Stranger

.EIGHTEEN.

SILVER VALLEY PARK
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"I'm afraid of heights," Seojun said.

"Seojun, this is no more than three feet..." Jennie said but realized she shouldn't be the one to nitpick his fears. "I'm sorry for interrupting. Continue?"

"When I was 9, my mum let me play on the swings. My father found out about it and came to the park. I tried to defend my mum but he didn't let me speak. He made me sit on the swings then lifted me above his head to throw me forward. I fell off from the momentum and cut my head on one of the platforms."

Jennie's heart sank as got off the swing. She felt immense guilt for making Seojun even look at the swings then she hugged him tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Seojun. I should've never forced you to sit on the swings like that. I'm sorry."

Seojun sighed and kissed Jennie's head. "It was years ago. I barely remember it."

"Just because it happened years ago, doesn't mean it's not important. He's hurt you so many times, Seojun... There's probably more things that have happened.."

"I don't care if he hurts me. I only want to keep my mum safe."

Jennie looked up at him and her eyes were brimming with tears. She touched the scar near his forehead then looked in his eyes.

"That was how you got this? And now you have another one..."

Seojun looked down and rested his forehead on hers.

"You had scars on your body, too. Could you tell me about those? Let's go sit there," Jennie said and lead him to the park bench.

"My mum used to be on business trips when I was young so doesn't know about most of the things my dad did to me. Can you promise me that you won't tell her or anyone else?"

"Of course, Seojun. I promise I'll never talk about it at all."

Seojun nodded then took a deep breath. He was finally accessing the part of his memory that he had tried so hard to get rid of. But somehow, telling Jennie made him feel better.

"When I was 11, my grandma from my dad's side used to take me to the market with her to buy groceries. She told me to stay near Jimmy, my uncle who owned a meat stall and he had a little puppy to keep me company as I waited. My dad and his business partners, at the time, saw me there once. Some laughed at me, some spat beer at me."

Jennie nodded and held his hand in hers.

"My dad... yelled at me. He told me that men shouldn't shop for groceries. 'That was a woman's job.' Uncle Jimmy tried to hold him back but then my dad threw his beer bottle on the ground. My grandma came back and there was more yelling. She lead me away but my dad picked up the broken glass threw the bottle at my back. It cut me in a few areas."

Jennie remembered the three faints scars on his back, and she pouted a little. Seojun took a few deep breaths and she saw that he was beginning to tear up.

"You don't have to keep sharing. It's okay, Seojun."

He shook his head.

"I fell over and my dad grabbed me. The puppy tried to attack my dad but then... h-he picked up the glass that cut me... he killed the dog," he said and his voice broke.

Jennie whimpered and Seojun rubbed his eyes. Since Jennie owned two dogs of her own, her heart broke after hearing how inhumane someone could be to kill a puppy, or to even hurt their own son.

"Seojun, I'm so sorry," Jennie tried to say but her voice broke.

She hugged him and felt his warm tears sink into the fabric of her shoulder.

"My grandma... s-she."

"Take your time. It's okay."

Seojun sat up again and caught his breath.

"She gave me the BlueJays hat, my favourite one. It was my late grandpa's. She saw the scar on my head and let me have it, to cover it. But that hat was important to my dad and his brothers. My grandpa only gave things to people he was proud of, people whom he thought deserved something."

He took another breath then continued.

"It was from a Canadian baseball team, and my grandpa took pride in them. When my dad found out, he was mad. He lashed out at a family dinner and because of it, my grandma had a heart attack and passed away that night. He stabbed me here with a steak knife."

Seojun let go of Jennie's hand and opened his right palm. She had never realized the scar he had in his hand that could be seen on both sides-and Seojun tried his best to hide it.

"When I get angry, I clench this fist. I do it with just enough force to feel pain in the area again. I made myself feel the pain so I won't be like him and lash out at people.... But you always hold my hand, and make me let go."

Jennie held his hand and intertwined their fingers. Seojun wasn't crying anymore but she still wiped some dampness from his face.

"Does it hurt more when I stop you? When I hold your hand and make you open your palm?" Jennie asked, feeling guilty for doing that to Seojun too.

"Anger makes my entire body go up in flames but when you held my hand during those times, I only felt my heart beating. It gets loud and evident and makes me think."

"... Is that good?" she asked cautiously.

Seojun nodded and looked down. She rested her head on his shoulder and he moved to wrap his arm around her.

"Thank you for annoying me," he said and she smiled.

"I'm proud of you, Seojun." He laughed. "I mean it. I'm very happy to tell everyone that you're my boyfriend. Not only because I know you care about me but you trust me enough to be vulnerable. You're sweet and you're adorable. And, you know, you have a nice body..."

Seojun chuckled softly. "You're the sexy one here, Jennie."

"I'm just a beautiful stranger. You haven't seen really seen who I am yet, but you will soon. Don't worry."

Seojun smiled, "I'll be patient."

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