sweater paws || soobin

[22] - mrs. choi

I took her back to my house since school didn't seem like the most ideal place to go right then. I knew my mom would be surprised I had come home from school so early, but I also knew she would understand if I informed her of the situation—of Y/N's situation.

"Soobin, shouldn't you be at school?" my mother asked as I opened the door and entered with Y/N. "Oh my God, why are there wounds on your face? Did you get into a fight?" Once she noticed the girl by my side, however, her features softened. She must've noticed Y/N's frazzled and tear-stained appearance. "Oh, hello, I'm Soobin's mother, I don't think we've met before. Come in, come in." With a warm smile, she carefully led Y/N into the living room and sat her down on the sofa before beginning to prepare some tea.

"Mom, this is Y/N," I said to her. I looked at the aforementioned girl for some sort of permission to allow my mother to know why she was here and Y/N nodded with a weak smile. Turning back to my mom, I said, "She was...having some trouble at home, so I brought her here. I hope that's okay."

Being a mother, she obviously must've known what I was talking about, so she just smiled sympathetically at Y/N. "Of course it's okay. Any friend of Soobin's is welcome here. Stay as long as you'd like. Do you like tea? I was just about to make some, but if you'd prefer something else I can make that too. I can make anything. You say the word and consider it done!" She chuckled at her own statement, a soft laugh emitting from Y/N too.

"Tea is perfect, Mrs. Choi," she said. "Thank you so much for your hospitality."

"Of course, dear, and no need to be so formal. This is your home too now."

Y/N started tearing up at those words and my mother quickly rushed to her side, enveloping her in a hug as she cried on her shoulder. The sight made me smile but also want to cry at the same time. I figured I should give them a minute and I went to change and clean up my wounds.

As I got back, Y/N seemed slightly more collected now and I sat next to her while my mother prepared some tea and snacks in the kitchen.

"You're okay now, Y/N," I assured her, noticing she was still shaking. "He can't hurt you here."

She nodded quickly, trying to muster a smile, but failing. I shook my head, telling her, "Hey, hey, you don't need to do that. You don't need to always pretend that everything's fine when it's not. You're allowed to have feelings. You can let it out."

Seeming to have received some sort of permission, she let her head droop again and her hair cascaded over her face. She was yet again swallowed by her hair and her sweater and I let her because maybe she needed that right now.

My mom came in and set down the tea and the snacks. "If you need anything, I'll just be in my room. Anything at all." She placed a gentle hand on Y/N's shoulder. "Anything."

Y/N wiped at her face and nodded. "Thank you so much. It means a lot."

My mother ruffled her hair a bit and smiled, then heading into her room.

I turned towards Y/N. "Is there anything you want to do? Eat, watch a movie,
or—"

"He's my dad," Y/N let out in almost a cough-like whisper.

I didn't think I'd heard right, so I furrowed my brows a bit and asked, "What?"

"That man at my house. He's my dad."