As soon as the shuttle stopped on the west side of campus SooKyung and I stepped off and huddled underneath the umbrella as the rain threatened to soak us entirely “It’s like she has some sort of grudge against me” I tried to explain as we walked briskly towards the science building

“Maybe she has some sort of hidden love for Bang Yongguk”

My chest tightened strangely as I gave SooKyung a quick unbelieving look “I think not.” I shook my head

“Why not? It could happen” she reasoned

Thinking back to the way I’d seen Hyohee-sshi react to Daehyun-sshi; I highly doubted a hidden desire for Bang Yongguk was the case for her hatred towards me. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone going off, and I’d have to remind myself to turn it off once class started. Already knowing who had sent the incoming message, I ignored it.

“Just block him” SooKyung suggested

“He’s my boss now Soo, I can’t” I stated regretfully

“Which I still don’t understand; why would you even take that job?” she rolled her eyes

I stumbled slightly “Aish” I cursed and pulled my foot from the puddle I’d just stepped into “You know why.” I snapped; irritated that she could even ask me that; we’ve known each other for years; she knew exactly why I needed the job.

Her silence showed her guilt for forgetting such an important factor “I could always help you, I’ll ask my appa for-”

“No” I shook my head “I don’t need anyone’s help SooKyung”

She sighed “You’d tell me right, if it’s too much for you to handle, You’d ask for help right? We could loan you-“

“No. Thank You.” I brushed her well-meaning words as we walked up the steps towards the entrance, her hand clutched at my elbow, stopping me from opening the door.

“I’m sorry; KiYeon….It’s just…you don’t- you never- How- I mean…Have you visited her this week?” she stuttered, knowing how touchy the subject was.

I swallowed my irritation with her and shook my head “Today” I informed her, still irritated, even when I knew she was only trying to help. I pulled away slowly to open the door, shaking the umbrella off at the entrance.

“See you at lunch?” SooKyung asked carefully

Shaking my head, I closed the umbrella and looked up at her “I have work after this”

“Arasso” she waved “Annyeong”

“Annyeong” I waved and made my way towards the chemistry lab; taking the elevator to the third floor as usual, but before the doors could close a hand stopped them to enter beside me.

“Mianhe” the man I recognized, not only as one of my classmates, but as one of the VIXX members, Kim Ravi, apologized as he pressed the third floor button again.

Stepping slightly away from him, I kept my eyes on the doors; my entire body tense when I realized he was staring at me. His sudden laugh startled me “You don’t have to be so tense” he stated

I ignored him, wondering how much longer this elevator ride would last.

“KiYeon, right?” he wondered

“You already know” I said, breaking away from my staring contest with the door and glaring at him “So why ask?” I asked rhetorically

He smirked at me “KiYeon-sshi….you’ve known him longer than we have; you know how he is-“

“Who?” I asked, already knowing who he was talking about

“Leo”

I shook my head and breathed a sigh of relief when the elevators opened, but clenched my fists when he followed me out “He’s a stranger.”

“He’s still as determined as he ever was, you remember that….he won’t let you go KiYeon” he kept informing me of things I didn’t want to hear “I advise you to give in” his patronizing tone had me turning to glare at him “Before anything bad happens” he warned and sidestepped me to enter the classroom.

My nails bit into my hand, anger running through me before I realized I had much more things to worry about than Leo.

AtMercyAtMercyAtMercyAtMercy

“Yah! Babo! Are you even awake?” Hyohee waved a hand in my face

I slapped it away before greeting another customer “Annyeong Haseyo, welcome to Mercy Café, What can I get for you today?” I asked with a successful fake smile as the ahjumma smiled at my greeting

“Do you have Insam Cha?” she asked “I seem to be coming down with a cold” she explained

I nodded “We do-“

“Anniyo, Jwesonghamnida ahjumma” Hyohee interrupted

“Yes, we do.” I stated

Hyohee shook her head “Anniyo. KiYeon-sshi” she gritted her teeth “We do not” she leaned in closer “It’s not on the menu” she hissed into my ear

“The ingredients are in the back Hyohee-sshi” I glared and turned back to the curious ahjumma “On the house ahjumma; please find a seat while I make it” I smiled

“What are you doing?” Hyohee pulled me after the elder woman walked towards an empty seat

“Don’t worry” I snapped “I’ll pay for it”

“It’s not on the menu!” she watched in annoyance as I pulled the ingredients for the tea

“It’s just tea unnie” SunJi tried to lessen HyoHee’s brash behavior

“Don’t be a brownnoser SunJi!” She scolded the younger girl for defending my actions “you should be ashamed, speaking like that to your unnie; keep quiet”

I turned “Yah, don’t talk to her like that” I defended the innocent girl

“Seriously noona” Zelo picked up the coffee he had just served to bring it to the customer “It’s just tea; aren’t you over-reacting?”

