It was raining when I finally reached apartment. God, It’s so cold! I sighed while rubbing my palms. I walked closer to my door when suddenly I saw a little girl curled herself against the door next to mine. I immediately recognized the girl.

“Hanbyul-aahh! What are you doing here?” I was so shocked and ran to her, squatted in front of her. She tilted her head up and met my eyes.

“Unnie..” She grinned shyly, “I..um.. I..”

“Why are you here alone? Your oppa is still working, why are you here? Don’t tell me he left you alone every single day!” I couldn’t believe Hanbin left his sister alone.

“No.. no! It’s not like that! I.. umm.. Hatchooo!!!” She suddenly sneezed. I realized that she was soaked as well. I gripped her hand and pulled her up.

“Come on! You have to change your shirt.”

“Unnie.. I.. I don’t have the key.” Hanbyul bit her lip. I sighed and pulled her to my apartment instead.

As soon as we’re inside, I took a towel and a sweater, then set the warmth of the shower.

“Hanbyul-ah.. Go take a shower! Unnie already warmed the water, don’t worry!” I smiled while rubbing her hair. She nodded and took off her wet clothes. I took her clothes and put them on my washing machine, mixed them with my laundry. She went inside and took a warm shower. After she’s done, I went inside and took a shower too. Then I dried her hair with a hairdryer.

                “Hanbyul-ah.. Does your oppa abandon you often?” I asked since I was so worried.

“Unnie.. don’t blame Hanbin oppa.” She put a really sad face, “Oppa takes care of me well. He always work hard. It’s just.. I umm..” I could see her doubtful face.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell unnie.” I smiled while combing her hair.

“Noo.. I do wanna tell you.” She nodded, “Oppa always walk Hanbyul to our aunt’s home right before he goes to work. It’s just.. Hanbyul doesn’t like auntie.” Hanbyul bit her lip again. “Auntie always said that Hanbyul’s appa is useless. Hanbyul never ever take it to heart. But, today auntie said something evil.” Hanbyul’s eyes suddenly began tearing up. “Auntie said appa already died because he knew he was useless. Auntie said appa killed himself since he made too much problems to umma and oppa.”

There, I was shocked by her words. I took a deep breath before hugged her in my arms.

“Don’t worry Hanbyul-ah! Your appa won’t do that. You know he’s working out of town for you, for your oppa, and your umma. So, don’t worry. Don’t mind about what your auntie told you, okay?” I gave her a smile, and she replied my smile with a huge grin and a nod, “Now.. are you hungry? Have you had a dinner before ran away from your auntie?” I chuckled while patting her head.

“N..no.” She tilted her head down and rubbed her tummy that suddenly growled loudly. I laughed a bit while she grinned shyly.

“Okay, lucky you, unnie can cook well. Okay! Let’s get ramyeon for your little tummy, shall we?!” I smiled then walked  to kitchen.

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                ‘TAP TAP TAP’ “HANBYUL-AH!!!”

I was suddenly awaken by some loud steps sound and a scream. I opened my eyes and found Hanbyul was still asleep in front of me. I wore my cardigan and stood up from my bed. I walked slowly till reach my front door, trying to listen to the sounds from outside.

“Hanbyul-ah… Hanbyul-ah…” I heard a faint voice and some pants before suddenly there was a loud thump sound. ‘THUD’ I could imagine someone was sitting on the corridor floor. “Hanbyul-ah… Where are you?” I heard the frustrated voice again. I finally recognized the voice and opened my door only to find Hanbin was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. His right hand was pulling his own hair, showing how frustrated he was. His teeth were clenching and his head was down.

“Ahem..” I cleared my throat, trying to get his attention, but he was too frustrated to even care, “Kim Hanbin.” I called his name slowly. He finally looked at me. I was taken aback seeing his tears wet his cheeks. He wiped his tears with his thumb and index finger. Actually, I was thinking of scolding him about how he abandoned his own sister, but all the words which I already arranged in my mind couldn’t come out as soon as I saw his tears.

“About Hanbyul…” I sighed a bit, “She’s with me. Come on in.” I said to him pointing my own door. I could see his eyes wide opened in surprise. He followed me into my apartment in a rush. He even stumbled a bit.

“Hey, take it easy, will ya?!” I scolded him. He didn’t even care. As soon as he found Hanbyul on my bed, he fell on his knees. He cried a little and tilted his head down.

“Thank God…” He mumbled, feeling relief. I was surprised by how worried he was. “Thank you… Thank you… hic..” He hiccupped after crying. I chuckled seeing how vulnerable he was when he hiccupped. I took a glass of water and gave it to him.

“Here.. drink this,” I handed the glass to him. He looked at me then wiped his tears again before taking the glass and drank the water.

“T-thanks..” He bowed a bit to me.

“Have you calmed?” I asked him and rubbed his shoulder. He nodded before turning his head toward Hanbyul again. I could see how much he cherished his little sister.

                After some minutes, he finally calmed down completely. He sat on the floor with his back against my bed. I sat in front of him while looking at his face. His face is so red. He really is worried.

“So.. are you going to take Hanbyul back or let her sleepover?” I asked straight to the point, “I don’t mind if she sleepovers tonight.”

He took a look at sleeping Hanbyul again before looked at me, right into my eyes.

“I’ll take her home. Just let me take a breath first, please.” I could see he was thinking hard.

“By the way… she told me something.” I said to him, “She said you always entrust her to your aunt everytime you have to go to work.” Hanbin looked at my eyes again and nodded. “Well..” I continued, “Your aunt actually hurt her again and again. Not physically, more like... mentally.” I could see he was surprised by my words.

“What do you mean? What did she tell you?” He asked me while calming himself, controlling himself not to be mad after hearing what I was going to say.

