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Lisa turned the burning hot shower water off as she wrapped a towel around her small frame. Staring in the mirror, she caught a glimpse of her bruised neck. Brushing the dark spots with her fingertips she thought about how her siblings were holding up.
"Lisa?" A knock came from the other side of the bathroom door.
"Jeongguk?" She turned the lights off quickly and opened the door, "You're home. How was dinner?" She asked as they made their way to their bedroom where Lisa searched for a t-shirt to slip into.
"The food was good although Taehyung wouldn't shut up about how amazing his Kalbi was." He rolled his eyes as he laid down on his bed, "What did you, Namjoon and Seokjin hyung do tonight?"
"Seokjin hyung made dinner." She replied simply, leaving out the part where she got beat by her dad.
"I need him to teach me how to cook. He's so good at it-" Jeongguk stopped short when he saw a dark mark on Lisa's neck. Standing up quickly, he turned on the light to find black and blue bruising on her skin along with the cut on her cheek, "What happened to you?!" When she tried turning away, he grabbed her arm, "Lalisa. Why does your neck look like you've been choked. And where'd you get that cut on your cheek?"
"It's nothing Jeongguk." She said quietly, "You're overthinking."
"I'm not overthinking, those bruises on your neck were not there before I left for dinner." He stammered, "What the hell happened?"
"Nothing happened!"
"Did Namjoon or Seokjin hyung hit you? I'll kill them-"
"Of course not." Lisa assured him, "They would never lay a hand on me."
"Then who did?"
"Can you just drop it? I'm tired." Lisa sighed.
Jeongguk brought her over to his bed where he sat her down, "Why won't you tell me?"
"Because it's not a big deal."
"It is a big deal." He explained, "Did you get into a fight?"
"No."
"Then what the hell happened?!"
"My dad came over for dinner!" She blurted.
"He did this?" Jeongguk brushed her cheek with his thumb, "He laid a fucking hand on you?"
"Jeongguk please just-"
"If you're gonna tell me it's not a big deal then I don't want to hear it." He got up and grabbed his jacket, "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?!" Lisa asked as she watched him walk out the door. She sighed and slumped on his bed.
"Hey." Lisa glanced at the doorway. Dallia stood there with a small smile, "Can I come in?"
"Yeah." She sat up and tapped the spot on the bed next to her.
"Where's Jeongguk going?"
"No clue."
"I'm not gonna ask you what happened to your neck." Dallia told her, "I can tell you don't want to talk about it right now. You can talk to me when you're ready. But.." She smiled as she pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, "I got you a present on our way home."
Lisa smiled at the girl, "You didn't have to do that.." She said slowly, "Thank you."
"I saw the sign for Arirang Smokes and thought of you. I know they're your favorite." Dallia explained, "Just don't tell Namjoon and Seokjin hyung I grabbed them for you."
"You're the best."
"I know." She laughed, "Are you okay?"
Lisa took a cigarette out of the pack and placed it between her lips, grabbing a lighter from Jeongguk's bedside table, "I'm fine. You?"
"I'm good too."
"Can I help you?" Niran asked when he opened the door to a teenage boy.
"You're Lisa's father right?" Jeongguk stood before him.
"Yeah, why?"
"Fuck you." Jeongguk landed a right hook to the man's jaw causing Niran to stumble back before Jeongguk shoved him hard to the ground, "You piece of shit!" He punched him until his knuckles bled. Until Niran got the upper hand and socked him right in the nose, "Don't ever lay your god damn hands on her again!" Jeongguk gained the balance to stand up as he wiped his bleeding nose, dodging another punch from Niran, "Do you hear me? Don't ever-" Jeongguk punched him one last time, "Touch her again."
The bus ride home felt long. He tried to stop the bleeding from his nose but was unsuccessful. He entered the house 30 minutes past midnight. Everyone was sleeping.
Everyone but Lisa.
"Where the fuck were you?!" Lisa shoved him the second he entered their bedroom, "You had me worried!"
Jeongguk wiped his bleeding nose on his sleeve again, "Don't worry about it."
She shoved him again, "You're bleeding!" She sighed and grabbed onto his arm, "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You know what." Lisa said. When she got no response from him, she continued, "You went to find my father."
"Look at your neck Lisa! You think I'm just gonna let that shit go?!"
"Why do you care so much?"
"Because I-"
She cut him off, "Come here." She pulled him toward the bathroom where she managed to stop the bleeding in his nose, "Don't do that ever again."
"No promises."
"Jeongguk-"
"Let's just go to bed, yeah?" He suggested as he turned the bathroom light off, "Come on."
When they'd both laid down in his bed, silence fell upon them. Lisa didn't know why but her insomnia was never an issue when she was laying with Jeongguk. She got tired so easily when she laid with him. Yet when she tried to sleep without him it felt impossible. She could never sleep without laying with him.
"Goodnight Lisa." He kissed the top of her head as she drifted off.
