☐ CITY

@KIM JONGDAE (plus a bit more because of the 5000 character limit X.X)

Jongdae tried to say something, anything but no words came to his lips. He couldn’t say anything… he didn’t want to interupt and he didn’t want to admit how rattled the whole situation had made him. This was bad, really bad; he wasn’t cut out for this. He was useless and ineffectual and always always two minutes too late when it came to these women it seemed.

He followed behind the two eyes glazed and unfocused as he did his best to reconcile what had just happened; intermittently cursing himself for not realizing that this...this was what being a bodyguard meant and he had just failed in the most spectacular way. And most importantly, if it hadn’t been BoAm one of them...Would. Be. Dead.

When they got back to the penthouse Jongdae found himself once again with BoA in his arms as he carried her the rest of the way up the stairs and through the doors. Nodding to Bom he asked “do you think you could go to the bathroom and get the first aid kit, a pair of latex gloves from the cleaning supplies and a damp wash cloth. I can take care of her wounds…” This was something he could do, he quickly stripped the bloodsoaked jacket from her frail body and and examined the injuries as a doctor would.

The cuts on her face were deep but the one on her neck deeper, they would need extra special attention, she had some abrasions on her elbows but from what he could see there were no other superficial injuries, but the amount of blood on her skin was impressive. “ I just hope nothing is broken…” he muttered to himself as he looked her over for any other injuries.

@KIM JONGDAE (2 of 2)
Jongdae wasn’t blind, nor was he unaware of the lengthening absence of BoA and he could tell that Bom was beginning to worry too. They made their way slowly out of the food court hoping to intercept BoA on her way back to the table but as they walked slowly away from the court it became increasingly evident that she would not be showing up.

When Bom excused herself to the restroom Jongdae nodded politely and went to find a seat to wait for her. The nearest was not conveniently placed in the vicinity of the bathroom which he found strange. He wondered if the designers of this mall had thought about who would be using the benches when they placed them. But, standing next to the entrance to the ladies bathroom would not only be uncomfortable, it would look as though he was guarding something and lesson one of the Bodyguard boot camp training program, affectionately known as “3 weeks in hell”,was be discreet in your job and hide the fact that you are protecting anyone at all. So, with an exasperated sigh he called after Bom that he would park himself on the nearest bench and made his way around the corner to it.

As the minutes ticked by Jongdae began to fidget again restlessly tapping his fingers on the bench seat, and then fiddling with the bag holding the new fedora, and then moving on to pull his phone from his pocket scrolling through his apps in hopes of distracting himself from the sinking feeling in his gut. He knew what was happening but was afraid to admit it to himself, not only had he been ditched by one of his charges, now the other was doing the same. I am so useless! He thought in exasperation to himself. Getting up from the bench Jongdae made his way back to the Women’s restroom where he had left Bom.


“Bom?” he called out, hoping that for whatever reason she was just taking an extra long time in the bathroom, “Bom, are you still in there?”. He screwed up his face, a mixture of distress and anger flashing across his features “Well …” he cursed under his breath. Crouching next to the entrance he pulled the backpack he was wearing over his shoulders and opened the drawstring top.

With quick fingers he stowed the fedora and pulled the stun gun from its resting place at the bottom of his bag, shoving it quickly and discretely into the holster beneath his jacket and under his arm. Swinging the bag back over his shoulders he discarded the shopping bag for the fedora in the nearest trash can. Catching the next woman who exited the bathroom if she had seen anyone else in there, he confirmed his suspicions. She had ditched him.
Making a quick decision, he turned and headed in the direction of the mall entrance. His pace quickened as he went, he had a serious uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, a foreboding that meant something was really really wrong… his gut instincts were rarely wrong. When BoA found him, the look in her eyes and the blood on her face, though obscured by the jackets hood made him gasp in horror.

They were in a dead sprint before he had time to really process what was going on, a long string of expletives streaming from his mouth as they went. His hands went instinctually, to the gun in it’s holster and the knife at his hip. He had trained for this, gone through hell for this but nothing prepared him for the scene that greeted his eyes when they rounded the last corner. Bom, surrounded by at least five men maybe more and then BoA whipping out a gun and firing off a few rounds before proffering up yet another gun and shoving it into his hands.

He couldn’t do it. And the panicked realization hit him square in the gut. A stun gun was one thing, but a loaded 50 cal...dangerous in anyones hands and lethal in his. With quick practiced movements he flicked the safety on and shoved the gun into the holster under his arm, refusing to use it. He pushed forward, within range and discharged his gun at the nearest thug. He dropped like a sack of bricks, twitching violently as the electricity coursed through his body. With deft fingers Jongdae reloaded and fired at the second guy before he knew what was happening, he crumpled too, falling on to his twitching compatriot. Secretly Jongdae was thankful for BoA’s showmanship and anger, as it meant he could go for the most part unnoticed as he brought the third thug down with his last charge. Throwing the spent gun to the side, he pulled the good sized hunting knife from his pocket and flicked it open, stepping over the bodies of the three men in one fluid motion and placing himself equidistant between the two women.

Jongdae felt some of the tension leave him when the head guy told the rest of the men to retreat and BoA made her way over to Bom. It was then that he noticed how pale BoA had gotten and anticipating her collapse was there in time to catch her before she hit the hard concrete underfoot. But BoA was out of his hands before he could do anything for her and he marveled at the woman’s foolish drive.

(1 of 2, Sorry for the ridiculously long post, there was a lot of catch up to do here. I'm crossing my fingers that this won't happen again. X.X)
Jongdae felt a concerned grimace work its way on to his face as he watched BoA’s reticent mannerisms, it was obvious now that she was not happy, in fact, she seemed miserable. But this unhappiness was more than just relationship woes, something was really wrong. He couldn’t understand what had happened to make her feel this way and he wasn’t sure if he could do anything to lessen whatever the burden was that she was carrying.

