Sunggyu carefully tended to the bruises on Woohyun's face while the boy sat in silence.  Though he wanted to know, Sunggyu refrained from asking questions.  He was more concerned with Woohyun's injuries.  Noticing that Woohyun was clutching his chest, Sunggyu knew that there were more injuries there.

"Take your shirt off," Sunggyu instructed.

Woohyun looked at him in surprise.

"You're hurt there too, right?" Sunggyu asked.  "Let me see it."

Woohyun nodded and slowly ed his shirt.

Sunggyu frowned upon seeing the boy's chest.  Besides the bruises which were already healing, there was a dark purple patch on his chest.  It must have hurt a lot.  Sunggyu carefully applied the cream to Sunggyu's chest.  Though Sunggyu was gentle, Woohyun cringed from the pain from the man's touch.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Sunggyu asked.

Woohyun shook his head and buttoned up his shirt.

"Hopefully that will heal soon," said Sunggyu.

"I'm sorry to trouble you again," Woohyun finally spoke.

Sunggyu simply smiled.  "I'm glad you came."  There was a moment's hesitation before he asked, "How did you get hurt again?"

Woohyun looked at him with worried eyes as if contemplating what to say.  "I fell.  I slipped and fell."

Sunggyu sighed.  He knew the boy was lying to him.  "Woohyun, if someone's hurting you, you need to tell me."

Woohyun bit his lip but remained quiet.

Sunggyu frowned at Woohyun's reluctant to speak.  "Is it your guardian?"

Woohyun immediately jolted and looked at Sunggyu.

Though Woohyun did not say it but from the look in his eyes, Sunggyu knew the answer.  Sunggyu could only sigh.

"Can I..." Woohyun began hesitantly.  "Can I stay here tonight?  I don't want to go home."

Sunggyu looked at the boy's pleading face.  There was no way he could say no.


Sunggyu waited until Woohyun was fast asleep before he grabbed his jacket and walked out the door.  He drove until he came to a familiar house.  He pulled up by the side of the road and walked up to the front door of the house which he had see Woohyun enter earlier.  He knocked a few times and waited.

"Didn't I tell you not to come back!"  an angry voice shouted out just as the door opened.  "Do you want another beat-"

Sunggyu glared at the tall man standing in front of him and grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt.  The tall man's breath reeked of alcohol.

The tall man was caught by surprise to see a stranger at his door.  "Who the hell are you?"

"Don't you dare lay a hand on Woohyun again," Sunggyu warned.

The tall man frowned in anger and broke free from Sunggyu's grasp on his shirt.  "What's it to you?" the man snapped.  "Oh, you must be the reason why he didn't come home last night.  He's just a kid but you're an adult.  You should know better.  What you're doing is a crime, you know."

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Sunggyu took a swig at the taller man and punched him across the face.

The man lost his balance and stumbled to the floor.  "Who do you think you are?"

"I won't let you hurt him again," Sunggyu warned and turned to walk away.

By the time the man picked himself up from the floor and ran out, Sunggyu had driven off.  He was however, surrounded by a group of men.