Kiss √

FOUR

[her]

SHE was drenched in sweat, her muscles were tense and unable to move. stumbling to her room, she grabbed a first aid kit, reminiscing the moments her brother treated her wounds. she hissed as she applied antiseptics and gauzed her cuts and scrapes. she laid on her bed, passing out as sleep took her away.

***

park haru was fourteen when she was told she was being adopted. she screamed in joy with her brother park jimin. having a mother and a father meant the world to them, living a normal life was a dream of theirs.

constantly she was threatened, beaten, broken. despite how much her back ached or the stabbing of her wounds, she always took her brother's hits. hiding him away from the pain and cruelty of reality. she always shielded him, planning to take him with her when she became eighteen.

coming home late was a crime, she would be beaten or shown a gun to the head. it soon became a habit for her to run home from school, picking up the bottles trashing the floor. then going up to finish her homework.

she had a loving boyfriend and seemed to live the perfect life to everyone outside her home. she had kim ara, her soul sister and flawless grades with ease.

haru was studying with her boyfriend in the school library, losing track of time. it was when she checked her watch she realized it was half past four.

"daehyun i have to go. my parents are waiting." she sighed, as she pouted.

daehyun was sick of her always leaving, they never got to spend time together. it was always her parents waiting for her.

"can't you stay just a bit longer baby." he asked with aegyo, making a baby face.

she sighed, she really wanted to be with him, but the consequences of not being home was dire.

"daehyun, you know i can't." haru pecked him on the cheek, "i really have to go."

haru picked up her bags and waved bye to daehyun as she dashed out the door. she darted past people, buildings and trees, her footsteps in sync with her heartbeat.

arriving at her doorstep, she heard jimin cuss. she slowly twisted her shivering fingers on the doorknob. jimin's face was etched with worry, he was afraid and she could tell.

"noona he's awake." jimin mumbled, "i'm sorry"

"fuck- jimin, go to your room." she brushed back her hair, sighing.

haru was weak, but she always hid it from everyone. her heartbeat was skipping, she kept breathing heavy breaths. from the corner of her eye she noticed jimin hiding behind the stairs, in his usual spot.

"you have one fucking job." her father said, his voice booming with every word, "i don't get paid enough for dealing with you brats."

his father grabbed her hair, smashing her face against the wall. she hated her long hair, it was always used as a weapon against her. she cried in agony, while her skin split at the sides of her jaw, gushing out blood. removing his belt, he whipped her, one time then twice. she curled into a ball, sizzling pain shooting up her back. her eyes welled up with tears, as her muscles tensed.

she knew what was next. she tensed at the thought. her father slowly grabbed the beer bottle. without hesitation he slammed it against the side of her head. haru moaned in pain. the sides of her face sprinkled with blood.

"where's jimin?" he asked, a malicious glint creeped up his eyes.

she let the lie slip her tongue like it always did, he always watched her get beaten to the verge of death. she always wished he didn't. black spots filled her vision, she struggled to answer.

"homework." she croaked, as she stumbled up the stairs away from him.

haru laid nearby the bed, her body collapsing with every movement. letting the stars take over her, she closed her eyes passing out. the door slowly creaked open. jimin followed behind a first aid kit in his hand, treating her wounds one at a time.

as she regained consciousness all her wounds had been treated, she got up, scanning for jimin. realizing he had gone to get groceries, she slipped out the window, opening her cuts in the process, she hissed.

haru needed to visit ara. she would help patch up the rest her brother had missed. haru wanted to enjoy a girls day out with ara before jimin returned home.

ara's door was unlocked, haru twisted the handle, walking in.

"ara." haru called, a faint smile visible.

haru dropped to the ground. daehyun's lips were on ara's. she had trusted both of them. ara was like her sister and daehyun was her boyfriend.

ara noticed haru that second, "haru, it's not what it looks like." ara reassured.

"then, was your lips on his my fucking imagination." haru retorted.

something snapped within her that moment. it wasn't normal of haru to show her anger, or rage. haru was very calm and outgoing, she rarely showed any emotions. ara knew that she truly messed up.

haru was done with letting people step over her like dirt, she was done being park haru. she was done being a good girl, living a life full of lies.

her breath came in short gasps, as she bolted out the front door running to her home. everything becoming a blur, as her eyes were welling, her foot slipped from beneath her. haru went inside through her window, she gave up shedding tears for those who didn't deserve it.

she grabbed all her belongings stuffing them into a small backpack. she tiptoed into her father's room being wary not to wake him. rummaging inside his drawer, she grabbed the small handgun and pocketed it.

jimin was going to be home soon, she was going to take him with her, they were leaving this hell together.

hearing the crinkle of the sheets, she knew her father had woken up. she wasn't afraid anymore, he couldn't do anything to her anymore, she wasn't park haru anymore,

"why the fuck are you in here." her father rose, eyes furrowed in anger, following her out into the hall.

he smashed haru's head against the wall. she curled her lips into a mischievous grin, pulling out the gun unaware if it was loaded or not, she aimed it towards his head unhesitant to shoot. as her father launched towards her, she pulled the trigger.

she didn't feel anything as the bullet lodged itself into her father and he came pummeling down. there was no guilt, or shock.

"what the fuck did you do you bitch!" her mother screamed, lunging towards her.

haru pulled the trigger instantly, her mother fell landing with a huge thump. a pool of blood surrounded her father and mother. they were pale and lifeless.

she felt guilt for the first time, she couldn't take jimin with her. they were his parents too, she had just killed them. there was no way she could face him after what she had done.

haru went into the kitchen, searching through drawers and cabinets. she had turned insane. finding a match and lightbox, she struck them together, a tiny flame erupting. she let the match drop to the ground, as she poured oil over the floors. the tiny little flame overtaking the house.

she went through her deceased parents rooms, finding her files containing her birth certificates and adoption certificates. there would be no more park haru anymore. park haru was gone. she dropped them into flames, watching it consume the papers.

park haru was dead.