*Ri-na POV*

I sat on the cold hospital chair, my head in my hands which were soaked with tears.

How could he do that to Kyung-hee…

I lifted my head slowly and saw her small form under the thin hospital blanket. A white bandage was wrapped around her head securely as a breathing mask helped her get more oxygen into her body.

I should’ve been home. How could I stay away from her for so long? Why did I stay with Namjoon?

Idiot.

I hit myself as I crumbled down in tears.

“Idiot, idiot, idiot!!” I hit myself harder as my vision blurred. I was supposed to always protect her.

But I failed.

“Excuse me, girl, we need to talk costs.” I looked up as a nurse gave me a stern face while holding onto a clipboard.

“W..what costs?” I wiped away my tears messily and focused on the woman who clearly did not like me.

“Your sister did not just sustain a head injury. The amount of stress she underwent caused her diaphragm to fail. Her lungs were so weak that she nearly died from a severe oxygen deficiency. The medicine to help her condition is quite costly.” The nurse crossed her arms while looking at Kyung-hee with a troublesome look.

“But….I don’t have any money.” My face creased in worry and I looked at the nurse helplessly. She eyed me up and down and only then I realised I still had Namjoon’s expensive clothes on.

“Um, how long can Kyung-hee stay here?” I asked quietly, my mind searching for any possible way to get through this.

“Well, her hospital bed fees are expensive as well as her oxygen enhancer. If her bill isn’t paid by tonight then she’ll be discharged in the morning.” The nurse raised an eyebrow judgingly and I nodded my head that I understood.

Can dad even afford that?

I was about to get up and leave but the door slid open and dad staggered in, his eyes narrowing on Kyung-hee in a cruel manner.

“Tell that vixen to get up….I’m not gonna pay...all that money for a girl that can’t take one hit.” He walked up to Kyung-hee and placed his hands on her arm.

My eyes widened when he started shaking her violently. I immediately jumped up and ran to him, all common sense and patience leaving my body.

“Wake up you weak girl, stop pretending you’re hurt, you lying bi-“

I grabbed his collar and punched him as hard as I could. He fell backward and crashed into a table roughly, a low groan of pain emitting from his mouth.  

“What do you think you’re doing?! That is unacceptable!!” The nurse yelled and immediately stepped in front of him, defending him for some reason.

“Oh and someone coming in here and putting their hands on a patient IS?!” I grit my teeth and stared at her angrily, every vein in my body coursing with fire.

“I don’t care how fucked up this place is, I will not let anyone hurt my sister. If anyone so much as lays a finger on her…” I walked forward so I was face to face with the nurse. Her eyes squinted at my crude behaviour and she watched me with a sick look.

“I’ll kill them.” I pushed her back firmly and she stumbled on her feet as she grabbed the doorway for support.

“This is assault!!” She stood straight, looking at me like I was an animal.

“Oh it’s assault?? No, assault is-“ I couldn’t finish my sentence cause at that moment dad grabbed my ponytail and wrenched my head back.

I tried to pull his hands out of my hair but his grip was like iron and his breath had a thick stench of alcohol.

Did he drink even more after hurting Kyung-hee!? 

“You and Kyung-hee are both tricking me aren’t you?” He brought his face right against mine as his vicious eyes bore into mine.  

My breathing sped up and I tried to pull my whole body away from him but it didn’t work. I looked at the nurse and she was watching the whole scene with a satisfied look.

“You want to take all my money don’t you? Well I’m not falling for it!!” He tugged me forward making me scream in pain. He started dragging me out the room and I dug my fingers into his skin, trying desperately to get his hold off me.

He threw me to the ground right outside of Kyung-hee’s door. I looked at it with teary eyes, praying she wasn’t witnessing any of this.

Everyone in the hallway...doctors, nurses, security guards….no one batted an eye at what dad was doing. It was like it was completely normal.

