𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 | 𝐝𝐨𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐧

pal

its been two days, i try my best to forget it, but i just can't. 

you walk with him home too much. stop. or else, if i want him gone, he'll be good as dead.

every word, every letter of the letter i received from my 'admirer' can't get out of my head. i wanted to tell dongho and eunhee, 

"please, keep this from dohyun." i beg when i dragged them out before the class starts once again.

"what, are you finally confessing?" dongho chuckles but i keep a poker face. "what's wrong?" he worriedly shakes my shoulder lightly while they eye me. i hand them the letter and wait for them to say something. before talking, they glanced at each other.

"maybe this is the same guy who tried stabbing me," dongho mumbled but unfortunately, i heard it. 

"what?!" i shout out of rage. "what the hell are you talking about?" dongho sighed and furrowed his eyebrows. 

"remember when dongho used you as his girlfriend?" eunhee started.

"what about it?" i ask, impatient.

"well.. you've been getting letters before that incident right? a day before dongho said that you should post about 'breaking up'," she sighs.

"while walking home after the basketball training, someone was tailing me and when i confronted him, he tried to stab me. when i fortunately found a police car, he only left a note saying i should break up with you," dongho continues.

"and why are you telling me just now?!" i ask, fury on the top of my head.

"we don't want to worry you," eunhee carefully strokes both of my arms. i sigh as i started to get scared, my anxiety suddenly starts getting in my head. i crouch down and continuously took quick breaths. i close my eyes as tears flow endlessly. i cover my eyes and sob noisily. i heard muffled voices asking what happened, i hug myself tighter.

"hyerin-ah," someone calls for me and cups my face, making me look into their eyes. "focus on me," dohyun says and stares. "follow me," he repeatedly takes deep breaths, and i try to follow him but to no avail. he holds my hands tighter, not giving up. "just look at me. follow me," he inhales and exhales once again, and i try repeating with trembling breaths. 

when i finally calmed down with the help of dohyun, i looked around to see dongho comforting eunhee who was crying while looking at my worn-out face from crying.

dohyun slumped beside me when he finally saw i was breathing fine now. 

my face was still wet caused by all the crying i did awhile ago.

dohyun suddenly stood up and dragged the two far away from me, but i can still see them. i sigh as i know what they would talk about. i just stared at them while still trying to regain my senses, and i see dohyun run a hand through his hair frustratingly. he suddenly glanced back at me and i just gave him an okay sign. 

after a few minutes, they walk to me while i sat in the corner lifelessly. 

"let's get you home," dohyun assists me up but i resist. 

"dongho can," i push him lightly, still scared. "eunhee, talk to the teachers for us," i say then faced dohyun again. "thank you," he looked speechless, but you can still sense the worry in his face. "im okay," i smile at him. 

i went inside the room to fix my things, calling it a day. 

dongho walks with me until i got home, and bid him goodbye.

"hyerin-ah," dongho stops me, "let's chat for a bit. i want to assure you're fine," he smiles softly.

"okay," we went inside the house and as i expected, no one was home because of work. "i'll just get a drink," then i left him in the living room. i went back with hands full of yogurts.

"you still obsess over these?" he chuckles, "i should donate another box for you," then drinks it. after a few minutes, he started sighing. "we told dohyun," i knew it anyways, they're willing to give up anything not to see me like that again.

the first time i had an attack was when we were in eight grade, when a teacher locked me in a dark room after failing her dumb quiz. a janitor found me in the room after dongho and eunhee asked him to check all the rooms. 

the second time was when i was in tenth grade, we were walking home and somebody then runs in front of us, and is being chased by another. the chaser stabbed the woman in front of us mercilessly, and it was kind of a shock for all of us. but it remained in me. i was partly thankful that i was the only one who remained with it, i didn't want my friends to suffer also. it took a few days for me to forget about the accident, and to act like nothing happened again.

"he looked worried as hell," dongho says. "we had to, we're sorry." i sigh but nods, i understood. "are you angry?" dongho asks.

"no, im not." i smile. "its time he knows about these things, he'll marry me soon." i joked around. we both chuckled. after a few seconds, i started to get scared again. "..we'll be fine, right?" i asked him. he held my hands that was clasped tight.

"of course, we'll see who's behind this without getting hurt." he smiles reassuringly. "sleep, you need it. i'll stay here until someone get home and i'll be the one to say it. okay?" i nod and hug him, then i walk to my room.

---

i wake up to the sound of soft snores, curious because i know i don't snore. 

i flinch to see dohyun helplessly sleeping beside my bed, while he was uncomfortably sitting. i look at the clock and it was already 9 in the evening. when i looked back at dohyun. he was changed into comfortable clothes. he must have gone home before going here.

i sigh as i stroke his hair that was poking his eyes, i stared at him for a few minutes when i realized that he wasn't in the best position. i decided to wake him up and i shook him lightly.

"dohyun-ah," i said when he started groaning. "wake up, you should go home. its late," he smiles with his eyes closed, still half-asleep.

"im staying here," he says, and i widened my eyes. "i already told my mom, and your mom, and your brother, and even your father who's overseas," he chuckled then shakes his head to regain his senses.

"are you insane? no!" i push him.

"i was just joking," he said while chuckling. i stop and roll my eyes, sitting up straight in my bed. "are you okay now?" he asks after being quiet for a few seconds.

"yes, i told you already before i left, right?" i smile at him. "you should go now," i stand up in front of him, but he doesn't budge. "dohyun," i nudge him but he just stares back at me. "is something wrong?" he smiles softly.

"yoon hyerin," he makes me sit down infront of him. i blink at him for a few times. "i want you to stop pushing me away," he smiles then puts the stray hair that's covering my face aside. "i know you're worried, but don't avoid me." he holds both of my hands, "i get more worried." he smiles once again.

"if you don't stop this, then i get worried. i worry that if you're not seen, someone might do something. i worry more, you just saw me at my worse awhile ago." i chuckle.

"its your fault for being so popular with men," he chuckles.

"says the one who even has a group of fans in our school and the school near ours," we laugh and joke together. 

"jokes aside, hyerin," he lowers his voice and caresses my hand. "i'll protect myself like how i'll protect you. so let me handle this. okay?" his reassuring voice caught me until i gave up. i nod and smile at him.

"you got me, okay, now head home. its very late." i push him.

"its a friday anyway," he pouts. 

"and you have to protect your mom like how you protect me, your mom's home alone." i chuckle as i push him outside the front door. 

"actually, your mom and brother is there to chitchat." he laughed out loud when he saw my shocked face.