His attention was diverted when Bom struck up a conversation with more substance than they had had for the better part of the afternoon, he smiled mildly at her question and responded, “I wasn’t really planning on getting anything…” he turned to direct his next statement at BoA “Which, by the way, you really didn’t have to buy for me, I don’t really need another hat” he said laughing lightly and turned back to Bom, “ I guess, I saw the hat and, well, it seemed like me” he shrugged slightly and smiled then continued, “ You really think so? You think it matches? I thought it did but its great to have a second opinion, thanks dear!” his smile broadened, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

When BoA mumbled something he turned his attention back to her and the smile on his face faltered slightly. Her expression meant trouble, and he didn’t like it. As she excused herself he tried to catch her eye, to get her to look at him; silently imploring her to tell him what was wrong, what he could do. But she never looked up and was once again out of earshot before he had figured out the right words to say. This was getting ridiculous, he was never usually this tongue tied.

His attention was once again pulled back to Bom when she spoke. He knew she was actively trying to involve him in things and he appreciated her effort. But the mood had turned sour and he wasn’t sure if small talk was going to help. But, despite his reservations he answered her questions, “yep, I’m still a part of EXO... well sort of,” His smile became more of a grimace as he continued to speak, “The company has us on indefinite hiatus since things kind of fell apart… I think it all started with the whole Kris and Luhan fiasco but things really went downhill from there…”

His smile faded from his features all together as he continued “I still have a hard time thinking about it… I mean they both had legitimate reasons and I can’t fault Luhan for deciding to take care of his health but… I don’t think they realized how much their absence affects us as a band...” he sighed heavily and pressed the back of his hand to his eye, rubbing gently.

“We can’t even say their names at the dorm... I mean, Tao--” he broke off; shaking his head sadly. “and well, Minseok… he just, kind of, shuts down at the mention of Luhan...” he stopped and looked up at Bom guiltily,fidgeting slightly under her interested eyes “ also, with the bodyguard thing, it doesn’t leave much time for an Idol’s schedule...but you know that” he said a wry smile jumping back onto his lips as he tried to move away from the depressing subject.

“Enough about my depressing story though, I heard you had an amazing career as an Idol as well.” It was then that they began slowly cleaning up the table, Bom’s food still mostly untouched. They brought the dishes and the trays to the waste station and continued their pleasant, yet for the most part meaningless, conversation as they moved. It was like a relaxed game of tennis, pitching the ball back and forth to one another with gentle ease.

@PARK BOM Boa could barely stand and she was grateful for Bom's help, but when she heard the other's words, she laughed. "You think I ran off? Really?" With a sigh, she decided to tell the woman what had actually happened. Her voice was raspy though and was dry. "I was getting some water when my ex's best friend grabbed me. What was I supposed to do. If I'd screamed, he would have killed anyone in his way. I wasn't going to let that happen. I'm letting anyone else get hurt because of me. This is my fight and I will die fighting if I have too."

She heard what Bom said and somewhere in the back of her mind, the part that was still functioning, she registered what that request meant. "I'm not going anywhere. It'll take more than a few cuts to get rid of me." She smiled weakly and began to walk back towards the penthouse.

Knowing Bom would probably want to take her to a hospital, she looked up at the woman. "No doctors. I can take care of this myself. All I need is some gauze, tape and a bottle of alcohol." She had done it countless times in the past. In fact, she was counting on her body going numb, so she could get back to their home faster. As long as she couldn't feel the pain, she could function normally.

As her face was still burning, she began to walk a bit faster. Her head was spinning, but slowly the fog that clouded it was clearing and she could think. That was when she realized Bom had kissed her. How the hell could kiss her with the way she looked. She was all but covered in blood. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were torn.

In short, Boa was a wreck and yet the woman had kissed her. She her lips unconsciously and a smile crept over features. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. Bom's lips had been soft and sweet, just as she'd known they would. It made her want more, but then she reminded herself of her current state and shook that thought off.

Kwon Boa, now is not the time for that, she reminded herself. First, she needed to take care of herself and explain everything to Bom. Once she did, the woman could decide for herself if she wanted her or not. She'd respect her decision, whatever it was.

As the penthouse came into view, she sighed in relief. It wasn't much farther and good thing, because her energy was quickly being sapped. The shivering had stopped though, which while helpful for walking, was a bad sign. Her body would go into shock soon. If that happened, she wouldn't be able to take care of her wounds.

She would need Bom and Jongdae's help. "If I lose consciousness before I can clean my cuts, just pour alcohol on them to clean the blood off, pat them dry with some gauze and then bandage them, please." With the way she was feeling right now, she knew it wasn't like she'd be able to do it herself.

She was right too. As soon as they walked in the penthouse door, she collapsed onto the floor. Luckily she still had enough energy to keep herself from face planting. But after that, all she saw was darkness and it was a welcome relief from the alternative. She could take a lot of pain, but it didn't mean she was unaffected by it.

@KWON BOA Watching how authoritatively Boa spoke to the man, how efficiently she took care of things, wielding a gun without even flinching, Bom could only realize how helpless she felt. She had meant to help Boa; now she had gotten herself into this mess, through her own stupidity, and Boa was the one who had to rescue her. She felt disgusted at her own childishness. It was school all over again, only this time it was her fault for getting into all the stupid fights, instead of the fault of the girl she loved.

