Ding!

Kai looked up, a relief smile pasted on his lip before he took few steps out from the elevator; wanting to head back to his room quickly. He could no longer stand it – today practice was so hard and full mode and he could not even do anything about it. He also felt so grateful and full of relief when the coach in charged for today call the practice off for today few hours ago.

Finally, some rest!

Looking at his phone at the same time, Kai was about to walk further towards his own room when he could sense something is not familiarly right. Turning to his back, he raised one of his eyebrows, shaking his head slowly before opened his mouth to speak then.

“Hyung!”

Mino who already deep in his own world did not even hear the young, blonde hair man was calling out for him. He was leaning against the wall, his pair of eyes were fixed on the floor. “Mino hyung!” Kai called out for Mino once again and this time, the older man slowly responded with a hum under his breath.

“Hyung, aren’t you going to your room?” Kai asked quietly, staring at Mino who still in the same position.

“I will. You can go to your room first if you want, Kai.” Mino murmured in low, almost whispering voice. Kai stood there, watching over Mino’s movements.

What’s up with him? Is there something wrong? Kai silently asked himself, his forehead creased in confusion. He curiously wanted to ask Mino what is wrong but fatigue and laziness won over him at that time. Plus, knowing that both of them would have to wake up early in the morning for the same practice tomorrow, Kai did not feel like to ask Mino the question that bothering in his mind.

Saying good night, Kai then just left Mino all alone there - not knowing how longer the older man would stay there.

Irene stared at the person in front of her. She could clearly see the wounds on his figure; his left fist was bleeding and the blood was almost dried already. Thanks to the light grey cotton shirt that he was wearing that night, Irene could spot a bruise on his back – he probably got it when one of the men who tried to attack on her before smacked on his back.

Their house was filled with silence when both of them stepped inside; Irene was at the front with Mino following behind her, closing the door and not to forget to secure it with the security system. With the corner of her eyes, Irene saw Mino quietly made his way towards the kitchen right after then.

With his already tall height, it wasn’t hard for the beastly figure man to reach for the first aid kit that stored inside one of the top kitchen cabinets in the kitchen. Grabbing the thing that he’s searching for, Mino then sat himself on one of stools around the kitchen island that located at the center of the kitchen area.

Actually, Mino did not realize that he was bleeding his fist before. The time he realized was when he was riding his motorbike when both, Mino and Irene on their way back to their home. No wonder, he felt a sting of pain when he wore his fingerless biker glove before he rode on the bike with Irene.

Damn, that’s hurt.

Mino let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a few seconds when he sprayed some of the antiseptic fluid on the wound on his fist. Seriously, it really was a painful bite for him. Trying to use his other hand, Mino poured some iodine solution onto some cotton, wanting to clean off the blood and at the same time, cleaning his wound. He was about to do that when someone took the already iodine soaked cotton away from him, his eyes looked up right away – a familiar figure sight stood right in front of him.

“Let me help you – please?” Irene quietly offered herself before taking a seat opposite from Mino then.

She carefully wiped the cotton on Mino’s fist, trying to be gentle as possible when she heard a low hiss coming from her husband then. Irene’s forehead creased in worried then. “S-Sorry, I-I’ll do it slowly.” Irene mumbled, her hand was a bit shaking when she was wiping the cotton soaked with iodine on Mino’s fist.

His pair of eyes were staring at her, studying all of her movements at that moment. Mino noticed Irene’s corner of lip was cut and there was blood on that side thin lip of hers making him sighed deeply. Irene looked up again, a worried expression displayed on her angelic face.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked in soft, low voice that Mino was surprised to hear that question from her. He never once hear Irene’s voice would be so soft and tender like honey and velvet, such a music in his ear. It was a silence after that. Irene was still being careful with herself, helping Mino to clean and bandage his wound at the same time. She was feeling nervous and worry at the same time – feeling the hard gaze from Mino on her.

“Thank you.”

Mino’s eyes flickered towards Irene, hearing the words coming out from . “Thank you for saving me. Thank you for protecting me. And thank you, for always being there when I need you. Thank you so much.” Irene murmured with sincerity, she really meant what she was saying.

“I’m also sorry for being the troublemaker in your life. I want to apologize for always giving trouble to you. I know that I’ve done a lot of mistakes and bad things to you which I know – you hurt because of me. Please forgive me, Mino. I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve made you go through for.” Irene bit her lip, trying to hold herself from crying again. She could feel those tears she trying to hold on would roll over her cheeks in any seconds.

