My arms were folded and my teeth and fists were clenched as I watched Himchan put on his shoes. He had refused to let me do it for him like I usually did because I had done everything for him since the car accident he had been in a couple of days earlier and now he was fed up with it. He called it babying. I called it concern. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" I asked uneasily. "Don't you think you should stay home for another day?"

He rolled his eyes as he stood upright. "I'll be fine," he assured me for the nth time that day. His tone got more annoyed every time he had to repeat it. "Stop worrying so much, Guk-ah. It's not like I was seriously injured or anything." That was true. He had been a bit sore and I had forced him to stay home for a few days, but that was it. It didn't make me feel any more at ease.

"You could have been, though," I mumbled.

His expression softened and he crossed the floor to wrap his arms around me. I buried my face in his shoulder and curled my fingers into the back of his shirt. "I'll be fine," he said again, but this time in a gentler tone.

"I shouldn't have let you take the car," I sighed. "I knew it was busted and that it was dangerous and then the brakes malfunctioned and you crashed and... I shouldn't have let you take it." I felt him tense up when I mentioned the brakes, but I figured that it was just because he was a bit traumatized. I felt sorry for bringing it up and I held him a little tighter. "Stay home?" I pleaded, one last attempt to convince him.

"I can't." He pulled away and pecked my cheek. "You know we can't afford it. We need the money." He had been lucky enough to get a day shift on his day off from school even though he wasn't really supposed to work. I preferred it when he didn't have to work at night. That way I would get to spend more time with him. He pressed our lips together and I wanted to keep kissing him forever, but we both knew he had to leave so he wouldn't be late. "I love you."

"I love you more~."

He rolled his eyes. "We're not having this discussion now. I have a bus to catch." He stuck his tongue out at me, pecked my lips again, put on his jacket and then he left the apartment. I finished the rest of my breakfast - a cup of coffee and one of the day-old bagels Himchan's friend Daehyun had acquired from their work place - and then I went to work as well.

On the bus I ended up getting wedged between a woman with a screaming infant and an elderly man who smelled like a nauseating hybrid of mothballs and dirty diaper (although on second thought that could have been the baby, I wasn't really sure) and I was once again reminded exactly why I hated public transportation so much.

I had to remain in that position for the better part of forty minutes and almost missed my stop, barely managing to squeeze my way through the doors before they closed on me. That was really not a good way to start my day and as I advanced towards the school, grumbling under my breath, I made a mental note to get our car fixed as soon as possible or else I would most likely turn homicidal.

I didn't have to teach any classes until after noon, but I liked to spend my time in the teacher's lounge. It was warmer than our apartment and there was free fruit, so if I didn't have to teach in the morning I usually sat in the soft couches there, grading papers and filling my stomach - and bag, if I could get away with it - with apples and oranges.

Before I knew where the hours had gone it was time for lunch. I packed my things and headed to the cafeteria to get something to eat. The moment I stepped into the hallway someone bumped into me rather violently and the boy let out a small hiss when his backside collided with the floor. I recognized him from one of my classes. I knew his name was Junhong. "I'm sorry," I said and crouched next to him to look him over. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled without looking at me. I had extended my hand to help him up, but he didn't take it. He brushed the dirt off his pants and bowed at me before continuing down the hall.

"Where are you going? The cafeteria is in the other direction."

"I'm not hungry," he said loudly, snappishly. I stared after him for a while, even after he had gone outside. Then I shrugged and went to get food.

I got my lunch from the lunch lady and went back to the teacher's lounge to eat it. I found a nice spot by the window where I could look at the people outside while I ate. I also saw Junhong standing by the side of the road, shifting from foot to foot and for some reason I kept my gaze fastened on him. An old, beat-up car rolled up in front of him and I could see him tense up right away. The man I recognized as being his father - I had met his parents once or twice and was never very fond of either of them - stepped out of the vehicle and advanced towards the boy.

I watched as they exchanged a few words that I couldn't hear for obvious reasons. Junhong was staring only at his feet as they did so. Something the boy said made his father smack the back of his head harshly and I winced. I could see the younger's face twist in pain and he would probably have fallen over if his father hadn't grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the car, practically slamming him against the side of it. Junhong seemed reluctant to get inside. Another snappish remark from his father, accompanied by a threateningly raised hand, seemed to convince him and soon they drove off.

There was an uncomfortable, tense feeling gnawing in the pit of my stomach during the incident and it didn't go away. I knew that I shouldn't get involved in their matters, but I couldn't help but feel disgusted with the whole thing. I brushed it off, though, sternly reminding myself once again that I really shouldn't get involved. I finished my lunch even though I had lost my appetite.

*****

A/N: I don't really have anything to say, but here's another chapter for you, lovely subscribers. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧*:・ﾟ✧
thanks for all the comments on the last chapter. it's what keeps me going (and I'm sure this goes for waipeu as well).
the next chapter will be on friday - we update mondays, wednesdays and fridays.