“Look at me.” I turned my attention to dad who had crouched down in front of me. I knelt on the ground, my breaths coming out in desperate pants.

What can I do? When I’m all alone.

Suddenly I felt a presence at my back and someone cleared their throat behind me loudly.

“As much as I love a good pain play and humiliation...aren't you overdoing it?”

That deep voice, that strong tone. I looked behind me and saw Taehyung standing there with his arms crossed and an amused spark in his eye.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Dad stood up slowly while staring at Taehyung straight in the eye, his body now completely overtaken with intoxication and rage.

“My name is Kim Taehyung, you may know my father Kim Tae-Sook, your boss. Do you want me to give him a career-ruining comment about you? Because I would find immense pleasure in that.” Taehyung smiled wickedly, his bleached hair hanging loosely in front of his eyes as he placed his hands in his jean pockets calmly.

I stood up and stayed near Taehyung while warily watching dad. He was angrily glaring at Taehyung but then suddenly scoffed in annoyance and walked past Taehyung and me towards the exit.

I exhaled heavily and felt my heart beating erratically. I turned to Taehyung who was looking at me with a dark scowl.

“Tsk.” He uttered almost with disgust as he walked past me and towards the center of the hospital.

What?

I stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. He instantly looked back, a challenging expression on his face.

“Thank you…” I lowered my head and bowed. Yes I didn’t like him, yes he was a piece of shit but he saved me from something horrible so that deserves thanks.

“I didn’t do it for you, I just didn’t want you to get the floors dirty.” He scoffed and turned away but I grabbed him harder and pulled him back towards me.

I kept my head down feeling his arm tensing in my grasp. I caught a hint of his cologne and it sent my head spinning.

“Seriously, I don’t care about you, you could go get hit by a train for all I ca-“

“Where’s Namjoon?” I cut him off and looked up at him. His face changed as he fell silent, an unsettling feeling came over me as his eyebrow twitched in anger.

“He’s away.” My eyebrows furrowed at his response and his face returned to the cold resting bitch face he had when I first met him.

“Away where?” I asked more desperately. With dad acting the way he is, Namjoon may be the only one who can help with Kyung-hee’s medication.

“Away on some stupid teacher conference bullshit. Why the fuck do you want him?” Taehyung’s tone once again was laced with a hint of anger. Like he was pissed off about the fact that I wanted Namjoon.

“I….I need his help.” I looked away to the wall, hating the feeling of being at the mercy of others.

Taehyung let out a laugh which sent a chill down my spine. There was something in his voice that set off all my warning alarms. I was afraid of what he was capable of.

“So...you want Namjoon to pay for your sister’s medication.”

My head shot back to him and I stared at him with disbelief and rage. “You heard everything?? You didn’t stop my dad from dragging me away from my sister by my hair!?!?!” I raised my voice and he didn’t like that because he lunged forward and pushed me back into the wall violently.

All the air was knocked out of me as I gasped for each breath. He walked up slowly, putting his hands back in his pockets as he leant forward to my level.

“Don’t you ever…..ever raise your voice to me, whore.” His voice now sounded like death. Cold, icy death. It had a gnarly roughness to it and his dark eyes were void of any emotion.

“Do you understand?” He tilted his head to the side slightly and I nodded, feeling extremely unsafe in my position.  

“And to answer your question, I didn’t stop your dad because seeing you being dragged like a cum rag by your hair was so delicious to watch.” He licked his bottom lip, a heavy ray of lust overtaking his strong features.

My bottom lip trembled and I stared at him speechless. Why….why does he make me feel so...hot and vulnerable when he is such a rude jerk?

“Now…..I can help your sister with her problems…...” He smiled deeply, a smile that should’ve been beautiful, a smile that could’ve made even me smile...but coming from him it was threatening and unsettling. He grabbed my hand and I flinched when he pressed it against his pants and I felt a hard bulge pushing against his jeans.

“If you help me with my problem.”