You woke up, the clock on the wall reading 9 AM.

Even though you only had 6 hours of sleep, you felt well rested and your back hurt less than last night. Minho showed you to an empty bedroom and you dozed off as soon as your head hit the pillow, so you didn't have any time to look around.

Now, being awake, however, you were able to take in your surroundings more. You could tell that the building was a bit old. The walls in the room were a pale shade of blue, probably painted over a decade ago; a small wooden desk and a chair stood near the window, and there was a bookshelf on the wall that had a few books in it. Other than that, the room was empty.

Your feet hurt badly, appearing to be still swollen, but you decided you couldn't stay in bed any longer and you couldn't continue to take advantage of Minho's kindness. So, despite your feet and the horrible nausea, you went downstairs back to the restaurant and headed to the kitchen, where big piles of dishes stood in the sink and near it, as if looking at you threateningly. Considering that the place was empty, you figured Minho was still asleep.

You decided you would help by doing the dishes and afterwards you would go your merry way, trying out other shelters on the other side of the city and, as a last resort, a police station. The thought of going to the police for help made you wince, but you were slowly starting to get used to the possibility of having to expose and possibly confront your ex. After all, what other choices did you have?

After the dishes were done, you took a seat in the empty restaurant and frowned. Your feet hurt even worse than before. How were you going to be able to walk as much as you wanted to today? You also glanced outside, and noticed snow piled up last night, and then looked at your shoes and beat yourself up for not wearing some boots instead of these worn-out sneakers, completely inappropriate for the weather and definitely not water resistant.

A bitter smile invaded your face, when suddenly the front door opened.

"Dal-Rae? Are you still here?" Han's voice echoed through the place.

"Oh, hello!" you nodded shortly, but didn't get up, letting your feet rest just a moment longer. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working here, remember?" he chuckled.

"Pff" you scoffed. "I meant so early!"

"10 AM is not early though?! Are you as lazy as Minho?" he teased, a grin escaping on his face.

"C'mon, don't tell me you didn't wish to stay in bed longer today!"

"Well, there were still the dishes left so I thought I'd come do them before we open up at 12. Minho likes to sleep in when there's a busy night ahead, and considering it's Friday and there's a football game, the place'll be full."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So, wish me luck against the dish-monster- wait, where the fuck are the dishes?!" he exclaimed, making you chuckle, your face then turning neutral.

"I did the bitches." You crossed your arms in front of your chest and replied in a serious tone, as if you were in an action movie. Han made a surprised expression and started laughing his ass off.

"Let's have some breakfast then! Or did you also eat?"

"No, I haven't." You smiled and watched Han disappear in the kitchen. How could've you possibly eaten anything and take even more of Minho's things?

Soon after, the smell of fried eggs and bacon invaded your nostrils. Han came with two plates and a bread basket in one hand, and two glasses of water in the other.

"Your balance amazes me. I'm so clumsy, I'd drop everything" you said in a joking manner and chuckled, but you were truly impressed by how smooth Han moved with everything in his hands.

"It's just practice. I did break a couple plates at first, but after experiencing Minho's fury, I had to learn."

He chuckled and took the seat opposite to you and started munching on the eggs and bacon. Still, you hesitated, much like last night, and Han frowned.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"I... uhm... is this really okay? Maybe we should've asked Minho first, before-"

"Ask him? What for?" Han started chuckling. "You're so silly, Dal-Rae."

"What if he gets upset? I mean, maybe he planned a recipe with these items and now we're eating them all and-"

"Hey, Minho would never get upset with us eating at his place. Ever. So, don't worry about useless things and eat up!"

"Are you sure...?" You asked, still hesitating. Making Minho upset was the last thing you wanted to do.

"Yes. I'm sure. Come on, the baby needs food as well."

"Okay..." You nodded unsure, but picked up your fork and started eating.

It was a simple breakfast, but it meant the world to you.

You continued making some small talk, until Han dropped a bomb on you:

"Hey... I'm sorry if it's too personal, but... what happened to you?"

