Chapter LIX – Broken Promise

“Hey, Art. . . Time to wake up,” Irene whispered as her hand gently caressed his back. “Breakfast is ready.”

Slowly opening his eyes, Arthur realized he wasn’t in his bed. It was the first time in a while that he woke up to something other than the sun peering through the window.

“Did you sleep well?”

The three had quite a bit to drink last night, and once again he found himself in Irene’s room. With his eyes finally adjusted, he caught a glimpse of Irene’s outfit which consisted of a loose-fitting pink tank top that she slept in and white shorts.

“What time is it?”

“It’s already noon.”

Turning on his back, he glanced towards the ceiling. Irene’s hand which was previously caressing his back now gently pressed on his stomach.

“Where’s Amelia?”

“In the living room.”

Covering his eyes with his forearm, he tried recalling last night’s events. The first thing he remembered was them watching movies, after which they proceeded to talk and drink all night long. Nothing major happened apart from having fun. When it was finally time to go to sleep, Irene coaxed him into sleeping on the bed without much resistance.

Letting out a sigh, he heard Irene chuckle.

“What’s up?” he asked while looking at her.

“You’ve gotten fitter,” she traced her fingers along his abs which began showing from the continuous training.

“Did I?” he asked having never paid attention to it.

“If you ask me, you’re just about perfect right now,” she smiled playfully before tapping his stomach twice. “Any more and it might be too much for my taste.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, making her chuckle.

“Alright, time to get up. . . Amelia’s waiting for us,” she said smilingly seeing as he had a placid smile.

“Right,” Arthur grunted as he got out of bed, still wearing the same clothes as yesterday apart from the socks that were near the window.

Leaving the bedroom, he glanced towards Amelia as she sat at the table. The food looked well made and the alluring smell was strong enough to draw him in. It even made his stomach growl.

“Good morning,” Amelia said, resting her head on her right arm.

“Morning,” Arthur sat on the opposite side, allowing Irene to be in the middle.

“Damn, I’m so hungry,” Irene said before cutting her food.

“If it’s not enough, I’ll make you more,” Amelia looked at Arthur.

“It’s perfect. Thanks,” he said, finding the plate more than fulfilling.

They started to dig in, staying quiet for the most part.

“Amelia,” Arthur spoke up. “I wanted to say sorry.”

“Huh?” she looked at him confused. “What for?”

“Well, I allowed Irene to drag me to bed,” he let out a sigh, setting the fork down. “Wasn’t my intention to have you sleeping on the couch.”

“What are you talking about? She didn’t sleep on the couch,” Irene interrupted. “There was plenty of room for the three of us.”

Arthur was surprised and the two giggled at his needless apology.

“Sorry to intrude on your fun. I’ll try and be more considerate in the future,” Amelia teased the two before taking a bite.

“No, no! Nothing like that. . .” he became flustered while Irene let out a sigh. “I-”

He stopped himself, knowing that anything said could be interpreted wrongly and used against him. If anything, last night showed their sisterly love for teasing his occasional innocence. Regardless, he was glad to hear she wasn’t forced to crash on the couch. If they were cool with sharing the bed, he didn’t care.

“Honestly, I thought being in the middle would be fun, but both of you just turned your backs towards me. . .” Irene chuckled before she continued eating. “Anyway, aren’t you returning to school on Monday?”

“Yup, just a day before the finals.”

“Excited to go back?” Amelia asked.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone together again, so that’s something.”

“I don’t think I ever asked you, but have you thought about what you’re gonna do after high school?” Irene looked at him, listening intently.

“Another hard question,” he let out a sigh with a helpless smile.

“Don’t worry too much,” Amelia spoke up. “You’re not the only one who hasn’t figured out their future yet. That shit usually just hits you out of nowhere or is forced upon you.”

“That’s reassuring,” Arthur chuckled but was genuinely grateful to hear that.

Even though months had passed, Arthur still found himself lost in a vastly different world. The future everyone talked about wasn’t something he thought about before. Every day was a struggle in the past. The idea of settling down was nothing more than a dream. However, things were different now. It being a new world meant that his accomplishments amounted to nothing, making early retirement impossible. Considering that he was someone who devoted his life to fighting, his perception of possibilities was heavily distorted. The only thing he knew for sure was that the military life wasn’t going to make the list. As Amelia said, he could only focus on the present for now and hope that something has caught his interest in the future.

