SeolHyun's POV

Wonho stayed with me for the rest of the night. We didn't do anything except for talking and sleeping. He held me close at all times and made sure I was comfortable with his presence. My heart only swelled when he did that. I'm not sure what I ever did to deserve this amazing human being, but he is mine. 

The light pours inside the room as morning comes around. It's too soon, it always is. Soon we'll both have to leave this safe haven and go out into the world. Go out and face my fears, my scars. It won't be easy, but at least I'll have Wonho with me to support me. That's the only consolation I have. 

"Stop moving", Wonho mutters against my hair as I chuckle a little. He's still tired, he always is apparently. I tend to get up first thing in the morning, but he just wants to sleep in. 

"What time do we have to be at your parents'?" I ask while looking at the clock beside me. 

"11", he sighs and opens his eyes at last to look at me. "Why?" 

"It's already 9:30, maybe we should get ready?" He shoots me a confused look. I shoot him one back. 

"I could've slept for another half hour!" he accuses me and sighs deeply. I laugh at him for being so immature about this. Who would've known he would be so childish when it comes to sleep? 

"Get up, manchild", I say to him and get up myself. "I need to shower and so do you." He groans some more and turns around in my bed. I can't shower when he's still in the room, that would just be plain weird. 

"Wonho..." I start whining and he puts up his hands in the air.

"Fine! I'll see you at 10:30", he says while getting up. His sleepy face is honestly the cutest thing I've ever seen. And his hair is just sticking out at all sides. The normally so composed Wonho looks so disheveled right now, only for me to see and enjoy. 

"Yeah", I blush a little when he notices me staring at him. He comes around the bed and closes what distance there was between us. Immediately his lips are on mine, just a light kiss. It still does things to my heart, and knees, and body in general. 

"I just feel the need to kiss you whenever you look at me like that", he says in a rather hoarse voice. It sends shivers down my spine as he pulls away to look at me. "You look amazing in the morning." He flashes me that big smile he has and then walks towards the door. "Don't be late." 

The last thing I see of him is a wink. My heart is still going crazy over his touch and kiss. I don't think I'll ever get used to this. I don't think I even want to get used to this at all. The way he makes me feel is so special and it makes me want more. More of everything. Even more of life. I've been on the brink of depression a lot of times, but he makes me want to see the good things in life. To think I didn't trust him in the beginning. I can't trust anyone more than him now. 

My shower doesn't take long since it's a shower I don't know. I have problems with things that aren't mine. That leaves me with 40 minutes of picking out my clothes and shoes. Will his parents remember me? Will they like me? And what will he even tell them? That we're dating? I don't know what to think of any of this, but decide to just go along with it for now. Wonho will know what to do in the end. It'll be the best for both of us. My clothes consist a high waisted jean short and a striped crop top. It's simple, yet a little classy. I put my Adidas shoes underneath it and decide I'm good to go like that. Afterwards I braid my hair and do a little make up. It's weird how I used to not wear it, but now I can't go without it anymore. 

Wonho is back in my room sooner than expected. He says he can't stand being apart from me. I nuzzle my face in the crook of his neck as we hug. Sometimes I feel as if his touch is the only thing keeping me sane, other times I think his touch will make me go crazy one of these days. 

"Come on, you rascal", he says and drags me out of my room to go with him. My gut tells me to stay inside, but my mind tells me it's okay. It'll be fine. Wonho will protect me. He takes me to his car, a little more incognito, and drives off to his parents' house. The street is still the same as when I left it. That time I didn't look back even once. My memory even blurred a little over time, but now it's crystal clear. The shouting and beating come back into my head as if it's happening right now. I try to shut it out, I try to make it go away. It has to. Wonho seems to notice a little and pulls over to calm me. 

"Seollie? Are you okay?" He asks me and I nod my head. I will be okay. His hands are on my bare arms as he tries to comfort me without freaking me out. "Just breathe. I know this must be hard for you, but just try to block it." 

I do as he says and I finally am able to breathe again. The tightness in my chest still remains though. It'll be there for the rest of the day, I can already tell. "Just don't look at that place", Wonho says and kisses my forehead before opening his door. He gets out and opens my door for me too. We walk to the door together, his arm around my waist to keep me steady. His mom opens the door before we can even register it. 

