Bartender || Ateez P.SH ✓

treat.

"we'll have more time for small talk in the car."

seonghwa slightly bowed his head as an apology and sat beside yeseul. the sophomore opened the door opposing the driver's.

once they settled down, the lawyer asked if they were set to go and only received a faint hum from jihae.

three minutes into the drive and yeseul was already laying her head on the junior's lap, telling them all sorts off stories. she was used to being quiet when alone with her brother so having new people excited her.

however, it wasn't long until she started yawning and fell asleep. with the help of seonghwa patting her sides, it wasn't that much of a surprise.

since yeseul was the only one doing all the talking which somewhat kept the atmosphere lively, a suffocating silence surrounded them when she fell into dreamland.

the working man adjust his rear view mirror and spared the junior a glanced. "that doesn't look like you slipped and fell to me."

the sudden statement made both seonghwa and jihae tense and clam up.

noticing this, yeonggi remained unbothered and continued, "you might not be comfortable sharing what happened with me, but i really despise unnecessary violence."

another deafening silence took over the vehicle. now, it wasn't normal for yeonggi to pry into others businesses, but his lawyer instincts were telling him something was definitely not okay.

for starters, jihae has been fidgeting all throughout the ride. both the college students seemed like they've seen or been through something horrible that just so happened recently, judging on the boy's wounds.

"was he bullied?" the question was directed at jihae since he figured it would be rude to push the junior.

"no." the sophomore quickly answers, hoping that yeonggi wouldn't ask more, but, of course, he did.

"did you do that him?"

she was about to repeat her answer, but a small voice in her head was telling her that she was partly at fault.

i completely forgot about the threat.

i disregarded chan's words.

i didn't come quick enough.

she did not regret standing up for her sister, not one bit. she was feeling guilty because she could have prevented seonghwa from getting hurt if she had been more alert.

the quietness was unbearable as the junior watched jihae contemplate herself, so he spoke up.

"of course she didn't. some guys threw a few punches at me because we were getting too close and told me that i should know my limits." explained the boy, trying his best to make it sound like it's not a big deal.

yeonggi tuts his lips, nodding. "ah, jealousy. our jihae's quite a catch, no?"

"i really hate you sometimes." jihae sneers, but didn't affect the elder.