It was by no choice that he had to send her up to her door when they were neighbours in the first place. Hoya remained his stiff expression, but the way he was fidgeting here and there gave him away when they were standing in front of their doors. Jaekyung had been quiet since the kiss happened and it wasn't helping him much at that moment. She was staring at her shoes, and pulling in her lips, waiting for him to say something.

"Y-you should go inside now," he said, and his voice lacked the usual edge, earning her attention as she looked at his face. Hoya cleared his throat and looked up the ceiling.

"Thank you for last night, and today."

"You're, um, welcome," he replied, nodding curtly.

"Hoya," she called, softly. He braved himself to look at her, and met her in the eyes. The way she was looking at him; he knew just what she was about to say, and he really didn't want her to mention about the kiss at that minute, for he knew although it stirred up a streak of happiness, it also stirred up a chaotic thought about the consequences inside his gut. It was twisting his insides really badly as he saw her opening again.

"You should really go inside," he said again, with a sigh that he didn't intend to release. Jaekyung seemed a little offended because she quickly looked down and he noticed her face had turned a little pale. "I think you must be tired from the journey. Go in and rest."

She nodded slowly, and unlocked her door without a word. When she had turned the handle and stepped inside, she turned to Hoya and eyed him with a stronger gaze. "Just... don't apologise... okay?"

He stared at her for a moment, watching her eyes which were displaying her hopefulness, desperateness, and a longing; which he too was feeling at the moment. He felt bad about it; knowing well that he was making a big mistake, but it was already done and it was impossible to be undone. Therefore, he managed a small, kind smile and shook his head. "I won't."

She smiled instantly, delighting him more than even herself. "You should go and rest as well. Thank you, again," she said. Then, under his kind gaze, she turned away, opened the door wider and closed it after flashing him a sweet smile. Hoya felt hurt by the little sound of thud, strangely.

He made his way to his own apartment, threw the key on the empty kitchen table and sat near the balcony, and closed his eyes for a moment. He could still remember vividly of how he had kissed her, and the way she kissed him back and it made his head hurt a little.

"God, you've gone mad, Lee Howon," he said, holding his temple in agony. He spent another few minutes of just agonising before he took his phone. There were a few calls from Hwayoung which went straight to blocked calls, and a few other unfamiliar numbers which he suspected was hers as well. He frowned, and rolling his eyes, he hit dial, just to hear her sobbing about Sungjong.

Hwayoung was sitting in the hospital's park, on one of the benches when she saw Hoya striding up towards her. When she leapt up to him and buried her face into his chest, he said nothing but was hesitant on whether to pat her head or not. In the end, he did, and Hwayoung was embracing him even tighter. He let her cried silently into his jacket and after a moment, she pulled away, and he sighed at the sight of her puffy face and red eyes.

"What happened?" he asked, once they had seated. She was still sniffing, but looking calmer as she told him what had happened to her friend. Hoya cursed silently, remembering the young man who raged to him about not wanting to be a coward. "He's an idiot."

"He is. That idiot Lee Sungjong..." she cried, and sniffed even more.

"How is he now?"

"Well, the cut isn't deep so it missed any vital organ."

"So, he's going to live?"

"The first thing he said when he saw me was 'I'm hungry', so I supposed, yes," she said, rolling her eyes, but the usual annoyance was missing. Hoya smiled.

"He's lucky."

"He's an idiot."

"Hwayoung."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?" She turned her face to look at Hoya's grim face and nodded solemnly. "Do you know who asked him to do it?"

She looked away; her face hardening. "My father." He was a little speechless, but he let her continued speaking. "It's all because of my father! He and his... stupid dope business... Because of him, I have to live in pretense all my life. I can't even have friends, or go out without having someone at my heels..."

"You have every other thing in your life, though," he said, testingly. "Not everyone lives in a big mansion and have drivers to pick them up at school."

She smiled wryly. "My house is just like a cage, Hoya. Even if the door is opened, I can never leave. In the end, I would have to go back there because that is the only place I can go back to."

"You always have a choice."

"Do I?" she laughed weakly. "Where do I go, Hoya? I can't even take care of myself properly. Who do I take with me? You refused to go with me, remember?"

"That kid Lee Sungjong will make a fine company," he said, smiling a little. "He's even worth the man than me."

"Sungjong is more of a girl than I am," she said, flatly, but tears came back into her eyes as she mentioned his name. "But... he is someone that I really treasure, and he got hurt because of me. Because he wanted to be in my world... but he couldn't see what danger would fall on him, and now that he has seen it... I bet he'll never want to come near me again."

"Did he tell you that?" Hoya asked.

She sniffed and rubbed her nose. "No."

"Then, why are you assuming things?" he asked. "Why would he want to run away now? He did a stupid thing, but it was not without courage. And seeing the way he is... I bet the courage actually came from you."

Hwayoung looked perturbed for a moment. "But it hurt him..."

"He's still alive," he said, shrugging. "And I bet he would die again for you if he needs to."

"I don't want anybody to get hurt," she said, quickly, and clasped her hands together. "Not you, Sungjong, Oppa... I don't want anyone to."

"There's nothing I can do about it..." he said, looking at the ground at their feet.

"Hoya," she called, firmly and stared at him. "You can quit the job, right? Stop working with my father, and go somewhere far. I don't want to see you getting hurt. If... if my father's business is sniffed out... you will go to prison, right? I don't want that to happen... There were already police officers coming by to question Sungjong, but he was rather weak to answer them... They will come back. I know, and I am scared that they will take him away too..."

"He's not at age where he will be charged."

