"Sweetheart?" he passes his fingers through my hair but bends over, to press a kiss on my temple. "Hey..." he brings his hand down to my arm to touch it but stay with his lips on my ear. "Did you rest a little today?"

"No..." I shake my head but remain in the same position. "What are you drinking?" he peeks into the cup I've been staring at this whole time and places his right hand over mine that is holding the item. "A hot chocolate?"

"Hm..." I give as a yes. "It feels cold, do you want me to warm it up?" he offers to do for me but I refuse. "I don't want to drink it anymore."

He sighs but straightens his back, sliding his hand up to my neck when I want him to not touch me at this moment. "Did you study?" he walks away and heads to the kitchen counter just on my left but I let go of my drink. "Yes, I did."

"Good," he replies while pouring some coffee in a cup. "Did you do the homework you received?"

"Yeah..." I nod. "I did."

"I'm proud of you," he lets a smile appear through his voice and comes back closer to me, but I stand up. "Wait," he cups my waist to not let me go away and sticks his body to the back of mine while holding his drink. "You didn't make any new videos today...are you gonna do it tonight...?"

"No...I'm not in the mood..." I shake my head but don't move away from my spot as he's keeping me still. "Not even for me...?" he brings his arm up to my neck to encircle it and hug me from behind, his lips pecking my ear the way Jungkook used to do it to me. "I'll help you if you want, you don't have to record it."

"I'll see..." I answer in a vague manner but he steps aside while brushing his fingers past my waist. "Good. Do you really want to go back to school tomorrow though? I can pay you some courses to stay here..."

"No..." I get myself away from his touch and walk towards the living room. "I thought last night would help you to change your mind..." he brings this forth when I hoped he would not mention it again. I grab hold of my phone and ignore his words. "Do you want to do it again?"

"No," I answer straightforwardly and step to the stairs to climb them up and leave this open space. "Why? I'm not good at cuddling?"

"Because I don't want to," I reach the upper floor and enter my bedroom to slam the door behind me and end on my bed. I check my texts and Jisung's ones first.

< hey, when are you going to come back to school...I'm worried as ever... ]

[ tomorrow, sorry for worrying you. I was just not feeling good >

Once this message is sent, I check the ones I received from Jungkook but which I haven't answered.

< y/n...please. I'm begging you answer me I can't deal with this anymore I'm scared to death ]

< you know I love you more than anything or anyone, I didn't mean to hurt you and I would do anything to make it up for this damn mistake I regret ]

< you mean so much to me...my days feel endless when I'm not with you or talking to you...my heart keeps on making me feel like something bad is going on and I'm on the verge of going berserk ]

< I went to your parents house so I know you're at your stepbros one. Tell me everything is ok please...I need to make sure you're safe and alright. Please... ]

< I miss you so much... ]

No matter how much I want to answer him, my stepbrother forbade me to do it so I lock my phone after reading them, feeling hurt and lost in my feelings. This happened again, the one I put all my trust in hurt me again for no good reason.

Right when I was about to turn my phone off, the ringtone resounds in the room and the name of the person calling me appears on my screen. I gulp down the knot in my throat and pick up, against my will.

I place the phone on my ear and listen.

"Y/n?" he pronounces my name but I just curl up into a ball on my mattress, wrapping one arm around my legs. I trust this man and answer him. "Yeah...?"

"Oh god...y/n..." he expresses a lot of concern that I hate to hear since I'm the one who caused this. I don't want them to worry about me, I just need some time away from them. "How are you doing? Where are you?"

"I'm at my stepbrother's house...I'm okay..." I answer Mino, knowing for sure that he must be calling me because of Jungkook. Or at least, that's what I hope. "Are you sure you're okay? I haven't seen you since last Friday and I know what happened so...I'm a bit worried about you..."

"I'm fine, really," I reassure him but speak in a quiet voice to make sure Minkyu cannot hear me. "I know you don't want to talk to or talk about Jungkook but he's been acting like a real kid since you're away...I don't know why he's being such a moron but...he tried to smoke again...I heard from his mom that he went out and got wasted last night...I don't want you to feel like it's your fault but I just have to tell you that...you had a good effect on him...and...now that you're away from him...that effect is completely negative...I feel know he needs you and I feel useless..."

