12th✯

Rocky immediately stood in front of me. 

I wasn't sure what he was doing, but I imagined him glaring at whoever stood in front of him right now. 

"Stay behind me," Rocky quietly instructed to me, holding out a protective hand as he continued to face the stranger. In a contrast to the tone he used to me, he asked the stranger in a raised voice, "Who are you? What do you want with her?"

"Does it concern your business, little boy?" the stranger asked Rocky, tucking a hand in his back pocket of his pants. 

"If you're going to harm her in any way, of course it does," answered Rocky. 

I really wished I could see his face right about now. But, no, all I could see was that stranger's face. It didn't take someone smart to figure out that he meant trouble. 

The stranger let out one laugh, before another and then he just continued to laugh his head off before turning all serious again. Wiping his nose as if he was going to pick a fight, he took steps closer so he would be at Rocky's throat. 

"You? Protecting her?" The stranger let out another unbelievable scoff. "You're really putting yourself in a tight position, little boy. Why don't you run back to your mother before something happens?"

"And let her get hurt by you, ahjusshi? You're out of your mind," Rocky replied to his harsh comment. 

"Mwo? Did you just say I was out of my mind?" The stranger now held Rocky's collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. "Say it again. I dare you!"

"Stop!" I screamed, holding Rocky's fist back while staring at the ground. "Oppa, don't do this."

"Keurae! Listen to your little friend right there," the stranger went on with that jerky tone of his. 

Gathering up courage, I looked up at him and sent him multiple glares, not caring if it was rude or not. Right now, he was the disrespectful one, so why should I show respect to someone treating us this way? 

He noticed the way I glared at him as if I were the blazing hot sun and pointed his index finger at me. "Oh? Staring at me like this? You wench, I will seriously—"

Before he could lay a single finger on me, Rocky stepped in front of me and probably gave him a stern look. For a seventeen-year-old who acted like a kid, you could always trust Rocky when you needed help. Especially in times like these. 

"Leave." 

I noticed how serious and hostile Rocky's voice sounded when he told the stranger to leave. It sent chills down my spine. 

"Leave before I punch the life out of you!" Rocky screamed, his veins in his neck clearly popping out. 

The stranger flippantly fixed his brown coat before he crossed the street, leaving the both of us in peace. Finally. 

My first reaction was to flip Rocky around to examine him from head to toe. Worriedly, I asked, "Oppa, are you okay?"

Rocky broke into a smile and ruffled my hair. "You're calling me oppa again?"

"Yah, I'm being serious right now!"

I didn't think Rocky understood the word 'worried' right now. It looked like all fun and games for him despite the fact some stranger walked up to me and said, "It's her."

What's that even supposed to mean? What do you mean I'm her? Is her me, am I her? Okay, I'm just confusing myself. 

Rocky gave me a warm smile and cupped my face with his big hands. "Keurae, oppa's fine. I'm not hurt anywhere."

Having him at such a close space, I couldn't help but feel my heart flutter but continued to blink at him obliviously. 

"Aigoo, so cute," Rocky teased, squeezing my face together. "We should probably get you home. After what has happened today, I don't trust you anywhere alone."

"I'm not a little girl who can't do anything by herself, Park Minhyuk," I told him as a matter-of-fact. "I can walk home on my own."

"Can't hear me? I won't let you walk home alone after that stranger, Yoon Aerim. I don't want anything to happen to you," Rocky sincerely said, caressing my hair lightly. 

"You're being really cheesy right now, oppa," I teased, unable to hold back my laughter. "But, fine. You can walk me home."

"I didn't even need your permission, Yoon Aerim," Rocky said as he laughed. "Come on, let's get going before the sun sets."

With one last ruffling of hair, he walked in front of me with a boyish look of one hand tucked inside the pocket of his jeans. 

Smiling, I immediately ran after him. 

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

"Thanks for walking me home, oppa," I thanked him, stopping in front of the entrance of my apartment building. 

The sun was still streaking a ray of sunlight in the skies like a painting. The colours were standing out once again and I was glad that Mom or Dad wasn't around. I would also worry about Jeonghan jumping out of nowhere to scold me for still sticking by Sanha and his members but my heart dropped at the unwanted memory encircling my mind.

He's gone.

I closed my eyes and inhaled sharp breaths as my fists clenched on their own. 

I must have worried Rocky because I heard him ask, "Aerim! Are you okay? Why... why are you crying?"

