There was no obligation to do so, but Dahyun and Taehyung continued their habit of going home together. However, in the morning of that day, Dahyun was informed by Taehyung not to wait for him because he would be working overtime for a project they were trying to finish. Nevertheless, she tried to take time in the convenience store, checking all the items that they sold, buying some snacks, and even trying the unicorn ice cream once more in order to kill time.

But there was still no sign of Taehyung.

“Maybe he would really be working so late,” Dahyun whispered to herself, sighing in defeat as she surrendered to the idea of going home alone.

She was walking in the streets she had slowly grown familiar with, until she caught sight of one of her neighbors.

Oh. Hyunjin is with his friends.

She faltered on greeting him due to the presence of other kids she assumed were his classmates because of their similar uniform, but her hesitation didn’t last long when it became evident that the bunch of kids with Hyunjin were not his friends.

Dahyun gasped when they started beating down Hyunjin and she rushed to his aide in no time. She pushed aside the male who was grabbing Hyunjin’s collar, and protectively stood in front of Hyunjin.

“Dahyun noona, I am fine,” the boy whispered.

Her heart broke how Hyunjin gave her a smile despite his bruises and cuts.

“If I were you, I’d turn a blind eye and run,” one of the men said, and the menacing smirk on his lips told Dahyun that she would be in trouble if she would not turn to leave.

“Noona, you can go now,” Hyunjin urged her, “I can handle this. I’ve been through worse – “

“I’m not leaving you here,” Dahyun said as she took Hyunjin’s hand.

Hyunjin’s gaze softened at the older girl. He could feel that she was shaking, yet she held his hand firmly.

“Fine. We can use a tonight,” another man talked as he walked towards Dahyun.

He tried to cup her face but Dahyun flinched and swatted his hand away. His eyes then turned dark as he grabbed Dahyun’s arm. Hyunjin tried to push him away from Dahyun, but in a split second, the former was punched.

“Stop it!” Dahyun screamed as she saw how Hyunjin was thrown and kicked to the ground.

“Stop worrying about him. Start worrying about yourself,” the man holding Dahyun uttered.

She tried to free herself, but his grip on her arm was strong. Suddenly, his hand also clutched her face harshly.

“You’d regret not taking that opportunity to run, woman.”

Dahyun’s eyes widened as his fingers grazed her leg, making its way underneath her skirt. She closed her eyes shut, refusing to believe what was happening, hoping that everything was a nightmare she could wake up from.

But the cold fingers left her skin. Then, she found Taehyung already engaging in a fight with the three boys who bullied Hyunjin. She could merely stand still as Taehyung delivered blow after blow while deflecting the attacks on him.

However, her trance was halted when a punch landed squarely on Taehyung’s jaw, drawing blood near his lips. She quickly fished her phone out of her pocket.

She exclaimed, “Is this the police station? I am here to make a report about three high school students in a fight!”

The brawl seemed to have taken a pause and three froze upon hearing her statement. They exchanged knowing gazes before gesturing each other to walk away.

“We’re not done yet, Hwang,” one of them said before they started leaving.

Taehyung was huffing – the exhaustion from running and fighting already sinking down on him. He glanced at Dahyun as he asked, “You okay, kid?”

“I’m not the who got hurt,” Dahyun replied as her gaze landed on Hyunjin.

“Sorry.”

“You’ve apologized for almost a hundred times, Hyunjin,” Dahyun replied as she applied ointment on the boys’ wounds while he pressed an ice bag on his bruises. She sighed before probing, “What happened back there? Do they do this all the time?”

A sad smile grazed Hyunjin’s lips before he nodded.

“But why?” Dahyun asked exasperatedly.

“Money,” Hyunjin shrugged, “Sometimes, just for fun. Power intoxicates them.”

“Why don’t you tell your father?” Taehyung questioned.

“Dad already has a lot on his plate,” Hyunjin replied, “I don’t want to add more to his problems.”

“How about your school?” Taehyung suggested.

“If I do that, it would eventually involve my father too,” Hyunjin answered.

“How can your father not know if you always have wounds?” Dahyun spoke.

“He works two jobs, so he leaves home early and goes home late. When he arrives, he is too tired that he just falls to sleep,” Hyunjin answered, “We live in the same house, but we barely see him.”

“How about your mother? I’m sure she’ll be worried!” Dahyun exclaimed.

Hyunjin gave out a bitter smile before saying, “My mother already has a new family now.”

Silence then took over them.

Hyunjin looked at the two, hesitant on sharing any more information, but what happened that night proved that he was in the company of good people.  He wanted to trust them – because he was already in desperate need of people who would listen; he was afraid that if he did not take the opportunity to speak at that moment, his suffocation will exacerbate.

“When my father and mother divorced, my mother got most of our money and property but refused to take custody of us. We were driven out of our home. We can only afford this apartment because we’re getting a discount since dad knows the owner’s father,” Hyunjin explained.

“But you’re suffering, Hyunjin,” Dahyun whispered.

“Everybody in our house is,” Hyunjin retorted, “Dad spends most of his time working so that we can live. Yeji’s still hoping that she will be reunited with our mother, constantly hating the life she is in.”

“I don’t know how to fill a void that mom has created. At the very least, I just want to take care of Dad and Yeji,” Hyunjin confessed, “But look at me now.”

He glanced at Taehyung before saying, “I wish I can be as strong as you.”

“You are strong,” Taehyung replied.

He paused before adding, “There is strength in the way you keep facing the worst days. There is strength in hoping for a light even if all you can see is endless darkness.”

Hyunjin closed his eyes and hang his head low. He tried to hide it but when Dahyun brought him in her arms, he started bawling hard. He had always hated himself for being so helpless, but Taehyung regarded him with so much adoration.

It took a while before Hyunjin had calmed down. He thanked them but said he needed to leave. He wanted to lock himself in his room before his father could come home and see his worrisome state. The two walked with him towards the door of Dahyun’s apartment, and Hyunjin gave them a small smile before walking away.

Dahyun sighed as she watched the boy’s retreating figure.

“He’s so young, but he has already the world on his shoulders,” she muttered.

“Everyone was once young, but not everyone was given a chance to savor their youth,” Taehyung replied.

She glanced at him and saw how his eyes seemed to be lost in an ocean of thoughts.

But when their gazes met, Taehyung gave her a teasing smirk before he added, “I think not everyone grew up from their childhood too. Look at you. You couldn’t even comfort a sad boy without crying.”

Dahyun creased her brows at him but Taehyung teased further, “Such a crybaby.”

“Hey!” Dahyun complained as she lightly nudged him.

Taehyung chuckled in reply but beamed sincerely at her, admiring the way Dahyun had so much empathy for others.

“Come here,” Dahyun mumbled, gesturing for him to stoop lower.

He crouched down, but Dahyun told him to come closer. He leveled his face with hers and suddenly, Dahyun cupped his face with her hand, bringing him even closer to her.

He flinched at the proximity and contact, but Dahyun whispered, “Stay still.”

Her words seemed like a magic spell that made Taehyung frozen. He did as told and found himself enjoying the warmth of her hand on his cheek and the subtle touch of her finger on the corner of his lips.

There was a bubbling feeling on the pit of his stomach – something so familiar, yet also so foreign.

He swallowed the lump on his throat as his gaze traced every corner of Dahyun’s face, even taking note of the small mole she had below her brow. His gaze then travelled to her slightly parted lips.

He stared at her, and despite just calling her a kid, he couldn’t deny that the woman in front of him was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen – one he could kiss in just a breath.

“There,” Dahyun exclaimed, halting the trance that Taehyung was in. She took a step backward as she beamed at him, “I hope the ointment