Chapter Text
You heard a seat pulled beside you and a man sat down next to you. He seemed familiar from your view but you decide against your curiosity and focus back on your webcomic.
You noticed he had a cup of instant noodles and the smell quickly hits your nostrils.
Just in time, your stomach grumbled.
Loud and clear making you shuffle on your seat in embarrassment.
You heard him let out a groan before getting up from his seat to get something.
Okay, you don't have to be that rude old man. I can't control my hunger!
You cursed him inside, quickly packing your things to leave before you could met him again when suddenly, another cup of noodles slide to your side of the table.
"Eat up before you leave." He said to you before he sat down to gaze out the window.
What a weird man.
Oh well, least I got to eat dinner today!
You happily slurp on the noodles, taking in each taste slowly hoping your hunger would subsides. Heck, what type of brand are these they're so-
"Thank you for the food old man." You thanked him before going back to your food. Gosh, it feels like heaven! It's been almost a full day without any proper meal, it's fortunate that the world decided to pity you today.
Perhaps you should give something to him.
A drawing of himself perhaps?
I mean, that's your only choice now since financially you are suffering and mentally, you want to break down in your room and call it a day.
Being the good person you are, you sketch him on your notebook pulled from your bag and tried not to make it obvious you were spying on him. Worse thing he could do is frame me as a stalker.
Before leaving the store, you slid the paper to him and hurriedly left before he could thank you.
After that day, you never saw him again, not until another tragedy struck your life did he manage to track you down through her.
~
You knew that the moment you get too attached to someone, they'll leave you first without saying goodbye.
When the news struck, the teacher who had once been your closest friend now laid dead, stab to death by a student. Her student, all while you were striped away out of your phone and contact to the social world just to teach you a lesson.
When you got back to your home, it was already too late. She was already under the ground or perhaps turned to ashes. You're not quite sure yourself but you know for a certain that she was no longer alive.
If she were still breathing, perhaps she'd come to your home to celebrate your birthday. Now, all that's left are memories of who you once were.
Life was unfair.
You knew that.
But to take the lives of people who kept you living was just pure cruelty.
It felt like a mockery. A scene built of pure entertainment of your grieve and sorrows.
You wish you would just die.
That way, the ache will stop.
That way, you wouldn't resolve in drowning yourself in 'what ifs'.
~
A year later...
You both sat beside each other, facing the edge of the building. You felt his hand sliding into yours. You looked up at him and his face stayed the same.
A blur.
The only distinctive feature you saw of him was his smile. The same smile that you doubt was even real to begin with. But you didn't care about it. You were just glad he was here with you.
Even though you weren't there for him when we was lost in his own fears.
"Why are you crying?" He asked you, his hands lifted to wipe the tears spilling from your eyes. His hand was cold, not the usual warm ones that would caress your face. His fingertips were like a shock hitting your skin.
God, you look pathetic.
But you didn't care because you were with him.
With him you were someone.
Without him you were no one.
"Why did you have to do it?" You asked him the same question over and over again. "Why did you have to be so selfish." You cried against his shoulder while he comforted you by pulling you close to his chest.
"........I'm sorry"
"HEY! ANSWER THE FUCKING DOOR!"
You were jolted awake at the sound of someone screaming their lungs out for you, ultimately making the dream shorter than you intended. You took a few seconds to control your breathing before getting up to answer the door.
You opened the front door and came face to face with a man who seemed to be in his early 40s, despite having the tantrum of a child.
"Where's your father?" He asked you, looking into your home before you clicked the door close to prevent him from coming in.
"Answer me girl!" He shouted at you, getting into your face, his breath almost suffocating you.
Fuck, you haven't smell anything worse than this.
"He's not here-"
"Don't lie to me! I know he went here last night-"
You pushed him back, creating distance between you two. "You're so fucking loud. Are you deaf or something?" You questioned as you let out a yawn.
You didn't get much of answer or anytime to react when you suddenly felt your cheek sting. A wave of burning sensation flair up to your cheek.
You looked into his eyes and saw a handprint on your face. The feeling of rage wash over you.
You clenched your fist hard, suppressing the urge to lunge back at him.
You let out a sigh and smiled at him.
"Are you done now?"
You knew this would tick him hard. You just need one little push from him before you make a move.
His hands went to your shirt and gripped your collar, twisting the fabric hard until you felt the air in your lungs grew tight.
"You should watch your mouth bitch. Wouldn't want to end up like that teacher of yours wouldn't you-"
You wasted no time and just went in and punch his nose.
He manage to stumble, holding his balance by holding the railing for support.
You didn't speak.
You act through it.
You didn't stop to help him recover.
You close the distance again and landed another punch on his eye.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until all that's left was just something distorted. He tried to fight back, you noted.
But once, his vision was lose, all senses gone loose.