You placed down your fork and sighed. The question itself didn't bother you. After all, it was expected to be curious when someone looked like you did. The bruises were getting darker with each passing day and the morning light surely wasn't too flattering, either. You just... didn't expect him to be so bold about it. You were so used to sweeping everything under the rug, that Han's boldness simply stunned you.

You were ashamed to admit how you got the bruises. You knew that it rationally wasn't your fault, but you couldn't help but blame yourself for staying with an abuser for so long and letting him do this to you.

"It's... my ex. He was the one who forced this pregnancy on me, but after I started showing he just... flipped."

"Wait wait wait- forced?"

"Mhm. I always insisted on using protection. My career was just taking off... and I didn't think I'd make a great parent anyway. I still don't, actually." You chuckled bitterly. "But he wanted a family so bad, he just... took off the condom one time and didn't tell me about it. At all."

"What a fucking asshole." Han exclaimed. "Stealthing is rape! I can't believe this!"

You nodded in acknowledgement and took another deep breath before continuing your story.

"The abuse started... slowly. When I first found out I was pregnant, he was elated. I started getting super tired and had bad symptoms from the first month, so he used those against me and convinced me to quit my job and rest. I'm so stupid."

"No, you're not. He just tricked you." Han looked at you sympathetically, placing a steady hand on your trembling one on the table.

"... and after I quit and became dependent on him, it was like a switch went off in his head... day by day, everything I did would be wrong and would set him off. It first started with him gripping my wrist tightly when he was upset and forcing me to look at him. Then, he started punching walls. I knew I should've left when he pushed me off the stairs when I was 3 months pregnant. I almost lost my baby back then, but I kept hoping he would change, so I stayed... Dumb, I know. But I didn't have anywhere else to go. I didn't want my baby to grow up in a broken home and I... I don't have anyone else."

"I'm so sorry to hear that..." Han said and caressed your hand gently.

"... I realised I should've left the hard way. The wall punching turned first into him slapping me, and with time he would just..." It was too difficult to keep your composure any longer, so you started sobbing and trembling, but you couldn't stop talking now. This was the first time you confessed the abuse to anyone. If you would stop, it would just give your ex power over you once again. And he already had so, so much.

You couldn't do this to yourself and stop. Not anymore.

"That's okay." Han reassured you.

"He just... started punching me. He would beat me up every few days. As soon as a bruise would heal, he would make sure I got another. And then, one night last week... he... he got angry. Angrier. He shouted at me and told me that he wished I was dead. Like that, all his problems would disappear. That's what we are to him, apparently. A problem. So, he grabbed me by the hair and threw me on the ground..."

"It's okay. Shh. Breathe." Han instructed you and guided you to regulate your breathing, as it was now getting almost impossible to speak any further.

"He got on top of me and tried to strangle me." You placed your free hand over your throat and massaged the bruises under your turtleneck. "When he realised what he was doing, he got off and told me he's leaving on a 'business trip' to clear his head and have some fun and will return in a week. He threw me $7 and just left."

"But that's... You told us yesterday that's all you had..." He shook his head. "What did you... what did you eat this past week?"

"Not much. Just what we had around the house." You chuckled bitterly. "I'd like to say I packed my bags and left that same night, but I didn't. I stayed for a few more days... Please understand me. I know it was stupid to stay, but... I didn't know what to do at first. My anxiety got so bad, I couldn't even sleep. I kept having nightmares of him on top of me... I would wake up in the middle of the night breathless... After a few days, I realised that this fear I had was not at all irrational... I realised that, damn, he might actually kill me if I stayed. So, in a rush, I just... packed a small bag and... and then I met you and Minho and you know the rest."

"Fuck. You've been through so much." Han sighed.

When you raised your head, you saw that he was crying with you, and that made your heart clench. You still couldn't believe the compassion these two strangers showed you. Han listened to your story and Minho... Minho was just selfless by letting you eat his food and sleep at his place for free.

