“go away from here, you killer!”

“I’m not a killer!” Sunhwa cried.

“yes you are! You killed her!”

Sunhwa shook her head, tears started rolling down her cheeks. “I’m not a killer.” She repeated, whimpering. “I DIDN’T KILL HER!” she shouted only to receive a hard smack across her face. She fell down hitting the asphalt resulting a piece of glass piercing  on her right palm.

“that’s what you get for being disrespectful!”

Sunhwa looked up with her teary eyes, “I didn’t kill her. Why people don’t want to believe me? It’s the freaking car who hit her!” she screamed as she held onto the woman’s hands.

 “don’t touch me!” the woman immediately pushed her away.

“ahjumma what happen here? Don’t push her!”

Suddenly a man interrupted as he ran to Sunhwa and held her shoulders.

“geez.. who is this man trying to act like a hero..” the woman sneered, “yah, Sunhwa where’s that tall guy now huh? You already ditch him? So now you with this man huh? How interesting.. first you kill my daughter.. now you’re trying to play with guys.”

He looked at the woman, “ahjumma.. don’t say like that.”

The woman just glared at him, obviously irritated before sauntering inside the house by closing the gate, leaving the two at the outside.

Sunhwa drew a breath and sighed, “thank you for helping me.” she shut her eyes tightly as she tried to stand up.

“..young lady..”

She jerked up at the way this man called her. Immediately she spun around to face him,  her eyes widen, *it’s him… again..*

“w-what are you doing here?” she gawked, a bit afraid since this was their second encounter.

“me? I- I- err-” he scratched his nape, didn’t know how to answer her.

 His unsure reply made Sunhwa turned away from him, walking away as fast as she can. He sounded like an intruder. She bit her lower lip, probably he is a stalker.

“young lady, wait!”

He quickly caught up from behind as he held her hand, making Sunhwa’s defensive instinct struck as she abruptly slapped his cheek.

“-ouch!”

Sunhwa’s eyes widen seeing his cheek bled. oh no! I didn’t smack too hard right? Horror idea started filling her head.

He held his cheek and look at the blood stain in his hand, “whoa..” was all he could say.

She panicked, “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry.. I don’t know I can slap too hard that your cheek bleed.”

“silly, it doesn’t bleed…. come here.” He laughed as he suddenly pulled her with him and the latter unhesitatingly followed him inside his car.

“ahh..” she whined.

“just a little more.. and-”

“AHHH!”

“it’s done!” he smiled as he managed to take out the glass piece stuck inside her palm with a tweezers.

Sunhwa let out a deep sigh of relief, as she about to pull her hand again.

“wait, I still have to cover your wound.” he held her hand closer again and put the bandage around her hand to prevent it getting infected.

“so… who’s that woman? Why she do this to you?” he asked, trying to make a conversation.

Her shoulders’ deflated, “she’s my mom..”

He looked up a moment, before fixing his eyes on her hand again, “really? a real mother?”

“why? You think all real mother is so good to their child?”

“I don’t know…” he trailed, “usually yes.”

“then you are wrong.” She murmured.

He raised an eyebrow but decided not to fight her back, “If you say so..” he frowned, “but.. if you don’t mind, can you tell me why did she called you a killer?” he casually asked.

Sunhwa peered at him, “don’t you afraid of me?”

“why would I? you look fine to me.” He smirked, “if there’s one, it should be you who supposed to afraid of me.”

She smiled, suddenly a surge of warmness hit her.. perhaps it was the effect of talking with him. And no.. she was not afraid now.

“actually my sister involved in a hit and run accident, she was hit by a car and dead at the scene. My mother accuse me for killing her so-loved daughter because I was there as well.  At that time, I was trying to call her, but she kept running and didn’t realize where she was going.”

He nodded in comprehension, “but just because you’re there, it doesn’t mean that you really killed her right?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. They just want to put the blame on me.”

“how come you let them do so?” he frustrated, he didn’t like the fact that people were putting hatred on the innocent one.

She sighed, not planning to tell him the real story, “never mind. it’s been 5 years you know..”

Hearing that, he stiffen. *5 years ago?*

Sunhwa just watched him who was treating her hand like it was fragile, without realizing the corner of her lips had twitched upwards. *I never thought that he would be this gentle to me.. once again..*

“why are you smiling like that?” he asked as he finished with the wrapping.

*shoot.*

She pursed her lips together like punishing it for tugging too wide in front of him.

“w-well let me clean your cheek.” She said, trying to change the topic as she reached out to her bag, taking out a handkerchief.

“no, it’s okay...I can handle it.”

“no, I already hit you and stained your cheek, so I should clean it.” She quickly extended her non-dominant hand to place the handkerchief against his cheek. Gently and hesitantly, she started to wipe the blood stain but to no gain.

She frowned, *aish.. why it wouldn’t go?*

“I guess it’s already d