He screamed, shouted at you but all of it went to deaf ears.
You just wanted him to stop making a sound.
To stop breathing.
To stop living all together.
All you could see was red.
And among them was thrill.
Before you could continue, you were held back, making the man in front of you slump to the ground. Unconscious but still breathing.
It irked you.
"Stop it kid. You're going to kill him." Another voice pulled you out, as you stop on trying to beat him.
"Are you one of them too?" You asked the man behind you. You caught a glimpse of him from a broken shard on the ground.
~
"Did you take any lesson?" The man, Na Hwa-jin who you come to know as your late teacher's fiancee asked.
"Huh?" You mumbled, getting out of your thoughts.
You felt the his hands on your hand, bandaging up the cuts from the incident.
"Your punches were great although, your form lacked. Did you take any self defense lessons?" He questioned.
You observed his expression and answered him. "No."
"Ahh, is that so... Do you live alone?" He asked again making you sigh.
God, just leave my house man.
"Wait, I'll go check." You stood up from your chair and walked through every room before finally sitting back again.
"Yeah, I live alone."
"How did you manage to pay the bills and everything? Have you eaten today? How's school?" His questions shot at you making you feel a slight annoyance towards him.
Guess Miss Ga-yun forgot to mention her fiancee has a big mouth.
"Old man. Why don't we just get straight to the point. Why are you here?" You finally asked him, leaning against your chair.
"I want to adopt you." He exclaimed as if it was mere simple process.
Huh? Did I hear it wrong?
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that again?" You asked leaning closer to hear his words.
He repeated the same syllables and your brain couldn't believe what he was stating.
What stage of grief is this?
"Old man, did you forget your medication or something? Is it perhaps too cold here? Or maybe, you've had a lot of.... Things to deal with. You should think your decisions clearly." You advised him, trying not to sound awkward.
"Did..... Miss Ga-yun talk to you about it?" You questioned. "Are you doing this because of her?" You voice cracked but you gave him a smile and pat his shoulder.
"Mr Hwa-jin. You should go home for now. Whatever Miss Ga-yun said or what she promised to me is in the past-just forget it."
"It was a silly promise she had made out of guilt and also I'm perfectly capable of living on my own-"
Just then, you heard a loud before a spray of water burst from the pipe on the sink.
Ah, shit. It was fine a yesterday!
"It was broken yesterday, I'll call someone to fix it." You made up an excuse despite the sink being broken for about a month and all you could do was sealed it and hope for the best.
You made an attempt to stood up to cover the pipe but his next words stopped you.
"Why did you that to him?" He asked, simply from curiosity but those words bought you a trip down in middle school.
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"Why did you do that to her?" The teacher asked you, cleary furious at the situation.
"I-"
He slammed his hands on the table and shouted at you.
"Do you know how embarrassing it was?! That my top student got into a fight? That I, as a teacher had to begged them to not let you be expelled?" He told you making your words stuck in your throat.
"I was just-"
"You bruised her eye Y/N! And some witnesses claimed that you even mocked her, pulled her hair-what's gotten into you lately. I know you've been having it rough at home but don't dragged it to school!" He shouted, completely ignoring the teachers listening in on the conversation.
"That's not true-they were bullying Sheori! I just pulled the two apart and, "You tried to defend yourself but it only made his face hardened.
"Cut the lies girl and just apologies to her so that this will be all over." He instructed you.
"Teach, don't you believe me? You know I would've never done anything like that!" You vented out your frustration towards him.
"Why would you accuse me of-"
"Then, if what you're saying is true, why did Seori come to me to report it huh? You think you could get away with it by lying? I thought you were better than your father Y/N, I should've known you were just like him."
His words hit you hard, your tears were threatening to fall from your eyes.
For a moment, everything around you paused. Everywhere you look, eyes would follow your every move.
You didn't know whether they wanted to see you break or whether they just wanted to humiliate you. Snickering among themselves despite being twice you age. Taking in the fun before the drama leaves with time.
They didn't care for justice.
Not unless it involves themselves.
You looked down at his hand. A brand new watch glaring at you from his wrist. That was when it dawn upon you.
"Did she bribe you?" The words came out of your mouth without stopping. "How fucking pathetic." You commented.
This seemed to tick him off but before he could utter another word, you left the office, slamming the door shut.
You never went into that school again.
But even after all that, you took the exam as a private candidate and manage to score the highest marks in town.
It didn't make you feel the slightest bit happy. Not like when you first manage to pass your test because of him.
It seems that greed could really change people. How cruel of it that you had to be the one receiving the end of it.
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"Why should I tell you? After all, you're not going to believe me anyway." You told him before turning your back against him.
"Get out Mr Hwa-jin. It would be better for the both of us to just let time do it's work. Pretend you didn't know me-pretend that I was just Ms Ga-yun ordinary student." You stuttered the last part, getting to the kitchen to fix the pipe.
