She stepped into the office building, gingerly making her way to the front desk to ask for her parents. They’d asked her this morning to meet them at work after school so they could all go out for dinner. If only she’d known what was going to happen…

After Suga left—what had he been doing there anyway?—she’d called the police to collect the two muggers before limping her way to her parents’ office.

The receptionist took one look at her and gasped in horror. Sujin grimaced. She knew her face must be swelling and purple and her stomach hurt like hell from Suga’s kick. She got the feeling that he had softened the blow when he realized she was in front of him but it still hurt. A lot.

She grimaced again.

“Oh my goodness! Are you alright? Are you—are you looking for someone? Should I call the police? Oh dear!”

“I’m fine. I’m here for my parents. Kim Eunseo and Lee Namhyun?”

“Oh yes, yes dear, of course, I’ll call them immediately!”

A few minutes later, she heard the elevator ding and then her parents’ worried voices filled the lobby.

She turned and managed a weak smile. “Hi Mom, Dad.”

“Oh my goodness, what happened to you? Who did this?” Her mom ran forward and looked her over before examining the large bruise on her face.

“Someone tried to mug me,” she explained.

“Are you alright? Oh, did you hurt your stomach too?” her father asked, thunderous rage already on his face.

“Huh? Oh yeah. This was…someone else.”

“What? Mugged twice in a row? What are the police doing—”

“No,” she interrupted softly, thinking of Suga. “He…protected me. I just got in the way.”

“What? Never mind, let’s get you to a hospital first! Honestly, people these days.”

Her mother muttered under her breath as she fussed over Sujin all the way to the hospital. Her father was silent but she could feel his anger in the air.

“I’m fine, really,” Sujin stated for the fiftieth time. She sighed long-sufferingly. “They’re just bruises. Nothing’s broken. Anyway, I’m just hungry and tired. Can we go home yet?”

Eventually, they left since the doctor had diagnosed that they were only bruises and would need to be iced constantly to reduce swelling. Only time would heal, but in the meantime she should probably stay home from school until they were mostly better. Sujin had no problem with that.

“Oh Sujin! We’re so sorry we made you walk to the office. We never thought—”

“I know, Mom, it’s okay. I should’ve been more careful.” She smiled reassuringly.

Her father was still frowning. “What exactly happened?”

“Well, I got off the subway and was walking when these two guys came up to me and asked for directions to some restaurant, I forget which. Anyway, I told them and was about to leave when they grabbed me and pulled me around a corner and tried to steal my money.” She winced and shifted the ice packs on her face and ribs. “When I told them I didn’t have any, one of them punched me in the face and they started…pulling at my clothes.” Her mother gasped. “They didn’t get far, don’t worry! One of my—classmates found me and—knocked out the two men. He hurt them a lot and I was afraid he was going to hurt them too much so I—I jumped in front of him to stop him and he accidentally kicked me. It was my fault!”

“Hmph. And who is this boy we need to thank? Invite him over for dinner someday,” her father demanded and her eyes widened comically.

“Uh—wha—Su—invite—dinner!? Oh, uh, he and I aren’t really, uh, close or anything. I’ve just seen him around a few times so, you know, it would be really awkward to ask him to—okay, fine, I’ll ask.” She pouted at their expectant expressions. “But he’ll probably say no. He’s not very…social.”

“Nonsense!” Her mother switched out the ice packs. “He saved you so of course we must thank him. Ask him as soon as you go back to school. Or do you have his number?” Her mother’s eyes glinted.

“N-no! No, I don’t, sorry! I told you, we’re not actually friends.”

“Good,” her father growled. “He may have helped you but that doesn’t mean I approve of him.”

“Dad!” She blushed.

“Dear! Don’t you want Sujin to meet a good man and give us grandchildren? It’s time she started dating, really.”

“Mom!” She blushed even harder.

Dating Suga? Inconceivable.

He slammed the door and ripped off his clothes before stepping into the shower. He turned the heat up so that the water was scalding, making his skin pink and red. It burned—and he was glad.

He scrubbed at his skin, his hair, his face, but no matter how much he scratched at himself, he could still see the blood on his knuckles, could sense it on his cheeks. He closed his eyes and the spray of the water felt like splattering blood.

He kept seeing his mother and her, abused and still on the ground and their blood on his hands. It wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t his fault—but the guilt swirled inside his gut, threatening to drown him. He was already drowning—he could feel his lungs filling up with boiling hot water and he was sinking, sinking…

His eyes flew open and he hacked out the fiery water he’d swallowed, his hands scrambling to turn off the shower. Skin red and raw from heat and cleansing, he dried himself and dressed in the cleanest clothes he could find before tumbling into bed. The lights were already off; they were never on. He closed his eyes, willing either sleep or death to come to him but neither answered his call.

As expected.

His body sagged with the weight of his pain and guilt and utter exhaustion—he hadn’t really slept in a long, long time—but his mind raced through bloodstained memories, as always. He wouldn’t sleep; he couldn’t bring himself to die either.

He was at an impasse with his own body.

Sighing, he settled down for another sleepless night.

A/N: Trying to write more per chapter but it's not really working out...do you guys mind the length? Should I try to squeeze in more each chapter? I don't want things to move TOO fast...

Let me know any and all questions, comments, and/or concerns you may have! Don't be shy! :P

skyblaze208, OUT!

© Copyright 2015 by skyblaze208