Bleeding Darkness

Chapter 12

20 minutes after the call with Sijin, we ordered some food. When it arrived, Vincenzo went down to get it while Hanseo and I worked.

Hanseo said, taking sips of water, "Noona, did you call Hyung with a nickname earlier? I didn't know you were that close." I said honestly, "Me neither. Earlier, he was just polite and ice-cold and he always called me by my full name. But now, he calls me Jiyoung and he's suddenly warm, kind and.... nice. Y'know what I mean?". 

Hanseo said, laughing, "That's how Hyung is at first. He eventually warms up to people. But he's never been this close to anyone else. He might be more soft for you considering that you both are similar. What was your first impression?". 

I said thoughtfully, remembering the day Vincenzo and I first met, "I was lost and he helped me. We turned out to be neighbors. To me, he was very strange but gentlemanly. Not to mention good-looking. At times, he was so cold and merciless that he looked like a statue. But then, he suddenly melted. Suddenly, his voice was warmer whenever he talked to me and he smiled a lot. His smile was- it was adorable honestly. He looks like a carefree child when he smiles. That's my favorite part about him."

Just then, a knock came. It was Vincenzo, holding the food. He was already inside and looked like he had been for some time. Hanseo said, "Hyung, come sit!". Vincenzo sat down and we began eating. 

Hanseo said, "Noona, do you think I'm good-looking?". I pinched his cheeks and said adoringly, "Hanseo, Hanseo, my Hanseo, what a cute baby you are. Aww, Noona's baby Hanseo." Hanseo chuckled and I leaned over and pecked his head. Vincenzo said, sounding jealous, "Yah, Lee Jiyoung, am I not also good-looking? Why are you only adoring him?". I said, "Vincenzo Cassano, I admit that you're very good-looking but I'm only adoring Hanseo because he's younger than us. What a baby....". 

Nevertheless, I also patted Vincenzo on the head, much to his delight. After we ate, Vincenzo got a phone call so he left to answer it. Hanseo said, "Noona, do you think he heard us earlier?". I said, trying to convince myself, "Of course not. He wasn't there for that long." He came over to me and rested his head on my shoulder.

Just then, I heard a commotion outside and the cries of the tenants. We immediately rushed outside to see Vincenzo fighting a gang of masked men. He was badly beaten up, but he was still trying to keep the men away from tenants. 

Just then, one of the men swung a wooden bat at Vincenzo. It hit Vincenzo in the head so hard that the bat broke in two. Vincenzo immediately went limp and his eyes fluttered shut as I gave a cry of alarm.

I ran to him, dodging the masked me. I protected the unconscious Vincenzo with my whole body as the men gathered around me, attacking again. I was determined to protect him and the tenants, seeing my struggle, started to fight back. We eventually chased the gang away and I knew they wouldn't come back.

But I was too worried about Vincenzo to care about anything else.