1:31 am • 2jae

• 2 •

Youngjae's Flashback

The front door slammed shut, and Youngjae knew what that meant. He hid under the covers of his Spongebob SquarePants blankie and placed his hands over his ears. It was no use. He could still hear the obnoxious voice of his father.

"I expect to come home to a descent dinner!" , his father yelled.

"Yes honey, but I was very busy today. I had to pick up Youngjae from piano, and there were so many chores after wor--" , his mother tried replying. She was slammed against the wall with her husband's hand tightly around her neck.

"Are you trying to tell me you think you have it harder than I do?!"

"N-No. Honey, let me go."

"Listen. Just be grateful I allowed you to keep your son. If it were entirely up to me, I would've thrown that mistake away!" , he threw her to the ground and stomped out of the house.

Although Youngjae was only seven years old that moment, he still understood what the word "mistake" meant. And it hurt him. He quietly got out of the covers and opened the door of his room. With his hands tightly grasping the handle of the stairs, he took small steps to the kitchen.

His mother was crawled into a ball and only the sounds of her sobs and sniffles were heard.

"Eomma?", his soft voice half - whispered.

She looked up to see her son's big, bright eyes looking at her with curiosity. She quickly wiped her tears and held her hands out for Youngjae's. She forced a smile on her face.

"Hi, dear! Are you hungry? You've had a long day so you should be starving by now.", she tried to sound happy as she got up to get him a glass of milk. He reached for his mother's hand and gently squeezed it.
She looked down as tears welled up in her eyes. She got down to reach his height and held him. Running her hand through his hair as they both sniffled.

~

"Youngjae. Youngjae, wake up.", the little boy woke up to a sudden shaking. His mother was hovering him and it seemed like she was frustrated.
"Eomma?"
"Come on, we need to go before daddy wakes up."
The woman pulled her son out of bed and he noticed there were bags packed on the ground. She slung two on her shoulders and carried another one, using her free hand to hold Youngjae's.

She opened the front door ever-so-gently. Just as she was about to press the unlock button on her car keys, she accidentally clicked on the panic button, causing a loud blaring noise to disturb her husband's slumber. She quickly turned it off but it was too late.

Youngjae's father was now calling for them as he made his way down. He stopped walking when he realized what they were trying to do.

"Are you trying to escape from me?", he asked.

"Uhm. Uh, no of course not sweetie. We uh, we just thought someone rang the doorbell.", Youngjae's mother tried defending them.

Her husband only chuckled.
"You really think you can outrun me? Huh?!",

The gentle woman denied and even put her arms around the man to reassure him. She gave him small kisses so he would calm down.

"Youngjae, honey go to your room."
He stared blankly at her as his father had already pushed her up against the wall, attacking her neck with hickeys.
"Youngjae, now.", she said.

The boy obeyed but came back halfway down the stairs to see what happened to his mother. Half her clothes were torn and scattered on the floor as his hell of a father pounded himself into her.
The tears very visible on her face as she couldn't hold in her sobs of pain anymore. She placed a finger on her lips when she saw her son, indicating for him to be quiet. For him to not disturb the pleasure his horrendous father got from his mother's pain.

Youngjae would never forget how evil his father always was. He'd do anything to protect his mom and himself from people who cause trouble. Even if that meant no chances of love.