“Sohun, Sohun,” Somin continued to call his name as though it would calm down the boy as she rushed over to him who sat in a corner, dropping her bag onto the floor in the process. His hands over his ears as he sat in a fetal position. She took the boy into her arms, holding him closely to her chest as he instinctively wrapped his arms around his sister, his body still shaking in fear.

The door to her parents' room opened and her mother crawled out, shaking as she did, quietly she tried to shut the door behind her, “Somin, take Sohun and stay somewhere else this weekend,” she pressed a few crumpled dollar bills into Somin’s hands. Somin put the crumpled bills back into her mother’s hands and nodded, knowing exactly what her mother meant.

“Come on Sohun,” she picked up her bag and led the boy into her room. Quickly she stuffed a pair of clothes for the both of them into her bag and his small backpack. From her secret stash of cash she kept in one of her old textbooks she took just enough to buy the both of them food for the next few days though she knew she wouldn’t need as much. Putting a jacket around the boy and his backpack on him she put a finger to her lips to signal him to be quiet as the two crept back out into the living room and to the front door. “Stay safe mom,” the girl took one last look at her mother who was laying down on the couch, exhausted, her forehead dripping in sweat and bruises were evident all over her body.

“Are you okay?” Somin asked the younger boy when they got a safe distance away from the house where she knew her father wouldn’t hear her.

Sohun shook his head, “Dad beat mommy again,” the boy frowned, a tear escaping his eye and rolling down his cheek.

She scooped the boy up in her arms, “We’ll stay somewhere safe okay?” she patted his hair. The boy looked at the house they called home that was becoming smaller and smaller in the distance wondering when the pain would end.

“Have you eaten?” she asked him to which the boy shook his head.

“Somin,” Changbin opened the door to the apartment the members of Stray Kids shared. Somin took Sohun there as soon as the boy finished eating his dinner, a dinner box she purchased for him at a convenience store. “Come in,” Changbin opened the door wider so that the two could enter. Minho and Jeongin were situated on the couch, playing a video game on the tv when they saw the girl enter with the boy fast asleep in her arms. Quickly, the two moved off the couch and lowered the volume of the tv so that the boy could continue to sleep.

“Thank you,” Somin mouthed at the two of them as she set her younger brother on the couch. Reluctantly the younger boy allowed his sister to take off his coat before falling back down onto the couch, soundlessly sleeping. Changbin who had gone into his room came back out with a blanket, draping it over the small boy.

“Somin,” Felix came out of his room, a towel draped over his head, having just come out of the shower.

Somin’s lips thinned into a small smile, “Hey.”

Minho and Jeongin turned off the tv and retreated into their rooms while Changbin patted Sohun’s head a few times before going into his own room. The boys were used to having Somin come over unexpectedly and stay for a few days, knowing her situation, but they were fine with it, they thought of her as family.

“Come here,” Felix pulled her into his arms, into a tight hug.

Tears began to stream down Somin’s face as, “He did it again in front of him.”

“Shhh, it’s alright, just let it out,” Felix her hair to calm her down.

The two laid in Felix’s bed, Somin had changed out of her uniform and into some pajamas she had packed. Not long after she had fallen fast asleep in Felix’s arms, clutching onto his t-shirt. Meanwhile, Felix laid there in the dark, the only light in his room came from the small night light he had on his nightstand near Somin knowing of her fear of the dark and how it would help her sleep. Carefully he Somin’s cheeks, analyzing her features a few times before pulling her closer to him and falling asleep.

“Will you be okay?” Somin asked Minho. It was Saturday night and Stray Kids had another gig to perform. Although Somin wanted to, they couldn’t bring Sohun with them so Minho agreed to stay at home with the young boy.

“We’ll be fine,” Minho squatted down to pick up Sohun, “Isn’t that right Sohun?” he smiled.

Sohun grinned, “Yes!” he giggled.

“Alright, I’ll be back, be good Sohun,” she kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair once more before waving at Minho and following the rest of Stray Kids downstairs.

The purple lights shown on Stray Kids as they got ready to perform in the club. It was packed as usual for a Saturday night. The club was filled with regulars that always came, but that night there was one in particular that came just to watch Stray Kids. The black-haired male stood in the back of the club, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

“Why am I here again Jaemin?” he sighed into his phone.

“Just watch them, I want your opinion on the vocalist,” the said male said over the phone.

“I already saw them perform at school, I don’t see why I have to rewatch their performance,” Chenle cast his head down so that no one he knew would see him, not that it was out of the norm for him to be there. It was known at school that Chenle came from a rich family, owning many conglomerates in both South Korea and China, it just so happened that the club Stray Kids were performing for the night was owned by Chenle’s parents.

“I’m intrigued by her voice, but I want to see what more she can do,” Jaemin informed the younger boy.

“Hello everyone we’re Stray Kids!” Somin introduced the band as they started their first song.

Chenle looked up at her voice, watching her very closely as she sang, his eyes going over to Jiyun every once and a while before focusing on Somin again, “Interesting,” he mumbled before hanging up.