I woke up the next morning to a knock on the door. I slowly sat up and said it was ok to come in. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and saw Mrs Choi.

“Morning Kristen, how are you?”

“Ah, I’m good thanks… how about you?”

“I’m doing fine, I just came to talk to you about staying here over the next week…”

I nodded and looked over the edge of the bed to find Zelo.

“Where’s Zelo?”

“You don’t have to call him Zelo, you can call him Jonghongie.”

She smiled at me. She had a good vibe that made me so comfortable when she smiled. She was such a caring mother.

“Jonghongie is at school right now. You’ve slept in.”

“Really? Wow, you could’ve woken me up and I could’ve gone with him, we have most of our classes together…”

“No, even if you do, we don’t want you at school for a little while. He’s gone to take notes better so he can help you with your homework better. He showed me how hard it is for you.”

“When?”

“This morning at breakfast. He was going to stay home today, but I talked with his teachers and they’re sending home worksheets with him tonight. And you shouldn’t try to do them all in one go either, you can finish them over the weekend, ok?”

“Thank you so much… You’re all being too kind to me…”

She hugged me and told me it was nothing, then she told me to get dressed while she made me breakfast. When I walked out she had some toast for me and a coffee for herself. I sat down, and she started to talk with me again.

“So Kristen, my husband is going to the police station tomorrow, so could you tell me how you usually spend your time at home, in both houses?”

I slumped back in my chair and put my toast down. I really didn’t want to say anything because I was already in trouble the next time mum set her eyes on me…

“Kristen, are you ok?”

I blinked back my tears and tried to look away. I felt horrible, if I told her, I’d probably cause her extra stress while she tried to look after me, but if I didn’t mum would have my head…

“Kristen, what’s going through your head right now?”

I looked up, and wiped my face.

“I’m thinking about what would happen if I told you or not…”

She seemed flustered, and she took a sip of her coffee.

“Could you just tell me how you feel at home, you don’t have to tell me what happens, but how do you feel as a person…”

I hesitated, but then I mumbled my answer.

“Worthless…”

She was so shocked, and I felt horrible. She was already doing so well under the stress of managing her family, she didn’t have to worry about me and add more things to her list of stressful things.

“Why do you feel like that?”

I looked out the window, and completely zoned out as I gave my answer.

“Worthless… like paper in the rain, a flower in a fire, the clouds covering the sun…”

We both stayed quiet.

I let tears roll down my cheeks.

“I feel horrible, that’s all you need to know…”

“But you’re such a sweet and kind girl, we just want to help you…”

“But what did I do to deserve this kindness? You’re already worked to the bone looking after your husbands and your sons, and you still put on a smile every day, you don’t need me to bring you down and cause you more stress! I’ve never been able to help anyone else, and I haven’t helped you in anyway that’s worth you repaying me like this…”

“But Kristen, we’re helping you because you’re Zelo’s friend…”

I just burst into tears. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted her to help me more, but I didn’t want her to go out of her way to help me either. I just cried. It was all I could do.

“We’re helping you so that you can do your best at your life Kristen… no one deserves to go through what you are going through, so we’re trying to show you what a family could be like, so you could make one if you decide to…”

I moved my toast away and put my head on the table. I kept crying, I didn’t know what was wrong with me…

But then I felt her rub my back. No one had ever comforted me while I was crying, no one had ever been there for me. Not until I met Zelo and his mother. I slowly lifted my head and looked her in the eyes. She looked so kind, she wanted to comfort me, I could see it in her face. But why?

“You know, I wasn’t even friends with Zelo until this whole thing started…”

“What do you mean?”

“The first time we talked was when I accidentally bumped into him and when I helped him pick up his notes that he dropped. That was the same day that you dropped me off. Before that we had never talked…”

“Really… you two seemed like you had been friends for a long time…”

We stayed quiet for a while. We stayed quiet until I couldn’t take it anymore.

“You know that he is so talented. He is so nice, and has great taste in music, and writes the most amazing things… but he never shows people that he has those talents…”

She stayed quiet. Maybe she already knew, but I just wanted her to know.

“He is the most handsome and most talented boy, and he is so lucky to have you as his mother. He is great at soccer, he is an amazing dancer, he does the cutest little doodles on his pages, and he is just an amazing person…”

“Do you… like him?”

“Yes… he is the most amazing person I know, after you…”

I looked up to her, and she seemed so flattered that I loved her son. Well now she knew.

“Please don’t tell him…”

“Why not?”

Why didn’t I want him to know? I didn’t know either. I slowly walked up and went into his room.

She let me walk off and have a minute.

