The children woke up at the sound of glasses breaking and painful screams and cries of their mother.

He's drunk again. Hyerae didn't know when her father started getting abusive but he's been doing it for consecutive nights now.

At her young age, hyerae was forced to be mature and learned what it meant.

"No! Please. Don't hurt the children." She heard her mother plead. Hyerae flinched at the sound a forceful slap and her mother's wails.

"Jaemin! Come here." Pulling her groggy brother, she pushed him inside the closet and motioned him to keep quiet.

Hyerae's heart pounded as she hear her father's footsteps. It came to a halt and their doorknob rattled. She held her breath when it opened.

She quickly moved away from the closet where her younger brother is now asleep to avoid getting him involved. She knew what was coming but it didn't hurt any less.

"There you are you brat! You're the ones who are bringing misfortune into my life!" Hyerae cried as her father clutched unto the collar of her shirt and forcefully made her stand only to slap her across the face that she fell back down. It was the first time he laid his hands on her and she was just eight.

"No!! Please. Just hit me instead." Their mother blocked her body from her father and held unto him.

Hyerae met her mother's eyes as she pulled her dad along and she could only cry.

The little girl curled up on her bed and covered her ears to block her mother's painful cries.

They would be ok the next morning. He'll say sorry and make excuses on why he did what he did. At first her mom would retaliate but she soon have stopped talking senses to her husband knowing it was futile. Hyerae don't understand why they couldn't just leave.

Their mother was an orphan so they didn't really have somewhere to go. Their father's family could care less about them saying they brought it on themselves.

"Noona? What happened to you cheek?" Hyerae's hand shot up to her bruised cheek and smiled weakly at her brother

"I accidentally hit it on the edge of the table." Jaemin giggled

"You're so clumsy noona." She ruffled his hair and hoped he won't ever witness what their father does to her and her mother.

"Go and call eomma." She pushed her brother up the stairs to call their mother as she readied the table.

"Noona! Noona!" Startled by her brother's cries, she accidentally dropped a plate, breaking it in the process.

"Noona! Eomma won't wake up." It was then that their world turned even more darker.

Hyerae ran up to their neighbor and asked for help since they don't have a phone. The lady immediately called an ambulance and worriedly looked at her bruised cheek.

Hyerae wanted to ask her for help, not only for their mother but for what their father do to them but she has not time to that for now as he mother is her priority.

Their mother was declared dead on arrival and hyerae's ears rung. Her mother had overdosed. Jaemin was too young to understand the concept of death.

Their father arrived looking miserable and wailed as he hugged his deceased wife but the glare in his eyes didn't escape her. She hugged her brother closely to her chest.

People mourned and pitied their father without knowing what monster he is. His colleagues offered their condolences and he acted his part and even used them to take more money.

Hyerae's heart hammered to her chest as the clock ticks and people went home one by one.

They went home and hyerae immediately locked their door. Fortunately, their father is out somewhere with the money he got from the wake.

Hyerae knew it won't last long especially after their mother was buried. It was their last chance. Hyerae shakily wrote on a piece of paper for help. They never went to school since their father said it was just a waste of money but their mother had taught them how to read and write.

When her father's eyes weren't trained at her, hyerae faked to fall on her knees and when a kind gentleman helped her up she slipped the paper on his coat, hoping he'll be able to read it.

As much as she wants to give it directly on his hand, he might be confused and just give it back to her and cause a commotion, letting her father know what she did and that couldn't happen.

That night, their father went home drunk and yelled out her name. He banged on the door making her little brother wake up and she covered his mouth with her hands. He must've been too drunk that he passed out.

They should've ran then but hyerae was too scared that the outside might be worse.