I listen to his words but don't know what to think at all, only one detail remains in my head. "He went out last night...? Did he..." I don't finish my question out of pain but can only imagine what he must have done outside at night, drunk. "I don't know what he did but his mom told him he came back home at around two in the morning..."

He must have met some girls for sure.

I hold my emotions back to not be ridiculous but just keep calm. "I'm sorry to hear that but...I can't do anything. He broke up with me...I...I've been clingy enough already so I don't want to do anything more."

"Y/n..." he sighs at the other side but leaves some silence between the words. "I'd like to see you right now...is it possible?"

"Where?" I ask before giving an answer since this will be difficult with my stepbrother. "In a park close to my house."

"Where is it exactly?" I ask for more information since I need to know it first and he gives me the location. "I'm going to see with my stepbrother and then text you, alright?" I tell him and he understands, so I hang up and leave my bed. I step out of the room and make my way back to the living room downstairs.

"I'm going out Minkyu..." I stand close to him as he's sipping on his coffee and working on his laptop with his glasses. "Where?"

"At a park...I want to get some fresh air..." I give some lies in order to raise the chances for him to accept. "And you're going there all by yourself? Without anyone?"

"You can drive me there if you want but...I just want some time by myself..." I look at him without letting my body language betray me but he stares at me for long seconds. I cross my fingers in my back and hope for him to tell me I can go. He leans forth without taking his eyes off of me but lays his cup on the coffee table, to put his laptop on the side and stand up.

"Show me your phone," he suddenly speaks out but ruins everything. "Why...?" I gaze up at him with a frown now that he's standing before me. "I wanna see your phone. Now."

"Minkyu...you don't trust me...?" I attempt to get him by the feelings but he doesn't let himself get used that way. "Either you show me your phone or you stay here with no other option."

I sigh but give in, my hand puts my phone within sight and he takes it. If he doesn't check my calls, this should be fine since I didn't answer Mino or Jungkook at all.

His sharp eyes scan everything carefully while my heart is pounding. I need to know what Mino wants to talk about with me, this seems important and he's the only person I can talk to.

"Who's Mino?" he interrogates me but scrolls down on the screen, certainly to read some texts that were sent to me these last days. "A friend from school...he often helped me when Dahee and the other girls were...hurting me..."

"Just a friend?" his eyes abruptly meet mine to send shivers down my spine but I nod, to let the truth be said. "Yes...I promise you."

"Hm. You promise me?" he locks my phone but holds it down to step closer to me. I lick my lips in a nervous manner but his tough hand covered in tattoos tenderly cups my face. "You better not be fooling me y/n. If you're leaving to see that fucking asshole of Jungkook, you know what will happen. Right?"

I acquiesce without drifting my eyes away from his dark ones. He knows I'm hurt because of him and he was so mad when he got to know about it that he wanted to go to his house and beat him up but I begged him not to. So now, if I ever see Jungkook again, he will not hesitate to hurt him. "I swear I'm not going to see him."

At my answer, he holds my chin but slightly raises it up, to inch closer and press a kiss on my jawline. "I'm driving you there," he accepts to my biggest relief. I exhale from respite and glance away now that he's walking up to the table where he left his keys. I take this little opportunity to text Mino.

[ I'm coming but even if you see me, act like we don't know each other and wait for me to come up to you >

I don't give him the time to answer me but lock my phone to make sure Minkyu won't see the texts. I walk up to the front door and put my coat and shoes on. "Where is the park you want to go to?" he passes behind me to get ready as well. "Not far away from here...I'll enter the location in your GPS if you don't know..." I tell him before opening the door.

•••

4:20 pm.

"Here it is..." I point my finger at it and put it in his sight so he parks to the side and turns the ignition off. I unbuckle my seat belt but feel his hand grabbing my thigh. "I trust you. Do not disappoint me," he strokes my skin with his fingers but I nod and get hold of the door's handle. He prevents me from leaving by pulling on my thigh. "If I ever get to know in any way that you lied and fooled me, I fucking beat that guy up. Alright, baby?"

"Yes Minkyu...stop distrusting me..." I try to make him believe me and clench my legs. He lets go of me and gives me the permission to get out, "Don't stay here to stalk me...otherwise I would have stayed home," I remark before closing the door to head to the park.

If I'm lucky, I'll be left alone and only see him once I'll be back to his house.

