𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 ꨄ︎ 𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘫𝘢𝘦 ✓

0.6

• 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙃 𝙈𝙀 𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙏𝙊 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀 •

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 6: 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘

𒊹︎︎︎

disclaimer: mentions of self-harm

Under Chanmi's care, Hyunjae was able to recover successfully. The door opened and Chanmi came inside with a canvas and painting tools.

"Jaehyun!" She exclaimed with a smile.

Hyunjae turned around and smiled as he held a mug in his hands. "What's up?"

"Because we've been roommates for two weeks, I believed we should do something to celebrate it. After all, you didn't act like a pervert and you've done your shares other than putting the toilet seat down."

"Yah-"

Chanmi set the canvas on the table and the box of the paint brushes on the floor. She took out the paint and squirted it onto the canvas. She pressed a thick brush against it and painted the canvas silver.

"Jaehyun-ah," She called. Hyunjae eyed her and raised his brow. She extended her hand, for his hand.

"What?" He muttered.

"Give me your hand," She said and grabbed his hand. Then she dipped her paintbrush in the water and just when she was about to apply it on Hyunjae's hand, he pulled away.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a suspicious look.

"You have to repay me for taking care of you anyways!" She shouted and grabbed his hand. She painted it a light blue and pressed his hand on the canvas. "Go wash your hand."

Hyunjae ignored and watched what she was doing.
Chanmi painted her hand a light purple and pressed it on the canvas above his handprint. She used her other hand and wrote down.

"Roommates since Oct.10.2020"

A small smile rose on his face from the cheekiness. He placed his mug down and went to go wash his hands.

*

Chanmi finished cleaning her mess and hung up the painting so you can see it once you enter the dorm.

Hyunjae watched as her arm, wrapped in the guaze bandage, reached for cabinents. His eyes focused on her arms. Has she never taken it off or has she changed it repeatedly over and over again?

"Hey, Chanmi." He called.

Chanmi turned around, "Yeah?" She got off her tiptoes and stared at him.

"Uh.. why do you have.." He pointed at his own arm, "a bandage?"

She looked at her arm and put on a fake smile and followed with an excuse, "When I was settling into the dorm I accidentally dropped a few stuff on my arm. The guaze bandage just reminds me to take better care of myself while it heals."

He knew it was a lie because he saw it on her since his first memory of her. Hyunjae extended his arm out, "I can look at it-"

Chanmi retracted her arm showing strong objection. "I-I I can do it on my own it's fine." She stuttered and left.

Hyunjae followed her. She was stubborn. Then again, she was like Sowon. Though they could care for somebody a lot, they lose interest in themselves.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bedroom. He sat her down on his bed and unwrapped her bandage.

"Jaehyun-"

"Don't move," he ordered. She stopped moving and looked at him. He gazed as it unfolded, revealing scars of multiple cuts.

Chanmi bit her lip and so did Hyunjae. Did she hurt herself? Or did she just get cut by whatever fell on her multiple times?

"Did you cut yourself?" He hesitantly asked.

Chanmi shook her head. She knew she was never the type to do that to herself, even if she was upset and wanted her pain to go away.

"Then I'll take your word for it," Hyunjae assured her. He massaged her arms and rubbed an ointment on her.

"Don't you want to know how this happened?" She muttered.

"I already asked. All I need to know is that you're not hurting yourself," He responded. "I won't force an answer out of you, but if you'd like, you can talk about it."

"Actually, to be honest.. I saw you in high school. I wondered why your face was so familiar." She said. "People were bullying me back then." She muttered and picked at her nails.

"They used to hit me and sometimes cut me on my arm to make fun of me," She chuckled, not wanting to admit it. Hyunjae looked at her concerningly as he placed her arm down. "I've ran away. They can't hurt me again." She wore a broken smile.

Hyunjae opened his arms and embraced her. "I'll protect you if they come for you." He promised.

Chanmi chuckled in his warmth, "I can fight for myself you know?"

"I'll fight beside you," He asserted. He parted from the hug and looked into her eyes. "Promise me you'll tell me if you ever need somebody to lean on or a secret to tell. I won't go anywhere."

Chanmi nodded, "I promise." Then, they locked their pinky fingers and smiled to each other.