cheerful. While I was feeling like , there you were behaving like you’re the happiest and most cheerful girl on Earth, like you were some sort of princess in those Disney movies, Too cheerful for me. It was like I could imagine you singing and talking to the animals and all.” He said. I laughed.

“So I’m a princess in your eyes huh?” I back.

“You are cheerful and rich and the kind of people who I didn’t expect myself to befriend so…” He replied indirectly.

“Can’t you just say it?” I urged him. He snickered a little before totally not saying it.

“Anyway, back to my story.” He said suddenly being serious again.

“I realised you could have your down times too. I guess that was why I passed my my hoodie. Then you got annoying again, asking to be friends and not leaving me alone at all and even though I either gave you hell or ignored you, thinking what does this overly cheerful and rich kid want with me, you were still trying to be friends with me. I don’t think there’s anyone that would have done that for me.” He said seriously. How did our conversation get this emotional?

“Except you because I think you’re crazy. How could one be that persistent?!” He joked lightly probably because he could feel that the conversation was getting too emotional.

“Aww you totally have a soft spot for me.” I to lighten up the mood as well.

“Nope. I don’t have any soft spots.” He denied with a straight face but I knew better right?

“ But you’re with this annoyingly cheerful girl now.” I gave him a smug look.

“I guess I’m with this cheerful girl.” Wait, I’m no longer annoying? I smiled. I noticed how Daehyun wouldn’t directly say that we’re together and all and even though I would like to hear it, I wouldn’t mind waiting till he’s comfortable. After all, we still behaved like we’re together right?

“There’s more.” He said. Huh?

“When you put that plaster on my face. Do you know how girly you made me look? People like me don't use plaster for such a small cut. Even Himchan hyung laughed at me. I believed you were a busybody. You were so weird like we don’t even know each other and there you go butting in.” He said. When he puts it like that, it didn’t sound really nice.

“What if it left a scar or it got infected? I was just trying to help!” I said in my defence.

“I know and I know that other people wouldn’t have cared but you did so I guess I subconsciously allowed you to do whatever you want.” He replied. The way he talked scared me a little. He shoots me first but then says that he didn’t mind what I did. He’s the crazy one haha. I squished his face between my palms.

“What was that for?” He frowned looking all cute and harmless, not like he was harmful but he looked like a really cute hamster.

“Nothing for fun.” I flashed a smile.

“So what’s your impression of me now?” I asked since he said what he thought then was not the same as now.

“No comment.” He made a face as though telling me I wouldn’t be able to force it out of him.

“Hmmph fine.” I said, folding my arms across my chest. He just laughed at me.

He then surprised me a little by swinging his arms over my shoulders and i eventually rested my head on his chest.

Lucky I heard my phone ring while I was asleep. If not, we would not be able to have this talk which I felt brought down some walls. I hope we will continue to get closer to each other without feeling awkward. I guess that’s why people say late night talks reveal so much more.