She wanted to make a difference herself, for once. She'd half a mind to go after the man Boa had been talking to, or at least to make him stay till the cops arrived. But she didn't want to mess things up even more for Boa, and she didn't know how the other woman would react if she did something like that.

Boa was saying something to her now, and all she could do was weakly smile when the other woman pointed out how dumb she had been. Boa was right. It had been dumb. It had caused more trouble for Boa, hadn't it?

She was about to apologize when Boa fell.

Before Bom could catch her, she was already trying to struggle to her feet, this stupid, brave girl with more ferocity and spirit in her than Bom ever could have guessed. Bom grabbed her hands, half-knelt and hugged Boa to her, trying to stop the girl from shivering, trying to keep her off her legs so she wouldn't fall again. Bom's coat was slipping off Boa's shoulders and she felt wetness on the girl's ribs, soaking through where her clothes had been ripped; she supposed Boa had been cut without realizing it, by whoever had torn open her shirt like this. She could feel the shaking ading the other woman's body now, could feel how Boa was shivering - signs of too much blood loss - and bit her own lip, hard, to keep the tears from pricking at her eyes.

"Idiot," she whispered, brushing back hair from Boa's face, "what were you thinking? What made you think it was okay to just - run off like that?" She felt guilty for saying it, knowing it was unfair to accuse her like that; she was trying to think of something, anything, to say right now, to keep from going crazy. "Please," and she pulled the coat tighter around Boa's shoulders, "please...never leave me again."

She didn't know if that would get the point across. She knew Boa was fading, probably dizzy with blood loss; she could see how her eyelashes fluttered, even now that she was supporting her. The rational part of her brain told her to get to a hospital, or something safer, maybe. The other part of her thoughts needed to make sure Boa understood, before she passed out completely.

So she leaned forward and kissed her, gently, desperately, trying to make her understand. She smelled only blood and the tang of city traffic, but the feeling of her fingers against Boa's neck, threaded through her hair, was enough for her; and the beating of Boa's heart, pressed against her own through the shape of the scar, echoed the rush of blood in her own ears.

@PARK BOM As she heard Bom's words, she knew what the woman was about to do and she was afraid. She didn't want to lose Bom. Boa knew the other woman had no idea what she was up against, but she did. For that reason, she ran like ____ until she found Jongdae, but pulled him back with her to where she had left Bom. Good thing too, because the men had the woman surrounded.

As they entered Boa saw one about to stab Bom and all that could be heard was a series of pops and all, but one man fell. She hoped that Jongdae and Bom wouldn't be afraid, because she'd never hit them. She was an expert when it came to shooting. Pulling out another gun, she looked at Jongdae. "Use it." At that moment, Boa had become a completely different person. Was she still fragile? Yes. Was she still scared? Yes. But there was one other thing she was feeling too: pissed. And that was the strongest emotion

As she walked out the door, she shot anyone who stood in her way. Of course there was no one out here except her ex's men. Walking towards the one who had cut her face, she sneered and pointed the gun right at his head. "You go back and tell Min he already took my baby from me. He's not taking anything else. And if he wants me, then his punk ___ needs to come, but I will kill him. Oh, and the next time you decide to grab me, well baby you better kill me, because the results will be that you wish you were dead." At that point, he called for all of the guys to retreat.

Turning to Bom, she looked the girl over. "Are you alright? You know that was a dumb thing to do right?" She paused for a moment and simply smiled. "But thank you. No one else would have done that for me." She assumed this meant they were still friends at least.

Boa was genuinely worried about Bom, but once the men were out of sit, she crumpled to the ground. She really was weak and because her blood was so thin at the moment and the cut was so deep, it was still pouring. Her whole face was extra pale and her body was shaking. It had nothing to do with being cold though. She knew at any moment, she was going to pass out. It had happened every time they'd tortured her in the past.

Before she got to that point, she smiled. "Can we go home now? And Bom I'll buy you a new coat. I'm sorry that I ruined this one." She attempted to stand up, but her legs were shaking badly still. She somehow managed though. She knew it would take all of her remaining energy to get back.

@KWON BOA Someone grabbed Bom's hand, and she whirled around. "Wh - "

She stopped, seeing Boa behind her. There was blood welling in a long cut across her cheek, and her clothes were torn open, bloody. She couldn't help but see the heart-shaped scar on the left side of the woman's body, carved directly into the pale skin, right over where her real heart would be.

Behind Boa, she saw a man running down the street, quietly, efficiently, a knife glinting in his hand. Then she saw the other figures, tall, dark shapes pouring out of alleys on each side. Their intent was clear: flush Boa into one of the alleyways, surround her, most likely. The mall entrance wasn't far away, but as Bom watched, she saw more men come out of a doorway, block the entrance. The ex Boa had mentioned, Bom thought, the scars, the man with the knife - he must have come back for Boa, or his men, at least. He must be hunting her.

All this went through her mind in what seemed like a flash, and then she was tugged away by the other woman. As they ran, Bom thought: I have to help her.

She pulled Boa into the doorway of an abandoned shop, right next to the mall entrance. This would offer them temporary concealment, she hoped, glancing back flown the street. This was the back of the mall; there was no one there to see them, unless they went back into the mall. That way was blocked by a line of men, just as surely as the walls of adjacent buildings blocked them from the view of the main thoroughfares.

Now that Bom's fears had come true, she really was worried; angry, too, at Boa for having run off like that. If the other woman hadn't left Bom and Jongdae alone, if she'd stayed in the crowds, she probably wouldn't have been cornered like this, would she? The last thing Bom wanted was for Boa to be in danger. Then again, wasn't it Bom's fault, too, for not having kept better track of Boa, for not having paid more attention to her? She glanced back at the other woman, who seemed oddly calm, despite the blood running down her face. Well, she couldn't very well lecture Boa right now. Not like this.

