~Chapter 8~

Aera's POV:

"Are you mad at me?" I ask, no longer being able to bear the silence.

Nothing...

"Jihun.."

Still nothing

"Jihun-ah..

Jihunnie...

Jihunshii..." He still doesn't answer. I'm starting to lose my patience.

"Yah PARK JIHUN!!"

"What?" He asks in a dull tone while washing his hands.

"What's wrong with you?" He finally looks me in the eyes, he seems angry..

"What's wrong with me? I should be the one asking you this! How can you be so relaxed and carefree right now?!!" Shit..

"I-.."

"A man just hit you Aera! He hit you! Hurt you! You have a pretty bad wound on your leg and I feel like I'm losing my mind here" he passes his hands through his hair. "Yet you giggle and talk about pancakes and call my name like I didn't just walk in on you being abused by your so-called boyfriend!" He's kinda scary when he's angry...

"S-sorry.. I guess I'm just used to it by now.." I fidget with the fabric of my T-shirt.

He sighs and comes closer, placing his palms on the counter on both sides of my thighs, trapping me between his arms. He lowered his head, hiding his eyes with his soft hair.

"No, I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you. It's my fault.."

"No you're right, I-" I stopped in the middle of my sentence when he lifted his head and I realised that we were so close that our noses were almost touching.

"You know, I never really stopped caring about you, I promise I'll look after you from now on" He raises his left hand and strokes my hair. My stomach just went full on butterflies mode.

"Jihun..."

Narrator's POV:

Aera was interupted by a knock on the door.

"Guys? Is everything ok?" Jihun distanced himself from the girl when he heard Junghoon's voice.

"Yeah, we'll be down in a second" The boy answered. He gently took her off of the cabinet and placed her left arm on the back of his neck and supported her waist with his right arm.

"Can you walk? Does it hurt if I hold you like this?"

"It doesn't hurt so bad. It's fine, don't worry" She answered with a smile.

They went down the stairs and found the boys scattered around the living room. Taeyong was on the couch, nervously playing with Yoongjae's hair who was on the floor staring at the wall. Next to them was Junghoon that curled up in Hosung’s long arms. Namgi was on an armchair shaking one of his legs up and down, and Seokju was pacing back and forth across the room with his arms on his hips resembling an angry mom.

"Hey guys..." Jihun, made all the heads turn to him.

"Is everything ok? Come here, sit down.." Hosung said and made space on the couch for the two.

"What happened?" Yoongjae asked looking at Jihun who was now sitting on the huge leather sofa next to Aera.

"Uhmm..we.. I mean... what happened was.... ~SIGH ~... It's kind of a personal matter for her, and I don't feel like it's my place to say anything so..." He looked at Aera waiting for her consent.

"It's ok if you don't want to tell us Aera, you don't owe us anything." Taeyong said.

"No, I want to tell you. You've been kind enough to let me into your home and help me without hesitation although I'm pretty much a stranger. And besides, I feel like I owe Jihun an explanation for what he witnessed today so... I'll start from the beginning." The girl looks at the curious eyes staring at her from all the corners of the room and takes a deep breath.

"I've never talked about it before but, here goes nothing...

Four years ago when I finished highschool, my parents decided to move to America to expand their business.. so, naturally, they dragged me along with them. I wasn't very good at studying, so instead of going to university I started beauty school. When I took my diploma two years later they started a partnership with a salon and introduced me to Jacob, the owner.. and they kind of matched us. I never wanted a relationship but I didn't have a say in the matter."

"Wow, seems like your parents are still a lot of fun..." Jihun said in a sarcastic tone rolling his eyes.

Aera chuckled bitterly and continued "Yeah, but that's not the worst part. They forced me to move in with him. At first he was okay, he treated me nicely... I guess, but after a few months he started being possessive and controlling. He didn't let me go out besides working at his salon, he made me cut of all my connections with the few friends I had. Not to mention the anger and irritation I provoked in him every time he caught me listening to your songs, and then he slowly started t-to..." Aera's voice was shaky and her eyes watery, all the boys looked at her with confusion and sadness, but she mustered up the courage to talk again when she felt Jihun's soft hand on hers.

"H-he started to abuse m-me" The others gasped in disgust. "First it was mostly verbally, then mentally, then.. p-phisically. After a year my parents sent us here, in Korea, so he can open more salons and make even more money for them"

"Hold on a second... You're saying that you've been here, in Korea, and he abused you for a year?!" Jihun asked

"Y-yes.."

"Why didn't you-" Jihun swallowed his words knowing that they would hurt her even more.

"I'm so s-stupid.. I know I am" the girl sobbed. "I wanted t-to ask for help, I really did. But I didn't know anyone here anymore and I was so afraid that h-he would h-hurt me even more" tears flowed from her eyes like rivers of sorrow.

"Hey.. it's ok, you're safe now. He will never touch you again." Namgi comforted her.

"That's why you came to the concert.. isn't it? You hoped it could somehow be your lifeline." Taeyong said in a soft and compassionate voice.

"Yes.. well, that and one other reason" Aera answered looking at Jihun who's cheeks were already turning pink.