But there was a feeling burning up inside you. Deep down, you knew you didn't deserve this compassion. You were the only one that allowed your ex the power to control your life. It was on you, so you deserved suffering like this. The only innocent one in this story was your baby, and you would protect it no matter what.

"I am so thankful to you two." You sobbed. "But I know I can't stay here, so, I will wait for Minho to get up, thank him, and I'll leave-"

"Why are y'all so goddamn loud so goddamn early in the morning?" Minho came down from upstairs and interrupted you with his groggy voice, indicating that he just woke up.

The truth was that Minho's been awake for some time now. When he first came down, he stopped on the stairs just in time to be out of sight from you and Han and listened to everything you said.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could anyone treat another human being like that – let alone their pregnant partner?

Minho's heart was heavy from all the information, and when he heard the faltering of your voice, talking about how you had nowhere to go but would still leave so as to not disturb him anymore, his heart almost broke.

"I'm sorry" you started and wiped off some of your tears. "I must've talked too loudly. It won't happen again." You said with no hesitation, and that broke Minho even more.

He thought about how many times you probably had to apologise for speaking- for being there. You shouldn't have to feel so self-aware... You shouldn't have to feel like you were doing something wrong by simply talking.

"So, where do you want to go?" Minho asked and approached you, pulling your chair and kneeling in front of you with an expression on his face you couldn't quite read.

He took off your shoes and socks despite your protests and looked at your feet.

"Where do you want to go when your feet look like this?"

He was right; they were swollen and bruised, you had calluses on almost every toe from walking so much the day before, and when Minho pushed his fingers against the soles of your feet and massaged them, it hurt you so bad, you cried out in pain.

"You can't go anywhere like this, Dal-Rae..." he frowned and put your socks and shoes back on, getting up. "So, just stay here a bit more, until you heal. Besides, Jisung's leaving next week, and I would need to hire some additional help anyway." He continued with the same serious tone he's been using with you ever since he came in the room, but his voice had some sort of softness to it.

"Wait, Han's leaving?" you replied and turned to face the boy. "Where?"

"To University." He said proudly and smiled from ear to ear, quickly brushing off the tears from his cheeks. "I got accepted into a music program I've been eyeing for some time."

"For 4 years, to be more precise. He got rejected 3 times in a row." Minho shrugged and teased the boy with a smile.

"That's great, Han!!!" you replied, excitedly. "Not that you got rejected-"

"I know, I know. Thank you so much Dal-Rae!" He got up and hugged you, surprising you with the warm gesture.

"So, when are you leaving?" You continued, while Minho went to the kitchen to fix himself a plate.

"On Sunday."

"That's so soon! I'm really happy for you though. Make the most of the experience and sing for me sometime." You smiled kindly and meant every word you said. You felt really close to him, even though you only met him yesterday. Perhaps it was because he spoke to you kindly when you were down. You weren't quite sure. But still, Han held a special place in your heart already, and you were extremely proud of him.

"Yeah, we're all super proud of the squirrel." Minho sat down and ruffled Han's hair lovingly. "Especially our friend Chris. He's been his mentor all these years."

"Yeah! Poor Chris thought he was doing something wrong because I kept getting rejected!"

"Did he?" You asked, curiosity getting the better of you.

For a short moment, you forgot that you didn't belong there with them.

"God, no!" He laughed. "First time I failed, I didn't hear my alarm go off and then I took forever to get ready. By the time I got to the exam hall, I was already 20 minutes too late. They apparently hate people with ADHD." Han rolled his eyes and you chuckled.

"Then?" you continued, eyes sparkling with excitement. When was the last time you felt this way?

"Second time was purely unfair!"

Minho started laughing his ass off, probably remembering the story.

"Yahhhh!!! Don't laugh at meee!!!" the younger boy screamed at the top of his lungs and his cheeks grew red with embarrassment.

"This dumbass got a stomach ache and rushed into the first bathroom he saw, walking in on one of his examiners."

