tw: mentions of abuse.

“Wannie…” Seulgi gently coaxes Seungwan’s head up, looking down at the diamonds twinkling in swollen eyes.

“D-Deulgi—”

Somehow, hearing that makes Seulgi’s heart race with worry, but she masks it with a weak grin. “Aigoo, you big baby. Why are you out here? Where’s your eomma?”

“S-She’s inside… she w-won’t let me in.” Seungwan rubs her strawberry-tipped nose with the back of her hand. 

A frown knits across Seulgi’s face. “What? Why?” She tries to pull Seungwan off the concrete steps, confused when her friend remains unbudged. “Come on, let’s get you back inside.”

“No! I can’t…”

Seulgi tugs a little harder. “Huh? Yes you can, what are you talking about?”

“She won’t let me!”

“Yah, stop being ridiculous! Of course she’ll—”

This time, Seungwan actually pulls back, letting loose hoodie sleeves fall up frail arms. And there, fresh lavender welts striped across porcelain flesh finally lay bare. The vice around Seulgi’s heart tightens. Suddenly it’s so hard to breathe. It feels like quicksand is clogging and her concern bubbles in tremulous waves. “Y-Yah… S-Seungwan-ah…”

Despondent brown eyes drop to the pavement. “My eomma found out we skipped final period to go to the arcade that day. Since then she won’t feed me dinner and I have to stay outside till she says.”

Seulgi’s face turns to stone. “Your eomma… has been hitting you?” The urgency in her voice climbs. “What— Why didn’t you tell me?” A dreadful knot lays thick in the pit of her stomach, but she has to whisper. “…does… does your appa do it too?” 

Silence.

What. The. Hell.

The taller grits her teeth, visibly holding back from stamping into the ground. “Those ing—”

“L-Language,” Seungwan sniffles softly, shaking her sleeves back down once they’re out of Seulgi’s muscled grip.

Seulgi scoffs. “They’re not my parents so I can say it. They’re stupid bit—”

“Yah! Don’t call my parents stupid…”

“Alright, alright, I’ll spare them for now,” Seulgi half-heartedly gives in to a quietly sobbing Seungwan. She guides her thumbs across pink cheeks, gently brushing away swarovski tears.

“What about you? I saw you running just now… why are you outside?” The smaller girl asks, reluctantly sitting still as Seulgi cleans her face. 

After a pregnant pause, the tall brunette dives her hands deep into her coat pockets. She fumbles around for a minute before that signature grin slowly blooms on her pink lips. Seungwan eyes her suspiciously. 

“Guess what? I’m loaded,” Loose change jingles heavily from within her pockets. “Come on, let’s hit up E-Mart. I’m starving.”

Seungwan’s incessant concerns fall on deaf ears, like usual, as Seulgi drags her down the street, across the riverbank and past the bell-chimed glass doors of their neighbourhood convenience store.

The cashier spares them a sympathetic look as Seulgi rummages around for more coins when she rings up just a few cents short. “It’s alright,” he says, noticing dried tear-streaked cheeks. “Go eat.”

Seulgi beams victoriously. “Really? Thanks ajusshi! Aw dang, should I have bought some soju too?”

(She receives a back-of-the-head smack from Seungwan and a startled eye-smile from the old man behind the counter.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the cusp of nightfall, droplets of cerulean gloss the store windows as the sky fades to a deep, powdery indigo. It’ll be completely dark by the time they head home, but it feels too safe to leave any time soon. Being the only two customers, the mart’s cheap, bar-like table is freely decorated with ramyun bowls, yoghurt drinks, sausage skewers, dessert buns and ribbons of fishcakes.

“Feeling better?” Seulgi doesn’t touch her instant carbonara ramyun until she counts at least four microwaved pork dumplings making their way into her best friend’s rounded cheeks. Endearment courses through her veins as she watches the girl chew enthusiastically and hum in delight. Those last few coins of Seulgi’s pocket money were supposed to go into her piggybank for some new volleyball trainers, but as long as the cry baby is happy, then it’s money well spent as far as she’s concerned. All Seulgi’s efforts have always gone into Seungwan’s happiness, temporary or otherwise. That flowery smile fills her for days. 

Plus, she’s already planning on pestering her idiot brother for more money tomorrow anyway.

She pushes her red-bean hoppang towards the smaller girl. Seungwan sniffles wetly, glassy eyes looking at her questioningly.

Seulgi just smiles. “I don’t like red-bean.” She startles loudly when a sharp elbow connects with her bi