I flopped on his bed and cried my heart out. I cried so hard that I fell asleep.

I was woken when she walked in with a plate full of cookies.

“Hey Kristen, are you feeling better?”

I sat up and wiped the dried tears off my face.

“I made some cookies, maybe they’ll make you feel better?”

She handed the plate to me and I shyly took one.

“Do you want to talk some more?”

I stayed silent and ate the cookie slowly. It was delicious, but I was upset, so I couldn’t enjoy the flavour as much…

She hugged me, and I felt a little better. She was such an amazing woman.

“Do you want to tell me why you don’t want Jonghongie to know?”

I took a deep breath and put the cookie down.

“I don’t want to ruin him. He is perfect the way he is, I don’t want to drag him down with my depressing life…”

She squeezed me tightly, and I just started to cry again.

“Honey, if you got together, you would be happier. I can see that when you’re with him, you can’t stop smiling. He will help you smile brighter, and you’ll help him to smile too!”

“I don’t know…”

We sat in silence as she hugged me more. I had never felt a motherly hug, and now I knew what I was missing out on.

Then my phone buzzed.

“Who do you think that is?”

I walked over and rummaged through my bag to get to my phone.

Three unread messages

“Three different people.”

“Do you want me to read them with you?”

I nodded my head and sat down next to her.

“First one is from dad.”

 

Yesterday – 5:47 pm   Kristen! I heard from your mum today! You ran away? I told you I couldn’t pick you up yet… And I failed too. Thanks to worrying about you. Just go home and deal with it for a little while longer, ok?

 

A tear landed on my phone. Why dad? Why…

“Where was he?”

“He said he had a job interview out of town…”

“Really? That’s great!”

“He didn’t have a job interview…”

“What do you mean?”

I took a deep breath before I spoke.

“He cheated… that’s why they divorced… he’s still seeing the girl…”

She hugged me tight, I could hear her crying.

“That’s horrible… why haven’t you told anyone?”

“He didn’t go to get the job interview… he was still seeing the girl… he thinks I don’t know…”

She hugged me even tighter, but I opened up the next message.

 

Yesterday – 3:52 pm   Kristen where the hell are you? You were supposed to meet me at the gates? Where are you spending the night? I’ll find you and you will come home with me, got it? You have a pile of chores waiting for you so come home.

 

I threw my phone and cried into Mrs Choi.

“She hates me… she really hates me…”

“Shhh….”

“Everybody hates me…”

“No… only they do… we all love you Kristen…”

I just cried. I didn’t know what to think.

We sat there for about ten minutes just crying, then she let go and grabbed my phone.

“There was still one more message, right?”

I wiped my face and opened up my phone.

 

Today – 1:39 pm   Hey! Lunch just finished, and I’ll be home soon. Do you want to play soccer or eat before we do homework? Or even not do it today? But I’ll do what you want ok? Got to go, the teacher is going to have my head if she catches me texting! See you tonight! :)

 

I couldn’t help but smile as tears kept on rolling down my face.

“How did he get my number?”

She smiled and hugged me.

“I asked the school, and they gave it to me, and I gave it to him… that ok?”

“Yes…”

“Why don’t you reply? I’ll go put out some more cookies when the boys come home, then I’ll be in the laundry washing, ok? You just relax until they come home.”

“Yes, thank you…”

I hugged her tightly, and then she left.

 

Today – 1:59 pm   Jonghongie! I’ve had a bad day… I want to play soccer with you but I think I’m too upset to play properly… But your mother made cookies for us all when you get home, so we can just eat! :) Come home hungry!

 

I smiled to myself and put the phone down. I was feeling so tired from crying so much that I lied down on the bed.

But then my phone buzzed again.

 

Today – 2:03 pm   Oooh! Yumm! :) Mum’s cookies are great, have you already eaten them? Only an hour and a half until I can come home again, dad will pick me up with hyung, then we can eat cookies! See you in a bit! :D

 

He was such a cutie! I put my phone on the desk, and ate another cookie before dozing off.

 

<><><> Zelo’s P.O.V <><><>

 

I woke up a little late, but I went out and saw mum making breakfast.

“Oh, hi jonghongie!”

“Hey mum, you having toast today?”

“No, it’s for your father, he just has to get some paperwork into some folders and then he has to rush your brother to school…”

“Ah ok…”

I grabbed a bowl of cereal, and stayed out of the way while I watched hyung and dad run around frantically so they weren’t late. After they both left, mum sat down with me.

“Is Kristen doing ok?”

“No… she’s really upset about everything…”

“Yeah… poor thing. Did she do ok with the homework?”

