"Is that all you've got?" Jungkook mocked, as he spat out blood and wiped his lips using the back of his hand. A smirk playing on his bloodied lips.

"You think that's a good idea?" The hooded-figure laughed as he drove his fist into Jungkook's nose.

Jungkook's head snapped back and he stumbled backward, falling against the shutter of the closed shop. His hands rose to cover his nose, eyes squeezing shut in pain.

Before he could recover from the blow, the second hooded-figure lunged at him without any warning, kneeing him in the stomach.

Jungkook's knees buckled, his palms scraping against the concrete as he fell on all fours. His breath now coming in short, heavy bursts as he tried swallowing the pain.

Gathering the little energy he had left, he stood up, drawing his right arm back, ready to fight back when he let out a painful cry as he fell back causing the shutter to echo through the dark alley.

One of the two had punched Jungkook and the brass knuckles had drawn blood as they tore through his t-shirt.

What sounded like police sirens tore through the silent night and the hooded-figures kicked and spat at the collapsed form before running away as the sirens grew closer.

"Hey!" The girl ran towards the boy, dropped to her knees, placing her backpack on the ground as she nudged him.

"Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me?" She shook his shoulders and tapped his cheek and finally let out a sigh of relief when she heard the boy groan in pain.

"No.. Cops... Go..." He mumbled between groans.

"Cops aren't coming. I just played an audio file on my phone to scare those men away." She explained as she helped him up to a sitting position.

She quickly rummaged through her backpack and found a bottle of water which she placed at Jungkook's lips, urging him to take a sip. His bruised hands moved to support the bottle but the movement made him yell in pain.

"It's alright, I am holding it."

The water trickled through the cuts in his lips and he winced.

She put the bottle away and started checking for any fatal wounds. She pushed back his hair, checking for any head wounds. As she let his hair fall back, her eyes locked with his eyes, his gaze so intense yet cold. She quickly broke eye contact and checked his arms and legs for any wounds. She noticed the blood stain on his shirt and her hands moved to his shirt when he flinched backward.

"I am just making sure there aren't any serious wounds. May I?" She received permission from a reluctant nod.

She pulled up his shirt gently, ensuring that she didn't cause him any more pain. As she lifted his shirt, he winced in pain. Fibres of his torn shirt had gotten stuck in the wound the brass knuckles had left behind.

"You will have to go the hospital. You might need stitches," the girl said examining the wound.

"Listen, Miss."

"Lisa"

"Huh?"

"My name is Lisa," she said extending her hand out of habit. She immediately pulled it back realizing he was in no state to shake her hand.

"Okay, Miss Lisa. Thank you for your help but I think I can manage on my own," he groaned as he tried to stand up.

"Really? That's great. I am just going to stand here then, just in case. Not that you need help," she said, understanding all too well that his words came from a hurt ego.

Lisa watched him support himself against the wall and slowly stand up. His knees struggling to hold him up.

"Since you don't want any help from me, is there someone you can call? Family maybe?" Lisa asked worriedly.

"Family?" He scoffed. "Sure. Call them." Lisa dialed the number he dictated and waited. She was going to end the call when a male voice spoke on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Oh! Hello, Mr...," Lisa looked at Jungkook.

"Jeon."

"Right. Mr. Jeon. This is Lalisa Manoban. No, no you don't know me. This is actually about your son, Jungkook," Lisa looked at Jungkook again.

"Yes, Jungkook. Now, I don't want to alarm you, it's just that..."

"What did he do now? Listen, Miss, I refuse to be held responsible for his actions. If he has caused you any damage, you will have to sort it out with him."

"Huh? Hel-lo? Sir..?!" All Lisa heard was the call ending tone in response.

"So I am guessing Mr. Jeon isn't coming to help?" Jungkook asked.

"He.. hung up on me.." Lisa said, still staring at her phone.

"Typical. Do you want to try Mrs. Jeon next? She'll give you at least a minute of her time before she hangs up on you," Jungkook bit out sarcastically.

Understanding dawned upon Lisa and she decided to handle things differently.

"That's alright. You said you could manage on your own, right? So I'll get going then." Lisa turned on her heel and started walking away.

Jungkook watched in confusion, not comprehending the sudden change.

"Oh, but it's already too late to travel by bus. It'll take too long. Maybe I should call myself a cab?" Lisa spoke to herself, her voice a little louder than required.

"But will it be safe for a girl to travel all alone in a cab, so late in the night!" Lisa wondered loudly. She looked over her shoulder to see if Jungkook was listening.

"Fine. I'll accompany you. Where are you going?" Jungkook sighed. He limped towards Lisa, still refusing to accept any help.

"I have to go to my roommate's workplace. It's not too far and the cab will be arriving soon anyway." Lisa said joyfully because her plan was working out.

