Pandora's Hope

Safety Zone

"What? Wait!" She says going after him. Hoseok gets ready to follow behind but she looks back at him signaling for him to let her handle it.

Hoseok hates it, but he sits back down wishing the music and chatter wasn't so loud so he can hear what's going on back there. What is he here for? This isn't the first time he's stormed in claiming to be looking for something while heading for the back room.

Hoseok has been back there a few times but never looked closely at what was in there. It just seemed like a typical room where employees leave their things while working, and a computer likely for the owner or someone to take care of business matters. Definitely nothing back there that Hoseok would think Leo would be interested in. Then again, maybe he should have paid closer attention to what's really in that room.

He doesn't like how long they've been back there. It's only been about 5 minutes, but even 5 seconds is too long for his liking. His anxiety is up and he's willing to give them 2 more minutes before he goes and investigates.

Just before he's about to give up on waiting those 2 minutes, Leo comes storming back out. Somehow he looks even more vicious than he did when he walked in. He beelines for the door with fire in his eyes. Fire that meets Hoseok's gaze and holds it until he's made it out of the door.

Hoseok quickly jumps from his seat knowing nothing good could have just happened, especially since Nari didn't come out after. He runs to the back room and finds Nari laying in a heap on the floor. There's papers thrown around the room and what little furniture is in there has clearly been jostled around. He shuts the door and rushes to Nari's side.

"Riri! Nari! Are you ok? What happened??" He asks in a panic.

Her face is bloody, her shirt is stretched and partially torn collecting the blood dripping from her face, and her shorts are all the way on the opposite side of the room. She slowly looks up at him with tears streaming down her face mixing with the blood that appears to be coming from multiple places.

"I-I tried-" she struggles to get words out. Hoseok notices the mark around her neck realizing she had been choked. "I told...him no," she says between sobs. "Hobi...I tried to fight back." She continues sobbing and coughing trying to keep speaking.

"It's ok, baby. I'm here," he says holding her. "Let me get some water." He gently leans her against the wall and runs out to get some water.

He asks Sunni for a glass and briefly explains to her what's going on. She looks deeply worried, and although she's dealing with a full house she tells Hoseok it would be ok for Nari to leave. She gives Hoseok a glass of water, some paper towels, and Nari's belongings that she keeps under the counter.

He rushes back to Nari's aid and helps her get a few sips of water. He gathers her shorts and helps her put them back on, choosing to ignore the way her panties have been partially torn off her waist. He's seeing red and absolutely wants to go back out and run Leo over with his car, but he needs to tend to Nari first.

"I tried...to stop him," she cries again. "But he...wouldn't...stop. He...got angrier. He-" she pauses and grabs Hoseok's hand for support. Her eyes are nearly swollen shut from crying and likely more. "I blacked out."

"You're coming home with me," Hoseok says wanting to get her somewhere safe as quick as possible. "I don't care about him or anything else right now. I'm taking you home right now."

He cleans some more blood from her face then scoops her up in his arms and walks out of the room. She doesn't try to argue or protest, only wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on tight.

To avoid creating a spectacle, he carries her out the back door and straight to his car. He lays her in the back seat so she can try to relax a little, although that's extremely difficult in this moment.

When he gets her back to his place he lays her across the bed and grabs some wet towels and bandages so he can fully assess the extent of damage. Every cut, bruise, and drop of blood fills him with more anger. Every time he hears her struggle to take a deep breath he wants to run out and end Leo for good.

"I tried," she cries. "I really tried."

"It's ok," he says softly. "You're safe now."

"He wouldn't stop. He didn't even say a word." She continues sobbing and holding onto Hoseok's hand.

"I think you need to go to the hospital," he says as he finds another set of red marks and deep scratches on her stomach.

"No, please," she begs.

"Why? You need to get proper treatment. And a...something to...give police for..." he's struggling to find the words. Just the thought of Leo violently forcing himself on and in her makes the bile in his stomach boil.

"I can't, Hobi I'm so scared he'll know. Please, I can't go to the hospital. He'll come back for me."

The way she trembles grabbing his hand is breaking him up inside. He's never seen her like this before, so hurt and shattered. She's always carried herself as someone who's strong and can handle herself, but right now she's in a million pieces in his arms begging him not to take her to get proper help because she's terrified of this man. He's stuck between wanting to take her to the hospital despite her cries against it, or helping her clean her wounds and likely wash away any evidence that could be collected at the hospital and used against Leo.

It's not an easy decision for him and he wishes it didn't have to come to this. He goes into the bathroom and fills the bathtub with warm water. He then helps her to the bathroom and gently undresses her and guides her into the tub. She leans back and allows herself to sink down until the water is to her neck.

Hoseok knows the last thing she would want right now is to be forced to do something she doesn't want to do. No matter how much he wants to take her to the hospital, he can't do it with the way she looks at him and begs. Instead he'll be her doctor if that's what makes her feel more comfortable and safe. That's what's most important to him right now.

He gently cleans her face with a towel making sure not to apply too much pressure to her bruised cheekbone or her swollen lip. He's delicate when he brushes over her neck and wipes the blood that had dripped from her nose and ran all the way down to her chest.

After her bath he dries her off and offers her one of his tshirts and a pair of sweatpants to wear. They get into bed and she curls up next to him holding him tightly around his waist.

"Thank you for saving me," she whispers into his chest. "I'm so happy you were there."

"I'll always be there for you," he says kissing her forehead. "You're safe with me now."

He's waited for the night that he could finally go to sleep with her next to him, but he never thought it would happen like this. He can't even fall asleep because every time she twitches or moans he pulls her closer so he can make sure she knows he's here with her, even in her sleep.