“Did I ask for your opinion Zelo?” she snapped rhetorically

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath, finally deciding to just ignore her as I finished the tea quickly and brought it over to the patient ahjumma; I bowed to her when she thanked me.

“Go re-stack the display case” Hyohee ordered as soon as I stepped behind the counter “Palli, you’re so slow today, more than usual; might as well be a turtle”

“Was that your insult?” I asked “It was very well thought out” I stated sarcastically

“Don’t be a KiYeon” her eyes narrowed

“I wouldn’t dare to steal that title from you” I threw behind me and grabbed a cupcake tray and a cake tray from the cooling racks, reminding myself to come back for the Gyeongju bread after I was done with these two trays. Placing the cakes on the counter, I opened the display and started putting the cupcakes onto their designated spot, gasping in surprised when I stumbled and fell against the display case, pressing the tray of cupcakes against my chest as I tried to regain my balance.

“Noona, Are you alright?” Zelo’s voice echoed in my ear, but I could only focus on the front of my apron as I pulled the tray away and watched the cupcakes fall off of the stained material; letting the tray fall with a clatter and ignoring the silence enveloped restaurant.

“Sorry” I turned to Hyohee who looked on mischievously, her eyes observing my ruined shirt before meeting my angered eyes “Didn’t see you.” She lied.

I smirked and pushed the tray away with my foot before swiftly grabbing one of the Saeng Cream Cakes and swiftly smashing it into her face before she could react “Mianhe” I wiggled my fingers to get the remains of cream off of them, the cream dropped with a faint ‘plop’ onto the clean linoleum “It slipped” I rose an eyebrow at her as the pie slid onto the floor, revealing her cream covered face

“Oh.My.” SunJi was at a loss for words as she gaped like a fish out of water at the scene in front of her

I watched, waiting for her next move, as Hyohee reached up to wipe some cake off of her face;  She nodded slowly and reached for one of the remaining cakes on the tray; I ducked once I saw her hand hurling it towards me and cried out in surprise when she slipped and ran into me, the cake flying towards Zelo as we stumbled.

“Idiot!” she pushed me after regaining her balance

I pushed her just as hard and felt Zelo’s hands grabbing my arms to pull me away just as the bell over the door rung, interrupting the silent customers “Aren’t you too old to be playing such foolish games?” I glared “You hate me so much, but what did I ever do to you to treat me so disrespectfully?”

“Why don’t you ask yourself the same question” she threw back “You treat us the same way” she stepped closer to me.

“babe” Daehyun’s sudden voice stopped her

“I’m just giving all your negativity back to you” she turned away from me and managed not to slip as she made her way across the dirty floor and up to Daehyun, her arms wrapping around him once he’d pulled her into a hug. He sent me a small apologetic smile, but my attention was pulled towards Yongguk, who walked in with a black case in his hands, a black suit decorating his body. I swallowed thickly when he looked over me and then over the mess around me. He nodded towards his office and turned as I started following him. I wondered if he would fire me, a sense of insecurity hitting me; my thoughts wandering to my other work options and realizing I didn’t have any.

“I can guess what happened” Yongguk said once he’d closed the door to his office behind me “You’ll have to excuse Hyohee…she tends to take things a bit too far” he informed as he slid the mysterious case under the table and ed his suit jacket to swing it behind his seat “However,” he started and sat on his chair, his eyes peering into mine seriously “We both know you aren’t much better” he smirked teasingly

“You expect me to just stand there while she attacks me?” I snapped, immediately regretting it when I realized this man could fire me at any second.

He shook his head “Of course not, I’ll have to talk to her as well” he stated as an afterthought “What I’m trying to say is that you should refrain from getting into arguments and cake fights in front of customers….unless I’m watching” he grinned

“ert” I crossed my arms

“So…did you miss me?”

“Of course not” I replied with a scoff “What are you even doing here? I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow”

He shrugged “We finished early”

I didn’t even want to know what exactly they finished early.

