Doo Joon had brought her to a fifteen storeys apartment building, quite far away from Woohyun’s house – which Chorong was both glad for and disappointed too. But with the current situation, it’ll be best for both of them to stay out of each other’s way.

The apartment that she was going to stay in was situated on the 10^th storey, at the very far end of the level. If she wanted to be discreet and kept her identity hidden, this is possibly the best way.

“Make yourself at home, Chorong-ssi,” Doo Joon told her as he closed the door behind him. “This is actually Jihyun’s spare apartment, but it was bought under my name to avoid suspicions from her parents. She’d come here when she needs some time to herself, but right now – we think you need it more.”

Chorong gripped on luggage handle tightly, feet seemed to be frozen to the ground. Her eyes wandered around the small, yet comfy space carefully. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it has all the basic necessities that one would need and Chorong felt as though it was all too much for her.

“I don’t think I can...” she said as she started to turn around and leave. “Thank you Doo Joon-ssi but – “

 But the older guy placed his hand on the doorknob and stepped in front of her, blocking her way out of the room. He towered over Chorong with his tall height and looked down at her as if he was reprimanding a small child.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said firmly. “I’d rather you be here, safe and sound than not knowing where you are and if you’re still alive.”

Chorong lifted up her head and looked at him through tired, confused eyes.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?”

She saw Doo Joon his lips nervously as he hesitated for a moment before answering her.

“Because Woohyun would’ve done the same thing for me, if the situation was reversed.”

Chorong dropped her gaze back to the floor, not knowing what else to say. Just hearing his name was enough to make her heart wrench painfully.

Doo Joon could sense that he has hit a sensitive spot, so he hurriedly said, “I’ll get going now so that you can start unpacking and call it a day. Rest well, Chorong-ssi. I’ll come by tomorrow or you can just call me if you need anything. My number is already written down for you. You can find it by the phone over there on the table,” he informed her and pointed towards the small white side table.

Chorong didn’t know what else to say or do and she felt really tired, so she just bowed down at him gratefully.

“Thank you Doo Joon-ssi. And please give my thanks to Jihyun-ssi too. Really, thank you.”

Just before he left, Doo Joon placed the keys on the palm of her hands and wrapped her fingers over it. He gave her one last smile, before he turned around and left the apartment – leaving Chorong alone to make herself comfortable.

~

“She’s fine. Chorong’s safe, for now,” he said into the phone as he made his way towards where his car was parked. “How’s Woohyun holding up?”

“Barely,” Jihyun whispered from the other end. “At the rate his going, the door might just break down any second now.”

“Have you talked to your parents?”

He heard his cousin sighing over the phone.

“You know stubborn my mum can be. She’s not even listening to my dad. I don’t think anything I say now will make a difference.”

“We have to help them, Jihyunnie. Neither Woohyun nor Chorong deserves to be in this kind of situation.”

“Especially Chorong, right?”

That made Doo Joon stopped in his tracks.

“Right?” Jihyun pressed. “You’re not only doing this for your little cousin. You’re doing this because it’s Chorong.”

Doo Joon was stumped. “I – “

“Goodnight Doo Joon-ah,”Jihyun said in amused voice. “We’ll talk again tomorrow.”

Even when he heard the dial tone, Doo Joon was still holding the phone against his ear – unable to move as he thought about what Jihyun had just said.

And then he remembered how Chorong had look at him when she asked him why he was helping her.

He had wanted to say ‘because I care about you’ but luckily for him, he managed to get hold of himself before the words could stumble out of his mouth.

Doo Joon shook his head. He can’t do this. Especially not to Woohyun.

The situation is already messed up enough.