[HYOMIN’S POV]

Chaos. It’s a word that always comes up in my mind whenever I’m at home, get in my room and hear those bicker noise all over again. It was always violence, it always does. To hear it from them is always a heart breaking one, I couldn’t do anything but to hide and cry silently. I always, always wanted to embrace myself from it but I don’t want to feel those shiver, trembling hands felt on me – I don’t want those scared voice be heard and I don’t want those sobbing sound echoed again in my room; with myself and with her, my most respectful and beloved mom, I don’t want her to see like that.

Silence was filled in our home, after that noisy voice occupied almost the entire house. I took my slow and silent steps while I went down – bringing my backpack with me, and a small note in my hand. Running away from home wasn’t really my idea; but I couldn’t do anything other than that. Like I had said before I don’t want to see my mom like that, I don’t want to cry in front of her and I don’t want to witness how heartbroken she was with this kind of family she had. My entire neglecting move towards her and my father’s too. Well I guess I really wanted her to be happy, like other mothers out there, but I couldn’t.

What am I supposed to do when every time I insist, she’ll give me that cheerful smile like it couldn’t kill her inside?

I placed the small note on the small table beside the flower vase. Though it isn’t my will to but I took my courage to have a glance, just a little bit onto her for the last time, I guess. My mother was sitting on a sofa, covering her face, crying and crying. I don’t really want to imagine how gloomy her expression was, so I look away and bring the luggage with me, silently, without any trace and even without goodbyes. I’ve been wanting her to realize reality and move on – I was hoping it would happen, that’s basically my wish every day and my prayers every night. But maybe she doesn’t want to, so today I’ll leave. I’ll leave her alone.

“Hyomin?”

I lifted up my face when some familiar voice called my name, many times actually. I was sitting at a bus stop waiting, and thinking where place should I go to live or wherever place I know I’m safe to. I saw Jiyeon’s mom, getting out from her car with her husband driving. Bet they went somewhere and passed by me, found me then making him stop the car for a while.

“Are you going somewhere?”

They let me in, never asking questions why I’m with a luggage and I’m outside alone. The beautiful woman smiled at me, she did sit beside to accompany me. She is just a nice person; I won’t wonder why Jiyeon is one too.

“I was about to look rent places, but how unlucky I am today.” I laughed awkwardly, lying.

“Oh! So that’s why you’re with your luggage?” the woman raised her brows, “but you should’ve called me before, I could help you find some.”

“I can find those through online, so thank you for the offer but there’s no need to help me anymore.”

“You are such a wonderful child. But you’re still a high school student; you’re supposed to live with your parents’ right?”

I really wanted to live with my parents.

“My father’s job is to travel around the city, so he can’t really stay with me at home. My mom’s having a job too far away too, so I just decided to rent some safe place I can live.” I lied again.

“Your parents were kinda busy huh.”

“Yeah…”

“How about you’ll stay in our house for a while?”

They bring me to their house, 15 minutes after. Her husband was carrying the bags from the trunk. I guess they went on some groceries or something. Jiyeon’s mom helped me with my luggage; it’s not that really heavy since I did brought few clothes only with me. Once the door had opened, we saw Jiyeon with her phone on her ear and was about to leave with her outfit, going somewhere maybe?

“Oh mom your home,” she laughed, with that toothy smile.

“Going somewhere?” her mom asked.

“Ahhmm.. just got to check some, uh-”

“Eh? Anyway we have a visitor to get accompany with. You won’t be surprise since you know her.”

The brunette checks on me, bet she was a little bit curious about whom they’ll going to accompany with. Her mother called me and led me to enter in her house. I couldn’t describe Jiyeon’s expression though, it’s like she’s happy but half of it wasn’t really?

“Hyomin’s gonna stay here for a while since she’s looking for a dormitory to live in for now.”

“Have you eaten your dinner yet, Hyomin?” her mom asked me, smiling prettily.

“I had already.” I replied, I don’t really have the appetite to eat right now.

“So, darling go and help Hyomin up. Bring her luggage in your room, you two gotta share one room for a while now, okay?” her mom commanded, poor Jiyeon having that rigid posture.

“W-what?! But mom..” she insists.

“I said go and help her up. There are only two rooms available in this house; we don’t have any guest rooms. But if you’ll acting like this, there must be something you’re hiding from me. And so you don’t want Hyomin to figure that out.”

