* 。 • 。 ˚ ˛ Yumi POV。 • ˚ * 。 •

There was an experiment done. They put a bunch of sheep in a field with a fence going all the way around the field. Then, they opened the gate and all the sheep came running out. For the experiment, they did this again, but this time removed the fence and kept the gate. Now there was no fence surrounding the sheep, but when they opened the gate this time, all the sheep went running out of the gate. That's the thing, there was no fence surrounding them, so why did they still run through the gate when they could've run around it?

Well, I feel like the sheep right now. I know that the fence isn't there but at the same time I feel like I'm obligated to run out of the gate still. Unlike the sheep though, I was trapped. How are you supposed to choose between mom and dad when mom was safe and dad had your only joy waiting on the other side? My parents are Asian. They don't do that whole 'one week with mom- one week with dad' or the 'weekend with dad- the rest of the week with mom' bull crap. They're the type that are like 'Okay, either mom or dad. Visit the other one on holidays if you want, just keep him/her away from me.'

No dad, no Seungmin.

No mom, no safety.

Which one do I value more, Seungmin or safety?

That sounds like a rhetorical question; mostly because it kind of is.

I sat idle in my hospital bed for a long minute. Ian or whatever his name is, looked at me in a concerned, fatherly way, a look that I was unfamiliar with. He had no right to look at me like that. He hasn't earned the title of 'Father' from me, why should I suddenly switch up and just start acting like that? My biological father (which sounds weird saying out loud) on the other hand was nothing but a sorry excuse of a dad.

They sat there. Waiting. Silent. Staring. What the hell.

"Ma,"

"Yes, Beta?"

"I think... I want to go home with..." Their faces both lit up in anticipation, waiting for the answer they were about to receive. I'm sorry.

"Appa,"

There was silence again for a while. Then Ma spoke.

"Are you sure?" I nodded. She sighed at my answer. Ma of all people knew how stubborn I was when it came to stuff like this.

"If it's that Sungmin kid then he can come over to our house you'd just have to stay down stairs in-"

"How do you know about Seungmin!?" I shouted. I swear to God- how long has she known!? Does that mean Appa knows too? It doesn't matter anyways because Seungmin probably forgot about me. Also, he wouldn't drive an hour just to see me.

"Yumi, I've known about him for a while. I've met his mother and sister before in the elevator and his sister was talking about how you two were friends. Later I found out that you two have been friends for a while. I know he's your best friend. I'm your mother, you can't hide anything from me," My heart sank at her words.

"I-I'm still going with Appa,"

"I figured you'd say that but Beta-"

"He's not coming, Ma!" Tears emerged from my eyes, which evoked a feeling in the atmosphere which wasn't the best. "He hasn't come and I don't think he's going to either! He probably forgot about me anyway! Just go away!"

Yanking the covers of the bed, I threw them over my face, diving down into the blanket to curl up so I could cover more of myself. I didn't want to deal with this anymore. Why couldn't I have just died when I fell? Life would've been less complicated for me, Ma, Appa, Seungmin, and Evan or whatever the hell his name is.

Ma understood that I needed to be alone, so she got up, and walked out of the room with her boyfriend. The last words she said right before she left stuck with me for a while afterwards like popcorn in my teeth after watching a one hour movie at the movie theater. All I wanted right now was to see Seungmin. At the end of the day though, beggars can't be choosers.

* 。 • 。 ˚ ˛ Seungmin POV。 • ˚ * 。 •

As soon as school ended, I scurried out of the classroom with my classmates like a mouse. Just trying to avoid the annoyance of the other's bothering me. I'm fine. My headphone's said otherwise though, all day they've been pumping Street Lights to my ears just so I could feel a sense of something. Hearing the playlist comforted me, it reminded me of Yumi.

Every time I think of her, suddenly I am able to remember the smell of her, the laugh she laughed at all my jokes and statements even when it wasn't funny, and the look in her eyes. The smell of vanilla always reminded me of her. Often, she'd smell more like laundry detergent though since she did the laundry in her house. Also because twice a week she'd always wash her favorite hoodies and wear those everywhere she went.

I stood still in the elevator, looking at my phone when the doors to the apartment opened. It was a man. He was also Korean, but looked like he was mixed with white or something. The dark circles underneath his eyes made it clear that he didn't get much sleep. At first I thought that he worked a lot, but that thought changed when I saw what was in his hand. Liquor bottle.

This couldn't have been a coincidence. And I was sure of it when I heard his voice.

"What floor are you going to, kid?"

Maybe I should try getting a reaction or something out of him before I start jumping to conclusions. I need to test this theory.

"The 6th floor," I responded to the man. He seemed surprised.

"Huh, I live there and I've never seen you. You new?" I nodded just for the hell of it.

"Moved here not too long before the girl fell off the roof. I was standing right outside too,"

My answer triggered him because he grunted. "Stupid teenagers shouldn't be doing dangerous things. Did you know her?"

Why? Did he know her? I'm sure he was just curious, so I answered honestly.

"No sir. Why? Do you know who she is...?" He nodded, staring off into space.

"That was my daughter,"

A sinking feeling evaded my stomach. Was? Why did he make it past tense? Something wasn't adding up. How did Yumi's father know that girl?