♡ 

Areum called the nurse after storming off the changing room. This one sadly smiled when she recognized Areum, she quietly ran off with the head master accompanying her. Cherry had bad habitudes and she tried to be someone she wasn't just to cover the pain and sorrow but most importantly to not encounter pain again. She hated the idea of falling in love and afterwards getting hurt. Areum sighed and told a lie to the principal who quietly suspected her words but brushed it off and let it go. She stomped off his office as her back faced the wall, she quickly made it to her classroom where TaeYong and Mark were talking casually. Areum's curious gaze didn't left unnoticed when the both span around hearing the sound of her feet on the floor. Mark smiling and re adjusted his tie while Taeyong passed an hand through his hair. She walked closely towards them and closed the gap  separating her and Taeyong. Enlacing her arms around Taeyong's waist.

She lowly said, " I'm tired," while blinking a few more times before looking at Mark slowly. He shrugged at Taeyong and furrowed his eyebrows.

" What happened?" He said, his voice filling the whole classroom. She eyed at him, still embracing Taeyong's waist.

" Cherry got hurt," Mark's eyes flew open, he stared at the tired girl in front of him and wondered if Cherry was alright. He put his hand on his forehead and looked at Areum once again.

" It's not you?" He meekly said. Areum backed away from Taeyong which had felt the cold. She sat on a chair close to the board and shook her head in disapproval. 

" No," She replied to Mark's contentment, the girl was still shocked by his question.  He nodded and stood up in a hurry.

" Where is she?" He asked, yearning curious glances from Taeyong. Areum still looking at him, she sadly watched the male.

" In the nurse duh," Taeyong answered obviously. Both watched Mark ran off to the nurse office. Taeyong shoot a curious and astonished glance to Areum who just shrugged and stared outside, still disappointed.

Mark ran and passed by Cherry's friends who were happily laughing. He rolled his eyes as he watched some students giggle without even being aware of the atrocities going around. He entered the room filled with the odor of medicine. He made a disgusted face, this scent was not pleasant. He checked all the doors to find Cherry but she wasn't  anywhere. He sighed and rubbed his temples, already exhausted of going around. The wind was blowing the leaves on the blossoming trees.

Mark wondered when the winter will come so it will match his mood. He certainly wasn't the best in the section of love but for hope, he was the first at it. 

" Mark," A quiet voice said across the room. He spun and meet her glittering eyes. She sat on one of the beds and looked down at her lap. A bruise was seen on the side of her lip and on her eyebrow. He felt the pain and sorrow but all the horrible things she had done in the past re-emerged. 

" Who did this to you," Mark asked without looking at her, she bit her lip and glanced at him. His hair was spread on his face. Cherry stopped breathing for a moment, the cold air was making it even more harder for her to speak. Mark seemed angry, she wondered why he was so determined in knowing.

" A brunch of girls but it doesn't matter anymore," She bluntly and without second-thoughts said. He scoffed at her lack of reactivity. He  knew that she was still shocked and moved but he didn't cared anymore. 

" It is Areum," He asked without mercy and thought that she could be the culprit of this whole situation when she was not. Cherry shook her head as tears fell down to her pale cheeks. Mark curiously eyed at her and went to sat on a bed as he stared at her. 

" She's the one who came to save me, " Cherry had glanced at Mark with a sad expression because he had doubted one of the purest and kindest girl in the school, even Cherry knew that she wasn't bad and vile. 

" You should apologize to her," She kept on. Mark nodded guiltily, everything was a mess in his head. He didn't realized that he had falsely accused Areum, he felt extremely ty and thought of what Areum will be thinking of him now. She must hate him and it honestly made him regret his actions and words. He stood up and told her meekly to follow him. Cherry sadly grinned and looked at him while walking behind him, seeing some students bad mouthing her, Mark held her hand and told her to not listen to them.

They reached Areum's classroom which was almost empty. Taeyong greeted the two of them and immediately looked at their hands knitted together. He smiled and giggled, the tense atmosphere fell down. After a few minutes of chatting with Taeyong, Areum came back with her lunch in her hand. She smiled at Taeyong and handed him his lunch while she set hers on her table. She sat ignoring the presence of Mark and Cherry who had exchanged a few curious glances. She was about to munch of her sandwich but as soon as her eyes went up , she stopped her movements. Furrowing her eyebrows at the sign of the two persons who were enemies. She put down her sandwich and waited for one of them to talk.

" Are you alright now," She asked to Cherry who had a surprised look on her face. She speechlessly nodded her head and smiled at her while she was playing with her fingers.

" I'm sorry Areum, I didn't knew and I shouldn't have said that it was you I mean- I'm so freaking stupid," Mark stated, Taeyong looked at him with his arms crossed against his chest. Areum nodded and took her sandwich in her hands feeling hungry. 

" It's fine, you apologized," Areum answered and took a bite of her sandwich. Mark hopefully grinned as Cherry patted his back. After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Areum glances at them.

Cherry gazed at Areum, finding her beautiful because Areum trustfully was and is breath taking. Her eyes were set on her, she stood up and sad on unoccupied chair across Taeyong and Areum. Yhis one looked at her curiously. 

" I'm sorry too Areum, I have no idea how you managed to help me when I am the one who bullied you," Tears brimmed up at her eyes, she couldn't talk no more. Cherry was too overwhelmed and ashamed of her past actions. Areum nodded and took her hand in hers giving it a comforting squeeze. Areum knew how hard it was to apologize and talk for something so wrong. How shameful it is to confess the horrible things done.

" You two are dating," She asked with a cheeky grin while eyeing their interviewed hands. Taeyong put his hand in front of his mouth and quietly laughed earning a murderous stare from Mark. He shrugged and kept on laughing while seeing Cherry shift uncomfortably on her seat. Areum giggled at her own joke and looked at Taeyong who had put his hand on his stomach still laughing thanks to Cherry's and Mark's expression. 

The evening went by fast. Areum and Taeyong had noticed that both Cherry and Mark had gotten closer and where in better terms. Mark had explained to them that they discussed about everything done in the past and now they were good. Areum quietly laughed when the teacher had told Cherry to seat besides Mark. 

Taeyong glanced at Areum who had gazing straight in front of her. Her eyes looking back at him. They ran carelessly and stopped at the said walk. The night was chilly, the two were about to cross the road but as soon as they stepped in front of the pedestrians. A scooter hurriedly came and almost knocked both of them. Taeyong jolted back and took Areum in his arms, keeping her safe and sound. 

" Areum did you felt this ? " He asked still afraid and half checking on her. But Taeyong didn't heard her heart beat against him. She emitted no sound and her expression was usual. 

" It was scary," Areum admitted and looked at him with care. Taeyong was sensing something different and it worried him so he decided to give it a try.

" The sound of your heart isn't here, it's like your heart has been shut down. The adrenaline pumping in your veins, can you feel it? " Taeyong nibbled on his lower lip nervously while staring at the girl who has been crashing her walls to him. He felt relieved to hear her confession, both of their hearts sharing the same crazy feelings for what he aimed for. However he was mixing true feelings and unanswered questions. She laughed, her dry lips and head spinning. Areum thought it will be the perfect moment to tell him, he offered her an opportunity to confess everything she had been hiding.  

But what if he runs like everybody did? Is he the same as the others? A part of Areum told her that she was just searching for some reason to not tell him since she was deadly afraid of his reaction but she wanted to tell him. There was nothing to be afraid of, the desire consumed her and she finally came to a conclusion.

" It's been seven years without feeling my heart beating in my chest. But I can laugh, I can cry, I also feel many things has anger, joy, haltered and sadness. It doesn't erase the fact that I can't love someone, whenever I see you my stomach is filled with butterflies. I want to keep you for myself and  I want to see you happy forever because your happiness is mine," After those words left , she lowered her head and stared at the ground. Ashamed of feeling so vulnerable right now. But otherwise it will be frightening if she wouldn't feel a less afraid of being reject by the person she loved the most. 

" It's been hard you know, I thought I wouldn't be able to feel something after my surgery. I had a cancer, after a few months of fighting I finally got a donor but when we all thought I was going to be okay my body started to reject my new heart and after that my doctor found out my body was rejecting all new hearts. We went with my parents to each country, we visited the most renowned and well known hospitals centers. We found nothing, both of my parents were extremely exhausted while I was almost in the edge of giving up we got a call from a surgeon in India, he had something to show us. It was a little machine who could replace a real heart. We all were so tired, my mom knew I wouldn't be able to make it back to Korea so we all agreed to give it out  our last chance. It worked. We were surprised and we felt blessed. My mom even threw a party back there," She said while laughing and crying. It was tears of happiness and laughs of joy. Taeyong was mesmerized by the strong girl in front of him. He felt guilty to have judged her real quick. To her astonishment he smiled, a comforting smile which seemed to say " I'm glad you make it till today." He had no words to described how he was feeling right now. There was too much emotions going on to put an name to it. 

" I'll always be here for you," It was the last words she has been able to hear when he watched her sleep on his shoulder. He carried her and after a short walk to his home. He opened the door and laid her on her bed, thinking that he will wake her up for dinner. Taeyong was still moved and astonished by her strong and fearless confession. She is courageous as Taeyong felt like he had gained Areum's trust which was a victory to him because the boy always wanted to be closer to Areum. He touched her soft and silky hair before going downstairs, a gentle look crossing Boram's features as she nodded knowingly.

--

 

Author's Note : This chapter came out so slowly, sorry guys :/  I will correct the mistakes later!

Please tell me your thoughts but anyway I hope you liked this chapter!

If you think that it's going too fast it isn't, don't worry I already know what's new and next and next :) 

So obviously after that Taeyong will be more protective towards Areum! 

Also I did a new fiction! I will not start this one till I have finished "Lavender Marriage " and this fiction! This one is called " The Pure and The Tainted " with Dean/Kwon Hyuk :) Also I posted a new one shot in the " Taeyong Imagine Requests" so feel free to check it out , it's called " Morally wrong " 

Comment down bellow and don't forget to leave your thoughts down there. 

Thank you lovelies, till next time :)

#TAEYONGPROTECTIONSQUAD