I guess I was the only one who knew it.

“What something? Is my daughter hiding something from us?” her father too, asked.

“N-not not.. That’s not what I mean…” the brunette waved her hands to say no, “it’s just that I didn’t get to clean my room earlier!”

“You surely have reasons huh. Anyway Hyomin, you once went to her room right? There must be something suspicious about my child.” then chuckled.

“Mom!”

“Enough with this, let’s just go and make some fruit salad for tomorrow’s honey.” Jiyeon’s father went first to their kitchen, placing all the goods on the table.

This family is such an adorable one. Seeing them like this makes me happy, for some reason. I don’t really know what Jiyeon’s thinking, but I’m thankful enough to have a friend like hers, to know her and her family too.

And so, Jiyeon helped me out. Lead me to her room as she was carrying my luggage. Since it’s a little bit awkward to live and sleep with her, and I don’t really know how long it would be. So I must find a good and safe dorm very soon, I couldn’t be a burden to this family.

“Just feel at home, and tell me what you needed.” she smiled placing that luggage at the corner.

“I can’t be here, really.” I opposed her idea, “so I must find a place to live in, but not here.”

“Anyway, why looking for it all of a sudden?”

Oh yes, questions might ask from her. I’ll get to lie again this time, a person like me hating lies but doing it exactly today. Can’t really tell whether to choose the good ones or the bad ones, with this situation I had right now.

“Nothing important.”

“Is this related to that ‘situation’ you were talking about?” she asked again, I find her very persistent, sometimes.

“If you don’t want me to sleep on your bed tonight, then I’ll be on the floor. Just give me some pillow and a blanket, I’ll be fine with it.” I changed the topic, tried to get away from it.

“Hey, who said you’re allowed to sleep on the floor?” her expression turned to a serious one, “mom said you’ll be sleeping with me for a while.”

“You were acting not okay with it, a-”

“It’s quiet cold. My bed has some heater on it, you need that.”

After changing my clothes I went on her bed, she wasn’t here yet since she has something to do downstairs with her parents. Jiyeon offered me some pyjamas but I decline since I had mine, which is more comfortable. My phone suddenly vibrates and I leave it as it is, since I know it would be my mom asking me where I went to and why I left from home. Bet she didn’t get to see that small note I had left at home but I’m sure she’ll going to find it sooner.

Jiyeon went in holding one tray with two glasses of milk and a paired slice of pineapples. The latter glance on my phone – that was still vibrating and the caller’s name were visible. I took it and secretly turned it off; she might be wondering why I didn’t answer that. Well I haven’t really told her about my alibi but I guess she she would know it since I told her parents why.

“Why won’t you answer it though? It may be important.” the girl placed the tray on the bedside table, handed me that one glass of milk, “drink it up, it’ll help you have a good sleep.”

“Thanks.”

The night went silent as we finished ate all the pineapples and drank the milk. I don’t know, were too close enough but why the silent strikes whenever were all alone?

“Your mom being a bit funny today,” I retorted.

“She always does that.”

“Seems like they don’t really have an idea about it.”

“My mom’s a cheerful one, and I don’t exactly know what she would say about me if ever I told them about that. And my dad..too.”

“You’re thinking too much. Just go and have some good sleep,” I smiled, tapping her head.

“Thank you and goodnight.”

Now she smiled again. There’s something in her smile I couldn’t say why I liked it a lot. The loner Jiyeon I knew before suddenly faded away just like that, I can’t really tell I made her like to be. She has her own inspiration, and I think it’s the first reason why she is a cheerful one right now. But now that I had mentioned that, I remembered that conversation again which led me to worry when I know I shouldn’t. This girl is sometimes too innocent for everything about life, but I didn’t say I know everything about it either. The truth that bothered me, I should just keep it by myself for her.

But to give advice felt worth it, since she all did it for herself.

I wonder why but I really do want to see her like that, like a flower blooms showing off its beauty and how pure it was. Seems like being friends with her isn’t that bad idea – I had thought of it from the start. But now everything changes, every time I’m at my loneliest hour, or in a situation where I don’t want to belong to, I think of her and it could make me less worry about life.

Don’t have an idea on why but it felt so good.

~~~

Author's note: Another chapter is up! Sorry for the wait >..<