<< Yoon Hyemi >>

"That's so pretty~ Can we have that on her size please?" Yoseob politely asked the lady behind the counter. The lady gave him a nod and went over to the mannequin. I sighed. "What's wrong?" Yoseob asked me, probably noticing that I was actually sighing.

"A- ani, its just that well, you're buying me a lot, i don't think you really have to. It looks expensive. All these look expensive," I whined, pointing at the plastic bags on his hand. "I don't mind," he shrugged off my complain and just carried on pointing several clothes of my size.

After going out of the umpteenth shop, he finally stopped. "What is it? Are we done?" I asked him, stopping in front of him. "Will these be enough?" he asked, lifting all the huge bags on his hands. "That's definitely not enough," I said with sarcasm oozing out of my words. Yoseob laughed. "I can buy you some more," he teased.

I cross my fingers in front of him and shook my head. "nope," i said, popping the 'p'. Yoseob laughed. I felt comfortable being with him now. We've talked a lot through that 5 intense hour of shopping. "Let's play a game on our way home~" Yoseob pleaded. I just nodded in reply.

"A truth game," he said. I tilted my head. I nodded again, agreeing to his suggestion. "Let me start! What is your hobby?" he asked me. It took a while for me to think. I've never had a proper hobby. "That would be playing the piano," I honestly answered. As a kid, my mother used to teach me piano when she was still alive. I kept playing until I was 17 and my father turned alcoholic, and our family became in need with money, and the piano had to go.

"I have a piano at home. You can play it~" he told me. I smiled. "My turn! Umm-- say, do you have a girlfriend?" I innocently asked him with a sincere smile. His expression turned hard, then it melted into a sad smile. "I used to," he answered sadly. 'I- I'm sorry, really," I apologized.

"No, its fine. Its been what, 3 years? She disappeared, like she never even came into my life. Last I know, she moved to Paris and ditched me," he recited. "I'm really sorry, r- really," I made out, not knowing what to do. "Oddly, you remind me a lot of her. The way you smile, the way you laugh, the way you pout," he admitted and focused driving.

"What was her name?"I asked, I might be a bit rude, but curiosity got the better of me. "Jieun. Lee Jieun," he shortly replied, showing no expression. "y turn. What about you? Any boyfriend I need to watch out  for?" He joked. I smiled a little, dying inside at the word "boyfriend".

"Well," i started, "I used to date a guy named Lee Joon. He was a dance instructor at a Dance School. I met him when I was 17, and he used to protect me from whatever would harm me. We dated for a year, and soon, he evolved, becoming the one to harm me," I told Yoseob, with a stoic expression. I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to look weak in front of him.

"Wh-? I'm really sorry, for whatever he did. Whatever happened. You didn't dese--" Yoseob muttered his empathy. "Them. They would beat me up and they would harm me. They treat me like a punching bag, nothing more," I cut in. Yoseob looked at me, his eyes widened in surprise.

"My mother passed away in a traffic accident when I was just 12. My dad's business went bankrupt when I was 17, and he started becoming an alcoholic. That was about the time I met Lee Joon. And he would always protect me from my father, bringing me to his house, letting me stay. We dated for a year. Until well, he got fired from his job. He then became like my dad. Both him and my father would beat me up, try to scar me and hurt me every way possible," I admitted.

Yoseob didn't respond. He was probably surprised at such cruelty. "I haven't seen the sunlight for one long year. They never let me out. They gave me disgusting food. They treat me like a prisoner of war. But two nights ago, I managed to escape, run away. And that was how I ended up near your house," I told him, giving him a smile at the end.

"I guess we're both same in a ot of different ways," Yoseob told me. I looked at him, confused. "My father was a drug-addict and alcoholic. He would beat my mother up, and me as well. I was just 4. My mother would always protect me. I've always thought that way. But then, it turns out to be different. My mother ran away and left me behind, all alone," he recited his life story.

"Well, the child services decided to take me away from my father. I was adopted a couple of times, and all of them would either treat me like slave, or abuse me. Untiil I meet my current parents that is. But that's all. My sufferings ended there. And your sufferings will end here," he assured me, giving my hand a light squeeze.

I look at him in the eye, trying to dig deep into his soul. I never know such a nice person could have such a dark past, like me.

He smiled. The car pull to a stop. "We're home," he said, opening his door and running over to my side to oppen mine before I did. He leaned in and helped me unbuckle my seatbelt. "Here goes my princess~" he said with that charming voice of his. I flustered and hid my face, going out of the car. Both of us unloaded the car and brought all the shopping bags inside the house.

Yoseob then helped me tidy up all the cothes he made me buy. We would ocassionally have a short eye contact, an awkward one. Sometimes I'd break it and shy away. Sometimes he'll break it when I find that I'm drowning in his eyes.

I smiled and keep thinking of his words.

"And your suffering will end here"

I hope so Yoseob, I hope so.

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dear readers,

short chapter
but meaningful~ its about yoseob and hyemi's dark past
i'll update more when i have the time~

comments are well-liked! and please subscribe~ it'll make me more than happy!

xoxo,
rainbowscones