Sooyun sitted next to Hyunchul.

"What happened with you? Who did this to you?" she asked.

"I'm OK. It doesn't hurt." He said.

Sooyun pressed her index finger on one of his bruises making him shiver.

"Doesn't hurt? You think I'm what? Stupid? Come on. You're coming with me."

"No. I'm going home. I can take care of myself."

He stood up and started leaving but Sooyun grabbed his wrist.

"You're going to take care of yourself just like you did last time? This isn't the first time you get beaten up. Hell, I can't even remember how many times this hs happened. This time I'm not going to let it pass."

"Since when do you care?"

Her eyes widened. He's right. I don't care. Why did I say that?

"You're right. I don't care. But it's not like I enjoy watching people hurt and doing nothing." She looked at Jihwan "Jay, mianhae. It looks like that ice-cream will have to be postponed. Maybe tomorrow?"

Jay pouted "Okay. See you tomorrow, Sooyun-ah." He then looked at Hyunchul "If anything happens to her you'll see who's gonna beat you up." And after saying that he left and Sooyun stood up.

"Follow me." She said.

"Where?"

"You'll see."

She put both of her hands in his shoulders and pushed him to the exit door. The two-blocks-long walk was made in an akward silence. Until they arrived at their destination.

"Where are we?"

"Come on in." He took one step inside the big house "Welcome to my house, Park Hyunchul." She closed the door behind herself "Here you have some slippers. Oh! And Hyemi is probably on her way home which means she's gonna freak out and ask why the Cold Flower Boy is here."

"Cold... Flower Boy...?" He asked while she went to get the first aid.

"Yeah, she calls you that because you don't really socialize and you have that feminine look of yours." She walked over to the couch, sat and patted the place next to her "Sit here." He did as she told him to "I agree with her, I mean, the 'don't socialize' part. You should talk more or people will misjudge you."

Sooyun started taking care of his cuts. A few minutes after she finished and put everything away.

"Bathroom?" He asked.

"Upstairs, second door to your right."

"Thanks." And with that he left Sooyun alone in the living room.

*ding dong* "FORGOT MY KEYS! OPEN UP SOO!" Sooyun heard Hyemi screaming from the outside of the house.

"Wait a sec!" Sooyun ran to open the door.

"Injunie left earlier because his umma called. Oh, right, who's cooking today? You or me?"

"You cooked yesterday so it's my turn to cook today. Can you set the table for me? Three seats."

"Okay... Wait WHAT?! Three?! Is Hana coming today and you didn't say anything?"

Sooyun shook her head. "Ani. We have someone here, inside our house right now." Before Hyemi could say anything she continued "Before you start asking a million questions I only brought Hyunchul here because he was hurt so don't jump into conclusions. And also he---"

* Shout Out du soneul deureo Oh Oh Oh Lets Fly haneureul yeoreo Oh Oh*

"Sh-should I pick it up?" Sooyun asked looking at Hyunchul's cellphone.

"Jus pick it up an explain. It's probably his umma. She must be worried about him."

Sooyun picked it up."

"Hel--"

"YAH! YOU ING IDIOT! WHY AREN'T YOU HOME ALREADY?! RUNNING AWAY JUST BECAUSE OF A FEW SIMPLE SLAPS?! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ING HERE IN FIVE MINUTES BELIEVE ME YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO WALK FOR THE NEXT WEEK!"

Sooyun's eyes widened. Who is this? Why would be threatning Hyunchul like that?

"Hello this is Lee Sooyun, a friend of Hyunchul's. May I know who is this? And why are you threatning my friend?"

No reply.

"Hello?? Is anyone there?" Sooyun asked. Still no reply. She looked at the cellphone's screen. 'Umma? is what she read. And everything made sense. Sooyun now knew why it was difficult for him to interact with people. She knew why sometimes, when she couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk on the park, she would find him there sitting next to a tree crying. The person that was supposed to love him the most was actually the person that he feared the most. Sooyun decided that since Hyunchul hadn't done anything to stop it she would. "You are his mother from what I saw in his cellphone screen. I only have two things to say to you, Mrs. Park. One, you don't even have the right to be called 'mom' if you do what you just said. It might not be my business at all to be honest but O don't care. And second, since he is my friend and someone I've known since I was a little girl I woll not allow you to do this anymore and I will not stay away from this huge wrong doing. Oh and don't expect Hyunchul to be going home anytime soon. At least not under my watch."

"AND JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO BE TALKING WITH AN ADULT LIKE THAT?!"

"Someone who at least cares about something else besides herself." And with that Sooyun hang up the call.

She looked at her cousin who was looking at her with widened eyes and hang open.

"What just happened, SooSoo?"

"I'll talk with you later. I have something to do first."

Sooyun went upstairs and knocked on the bathroom's door. "Hyunchul? You there?" No reply. Hmm... where is he? Sooyun looked for him in the other rooms and only her bedroom was left. She opened the door without making a sound and she saw Hyunchul looking at a picture that they took together when they were five. Their parents were friends and that photo was taken on his sister's wedding.

"Old picture, don't you think?" She asked Hyunchul making him jump in surprise. "You know, you shouldn't enter a girl's bedroom without asking."

"Mi-mi-mianhae. I'll be going now." He stepped closer to the door but Sooyun jumped in front of him.

"Why didn't you tell someone what has been happening?" She asked.

He looked at her with a weird face.

"What are you talking about?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "I know who puts you in this kind of state, Hyunchul." He was surprised by what she just said. How did she find out?

"Your umma just called screaming and threatning to beat you even more. Why didn't you tell me? Or Mika, since he's your best friend? We could have helped you!"

"Who said I needed help?! No one asked you to do anything! Why did you even answer the call?! IT WASN'T YOUR CELLPHONE! What did you tell her? Omo, I'm so screwed! NOW SHE'S GOING TO---" Hyunchul stopped talking when Sooyun hugged him. He just stayed there like a statue, not moving a single inch.

"You ain't going back. I won't let you." She stepped away from him and looked him in the eyes "In case you don't know I've been keeping an eye on you since we were little. I've always done that because you're like a little brother to me. And how could you think I wouldn't see you following me everywhere I went?" She giggled.

"How did you.... When.... Since when do you know that?"

"Since middle school? Yeah, I think it was around that time." She ruffled his hair. "Pabo!"

"Sorry about that. I must have looked like a creep!" He scratched the back of his neck and laughed shyly.

"Yeah you did! But promise me one thing."

"Ne. What is it?"

"Don't go back home. Stay at Mika's or here. Just don't go back. You know my appa is a cop and I'll talk to him about your mom and everything."

"Okay... I promise, but under one condition."

"Hmm... Whatever."

"Stop ruffling my hair. I'm not a kid anymore." He pouted.

"Fine...!" She ruffled his hair again and left her room.

"YAH! LEE SOOYUN!"