That night was a cold and dark night. The clouds seem to have covered the night sky that is supposed to have stars lighting the black sky. As if the sky itself forbid anyone going outside.

Changmin looks up to the sky as the cold wind brushes against his face. He couldn’t find any stars above.

The pavements under him are cold. He looks at his phone. All of the messages he received are the same. Asking him how to do their homeworks the teacher gave them. He close the phone and walks his pace.

He should get home now.

The streets looks like its getting darker as he walks towards. The street lights doesn’t seem to be enough to light up the streets around.

Changmin’s pace stops suddenly.

In front of him, lie a body. Bruised. Cuts. A little bit of breathing can be heard from it.

Changmin quickly reach it for help. He looks at the person’s face.

                “Seori?”

It was Seori. There were bruises and cuts on her face as if she was beaten up. Seori didn’t give any responses. She’s unconscious.

Suddenly, someone came up to him and Seori. A man who’s badly dressed approaches them. Wrinkle cloths. Dirt covered shoes. An unpleasant face.

                “What are you doing with my daughter?”

                “I found..”

                “What did you do to her?”

The man who claimed himself as Seori’s father shoves Changmin away. Changmin looks as the man try to pull Seori up. There’s something wrong with him. Instead of lifting Seori, the man lif Seori up by her arm harshly. Changmin quickly grasp the man’s arm.

                “Where are you bringing her?”

                “Home. Of course.”

                “Can’t you see, she need to go to the hospital.”

The man laughs. He smirked at Changmin while looking at him like a filthy bug. He pulls away his arm from Changmin’s  grasp.

                “She’s okay. Go mind your own business, boy.”

                “I’ll pay the hospital fee.”

“Don’t treat me like a poor filthy trash. I don’t accept money from someone like you. Especially a boy.”

“You stubborn old man! You don’t even have any money to buy some decent cloths.”

“You rude …”

Changmin grabs the man by the collar.

                “I’ll pay the fee. Every bit of them………….... Are you really her father?”

The man’s face suddenly changed. His face shows the anger in him. Burning him up when he hearcd Changmin said to him like that.

                “Fine. You’ll carry her to the hospital. I’m going to go and fetch some stuffs for her.”

The man left Changmin and Seori just like that. Changmin realizes, there’s no time to lose. He lifts Seori and quickly ran for the hospital.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Just as Changmin arrives at the hospital, everyone looks at him carrying Seori in his arms. The nurses and a doctor who happens to be at the hospital entrance quickly helps him.

He watched the crowd of the hospital workers as they bring Seori to the deeper part in the hospital. The stranger who had given them a lift to the hospital stays behind after Changmin had entered the hospital. The stranger left with his car after that.

Based on the situation he’s seeing right now, Seori’s situation looks serious. He picks his phone from the pocket and dialed his home number. His family must be waiting for him right now.

He suddenly remembered about Seori’s father.

If the man really is Seori’s father, he might understands why Seori behaves badly in school.

A row of green seats was placed along the hospital hallway. He sits on the nearest one. His phone suddenly received  a message. The message was from his mother. Her mother had called the hospital to use their family account to pay Seori’s hospital fee. At the end of the message Changmin received, his mother wrote :   “Won’t you tell us who’s you helping?”

On a slightly cold dawn where the darkness had lifted
And the faint lights were turning off one by one
On the familiar road I purposely took the long way to get to,
Watching you fret that it had gotten too late