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Thirty minutes later, Seunghee walks inside Jeonghan's apartment. She just sent Hansol home and she shall explain everything to her boyfriend now why she did those things, because she knows she hurt him just by protecting Hansol.

She finds him in his room, sitting on his bed, bowing to himself. She can feel the rage exuding from him and this side of him frightens her a little.

"Jeonghan-ah..." she softly utters stepping closer to him.

"Where's the brat?" his tone is firm and hard, confirming he's still really mad.

"He went home. I told him to stay away for a few days and let it die down a bit."

She sits beside him now, even if she's a little scared. He raises up his face but still not looking at her, staring sharply on the wall as if it's the person his wrath is pointed at.

"I won't let him get away with it. I need to beat him till he drops the next time I see him."

"Jeonghan please. Just let it go. Let bygones be bygones-"

"I'm not letting it slide this time! I'm not impotent enough to let another guy touch my girl and let him get away with it. Can't you understand that?"

"This is not about that, he's just a kid."

"He's not a goddamn child anymore! He's way past puberty and I'm sure as hell he's very much capable of erection now!"

"What?! Are you listening to yourself?"

This talk is becoming vulgar. She's getting disappointed with him. His internal insecurities are overpowering him to this point.

"Stop turning a blind eye for him. He's not the kid he used to be. He molested you. He mistreated you. And what was the thing he was talking about aside from the kiss huh? What did he do?!"

He's losing it. It's getting hard for her to listen to him. It's becoming unbearable.

She replies with a soft voice, "It was just a hickey-"

Hearing that, he erupts big time, "Bullshit! He did that and you just let him?!"

"I did not! I did not okay?!" she's yelling at him now too. "He forced me. He was too strong and I could not do anything about it!"

"See? Still you're saying he's just a child when he did that and you just forgive him just like that. Does this mean I can force you too? I can finally have sex with you, suck you dry and force my way with you anytime I want?!"

She retaliates now and slaps him hard on the face. She's so hurt she starts weeping. How can he be this self-centered and insensitive? This is unbecoming of him.

"I hate you."

Those words bring him back to serenity. And the slap on his face hurts to awaken him to reality. He has been a jerk. How can he even do this to her? He should be the one protecting her, not thinking about how to violate her like the other guy did.

She attempts to stand but Jeonghan grabs her arm and pins her flat on the bed. He grips her arms tight but carefully and towers over her with his long hair falling at the sides of his face, covering the slightly red cheek. He stares intently at her, but this time, the anger is slowly fading.

Seunghee can see his gentle expression now. But she still can't stop her tears.

"Let go!" she shouts at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Seunghee-ya..." he stares down at her somberly and regretfully.

But Seunghee doesn't give in just yet and struggles under him, "Get off me!"

"I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I'm sorry Seunghee-ya."

He bends down and nuzzles his face at the nook of her neck. She calms down too, feeling the warmth she always knew. The only warmth she ever wanted. He completely lays over her but she doesn't mind. He's at ease now. She can feel the tenderness in his embrace.

"I never want to hear you say you hate me ever again. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Seunghee brushes away her anger completely cuz she fully understands where he's coming from. And it's partly her fault this all happened. She can't really blame it all on him or on Hansol alone.

"If I can forgive him after what he did, how can I even think of not forgiving you?"

He raises his head, gazes at her and presses his forehead on hers.

"I'm sorry if I said too much. I love you Seunghee-ya. Please don't get tired of my jealousy."

"I won't. Just please don't just throw your anger at me next time okay?"

"I'm sorry, I really am."

He gives her a gentle kiss this time and she smiles somberly as she kisses him back. They finally settle down for a while and it's time to talk things through the right way.

"Anyway, you're heavy Jeonghan-ah."

"Oh, sorry."

He jerks up and assists her in standing too.

"Let's try to talk this in a peaceful manner okay?" she says.

"Just stop defending him," he requests.

"I won't okay. Just listen to me."

She pulls him out of the room and at the living room they sit beside each other on the couch.

"I don't want us to be arguing about Hansol ever again. I know he's done something unacceptable but it's just too hard for me to even get mad at him."

"Why does he mean so much to you? He was just a neighbor right?" Jeonghan can't help his anger from showing again.

"He was but he's the younger brother I really never had."

Jeonghan can't really comprehend, but he has a younger sister too, that he'll always protect till they're old and gray. He calms down a bit and she takes this a sign to explain herself.

"When we were little, my mom used to always go to their house, taking me with her..."

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Flashback

(When Seunghee was seven years old)

A five-year-old Hansol is running to an eight-year-old Seunghee, hugging her as soon as she steps into the house.

"Noona!" he excitedly utters.

"I've got candies for you, Hansol," little Seunghee says.

"Call me Vernon!" he yells.

"Why Vernon?"

"Because it sounds cool. Come on noona, let's play!"

Hansol pulls her to the living room with all of his toys scattered all over the place. But then their mothers call out to them.

"We'll just be going to the market for a while. Can you look after Hansol for me Seunghee?" Hansol's mother asks Seunghee sweetly.

She smiles at her. She's so kind, just like her mom. "Yes eommoni."

"You two behave okay? We'll be back in a minute," her mom pats her head and walks away with Mrs. Chwe.

Hansol just stares at them as they leave and when they have gone, he runs to Seunghee and yanks her out of the house. Seunghee reluctantly yielding to him.

"Where are you taking me Hansol? We were told to stay inside the house," she reminds.