You hoped that would knock some sense into him. Knock off the guilt he has in his chance and after a minute, you finally heard the sound of your door clicked open and closed making you sigh.
Now that that's done.
You continued on to fix the pipe, getting a water all over the place and let out a string of curses echoing in your apartment.
~
Today just had to test you huh.
First was debt collector.
Then her fiance.
Then the pipe.
Then the light.
What's next huh? A fucking rainstorm is going to strike my house?
Suddenly, after that thought, you heard your door being knocked. It seems too gentle to be gangsters and a little too suspicious considering you took a bit of your time to get there so you crossed out your delivery guy.
When you finally build the courage, you opened the door and quickly closed it in front of their faces.
What the fuck.
"Miss Y/N? Hello?" You heard a voice outside and decide to confront them.
"Sorry, umm... Who are you and-" you glanced behind him.
"What are you doing here again?!" You gasped and pointed at him, looking at the same guy you thought would leave you alone.
"If it's alright for you, may we come in? I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."
~
Haish, how did it come to this?
You took a glanced in front of you as the two grown men ate in front of you. Apparently, they had deliver a dinner in advance.
"You're too thin child, why don't you eat some more?" The older man, well, you knew him as your teacher's father from her, took a piece of his meat and gave it to your bowl.
You gave him an awkward smile and ate your portion silently.
Somebody get them out please!
"Y/N, it's not my decision, but think it through alright. I'm-we're not doing this out of guilt or pity. If you ever need a home, just call me." Mr Hwa-jin slipped his number over the table towards you.
"I'm not forcing you. Just reach out to me when you need any help. Whether you want to be adopted or not, just call me if anything troubles you." He said.
Hearing his words, you stopped whatever you were doing and look directly at him. "Huh, Miss Ga-yun said the same exact thing to me too." You mumbled before quickly recovering your words.
"Sorry, I didn't know what got into me there." You quickly, wipe the tears falling from your eyes with your sleeves and silently cursed at yourself.
Just then, you felt your face slapped with a handkerchief and you looked up to see Mr Hwa-jin smiling at you before telling you, "wipe those tears with it. You look like kicked puppy," he said calmly but you see right through him.
"Na Hwa-jin! Why did you-" The grandpa stood up to scold him but you couldn't help yourself and laugh out loud, surprising the two.
"I'll give that offer a thought."
~
A few month's had passed
You panted heavily as you sprinted further trying to reach his home. Your whole body was soaked in rain as you heard your father's shout behind you, calling for you. Chasing you.
You gripped your arm tight to block the blood from flowing out.
Who would've thought that one of your worst fears had come true. Worst of all, it was your birthday today and you were supposed to have dinner with Ahjussi tonight along with grandpa.
Bad luck just keeps on following you at the worst time possible huh.
You would've tried to call him, even message him if it weren't for your phone being taken from you.
You turned a sharp corner, putting all of your adrenaline into knocking harshly on the door.
"Ahjussi! Please help me! I don't want to die yet!" You whispered the last part.
"You ungrateful brat-I should've sold you long ago! If it weren't for that stupid mother of yours-"
"What have I ever done to you huh? Why should I and my mother be the blame of your fucking stupid choices! You bought this to yourself and now you're the coward?" You tried to calm but your heart was racing faster the second he slowly step towards you.
You eyed the knife in his hand. Now cleaned away by the rain, removing traces of your blood from it.
It's not like you've never dealt with someone holding a weapon against you.
So, why did you hesitate?
Why did you let him scar your arm like that?
.....
Why did you let him hurt you again?
When the door burst open, you didn't waste anytime and hid behind the person who swore to protect you.
Perhaps this was a test to see if his words truly mean something.
You gripped the back of his shirt.
"Ahjussi, please... Help me." You managed to let out. Your hands were shaking against his back.
It was your first time ever asking for his help. Before this, you'd been too sure of yourself. That everything will go smoothly if you just ignored it.
You look towards him but you couldn't see his face. You noticed his hands was clenched in fist.
"Y/N, come inside, let Hwa-jin handle this." Grandpa told you, pulling you away from him and just like that, the door was closed. The rain masks their shouts and fight.
"Will.... He be alright?" You asked him.
"He'll be fine. He's a special forces soldier after all." Grandpa said confidently, almost with no hesitation which made your anxiety ease a bit.
"That's great-" with a burst of exhaustion, you collapse to the floor, your legs shaking from the strain of muscles pulled.
"Y/N! Hey, talk to me, Hwa-"
"I'm alright, just want to rest here for a bit..." You interrupted him before your vision slowly fades black and you heard the front door opening again.
A figure scooped you from the ground and hurried off somewhere, carrying you outside.
You didn't remember what happened next but when you woke up, you were already in the hospital.
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