Seunghyun woke up feeling like his body was a desert with his face stuck to the table. He reached up to feel a blanket around his shoulders. It was Saturday but he wasn’t as eager to go to school today. The thought of seeing Jiyong now left him feeling dreadful. He wanted to just curl up in his bed all day, avoiding life.

Light was just starting to come through the window and all that could be heard in the house was the clock ticking and the low hum of the refrigerator. Seunghyun slowly got up, stretching his sore muscles. He walked to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher inside. His mind felt swollen. He could barely think and couldn’t feel any emotion whatsoever besides a deep feeling of dread.

He made his way to his room and crawled into his bed, pulling the large blanket over his head. He created a cave that felt so safe inside. He grabbed his hugging pillow and felt something stabbing his leg. He pulled the bearbrick Jiyong gave him out of his pocket. He clung to it tightly and would have started crying all over again but his body lacked the moisture to allow him the release. He slowly felt himself drift into a deep sleep.

He woke up when he felt his bed dip and someone say his name over and over. He peeked his eyes out from his blanked cave to see his noona looking down at him with a small pained smile with tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

“Noona? What’s wrong?” Seunghyun asked while propping himself up.

“Omma and appa have been fighting all day. Omma told appa what you told her and he got really upset. He hit her a couple times but it was mostly yelling. He just left and we don’t know if he is coming back. Seunghyun, what are we going to do about money if he doesn’t come back?” She explained with worry and tears evident in her voice.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry. We’ll find something out.” Seunghyun said, doubting his own words. What could he do? He was only a boy. His father was always a silent part of their lives. He was there for breakfast in the mornings but otherwise was usually working late. He would usually come home around 8 pm and make himself some food before going to bed after his long day.,

“Noona? Could you let me have a few minutes alone? I kind of need it.” He said with a grim look on his face. She gave him a worried look but left him, shutting the door behind her.

Seunghyun closed his eyes. Breathe in. Out. In. Out. He let the darkness envelop him again, searching into the deep depths of his mind. He needed strength and courage, any amount would do. Keep breathing in and out. Slowly he felt himself calm and feel stronger, like filling up a glass of water. Bit by little bit he felt stronger, far beyond his age. Slowly he opened his eyes, adjusting to feeling his body again.

Seunghyun got up to go get something cold for his mother. He didn’t know how badly she was hurt but she would surely need something to help her swollen face. He found a frozen bag of vegetables and lightly tapped on his mother’s door before entering. Her face was buried in a pillow, her hair uncombed. Seunghyun sat on the bed.

“Omma, are you awake?” Seunghyun softly asked.

“Mmm.” She answered.

“You should put this on your face.” Seunghyun said as she sat up revealing a dark purple bruise around her eye that was swollen shut. Her lip was large and had a large cut on it. Seunghyun gasped then made a fist to control his anger. The last thing his mother needed to hear was yelling.

“Gomowo, Seunghyun.” She said quietly with a soft smile. “You really are a good son.”

Seunghyun kept breathing deeply, trying to keep his emotions in check.

“Seunghyun-ah, I need you to help me. This is a lot for you to understand but we need to leave here for a while. I’m going to stay with your aunt for a few days until your father settles down and can process all of this. Your sister is going to stay at a friend’s house. Do you have somewhere you can stay for a while? I’ll be sure to call you when it’s okay to come home. I’d take you two with me but you know how she feels about teenagers.” She said rubbing her hand on his knee.

Seunghyun nodded his head. He understood. He looked at the clock. 5:49 pm. Sighing he knew what he had to do. He didn’t want to leave his family. It hurt his heart but he didn’t know if it would get worse and who would be next. His father could be out getting drunk right now.

“Omma. You need to pack quickly before appa comes back. I’ll tell noona.” Seunghyun said getting off of the bed. His mother laughed softly.

“I should be telling that to you. You really are growing up fast my little Seunghyun.” She said.

Seunghyun gave her a smile and went to tell his noona to pack. She was already putting clothes in a bag and sniffing. He turned to leave when he felt a pair of arms hugging him from behind.

“I’m going to miss you, Seunghyun. Will you call me?” She pleaded.

“If you give me the number, of course I will.” Seunghyun answered, trying to hold back tears. She let go and a few seconds later gave him a piece of paper with the phone number.

“I’m glad you have someone, Seunghyun. We really have been worried about you. You’ll let me meet him, right? Noona has to know everything to protect you, you know.” She said with a small smile.

“Arasso.” Seunghyun said looking at the floor with a small blush.

He walked down the hall to his room and threw a few of his uniforms, a couple sets of casual clothes, socks, and underwear into his spare bag he brought to Jiyong’s house the other day. He went to the bathroom to grab his toothbrush when he looked up and saw his face. It was flat and emotionless but his eyes emitted lasers. He shuddered at the look. Maybe that one kid in his class had a point. His eyes were kind of scary.

He looked at his face and realized how much he looked like his father. He put his hands on the countertop, beginning to hyperventilate. He cursed his father for giving him his blood. He wanted no part of the man who would hurt his sweet and caring omma. It was something he couldn’t change though. Both he and his sister had their father’s eyes.

Seunghyun started to hum a song he listened to yesterday on the roller coaster with Jiyong. It’s amazing how a song can bring you back to that moment. It started to calm his nerves as he grabbed his bags, making sure not to leave anything too important. He looked around the house to find that both his noona and omma were at the doorway, ready to leave.

“Here is your aunt’s phone number if you have any problems or if something happens at school.” She said giving her children 2 slips of paper.

“Arasso, omma.” Hye Yoon said, folding it to put in her pocket.

“Seunghyun, here is some money to give the people taking care of you. I wish it was more but let them know I’ll repay them if they need more.” She said handing 5 10,000 won bills to her son.

Seunghyun nodded, putting it in his pocket.

“We should go now.” Hye Yoon said, knowing her mother needed the push to leave.

“You’re right. Let’s go.” She said walking through the door, waiting for her children to get out before locking the door.

“I love you both so much.” She said on the brink of tears.

“Omma! Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay.” Hye Yoon said in a lightly harsh tone.

“We’ll see you soon.” Seunghyun said.

They walked down the stairs. Seunghyun’s omma and noona waited for the bus while Seunghyun made his way to Jiyong’s house. He knew it would be hard to control his feelings but he had to. He just hoped Jiyong and his parents would take him in. It was just after 6 pm and he had nowhere else to go.