Once I'm sure that I'm out of his sight, I grab my phone and head to a bench hidden in a corner to sit down on it and let Mino know I'm here.

[ where are you? I just arrived >

< I'm right next to a small lake and sort of traditional pavilion ]

[ ok, I'm looking for you dont move >

I raise my eyes up to check where those things could be but decide to stand up, to walk further through the empty place but enjoy the view at the same time. I've never come here so I'm pretty impressed by the beauty of this place. My eyes scrutinize every corner of this park but as soon as I notice what he mentioned in the text, his head pops up as well and I walk up to him.

"Hey..." I voice out to grasp his attention and he turns around, for his eyes to land into mine. "Hey..." a smile forms on his face. "I'm really glad to see you...I feel like since you're away, everything is going bad...I'm relieved to have you with me..."

"Why are you talking as if I'm...I'm that important...?" I frown without understanding why he's making such a big deal about my absence. "Because you are. Jungkook is acting like a jerk again, I can't stand it anymo-"

"Mino..." I cut him off in a kind manner. "I'm going back to school tomorrow but...he put an end to it...so...please...I'm nothing more than a friend to him."

"No y/n, he didn't put an end to it. He just acted like an asshole because he regrets hurting his best friend, he hates to see people judge you just because he's dating you but he loves you, I'm not kidding, he's truly in love with you and you have no idea how good of an effect you had on him..." he speaks but still doesn't make me change my mind. "He hurt his best friend but he hurt me too...I don't even think I'll be able to stay friends with him...I won't feel comfortable with him as a friend...or I'll just need time..."

"I know...and honestly I hate him for what he did to you," he shows some empathy when I thought he would find me annoying. "And...I came here to talk about it because...he seriously doesn't deserve to have your love again so easily...I'm not telling you to go back to him like that or ignore him...I'll make him regret it and show him how precious someone's love is if you don't do it but I feel like you both have something good together..."

"I won't do anything...if he stops it...then I get over it and try to move on but I don't want to take revenge or something...I'm not that type of person..." I tell him sincerely, not seeing myself hurting Jungkook even more for such a reason. "Yeah but I'm gonna make him realize you're not just a simple girl. I've been hurt by someone that way, I know what it feels like so I don't want you to be dumped like that. You both love each other, that's totally ridiculous to put an end to it only because of an useless friend."

"And...what are you going to do...?" I stare into his eyes but fear the worst. At first, he shrugs and glances away while sliding his hands in his pockets. "I don't know...just...I want to ask you something first," his eyes meet mine anew and I let him go ahead. "What?"

"Why weren't you there these last days?" he asks without knowing I wanted to avoid this subject. "I just...on Monday I was hurt and I don't know...I had to go back home because I didn't take my pills and wasn't feeling good...then...I talked to my stepbrother and he made me get to his house but we fought and I couldn't go to school...so yeah..."

"Hm..." he looks down at the bench next to us, "Let's sit to talk a bit more..." he gestures me to do it first so I join him. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable...alright...? So if you don't want to talk about this, you stop me right away," he gets ready to do it so I let him speak. "I heard some things about your stepbrother..."

"What did you hear...?" I don't stop him but wait for his words to leave his mouth. "That's only what I heard so...don't think I'm trying to...I don't know...uhm..." he expresses a lot of doubt and apprehension as if he was too fearful to let it out. "I know Jungkook told me this couldn't be true but I heard that your stepbro...is...not acting like he should with you..."

"What do you mean by that?" I don't figure out right away but he keeps his eyes away to explain. "Well...apparently...he's not very kind with you and also...does inappropriate things to you..." he gulps down after the end of his sentence but I find myself feeling a bit lost in my thoughts. "What you heard is false..." I respond with what I have to use. "Really...we're just like usual brothers and sisters."

"Sure?" he stares into my eyes but I maintain the contact as much as I can. "Yeah."

"Alright, if you say so," he nods. "But I want you to know that if there are things you want to talk about...I'm here for you...no matter what this is about...I'll keep it to myself and try to help," he comforts me with his sweet words. I smile but don't say anything. "Can I ask you something...?"

"Yeah, anything you want," he nods, putting me at ease. I know what I'm about to ask is going to sound bad but I need to get an answer. "I...I'm maybe thinking wrong about this but..." I look at him without feeling shy or awkward.