trigger warning: bullying.

if you feel sensitive with this topic, please feel free to skip this chapter.

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"taeyong?" taeyong slowly opened his eyes only to see eunseo scamning the whole room they're currently in. "why are you here?"

"i'm looking after you, obviously." taeyong sat properly and held her hand. "what happened to you? how are you feeling right now?"

she sighed, but then suddenly regretted it as she felt a sharp pang below her chest. "horrible... as always." she said and coughed.

taeyong immediately stood up and handed her a glass of water. "do you want me to call the doctor? or your mom?"

eunseo shook her head, "no, i'll be okay..." she sighed and smiled at him weakly. "we have classes today, why are you here?"

"i could ask you the same, eunseo." taeyong said calmly. "i slept at your house the other night, and now you're here again and i don't even know the reason why..."

she looked down. "what do you want me to say?"

taeyong could feel the uneasiness. he moved his chair closer and held her hand. "eunseo, it's me, taeyong." he said and looked at her in the eyes. "we've been together for who knows how long." he smiled. "and it's okay..."

eunseo sighed and placed her hand on top of taeyong's, "i'm sorry if it took me a long time to tell you this..." she sighed. "remember that day when you were supposed to accompany me somewhere but then you cancelled everything because you had a date with ara?"

taeyong slowly nodded, afraid that eunseo still remembers it.

she chuckled, "i don't hold grudges, remember? so why are you tensing up?" she ruffled his hair. "anyways, we were supposed to go at the hospital and get my medicine."

"medicine for what?"

she looked away and sighed, clutching the area beneath her chest. "a pair of my ribs got fractured a year ago and it's supposed to be healed already but i wonder why it's taking too long."

"f-fractured?" taeyong asked, confusedly. "how did you fracture them? what happened? and why did you not tell me?"

she pressed her lips into a thin line. "if you remember stella, she and her gang did this because i'm friends with you."

taeyong's eyes widened.

that's why their friends acted like that...

"she had a huge crush on you, taeyong." she said. "and i don't know if she's aware that we were just friends back then." she paused for a whule and reached for the glass of water that was on the table. taeyong reached for it and gave it to her.

"as i was saying, yeah... they attacked me. stella kicked me and i hit the table." eunseo closed her eyes and tried to stop the image from forming in her mind. "they... they were all laughing and cursing at me... and i was yelling for help... b-but i—"

eunseo stopped talking and opened her eyes when she felt taeyong's fingers brushed her eyes. she did not notice that she was crying already.

he stood up and engulfed her in a hug. "i'm here, eunseo... i'm here, and i won't leave you ever again." taeyong placed a soft kiss on top of her head.

she closed her eyes tightly anf hugged him back. "i'm so scared..."

"it's okay, eunseo..." taeyong cupped her cheeks. "from now on, you have me." he smiled and kissed her forehead.

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i cried while writing this chapter, tbh.

bullying should NEVER be tolerated, alright? if you know someone who is being bullied, extend a hand and help them. you don't need to be scared. it's okay to tell someone. what's not okay is knowing something but choosing not to say it because of fear.