"That's not so bad, though. Not a reason to fail, anyway." You tilted your head in slight confusion.

"No, that wasn't the reason. The thing is, he saw the examiner wiping his butt standing up and turned with his face to the toilet, and he thought it was a student, so he laughed and made fun of him."

"Ugh, that's..." you grimaced.

"It was only funny until it was his turn, and he came face-on with the examiner, who you can assume wasn't so fond of him. He asked him the most difficult questions and Jisung couldn't even get one right" Minho continued the story while Han hid his face behind his palms. "And the third-"

"AND THE THIRD TIME I FORGOT TO BRING THE STICK WITH MY SONG ON IT. END OF STORY." Han screamed and got up, picking his dirty plate, and reaching out for yours.

"No, no, let me-" You grabbed your own plate and got up, but the ache in your right foot stung so painfully that you tripped, your hands letting go of the plate in your hands. You watched in horror how it fell to the ground, shattering, broken pieces flying everywhere.

You didn't know what to do. You recalled that one time two months ago when you dropped a plate, earning a hard slap on your cheek from your ex. You instinctively winced back in fear and closed your eyes, apologising, expecting to hear Minho's screams and feel his rage on you, but that never came.

Minho was not your ex.

Instead, a kind hand brushed over your hair, and a concerned expression hovered on Minho's face.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked hurriedly, looking you up-and-down and checking whether you got any cuts on you.

Han also came close to you and grabbed your hands, scanning for any damage.

"Thank God, you don't have any scratch!" Han exclaimed and Minho let out a sigh of relief.

"Please, be careful." Was everything Minho said, out of pure concern for you.

However, you weren't able to read his expression and tone that well, so you assumed the worst and started apologising again for ruining one of his plates.

"Fuck the plates, we can always buy some more. I'm just glad you didn't cut yourself." He assured you, taking you into his warm embrace.

What a strange feeling, you thought, and with a small dash of courage you wrapped your arms around him as well. You found his warmth safe. Something strange, indeed, considering that you haven't felt this way before. Not even with your ex. You always felt like you didn't belong.

You realised how much you craved a closeness like this and how much you missed any form of intimacy, and you cried even harder, but you managed to ask Minho something between your sobs.

"If I stay here and help you out...", you sniffed, "what if I break more plates?"

"Then, we'll replace them."

"But what if... one day you get annoyed by me breaking so many plates?"

You both knew that your question was not really about the plates. Minho contemplated quite a bit before giving you an answer you didn't quite expect; a non-verbal one. He pulled your body closer, and you could feel your belly getting a bit squished between you two, but you didn't mind this. And like that, he hugged you harder and spoke so softly, you almost didn't catch it.

"I won't let you down. So, please... just stay here for a bit longer and get better, okay?"

"Yah! Don't cast me aside! I want a hug too!" Han shouted, throwing himself on the two of you.

~

After your talk, Minho sent you back upstairs to rest, not letting you do anything else.

"Until your feet heal, I don't even want to see you try to do any work. The only thing you're allowed to do is play with the cats." He scolded you, emphasising once again how important it was for him that you got better. Han seemed to be on the same page as his boss, since he just stood there and nodded approvingly the whole time Minho scolded you for your carelessness when it came to yourself.

So, you went upstairs and let yourself fall on the bed, closing your eyes in the process. Until your back hit the hard mattress, you didn't realise how tired you actually were.

"This is comfortable." You whispered to yourself and petted your belly. "Do you also like being here, baby? It's better than the other place, isn't it? We can rest here for now. We are safe." you smiled for a bit.

But how much longer would it be until Minho decided that he didn't want to have you around anymore? That you were a burden to him?

With those dark thoughts in mind you couldn't shake off, you drifted off to sleep.

~

(A/N) I decided to post Chapter 2 a bit early, so, enjoy!

Poor Dal-Rae!!!

Do you think she should stay with Minho?

Let me know!

Love,

Storm