With closed eyes, I shook my head and looked down on the floor, close to releasing the roaring tears. I fought them back because I knew that once I start crying, it'll be hard for me to stop. I didn't want to walk back home with red, teary eyes and be bombarded with questions on why I cried. 

Rocky stood there, clueless on what he was supposed to do. After a moment, he awkwardly opened his arms and pulled me into a stiff hug. In a whisper, he said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do when a girl cries so I'm sorry. I'm still trying."

I rested my head against his white shirt and bit my lower lip, forcing down the tears once again. 

"Wouldn't you feel better if you let those tears out?"

I gave his suggestion a long thought but decided it would have been best if I kept them in. Sure, I would feel better if the tears rolled down instead of always forcing them back but I have to think about what would happen after. The aftermath of releasing them.

Being questioned by my parents wasn't a very great thing to be done. They won't stop until they get the answer they want to here, so it was best to save the tears for a safer time. 

"Still not going to let it out?"

I had forgotten I was securely wrapped inside Rocky's comforting arms. The soft flow of his voice was soothing and I managed to calm down from the verge of tears because of it. 

"I understand. You probably have a reason to do that. Even so, make sure the next time you want to cry, let it out, okay? It's not healthy to keep it in, it's also not very healthy to always cry."

"But that makes no sense," I said, sniffling. 

"I know. That's why we have people in our lives that help us in the both situations. We make sure we're the shoulders to lean on as someone cries and make sure our fingers are the ones to catch the tears that fall from their eyes. Someone has to stop those tears," Rocky told me. 

Taking a small step back so I could have air to breathe, I wiped away the water that formed behind my eyes. Looking into Rocky's eyes, I gave him a half smile. "Thanks, oppa. You said you didn't know how to comfort a girl when she cries but you did the best today."

Rocky let his eyes wander around with a grin on his face before he said, "You didn't exactly cry so of course I did well."

I ended up punching his shoulder lightly. "Yah, hajima. You're going on teasing me once again. As if today wasn't enough for you to do all of that."

"There's no such thing as enough in my dictionary of teasing you," Rocky said, muffling a laugh. Ruffling my hair, he said, "I'll see you soon, Aerim-a. I'm going to head back to the dorm. I had fun today."

Smiling, I answered, "Me too."

Rocky then took out his phone and pulled me back into his grip, angling his phone perfectly and snapped a sudden selca of the both of us. He examined it with a satisfied smile and gave me a thumbs up. "It's a good photo, Aerim. You won't mind me setting this as my wallpaper background, right?"

"Why would you? Creep," I remarked, playfully sticking my tongue out. 

"It's to signify our friendship, Yoon Aerim. Friendship, don't you know?" Rocky told me. 

Without a need of my permission—again—he set the selca of us as his wallpaper background without hesitating or regretting his choice. He smiled at his phone and shoved it back into the pocket of his jeans. 

Noticing my stare, he teasing asked me, "Wae? Do you want me to send it to you so we would have matching background pictures?"

"Mwo? Yah, we're not a couple, why would I do that? Tsk," I said. "Anyway, you should be heading home. Bye, Rocky."

Rocky enthusiastically waved back at me before I turned around and walked into the building to enter the elevator to take me to my apartment floor. 

Opening the door to my apartment, I found Daeul standing in front of it with his happy grin once again. "Noona!"

Immediately, I picked him up from the floor and gave him a hug as if I was someone who hasn't seen their little brother in eons of years. 

"Yoon Daeul, my beautiful little brother!" I couldn't help but show my excitement. "How are you doing, my little cutie? Aigoo, you're so cute!"

"Noona! Monkey!" Daeul's attention was focused on the monkey toy I had with me. 

Honestly, I forgot about the item I brought around with me. I should have used it to hit that strange dude from the bus stop. Oh, well. It's too late now. 

"I know I promised to buy you a toy but a friend won this for me, Daeul-a. Next time, okay?" I told the little excited boy. "But you can borrow it if you want. Just don't break it, arasso?"

After I handed the stuffed monkey toy to Daeul, he ran around the living room with it clutched tightly in his little arms. "Noona's toy! It's big!"

I smiled at him before I left to change out of my clothing today. Sweatpants were really comfortable compared to jeans and all. Tying my hair into a messy bun, I sat down on the couch lazily. 

Daeul jumped on top of me and rubbed the monkey in front of my face. "Noona! Noona!"