“How was it while I was gone?”

“Peaceful” I smiled cheerfully

He raised an eyebrow, but his lips tugged upwards “Did Zelo walk you home?”

“Zelo and the rest of your posse”

“Don’t exaggerate, it was just CAP”

“Yes, him.” I waved his words away, watching as he ed his cuffs and rolled them up to his elbow “Really, just Zelo would have been enough”

“Ah, Zelo” he leaned back “He’s a good kid isn’t he?”

“Of course” I answered immediately, both of us surprised with my admitted words “Which reminds me” I leaned forward “He said you were his guardian.”

Yongguk looked at me curiously, a strange look in his eyes, before nodding.

“Why?” I let my curiosity get the best of me

His eyes bore into mine “Junhongie…he comes from a very high class family” he started slowly

“Then why is he living with you?”

“It’s my fault” Yongguk replied softly as he looked behind me “I’ve known Zelo since he was born…..you could say our families….were close” I could tell he wasn’t telling the entire truth, but I let him continue “Zelo has always been into rapping, composing, things like that, when he found out I was an underground rapper he started following me even when his parents said no; I tried to keep him away from it but eventually he entered contests without even my knowledge; his parents didn’t like that; they grounded him; that didn’t work and eventually they didn’t want to deal with it anymore”

“So they kicked him out” I stated, remembering Zelo’s previous words.

Yongguk nodded and let out a deep sigh as he ran a hand down his face “Neh”

I nodded “Have you tried to get him back into school?”

 “Of course” he answered immediately

“It’s just” I tried to calm his defensiveness “He seems to really miss it”

Yongguk laughed, “He showed you his physics ‘homework’” he made quotation marks with his fingers “That kid is smart” he added, his gummy smile returning to his face “I know” he nodded and leaned over to open a drawer, taking a folder out suddenly and presenting it to me.

Taking it curiously I turned it around to read the letters on it ‘Seoul School Of Performing Arts’

“I sent in his application before I left” he admitted

My eyes widened as I looked through the folder full of details about the well-known and well-respected school and leaned closer as I realized Yongguk had circled two things ‘Rap’ and ‘physics.’ “They allow double majors?”

Yongguk nodded “They prefer it, so the students have something to fall back on, just in case; Though the school is centered around performing arts, they are also good in basic studies; and this way his credits from the last school could be transferred over”

“His last school was vocational as well?”

Yongguk nodded “He was a physics major”

“That explains a lot” I laughed and closed the folder, handing it over to Yongguk who slipped it back into the drawer.

“So, I see you’ve taken a liking to the kid" He noted and narrowed his eyes playfully "he’s not trying to replace me is he?”

I rolled my eyes “You’re so full of yourself Yongguk”

“Oppa” he corrected me

“I told you, that isn’t happening” I raised an eyebrow at his absurd suggestion.

He leaned forwards, my eyes adverted from his toned forearms and up to his eyes “You’d think you’d be just a little sweeter to your oppa with all that frosting on you” he glanced at my apron.

I blushed at his ridiculous statement “You’d think you’d be smarter with your suit on”

He popped his collar “Who said suits are for education purposes only?” he wondered and loosened his tie “This is all for business sweetheart, oppa uses it to intimidate the others; he needs it to keep you safe” he winked

My chest tightened and I was pulled into a long time ago, when a seven year old still believed in those words.

-Flashback-

I watched Umma take her usual seat at the table, right across from appa’s empty seat as oppa and I sat on either side of them at the large table “Umma?” I asked before grace began; lowering my head when she sent me a scolding look for interrupting her.

“Yes, KiYeon-ah?” she asked

“Isn’t appa joining us?” I wondered, knowing that appa missed quite a few dinners with us throughout my seven years, but hoping he wouldn’t start missing Sunday dinner as well.

“I don’t think so honey”

“Can I ask him?” I wondered and caught oppa’s eyes glance up at umma expectantly

She hesitated for a few seconds before nodding “ara, palli; go ask him” she urged

I pushed away from the table and ran upstairs towards appa’s office; I could hear him talking to someone over the phone and frowned, knowing he probably wouldn’t be joining us; slipping my most convincing smile onto my face, I knocked softly and waited until appa told me to come in.

