(Present)

Screaming… there was so much screaming… They were everywhere she looked, leering down at her with cold, lustful eyes. She was screaming for them to let her go, to stop touching her, to stop…

Yun Mi woke with a start, biting her lip to prevent herself from crying out loud at the intensity of the pain that shot up her spine.

Where was she?

She looked around at the room she was in with frantic, desperate eyes, scanning the walls for any means of escape. There were windows on the opposite side of the bed she had been put on and she lunged for them without a thought, only to end up falling to the floor on all fours, muscles contracting in the most agonising manner. It didn’t matter. If she stayed, it wouldn’t matter. The pain that would follow when they returned for her would be much worse, she told herself. Tears rolled down her face as she willed her painful limbs to carry her across the room.

“Stop! Yun Mi-yah!” She froze when she felt arms around her, fear gripping her heart like a tight fist intent on squeezing the life out of her.

“Please… please let me go…” the whispered pleas tumbled out of damaged lips hopelessly, sobs choking . It was too late to escape. There was nothing she could do now. Would it hurt less if she stayed still, she wondered.

“Yun Mi-yah, look at me” the familiar voice commanded, the gentle tone reaching through her fog of despair, surprising her. When she still didn’t turn to look at the person with the kind voice she felt fingers under her chin, pulling her face up. “Yun Mi-yah…”

New tears rolled down her cheeks as the panic in her heart dissipated, memories flooding her mind. They hadn’t trapped her… she was safe… Weak arms reached out desperately to clutch onto his shirt, pulling him closer as her heart beat heavily in her chest with relief still not completely bereft of fear. “Don’t let them take me…” her voice came out hoarse as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. “Please… don’t let them take me…”

Warm arms pulled her in and she sunk into the embrace willingly, exhaustion taking over her body. The words of comfort that came from him calmed her nerves as sleep took over her senses and everything faded away.

Onew the broken girl’s head, trying to soothe her pain away; trying to calm his own self, his anger, his wish to burn down every last one of those ungodly men who had dared to touch the beautiful innocent being in his arms. What had they done to her? What had they done to his lively, joyful little Yun Mi?