20th✯

"Hyung, what are you doing here?" asked Sanha. 

"Rocky oppa?" I echoed, confused to why he was here. He couldn't be one of them, could he? 

"Are you guys okay?" Rocky asked worriedly. 

"Oppa, how did you know we were here?" It was kind of awkward talking to him after his confession, to which I still wouldn't know how to answer to.

"Can we talk alone?" Rocky eyes traveled to meet Sanha, giving him a little signal to leave.

"O-oh? Oh, okay. I'll be, uh, over there. Call me over when you two are done," Sanha said, rushing over to a tree not too far away from here, but far enough so he wouldn't be able to hear our conversation. 

Once Sanha left, it was just the two of us left, awkwardly avoiding each other's eyes. No one knows of this confession, and it was better to keep it that way to avoid any type of conflict or scandal. 

"Oppa? How did you know we were here? By any chance... you're not one of them, right? That can't be, right?" I asked him, afraid I found something I wasn't supposed to. 

But the look on Rocky's face made me turn down the thought. He looked confused. "Them? I don't even know who they were. Why were they chasing you and Sanha?"

"That's what I want to know, too," I muttered. I did have a few assumptions on why they were chasing me, but it's better to only tell him facts rather than assumptions. Though, I wasn't going to do that. 

"I followed Sanha."

I looked up, confused. "Huh?"

"I wanted to visit you but I realized I didn't know where you lived. I knew Sanha probably had the same idea so I followed him. Then you two came here and I saw these group of guys approaching you guys. The two of you ran and I knew I had to save you so I distracted them and led them somewhere else with the old trick of misdirection." Rocky smiled a little. "I'm, uh, glad you're safe."

I couldn't help but lean in closer to pinch his cheek. "Aigoo, this oppa is so thoughtful, isn't he?"

I ended up surprising both myself and him by the sudden skin contact. When he froze, I did too. All except one muscle of mine froze. 

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

Is that the actual sound of my heart or is there a drum somewhere near here? I hope it was the latter. Please let it be the latter. 

Rocky cleared his throat and said, "Uh, it's nice to see you. How have you been doing?"

"I've been fine. School's okay, too," I replied awkwardly. 

No, I haven't been fine. I've been finding out nasty secrets I wished I never found out to. I wished I was never living in this type of life. I've been exposed to many things that I'm not supposed to be. 

"This conversation is so awkward thanks to my confession. I'm so sorry, Aerim," Rocky apologized, bowing his head. 

"N-no, Rocky, don't apologize. It's my fault for making things feel awkward. You did nothing wrong, oppa, and I'm here... I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do or say." I huffed a sigh. "But that isn't what is important right now. What's important is—"

"—is that we find out who those people are and what they want with you," Rocky finished for me before I even got a chance to. 

I stared at him with a smile slowly forming. I really am not alone anymore. I feel safe, unlike the first time when everything was scary because I was alone. "And how do you suppose we do that, genius?"

"Um, Google?" Rocky suggested. 

"Sometimes I don't know why I think you're a genius." I shook my head while letting sighs escape from my mouth. 

"Hey, hey, I can be smart," Rocky protested. 

I gave him a look.

He added, "S-sometimes."

I ended up laughing. "I wasn't being serious, oppa. Although, you replying that way and believing in me made me think otherwise."

"Yah, I am smart." Rocky tapped the side of his head. "It's just that everything's jumbled around in here. It takes weeks to retrieve an old memory or knowledge, but it's still there. Somewhere. Floating around. And probably—"

"You're blabbering too much," I told him, looking around to find Sanha. "Where did that boy go?"

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Rocky's lips drop into a frown. "Is Sanha all you think about? Am I really just... nothing to you?"

Without facing him, I asked him, "You're assuming things again? I told you, Sanha and I—we can't be together."

"So you do like him? You sound so sad knowing that you can't be with him," Rocky said with gritted teeth. 

