Broken

19

"What situation? Shouldn't we be hearing this from her?" Jeongyeon gets impatient.

"Perhaps, but there is where Nayeon comes in, we think it would be better for her to be the one to explain." Chaeyoung tries to calm everyone down.

"What's up, then?" Sana asks, setting her gaze upon Nayeon, who sighs and starts talking.

"Jihyo was being abused by her family her whole life. She was starved and mistreated by her parents, and everything she had was taken by her sisters. We learned that a bit late, but none of us was about to leave her alone after that. We talked to all our parents about her as well, so she would always have a place to go whenever she needed." Nayeon has never sounded more serious.

"And why are you crying?" Mina asks the couple, who have tears running down their cheeks.

"Just keep talking, please?" Sana asks, voice small and cracking.

"If you insist." Nayeon sighs. "After we knew how she was surviving and everything that was happening at that house, we worked really hard to crack her and let us in. Our parents took her in like their own as well, they all got to know her and like her very much. So, yes, we are very protective of Jihyo. No, we won't be making it easy for anyone to approach her just like that."

"We understand, thank you for telling us." Jeongyeon's voice is barely above a whisper.

They just get up, not really having eaten anything, but no appetite was left either. Both didn't talk for the rest of lunch period, just went to a bathroom to try and look presentable enough to get through the rest of their classes. Jeongyeon calls in sick, and her manager just tells her to rest well, as her voice was horrible. Sana takes her girlfriend to her classroom, promising to come get her as soon as they are dismissed.

People may see Jeongyeon as the stronger one, but the truth is very far from that. Sana seems to wear her heart on her sleeve, but she is a very strong one, never held herself back on showing love, but hasn't stepped down when she needed to show strength either. Jeongyeon was not that expressive, she would show her love in the little things, walking on the outer side of the sidewalk, pulling Sana's chair for her to sit, cutting the meat for her, but she was the one to open her heart too easily.

Sana was worried, she knew Jeongyeon was very hurt by what they just found out. The unexplainable affection they had towards Jihyo was something, but knowing the girl was going through all that, they couldn't really be wary of the group's protective ways. The couple themselves were worried, but nothing they couldn't really do much, Sana thought of visiting Jihyo's house, maybe get to talk to her personally, so she grabbed Jeongyeon headed to her house first, changed and dragged the other to the Yoos to do the same.

It wasn't very easy to track down where the Parks lived, but Sana knew enough people to find out. When they were close to their destination, they saw two very familiar faces a few houses before their destination, so Jeongyeon decided to stop by. Nayeon and Momo were sitting on the Ims' porch, in a swing chair and looking like they were studying, judging by the books and papers scattered. It was a warm day, studying outside was a good idea.

"Hey, what are you guys doing around here?" Momo greets.

"We thought about going to Jihyo's place and try to talk to her, but I didn't know you lived so close to her." Jeongyeon answers, gesturing to both girls, not knowing whose house that was.

"Then you came to the right place." Momo answers cheerily.

"What do you mean? I heard her house was that one." Sana questions, pointing at the Parks' house.

"That would be correct a few months ago, but you did come to the right place today. You won't be talking to Jihyo, though." Nayeon answers, having finished writing whatever it was on her notes.