The Flowers We Saw

Broken Choices

She hiccupped taken by shock. "No." she panted, panicked. "No, I can't."

Tightening his hand around hers he turned to face her. Looking into her eyes, "Listen to me. I'll help you. Ok?"

Her lips trembled. Her wide eyes brimming with tears.

"You're going to be ok." He promised.

The elevator doors hissed open and he pulled her out with him. She turned to hide her face behind him as others filed inside. The moment the sun rose over them Hayoung hurled around to run back inside.

"I can't," she heaved, breathing so deeply her voice went hoarse. "I can't do this."

Shaking her head, she tugged her way back in through the doors. Sehun fought with her. Yanking her back outside. Grasping her by the shoulders albeit gently he held her eyes. "You can and you will."

She whimpered fearfully. "I'm scared."

"I know you are," he sympathized, "but you can do this. Hayoung, you can. You have to know you deserve better."

Shedding painful tears, she clenched her eyes and covered her face. And he knew she knew it, too. She'd just been too afraid. Her heart broke as she sobbed, "It's embarrassing. I can't...can't face mom and dad like this. I can't do it."

"You have me, your brother, don't you?" he softly asked. "I want you to do this for yourself. I'm right here with you."

Biting her lower lip, she nodded suddenly appearing like a child again. Not the steadfast woman she had become when she became an adult. Maneuvering her way down the roads to an early marriage, a well-paying job, and a life to be filled with much love and happiness. Those steadfast dreams gone awry somewhere down the lane transitioning her from a happy bee into a cowering girl.

How did things like that happen?

"Come on." He led her to his car.

Hayoung nervously fiddled with her fingers throughout the car ride. Sehun worriedly darted her his eyes in her direction and the road simultaneously. His heart went out to her. His younger sister whom he didn't know was facing this darkness alone. When they visited him, he should have done more instead of standing back. Foolishly telling himself not to be intrusive about their marriage.

He should have followed his gut instincts!

He could have helped her earlier!

Now that they were a ways from Doyoon's home, he felt more at ease. Contrary to him, Hayoung fidgeted anxiously. Doyoon would get angry she said. If he rampaged, would he hurt her again? For a quick second, Sehun worried what he was doing was just putting her in more danger. Yet he was the older brother. He should protect her. If Hayoung had no one, she had him. Other than their father, he was supposed to be her rock.

"Since how long has it been happening?" Sehun asked.

Her silence elongated like the streets they were leaving behind. Sehun doubted she would give him an answer. And then, "Almost two years."

Sehun shut his eyes a moment then opened them with a hiss. "Jesus. Why didn't you say something? You could have come to me. I'm your brother, Hayoung."

"It wasn't that serious at the beginning." Her voice dimmed. "It...it felt like an accident and then he apologized."

He sighed then stopped when he realized it sounded like he was just lecturing her. He didn't need to make the situation worse. He shouldn't be blaming her for the circumstances she'd been forced under. These things were uncontrollable.