She peered out of the dark entrance again. The figures were closer now; soon they'd probably discover where the women were hiding. She looked around: there were construction pipes, abandoned, lying in the doorway. She lifted one to test it: hollow, not too heavy, but good enough for smashing. Quickly, she took off her coat and wrapped it around Boa, pulled up the hood, patted it close to help conceal and soak up the blood from her cheek, trying not to think of how fragile the woman looked right now. There wasn't time to tell Boa to run; she hoped Boa would understand her intentions.

The pepper spray was still in one of the pockets, concealed on the inside; Bom quickly pulled it out and gave that to Boa, too then leaned forward and whispered, "Find Jongdae." She hoped it would be enough to help both of them escape. She hoped, too, that Boa would do just that, run and at least make Bom's cause a worthy one, instead of staying and just getting them both captured. She hoped that, this time, she could help Boa, not hurt her. She hoped she could buy time enough for Boa to stay safe.

Then the first man was upon them, and Bomb stepped out of the shadows and gave his shocked face a good knock with the pipe, hoping fervently, as he crumpled to the pavement, that Boa was already running.

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@PARK BOM Boa had been just about to sit down, when she was grabbed from behind. Not even bothering to look, she sighed. "Why don't you just leave me alone? Either that or kill me, because I'm not going back to him. Haven't you all done enough to me?" She closed her eyes, thinking of all the marks on her once flawless skin. The one that spanned the width of her entire abdomen, the one that wrapped around her left, upper thigh, the heart on her chest. And then there were the burns. Thankfully they had paled with time. Now they just looked like scars from bumps she'd scratched.

As she stood there, without fighting, the man began to drag her towards the entrance of the mall. As soon as he pulled her out the door and into an alley nearby, she pinned her to the wall. At that moment, three more men appeared and she knew she'd either have to get away now or not at all. Using all of her strength, she kneed the one holding her in his crotch and then elbowed him hard in the crown of his head. He fell to the ground.

Two more came at her, but since she was quick, she flipped one and heard his neck snap as he landed on his head. He didn't move again. The other was met with a knife across his throat and he fell. That left two. She was small, but quick and efficient. As he dropped another though, she found her face sliced and an arm around her middle, crushing her to the last man. He pressed a knife to and laughed viciously. "Hm...I wonder if you still have the mark I gave you last time you misbehaved." He took no time in cutting her shirt so that it fell open and revealed her bra and the top of her chest.

He traced the heart shaped, puckered skin and smiled. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "I think I'll give you another little lesson in how to treat the people who own you." She closed her eyes and waited for the torture that she'd learned was their forte. When it didn't come immediately, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "What are you waiting for?" He looked at her with disbelief. "You really aren't scared are you?"

She saw this as an opening and jabbed her knife deep into his leg. As he grabbed at it, she ran back towards the mall. Her chest was exposed and her face was covered in blood, but she didn't know what else to do. She wouldn't lead him back to the penthouse and she could get lost among the crowd again. Besides, she'd just bought new close, so she could change and become invisible again.

As she ran, she nearly ran into Bom. Glancing behind her, she saw the guy about to come after her, so she grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her with her, forcing her to run as well. It wouldn't do to get caught and she wouldn't let Bom get hurt because of her, even if the girl didn't like her. This was her mess after all and one way or another, she'd clean it up.

@KWON BOA Engaged as she was in her conversation with Jongdae, Bom didn't notice Boa's absence for some time. When she did, her first reaction was a freezing feeling in her heart, a plummeting sensation in her stomach - followed by flustered embarrassment. Why should she assume anything bad had happened to Boa? Boa was a grown woman, a mature and intelligent nor at that, and there could be any number of reasons for her to leave without telling them. One of those reasons being that Boa was probably too hurt to face Bom after what Bom had done to her, Bom couldn't help but think miserably.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder, listening to Jongdae talking with half an ear. She didn't want to ask him about Boa's absence and end up making him worried, too, especially after having ignored him so much because of her preoccupation with the other woman. That left going to look for Boa on her own, without alerting Jongdae. Just ending the conversation abruptly would be even ruder than telling him out straight, though, and even more likely to make him suspicious. Though she hated to think of it, excusing herself on some pretense seemed by far her best option. Probably Boa was just off on some perfectly legitimate errand, and Bom would be back before Jongdae even had time to wonder what was taking her so long.

The perfect opportunity came when they passed a bathroom sign. Seeing it, Bom mustered her best awkward grin and said quickly, "Pardon me - I have something I need to take care of." With any luck, she thought as she hurried away without waiting for an answer, he'd assume she was referring to some mysterious female ritual, and would be too embarrassed to inquire further.

Still, she couldn't help but feel terrible for having told the lie, and for bailing on him yet again like this. She'd have to make it up to him somehow, she decided, and vowed to herself she'd find him a blind date before the month was out, hopefully by way of at least starting to make up for everything she'd done to him.

Scanning the stores, she poked her head into each one, careful to stay out of sight of whee she'd left Jongdae. "Boa?" No response. It occurred to her that maybe she really had driven the other woman away to the point of complete avoidance; guilty at the thought, she hoped she hadn't just abandoned one friend to look for another she'd already long lost.

Well, it was useless to look around here endlessly. It was possible Boa had even left, gone back to the penthouse without telling them. Something in her heart refused to accept that, though. It told her to keep looking.

She sighed, thought again of poor Jongdae, who was probably still waiting for her. She had to hurry if she was to look anywhere else. She trotted outside, peered down the street, tiptoed to the entrance of one of the long alleyways, draped in shadow. Just a short look, she told herself, then she'd go back. Just a short look.

