YUGYEOM'S POV

I slumped down on my bed and threw my backpack carelessly on the floor beside me. I felt my phone vibrate and I turned the screen on to see Sowon's name displayed. Unknowingly, I was smiling to myself as we started our late night texting sessions. A few hours later, Mark hyung came in and I quickly hid my phone under my pillow. Mark hyung raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing~" I said as I took out a random book from bag to 'read' it.

"How's Omma?" he asked as he made his way to his bed.

"She ate a bowl of rice and soup, took her pills and went to sleep about half an hour ago," I replied.

Mark hyung finally turned his back towards me and I silently took out my phone and continued my chat with Sowon. I was too oblivious that I didn't notice Mark turn back around.

"Well, that's a first, you talking to someone," he said.

In shock, my phone fell on my pillow, beside me. Mark hyung raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why are you so shocked?" he asked and I quickly shook my head.

"Nothing..." I said again but Mark hyung didn't buy it this time.

"Who are you talking to?" he asked.

"... Sowon," I replied.

Mark hyung closed his eyes and sighed before sitting down on his bed.

"I told you not to be close to her," he said firmly.

"Hyung, I can't not be close to her... I... I love her," I said.

"Love? Gyeom, you're only 18, how do you know whether what you're feeling now is love?" he asked.

"Well, how about you? You grew up without any," I fought back without thinking.

Immediately, Mark hyung's expression changed and I wished I could take back what I just said.

"Fine, I guess you're right... but I'm telling you this, you're going to get hurt by being close to that girl," he said as he lied down on his bed and faced away from me.

"Damn... why do I always mess things up?" I thought to myself.

I quickly texted Sowon that something came up so as to not upset Mark hyung any further.

"Sowon?"

Appa had come in suddenly and he caught me texting on my mobile phone. He stared at me and then at my phone.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked.

"... Youngjae..." I lied.

"Is he the boy that always admits you into the hospital?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and placed my phone beside me on my bed.

"No... That's Yugyeom," I said.

"Sowon, let me see your phone," he said firmly.

I held onto my phone tightly and got off my bed at the side furtherst from Appa.

"Give it..." he repeated.

"Okay, fine! I've been talking to Yugyeom! What's the big deal?" I confessed.

Appa's eyes widened.

"What did I tell you about that boy?! I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" he shouted.

"I TRIED! I COULDN'T, OKAY?!" I fought back.

"YOU COULDN'T WHAT? WHY COULDN'T YOU STAY AWAY?!" he yelled.

"BE--- BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!!!" I shouted.

Omma had bursted through the doors at that moment to see Appa on the verge of exploding.

"This... girl..." Appa said angrily through gritted teeth.

I looked at him straight on, keeping my stand. Omma rushed to my side and shook me a few times.

"Yah, Kang Sowon... What's gone into you? Huh?" she asked desperately.

"THAT BOY IS A BAD INFLUENCE!" Appa screamed.

"NO, HE ISN'T! HE'S ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE THAT'S WILLING TO STAY AND LOVE ME DESPITE KNOWING I WAS GOING TO DIE SOON! HOW CAN I JUST LEAVE SOMEONE LIKE THAT?!" I shouted.

Straight afterwards, Omma raised up her hand and slapped me hard across my face. I hadn't been slapped before, even Iif I had, it was probably when I was really small because I couldn't remember. I looked up at her and placed my palm on my cheek as it stung. Even Appa was shocked and stood there silently while Omma glared at me.

"Since you started public school and spending time with other teenagers, you've been acting different. You disobey us and just behave how ever you want to without thinking about the consequences. Your father and I are TIRED of your behaviour. If you don't break off contact with this boy, we'll not only make you stay at home until the day you die... we'll make sure that boy doesn't have a nice future. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FOR HIM IF YOU LOVE HIM SO MUCH?!" she threatened.

At that point, I couldn't believe. Was it so wrong for me to love? Did I really change for the worse? Was it better for me to just stay at home and wait for my death rather than exploring and doing the things I wanted to do? Was it better for Yugyeom if I just left? The answer was no... and maybe that sounded selfish to my parents... and maybe it really was but I couldn't just back out. I didn't want Yugyeom to end up like JR.

"You'd hurt Yugyeom... and destroy his life just to have me cooped up in here..." I said, expressing my disappointment in every word.

"What kind of parents are you?" I asked as tears started to stream down my face.

I backed away from the both of them and quickly went inside my bathroom.

LATER ON... CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT...

"Hello?" Bambam greeted.

"Bambam ah... I'm running away from home... Can I stay at your house?" I asked as I went out of the mansion through the backdoor of the kitchen with my school backpack and another backpack with some of my belongings.