Family matters(noun)

- W-wait! - I tried to interrupt her, but she continued talking, ignoring me. - There's clearly some kind of mistake here!

"Damn it! She doesn't want to listen to me at all! And she's looking at me with such a dead look, as if I killed her child!"

Trying to break free, I only managed to tighten the bodyguard's grip, which shackled me no worse than a bulldozer.

"And he's also a bodyguard! He's at least at the 1st generation level, but it's hard for me to judge whether he's a king in strength, because I haven't met them yet.

Why aren't any of the strongmen home right now?! Okay, John Wick, but what is Samuel doing? Fuck, he's probably overstaying at work again, I'll have to forbid him from taking the evening shift...

There's no way to even call Manager Kim."

- Hey, wait a minute, auntie, my guardian will be here soon, he went to the store! I'm underage!

- Alex, what are you making so much noise about?! Are you trying to film a prank or something?.. - a girl my age came down the stairs, rubbing her eyes, looking at us in shock. - Mom?

- Hiyun? - the prosecutor's voice trembled, and now I was completely confused.

"Fuck, do you think we're filming Santa Barbara here?!"

The female prosecutor ran to Hiyun and hugged her, starting to snore, while I saw a shocked face on her face, while she could see the calm face of the bodyguard and mine, full of incomprehension and with my mouth open.

A couple of minutes later, Hyeeun screamed.

- Ow, that hurts, mom! - I saw how she squeezed under the prosecutor's fingers. - Hiyun, I hope you have a decent explanation for what's going on... - Even without seeing her face, I could tell from her threatening voice that I wouldn't like it. - Not only did you forge a suicide note, but you also left your daughter alone with that bastard.

At that moment, something clicked in my head quite noticeably.

"Fuck, how did I manage to get myself into the Hostel mess?! I didn't plan this at all!"

- I'd also like to hear an explanation. - I added in their direction, after which she nodded and the bodyguard let go. - Damn, my neck...

After which we all sat down on the sofa, Hiyun and I, and the prosecutor sat down on the chair opposite, which the bodyguard had placed, standing behind her.

To make everything fair, I suggested that everyone start their own point of view of the story, starting with the prosecutor and ending with Hiyun. While she was giving a purely cynical and dry summary, I was recalling the plot of the Hostel arc, taking Hiyun's side back despite the deception.

After she finished, she fixed us with her sandpaper gaze, like a disgruntled librarian who was interrupted while solving a crossword puzzle.

And I began...

############# ####

I was walking home late at night from a language course. Although I knew the basics, it's hard to find things on the Internet that only native speakers know.

Sometimes even the movement of your lips, cheekbones, or breathing rhythm can give you away. In this case, it is necessary to practice, as in martial arts practicing techniques. After all, thinking in battle is bad for your health.

As I walked across the bridge, I saw a dejected girl in the distance, looking ahead with an empty gaze and traces of tears on her cheeks.

I had seen this look many times, and after realizing it, I couldn't just walk past.

"She's not looking at me, but at what's behind me - the bridge. Damn, I'll have to stop walking late at night, I've had enough of with Samuel."

"Excuse me, girl, are you okay?" I smiled affably and waved at her, but she walked past. "So it's already that bad... Well, in some ways it's even easier."

Taking a bottle of water out of my bag, I poured it on her. She stopped, after which I ran up to her.

- Oh, sorry, the bottle slipped out of my hands! Now you're wet, I'm so sorry again! Let me treat you to a cafe, and at the same time we'll ask for a towel for you. - after which I grabbed her hand and dragged her along.

Seeing an old lady on the way who was about to close the vertical gates of cafe, I asked her to wait.

She was about to yell at me, but I said that I would pay 5 times more and whispered in her ear, pointing to the girl behind me.

She covered her mouth with her hands in horror and agreed.

- Here's a towel. - Not seeing an answer, I began to carefully dry her myself.

- So, what's your name, cutie? - I looked at her with a calm smile, so as not to overload her and bring her back to reality. - Hi... yun... - she said quietly.

- Wow, what a beautiful name! Do you want to eat something? I'll pay for everything, don't worry! - I gave her the menu.

After skimming the menu, she looked up and saw my face for the first time. She started crying.

"This is the first time I've made a girl cry with my face. Is that an insult or a compliment?"

- Ah, sorry, you just look so much like him... - she started wiping her face with her forearms.

After calming her down, I managed to get her to talk. However, I didn't learn anything new for myself.

Impulsive youthful love, only later did they realize the full weight of responsibility due to their disregard for safety.

Her boyfriend told her to have an abortion, including her parents, and she couldn't cope with the condemnation of others and decided to take her own life to escape from all this.

How many such cases are there in Seoul alone, not to mention the country or the world? There are hundreds of thousands of abortions a year all over the world.

Returning her to a toxic environment would be a grave mistake, especially in this state. So I decided to shelter her for a while until she came to her senses.

####### ###

"Hmm, if I think about it, she wasn't lying to me, I was the one who came to the conclusion that she had an abortion. Although I still asked her to contact her loved ones so that there would be no cases of resurrection."

Then came the story of Hiyun, who retold the Hostel arc and all her experiences.

- Hiyun may have been wrong, but I know one thing for sure, you are a terrible mother and failed as a parent. - But she did not snap back, but pressed her lips tightly together and closed her eyes from which thin streams of tears were flowing.

...

- Um, am I at the wrong time? - John finally came, having bought chicken and soda.