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@LEE JONGSUK [No problem honey.]

Keeping her eyes trained on the street in front of her, she concentrated on her surroundings. It wouldn't do to get distracted. That's what had happened before. That was why she had new scars. She couldn't afford to get careless. It was no longer only her life at risk. Anyone she got near was also in danger which is why Boa had decided to distance herself from everyone, including Bom and Jongdae. They were her only friends, but she didn't want them in the line of fire.

Leaving the country no longer seemed like a good idea, because her ex and his crazy friends would just go after the people she loved. She couldn't risk that, so no matter how much pain she had to endure, she'd stay.

The temperature was getting colder by the second though and she was having a hard time focusing on anything other than that. She sniffed and then subsequently sneezed. She realized that she was probably getting a cold, but she didn't care. Her gaze flitted over to the man beside her. "I'll be fine." Boa had a hard time accepting help anymore after what she'd been through, so she still refused the coat. What's the worst that could happen? She could contract pnemonia and die? Would that really be so bad though? Fading into nothingness actually made her feel warm inside. No one needed her. No one loved her, so why did she need to live. If she thought her ex or his goons would just kill her, she'd go back, but that wasn't their plan. Torture was more fun for them. Watching her suffer was more fun, but no matter what, they could make her beg. That was what pissed them off the most. She'd learn to suffer in silence and she was still doing so.

@KWON BOA (sry for late reply)
Jongsuk nodded when she rejected his coat. He debated whether to give it to her anyway but he thought about the knife in her pocket. He shook his head and wondered how short the walk actually was. He never really thought about it- maybe that meant it was a pretty quick walk.

He thought about the text message he received earlier and wondered what his new assignment would be. Was he getting assigned someone? Promotion maybe? 'Can't be that.' He thought with a scrunch of his nose. He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky for a bit as they waited for the sidewalk sign to change to green from red- telling them to go.

Jongsuk glanced over the the girl with her arms wrapped around herself, "You sure you don't want my jacket?" He asked with slightly furrowed eyebrows just to make sure. "I'm not cold really." He blinked at her.

@LEE JONGSUK She tried to calm herself. She was safe and she knew how to protect herself. That was all she needed to remember. As much as she'd hate to, she had her gun in the other pocket and she'd use it if she had to. It wouldn't be the first time she'd had to. Right now, her safety was her first priority.

The man next to her didn't seem like he would hurt her though. Then again, her ex hadn't either and he'd done everything short of killing her. Then again, his friends were looking for her and she had the marks to prove that they had found her recently.

She wasn't letting them get her though. As the wind whipped around her, she wished she'd worn her coat instead of just her sweater. She had been in too much of a hurry to get to Starbucks. When the stranger offered her jacket, she shook her head. "No. I wouldn't want you to get cold and it's not a long walk after all." She simply smiled and let go of her knife, temporarily to wrap her arms around herself.

@KWON BOA "Good." He nodded with a smile. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her hand twitch in her pocket. He didn't say anything because he already knew, from her sudden actions, that she didn't trust him. She didn't trust anyone, he can tell. It was a pocket knife.

Jongsuk had been a bodyguard at the penthouse for about a week. He was experienced. Previously, before the part time job working a cash register at the coffee shop and as a news reporter, he worked as a bodyguard at an insane asylum for 2 years. He was prepared for whatever was thrown at him.

Even though he knew she couldn't and probably wouldn't trust him, he still cared and worried. It was cold outside and with the breeze the temperature dropped at least 6 degrees. "Are you cold?" He asked carefully. "You can use my jacket if you'd like too."

@LEE JONGSUK Before leaving, she gave him what had once been a beautiful smile. Right now though, it was an attempt at one. Even the muscles in her face were protesting. She didn't understand why she was so tired. She'd gone days without sleep before, but how long had it been this time? Three weeks? Four? She had lost count.

When she heard the man call to her, she turned around. "Yes. I did." She mentally sighed. It would be nice to have someone to walk with, but at the same time, she didn't trust people. Why was he going to the penthouse anyway? He had a job already, so he couldn't be one of the bodyguards. Clutching her knife in her pocket tighter, she nodded. "Sure. That's fine." He could go with her, but she wasn't going to let her guard down. She couldn't take much more pain and she didn't know this guy. He seemed nice enough, but so had her ex and look at everything he'd done to her or made her do.

@KWON BOA ( all righty )
Jongsuk cleaned up everything and set everything as it was suppose to be before closing up. While cleaning he continuously looked at the female curiously. She seemed so deep in thought. He wanted to go and ask what was wrong but he refused. He kept telling himself it was none of his business.

His phone vibrated in his front pocket and he took it out: -Come to the penthouse now. We have a new assignment for you-. Jongsuk locked his phone and picked up his coat from the chair. He looked over at that clock for the last time of the night, '9:04PM.' He heard the lady's thanks and farewell, "Oh! You're welcome. It was no hassle." He watched her drag herself outside and sighed. 'Guess the coffee was no help.' He thought with a slight frown.

Something clicked in his mind, something she said from earlier. Jongsuk went after her, "Hey." He called after her, even though she wasn't very far away. "Did you happen to say... You were going to the penthouse?" He blinked. "I'm going there actually." He scratched his head and shivered a bit at the cold nights breeze. "I'll go with you there." He all of a sudden grew very concerned. "I mean- if you don't mind."

@LEE JONGSUK [I will be back in a while.]

She smiled at his joke. She felt even more tired than she looked. "I'm exhausted, but that's why I came. Coffee will keep me awake." She just hoped it would keep her up through the night. When she could sleep, she was awaken with horrible, lifelike night terrors. They were so vivid that she felt everything she saw in her head. She'd wake up still feeling pain.