“Well, there’s the mandatory military service anyway,” Amelia mentioned. “You have to go either before or after college. So it might give you time to think.”

“Mandatory military service?” he was caught by surprise, this being the first time he heard of such a thing.

“Ugh. . . Don’t even bring that up,” Irene dreaded the idea, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to see Arthur for two years.

“Not like you’re the one going. . .”

“What’s this about military service?” Arthur asked again, displeased by the idea.

“Every young and able man in Korea is forced to do a mandatory two-year service in the military. I’m not sure how it works, since I got nothing to do with it,” Amelia explained.

“I see. . . Well, guess that’s just one more thing for me to think about.”

Arthur had no intention of attending the military service, but the word mandatory made it sound unavoidable. It was something he had to figure out later while alone.

“As I said, don’t worry about it too much. Besides, this goofball has no idea what to do either,” Amelia teased Irene.

“I’ll have you know, I plan to finish college and leech money as you inherit the family business,” she crossed her arms, acting seriously.

“Like I’d allow that,” Amelia poked Irene’s cheek with a smile on her face, making Irene laugh as she was just joking around.

“I know you said teaching probably wasn’t gonna be it, but did you have any other ideas?” Arthur asked Irene.

“I like working with people, so management might be where it’s at for me. Besides, my dad has plenty of connections, so I shouldn’t struggle to get a good-paying job if I prove myself in college.”

“Still don’t wanna rely on the family money?” Amelia asked.

“You know where I stand. . .” she sighed. “While I won’t refuse it, I don’t want to solely rely on it. There’s just something fulfilling knowing that I can be independent.”

Arthur couldn’t even imagine the amount of money the two were discussing. By the sound of it, it was enough for a lifetime. Though, the idea of wealth and fame never intrigued him in the first place. He was happy with the standard of living thus far.

“That’s my sis,” Amelia smiled. “Well, I’ll help you however I can, which reminds me. . . It’s time for us to study!”

Arthur glanced towards the now empty plates that were in front of them.

“How about watching a movie beforehand?” Irene asked jokingly, hoping it might just work.

“Nah, she’s right,” Arthur chuckled, siding with Amelia. “Finals are in three days, so let’s not slack off now.”

“Traitor. . .” Irene mumbled making Amelia laugh.

The three gathered around the couch before diving into the study material. Arthur’s motivation hadn’t wavered, especially due to the bet he made with Max, not wishing to crossdress. While he was confident at first that he could secure the top spot, as time went on, he realized that Irene might just snatch first place if his score wasn’t perfect.

“Oppa, let’s go!” Sophie yelled loudly as she burst into his room while he was still asleep, jumping onto his bed and shaking him awake.

He grunted while rubbing his eyes. Sophie was already dressed and ready for their morning run.

“What time is it?”

“Well. . . Does it matter?” she asked while awkwardly looking away. “I woke up early cuz I was excited that you were returning to school.”

Reaching for his phone he realized it was 5:28 AM. The sun had just risen and he had at least half an hour more to sleep. Still, seeing her so excited, he couldn’t bear the thought of ignoring her.

“Alright, I’ll get up. . .” he let out a sigh, but her winsome smile was well worth it.

After their morning run and early breakfast, the two prepared to head out. Ryung walked them to the door and waved them off, but not before saying good luck to Arthur and asking him to behave this time around. However, Arthur refrained from making such a promise.

“It’s been lonely,” Sophie said quietly with her hands behind her back and her head down. “Walking to school alone every morning. . . I never realized how much I got used to us going together.”

Arthur refrained from saying anything and instead, he put his hand on her head before pulling her closer and kissing her on the temple. She wrapped her hands around him, leaning into a hug. He felt calmer knowing he was with her again.

Before entering the classroom, Arthur felt conflicted regarding his feelings about returning to school, but as soon as he opened the doors, seeing everyone but Tjay sitting around Don’s desk put a smile on his face. Nabi waved excitedly as she hadn’t seen him since the suspension.

Walking over to his desk, he saw Irene sitting on it. It was nearest to Don. Dropping his bag to the ground, he pulled his chair to the side, sitting on it with his legs wrapped around the backrest which faced the front.

“Welcome back,” Nabi said with a beaming smile.

“It’s good to be back,” Arthur looked at her, noticing that she seemed different.

She was radiating happiness, and it appeared as if she started taking better care of herself, even her usually messy hair. From what Irene told him, Nabi often talked about her relationship and it seemed as if things were working out wonderfully which put Arthur at ease. Though he didn’t have as close of a relationship with Nabi as he did with some of the others, he still cared about her. She was also, like Don, among the first who chose to stick by him when things were toughest. He hoped that the two would get the chance to spend more time together during the summer.

“You think he’ll come?” Irene asked Max.

“He said he’s on his way,” Don cut in.

“I bet he fell asleep again,” Max chuckled.

“Talking about Tjay?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah,” Nabi answered swinging her legs back and forth while sitting atop Don’s desk. “These guys were betting on Tjay not coming to school.”

“There’s no way he skips,” Arthur smirked knowing that Tjay, more than anyone, couldn’t wait to return to school to see everyone together.

While he wasn’t the responsible one, he valued friendship above all. Now that he had a group of friends he grew to care about, he’d even sit through things that made him miserable if it meant he’d spend more time with them and even get to laugh about it later.

“Hey,” Irene poked Arthur’s cheek before leaning on his shoulder to lean on with her hand.

“What’s up?” he turned to her curiously.

“After the finals, Amelia wanted to meet Sophie. . . So ask her, okay?”

“Sure, I’m sure she’ll be delighted. She already pestered me all day yesterday.”

“Who’s Amelia?” Max asked.

“Her sister,” Nabi answered instead as Irene was fixated on Arthur. “She came to Seoul a few days ago.”

“That reminds me, she wanted to throw a party and meet all of you as well, once the finals are over,” Irene turned to everyone. “So, maybe we could throw one at my place? I think there’s enough room to squeeze everyone in,” she began counting, including Yeona who she saw a few times with Sophie, and Nabi’s boyfriend potentially.

“We can always have it at my place,” Don offered.

“Cool. Well, we’ll figure it out. I don’t know if she wants to invite anyone as well.”

The conversation escalated into full-on planning which made Arthur zone out. He felt prying eyes and instead chose to mess around and listen in on his fellow classmates. It was the first time Arthur utilized Qi for some trivial fun.

While most students talked about themselves, there were two that drew his attention. They were discussing how ridiculous it was that they got pardoned and only suspended just because the school princess had a say in it. They were especially annoyed by how carefree Arthur and Max were upon their return. However, their conversation was cut short as Tjay slammed their table, leaning down with a mischievous smirk.

“I wouldn’t go around saying things like that if I were you,” Tjay whispered. “Haven’t you heard? Arthur is like a crazed demon when it comes to fighting. If you thought I was scary, you should probably know that he is someone who even I don’t dare mess with.”

Two seconds in and Tjay was already making a scene. However, something about it felt good. Glancing towards them, Arthur saw the fearful expressions they had knowing they caught Tjay’s attention.

“Tjay!” Arthur yelled out grabbing his attention. “Come join us. You should hear what these guys were betting on.”

His crazed smile softened as he turned to the group.

“Let me guess, it has something to do with me not coming to school. . .”

Joining up with the rest, they chatted a bit before class started. The first two periods were uneventful, apart from the boys, except for Don, having to see the homeroom teacher in regards to the finals. Mr. Nam wanted to make sure the three were prepared for tomorrow’s exams, proudly learning that they didn’t slack off or so they claimed.

As lunch break started, everyone wanted to finally sit and enjoy a meal together.

“Is Sophie joining us?” Max asked as he held Tjay by the shoulders while he proudly marched through the school hallway.

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask her yourselves,” Arthur seemed distracted.

“The girls already agreed,” Irene mentioned.

“They were planning it for a while now. . .” Nabi chuckled. “We even have a new member joining us.”

“New member?” Tjay asked.

“You’ll see,” Nabi smiled glancing towards Tjay. “Please don’t scare her off. . .”

“Why would I scare her off?” he looked confused.

“Well. . . What can we say,” Arthur teased him before suddenly stopping in place. “You guys go ahead, I have something to take care of. I’ll make sure to join you soon, so pick something for me, okay?”

“Is everything alright?” Max was the first to ask.

“Everything is fine, just have something overdue. . .”

“Don’t complain about what we pick,” Tjay joked, though the look on his face was quite telling.

“I’ll make sure to do just that,” Arthur laughed.

