It had been three days since you were lost in the town. You never had a chance to go out as Zitao said that people intently eyed everyone who went passed them, searching for you since the reward went higher and higher each day. Zitao disappeared every now and then, bringing some food to eat when he got home, shoving your share to you, and sitting by the window again while listening to the small radio with his earphones. Since the incident at the first night, he never talked to you again. Let alone talking, he did not even look at you. His eyes were always staring at everything but you.

He was angry with you and your stupidity, that much you knew. But this was getting awkward, and as a carefree girl you are, you detested awkwardness. So you tried again. Two days had passed after all. He should be not as mad as he was before.

“Zitao-sshi. What are you up to?” You asked when he noticed your presence. “Could I sit here?” Awkward. AWKWARD. Those big letters of awkward were haunting you.

Zitao did not say anything but he pulled out his earphones. At least he did not ignore you. You could say that you just crossed the first step. He looked at you curiously, and you suddenly felt nervous. “Is there something wrong?”

You widened your eyes and shook your head. “No.” You suddenly forgot everything that you wanted to say and ended up sighing. “No. I just want to... talk.”

“Oh,” Zitao exclaimed and put his earphones back to his ears. “I am not in the mood for casual conversation.”

Pissed and frustrated. This was what you felt when he said that. No one ignored you this much before, and this young man was not an exception. You snatched his small radio and pulled the earphones harshly, but not too harsh as you knew they were precious to him. He looked surprised when you did that, but doing nothing at all, not as what you had predicted before. He merely stared at you with his widened eyes. Maybe he was waiting for what you are going to do next after recklessly snatched the small radio.

Confused at what to say at this condition, you put the earphones on and listened to the small radio. You heard a soft, soothing melody for about a minute, then a woman’s voice, no, it was more like a little girl’s, giggling happily while saying you can do it, because you’re Huang Zitao gege because your little sister will always support you, and then a buzzed, blurred voice of something being smashed and then silence. After a moment, the soft and soothing melody was played again, the girl’s voice, the chaos. It went over and over again.

You slowly looked up and found Zitao had disappeared. Wait. Where did he go again? Thinking back, were you too much toward him? Did snatching this small radio means scratching his very heart? You panicked and searched the house, but he was not there, he was nowhere in the house. And then you heard a big crash, you heard Zitao’s watch out, you saw his teary eyes that got you unbalanced, and you suddenly felt a sharp pain on your back.

Everything was painful and blurry. You passed out.

When you opened your eyes again, you were on a bright room. The room was painted with a very heavy yellow color you mistook it as the sunshine at first. The bed was very fluffy and a thick blanket was covering your body. It was warm and your head felt light as if you just drank a cold medicine. This room condition was totally different with the one where you stayed at. It was utterly the opposite. Huang Zitao. You recalled him then.

What happened? You were on the house with him, listened to his small radio, heard a crash, Zitao’s voice, Zitao’s tears- Your head ached, and you let out a small, pained moan, as you massaged your temple. You were hit by something. You were sure of that since your back was still hurting and a bruise had probably appeared by then. But why did you end up here, in this cozy place? Did Zitao manage to save you and bring you here?

You sat up and began to scan the room with your eyes. Nothing strange that caught your eyes, and this place somehow got more familiar the more you saw it, but still had no idea where it was. Walking to the room’s door, you grew uneasy, and when you tried to carefully open the knob, it was not locked. What? Were you really safe?

“Agasshi. Welcome home.” a familiar voice greeted you when you opened the door fully. You raised your eyebrows when you saw the butler who worked on your home was there, with his usual fake smile that always made you afraid of him.

“Why are you here? Where am I?” You sensed something strange, that this was more than just a welcome home greeting. You then remembered that the room where you just slept was your old room before you moved to the larger room. Why were you home all of sudden? Did your father change your mind about kicking you out because of what you did to his new wife?

“Agasshi. You did a splendid job. Master, your father, is happy to hear this news, and decided to take you back in. Madam also praised you. I am really honored to serve you and your family.” The butler said with a genuine smile. What? What did the splendid job that you do? However, before you could ask, your father came while clapping his hands, your stepmother was beside him, smiling widely.

“Great job, my daughter. You make everything so easy for me. We should celebrate, shouldn’t we, yeobo?” Your father winked to your stepmother. This, usually disgusted you, but you did not care about any of those at the moment. What exactly did you do? Your father was hard to please, so that this thing going on must be so huge for him.

“What did I do? Why am I here? What happened-“

“Hold your breath, my dear. I will tell you everything in a minute. Have a seat first.” Your father invited you to the living room, hands latched with your stepmother’s with awfully slow steps. Hurry it up will you, you wanted to yell but you knew how your father was easily angered so you stayed quiet.

When you were all seated, however, your father flirted with stepmother instead. You cleared your throat loudly and the two turned to you with those creepy smiles on their lips. “Ah, right. Our beautiful and precious daughter is here.” Your father remarked and looked at you lovingly, something that he last did right before he married that woman, your stepmother. “I believe you are familiar with Huang Zitao, the damned thief, the big catch in the town where I sent you to.”

“What about him? Where is he?” You did not even wait for the right timing to ask further. You were panicking, and the last thing you saw before you were knocked out was his tears, his new side that you never saw before. And then you stiffened, remembering how Zitao was on the wanted list as well and how your father was a head officer... Your throat suddenly felt dry.

Your father then showed you a photograph. It was a photo of a little girl, and it kind of reminded you of someone. “See, this is Zitao’s little sister that he treasured so much. Look how it’s so similar to you. I know you’re smart and you’ll wonder why if we suddenly ditch you there, so we made it as if we abandoned you just because of what you did to your mother. But no, dear. You mother is kind. She would never feel hurt just because of your small prank. She actually thought it was cute. And see what happens! We set a tracking device on you, disguising ourselves as The Hawk, putting a notice to capture you with a big reward, and our plan on using you as bait worked well. You even managed to seduce him. I still remember how he tried to save you, the daughter of an officer. He was literally trying to kill himself. How stupid can he get?”

Your heart pounded so hard and you suddenly felt dizzy. What- Why- How can this- What to do? Huang Zitao, what are you going to do about him? You left the dining room and cried helplessly when you were sure no one was looking. His words about how you could not even take care of yourself were rushing back, surrounding your mind, and Zitao was right. You did not even know what to do, how to help him out of this. If you were him, he probably had everything planned out in his head, not like you, who was just frustrated with yourself but could not anything about it.

You fought with your father a lot, but it was all because of small things. It was never related to his precious job. Protecting Zitao meant turning your back to your father, and you were scared of what you father was capable of doing. But the young man had saved you and it was only fair if you helped him too. Also, he did not steal because he wanted to. He had a family to take care, and he was probably not more than nineteen when you looked at his young features. There was not much he could do to earn money.

What do I do?