'till death do we part // sunsun au

32

SUNGHOON'S POV:

I can't believe I was stupid enough to leave Jungwon's shirt lying around.

And I can't believe that Sunoo was willing to cover for me even after everything I'd told him. I really don't deserve him. I will be trying my hardest not to hurt people anymore. For him. I don't want to hurt him the same way I hurt my parents. I still remember how it all happened.

I'd just gotten home from school when I found my dad passed out on the couch, drunk. Again. This is the 5th time this week I came home to him lying on the couch. Him and mom have been arguing more and more since she caught him out with another woman. My mom was always too nice for her own good. If I was in her position, I would've snapped his neck right off his torso.

I've been trying to hold back because he's still my dad. I do love him. But I hate the way he treats my mom most of the time. She wasn't a flawless person and she's had her fair share of mistakes, but she didn't deserve what my dad did to her. Even if she's missed some of my life, she always treated us both with love.

I headed straight to my room, not wanting to be by my dad when he woke up. My mom softly knocked on the door as she walked in and closed it behind her. She sat beside me on my small bed, stroking my hair. I could see a new bruise on her arm that she tried to cover up with a long-sleeved shirt, but I saw it anyway.

"Mom, why do you let him treat you that way? You shouldn't put up with it. You deserve so much better." I told her.

"I know, baby, but he's still your father and my husband. I can't just leave him, especially in that state he's in. It's just a couple hits, mommy's stronger than that." She kissed my forehead and I closed my eyes, not knowing that was the last one I would get from her.

"We can run away, mom! I'll pack my bags now and we can get far away from that monster out there. We can have a fresh start, I'll go to a new school, and everything will be okay again." I remember looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

"I wish we could do that, honey. But I'm not in the best place right now, financially. We can't just up and leave."

"I could get a job! I'll earn money for the both of us."

"No, you can't do that. I love you for thinking of us, but right now you just have to focus on being a kid."

Before I could protest we both heard him yelling out her name. Damn it, he's awake. My mom got up and wiped the tears from her face before yelling out, "Coming!"

I could hear my dad's angry stomping outside my door and I started to shake. I've been on the receiving end of his anger many times before but my mom always pulled him off me, turning the anger towards her. She always told me to run to my room and lock the door, but not today. My dad burst into my room and grabbed my mom by the neck.

"Is it that hard to come to your husband when he calls out for you, you bitch?!" Slap.

The hit rang across the room and that was the first time I felt power surge through me. I watched my mom look at me with tears in her eyes, a bright red handprint on her cheek. I always stood back, silent in the corner, as the monster she called her husband beat her up.

"Stop!" I tried to pull on his shirt with all my might. Only to be met with a stinging slap on the cheek.

I fell down to the ground, hand clutching the painful mark on my face. I heard my mom gasp as she clawed at my father's hand around her neck. And suddenly, my vision turned red, and everything around me felt as hot as the pain on my cheek. For the first time in this house, it was silent. I opened my eyes and saw my dad on the floor, blood pooling around his body. But I didn't feel anything. No anger, no sadness, no guilt. Just relief. That monster is finally gone.

I looked to my mom and saw her on the ground where my dad dropped her. She was gasping for air and I ran over to her.

"Mom, he's gone! We can have that fresh start we wanted. We can run away and find somewhere else to live. We-" I noticed my mom wasn't as ecstatic as I was. I suddenly noticed the blood seeping into my clothes, "Mom? You're okay, right? Mom?"

She only caressed my face, her gasps for air turning into slow, steady inhales. That's when I noticed the knife lodged in her stomach. She gave me a pained smile, tears in her eyes, "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. I'm sorry I can't live out the rest of your life with you. You have a rare gift, protect those around you. The same way you tried for me."

"No. Mom! Mom. please, I promise. But I need you. Please don't leave me like this. I'm sorry I couldn't stop him. I'm so sorry." I cried on her shoulder, wishing I could stop her from slipping away.

"You did well, Sunghoon. I'll always be here with you. I love you."

I cried and cried even more. I failed to protect her, when that was the only reason I killed my dad. I killed him for nothing. I still couldn't stop it. I've grown to be a monster just like him. I was taken away by the police, a neighbor had heard screaming from the house and called them. But they were too late. They deemed it self-defense and the case was closed. So I ran. I kept running and used my new powers to put myself through school. And that's when I met Sunoo.

I promise I'll protect him. And this time I won't fail, mom.

Since then, I did everything I could to prevent harm from coming onto Sunoo. Even if it meant killing them. I couldn't lose the one person who cared for me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

I woke up the next day to a police officer banging on the bars of my temporary cell. I was taken into a room where I assumed they were going to interrogate me about Jungwon's shirt. I told them the same thing Sunoo told me to say, that he'd left it when he went over to my house. I was taken back to my cell while they questioned Sunoo, Heeseung, Ni-ki, and even Jake. I just hoped Sunoo took care of it like he told me last night.

He must've gotten them to go along with it since I was let out a couple hours later. They continued the search for Jay and Jungwon but I was finally free. I was met outside of the station by Sunoo's face and I didn't even let him speak before I hugged him.

"Thank you so much for your help, Sun. I love you so much."

"The only important thing is that you're out and safe now, Hoon. Now let's go home."

-----------------------
just a lil hoon backstory hihi