The girl kicked her shoes in front of the main door. She stormed into the house, not even hesitating. Even for a minute.

“What now?” Grey, who casually enjoyed her tea while scrolling her tab asked Blue, with a calm voice.

“Someone got slipped on the tongue...”

“Shut the fuck up, Blue!” both of them flinch as Yu passed by the hall. His face was red and fuming.

“Someone got stung by a hornet...”

“Worst than that, I believe...” Blue gave a dreadful response. He was about to sit on the couch when they heard a loud thud.

Both Grey and Blue look at each other.

“I'll check them out...”

“I'll call the cop...”

“Very funny, Grey!” Blue dragged the lady with him. She sneered a bit but eventually followed the boy.

***

“Open the door, Peony...”

“Go. Away!”

“No. I said, open this motherfucker door!” Yi thumps the door loudly. Peony clasped her ears. Tears rolled from her eyes.

“Peony!”

“Talk to me when you learn some menace!”

Yu huffed. He swiped his hair back and shut his eyes tight.

“Open the door. Let's talk!”

“Go away, you son of a bitch!”

“Excuse me?”

“You called me bitch, and yelled at me in public. You deserved to be called that!”

“You're not calling me that-”

“I'll call you whatever I want to. You have no rights towards me and my action. Now, I want you to leave me alone, bastard!” Yu gritted his teeth.

Looks like someone just poured more petrol into a fire!

“What did you just call me?”

“Bastard! Got any problem?”

Yu held his anger, but it was too late! He was boiled inside.

With his superpower strength, he kicked the door. The poor door fell, revealing a girl, on the bed, crying her eyes out.

“What.Did.You.Just.Said?!” he gazed at her with his sharp darker eyes. Peony jumped from her bed and pushed his body away.

“Get out!”

“I ain't fucking leaving. Remember, I am the owner of this house, don't ever cross your line!”

“Just because you are the owner, and I am just boarding into your house, you can disrespect me?”

Silent.

“It's not my choice to stay. You're the one who insists! Besides, I never feel like you welcomed me in this house. I am more like a prisoner!” Peony yelled.

“What did you expect by the way? Roses petal? Royal treatment? Kneel before you? Oh, Your Highness, good morning! Something like that?” Yu mocked her.

“I asked for nothing except some respect! Is it hard for you? I did what you want. I follow your dreadful schedule. But still, you treat me like garbage!” tears dwelled in Peony's eyes. “Calling me bitch in public. I feel even worst than a dog!”

“Because you never listen! You keep pricking me, resist me!”

“Tell me, why you took me under your wing? Why are you being generous and letting me stay? Is it because I'm the easy target?” that question made Yu choke a bit.

“It doesn't matter-”

“Is it because you need someone to leash out your anger? A punching bag? An entertainment?”

“Peo, shut up”

“You can't call Grey like that. She will kill you. Blue and Red, too... Because you knew they will never care. You know I do care, and you love drama. You need a dose of them every day. And, I happened to be here, clowning myself for you!”

“For fucking sake, shut up!”

“How much did you pay my parents?”

Yu was stunned for a moment.

“What are you-”

“I read the chat between you and Ang. I know you send them money-”

“It's not like that-”

“That's why you treat me like a slave. Because they sold me to you. I'm nothing, but merchandise. A whore-” a hand sliced the air, and landed on a soft baby's cheek, leaving a red streak. Yu pulled his hand, consciously knowing he did mess up this time.

Tears fall from Peony's eyes. She touched the place where she felt the sting. She concluded her suspicions after all these times.

Her family sold her to Yu.

She pushed Yu away and ran out of the room. Blue and Grey scoot away while Peony passed them in front of the room.

“Peony...” Yu tried to pursue her, but Grey stopped him in the mid.

“I'll handle this...”

***

Peony POV

I stare into a blank space, crumble myself in an onigiri position; with both my knees close to my face. I'm done crying for fifteen minutes since I ran away from that house.

That feeling will never leave me. Betrayal by my own family. How could they exchange me for money?

I know I brought shame to them. But, I was a victim! If they distrust me, to whom should I go now? Yu is not a family! Worse, he is the one who causes all of this shit!

I threw a huge pebble into the water. The river flows slowly in front of me. It will flow straight to a waterfall, just a few meters away from where I am now.

The only reason for my willingness for a morning run is this magnificent view. This is something that I will never encounter before. Living in a suburban, surrounded by rows of shops and mess up streets, it's impossible to have the best view ever.

God is not fair! He gave this view to the most heartless and ignorant human being!

I threw one more pebble.

“If you think about hating him, well... You're not wrong. Even his father hates him,” I jumped a bit when I heard a voice behind me.

It was Grey. The girl jumped down from where she stood earlier and walked toward me.

“His complexity makes him difficult to understand. Once, there was a person who did. But she is six feet down into the ground...”

“He got a sister?”

“Kinda, sort of...” Grey looked at me with glistening eyes.

“Wait... If it's not a sister... Girlfriend? Wife?”

“It's complicated. And, something that I shouldn't discuss with a stranger,” I looked down, kicking the sand under my feet.

“Yeah, I am a stranger. A prisoner. A slave...”

“You're such a soft-hearted person, you know that? I didn't mean it in that context. Now I know why it is so hard for both of you to blend in!”

“I never ask any help...”

“Look, no one in your circle is helping you by now. Your family betrayed you. Your boyfriend and best friend fuck each other behind your back. Sorry to say, but you should be grateful that Yu takes you under his wing,” Grey pulled me up and grabbed my shoulder tight.

“The only thing that you need to do right now is come out of your comfort zone. Learn more about yourself. Protect yourself, because, by the end of the day, only you can help yourself. No one else can. Even Yu,” her words put some thought in my mind right now.

“He has no right to call me bitch!”

“...and you have no right to call him a bastard. It makes you two equally stupid!” I can see how she rolled her eyes.

That makes me chuckle a bit. I was trying to thank her, but somehow she got stunned when her smart watch beeped. She checked on it. Her face turned white.

“What's wrong?”

“It's time to save ourselves!”