"Oppa, how could you say that? Your feelings are getting the best of you, don't you realize that? Sanha and I, we're just family." The world around me was spinning too much due to Rocky's words that I didn't hold back those words from escaping. 

It was Rocky's turn to turn confuse. "Wait, what? You two are... family? But, how? Before we debuted, Sanha used to talk about his family. You never made it into any of his conversation, neither did it look like he remembers you."

"That's the complicated part. I don't know all the details, but it's best to only tell you once everything's clear. As of now, I need to find out why those men are after us—"

"Will I ever have a chance?"

I stammered, "W-what?"

"My confession," he specified, "will I ever receive an answer? Aerim?"

I looked away, my eyes concentrating on the water ripples by the lake. "I-I don't know."

"I see," Rocky said. Then, he began walking away. Slowly, but surely walking away. 

Like there was an instinct inside me, I immediately grabbed onto his arm and held him back. "Wait, Rocky, don't leave."

Rocky didn't say a word, but he didn't move either. 

"Look, I'm honestly still flustered by the whole confession, okay? I just— I don't know what to do. I'm stuck. I don't understand my heart. It's not giving me a clear answer, too. When people tell us to trust our hearts, how do we trust it when all it's doing is sending signals I don't understand?" I stressed out. "In short, Rocky, it hasn't been too long since you confessed to me. At least give me time to settle my feelings."

Rocky slowly turned around. Now he faced me and then he smiled. "Okay. If that's what you want me to do, I will do that. Hopefully... your answer will be yes."

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

"Hey, um, guys? Are you done there? Because I think you might want to see this..." 

Right, I forgot Sanha was here too. 

My head pivoted to his direction, which was now closer than he originally was and noticed the worried expression on his face. "What's wrong?"

Sanha didn't reply. He just continued to call us over with hand gestures and didn't stop until we were standing right next to him. 

"What's this about, Sanha?" Rocky asked in his normal voice, but Sanha slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shh!" he hissed with a finger pressed against Rocky's lips. He looked left and right, wary about our surroundings. "I heard the men from before. I think they're back."

"W-what?!" I accidentally screamed, which resulted in Sanha slapped his other free hand against my mouth. 

"Yah! Try not to scream!" Sanha scolded me. He looked around again before grasping softly onto both Rocky and I's forearm. "We need to leave. Now."

"I hear them. They're close," Rocky informed, keeping completely silent as sounds of light footsteps were heard. 

"Run," I whispered. 

Both of them whipped their heads to my direction, as if they didn't catch what I just said. 

Idiots.

I whispered once more, "Run!"

Hearing the light footsteps suddenly stop and accelerate made me sprint even faster while dragging two boys behind me. We had one goal at that moment. The goal was pretty simple, too. Either you keep running and survive, or give up mid-way and meet Mr. Yook once again with an almost dead Jeonghan.

Parents always try to become their children's heroes but at times, they can fall and become useless and give up. They don't even bother to strive for that happy ending their children are still waiting for and it's sad. Because that's when their children start to find the happy ending they've been waiting for. 

So is that what we're doing it now? We're not even of legal ages, but we're trying to do more than what the adults are doing. What are the adults doing? They seem to only be sitting idly while hoping words could fix and make the whole situation better. 

They needed to know it wasn't. 

"Over there! There's a shack behind those hedges," Sanha said, pointing at an old building with plants growing out of the broken windows. 

"Are you sure that's a smart idea?" Rocky asked him with doubt. 

I briefly turned around. "Aish, they're trailing behind us! Either we disappear now or face whatever is up for us."

Rocky groaned. "This isn't going to be good."

The three of us headed inside the old, abandoned shack, like we said we would. It was dark and it reeked of poop. Who knows what animals did their duty in here? 

From the broken window, I could see some of the gang of men led by Chaebong searching around. Chaebong didn't seem to look like he was in his best moods today. He grumbled to the others, "Find them! We can't lose them again!" 