When he came back, she took the drink and smiled slightly. "That's okay. I can just go back to the penthouse. It's okay." The problem was, as she took a step, she stumbled. Her body was weaker than she'd realized. She had been surviving off of coffee and little sleep, yet she still pushed herself. It was what she'd always done.

Taking a seat away from the windows, she sighed. How was she going to survive like this? She needed to figure out what to do and quick. She sipped her drink and was halfway done when she realized that it wasn't doing the trick this time.

When she finished, she stood up and threw the cup away. "Thanks again. I'll get out of your hair now." She started for the door, feeling every muscle in her body protest as she dragged herself outside into the cold night air, barely covered against it.

@KWON BOA No matter how much he wanted to leave, he couldn't deny a customer. He then felt bad because she had apologized. He realized she probably saw the look of disappointment on his face. "No need to be sorry." He smiled politely and saw her tired expression. "You look more tired than I do." He tried to joke to lighten the mood a bit, but it didn't help much.

Jongsuk signed back into the register and put her Pumpkin Spice Latte into the machine. "$3.21" He said and took her money- smiling at the tip she gave. "Thanks first tip all day." He blinked before closing the register. "I'll be right back with your latte."

He quickly went into the back and prepared her latte with the all the knowledge he knew from watching as a trainee. The moment the sweet smell of the latte hit his nostrils, he regretted not choosing to work in the back instead of at the register.

After mixing the spice into the drink, he sealed it with the lid. He came back out by the counter and handed it to her, "Here is your Pumpkin Spice Latte. Nice and hot. " He smiled warmly. "Please take a seat at any table here. I'll be glad to wait until you're done. You look plenty exhausted." He said a bit worried.

Jongsuk was willing to call in sick at his next job as a news reporter for today. He didn't really want to go anyway. He sent a quick text message to his captain and left it at that. Occasionally, he would glance over at the female and wondered why she was so tired. But that's not his business. He walked over to her, "Is there anything else you would like?"

@LEE JONGSUK Boa's day had been exhaustive. Now that her ex knew where she was, she had to be constantly aware of her surroundings and what was happening. It was tiring and she needed a boost. It ha taken her a while to get out of the penthouse without her friends stopping her from going without them.

She appreciated their concern, but she didn't want to put them in danger. After what had happened at the mall, she wouldn't risk their safety for her own selfishness. She walked towards the Starbucks down the street.

Looking at her watch, she realized she needed to hurry. They closed in 5 minutes. Luckily, she was only a 3 minute walk away. When she got their, she saw that the guy who worked there was just about to leave and she felt really bad. Bowing to him, she apologized.

"I'm sorry. I'll be quick. Can I just get a pumpkin spice latte?" She was so tired and she still wasn't sleeping the way she should. Her back had been hurting a lot since they'd gotten into that fight at the mall and she now knew why. She had a huge bruise over her spine.

Pulling out her wallet, she paid for her drink and even gave the man a nice tip since she'd caused him a delay. Boa genuinely cared about other people. That was part of the reason she'd had such bad luck with her relationship.

@KWON BOA Beep. "Here you go ma'am. You're Gingerbread Latte and cinnamon cake." He named off the ordered foods as he headed them to the lady. "Goodbye, have a nice day." Jongsuk waved off the last of the customers with a sleepy smile. He took a glance at the clock on the wall and his sleepy smile turned into a relieved smile. '8:55PM. 5 minutes until closing.' He thought to himself.

The barista in the back came up to him, "Hey Jongsuk, I'm going to head out if you don't mind. My little sister is waiting for me at home." Jongsuk nodded and told him that he'll close up shop and his friend thanked him and was gone.

Jongsuk figured that no one was going to come within those 5 measly minutes because that rarely happened here. Besides the barista, he was the only one working that day because his boss had a previous engagement and the other person that worked with him took a 3 day vacation. So, since he was left in charge, he began to close shop for the night. He had somewhere important to go after this.

Jongsuk logged out of his designated profile on the cash register with a swipe of his ID and slipped it into his back pocket. He tossed his black apron into his employee cubby space and unclipped the shops set of jingly keys off his belt. He grabbed his brown trench coat and slung it over his shoulder whilst twirling the many keys on his index finger of his right hand. He checked the clock. "3 minutes and I can officially go home." He breathed.

He leaned against the counter and whistled as he watched the seconds hand on the clock tick, which seemed to get slower every time it ticked. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. 'If I leave 2 minutes early it won't hurt anyone will it?" He convinced himself before nodding. He went to turn off the main light by the door, but stopped in his tracks as someone walked into the store. He looked at the clock hoping it would've hit 9 o'clock by now but it was still ticking away at the 8th hour and 58 minutes mark. He sighed deeply, laid his coat on the closest chair and looked at the woman in front of him. "Hello, how can i help you?"

@KWON BOA Bom would have answered Jongdae's comment, but with Boa there, she felt it would only make things more uncomfortable. Instead, she smiled at him, doing her best to keep her thoughts off Boa for once. After all, he was her friend too; she didn't want to just make him a third wheel. "Did you like what you picked out at the store today? That burgundy really complements your hair."

While she made small talk with Jongdae, she couldn't help but sneak glances at Boa. She wondered if she was doing the wrong thing, and not just in terms of giving back the money, which she had now come to suspect was, in fact, impolite, even though she hadn't meant it to be. Asking for it back would make things even worse, she knew. She'd just have to try and make up for it by being as kind to Boa as she possibly could, and hope the woman wouldn't altogether hate her for having been so terrible.

