We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. 

ミ★~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~★彡

Wooyoung’s POV

            My eyes fell back on Jieun who was cowering in complete fear at the sight of her father. He was towered over her cringing figure that was still seated on the bench beside me, but I was too shocked to know how to react. Stuttering in my mind to find something appropriate to say, my thoughts were interrupted by the rude accusations her father spat out.

            “Lee Jieun, how dare you lie to me? Was it this incompetent boy who told you to disregard your father? I’ve warned you countless times that he’s nothing but a player. Are you going to be so rebellious as to push your own family aside for a boy who will throw you out when he’s done having fun? You’re only in high school, Jieun. I’m looking out for you but you won’t let me!” Jieun’s eyes began to tear up at his words, and I felt my hand curling into a tight fist. One thing I hated the most was other people taking advantage of a girl’s vulnerability. It didn’t matter what relationship they had, it was wrong to treat someone like this.

            “Mianhamnida, Appa…” Jieun’s weak and stuttering voice pleaded after a sniffle. She tried to bow to show her sincerity but before she could stand up, her father’s large palms swept across her left cheek in a hard slap. Immediately, her voice cracked and she sobbed, holding her left cheek with her left hand keeping her head down.

            “Girls who cannot look out for themselves are the most pathetic. I never raised you to become an easy girl who falls for every moderately good looking boy who talks to you!” He shot a hateful glare at me, probably implying that I was only moderately good looking. What his dad said about Jieun wasn’t true in my eyes, because Jieun was capable of being independent and had been living so for the past three years of her life. My sharp eyes caught a flinch from his right arm and the moment he lifted it to slap her again, I couldn’t help but step in. I was thankful that his old age made his strength miniscule compared to mine, and held both his hands in an uncomfortable lock. This horrible excuse for a father was probably the sole reason Jieun grew up to be such an insecure person, unable to express her thoughts and opinions openly to the public and hesitant to step up for herself.

            “Stay out of this, you punk! Jieun knows the consequences for lying quite well; she was digging her own grave!” His scolding voice was slightly pleading. I smirked at his loss of control, as he winced at the slight stinging pain in his wrist from my tight grasp. I never understood how he could say something so careless and cold about his daughter—his own flesh and blood. He gave up his attempts of breaking free and decided to continue his yelling like so.

            “Jieun I’ll give you ten seconds to explain why you lied to me!” His teeth gritted together like an angry bulldog and at that moment, he looked like he was hysterical. I assumed that Jieun had never lied to her parents before, but having a father like this I understood why. Jieun inhaled and exhaled deeply before muttering quietly through her tears,

            “Wooyoung isn’t a bad guy. That night if I told you it was him who walked me home you would have never let me see him again; you would’ve went to the extent of transferring me to another high school despite the fact I would be graduating soon.” Her dad saw me the night I walked her home? I felt guilty for making her endure this web of a mess that my presence created. Struggling to break free again, her father roared,

            “It’s because he’s a player, Jieun! I’ve been to high school; I know guys like him well and—“Jieun cut him off before he could finish; the first courageous move she’d made all night.

            “How many times do I have to tell you that he’s not a player?” She sounded like she was on the brink of insanity, face stained with her warm salty tears. I wanted to wipe them off her face but my hands were occupied with keeping her father’s away from her.

            “That’s just the innocent façade he wants to put on to get you! Why do you have to be foolish enough to fall for men’s heartless tricks?” His face flared with bright red anger, glaring at both Jieun and I. Jieun returned his glare with a sincere stare, shaking her head slowly after processing what he said.

            “You’re wrong, Appa. Wooyoung isn’t like that.” Her voice was confident with her words; in such a short time I wondered how she could trust my intentions to much as to defend me in her own desperate situation. Again, it made me feel guilty.

            “You’re a teenage girl blinded by the illusion of love!” He retorted, trying to brainwash her with no success. It felt like I was nothing but a thick barrier between her and her father, allowing them to commute without violence for this while. Was Jieun standing so tall in this because she knew her father couldn’t hit her right now?

            “Aniyo; I don’t love him.” Jieun’s words were short but clear. That instance, my whole body froze and my hands accidently let go of my tight grip on her father’s. He quickly retreat them and rubbed his left wrist, also confused by her declaration. I glanced at Jieun, confidently standing straight with an expressionless face and an empty stare in her father’s direction. Was it true that she didn’t love me? I felt like I had been punched in the stomach by a sumo because of her innocent act, unknowingly allowing me to fall into my own dark abyss. She didn’t love me, but what if I loved her?