I did my best not to move or make a sound. Even though it was absolutely dark in here and it wouldn't be obvious to people outside to know we were hiding there, I still didn't want to risk anything. They were just outside.

My heart thumped with adrenaline and I had the urge to run outside and hit them all in their balls to get it over with but it was best not to confuse myself with the person in my mind. The other Yoon Aerim. The one better in everything I'm not. 

After all, we all have another version of ourselves. The 2.0 version. The one's that better in everything than what we are now. My Aerim 2.0 would be strong and could easily take down a group of thugs in one blow. 

"I think I saw them go over there," one of the men said, pointing to another direction. 

The other men were led by Chaebong as they ran to another direction, leaving the old, bust-down shack we took refuge in. Once they were long gone, I jiggled the door knob and pulled open the rigidity door, afraid it would fall off the door frame any moment. 

"That stinks," Sanha muttered once he got out. He dusted his shirt and pinched his nose, grimacing. "What died in there? Mouses?"

Rocky was also making faces as he replied to Sanha's question, "Maybe."

I saw Sanha flinch and knowing Sanha, I immediately slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't scream, Sanha. You know your screams are high pitched and loud. It could be the cause of a collapsed light house. Or call the attention of the men chasing us."

Sanha, instead of screaming out loud, screamed internally while closing his eyes. That would be good enough. As long as he doesn't attract the men who are currently searching for us and our whereabouts. Usually, Chaebong would leave me alone. Never trying to find us and quite possibly kidnap us. What's different today?

"I think it'd be safe if we go home right now, guys," I told them, huffing a sigh while checking our surroundings. No suspicious men in sight. 

"I don't think it'd be best if you walked home alone, Aerim," Rocky pointed out with a concerned face.

"I know, but it wouldn't be a good thing for Astro to be seen with Yoon Sanha's ex-pretend girlfriend," I told him. Scandals would arise and I wasn't up for any of those nonsense right now. 

Rocky winced at the reminder before turning away, pretending he wasn't affected at all. Sanha displayed a cryptic face, never taking his eyes away from me. 

"I don't care about news right now. What I care about is your safety, Aerim," Rocky voiced out to me. 

At this time, any one in their right mind would figure out that Rocky obviously possess feelings for me. If Sanha didn't notice it before, now would be the time those clouds blew away and reveal a clear sky. 

"Fine, let's go—"

"Oh, no. You guys aren't going anywhere."

My arms that were freely able to move around before were now tied down and held firmly by strong, masculine men. The same went for Rocky and Sanha and then we found ourselves surrounded by Chaebong and his men. 

Chaebong smiled a smile far from friendly. "Annyeong, Yoon Aerim. Long time no see."

"You." I did not try to portray a friendly tone either. "Why are you doing this? What is wrong with you?"

Chaebong shrugged and tucked his hands into his pocket. "Just following orders, agasshi. You don't want to know what happens if I don't obey them."

"No one wanted to know in the first place," Rocky muttered to himself. 

I tried not to smile. 

Chaebong's not-so-friendly smile was wiped out from his face as he instructed in a grim tone, "Bring them to hyung-nim."

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

The men who followed Chaebong's instructions pushed me forcefully into the same warehouse I visited the last time without anyone knowing about it. I fell down onto the ground with my hands tightly tied around my back with a rope. 

"Aerim?" 

I looked up from the floor, my arms sending pain signals to my brain, and saw Jeonghan. Although, I wasn't able to see him the same way I always did. Jeonghan, my older brother whom I loved dearly even though we might fight at times, was covered in more bruises and scratches and even scars here and there. 

I winced and looked away for a second, affected by the way he looked now. How long has he been suffering? Alone? Without anyone?

"Ow! Ow!" I heard Sanha say with his usual high pitched-like voice. He was also thrown to the ground, along with Rocky. 

There was a chuckle before I heard a chair move and clack of sole shoes. The three of us looked up and before we saw anyone else, I saw Jeonghan slightly cower in fear but glared at a silhouette. 