She watched as the other woman pulled out her phone, read a text message. Embarrassed, knowing it was rude to peer over other peoples' shoulders at their phones, Bom looked away, but she couldn't help but see Boa's expression as she'd read the message. Bom frowned. Who could make Boa that worried? She wondered how long ago she'd broken up with her ex. Maybe he was still bothering her?

She shook her head, trying not to think about it too much. She'd promised herself she would distance herself as much as possible, just try and build a friendly, healthy, polite relationship with this woman, and not fall for her completely, not risk hurting her. That meant not constantly thinking about Boa, among other things.

She glanced around the food court, trying to keep her mind occupied. The open spaces of the mall were filled with happy sounds: children laughing, families chattering, friends teasing each other, a young couple smiling shyly into each other's eyes. That last one made Bom's heart skip, just a bit. She looked away quickly from the young couple, saw a man standing not far from them, wrapped up in a trench coat and dark sunglasses. She frowned. Somehow he gave her a bad feeling; perhaps it was the stalker fans and undercover paparazzi she'd seen before as an idol, waiting to ambush her. Her hand went unconsciously to her pocket, where she'd hid the pepper spray, and she thought that if anyone made a move on them, the first person she'd protect was Boa -

No, she told herself. She couldn't think that way any more. Although, as Boa's friend, she would probably still do it, wouldn't she? She sighed, dropped her hand, turned back to Jongdae, trying to keep from thinking about those sorts of things. "So you were an idol, right?" she said, forcing herself to smile. "Which band?"

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@PARK BOM Boa looked at the money Bom was handing her and again felt rejected. There was more than she'd given her for lunch; that much was obvious. Not wanting to argue, she simply shoved it in her bag. She had told Bom that today would be her treat, but the other woman clearly didn't want to accept anything Boa had to give. Most people would at least take the money even if they rejected everything else

As she sat there and looked at their food, she almost laughed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten a full meal before the night before. Boa knew she should take care of her body, but what was the point now? She was broken in more ways then one and she honestly didn't care if she died right then. In fact, that was preferable to everything she'd have to endure if she lived.

While sitting there, her phone went off and she pulled it out of her bag. It was a text message, but when she read it her face fell. How had he gotten this number? She suddenly felt sick and panicked. He couldn't possible know where she was, could he? Before she could respond, her phone pinged again and she gasped audibly at what flashed on the screen. A third message made her laugh cynically and she mumbled, "I've heard that before, but I'm over it all." With that, she shoved the phone back where it had been.

So he thought threats would still scare her? That was funny. He'd done everything short of killing her to control her and she was sick of it. There was no way she'd ever go back.

Excusing herself, she got up and went to get some water. As she did so, she had the sense that someone was watching her, but she figured it was just Jongdae and Bom. If she had simply turned around, she would have seen a pair of dark eyes trained on her person. She'd been too excited about shopping to notice that he'd been following them, more specifically, her.

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@PARK BOM Jongdae was content to let the girls take him with them into whatever store they desired and enjoyed watching the happy grins form on their faces when they found something they liked. As he watched, it soon became clear to him that there was much more than just a simple friendship between the two older women. He saw the furtive glances and the shy smiles that they sent towards one another and it only made him want to protect them more. It wasn't his favorite place to be, being the third wheel, but for these two, who had each stolen a corner of his heart for themselves, he could manage.

It wasn’t like Jongdae to remain so quiet; perhaps it was the added responsibility of looking after the two women but he found himself refraining from his usual antics, the stress subduing his normally bubbly personality. Despite the freedom of being away from the penthouse, the heaviness of the responsibility weighed on him. When the two girls vanished into the dressing rooms he busied himself by looking at a rack of hats near the entrance. Despite the hats, his attention never wavered from his task and he remained vigilant for any sign of danger. It was this vigilance that pulled the smile from his face and replaced it with a somber frown of concentration.

Pulling a deep burgundy fedora from the top of the rack he set it on his head and began to fiddle with its position as he stared at himself in the mirror. It suited him, the color matching well with his recently dyed chestnut locks and a gentle smile began to work its way back onto his lips for a brief moment. Pulling the hat from his head he stared down at it for a moment, unsure if he was going to buy it, did he really need another hat?

When the two emerged from the dressing room the tension between the two women had grown palpable and Jongdae raised an eyebrow, inquisitively tilting his head to the side, hat forgotten in his hands momentarily. This tension didn’t seem negative but he couldn’t tell if they had confessed to one another yet and though he was slightly concerned he couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth when he looked at the two.

When Bom plucked the hat from his fingers with skilled ease it took Jongdae a moment to realize what was happening and voice his protest. But, he found himself a few seconds too late as Bom’s slim form disappeared into the distance. Turning his attention to BoA he immediately noticed how unhappy she looked and he couldn’t help but move a bit closer and place a comforting hand on her shoulder. He couldn’t fathom how the two could be so blind to one another but this didn’t seem like the right time to say something.

When BoA separated herself from them he couldn’t help how uneasy it made him feel, he wanted to protect her and how could he do that if she wasn’t with them. He wanted to voice his concerns, wanted to make her stay with them but what could he do without drawing attention to the unspoken conflict that seemed to linger between the two girls. He could tell that Bom didn’t want to talk and simply went with her to the food court.

They had ordered and began eating before Bom made the first attempt at conversation. Jongdae’s expression visibly brightening at her words, “No No! not at all," he said, his easy smile returning to his face. “I could tell that...things… were going on and you needed time, I totally understand that.” a brief frown flickered across his face as he thought of his dorm and band mate who he hoped, one day would understand the feelings he harbored. When she pushed her food towards him, he politely accepted but continued to pull spoonfuls of his favorite kimchi stew from the steaming bowl in front of him and slurp them happily into his mouth.

“you know…” he started, “I don’t think you guys need to tiptoe around each other so much...you are aware that she likes you right? Like not just likes you... but, really Likes you” he looked at her knowingly, urging her to understand the veiled meaning of his statement.

Just then BoA returned to the table and the comfortable, easy understanding that had developed between Bom and Jongdae fizzled and then dissipated all together, the tenseness returning. Jongdae was losing his patience with these two, and if Bom didn’t say something soon he would spill the beans for her.

It was driving him crazy to see them put each other through all this.

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@KWON BOA Bom watched Boa leave. She felt bad for not talking to Jongdae more, but right now, she didn't think she could carry on a conversation without trailing off rudely in the middle, not out of choice, but because of everything she was feeling just then. Her hands made fists unconsciously, and it was only then that she fully noticed the money Boa had given her. She sighed. The other woman just kept giving and giving, keeping a strong face, being ridiculously generous to them. And it wasn't as if Bom hadn't seen the look on the other woman's face. The fatigue, the loneliness, was more pronounced now than when she'd first met the woman.

Quickly, she stuffed Boa's money into her pocket for safekeeping, then turned to Jongdae with a smile. "I guess that means lunch, then?" She tried to keep her voice level; no sense in Jongdae being bothered by everything between her and Boa. Though she doubted he still didn't know, by this point.

She kept her hands still, her eyes down, the whole way to the food court. She didn't want to talk to Jongdae; she had to make that as clear as possible, for his sake as much as hers, without being downright rude and telling him straight out.

Ordering was somehow a nightmare, in a way it never had been before. In the past, she'd been mildly annoyed when people in the vicinity recognized her as an idol and pestered her. Today, though, just trying to remember what to say was torture. She ordered tteokbokki three times in a row before realizing what she'd done, and by that time the cashier was looking at her, eyebrow raised, credit card in hand, probably wondering whether she was crazy or not. It was only a small blessing he hadn't recognized her yet, thought Bom, sitting down at a table with Jongdae.

She realized then just how much this was affecting her. Why? Weren't crushes usually milder than this? Was this just a crush? Like most people, she'd always written off "love at first sight" as soppy, sentimental, something confined to fairy tales and youthful daydreams. But this - this was surely different, wasn't it? She'd never felt so strongly about someone before. Neither man nor woman.

Maybe it was the way Boa seemed so fragile, so in need of someone to love her. Didn't that make it blind attraction, then? And yet - Boa had been so kind to her, too. There was something there. And something in those eyes, there was something in the way they reflected starlight and something in the way they held old pain like words, so many words, a story painted over and over again, made fresh with each of those scars. There was something about them that captured Bom, that made her stay even when she tried to leave, tried to keep her distance so as not to add to the pain in the younger girl's eyes.

She drew a deep sigh, turned back to Jongdae, smiled at him apologetically. "I'm sorry," she said, "I must have been a pretty bad friend to you for not talking, right?" She pushed over her tteokbokki. "Here, you can have this. I'm not hungry anyway."

Waiting for Boa to return, she tried again and again to pin the girl down in her mind. Friend? She wasn't sure she could any more, not when she felt like this, not when she'd pushed the girl away. Crush? Stronger than that. Something else, then - but she didn't know what.

Then she saw Boa coming back, sunglasses on, the better to avoid the public eye, yet still beautiful with her disguise on. Bom took a deep breath, drew the cash Boa had given her earlier from her pocket. Rising, she smiled at the other woman, bravely, shyly, a little shakily. "Thanks for this, but I have more than enough to pay. Here, have it back." She'd added extra, enough to cover for the cost of the clothes earlier, and then some. Maybe it was a little desperate, a little hopeless, but it was the least she could do for having ruined their relationship, wasn't it?

@PARK BOM Boa nodded as she heard Bom. A few minutes earlier, she had been hungry, but now she felt nothing. This feeling was actually what she was used to and on some level, she was glad to have it back. Her whole body felt numb and her emotions no longer existed. After about the 3rd time her ex had hit her, she'd learned to make her whole being go numb. That way, no one could hurt her.

It had been difficult at first, because people at work would notice the dead look in her eyes. Of course she explained it by saying she was tired. No one ever thought the CEO's son was capable of hurting anyone, least of all her. That still made Boa laugh. The man had beaten her up more times than she could count and he'd never been faithful to her.

The sad part was that even with the martial arts training she had, she couldn't defend herself. As the time went on, the violence became more brutal. She'd had broken bones, concussions, you name it. Given her idol status though, he would never let her go to the hospital. For this reason, Boa had learned how to tend her injuries herself. The one thing she'd never forgive him for is what he took from her. She never wanted anything more and he'd denied her that most precious of gifts.

After she put her credit card away, she pulled out some cash and handed it to Bom. "You two have lunch and I'll catch up. There's something I need to take care of first. I won't be long." With that, she handed them their bags and left the store. The first stop she made was the bathroom, where she examined her appearance and thought how horrible she looked.

Her eyes were rimmed with dark circles and she was extremely pale. She also noticed how thin she'd gotten, but that didn't matter. Pulling out her phone, she called her travel agent to find out how expensive it would be to go to Paris and how soon she could leave. When he told her the next afternoon, she should have jumped at the chance, but she hesitated and asked if there was anything for the following week. He said yes and she said she'd leave Fri. That would give her time to apologize at least.

Putting her phone away, she made her way to the food court and found the others. Sitting down, she gave them a smile. Her glasses were back in place though, so her eyes weren't visible. If they had been, one or both of her companions would have probably asked about the vacant look behind them and she didn't feel like explaining.