“I don’t know what’s the problem that your family have.. your appa has,” I paused to see his reaction. He was shocked and his eyes became bigger when I mentioned his appa, “Your aunt always said that your appa is useless to Hanbyul. And that happened a lot.” I sighed. I could see his jaws tightened but I still continued, “Hanbyul let it pass. But today, your aunt said something more terrible. Hanbyul told me that your aunt said your appa suicide becau..” ‘BANG!!!’ I was shocked seeing Hanbin suddenly punched the floor hard. His eyes were full of rage. Suddenly he stood up and walked to the door fast, I ran and caught his wrist in time, just right before he walked out of my apartment.

“Waittt..!” I called him, “Where’re you going?!” He didn’t say anything but I knew exactly where he was going to go.

“Kim Hanbin.. calm down.” I said slowly, “Don’t do anything stupid in the middle of the night!” I turned his body facing me. “Kim Hanbin..” I called his name again, waiting for him to look at me in the eyes. He looked at my eyes after some seconds. He took a breath and let out a deep sigh.

“I know I shouldn’t interfere with your family problem, but will you control your emotion a bit? Not for yourself, but for Hanbyul. Don’t you think she will be sad if she knows you’ll fight with your aunt? She will blame herself.” I reasoned with him. He stared at my eyes, I knew he was thinking about what I just said. “For now, the best thing to do is thinking about what you are going to do from now on. I mean, now you know that Hanbyul had been suffered all this time whenever you entrusted her to your aunt, you have to think where you will put her while you’re working.” He gulped a bit, clueless. I was about to leave him when he suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Umm.. Ms. Kwon,” I was taken aback.

“It’s KYUN.” I gasped, “How can you forget my name?!”

He scratched his head, “Well.. Actually, we haven’t even introduced ourselves properly.” I was silent. Then how I know his name? OH RIGHT! It’s Hanbyul who told me her brother’s name. But Hanbyul had told him my name as well! How can he forget?!

“Ms. Kyun..?” I heard him calling my name once again. I looked at him.

“At least Hanbyul already told you my name! How can you forget it?!” I sighed at him.

“Sorry.. I wasn’t paying attention to her when she introduced you to me.” I could see he was embarrassed.

“Fine.. My name is Kyun Chaejoo. You can call me Chaejoo instead of Ms.Kyun. It feels like you’re calling my mom.”

“Okay then. Chaejoo, I’m Kim Hanbin.”

“I know.”

“Can you shut up? I’m trying to be polite right here and telling you my name properly.” I was surprised by his bluntness. What the . What’s wrong with him!

“Yah! You said you’re being polite but ironically you said it in the rudest way ever!”

“Fine.. sorry!” He sighed, “By the way.. I just wanna say thanks for your kindness, Chaejoo. I’ll bring her home now.” He walked to my room while I following him from behind.

“Have you thought about what I said?” I asked him, “Where are you going to put her while you’re working at bar?” He stoned immediately at my question. I could see he was worried and didn’t have an answer for my question.

“I’ll think about it.” He turned his attention back to Hanbyul.

 “I always come home at 6 or 7 pm unless I’m going out with my friends.” I told him, “What time you go to work every day?” What the are you thinking CHAEJOO?! How can you offer yourself a responsibility that not yours to take! CHAEJOO! You’re insane! I blamed my stupidity.

“I don’t need you pitying me.” Instead of answering my question, Hanbin asked me not to pitying him. I was going to debate him when suddenly I could see he wasn’t trying to be offensive. His eyes were showing a serious look. I knew there might be so much things going inside his mind. I sighed before sat down on the bed, right beside sleeping Hanbyul.

“I wasn’t pitying you.” I rubbed Hanbyul’s hair, “I just don’t wanna see Hanbyul gets lonely again.” I looked at Hanbin after that, “Instead of pitying, I actually adoring you.” WHAT THE CHAEJOO?! WHY I SOUND LIKE FLIRTING! GOD!!! “I.. I mean.. I.. umm..” I could see he was taken aback by what I just said. I took a deep breath and looked at him again after arranged words I wanted to say in my mind.

“You’re a great older brother. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I guess you’ve been through so much pain. You love your sister so much. I can see that. You work hard every day for your sister. I don’t know what happen to your appa or umma till you work hard for your own sister, but I do think you’re great.” I finally said it and now I regretted it. God, Chaejoo! You have to know how to shut your mouth for once! Hanbin was speechless. He looked at Hanbyul then after some seconds, he turned to me.

“I can’t believe I’m gonna say this but..” He sighed, “I go to work at 8 pm. I have day off on Saturday and Sunday unless I change my schedule with another band.” I could see he was shy.

“Well… You have to inform me if you switch schedule with other band.”

“Chaejoo… I don’t mean to offend you but let me pay you for taking care of my sister. I don’t like owing someone.” He put his hand in front of his mouth, showing how nervous he was.

“Kim Hanbin. I don’t need that. I want to help Hanbyul, not you. So you don’t need to pay me. I’m not a daycare, you know.” I looked at him again, but his face was full of doubt now, “Fine. How about this, give me some money in case Hanbyul needs something or Hanbyul wants to eat something. Is that okay for you?” He looked at my eyes then nodded.

“But if you eat something with Hanbyul, please, use that money too. Don’t you pay for yourself! Let me pay!” I chuckled by how serious he was.

“Okay.” After getting a deal, he gave me his phone number before taking Hanbyul to his arms. I helped him unlocking his apartment door and he brought Hanbyul home. After putting Hanbyul to her own bed, Hanbin went back to the front door and met me once again.

“Gomawo…” He bowed down, “Good night, Chaejoo.” He smiled at me before going back to his apartment. What a night.

Hello. I update again and this is a long chapter, right? Right!

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