Unable to hide the smile on my face, I pushed the monkey away and asked. "Oh, wae? What's wrong?"

"I'm hungry," Daeul replied, poking his stout stomach. "Mam mam?" 

I giggled and stood up, holding Daeul's little hand as we headed into the kitchen. "Do you want an egg sandwich? That's the best I can do."

Thankfully, Daeul was willing to eat my proposed egg sandwich. I didn't exactly know how to cook, so I was stuck with limited recipes that were pretty simple and weren't very time consuming. 

Daeul was seated on his high chair with the monkey toy occupying an empty seat next to him. While Daeul was seated obediently on his chair, I did my best to make his food. I was hoping not to under cook or burn the eggs. 

Luckily, for me, I didn't under cook them so they'd be impossible to eat nor did I burn the life of those poor eggs. I made sure the egg sandwich was filled with lots of healthy ingredients for Daeul then handed it to him. 

"Enjoy, my little brother!" I said as I handed it to him. Before he could even touch his food, I asked him, "Did you wash your hands?"

Daeul shook his head and grinned sheepishly at me. 

"Aish, this kid." I put the plate down on the table and lifted him out of his tall chair. "Go wash your hands first, Yoon Daeul. Or you're not eating at all."

Daeul was now pouting bitterly at me. "Noona mean!"

"Don't you want food?" I tempted, pointing at the plate of food. "I could always eat that, you know? It's either yours or mine. Your decision, Yoon Daeul."

"Aniya!" Daeul immediately said, running off into his room to wash his hands. 

I stood by the table with a hand on my hips, letting out a little giggle. That kid was just really adorable at times, all times. 

I opened the fridge door to get my bottle of lemonade I made last night. Gulping it down, I heard Daeul's little footsteps rush over to the table. 

Daeul did his best to climb up his tall chair and eventually did. Once he was able to position himself well, he took a seat and grinned at me with his body leaning more forward. 

"Food, food!" he chanted happily. 

"Arasso, arasso," I said, laughing. I handed him the plate of his awaited egg sandwiches and took a seat to watch him eat. "Aigoo, you eat so well."

As a fan service, Daeul gave me a big toothy smile before he continued eating. 

Is he an idol or something? Where did he learn to do that? 

"Yah, Yoon Daeul."

"Nae?"

I grinned. "Don't show that to any other noona except for me, okay? That smile is for me to see and only me."

"Nae!" Then Daeul continued to eat his food. 

The doorbell unexpectedly rang and Daeul and I both exchanged looks. 

"Who could that be?" I asked him, standing up from my seat to answer the door. 

Although I should have thought it over about answering the door because a boy with a big grin was standing in front of my door right at that moment. 

"Annyeong!" he greeted like nothing was wrong. 

"Yoon Sanha, what on earth are you doing here?!" I screamed. 

~Author's Notes~

wtf, how long has it been since i updated?

i'm so sorry i haven't updated in 1383282882 days (haha, be glad it's not months) school's really taking up my time on updating tsk tsk 

anyway, hoped you've enjoyed this chapter :)))) 

kimichies~ if you don't mind, mind checking out the story i collaborated with my friend leowlun33? it's called Paper Planes and at times, i lowkey promote kpop and korean culture, etc. ;) 

hopefully a sooner update will come, omo, i'm rarely updating on my laptop these days because of my time. 

before i leave, HAVE YOU GUYS WATCHED BTS'S YOUNG FOREVER? I SWEAR, I DIED!! AND TAEHYUNG LOOKING SO FINE, I'M CRYING 

also UP10TION'S NEW SONG "ATTENTION" IS LIFEU OMO HWANHEE OPPA IS BACK AND SUNYOUL COMES BACK WITH HIS ULTIMATE HOTNESS ACK I'M DEAD

and TWICE'S TEASERS!! WHY THEY KEEP TEASING US? THERE'S THREE MORE DAYS, WHY IS THAT SO LONG? THREE MORE DAYS UNTIL THEIR COMEBACK!!

plus SEVENTEEN'S TEASER PICTURES AND TEASERS ON THEIR ALBUMS OMG THEIR SONGS ARE SO GREAT I'M DEAD IT'S A FULL FREAKING ALBUM I'M NOT READY HALP 

okay, that's enough fangirling (wait wat there's not such thing as "enough fangirling") i'd better leave before this a/n turns out to be a very long one heh 

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung