Stars and Summer Skies (ZB1 Ricky X Female OC) [COMPLETED]

Ch. 2: Bruises, Of The Body and Of The Heart

Somehow, it also took Yeoreum quite some time to find out just why Ricky had tried to end his life. But mentioning it now would be too soon, wouldn't it?

What would probably be mentionable now is the reason why he didn't like the idea of coming "home". Whatever that place actually is.

Ricky had barely even closed the door after arriving from school when he already heard a loud slam from the kitchen. He flinched at the sound, right before he would hear an angry voice coming to the entrance of the house.

"About damn time you came home! Where the hell have you been and why haven't you been answering my damn calls?!" The boy's father came to the entrance, fuming and his figure already looming over the boy even before he had reached him. And when Ricky didn't give him a response, the man raised his hand, threatening to hit him. "Answer me, boy!"

"My phone was turned off."

That didn't help. The slap still came, and it stung, causing the boy's cheeks to turn a bright red. His head meanwhile, was turned, to the side and looking down to avoid his father's eyes. His hair fell almost covering his eyes but he did not move.

"And you dare turn your phone off so you wouldn't receive my calls? How much more irresponsible of a son can you get?!"

"I'm... I'm sorry," the boy mumbled, but of course, his soft mumbling is nothing compared to his father's booming voice.

Yet another strike came towards the boy's figure. It landed on his head, shoving it and causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

"Look at you! Look at how weak you are! You dare call yourself a man?!" In his rage, the man continued to kick at his son, hitting him in the arms, legs and abdomen. And the boy curled up, the only way he knew he could do to minimize the damage. And he took in all his father's attacks until the man had taken out all of his rage on him.

That took twenty minutes.

And by the time his father had walked away, Ricky could barely stand. His arms had become bruised already, and his face had turned red from the tears he had held back yet managed to escape as his father abused him.

It took him thirty more minutes to finally be able to stand up and go to his room.

✩

"I can't go anywhere else after school. I have to go straight home or else my father will get mad at me." Ricky spoke the longest sentence he must have ever spoken to Yeoreum, as he leaned against the frame of the swing set while Yeoreum swung on the swing closest to where he stood.

Neither of them really felt like eating that certain lunch break. And so they ended up at a certain playground outside their school campus. It wasn't really ideal to be going out of the campus while their classes haven't yet finished for the day, but the two couldn't care less. If there weren't any classes, why should the school be holding them back from leaving campus?

"Is it really that bad?" Yeoreum finally asked in response to Ricky's words. She had been swinging for about ten minutes now. Funny enough, that's exactly how long it took for the both of them to have a conversation. "I mean, I guess I can see that. But do you really still have to go home that early if he's still gonna find a reason to get mad at you?"

Ricky paused for a moment, looking towards the distance. And then he looked down at Yeoreum, his eyes following whichever direction she swung. "Still better to go home earlier."

Yeoreum hummed at his response. Whether to agree or to just let him know she heard, it wasn't really clear. "I guess you have a point."

Now, it's probably worth noting that at this point in time, Yeoreum hadn't exactly found out the situation at the boy's house. Nor was she aware that the boy was still covered in bruises, those of which have been covered by his uniform's long sleeves.

And so, when she stopped the swing and held her hand towards Ricky, wordlessly asking him to help her up, it had confused her when he hesitated.

"Come on. Help me up," she spoke, as if to clarify in case the boy failed to understand.

He was still hesitant when he moved from his spot, but Ricky stood straight as he held his hand out to the girl. He willed himself to fight it in case he felt any pain once the girl grabbed his arm.

But he failed, and he winced when Yeoreum grabbed his arm and pulled herself up. And the girl widened her eyes in response.

She quickly stepped back, and looked at the boy's pained face and the arm she grabbed. Before she took it upon herself to push his sleeve up.

"Wait–"

Ricky tried to intervene, but she had already pushed his sleeve back, enough to show the alarming black and bluish bruises on his arm. Barely treated, if anything at all.

A quiet gasp left Yeoreum's open lips as she stared. And it took a moment before she finally spoke, her voice shaking. "Who... who did this to you?" She looked up, but as soon as her eyes met Ricky's, he looked away. And he abruptly pulled his arm away, flinching at the pain from the sudden movement.

And he held his arm tight after pulling his sleeve down. And he spoke. "... No one. I did this to myself."

Once again, Yeoreum was left with no idea how to respond.