𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗬﹕heeseung

－ 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

Third person.

On the lift going down, he ducks his head down low for people to prevent seeing his face, which if they do, his bandages and purple cheek would be visible. The elevator dings and opened at the basement as he walks.

However, at the front of the glass door, he heard something and spotted a man crouching down to grab what dropped on the floor.

"Are you alright, sir?" Heeseung asked while picking up the paper bag load with food.

"Ah, good man, yes I'm fine. Thank you." The elder responded, taking the paper bag from Heeseung, and handling it in between his arms.

"Yah, yeobo! I told you to wait for me." A middle-aged waddles toward him. As she looks at Heeseung, he smiles timidly and makes way for her.

"Have a good day ahead." Heeseung nods goodbye. He stuffs his hands inside his pocket and pushes the door to meet the outside breeze.

"Who's that?" The woman asks his husband.

"I don't know. Such a good child for lending a hand, you don't see that behavior in most youngsters his age." The man praised.

"You're talking older than your age again. Didn't you see his face with bruises? Whatever, come on, Aera's waiting."

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Stretching out her body and letting out a groan caused by her terrible sleep on the couch, she heard the doorbell ring. She opens it wide to greet her parents.

"My God, Aera, why aren't you dressed yet?!" Her mother yelled and pushed herself in.

"I just woke up. I wasn't aware of the time." Aera yawned, rubbing her eyes out. She hears an irritated sigh from her mother. She looks to her dad who places a paper bag that she assumes is her breakfast on the coffee table.

"Then go, get changed, and eat. I'm assuming you haven't even packed what you're gonna bring home." The woman chided.

"That, I did yesterday. It's on my bed." Aera responded.

She enters the bathroom and flicked the lights on until she was abruptly halted by her mother's next sentence.

"Why's your aid kit on the table?" She pointed out. Aera's eyes discreetly dilated and had completely forgotten about it last night.

"Are you hurt?" Asked the other parent.

"I was... I was um, I was searching for something last night and took that down from the cabinet." Aera gave her best shot, scratching her chin as a form of lie.

"It's opened?" Her mom asks, giving her the benefit of a doubt.

"I thought it was there." Aera shrugged, taking it from the table and bringing it with her to the bathroom casually.

"I came to think you know the guy I saw downstairs. He might've gotten into a fight." Her dad goes on and chuckled. Aera turned her back against them intentionally so they couldn't see the grim on her face as she certainly knows who her father was talking about.

"Eh? Why would you think that they know each other? You're saying that he was here in their dorm?!" Her mother frantically yells at her husband.

"I didn't mean it in that way!"

"Ah, don't shout you two. I don't know who you're talking about. I'm going to the bathroom." Aera said in frustration.

Before she completely goes inside, she turns around to make a request.

"Hey, dad." Step-dad.

"Yes?"

"Before we go home, could we visit appa for a bit?" Aera smiles.

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Sneaking inside the house in hopes of not getting noticed by anyone would've been so much easier if nobody was home. Except, the moment Heeseung makes the smallest noise while attempting to go to his room, Haeun comes out in front of him.

"Oh, you're back. I wonder what happened?" Haeun says in suspicion, squinting her eyes. She dismisses the silent gesture of her older brother who's telling her to shut her mouth and proceeded to let the whole house know his home.

"Heeseung oppa's home!" Haeun echoes, smiling vividly. Heeseung sighs exasperatedly.

"What happened to you?!" Startled by his mom's shriek, he tries to avoid her approach yet couldn't escape.

"I'm fine-"

"Fine?! I know those bruises weren't there before. What, did you get yourself into a fight again?" His mom scolded furiously as her voice raised with every word.

"Ow! Mom, stop! It's nothing- OW!" Heeseung winced and rubs the arm she slapped.

"I'm perfectly alright, okay? Just some drunk men last night caused chaos and I had to put myself in." Heeseung briefly stated carelessly, mindless of the woman's stress building up the more she listened.

"Do I have to bring myself to the cops again to defend you, huh? What did I tell you before? Stop involving yourself in things like this! Oh, for the love of God, you're already 20!" She exclaimed and stepped closer to scrutinize his state, sighing loudly.

"Mom, I have to work on my practical, can I go to my room now?" Heeseung permissioned with a gentle smile as he goes, not without ruffling the hair of the younger one watching them all along.

The woman watches his back with full concern, her eyebrows drawn together with a wrinkled forehead as she sighed, then turned to her daughter.

"Come along, Haeun, let's make him some breakfast?"

Truth be told, the supposed dinner wasn't the mere reason why he asked her out. They saw each other two days ago, so no recent tales were yet to catch up on other than her job. Regardless, he knew that they'd just be saying anything they think of until the night was over. And by what he assumed would actually happen, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could also slip the news he's been wanting to tell her sooner or later.

Yet, the turn of series of events from last night made him back to his senses that it was too early for him to tell her something that might either be good to hear or have their friendship at risk. And after finding what lies more behind the full of joys of spring within her, maybe it was right he didn't get to tell her so soon.

Heeseung plops on his bed with his arm resting beneath his head, tons of thoughts lingering inside him and he doesn't know which one is first to be attentive to.

"Thank you for making me feel safe."

He won't leave just yet. It's not that easy to do so, after all.

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Another one already? Wow :O