“Hold on a second” he asked the person on the other line “Yes sweetheart?” he smiled down at me from behind his big desk, and I couldn’t help but feel intimidated with its height

“Appa, are you eating with us today?” I asked, my face hopeful

He grinned slowly “I’ll call you back Dongwan” he explained to who I now knew was appa’s best friend, Uncle Dongwan. He hung the phone up and stood, walking around his desk only to pick me up into his arms, sending a giggle through my small body. Wrapping my small arms around his neck, I pulled lightly at his tie “Appa, why do you always wear these things?” I asked and then pulled at the collar of his shirt “and this?”

“You want to know why appa wears a suit?” he asked

“Neh” I nodded

He nodded slowly “You know appa’s work is very important; he protects you and umma and your oppa” he started

I nodded, I’d always been told appa’s job was very secretive, but that he worked to protect all of us.

“Well appa scares all of the danger away with this suit” he said convincingly

“Jinjja?” I asked, my eyes widening “Then isn’t the suit dangerous too?”

He laughed “Not to you, my princess, This suit will keep you safe.” He smiled and kissed the top of my head “Now let’s go before umma gets angry at us” he started running towards the dining room, tickling me as he went.

-End Flashback-

“KiYeon?” Yongguk pulled me out of my memories, my watery eyes snapping up to his.

“Mianhe” I apologized breathlessly, for lack of not knowing what else to say

He looked at me in confusion at my sudden change in demeanor “Are you alright?”

I shook my head; stopping when I recognized the familiar feeling of my throat clenching, the unshed tears at the back of my eyes pushing to get out. The memory so real it felt like yesterday.  I stood suddenly “I’m sorry, I have to go” I choked and turned away only for him to catch me before I could get the door “Please” because I needed to get away from him, and his stupid suit.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly and cupped my cheeks, his thumb rubbing away a tear I didn’t know I’d cried. Looking into his concerned eyes hurt me even more, because I realized he might just care, he might just be- my thought process was interrupted when his cologne invaded my senses, my eyes closing against my own free will and his surprisingly soft lips once again pressing against mine.

“No!” I pushed him away “I-I have to go” I stuttered, not giving him another glance and ignoring the flutter in my navel as I rushed to get my belongings and ran out of the café. I needed to go, I needed to see her. My feet carried me unconsciously towards the east side of Hongdae. Towards a place I unfortunately knew all too well; a place that I dreaded, but somewhere I couldn’t avoid visiting. Making sure my tears had dried with the cold wind I looked to both sides of the tall ominous building I’d reached and taking a deep breath when I realized there was no one following me, I stepped closer, my hand pushing through the revolving doors and walking into the one place I harvested so much fear for.

“KiYeon-sshi” the woman at the front desk greeted happily, her fingers already typing my presence into the building before she stood up in her pure white outfit and took one of the family passes and pushed it across the separation desk. Taking the familiar card into my hand, I clipped it onto my clothing and nodded once to her, with another nod reserved to the security officer I walked into the open elevator and pressed the number six.

“Kiyeon-sshi” an elderly woman greeted once the elevator doors opened to the sixth floor “Go on in” she motioned to one of the many open doors “GaHee-sshi just went in there, but it’s alright for you to go in”

I inhaled deeply, preparing myself like I always did for the visit. My shaking fingers tightened around the book I’d slipped out of my bag as I walked through the door.

“Annyeong Haseyo” I bowed to the woman fluffing the pillows

“KiYeon-ah, Annyeong haseyo” she greeted

“How is she today?” I asked her nurse, like I always did, my tone always hoping and heartbroken.

She smiled lightly and turned from her work to grab her cart

“Today…she is happy” GaHee smiled and patted my shoulder before rolling the cart out of the room, leaving silence behind her. 

I stared at the chair where she sat with her back turned to me. My heart clenching as I bowed to her back first and moved to stand in front of her, kissing her cheek after bowing deeply to her form.

“I brought your favorite book today” I whispered sadly and pulled an empty stool to sit on. Glancing at the window she was facing. I realized the sun was setting. Her favorite time of day. Turning back I smiled sadly “Shall I start?” I opened the book and read slowly.

-

A/N:

I feel like I'm becoming like YG or something, always saying I'll update this day but leave you hanging :( I'm sorry. 

I hope you enjoy reading!

Do you have any idea who the person KiYeon is visiting could be? Write your guesses in the comments below!

Thank you all for subscribing, reading and commenting ^.^ I appreciate it so much

-Kyute19