Irene pressed her lip tighter, taking a deep breath then. She tried to put a smile on her lip. “There, already done.” she said, looking away from Mino, wanting to clear up everything and also clean up the kitchen island. Irene stood up from her seat then, gathering everything that she used just now and was about to put back into the first aid kit before Mino’s hand, the one that is okay – stopped whatever she was doing at that time.

“Sit.” A word slipped from his mouth.

“Huh?”

Mino let out a small sigh before gradually pulled Irene’s arm, pushing her small figure to sit back right opposite to him then. A confusion look displayed on Irene’s face as she stared at Mino. “What are you-”

“Take off your clothes.”

Irene’s eyes shot widen open once she heard Mino’s order. “Take off your clothes. You got bruises on the back of your shoulder, right? Let me clean it up for you.” Mino’s word was straight forward and simple, his eyes were staring back at Irene. Irene’s face immediately turned into a small blush before she shook her head then.

“No, that’s fine. I can do it by-”

Before she could finish, Mino cut her first. “Joohyun, please. Can you just listen to me? Take off your clothes now.” Mino ordered her again which made Irene gulped nervously. Is he deadly serious or something? Irene knew that Mino was surely serious when he did not even look away at all, instead he just sat there and staring right into her eyes.

Irene looked all the way down as she slowly ped Mino’s leather jacket that he gave to her before when they were still at the scene where Irene was being attacked by those bloody, hell men. Her hands were shaking as she took off the denim jacket that she also wearing that night, revealing her figure with only the indigo color blouse that she currently wearing.

“Turn around.” she heard Mino saying.

Feeling doubt and highly nervous, Irene was hesitate to turn around when she felt Mino’s hand on both of her shoulder gently turned her body around, her back was facing towards him. Irene tried to stay still, she could feel that her heart was beating vigorously and somehow made her felt embarrassed at that time. Irene felt Mino’s finger pulling off her top of blouse, revealing her bare shoulders towards him then. Thank God, Irene was facing the other way and not directly towards Mino. He probably laughing or looking at her with cynical look – seeing how crimson red her face right now.

Looking at the few bruises and not to mention, few cuts on Irene’s shoulder made Mino felt rage building inside him. How dare those two ing men did this to her? Mino angrily thought to himself. He then quickly cleaned up the cuts on Irene’s shoulder and when Mino was applying some iodine on the cuts, Irene whimpered in pain.

“Ouch…” Irene bit her lip, trying to hold herself from the pain that seem to killing her.

“Sorry if it’s hurt.” she heard Mino quietly muttered behind. A small smile appeared on her lip then. “That’s okay. Just continue whatever you’re doing.” she replied to him, biting her lip all over again when that sting of pain came right away to her.

, this is seriously hurt.

Once again, silence filled between the two of them. Sometimes, Irene winced because of the pain that she felt at that time and it made her wonder how on earth Mino could restrain himself from all of this. Irene also wonder what will be Jinah’s reaction if she tells what actually happen for tonight. Surely, Jinah will be too surprise to heard about this.

“What are you doing at the back of alley all by yourself? What were you thinking?” Irene was pulled back to the reality world when she heard Mino’s voice talking behind her.

“What?” she asked again, barely hear what Mino was saying seconds ago.

Mino took a deep breath before repeated the same questions that he asked Irene before. “Don’t you know that it’s dangerous to walk alone at night? Especially in that kind of place. What are you doing there?” Mino’s voice sounded serious already but at the same time curious.

“I-I was looking for you. Jennie told me that you went through the back door. That’s why I went there because I want to look for you. I’ve already heading back when I hear footsteps and I thought it was you.” Irene carefully explained in low voice, hoping that Mino would believe her.

Mino froze then. Jennie?!

“I didn’t think about dangerous at that time. All I think about was I really need to look for you because I want to have a talk with you.” Irene continued on, pressing her lip tighter. “Talking to me is more important than your own life. That’s what you think, Joohyun?” Mino fiercely asked her back, still controlling his voice.

Irene shook her head then. “No! That’s not what I think about. I know that it’s hard for us to talk even for a moment. I tried to talk to you before but you’re always busy and I don’t want to disturb you and your practice and training session. So, I’ve decided to just wait for you until you’re done and then I could talk to you.” Irene explained more.

“If that’s really so, can’t you