Everyone carried on, but Irene stayed back a bit. They noticed but decided to give them space.

“You’re gonna get in trouble again, aren’t you?” Irene sighed, grabbing his shirt while looking at him worriedly.

“Figured you’d know where I’m going,” he grabbed her hand. “Don’t worry though.”

“I can’t stop you, but please don’t do anything you’ll regret. Might be a bit selfish, but I don’t want us to spend the summer apart if you get in trouble, and I’m sure Sophie wouldn’t either.”

“Irene,” he held her hand firmly. “Trust me.”

She nodded, letting go of his hand hesitantly.

“I'll be waiting. . .” she said before walking off to join the others.

It was finally time for him to visit an old friend. One that he wished never to see again.

Thanks to Iseul, Arthur learned where Jeon Sung-Ho, Hana’s older brother, hanged around during lunchtime. Apparently, she was invited more than once to join them behind the school gymnasium. Some preferred to sneak there and have a smoke since it was prohibited. There were no cameras that covered the infamous corner and the security guard never bothered them after they agreed to not cause trouble on school grounds.

Walking down the hallway, Arthur gathered quite the attention from the second-year students. While the reputation of a troublemaker now followed him, he was surprised to learn that it wasn’t as bad as he initially believed. At first, the rumors were all negative, but after a while, everyone started talking about how the club fight actually redeemed the school’s reputation after Sung-Ho’s humiliating defeat against Yong Tae. Obviously, such a reputation had no value, especially among the teachers, but it showed West High students that they shouldn’t go around messing with J High since one of their worst had received a beating. Some viewed Arthur and the rest in a new light, while others, like his classmates, were disappointed and wary that they might just end up being the next school bullies that they’d have to deal with.

Arthur arrived first to the narrow corner that was wedged between the courtyard wall and the school gymnasium which blocked out the sun.

However, it didn't take long for them to arrive as their loud laughs drew his attention. As they turned the corner, visible shock showed on Sung-Ho’s face after he saw Arthur leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“What are you doing here?” Sung-Ho’s classmate asked, appearing agitated by his presence.

“Shut up,” Sung-Ho silenced him instantly before turning to Arthur. “I don’t know why you’re here, but if you’re looking for trouble I want none of it. . .”

Arthur’s expression was cold and his glare petrifying. He had been holding onto the fury he felt ever since Sophie told him what happened.

“You should’ve thought about it before breaking your promise, Sung-Ho.”

Even the way he said his name sent shivers down Sung-Ho’s spine. Arthur was the one person he never wanted to see again. It wasn’t the first time he lost a fight, but the cold gaze he felt back then stuck with him, one that made him feel like he was going to die. Now, that gaze was once again upon Sung-Ho who felt the difference between Arthur’s aura back then and now.

While typically unable to sense Qi, Arthur allowed those targeted by his intent to feel it. Unlike when cultivated, when Qi was utilized with the intent to harm, it had a chilling effect rather than emitting warmth.

“What promise did I break?” Sung-Ho’s hand trembled.

Some of the guys among them weren’t there when Sung-Ho fought Arthur, so they were unaware of what was going on. But by simply observing the situation, they could tell Sung-Ho was uncharacteristically shook.

“You said you’d take care of that brat.”

“Are you talking about Hana?”

“Who else could I be referring to?”

“I already talked to her! Even threatened her that if she tried anything, she’d face consequences!” he panicked, but seemed to be telling the truth.

However, Arthur didn’t care about how he handled things. All he cared about were results.

“Your sister assaulted Sophie again. You’ve failed,” Arthur pushed away from the wall and started slowly approaching.

Everyone apart from him instinctively took a step back after sensing trouble.

“Wait! I knew nothing about this. . . I swear,” he panicked.

After reaching him, Arthur placed his hand on Sung-Ho’s shoulder which made Sung-Ho jolt surprised as if his slow approach happened in flash. His sense of time was heavily distorted.

“Do you think I care?” Arthur whispered.

He could hear the malice manifest with every word spoken, as Sung-Ho suffered from a cold sweat.

“Please, let me fix this. . .” he lowered his voice and spoke with a submissive tone as if pleading for his life.

“How are you going to fix this?”

Sung-Ho was stunned when he learned that Arthur gave him a chance. Knowing he couldn’t risk angering him, he took his time to carefully think about what to say.