Jieun’s POV

            I stared coldly at my father keeping my stature as still as possible. Right now my legs felt like jelly but if I collapsed, this would make my confidence drop to nothing. I continued to stare at my father even though it scared me to the core, because the only thing I feared more than my father’s disappointed glare was Wooyoung’s expression after what I had said. Though it was harsh, over the course of these few minutes in silence I really thought over my emotions and knew that what I felt for him was far from love. Like my father said, I was blinded by the illusion of love but thankfully Wooyoung had not been a trap. If he had confessed just a few minutes earlier then maybe things would have been different, but being just someone who’s purely fun company meant that our relationship couldn’t exceed friendship. This was how I saw it.

            “But…” My dad mumbled, shocked by my firm words.

            “Our conversation earlier; you heard it all didn’t you? We only hang around each other because it’s fun, and there’s nothing more to it.” Repeating Wooyoung’s words in my mind I felt a pinch of hurt in my heart, but at least I was speaking the truth for the both of us.

            “Omo omo omo, Jieun!” My mom came running down the hallway with her high heels cackling against the shiny floorboards. Dropping the stern stare I had been holding for a long time, I allowed myself to fall weak into her warm embrace. She watched over me with worried eyes, wiping my bangs out of my face and gasping when she saw my cheeks and eyes, red from crying and tear stained. Even at this moment I couldn’t let myself take even a small glance at Wooyoung; it would hurt too much. After my mom came, two other fancily dressed adults who were definitely not teachers followed.

            “What happened?” A mature female voice gasped when she saw us locked in our slight confrontation. She rushed over to Wooyoung and analyzed his face before turning to me. My mom turned and nodded to the unfamiliar woman and gently forced me back onto the bench, pulling my dad away. He never fought to get away from my mom, but dragged his feet along as if he had lost his voice.

            “Kwaenchanah, Jieun-sshi?” The female voice asked me, bending down to almost a squat to meet my eyes. I weakly smiled at her, unable to speak. Who was she?

            “We heard the gist of your argument from the hallway.” The voice of the man that was with the woman added in as he took a step closer to me.

            “I’m so sorry that my lousy son caused so much trouble to your family.” She stared into my eyes with sincere regret and rubbed the side of my head once with her palms. These were Wooyoung’s parents? They seemed so warm and caring—the both of them. I was happy that Wooyoung had such great people looking out for him and watching him grow.

            “Wooyoung, you rascal, don’t just stand there like a statue! Apologize to this girl!” His mom scolded him, snapping him from his frozen state. I finally found my courage to look him in the eyes, and by now he seemed perfectly normal. Casually, he reoccupied the seat beside me and smiled the smile I loved, and asked,

            “Are you okay?” He seemed completely unaffected by my confession, or in this case, lack of a confession which made me believe that he really didn’t care whether I liked him or not. I nodded again, smiling back despite the burning heat I felt radiating from my left cheek. It must’ve still been red from my dad’s slap. I wasn’t surprised because this wasn’t the first time he’s disciplined me like this. Now smiling, Wooyoung’s mother offered,

            “To make up for this lousy graduation ceremony, your mother came up with the idea that we all go to a restaurant tonight once your father calms down. How does that sound?” Her voice was beaming with so much excitement that I could feel it flowing into me; maybe this was the power of optimism. I nodded again, making her clap excitedly and hug me. Her friendliness made her seem like a mother to me too.

            “I’ve already booked a perfect restaurant.” Wooyoung’s father proudly declared. He booked an entire restaurant? My eyes bulged, causing Wooyoung to laugh and pat my head like a dog. He was from a rich family? I had no idea. I made a playful pouting face at him as his patting caused my bangs to fall in front of my eyes and blew them out of my face, provoking him to pinch my nose gently. I made a hopeless attempt to bite his finger which retreated quickly and we both laughed together. Though my feelings towards him were still unclear, I knew that going against my father just to be friends with him was a decision I would never regret; but like the popular saying goes, we should never say never.

A/N: I updated three days in a row! ^^ Here's a treat for you lovely readers! Thanks for supporting this fanfic! I was in a good mood today so I decided to write another chapter haha. speaking of Never say Never, who watched Justin Bieber's movie? I did! Rofl, I'm not a fan or a hater, but the movie wasn't a waste of my money at least (:!