sweater paws || soobin

[23] - home and family

I was speechless. I had my suspicions, but I didn't want to believe it. How could that happen?

I sputtered, "Why? Why would your father just...yell at you like that all the time?"

"Not just yell." I didn't want her words to be true, but she raised the sleeve of her sweater a bit, exposing her bare arm. There were bruises and cuts all along it, so many that I couldn't even count, and some were still fresh, probably from earlier that day. "And not just my arms," she added. "Mostly, yes, since it was an easy spot to target, but he broke my collar bone once."

I didn't even realize I was crying until she reached up to wipe my tears away for me. I was so angry and shocked and so sorry for her. I couldn't believe she had gone through all of this. I couldn't believe that her 'sweater paws' that I had always found so cute turned out to be a mask for the pain hidden behind them.

"W-why?" I asked again. "How could he do this to you? How?"

She gave me another sad smile and I didn't think I'd ever see a smile the same way again. "My dad really loved my mom. When I was born, she died in labour and he was just...lost. So much pain. I guess he always kinda blamed me. I don't blame him, though. If the person I loved the most was replaced with someone I could've done without, then maybe I would hate them too."

I couldn't believe what she was saying. She was almost defending him. The person who was supposed to love her and care for her and protect her—her own father—hated her and abused her and here she was, saying she couldn't blame him? I wanted to sob just hearing it all.

"No," was all I said in a stern and broken voice. "That's not fair. You were his decision. He should love you like he's supposed to. You can't just—you can't just—just forgive him so easily for abusing you. You can't just bear the pain, Y/N." My tone had almost gone into a raspy whisper by the end.

"But I have no choice, Soobin," she said, destroying my heart further. "He's my dad. He might hate me and hit me, but he still pays for my education and necessities. He still...keeps me living."

"This isn't living, Y/N. You exist, but can you truly say you're living your life? In fear?" I held her wrist gently and lifted it up. "Can you say you're living when you wear bruises only in places where no one can see them? Can you say you're living when you come to school shaking because he's done goodness-knows-what to you and goodness-knows-what he'll do next? Can you, Y/N? Because I can't."

I let go of her wrist and tears started streaming down her cheeks again. I wiped them away for her, softening my tone, "Y/N, I can't let you live like this. I can't let you break because it'll break me too."

"But where will I go, Soobin? What will I do? How can I just leave the only place I've ever known?"

"Because you'll stay right here." Y/N and I turned around to see my mother, standing in the threshold with tears on her face too. She walked towards us and threw her arms around Y/N. "You'll stay here, with us."

Between sobs, Y/N protested, "No, I can't do that to you. I can't be a burden on you and your family when you don't even know me and I—"

"You're not a burden, Y/N," my mom said. "You're our family now too; didn't I say this was your home now? I don't know you that well yet, but I can tell you're a good, true, and lovely girl. You'll stay right here. Where you're safe and where you belong."

Y/N cried freely on my mom's shoulder while the latter rubbed her back to calm her down. She blubbered, trying to talk coherently, but all that came out were sobs. The sight brought tears to my own eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. We couldn't have everyone crying now, could we?

Once she'd calmed down, she pulled away from my mother, wiping her tears for the umpteenth time. "B-but all my clothes and my bag and my stuff is at my dad's—"

"We'll buy you new ones. You'll have everything you need right here. You'll never have to go back there again, dear, I promise."

Y/N was about to argue again, but I stopped her, "Y/N, she's serious. We're doing this because we want to, not because we pity you. You're not a burden, you never were. It's a shame your father can't see that."

She hesitated, but eventually gave in, "Thank you. Thank you both so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay you—"

"You won't have to. I promise. Now, let's go clean up your arms."