"My son!" she screams out and hugs him like her life depends on it. Then she turns to look at me. "Thank god you're okay." Her arms are around me right now, hugging me tightly. "I thought something had happened to you when you weren't here anymore... Then our dear Wonho called me to tell me you were in girl group in Seoul a few weeks ago!" 

"I'm sorry for worrying you", I say in a whispering tone. It's the same tone I always had to use back then at my place. Any louder and they would notice I was there. 

"Don't be! I'm happy you got out of there", she says and kisses my forehead the same way Wonho had a few seconds ago. He just stands there smiling at us. Clearly he's happy to see his mom this happy. "Come on in! We have lots of food prepared for you." 

His mom seems to be happy about me being here together with Wonho. Even his dad is all smiles when we walk inside. It's weird for me to be welcomed by such a warm home. I never had one to begin with, so I don't even know if this is one. But it sure feels like one. The whole house smells like food and home. The food his mother said she had prepared is on the table for us, set for four people. I smile a little at the kind gestures she has put into it all. She even put me next to Wonho. 

"So how is our Hoseok doing?" His mother turns to me with the question. "Is he behaving?" 

"Mooooom..." Wonho complains, firstly because he hates his name, secondly because it's a weird question. I guess it's one all mothers ask themselves from time to time. 

"What? Oh right, Wonho", his mother rolls her eyes at him and I smile. They really have a lot in common when you look at it. "So is he?" 

"I believe he is", I smile shyly at her and she nods. Next to me Wonho whines a little more, indicating we should not be having this kind of conversation while he's here. Or just not at all. 

"I hope he's taking care of himself", she adds, a little worried. 

"It's not me you should be worried about. Someone else here is always dieting and working out to lose some more pounds..." Wonho looks at me and I feel guilty for it. It's not even my decision, the company demands it from us. Which is not strange at all in our industry. 

"SeolHyun? Are you taking care of yourself? I can barely see you..." his mother looks at me and takes one of my arms into her hands. "You're so thin..." she adds. I'm not that thin at all. To be honest, I should be a lot skinnier, but they go soft on me due to circumstances. 

"Don't worry. I know what to do", I assure her and she nods, releasing my arm. Then she puts some rice into my bowl and shoves it towards me. 

"Eat." It's not a request, but a demand. I take my chopsticks and start eating right away. Wonho is smirking next to me. Of course he is. His mother is smiling too. Which tells me they're probably thinking the same damn thing. I roll my eyes at Wonho, turning my head so his mother won't see. 

"Mom, did I tell you?" he suddenly asks his mother and I put my chopsticks down to listen properly. 

"Tell me what?" She seems curious. His father actually tunes in too. 

"I have a girlfriend..." Wonho states and I would've definitely choked if I was eating. 

"You didn't tell us! Oh honey! I'm so proud of you! Who is it? Someone famous?" his mother asks and stops eating altogether. 

"Well, I'm sure you've heard of her..." Wonho looks at me and I'm terrified of what they'll say. What if they don't want me as his girlfriend? A friend, okay. But girlfriend? A damaged and broken girl like me? What parent would want that for their child? 

"Don't keep us in suspense, son", his father says with a little smile. 

"It's SeolHyun", he says and takes my hand in his. His mother is still smiling, even brighter now I think. 

"I knew it. You've always had a thing for her", his mother laughs. I wonder if it's true. "I could tell you were going to end up together in the end." 

Wonho grins a little and pulls me into his chest. I'm kind of embarrassed, but it's okay. They don't completely hate me in the end. 

"Excuse me", I say while getting up and finding the bathroom. I still know where to find it. There's a little window there, looking out at my old 'home'. Suddenly I see a face in the window and I'm sure it's her. It's gone as soon as I see it and I shake my head. Probably my imagination. 

The lunch goes well and we decide to head back to our hotel. His mother is still pissed that we're not staying at their place, but she understands I can't be that close to that house and those people for too long. Wonho leaves me be at the hotel, telling me to rest a little before we go out again. He needs to change his clothes too.

There's a knock on my door and I go to open it, expecting it to be Wonho standing on the other side. When I open the door it's not Wonho, it's not at all. The woman standing in front of me is the one who abandoned me for such a long time. The one who hates me more than anything. The one who let her husband beat me to a pulp.