This is a repost! Since AFF wiped out my chapters during the weekend D:

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Eun Hae’s POV

“I don’t have a daughter. If I do, I doubt that my daughter would be that ugly.”

“Or . . . working when she should be in school. Our daughter wouldn’t be that stupid.”

“I see no improvement after we’ve kicked you out. Well, I guess your mother and I made the right choice that night when we threw you out of the house.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you turned into a e.”

Umma’s eyes were cold and distant. Appa wouldn’t look at me. But one thing for sure, they hated me.

“No,” I begged, tears streaming down my face. “Don’t . . .”

“I hate you . . .”

The words seemed to be echoing.

I hate you.

You’re not my daughter.

Ugly . . . stupid . . . no improvement . . . made the right choice that night . . . threw you out . . . e . . .

No . . .

NO!

“Eun Hae!” Someone was shaking me.

I opened my eyes to see a pair of worried eyes that belonged to Kai. I blinked and looked around me. I was in my room. Kai had brought me here. I must have fallen asleep.

I remembered what happened earlier and my face crumbled. Kai automatically had his arms wrapped around my body and he hugged me snugly. “I’m here,” he whispered. “It’s okay, Eun Hae. Everything is going to be all right. Don’t think about it,” he murmured. “Just don’t think about it.”

“Kai Oppa, I have to get to work,” I said. I pushed him away gently but he was shaking his head adamantly.

“I called boss, saying that you weren’t feeling well so I took you home,” he told me. “It’s not exactly lying. Besides, more staff came in.”

“Oh. But —”

He pushed me back down gently. “You’re upset, and you have every right to be,” he said. “I don’t blame you.”

I looked down. “Where’s Lu Han?”

His face hardened. “Why do you want to see that jerk, anyway?” he asked me and I could hear the resentment in his voice.

“I just want to know where he is. Is it so wrong to ask?”

He jerked his thumb outside the door. “He’s waiting for you to forgive him outside,” he told me.

I sighed. “Can you ask him to come in?”

Kai looked at me in surprise. “You’re not seriously going to forgive him, are you?” he asked me.

I shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I mean, I’m still mad at him, but then again, I guess I sort of understood why he did what he did.”

Kai looked at me as though I was crazy.

Maybe I was.

“Lu Han?” I called out to the living room. “Can you come inside my room for a moment please?”

Lu Han came inside and looked down. I could see the regret and the shame inside his eyes and knew that he was already berating himself so there was no need to continue. Then he looked up to me. “I’m so sorry!” he blurted out before anyone could even say anything. “What I did was wrong and I shouldn’t have meddled! I was so angry but that wasn’t an excuse. I’m really sorry.” He bowed his head low, letting his fringe to cover his eye. “Please, forgive me.”

I sighed. “I don’t know, Lu Han,” I said. “I mean, I am mad at you but I understand why you did it.”

He dared take a peep at me. “You do?” he asked in a small voice. Damn, with his cute, boyish look, he seriously looked like a kid.

I sighed again. I was mad at him, sure, but at the same time I don’t feel mad. “I guess I’m more disappointed than mad,” I said slowly. “I mean, you’re old enough to know what to do and what not to do.”

“I promise it won’t happen again.”

I nodded seriously. “Good, make sure you don’t, or else I’ll definitely hate you,” I told him and he looked relieved.

He came over to me and Kai protectively put his arms around me. “How are you feeling right now?”

I knew Kai wanted to snap at him for something so I was thankful when he decided to keep his mouth shut instead. I looked at him, deadpanned. “Hurting.”

His face fell.

I felt a little guilty. Maybe I was being a little bit too mean. So I reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked up to me. I smiled a small smile.

He messed his hair up. “Aish, I really messed up, didn’t I?” he asked softly.

I nodded. There was no point in lying, especially when Kai would scoff if I lied and said it was okay, because it wasn’t.

Lu Han shot Kai a look. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” he asked him, frowning.

Kai pointed to the clock. We turned to see that it was already lunch time. Like, whoa. Time flew by really fast, huh. “Eun Hae and I said we’ll have lunch together,” he said. “So I think I’ll have lunch with her.”

Lu Han looked at me and I shrugged. “I did promise him,” I replied.

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “I can tell when I’m not welcomed,” he joked but I could tell his feelings were hurt.

I was a little bit irritated with him, but at the same time I felt guilty. I was about to suggest he join us but decided against it. Kai wouldn’t be happy, and I doubt he’d want to spend the entire lunch time with him anyway. They seemed to have this sort of bitterness toward one another.

I wonder why.

Later in the afternoon, I remembered that I had to head over to Changjo’s house for dinner and decided maybe I should just go over now. So Kai teleported me to the school and I waited for school to be let out.

