Hwa's POV:
A short time passed after opening his shop when a customer walked in, ringing the bell above the door. He looked up to meet the eyes of a tired San.
"San, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" Walking out from behind the counter.
San walked towards him, laying his head against Hwa's shoulder. "Just didn't want to go to work yet."
"Why are you so clingy? Are you sick?" Hwa asked with a tint of concern in his face.
"Why? Are you worried about me?" Looking up at Hwa, chuckling a bit.
Hwa scoffed, "You wish." But on closer inspection, Hwa noticed something, "Wait what happened to your face? Why do you have a bruise on your cheek?" Gently touching the area where it was bruised.
"Oh that 's nothing. I deserved it anyways." recalling what had happened yesterday.
"Let me get you some ice." Hwa quickly went to the back of the store, soon bringing back a small ice pack, softly pressing it against San's skin. "Put this on so it won't become too puffy and have further bruising."
"Thank you." Giving Hwa a small peck on the cheek. "Oh, have you eaten yet?"
"No." Shaking his head. "I'm not really a breakfast person."
"That's not good for your body. Here, I got some bread for breakfast but I didn't want to eat it alone so please eat with me." Pulling a chair in front of Hwa, giving bread to him.
"Woah, it's so good. Where did you get this bread?" Hwa eyes sparked with the delicious bread he was eating.
San laughed seeing him enjoy the bread so much, "I bought it from the popular bread shop called "Soobun's bread shop". Here I have another one, you can have it."
"No no you have it. I don't want to take your bread." Handing it back to San.
"I want you to have it for tomorrow's breakfast." Giving it right back to Hwa. "You have something right here." Helping Hwa wipe it off with a napkin.
Not long after San had to leave and go to work himself.
[ Afternoon ]
"Hello, welcome to the Treasure shop. How can I help you today?" Hwa greeted as cheerfully as he could.
"Hi um I... the customer stopped and looked at Hwa with a sudden angered face.
"Sir, are you alright?" Hwa asked the man in his mid 60s in a concerned voice.
"How in the world would you think I'm alright! Of course I'm not alright. Aish" The man shouted.
"Oh-oh-k. Is there something I can do for you?" Wondering why the guy is suddenly so mad.
"Yeah, Actually there is! How can a man dress like that, dressing like a woman!" The man yelled.
And that's when it hit Hwa, understanding why the man was so mad. He was wearing a soft pink turtleneck blouse with ruffles and lace on it. Pairing it with black trousers and mixed match chain earrings.
"Those things aren't for men, they're for women. Are you a woman? Are you gay? People like you shouldn't exist." The man angrily shouted insults at Hwa.
He was too stunned to move or speak when all of the sudden the man threw a punch right at his mouth, so close in hitting him. But thankfully Wonho heard the commotion and stopped the man just before he could hit Hwa.
"What do you think you're doing? Talking and threatening the boss like that! Get out of our shop otherwise I will call the cops!" Wonho angerlily yet calmly shouted at the man in which the man stomped out of the shop.
"You ok boss?" Turning his attention to Hwa who was still shaking from what happened.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm ok. Thank you so much Wonho for stopping him. I really don't know how to thank you."
"Hey, it's what I'm here for. Helping my boss whenever he needs it.You should take a breather, it might help. I can see you're really stressed lately boss."
"It's nothing and I will Wonho. I promise." Hwa gave him a hug. "Actually, could you help with the outside garden? I saw that there's some really heavy equipment that the others need help with."
"Yes, of course boss. Take all the time you need, ok?"
"Yeah ok. Thank you again." Hwa nodded, letting him go.
Hwa headed to the bathroom, locking the door behind him, proceeding to put his hands on the sink to support him, and looked at himself in the mirror.
"Why Hwa why? Why do you have to be like this?!" Quietly pounding his fist on the edge of the sink.
Upon seeing himself in the mirror again, negative words started to come. Ugly, stupid, gay, unworthy, die.
"No NO No! Shut up! Stop it!" Hwa started yelling at his reflection, hearing those words in his head.Then suddenly hearing a loud shatter. Frantically started to rub the lipstick off with the back of his hands until his lips were stinging. He then worked his way up, rubbing his face makeup off, then his eye makeup until his face was red. Breathless, he looked in the mirror seeing himself in a horrible state.
Staring at himself in the mirror for some time when a terrible thought escaped his mouth. "Why am I even here?" As the thought came to his head, he heard a male's voice call his name from the front of the store, recognizing it as Woo's voice.
Wooyoung seeing the bathroom door slightly ajar, he cautiously walked towards the door. "Hwa? Is that you? Hello?" Opening the door, seeing the horror in front of him. He rushed to Hwa's side, hugging him.
"Mars, what happened?" Woo asked with worry filled in his voice.
After explaining the whole ordeal he just went through, Woo gasped, hugging him even tighter. They both knew why this incident impacted Hwa so much. It reminded him of the graduation incident where his father made him do such horrible things.
"It's ok, hwa, it's ok. Your dad isn't here. He can't hurt you anymore. I forgive you. Everything you did that time wasn't your fault, I promise you, it's not your fault. It's going to be ok."