"I can't believe it. I have two out of three of hyung's children," a voice said. 

The silhouette came closer and closer until it was exposed to light, making out a familiar face and suit. 

Mr. Yook. 

I looked away but he leaned closer and grabbed onto my chin, forcing me to stare into his eyes. "Look at me while I'm talking, girl."

I glared at him and kept silent. I had the urge to spit on his face but thought I should at least keep my sanity. 

Mr. Yook's eyes moved from me to Sanha and he displayed both a shocked face and a face I couldn't properly read. "Yoon Sanha, isn't it?"

The way he called him, there was a sense of familiarity. Like he's said that name a lot before. 

Sanha stared at him with nothing but fear, his breathing accelerating every second. 

Mr. Yook came nearer to Sanha but Sanha tried to back away from him. "As expected from someone with amnesia."

Wait, what? Was Sanha supposed to remember him or something? How on earth does Mr. Yook even know Sanha?

Sanha didn't replied to him, probably too shocked to say anything. Or he was having too many thoughts in his head?

I ignored them and looked at oppa, who made eye contact with me. I mouthed, Are you okay?

He shook his head and gave me a sad smile. He mouthed back, No, are you?

I've been scared. I gave him a pout. 

He gave me a concerned look. Because of all of this?

I nodded back and gave him a sad smile as well. 

Even if he didn't mouth anything back, I could understand his heart. He was telling me something. I could easily feel the connection between us. A sibling thing. 

He was telling me sorry continuously, although I didn't need an apology from him. He was telling me to be brave, although that was the hardest thing I was trying to achieve at this very moment. He also told me he loved me, and he knew that I loved him too. 

"...it's been such a long time since I saw you, too," Mr. Yook's voice then disrupted my thoughts and feelings with Jeonghan. 

Wait. 

What did Mr. Yook mean by that?

My attention went back to both Mr. Yook and Sanha, who were sharing eye contact but with different feelings in their eyes. Mr. Yook had determination, I didn't know what for. Sanha, on the other hand, had fear. I understood that feeling. I've encountered it so many times, after all. 

"I don't even know you, ahjusshi!" Sanha screamed back, breathing in and out heavily. 

Mr. Yook did not waver from Sanha's scream. Instead, he nodded his head and got off from kneeling on one knee, putting his hands around his back as if he were a security guard patrolling the night streets. 

"Expected and reasonable," was all Mr. Yook said. Now his back faced the three of us but he did not walk away.

Sanha, Rocky and I exchanged looks. Unlike them, I knew a little more about who Mr. Yook was and what he wanted. Okay, I didn't exactly know what Mr. Yook specifically wanted, but I had a clue about who he was and everything of the sort. 

He was a mafia boss; he wants Dad back on the job; kidnapped both of Dad's children—Jeonghan and I; will probably use us as bait to bride Dad. 

The only part I didn't understand was where Sanha fitted in this whole layout. I understand Mr. Yook tried to kill both Sanha and I when we were kids, but why Sanha? I understand me being one of his targets, but definitely not Sanha. 

What connections did Sanha have with Mr. Yook?

"It would have been better if you were dead, Yoon Sanha," Mr. Yook said, his back still facing us. "You're haunting me like a ghost. Reminding me of who I used to be."

By now, everyone was confused. I wasn't sure about Chaebong and his men, but the rest of us were definitely confused. 

Mr. Yook slowly turned around and his eyes were fixed on one person's eyes—Yoon Sanha's. He slowly bent down once again, eyes meeting at the same eye level and asked, "Don't you remember me, Sanha? It's me. Your dad."

~Author's Notes~

I had writer's block! It wasn't nice, let me tell you that. That moment when you want to end a book early but writer's block knocks on your door and decides to stay and make itself comfortable. 

Look, no one needs you, writer's block. GO AWAY.

Anyway, I dropped the bomb, ey? Okay, better leave before any of you kill me. 

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung