“What did I tell you? You have to be more careful when you walk past your pond!” N laughs while putting ice on the red marks that cover my arms. If only you knew…

Flashback: Junho shoved me against the wall, his words are blocked out by the pain as he hits me. For what seems like an eternity, he finally stops. I slowly sink to the ground, he spits in front of me.

“No one will know and if they do.” He raises his fist and I flinch. He smirks and walks away. End of flashback.

“Clumsy me.” I force a smile. N’s smile falters.

“Does it still hurt a lot?” He asks. I nod slightly and he squeezes my hand. “Does Junho know about you’re constant falling?” He asks. I nod, more than you know.

As much as I want to tell him about everything, he can't know what is happening because if he did, he would probably try to kill Junho. And as much as I’d like no Junho I can't let N do that. “You know you guys are so cute together, even though it’s been so long you’re still shy around him.” He smiles referring to the fact that whenever Junho is around, I look away afraid something might happen which probably looks like shyness in N’s eyes even though he’s my best friend and can't see what’s going—wait, no. He never sees how I really look when I look away so he can't know.

How I long for things to be like how it was when everything began; when Junho and I first got together, he was kind and charming but after a few months he turned bitter and violent.

N was there the whole time, and even though he had no idea what was happening, he always made me feel better. He would still know if I was faking a smile, lying (mostly), all except for what is happening between Junho and I.

N’s POV

I leave the supermarket with two bags, one with food for myself, the other for Seohyun. In it are bandages, medicine, and some food. I get in my car and start driving to Seohyun and Junho’s apartment building.

I can't pretend I’m not jealous of the two especially since I’ve had a massive crush on Seohyun for a very long time but before I could muster the courage to ask her out, Junho got to her first. I wish I had asked her sooner but she’s happy with Junho so I can't do anything about it.

I park in the parking place outside the building and get out with her shopping bag. I open the front door and go up the stairs.

When I’m on the floor of Seohyun’s apartment I hear a faint scream. I doubt it’s anything serious, maybe someone’s watching a scary movie or someone played a prank on them. I reassure myself. Then I hear it again to my right, but a bit louder this time but still very faint. I shake it off and walk over to Seohyun’s door.

When I’m about to knock I hear a crash and then another scream, this one’s the loudest yet and it belongs to Seohyun. I jump and slip on something wet, it makes a loud noise.

“Seohyun! Are you alright?” I hear Junho shout a little too loudly, I don’t hear an answer. The door starts to unlock and I leap into the doorway next to them hoping it’ll hide me. Junho opens the door and looks up and down the hallway but he doesn’t see me. The door closes again and there’s quiet.

I dig in the bag for a bit until I find something and scribble something onto it and leave it in front of their neighbours door in the hope that they’ll give it to Seohyun. From what I’ve heard, they’re quite nice so I think they’ll give her the bag.

Seohyun’s POV

Thank god for that crash outside the door, after he heard that, Junho stopped with the hitting for tonight and after a few hours he left the apartment to wherever he goes in the evenings.

I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror; my eye is badly bruised and so is my cheek, both my forehead and lip are bleeding as well from when Junho pushed me into a lamp, the lamp broke and then I fell into the shards. My hands were badly cut so I fish out a roll of bandage and use the last of it to bandage my hands. I start dabbing at my forehead when there’s a knock on the door. It’s my neighbour and she’s holding up a shopping bag with Seohyun written in N’s handwriting.

“Someone left this at my door and it’s addressed to you.” She holds up the bag for me. I thank her and then go back to the bathroom. I look in the bag to find bandages, medicine, and even food! Thank you N. I smile feeling a lot better than I did a minute ago. I take everything and put it in my handbag when I see something scribbled on one of the last boxes at the bottom of the bag: Meet me outside in the park as soon as you read this, I need to talk to you–N

I quickly put on makeup to cover my bruises on my cheek and eye and then I put a Band-Aid on my forehead. I go down the stairs with my bag just in case Junho comes back.

I walk into the park and look around for N but I can't see him. Maybe he already left, it may have been a few hours after he left the bag. I look at the benches and come to one with a guy laying down with a book on his head; it’s the same one N is reading and he is also wearing the same shoes as N does. I tap him on the shoulder.

He jumps and lands on the ground, the book slides off his face revealing a very surprised N.

“Oh, you’re here. Hi.” N scrambles up brushing off his clothes, did he wait here the whole time? I think.

“Thank you for the medicine.” I say. He just gives me a small smile and gestures to the spot next to him. “You wanted to tell me something?” I ask sitting down.

“Yeah, what was that crash today?” He asks. That question takes me by surprise.

“Um, something fell down, I dropped my glass when I tripped and my hands were cut.” I hold them out. He narrows his eyes.

“And the screams before that?” He asks. I don’t say anything, I don’t know what I can say to that, “Don’t answer that, you have no excuses for it so tell me what is going on between you and Junho.” He says.

“Nothing is going on! I don’t think you heard right.” I say.

“I definitely heard right! Oh yeah, your makeup is not put on properly.” He points to my cheek, I guess he saw some of my bruise.

“I just hit it, I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.” I cover it up with my hand.

“Did you just hit these as well?” He pulls up my sleeves revealing my bruised arms, a few are older but most are quite new. “Stop lying to me.” He says almost angrily. “Please.” He pleads after a while. My eyes fill with tears and N gently puts his arms around me.

“I-it’s always like that, day or night, he doesn’t care. Says I’m nothing and that no one cares about me.” I sob. N waits until I’ve told him everything.

“I care about you, more than anything.” He rubs my back. His voice sounds strange so I look up at his face, he’s looking straight ahead and he’s struggling to remain calm. “D-do you know where he is now?” He tries to keep his voice light but I can see right through that act to see that he’s furious.

“I don’t know.” I pull away. I know that if I knew and told him, he would go straight there and try to kill Junho. He would probably get himself hurt and I could never live with myself if he did. “I know what you’re thinking though, and I won't let you do it.” I say.

“What am I thinking?” He asks innocently.

“Of hunting down Junho.” I say.

“He deserves what he’ll get.” He says darkly.

“He’s not worth it though.” I say.

“You are though!” He shouts. I flinch and he looks down guiltily, “I’m sorry.” He says quietly.

“It’s okay.” I say.

“It’s not, how could I not have figured out sooner what was happening? I’m such an idiot, had I figured it out sooner, I could have stopped you from being hurt ages ago!” He puts his head in his hands. “But why did you never tell me?” He looks up at me.

“I-I knew you’d try to confront Junho, you would’ve gotten yourself hurt.” I say.

“I could have also just gotten you away from him.” He says.

“And then try and beat up Junho.” I say.

“You’re right.” He sighs. The fact that N wants to beat up Junho for my sake warms my heart but I still can't let him do it no matter how much it would make the both of us feel better. We sit in silence for a bit and I know that N is still beating himself up for not knowing sooner but knowing him, there’s nothing I can say to convince him that it’s not his fault.

“Do you want to eat something? I have food with me.” I show him my bag.

“That’s your food, but we can go eat over there.” He points to the café just outside of the park. I nod and walk over to it. I order a coke and a croissant and N orders a croque monsieur and a coke. I start talking about the World Cup trying to steer the conversation away from Junho. Towards the end of the meal my phone buzzes. I take it out.

From Junho:

Where the hell are you? Get over to our apartment before you regret ever leaving.

Shaking I put my phone in my bag and get up.

“Where are you going?” N stands up, I don’t reply. “No, you’re not going to him.” He says.

“I have to.” I walk past him but he grabs my wrist, his grip is loose but I keep still.

“You don’t have to do anything, I beg you Seohyun, go anywhere except for that apartment building.” He pleads.

“B-but–” I start.

“No, I haven’t been able to protect you before from him but now I’m able to. I’ll book you a hotel room and pay everything, j-just don’t go to Junho.” He says.

“C-can I stay at yours?” I ask. He looks taken aback.

“Oh, yeah, sure.” He says.

We go to N’s apartment; it’s relatively clean except for the chip bag on the sofa, N takes it off and puts it on the kitchen counter.

“You take the bed and I’ll take the sofa?” He says. He takes his jacket off, and then brings a spare blanket to the sofa. “I have the best deal anyway.” He grins pointing to the TV. I smile and put my stuff next to his bed.

“We’ll change it up every now and then right? I want to try out the sofa.” I say not wanting to take total control of his bed.

“Okay.” He shrugs. I look in my bag for extra clothes but I have none. I sigh, “What is it?” N asks.

“I forgot my clothes.” I groan.

“We can go buy some.” He jumps up. We walk out onto the street and we walk to until we get to my favourite shop. I walk out with two bags and I’ve already changed into a dark blue shirt and black skinny jeans. We walk down the street and then in the distance I can see Junho walking down the street.

My blood turns cold and before I can try to hide N pulls me into the alley and hugs me close to him.

“Don’t move.” He whispers. I press my face into his chest and I can hear his heart beating wildly. I feel N stiffen when I hear Junho muttering as he passes us.

“Where is she, when I get a hold of her…” He trails off and I start shaking. N relaxes his grip on me.

“Hey, it’s alright, it’s alright.” He whispers over and over again. I can’t stop shaking, I’m thinking of all the things that can happen if Junho finds us. “He’s gone don’t worry.” He brushes the tears falling from my cheeks, “You’re safe now.” He says.

“H-how can you be sure?” I ask.

“I will keep you safe, I won't let him touch you.” He says, “I promise.”

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