--

The cab pulled up to the curb and came to a halt. Lisa got out of the car and waited for Jungkook to do the same. He stumbled out of the car, almost losing his balance but Lisa held him up.

All Lisa saw was a flash of white before something rammed into her. "Lisa!! Are you okay? Your message scared me! What are you doing here?" Her roommate lets go of her and stepped back checking to see if Lisa was okay.

"Chaeyoung! I am perfectly fine! Relax. I came here with a friend." Only then did Lisa's roommate notice the bruised and battered boy, standing near Lisa.

"What happened to him? Bring him in! Does he need a wheelchair?" Chaeyoung immediately shifted back to the role of being a doctor as soon as she saw Jungkook and ran back inside the hospital.

Lisa followed Chaeyoung, dragging Jungkook along with her.

After a couple of steps, Jungkook refused to move and he jerked his hand away from Lisa.

"Do you think this is funny? I told you I don't need your help! Why are you trying to play hero? Don't you feel pathetic pretending to be all caring while you lied through your teeth? I told you that I don't want to go to the hospital and you still brought me here!" Jungkook said, his eyes burning with anger.

"It isn't funny and that's exactly why I got you here! You need medical assistance. This isn't a joke! Your bruised body is more important than your bruised ego! Trying to hurt people has become a defence mechanism for you but it doesn't affect me. Call me what you want but you are coming with me and that's final. I don't want to hear another word of protest from and also, I would appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself while my roommate looks after you."

Jungkook was taken aback. He didn't expect the innocent looking girl to put him in his place so effectively. He just nodded his head and limped to the entrance where Chaeyoung stood, waiting for him with a wheelchair ready.

--

"You don't even know him, why are you helping him?" Chaeyoung asked as they walked into the room where Jungkook was resting.

"I do know him, just not well. I share a class with him in college. He's going to be okay right?" Lisa asked, eyes still worried as she looked at his sleeping form.

"Yeah, luckily he didn't need stitches. He just needs to change the dressing and have his medicines on time. Have you called his parents? He didn't have them listed as his emergency contacts."

"His parents don't care."

Chaeyoung watched as Lisa sat down next Jungkook's bed.

"He hardly ever comes to class, the few times I have seen him, he would be picking unnecessary fights with seniors or teachers. I never quite understood why until now. He's just lashing out at the world," Lisa sighed.

"Lisa, I know where this is going. You can't help everyone! What will happen when you are one he lashes out on?" Chaeyoung warned Lisa, immediately understanding what Lisa was thinking.

The number of times Chaeyoung had come home to the surprise of stray puppies and kittens running around in their apartment! Lisa had the same empathetic look in her eyes when she looked at Jungkook, as she did when she found strays.

"He's not a bad person. He's just lost.." Lisa murmured as she held his hand.

--

"Hey! You are awake! How do you feel?" Lisa asked, her smile growing wide as she walked into Jungkook's room.

"Been better," he grumbled.

"Chaey said that you were looking for me earlier," Lisa said, secretly happy over the fact.

"No, I wasn't. By the way, your friend shouldn't be a doctor," Jungkook said looking away.

"What do you mean?"

"'There are things I know about the human body that could be used for questionable things, hurt her and you'll find out just how much I know.' Her exact words. Don't doctors take an oath not to do that very thing?!"

Lisa burst out laughing, almost falling off the chair she was sitting on, as she saw a genuinely terrified Jungkook.

"You would obviously find it funny. Now, I am nervous about every second that I spend under her care."

"Don't take her seriously. She was just messing with you," Lisa laughed while wiping away her tears.

"She said that we share a class in college. I didn't know. I assumed that you were a foreigner on a holiday or something. I was wondering why a stranger would help me."

"Technically I am. I am from Thailand. I came here for higher studies and I would have helped even if I didn't know you. I couldn't just walk away after seeing how they hurt you."

"Well, you wouldn't have been the first one." Jungkook scoffed, looking out the window.

Lisa's eyes softened hearing the pain disguised under the anger.

His head jerked towards Lisa as he felt her take his hand. He tried to pull away, but Lisa tightened her grip.

"Actions of a few people should not affect the way you think of everyone. It's okay to accept that you are hurt and angry. I wish you didn't have to feel this way but it's okay that you do."

"You have every right to expect love, especially love of your parents. Don't beat yourself up for wanting their love. It sucks that they don't realize what they have forgotten behind but don't you dare forget it. You deserve all the love and care that comes to you."

She could see his eyes shine with unshed tears. He blinked them back into the cage he had forged over the years, refusing to let them out.

"Even now I can see your eyes rejecting everything I am saying. You can try to push me away all you want, but I am going to be right here, next to you."

"Why...?"

The desperate question broke Lisa's heart.

"Because it's you."

---