When it was, I saw Daeseul emerging out from a distance. Her eyes lit up when she saw me and I knew she was going to ask me why I was holding hands with Kai this morning when she, Ricky and Changjo had bumped into me.

She practically sprinted to me and stopped right in front of me, a beam on her face. “Why were you and Kai holding hands this morning?” she asked a little breathlessly.

I shrugged and the two of us began to walk out to the school, on to the streets. I want to hang out with Daeseul. It has been so long since I did. Changjo will have to wait until tonight. I turned to Daeseul and found her waiting expectantly and I realized I haven’t answered her question yet.

“Because we just felt like it,” I replied. I know, my comeback was stupid but I can’t very well say, “Oh, that’s because we were going to teleport to my rooftop. Did you know that Kai has teleportation?”

She’ll freak.

She raised an eyebrow. Obviously that wasn’t the answer she was looking for. “Are you guys dating or something?” she wanted to know.

I shrugged, remembering when he kissed me this morning. Why did he kiss me? I forgot to ask earlier. “No, we’re not,” I said firmly and her face fell. “Daeseul, I told you, he’s like my cousin brother, except a whole lot nicer, to be honest.”

Just then I felt someone wrapping his arms around my waist. At first I thought maybe it was Lu Han and was about to turn and scold him when I found Changjo’s face inches from mine. With a startled yelp, I pulled away from him. “Dude, what the hell! You nearly kissed me!” I shoved his chest.

“I didn’t think your face would be so close to mine,” he muttered but he was embarrassed as well.

Just the thought of nearly kissing my cousin made me want to puke.

Daeseul giggled. “I’m sure you wouldn’t react like that if Kai kissed you,” she said in a low voice that only I heard.

“Anyway, what were you pretty ladies talking about?” Changjo looked at me. “Don’t forget you have dinner with us tonight. Or else . . .” He held out his hands and wiggled his fingers, making that creepy smile.

I shuddered. “I remembered, I remembered.”

“Anyway, how come you weren’t at work?” he went on.

“Stuff happened.” I shrugged and we reached a T junction. I was about to go right to walk Daeseul home when she gasped.

“Kai Oppa!”

I looked up to see Kai walking over to us. He had this huge grin on his face when he saw Daeseul. I looked at her. She seemed especially happier now that he was here. In fact, I was so sure I can see this radiant glow coming from her face.

Hmmm, I wonder . . .

“Hi, girls, what are you doing here? I was just on my way back from lunch.” Kai nodded toward Changjo in a polite manner who nodded back. He looked at me. “I thought you had to go to work?”

He and I both agreed that we would act like he doesn’t know I wasn’t at work.

“Ah, I told boss I was tired so I decided to take the rest of the day off,” I lied and he nodded, pretending that he believed me. He looked at Daeseul. “Anyway, my boss said that I don’t have to be back until three, so why don’t I walk you home?”

I choked on my saliva and bit my lip hard from choking out loud. I looked at Kai, but he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at Daeseul, who shyly nodded and the two of them walked off separately, leaving me with my cousin.

Changjo watched after them. “Do you think Daeseul likes him?”

I looked at him. “Jealous?” I but I knew that wasn’t the case. Changjo liked someone else.

He frowned in confusion. “Bwoh?”

“Nothing.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and the two of us walked off, laughing.

“What’s going on between you and that Kai guy, anyway?” he wanted to know.

I sighed. “Daeseul is trying to set the both of us up,” I told him, “but it seems to me that the both of them are falling for each other.”

He snorted. “Did you see the look on their faces when they saw each other?” he guffawed.

I had to agree.

As we rounded into a corner, we bumped into all members of BAP and we were surprised to see each other. I felt Changjo immediately pulling me closer, a snarl on his face and I knew my body was stiffening at the sight of all of them.

“Noona!” Zelo, the youngest one, exclaimed in surprise.

“Do not call her noona as though you’re still close to her,” Changjo growled and he pushed me forward passed them as Zelo’s face fell. “Not after what all of you had done to her.”

I looked down. I just saw my parents. I don’t need to be reminded of what happened between BAP and I either.

Yongguk blocked his way but Daehyun and Youngjae, who I’m guessing didn’t want to cause any drama, pulled him away. He glowered at them and they cowered in fear. He turned back to us but we were already running away.

We ran until we reached his house. We gasped for breath and looked at each other. Then we burst out laughing for don’t know what reasons.

Just then the door opened and Aunty Yu Jun stepped out. When she saw me, she gave me a look I couldn’t comprehend and Changjo and I instantly stopped laughing. My cousin and I exchanged glances.

“Let’s have a talk, young lady,” she said to me and walked back inside.

Uh-oh.