I felt my workmates' eyes on me the moment I entered my workplace the next morning. I tried to hide myself by lowering my gaze as I walked to the staff room, but especially to his eyes, I was a nuisance that his being couldn't take. My back stung as I crashed into the lockers; the loud 'bang' awakening the adrenaline in my body as my brain registered the situation I was in.

"Look at you; turning rich over the weekend. Did you sleep with a rich person that you can finally come in looking decent?" His words stung just like the slap across my face. Tears pricked at my eyes; my hands trembled in closed fists by my sides. "You," he jabbed the side of my head repeatedly and it hurt more everytime my head hit the metal doors, "Get out of my sight you disgusting ." His teeth gritted and his eyes shook with anger. A punch was thrown in my face.

The pain freed the tears I restrained; the metallic taste of blood ignited myself of my disgrace; the tormenting pain from this emotional distress clawed at my insides and I couldn't help but moan and thrash. Someone rushed inside and to my side, but I flinched away from his touch and cried. His worried shouts were drowned out from my hearing, my vision of my surrounding blurring. Black enclosed my consciousness next.

-

I awoke in a white room to the whispers of men around me. Desperately, I tried to drown out what they were saying, but their words were clear.

"I'll have to fire him if this will bring a bad image to my shop. Have you encountered a bullying before this one?"

The voice beside him was quiet, as if scared, "Yes, I saw him do this to Junhong many times before. They haven't been going off well since Junhong came- Oh, Junhong!" He saw my eyes open, but as he stepped forward he backed away again, as if afraid of the consequences of approaching me.

"I'll make sure to fire him so don't worry; you can talk to Junhong all you want," said manager hyung, squeezing my other workmate's shoulder. In my hazy mind I recalled that he was the one who had rushed to my side before I fainted earlier.

"Hyung," I whispered, calling his attention as I sat up, holding my head. He helped me up and sat beside me. "What does manager hyung mean by firing him? I don't want him losing his job because of me!"

"Junhong-ah, why are you still defending him? He's hostile towards you and he's a threat to all of us," he said, and my brain whirred with the thought of him hating me more and the possibility of him holding a revenge. I shook out of my reverie, dazed and scared.

"Hyung! I-I'll leave," the words I said scared me as did the idea I fed, "I don't want to anger him further. I'll leave."

"Junhong-ah..."

"It's okay... I should've left earlier. It wouldn't be like this if I'd left earlier," I said, almost trying to convince myself. But it was for the best. "I'll leave."

-

We went back to our workplace in manager hyung's car after convincing them that I was fine. I apologised to them for the troubles I caused. My manager hyung had told me that he'd talk to my other workmate first; if he'd agree to change his behaviour then he'd allow me to leave. I wanted to talk to my workmate, but I was too afraid.

He was called to the office and despite manager hyung's voice booming in the room, the atmosphere was unbearably strained as I felt the hatred in my workmate the moment he entered the room without sparing a glance at me. My heartbeat thundered in my ears and I was too nervous to know anything that was happening around me so I flinched almost too hard when a hand was reached out in front of my face.

I watched the emotionless look in his eyes and slowly shook my hand with his unmoving one. I didn't know what this was about. He slipped his hand out of mine and left the room after that. I turned to manager hyung.

He seeked for something in his drawer and took out a white envelope, handing it to me. "Take this," he said, "You can keep your name tag, but leave the uniform and your locker key to me before you leave.

I lowered my gaze as I dawned that I was really leaving.

"Thankyou for having me, manager hyung," I said in a small voice. He hummed and placed the envelope inside my palm.

-

As I walked down the street out of my workplace, somehow, even though I should feel free that I wouldn't be coming into work bullied again, my chest felt constricted. Even when I left I wasn't in good terms with my workmate, and it didn't make me relieved. However, I was not stupid to come into his life again, and with that in mind I exhaled heavily, halting my steps.

I took in my surroundings, and realised that my feet had brought me to the bakery I used to frequent. A small smile formed as I was reminded of Daehyun hyung. I walked inside and the familiar smell of bread and pastries and the homey inside made my chest warm and I felt welcomed. There was no one inside, so I walked in closer to the counter and called, "Ahjumma?"

She appeared from the door at the back and smiled upon seeing me. "Oh, uri Junhongie, are you here for the buns?" she asked happily, approaching me. When she was close enough she clasped her hands and exclaimed, "Omo! You look great today!"

"Ah..." I lowered my head, "I...um, sorry for not coming this past week."

"It's okay. Come tell me what stories you have to share," she said, bringing me to one of the tables and sat in front of me. When she saw me in her eye level, though, she become concerned, "Junhongie, what happened to your lips?"

I immediately covered it with my hand and avoided her eyes. As I was looking away I took in the surrounding before facing her again. "My lips are just dry so they got chaped." I didn't want to worry her. "Ahjumma, aren't you lonely here?"

"Ah...what can I do, my daughter has married a good man and is living a good life. She used to help me here," she explained, a sad hint in her voice.

I was concerned about her truly. She was a nice woman and I didn't want her to be sad and alone. She must be tired working in this bakery all by herself. "Ahjumma, do you think you could teach me how to make bread so I can help you instead?"

Her face brightened and she was more than happy to teach me.

-

I had almost missed the right time to meet with Daehyun hyung at his workplace that night. I'd watched ahjumma make the dough and had only helped shape and heat them. She'd explained what I should and shouldn't do, but for a beginner I listened and did the simplest of work so I didn't cause any waste to ahjumma. I was glad that the bread turned out fine.

With my back against a wall, I could see from where I stood, Youngjae and Daehyun hyung exiting the library cafe. They separated at the door and I walked up to a smiling Daehyun hyung. I sighed in relief as I stood in front of him.

"Did you wait long?" Daehyun hyung asked and I shook my head. He saw the brown bag I was holding and grinned. "Is that the bun you used to buy for me?" He asked excitedly.

I lowered my head in embarrassment, but I was also guilty that I didn't bring him any the past few days. I wanted to say something, but suddenly the tip of his shoes bump mine and I was too afraid to look up now because I knew hyung was too close.

"You smell like a sweet bakery Junhongie," Daehyun hyung chuckled and I turned my head away. Because he was shorter than me he could still easily see my blushing face. What I didn't expect was his thumb on the corner of my lips, hovering lightly over the bruise I'd got. "Junhong-ah, what happened?"

I stuttered and lowered my head again to somehow cover it. How would I explain? I didn't want hyung worrying about me. Moreover, it was over now so it didn't matter if Daehyun hyung didn't know. I didn't want him to know.

He touched my cheek and I was suddenly reminded of yesterday; when there was a strain between us, when we'd looked deep into each other's eyes. It was on instinct. I hadn't liked the pained look in Daehyun hyung's eyes when he looked at me and I wanted the pain to go away. So I leaned in to press my lips to his cheek and pull away shyly. He was shocked. I was too. But then the smile returned to his face, and I was glad that I'd done it.

"It's okay. I'll treat it at home. Let's go," he said and I shook the memory away.

I was still shy as he held my hand to walk home, but I was relieved from everything that'd happened today.