<< Yoon Hyemi >>

I ran. I ran as hard as I could, wherever my feet would take me. My bare feet, they're bleeding as it stratched against the rough cement of the street. But I kept running, too afraid that they might catch up. I panted real hard, I think I've ran for an hour or so. I could use a breather.

I looked around and saw a row of brightly lit houses. I limped to the closest one to me and I hid behind the huge trash can. The night was getting darker and colder. I might just die here. I looked above, the sky was dark and the night was still.

I sighed and leaned against the wall of the house and gently closed my eyes. I crossed my arms over each other and hugged myself, trying to keep the cold away from me. Everything went dark.

"Come back here!" he growled as he lifts the beer bottle above his head. "Let me go!" I shrieked, pulling away from his grip, only to get gripped again on the ankle. I fell hard onto the cold, marble floor. I got pulled backwards as I nailed myself forward.

I shut my eyes tight, waiting for the beer bottle to hit me. And it came. The beer bottle smashed on my thigh, breaking into sharp pieces of glass that scars my scabbed skin. Tears rolled down as I bit my lips to let my thoughts wander away from the pain. I received a kick on the head. I bit my lips further, trying to keep my yells inside.

"n- NO!" I screeched. I jerked up from the couch I was sleeping on. Wait, couch? "You are awake," an unfamiliar voice called. I looked to my left and there was a man, probably about 20 or 21 years or age, sitting behind his work table. I looked at him, observing him.

He then moved from his table and went through one door, coming back out just a minute later with a piece of towel and some clothing apparel on his hand. "Go and bathe first," he told me, smiling. I looked up at him. There was something about his voice that makes me feel like I was wrapped in protection.

I nodded and gently took the stuffs from his hand and headed to the bathroom as he led me. I went in and turned the tap on, hot water flowed out of the tap. I slipped out of my torn dress and looked at the mirror. My pale skin was full of scars here and there. One huge old slash from my shoulder to my collarbone, one fresh wound around the thigh, a few bleeding scabs on my face.

I looked at how ugly my scabbed skin looks. I looked inhumane, like an animal slave. In disgust of myself, I went into the bath, washing blood off the new wounds. When I was done, I wiped myself with the towel, carefully handling the wounds that still stings. I put on my undergarments and the white shirt he gave me.

The shirt covered up to slightly above my knees, revealing some scars. Who cared anyway? I hung the towel on the towel wring next to the bathroom door and went out. He was in the dining room, which was across the bathroom. He could see me clearly and I could see him clearly.

"Who are you?" he calmly asked with a smile, leaning on the doorpost. I froze. He examined my face then down. "You're hurt! Come on in, let me help you with those wounds," he gasped, looking at the scars on my body. I stood there, glued to the same spot.

"I won't do anything emm-- weird," he cleared his throat and broke the silence as he came to me and dragged me inside to clean the wounds up. He pulled one of the chairs neatly aligned on the dining table and gestured me to sit there.

I nervously took a seat as he rummaged his cabinet for his first-aid package. He finally found the first-aid package and grabbed a chair to sit across me.

"th- they beat me up. they threw me. t- they didn't want me anymore," was all I can say as he applied disinfectant to the wounds on my arms first. He looked up at me with surprise in his eyes, but then his expression melted into care. The words he said next will be imprinted on my heart and mind forever.

"it's okay, forget them, I'll be here," he said, attending to my wounds again. I froze at his words. I barely knew him and yet he can tell me that in a way that makes me believe. I believe him. I trust him.

He then applied disinfectant and bandaged all my visible wounds. "There goes," he told me as he stood up from his chair and pu the first-aid box back to the cabinet above the sink. "k- kamsahamnida," i whispered.

The boy nodded and just gave me a warm smile. I could feel the warmth creeping into me, hugging my long-frozen heart. I smiled at him, for the first time in many months, I finally could spread a genuine smile across my face.

"So, what's your name?" he politely asked as he gestured me to go to the living room with him. "H- hy- hyemi," I answered, looking around the house. The house was simple, it has a nice, polished, wooden floor. The house was brightened up with a soft yellow light.

"I'm Yoseob. Yang Yoseob," he introduced himself to me clearly as he took a seat on the couch next to me. He set the tray that he took from the kitchen just moments ago and gestured me to eat. I gave him a slight nod and hungrily gobbled up the food served by him.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

I shook my head as I picked the remaining grains of rice with my chopstick and place it in my mouth.

"You can always stay here, I don't mind. I'm living alone anyways so, yeah." he offered with a smile. He picked the tray up and walked over to the kitchen sink. I heard water running from the kitchen. This Yoseob guy really is nice, I thought. Well, I really don't have a proper place to stay, might as well stay.

Yoseob came back from the kitchen and sat on the couch across me. "C- can I stay? I'll find a job somewhere, so as to not b- burden you," I told him confidently, trying my best to not stutter or say anything foolish. "Sure! And you really don't have to work, not until all those emm-- wounds go away," he said, glancing at my scars.

I pulled the hem of my shirt to cover the painful marks on my skin and shyed away from his stare. I know that deep down inside, he wanted to ask how I probably got the scars, but he was sensitive enough to not ask.

Yoseob walked over to me and held my wrist. "Let me take you to your room," he said and walked me to a door. He opened the door know and revealed a nice-looking bedroom. "This will be your bedroom, ara?" Yoseob told me as he left.

Just as he was about to close the door, I called out. "Y- yoon hyemi," I cried before he closed the door. The door reopened and Yoseob's head popped out. "Excuse me?"

"Th- that's my name. I- in case you know, err-- you d- didn't hear it just now," I said, my voice trailing away as he snetence goes on. "Nice to meet you, now get some rest and let's just leave the introductions for tomorrow, ara? Sleep tight~" Yoseob chirped as he closed the door.

I looked at the door. I think I can trust Yoseob, he's not like all the other guys in my life. He's too nice. I smiled at the thought of his kindness and walked to the bed, lying down and finally getting my first actual sleep in a while.

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dear you,

i know it's a short short chapter!>,<
seriously sorry for that.
i don't know what to write! like its just an introduction so its rather blank.
but thank you for reading!

do subscribe and comment!
but most of all, enjoy the story!

xoxo,
rainbowscones