Your phone rang, you picked it up with a happy and supportive voice.

“Hello? Hello?” you hung up the phone, not thinking anything of it before the doorbell rang. It was Soohyun meeting you to talk about a school project. You found a small secluded restaurant in the downtown area, you ordered and you were talking about the project when you saw Eli walking down the street.

You too used to be very good friends until he ran off with your best friend and broke up with you a couple weeks before. But Soohyun has always been there for you, he comforted you in that break up and always came through when you really needed him to. You were really good friends, but never though of Soohyun as a prospect just as a best friend and nothing more. This project was about to push you over the edge.

Eli walked over to the table where Soohyun and you were sitting, eating lunch and talking about the project that was due in a couple of weeks.

“So are you guys partners for the big project for school?” Eli masterfully said

“Yea, we are and we are just about a third done with the project as a matter of fact.”Soohyun chimed in “Who is your partner? What project are you doing?”

“Well I was working with my girlfriend and then we got in a fight, so that isn’t going to happen anymore…I don’t know what I am going to do now.” Eli looked down at the ground like he was really heartbroken, “I thought that I could be in group with you guys…”

“Sorry, _____ and I have already settled on a project and we just need to work out the details so if you wouldn’t mind.”Soohyun defending you

“It’s ok, he can stay and listen if he wants to.” You commented

“It’s fine I think that I will walk to my house and try and find another partner.” Eli got up and walked away carrying his head low.

“I left somethings that we need for our project at my house, would you mind if I go back and get them?”

“No, that isn’t a problem, what if I come with you and we can finish it up at your place for the day.” Soohyun said and you agreed. He grabbed your coat as you walked down the street to the parking garage where his car was stored. You two talked about what had happened that week and made a good conversation as you walked into an alley way where Eli was leaning up against a wall.

“What are you doing here Eli? I thought you went home.”

“I couldn’t leave here without saying goodbye to you.” He your arm up and down and his eyes scanned you. He was checking you out, you couldn’t believe this, everything that he had said and done to you and now he wants you back. You looked to Soohyun for help he had a stare of helplessness until Eli pulled you towards him.

Soohyun grabbed your other arm as Eli turned to look at you. You were getting anxious to get home and you didn’t want anybody hurt. You looked to Soohyun for comfort as Eli shoved you to the wall releasing Soohyun’s grip as well as his own. You fell to the gravel as you saw the boys face to face getting ready to fight, you saw Eli’s hand cringe into a fist as Soohyun was watching his every move.

“Stop it! Stop it!” you yelled trying to end the stare down that they were having.

“You hurt her, how could you hurt her? Leading her on and then taking her friend instead. What kind of a person are you?” Soohyun making a statement enough to get Eli mad enough to throw a punch. Soohyun adverted the punch and got ready for the next move that Eli was going to throw at him.

“I loved her….”Eli shouted

“If you loved her then why did you hurt her and go after her friend?”

“I thought that if I went after her friend she would get determined to have me.” Eli staring over at you at the end of his sentence. “You will never find another guy like me.” Eli smirking at his last remark.

“I have found a better one.”You shouted, Soohyun looking over at you half smiling, you bat your eyes at him.

Eli throws a punch and hits Soohyun in the jaw, Soohyun falls to the ground facing you, Soohyun raises his head, then Eli walks around grabs your arm and pulls you up and tries to hug you. You turn your head the opposite direction when he tries to clear a tear from your face. Eli shoves you into a corner, you fall to the ground. Soohyun gets up and punches Eli in the stomach, then in the face causing a bloody nose, Eli comes back with vengeance, punching Soohyun to the ground as he defends himself with his hands. Soohyun is down and Eli rushes over and grabs your arm again lifts you up over his shoulder and runs off with you.

“Soohyun!… Soohyun…please help me!” You yelled at the top of your lungs.

“Why do you need Soohyun when you have me?”

“He is more of a man than you will every be.” Eli stopped running and put you down on the ground after that, you fell to the concrete.

Eli raised up a hand and smacked you on your face, you whimpered so Soohyun could come and save you. You looked up, Eli was about to strike you again when Soohyun tackled Eli to the ground. You sat up and scurried to the building’s edge. Eli was protecting himself with his hands, Soohyun hit him one more time in the ribs.

“Soohyun… he isn’t worth it, he has to learn that I have to move on.”

“But he hurt you and when someone hurts my best friend, I have to teach him a lesson.”

“Please, please for me stop, I don’t want to be fought over like a pair of shoes. Please….please Soohyun for me….please stop”

Soohyun stopped and got off of Eli and walked over to you, helped you up off of the ground and placed his hand on the scrape you got on your face and you placed your hand on top of his. A tear began to fall as you saw what condition he was in. Eli got up and started walking over to you.

“You can have her… I will find another girl that I can do the project with.” Eli stomped off.

Soohyun engulfed you in a hug, then you helped Soohyun with his limp walk to your apartment.

A half of an hour later you arrived at your apartment. You laid Soohyun down on your couch and you ran to get your first-aid kit in the bathroom.

“Sorry I wasn’t able to keep you from getting hurt, ______” Soohyun said in a weak voice

“I am just glad that you are ok, at least you have minor injuries.” You slight smile made his eyes light up. You started working on his beaten shoulder and you wrapped his ankle with an Ace bandage and then cleaned all of the rocks and debris from his cuts and wounds from his face.

He fell asleep as you were patching him up, you didn’t dare to disturb him, he looked so peaceful. This gave you time to clean your wounds as well.

A couple hours later, Soohyun woke up, exhausted and confused. You came to his side, he asked what happened and you explained.

“Why did you defend me?”

“I defended you because you couldn’t defend yourself.” Eli sat up on the couch

“But this had nothing to do with you.”

“It had everything to do with me, I was there, and I am your best friend.”

“So you would do this for any of your friends?” You started questioning

“No, just a chosen few.”

“Oh, ok.” you started changing the bandage on his head when he leaned in and put his hand on your face, right where Eli had hit you.

“He shouldn’t have hit you…that isn’t love, that is abuse.” he pulled you in for a hug. “You are very special.” he whispered in your ear. “I love you.”

You pulled away when he said that in shock. “I love you” he said again, “that is why I protected you, that is why I did what I did.”

“Thank you” that is all that you could muster up after all that had happened that day. Soohyun laid you down on the space next to him on the couch. He moved your hair out of the way to kiss your scar and you gently fell asleep with his hands around your waist.

You turned in the project that started this mess. Since that incident Soohyun and you had become close friends and you were very glad that the incident had happened, since it brought you and Soohyun together.