Just end it, you won’t suffer anymore, is this kind of life worth it? The same words that repeated in her head over and over again like a vicious cycle. Seolhyun sat there, battered and bruised on her bed. Her hand slowly reached over to the nightstand next to her as she gently grasped the framed picture of her and her parents, all of them looking like a happy family, like there was no worry in the world.

She had convinced herself that they were a perfectly happy family, but every time another one of her parents suffocating fights went on, underneath that happy persona that it was just a hideous, dysfunctional family. A few tears eventually escaped her eyes and onto the frame as her thumbs glided over the picture. Her eyes scanned it again, the picture she was holding, it was just another bad memory brought up, that her family wasn’t going to look like that anytime soon.

Seolhyun opened the drawer on the nightstand as she threw it back where it belonged, she didn’t want to look at it, and she knew it was just going to bring back unneeded memories. Her head snapped up when a loud bang was heard from outside of her room. She slowly got up as she slightly cracked open her door, Seolhyun closed her eyes tightly; her parents were at each other’s throats again. Her eyes soon opened as she saw her parents glaring at each other. Her mom had pointed a finger at her dad.

“All you do is gamble and drink all night, why do end up going back to your bad habits? Do you really think it’s really going to help our situation?” The words left in calm manner. Her dad scratched his head frustrated as he sighed.

“Can you get off of my back for a day? I work day and night to support this family and our useless daughter who can’t even get good grades.” His tone was starting to become angry and Seolhyun felt a painful pang in her heart at his last words, didn’t he love her?

Her mom gave out a laugh “Work? Day and night? You’re funny you know that?” She slammed a few bills down on the counter next to her that were crinkled and weathered. “You call that amount of money working day and night?” Her dad had suddenly walked over to her mom. He slapped her square in the face. Seolhyun’s eyes widened on his actions.

“You listen to me woman, if you don’t like it around here, you can just leave, and I don’t need to put up with the crap that you give me.” Seolhyun couldn’t take it anymore, she ran out of the room as she stood in front of her mom.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks “Can you stop fighting? The both of you!” Her dad raised a hand up as he gave Seolhyun a tight slap across the face, her head snapped to the side as she didn’t blink.

He pointed a finger at her “If you’re going to defend your mom, you can just get the hell out of this house, I don’t need to support you, you mean nothing to me. Don’t you understand by now that I don’t want a daughter like you? The type that lazes around and does nothing useful that will help this family.”

Seolhyun’s head turned back around to face him as she was holding back tears “Fine, I will leave.” She walked over to the front door as her hand grabbed the knob she left the house and slammed the door with a loud bang. She walked down the streets as tears were threatening to fall again. “Fine if that what’s he wants, I won’t come back.”

Her steps eventually became faster as she shivered. Freezing to death right now was better than going back to that hell hole. Seolhyun sat down on the bus stop bench as tears were beginning to fall, she didn’t care if anybody was looking at her right now, and she needed to get it out of her system. She gave out a loud whimper as she couldn’t stop the tears from falling; her hand had been brought up to her eyes as she wiped them away with a shaky hand. Suddenly, a voice was heard, it sounded sweet.

“Miss, are you okay?” She looked up slowly looked up as the man had a concerned look on his face, the look seemed foreign to her, a caring look like that hadn’t been seen in a very, very long time. He titled his head at her as she was still just staring at him. “Are you okay?” Seolhyun looked at him as she shook her head honestly. He looked at her as he was worried and curious on the contrary “Why not?”

Seolhyun looked at him “Why do you care about me?”

He smiled “Well, usually, when you see someone crying, you either ignore them or ask them if they’re okay, and I happen to be one of those people to ask if you’re okay.” The boy had scanned her appearance; all she was wearing was a simple shirt that looked like it hadn’t been washed for weeks to be quite honest,  a really washed out pair of shorts, and a pair of worn out, torn pair of converse. “Do you have anywhere to live?”

She chuckled bitterly “Yeah, three hours ago, but I wouldn’t consider it a home.” He did feel bad for her; she had nowhere to go, at all.

He smiled nervously “Do you want to stay with me until you find somewhere to go?” She looked at him with rather shocked eyes, live with him?

She laughed nervously “Isn’t that a bit too much to ask for?”

He shook his head “Not really, if you ask me.” She looked at him with titled; she didn’t want to seem like a nuisance if she did decide to live with him.

“Do you really mean it?” The boy smiled as he nodded his head. He had gotten up from the bench.

“C’mon let me bring you back to my house.” Seolhyun smiled at him as she got up. They were both walking side by side. “Right, I forgot to tell you, my name’s Peniel.” She nodded her head.

“Seolhyun.” He gave a short nod.

“Oh, wait. I don’t live alone you know.” She turned to him confused.

“Who do you live with then?” Peniel scratched his head.

“With six other men, you don’t mind, do you?” Seolhyun gave a nervous smile.

“Nope, not at all.” Peniel sighed in relief. After a few minutes had passed by, He and Seolhyun had stopped in front of their dorm.

“They don’t know about you so… you kind of need to come in with me.” Her heart rate had gone up, meet the rest of them? She was still uncomfortable with him just around her.

“Uhh, alright.” Peniel walked as he signaled her with his hand to follow him, he punched in the password on the keypad as he opened the door, and she was hiding behind his back. Sungjae looked at him curiously.

“Peniel, why do you look so worked up?” He scratched his head.

“I-Uh, want you guys to meet someone.” Sungjae looked around the room.

“Who would that be?” He pointed a finger to his back.

“She’s right here.” Sungjae’s eyes rounded.

“She?” He nodded as he turned his head around to Seolhyun.

He whispered “Seolhyun!” She gave a last look to Peniel before she slowly stepped out and next to Peniel. “This is Seolhyun.” Sungjae stared at him, was there really any reason why this girl was here?

“Can I ask why she’s here though?”

“The thing is, she really doesn’t have anywhere to go and I thought maybe she could stay with us.” Sungjae had pulled Peniel aside as Seolhyun looked at the both of them curiously.

“Peniel, do you really think it’s a good idea for a girl to live around seven guys?” He shrugged.

“C’mon Sungjae, you know were not those type of people.” He looked at Sungjae with pleading eyes. “Plus, the poor girl looks like she hadn’t eaten in days and she has a bunch of bruises on her, do you really think she’d go back to her past situation?” Sungjae looked at Seolhyun as she gave him a small wave.

“Alright, but I don’t how the others are going to react to her.” Peniel smacked his forehead, right, he had to tell the others.

“Seolhyun.” She looked at him.

“Hmm?”

He made his way over to the bedroom as he signaled her once more to follow him. Seolhyun listened as he stepped in with her. Minhyuk looked up at them as his eyes landed on her.

“Did another crazy stalker fan get in here?” He sighed.

“No, but she’ll be staying here.” Minhyuk raised an eyebrow.

“Here? Why?”

“Can you just stop asking why? She just will alright!” Minhyuk chuckled.

“Jeez, don’t get your in a knot.” He turned over to her.

“Seolhyun, why don’t you just wait in the living room, I got a lot of explaining to do.” She nodded as she made her way out and sat on the floor.

Seolhyun smiled to herself, she was happy. Happy, that someone cared for her once in her life.