𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 | 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬

17: Bruised.

TW: Physical Violence

A sudden knock startled Kazuha. She furrowed her eyebrows but smiled once she realized that maybe Mark came back for whatever reason. "Did you forget-" her eyes widened at the sight of his crazy ex girlfriend.

Chaewoo smirked and had crazy look in her eyes. "Didn't expect to see me, huh?"

Kazuha wanted to shut the door but the other girl grabbed her by the collar and pulled her towards herself and out of the apartment instead. She pushed her against the building's wall and her face began to lean towards Kazuha's.

"Do you think I'll let you have him?"

"He's not your toy nor your priority." Kazuha said with a shaky voice, not being used to this kind of threat.

"Are you crazy? He's my love!" Chaewoo shouted in the other girl's face. "You better back off!"

Kazuha wasn't prepared for was was about to happen. A sudden punch in the face gave her dizziness and her face began to hurt immediately. Her eyes filled with tears when she placed a hand on her cheek bone.

Chaewoo let go of her clothing and moved back, acting like a crazy person that she was. She pointed a finger at Kazuha who looked at her with teary eyes. "Next time I won't be so nice."

The hurt girl watched the other go down the stairs, frozen. She waited until Chaewoo was completely out of her sight until she got into her apartment and locked the door.

An old man - neighbor - saw the scene through his window.

➜

Mark scratched his head during breakfast and completely zoned out. Jaemin furrowed his eyebrows and snapped his fingers in front of his best friend's face. "What are you thinking about so intensely?"

"Kazuha didn't text me back yet."

Jaemin wiggled his eyebrows and teased the boy. "You already miss your new girlfriend?"

Mark chuckled and stared at his phone. His small smile disappeared from his face when he stared overthinking. "She didn't text me at all after I left her house yesterday. That's pretty weird considering how much fun and all we had together, don't you think?"

Jaemin shrugged. "Maybe a little."

"I should call her." he dialed her number without hesitation. After many seconds, he hung up and said "She's not answering."

"Maybe she forgot to charge her phone."

"No, her phone is on, she's just not picking up." he got up the chair. "I should go check on her."

➜

The boy didn't even put much thought into his looks and drove to Kazuha's place as fast as he could. He was one to overthink and over-worry so he wanted to check on her quickly.

He got out of his car and looked around first before going up to her apartment. He bowed to an old man who was looking through the window as the young boy kept on knocking on the girl's door.

The neighbor suddenly walked out of his house so the boy bowed again. "Are you here to check on the girl?"

Mark furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Some girl gave her a hard time yesterday. You know, I don't have much to do so I look out the window a lot." the old man chuckled.

"Did you see her leave the apartment?" Mark asked worried.

"I don't look out the window all day." he chuckled and went back to his house.

Mark started banging on the door loudly and shouting for Kazuha to open because it was just him, no one she had to be scared of. After awhile he heard her unlock the door.

"I don't feel good today." she said through a slight crack.

Mark tilted his head towards the small space since she didn't open the door all the way. "What's going on? Are you sick?"

"Yeah, I don't want you to catch a cold. I'll text you." she tried to shut the door but Mark stopped it with his hand.

"Kazuha, are you really ok? Can you let me in? I don't care about the cold."

Kazuha hesitated. She didn't want him to see her like that nor tell him the whole story nor ever having to deal with Chaewoo again. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Please? I'm getting cold here, I'd love to drink some tea and I can cook you something to feel better."

Kazuha sighed. "I'm not sick."

Mark furrowed his eyebrows. He knew she was lying but he didn't want to corner her.

"Just promise you won't freak out."

"Ok, I promise."

Kazuha opened the door all the way and walked inside. Mark walked in as well and followed the girl into the kitchen. He looked around the apartment suspiciously and wondered what exactly happened. He realized she was only facing her back to him so he walked over to the girl. "Can you turn around?" he placed his hands on her arms.

Kazuha sighed and did so. She kept staring at the ground, ashamed and sad. Mark widened his eyes and his jaw dropped open when he saw the girl's bruises around her eye.