• playing with fire | chaeyu au

• chapt. 19 | you could've called

hello reader,
the contents in this chapter may be for mature audiences ONLY. do not read if you are sensitive to violence or simply do not like reading about it. i am afraid this chapter was needed to be written for the soul sake of fully developing tzuyu's character and giving me a chance to explore her lifestyle. trust me, i cried while writing this chapter and often debated on whether i should just sugarcoat it - but with instances like this, it should never just be sugarcoated especially since i believe that the majority of my readers are teenagers. don't worry, there will be a happy ending after all. (please don't hate me)
- the author.

tzuyu ended up spending the night at chaeyoung's house upon the smaller girl's request. the storm lasted all night and the roads were flooded so it was a safe call on chaeyoung's part to make tzuyu sleep over. the brunette slept in one of the guest rooms. she slept on one of the most comfortable beds she had ever been on and she couldn't process it through her head that this was where chaeyoung lived.

momo decided to pick her up as soon as the roads were clear, although the aftermath of the storm was still easily seen. apparently the winds were suppose to pick up somewhere in the afternoon, and pennsylvania was due to have another heavy rain shower. just the perfect way to spend a saturday.

tzuyu thanked momo with a smile before stepping out and walking towards her house. she was excited to have the place on her own because she needed more time to sleep - her and chaeyoung spent most of the night staying up and telling weird and funny stories from their childhood. apparently they went to the same preschool.

tzuyu took out her keys and unlocked the front door, stepping in and instantly smelling the stench of cigarettes and spilled beer. the brunette's heart sunk. no, he wasn't suppose to be home until tomorrow. what is he doing here?

the freshman tried to maneuver her way to her room without being seen or heard from her father. it didn't make any use, for she stepped on the wrong side of the carpet and it made a cracking noise. her father got up from his chair to investigate.

"tzuyu?" he said, his voice deep and raspy. he looked like he had just been awoken from a well needed nap. his eyes were blood shot red and his breathing was hitched. who the hell would be drinking this early in the morning?

the brunette's heart pounded in her chest as she froze in her tracks. she bit her lip and nervously turned around to meet eyes with her ever so hated father. "father," she responded back, not having any emotion in her voice. "i-im sorry i woke you."

suddenly he lashed out at her, pinning the brunette to the wall. "where the hell were you last night, huh? your mother was so damn worried and your dumbass didn't even think to call." he was yelling in the poor girl's face as she just moved her head slightly to the right. his breath reeked of alcohol and tzuyu felt like she was going to throw up.

the brunette paused for a moment. did he just say her mother was...worried? how could that be when she hasn't been home since the accident? her father was probably seeing hallucinations again, and that was never a good mix when he would start drinking. tzuyu shut her eyes.

"f-father i was at a friends house studying," tzuyu stuttered nervously. she didn't want to upset him even more than he already was for fear of things escalating. the brunette couldn't take anymore pain.

"you couldve fucking called!"

tzuyu didn't know what else she could say. "look, i am very s-sorry father it won't happen again i promise. we lost track of time and the storm-"

she was cut off when he jabbed his first into her shoulder. tzuyu cried out in pain. the punch made her head bang against the wall. "i don't want to hear anymore of your useless excuses! your mother kept me up with her nagging and whining only to find out that you are perfectly fucking fine," he screamed. again with the mention of her mother, what was going on with him?

tzuyu's tears began to shoot out from her eyes as she waited for him to let go. it seemed like forever before he calmed down and pushed the girl towards her room saying, "get out of my sight."

the brunette took this opportunity to run over to her door and lock it shut. she hated what her father had become. she hated what the accident did to him, but there was nothing she could do about it.

the brunette let her tears flow more heavily as she began to change from her clothes she wore the day before. she removed her shirt and saw that where her father had recently hit her, it was already starting to bruise up. she took her shirt off, staring into the mirror and being unable to count the many bruises covering her stomach. this was the real reason why she didn't want to swim for fear that chaeyoung would end up tracking her father down.

she placed a tank top on her body, pulling it on carefully since her shoulder was starting to feel the effect of his hit kicking in. the brunette climbed into bed, silently crying herself to sleep and not coming out of her room for the rest of the day.

it was hard to imagine how life was without her abusive father. the brunette could only recall glimpses of happy memories, yet they were only with her brother and mother being present. she hated how much she missed her family, now it was torn up into shreds and honestly, she wasn't sure if she was going to be okay. loosing you brother and your mother was one thing, but your father turning on you was a whole different story. he was the only family she had left, and he just doesn't care anymore.

tzuyu awoke from her nap and sat up in her bed. she listened for the heavy footsteps of her father and found none. he was probably out somewhere and if that were true, she was grateful. no need to be afraid for a little while. she reached over and grabbed her phone from the night table. she smiled when she read her newest text.

to: tzuyu 🤓
from: chae 🙄
hey, i just wanted to know if you made it home safely and all. you probably are sleeping so i'll leave you to it. oh and dont forget, im here whenever you need me. the person who did that to you will not be able to hide from me for much longer. trust me, tzuyu, everything is going to be okay (:

and for the first time, tzuyu actually thought so too.