"But he carried it! He carried that... stuff..." she said, trembling. "There will be trouble, right? And... there's me as well... I think they will know the rumour about me, and it will make perfect sense. They will take Sungjong away to some juvenile school, and me to another, perhaps... And it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault."

"What should I do, Hoya?" she asked, crying again, bitterly. "I don't want to be separated from Sungjong. I don't want him to go to jail... I wish that I can put an end to all of this... I wish no one would have to work with my father and do all his little s."

"He won't have to."

She almost gasped. "How?"

He knew it was a risk, and the plan could make an overturn and hit him flat, but he had to try nevertheless. He looked at her, and considered the consequences, but lately he never really thought of costs of his action, why bother then? "Tell them the truth. Everything that you know about your father's business, and that Sungjong was only caught up in this or anything. In any case, you'll be able to buy him and yourself a way out."

Hwayoung looked dumbstruck. Her watery eyes dried up almost instantly as she was staring at Hoya without blinking. Then, she looked away, troubled, and not knowing how to respond.

"You told me you want to put an end to all of this."

"But... If I tell the police... Hoya..."

"I will take your suggestion and run far away," he said, and she was looking at him with disbelieved, and even a little loath. "Don't look at me like that. I am a man of no honesty in me, Hwayoung. Every day, I am just making my way to survive the day. My life isn't important to anyone but to me. You can turn me in and it will only hurt me."

"I won't turn you in." She shook her head slowly.

"Why not? I'm one of your father's workers."

"Working for him doesn't make you him."

"But I carry all his little s."

"Because he asked you to!"

"He pays me."

Hwayoung's face hardened and she looked at her hands thoughtfully for a long moment. Hoya felt strangely calm, and he was prepared to whatever she was going to say. Probably instead of turning him to the police, she will turn him in to her father, and that would be a big problem and he has to leave his post at once. Probably she would just dismiss and forget the whole idea, but he knew she was desperate to save Sungjong.

"But... what about Oppa?" she asked, quietly.

Nam Woohyun, Hoya thought, frowning. Of course, there was her brother for her to consider. It would be inhumane to overlook the matter, but he wished that she did. "If he confesses, they can reduce the number of years he will have to spend in the prison..."

"But Oppa isn't involved in father's business!" she said, desperately. "I know it... He was never at the meetings or anything... I know he knows, but he's not involved! I'm sure he is not... I don't want Oppa to go to jail..." she fell quiet for a minute. "Maybe I should ask him to run away as well."

"How do you know that he will listen to you?" he asked.

"He has to. I'm his sister," she said, but even she was unsure. "If I let you run away, but not my own brother, what will that make me?"

"You don't have to let me run away," he said, though he quickly felt sickened by himself. He knew well that he will get away with it. Whether things are resolved or not, some day he will ditch his identity as 'Hoya' and go back to his desk at the office in some other district. And he would go back to the field when needed, but as someone different. He amused himself by naming himself 'Sunflower' and 'Anemone', smiling wryly at his own joking thought.

"But I want you to," she said, quietly, and Hoya felt a stab to his heart and guilt was pouring inside the wound.

"You want to protect so many people, Hwayoung," he said, as quiet as she did. "But I don't need your protection. If I am caught, and thrown in the prison, then it is because I deserved it. It goes the same for your father, and your brother if he is involved, and Jin and everyone else in this ty business. But not Sungjong. He is the one whom you really need to protect. You can't protect everyone."

Hwayoung was quiet and sullen. She was thinking hard about Hoya's words, without doubt. He decided to leave her to it, then, and so he stood up, and patted her head kindly.

"And if you feel the need to turn me in to your father, or do nothing about it, it is entirely up to you, Hwayoung. I am a coward, unlike Sungjong. I will run away with my tail between my legs if I need to. I will leave anyone behind while I'm running. I am the biggest in the wor-. Sorry. I shouldn't be cursing in front of a minor." Hwayoung laughed, finally, though her eyes were wet with tears again. "And tell Sungjong I admire him. But don't do it again. Ever," he said, smiling weakly. Then, he removed his hand and she looked up.

"You're not an ," she said, smiling kindly. "You're very kind, Hoya."

"How do you know that?"

"I just know it," she shrugged, and looked down again.

"You're very kind, too," he said, and patted her head again, before he walked away, leaving her even deeper in her thoughts. Once he was back in his car, Hoya threw his head backwards, contemplating on his actions. He knew he had taken such a big risk, and he was only manipulating Hwayoung; using her spite towards her father and her desire to protect the people around her. But, it was undeniably an easy way to actually resolve everything. If Hwayoung would tell the police about the factory and what was hidden behind those secret doors-

Hoya's thought was interrupted with a sudden knock on his car's window. Outside, Hwayoung was furrowing, looking scared but once he let her in, he noticed the unwavering look in her eyes.

"What should I tell the police?" she asked, gulping hard.

He stared at her for more than seconds, but Hwayoung was only staring back without a word. There was tension in the small space of Hoya's car and he swore that the scent of Jaekyung's perfume had already etched to the jacket that he slung across the head of the passenger's seat. He became nervous, distraught even, thinking of his neighbour, and their kiss that morning. And he wondered what she would think of him if she ever knew what sort of person he really was; this manipulator, this coward, this man of no honesty.

"Tell me about the factory."

Hoya arrived at his apartment with no strength left in his feet as he slumped down near the balcony door. He had just come back from relaying everything that Hwayoung had told him in the car to his chief, which surprised the older man so much. Then, he begged his chief to leave Sungjong and Hwayoung alone for they were innocent, he said, strongly. The chief was utterly confused for a moment, before he started cursing him for doing such a risky thing.

"What if she knows you're a cop?" the old man wailed. "You did a stupid thing!"

"She wants her