“Not really… she was finding it hard to everything, and she could barely remember the stuff we learnt at school just these first few days of the week…”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, but I was having a hard time too… I didn’t realise how hard schoolwork was without the teacher there… I should’ve been better to her and showed her how to do some of the worksheets better…”

“No, it’s not your fault, you both did your best… maybe you should go to school today and ask the teachers for more help so you can show Kristen…”

I dropped my spoon and dashed to my room. I quietly opened the door and grabbed my uniform.

Kristen was still asleep.

“Just relax today, ok Kristen?”

I whispered before walking out.

I got dressed and grabbed my school bag. Mum had already packed a lunchbox for me, and then she quickly drove me to school. I was just in time.

All my friends had wondered where I was, and I just said that I had been sick. Mum said that was what I should tell everyone. They mucked around with me and bit, and got me up to date with what I had missed out on in the social loop before class started. As the teacher walked in, they started up the lesson. Everyone had a quick chat as he did, and I turned around to look at Kristen’s friends. They didn’t even notice that she wasn’t there. Cows…

I went through the whole day asking more questions than usual, my friends asked if I was really all right and fully recovered. They were funny, but they waited for me to grab some worksheets and ask a few last questions. I just told them that mum asked me to catch up fully before the end of the week.

At lunch I played a bit of soccer, but I went in to the library to print off some worksheets, and wrote down some notes on what would be helpful to remember later. When the lunch bell rang we all went to class, and I thought it would be nice to text Kristen. I sat down at my desk and opened up my phone under the table.

 

Today – 1:39 pm   Hey! Lunch just finished, and I’ll be home soon. Do you want to play soccer or eat before we do homework? Or even not do it today? But I’ll do what you want ok? Got to go, the teacher is going to have my head if she catches me texting! See you tonight! :)

 

“Jonghong! Phones away!”

“Sorry miss!”

I quickly put my phone away, and my buddy whispered to me.

“Hey, who’re you texting?”

“My… friend…”

“Ohhh! Is it a girl?”

“Ya! It doesn’t matter!”

He turned around and told some of my other friends and they all started to tease me. I actually didn’t mind too much, I missed them and their silly jokes.

Soon class started and we got to go onto our work. I was working my way through my sheet, when my phone buzzed. Good thing it was on silent. I looked around and quickly pulled out my phone.

 

Today – 1:59 pm   Jonghongie! I’ve had a bad day… I want to play soccer with you but I think I’m too upset to play properly… But your mother made cookies for us all when you get home, so we can just eat! :) Come home hungry!

 

“Yes!”

“Zelo! What?”

“Mum’s making cookies!”

He turned around and whispered something to the others, and then one of them yelled so loud that the class could hear.

“You’re texting your mum about cookies!?”

Everyone looked at me and I just flopped my face onto the table. I was so embarrassed.

“I’m not texting my mum miss… I’m doing my work…”

The whole class quietened down, and I quickly wrote back a reply.

 

Today – 2:03 pm   Oooh! Yumm! :) Mum’s cookies are great, have you already eaten them? Only an hour and a half until I can come home again, dad will pick me up with hyung, then we can eat cookies! See you in a bit! :D

 

I finished off the work as fast as I could, and then I mucked around with my friends for a bit.

School finished sooner than I thought, but I made my way out to the front, where I saw dad waiting for me. Hyung was in the front too.

“Ya! Jonghong! Over here!”

I ran over and got into the back, and dad started to talk to hyung while he drove home.

“I’ve made an appointment with the police tomorrow to talk about Kristen’s parents… mum was going to see what she will tell us, and if she says anything to you, tell us please…”

“She probably won’t talk to me though dad…”

“You never know, but make sure that you are open to listen to her still, she might just want a hyung to talk with…”

“Yeah… Jonghong, you take the best care of her ok?”

“I will hyung!”

We sat in silence for the rest of the trip, and when we pulled up to our house we could smell the cookies as we walked in the door.

I saw mum in the kitchen starting on dinner and a plate of cookies ready for us on the counter. I took one as I started to put the homework sheets on the table for later.

“Where’s Kristen?”

“Um, she was in your room when I left, she might be asleep…”

“Ah, ok…”

I slowly ate my cookie, then I got up and put the plate of cookies back on the bench. Mum was still making dinner, but she turned around when she heard me put the plate back.

“What? There are still cookies on the plate? Usually they are gone in three seconds flat!”

“Haha, yeah, I’m just not sure if I want to eat right now…”

She put some lids on the pots and set them to simmer as she started to talk to me.

“Are you feeling ok?”