"I said call me Vernon noona," he answers still pulling at her hands. "Come on noona! It's just near. I've discovered a place we can play at!"

"But Vernon we can't just go out without your mom or my mom! There's a lot of vehicles passing by outside."

"It's okay, I've been there without mom knowing. We can go there on our own."

"But Vernon!"

She still refuses to go but he keeps pulling till he has dragged her out of the house. So she obliges and gets along with his mischief. The two kids are out in the yard now. A few meters away, they can see the road since the house doesn't have fences.

"So where is this place Vernon?"

"Just follow me noona. I'll take you there."

In a flash Hansol runs, something Seunghee did not anticipate.

"Vernon, don't run!"

But the child keeps running till the edge of the road, when a fast car just sweeps the street so suddenly. Hansol is a mere foot away from the car and Seunghee, with all her hidden agility rushing out, runs to him and catches him without batting an eyelash.

"Hansol!!"

She screams as she hugs the smaller kid in her arms tightly, thanking the heavens she's a second faster than that car. The automobile did try to elude Hansol but it sped up as fast as it can after nearly hitting the kid, leaving the two children, shocked on their own.

Seunghee hugs Hansol as if he's gonna vanish and Hansol is in shock too. But when he sees Seunghee all over him, he feels safe. She saved him, she's his angel.

"Noona, I'm getting choked," he jokes.

Seunghee lets go of him almost crying, "Don't you ever run out like that again. Didn't I tell you it's dangerous out here? Eommoni will scold me if you get hurt. And even eomma will try to punish me. Do you want that?"

"Of course I don't. But you saved me right? If you're with me, then I'll be safe."

"But I can't be with you all the time. Who's gonna look after you if I'm not around?"

"Then why don't you promise me then?"

"Promise you what?"

"That you'll marry me when you turn 20."

"And why would I do that?"

"So I can be safe for the rest of my life."

Seunghee doesn't understand it, but she answers positively anyways, "Okay, just promise me you won't run away like that again and I'll say yes."

"I won't run away again! I promise!"

"Okay."

"Promise me too noona," Hansol enthusiastically says.

"I promise to marry you when I turn 20. So let's go back inside the house now okay? Our moms should be coming back any time soon."

She holds his hand and pulls him.

"Okay noona!" he answers with a smile on his face.

And the two kids walk back inside the house hand in hand, waiting for the return of their mothers.

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Starting from there, Hansol is always with Seunghee. There are still times that she will have trouble looking after him. He will climb trees, play with mud, run in the rain or be just plain mischievous that it puts him or his health in danger, making Seunghee almost bear a heart attack from anxiety and distress. She will take care of him most of the time especially when little Hansol is crying. He loves to play pranks too, and he puts her in difficult situations many times defending him. She puts up with him for another seven years till his parents decide to take him to New York for his middle school. Though it's a relief for Seunghee that she doesn't have to look after him anymore, it still breaks her heart that he will be away where she can't even see him.

"I'll be back when you're 20 noona," Hansol says to her at the airport while waiting for their flight.

"You take care there okay? You can manage now. You're big enough," she replies.

"Don't worry about me. I'm taking with me all the things you taught me. They won't stand a chance."

"Well, no one can beat the bully out of you."

They laugh at each other.

"Wait for me noona. I'll be back," he says.

"I'll be right here when you do. Don't worry," she utters.

Soon, Hansol and his parents get aboard their flight to New York, with Seunghee bidding them goodbye.

End of flashback

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"Whoever thought that a little kid would take it so seriously after so many years?" Seunghee tells Jeonghan.

"It only happens in dramas. The thing is, it's hard to keep promises with him. Don't tell me you've left any other promises to him aside from that? He's not gonna stop if there is," he says.

"Don't worry, I don't have anything else. And I talked to him with it. It's beginning to be clear to him, so now the only problem I have is you."

"Why me now?"

She shrugs her shoulders and heaves a sigh. Seunghee faces him and holds his face directly infront of hers, staring deeply into his eyes.

"Now listen to me. I love you. And you're the only one. There's not a guy in this world that will ever come close to what you are to me. I know I have a couple of boys close to me but they are all just important friends. Can't I treat them well when they've been part of how I am today with you? At the end of the day, when all of them has gone, there's only you I'll go home to. Because my world is only complete when I'm with you. So I ask of you this one favor. Please understand them, if not for me, then for being the guy that I love."

Jeonghan can't utter a word. Just staring at her doesn't give him a choice. When she says things like these, how can he even manage to respond undesirably? Even if it's too hard for him, when it comes to her, it has only been just the word yes.

"Then kiss me."

She shoves her head without warning and gives him her sweetest kiss.

"Do I get to hear you say yes now?"

"Not until I get enough."

He grabs her nape and kisses her dominantly. He pushes her down on her back at the couch as he continues to ravage her mouth with supreme pleasure. He almost smothers her with his breath taking kisses, enough to make him forgive and forget. But he can never get enough of her taste, that's the irrefutable fact. They catch their breaths after a couple of minutes, both with red, puffy lips.

She gazes tenderly into his eyes as he gives her a peck on the lips one last time.

"For you, I'll do anything. Just ask me. I love you jagiya," he declares.

She gives him a tight hug and replies, "Thank you jagiya. I love you."

With a lover's embrace, they know they have taken another big leap in their relationship. This leap binds them closer and stronger than ever. They both know they will face more of these difficulties in the future but they have each other. And they're sure to overcome whatever.

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To be continued...

(16.05.06)