“I’m worried about Kristen, that’s all…”

“Yeah, she should still be in your room. I think she fell asleep after I left her a plate of cookies a few hours ago, she might still be sleeping.”

“Ok… do you think I could visit her?”

“Yeah, but in twenty minutes tell her dinner is almost ready.”

“Ok mum!”

I slowly walked to my room and cracked open the door silently. Kristen was asleep on her side.

I quietly walked in and shut the door behind me, and then I sat on the foot of the bed.

She looked really stressed, even while she was asleep. She really did have a horrible life. But why?

I carefully crawled next to her and sat behind her. I could still see her while I sat, she seemed so shut off from the world. She was cuddled up against herself, I think she was really lonely.

I carefully brushed some of her hair behind her ear and whispered to her.

“Why do you have such a bad family? What did you do to deserve this?”

She was in a deep sleep. She had been pretty tired, it was good she was sleeping well.

I laid down and propped my head up on my arm.

“Why are you so shy? You’re such a nice person, more people should know who you are…”

She moved a little, and I thought I had woken her.

She was just getting off her shoulder, she was sleeping on it funny.

“Why do you hide from everyone? Do you just need to be loved…?”

I didn’t know if I should or not, but I really just wanted to hug her.

I got under the covers quietly, and pulled them up on her a little. I slowly slid my arm under her and slipped my other arm on top of her waist.

“Mmmmhhh…”

She let out a quiet moan, I was surprised, and I thought she didn’t like it. But she slowly moved her hands to rest on mine, and leant back into me.

She was so warm and delicate…

I didn’t want to do anything else but lie down with her.

“Kristen, you know we can be your new family… we all love you…”

“Mmmmhh…”

I think she was half awake, but I just wanted to fall asleep with her in my arms. We stayed cuddled up for a while, and I thought she had gone back to sleep, but she whispered something softly.

“I love you…”

I squeezed her and hugged her tightly.

“I love you too…”

I kissed her lightly on her neck, and I could hear her smile.

We both fell asleep cuddled up against each other.

It was heaven for me…

 

<><><> Hyung’s P.O.V <><><>

 

“When’s dinner ready mum? That smell is torture!”

“Um… about 7 more minutes ok…”

“Ah! That is like 5 hours!”

“Or seven minutes…”

“I guess…”

I laughed it off and set the table to distract my hungry stomach.

Dad walked out too, he couldn’t take the smell either, we had to eat right now!

“Is that going to be ready soon?”

“Yeah, another 5…”

“Ok...”

Dad sat down at the table and had a look at the homework Jonghong left out.

I walked around and watched hungrily as mum started to dish out dinner.

“Need help?”

“Ah, no, but could you go get Kristen and Jonghongie?”

“Yup…”

I walked up to his room, but the door was closed.

I knocked, and there was no answer, so I slowly opened the door.

The lights were out, and I had to wait for my eyes to adjust.

But then I saw it.

He finally made a move on her.

They were asleep together.

They were spooning!

“Good one Jonghong…”

I whispered as I closed the door quietly behind me.

I walked back into the kitchen, and dad looked confused as he saw me walk out by myself.

“Where are the other two?”

I sat down and smiled cheekily as mum brought around our plates.

“Well… they were both asleep… so I didn’t wake them…”

I kept smiling, I was glad he was with Kristen, he at least had an idea of what she was going through to help her.

“Well, why are you smiling then? You didn’t draw on them did you?”

“Ah, I should’ve! No, I didn’t…”

“Well…?”

“Let’s just say Jonghong will be in a really good mood from now on, and we’ll be seeing a lot more of Kristen…”

I grabbed a spoonful of dinner and ate.

“What does that mean?”

Dad was curious by what I meant. I looked up and smiled again.

“He was hugging her!”

Mum’s face lit up.

“Really? Let’s go see!”

We all slowly walked to his room and cracked the door open again.

“See…?”

I whispered as they looked though.

Dad smiled and then moved out of the way, but mum just had to go in closer and take a better look.

She pulled the blanket up higher on them, and took a moment to take it in.

She quietly walked out and closed the door behind her.

“Aww… they are so cute!”

We made our way back to the table and continued to eat.

“Good on him though, I’ve seen the way he looks at her, and I don’t mind if they get together!”

“Yes, ah, he’s growing up… But did you see how happy they both were? Kristen cried so much today, she is so upset by it all, but she was smiling all over, and I’ve never seen Jonghong smile so much in his sleep!”

“Yeah… Well, just as long as they look after each other, then I don’t have to do anything!”

“Haha, yes… I can’t wait to see how this adventure unfolds!”