“I’ll call her over. I’ll call Hana and I’ll punish her myself. Whatever she did to Sophie, I’ll do ten. . . No, a hundred times worse. . .” he smiled tremulously.

“That won’t do,” Arthur whispered. “Your sister failed to do much since someone came to her rescue.”

“Then I’ll punish her until you deem it enough!”

Arthur let out a disappointed sigh. He couldn’t believe that Sung-Ho, a known troublemaker and the bad boy of the school, was willing to just throw away his sister for the sake of his survival.

“Pathetic. . .” Arthur whispered, pressing down on Sung-Ho’s shoulder, forcing him to his knees. “Fine. . . After school, bring your sister to the site where we fought. We’re ending this today since I have no intention of dragging this shit into the summer.”

“I will!” he smiled, feeling relieved that Arthur agreed.

“Don’t even think of not showing up. If you and that brat behave, I might just let this end with a simple apology. Do you understand?”

“We’ll be there!” he yelled out yet again.

“Good. . .” Arthur let go of his shoulder before proceeding to walk past everyone as they moved to make room.

Their group was left in total disarray afterwards.

On his way back to the others, Arthur let out a sigh of relief while holding onto his forearm. He wasn’t happy with how things unfolded, but he was glad that it didn’t end with violence. If Sophie ended up hurt, he couldn’t even begin to imagine how his reaction would’ve been which just showed how overprotective and fierce he could be. However, while some might look at that positively, he also knew some would come to fear him for it, but he didn’t regret his actions. Seeing as last time wasn’t enough, Arthur hoped that intimidating them this time around would work if Hana was directly involved. He still had no intention of harming her. Despite everything, she was just a kid.

After regrouping with others, their smiles and laughs softened him up. Yeona was the mysterious guest Nabi mentioned, and she was already warmly accepted by others. Arthur and she mutually agreed that they’d act as if they’d never met before, so after introducing themselves, Arthur finally had something to eat while listening to the chaotic conversations that they were having. Irene texted Arthur asking how things went, but Arthur waited until they were done before explaining to her what happened.

She wasn’t happy with the idea of Arthur going alone since they could ambush him prepared, but Arthur insisted on going alone, promising her that he’d return safe and sound. Something about his promise calmed her, but she still had a hard time accepting.

Before he left, he asked Tjay and Max for a favor without giving away details. He wanted the two to protect the girls after school and make sure they reach home safely. While he had no reason to fear for himself, others were still vulnerable.

They wanted to ask questions, but the look he gave them was enough to just place their trust in him and do as he asked. It was awkward, but the two convinced Sophie to help them pick up a welcoming gift for Amelia that she wanted to buy in the first place and Irene tagged along.

It was finally time. Arthur waited at the construction site not far away from school. The rumors about the construction being delayed for years appeared to be true as there were no workers around.

Sitting on stacked steel beams, Arthur kept thinking about how things might unfold. His worry that they’d do something stupid like go after Sophie left him feeling anxious. The only other options that weren’t favorable were that they would bring weapons or just outright not show up in the first place. Regardless, he had ways of dealing with such scenarios.

Though they were a bit late, Arthur saw Sung-Ho and Hana arriving along with a few more of his friends. Arthur let out a sigh of relief, knowing that if they were all gathered, Sophie was safe.

“Good, you’ve arrived,” Arthur got up and slowly approached.

Arthur’s gaze wasn’t as cold as when he met them behind the school gymnasium but they were wary of him regardless.

Sung-Ho shoved Hana forward, almost making her fall to the ground.

“This is ridiculous!” Hana yelled out scornfully while looking back at her brother who had betrayed her.

“So you’re Hana. . .”

“Fuck-” she tried to insult him, but after making eye contact for the first time she froze up.

His gaze was penetrating and condescending. Right away Hana understood the type of man she angered.

“We finally meet.”

Taking a step closer to her forced Hana to take a step back fearfully. She was unsure of Arthur’s intentions.

“Arthur. . .” she smirked nervously, breaking a cold sweat.

“I’m sure you’re aware of why you’re here.”

She remained silent, even though she would typically make a snarky comment based on what Sophie told him.

“You don’t expect me to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness, do you?” she chuckled arrogantly behind a forced smile.

“That’s exactly what you’ll do if you want to get out of this predicament. I want you to drop to your knees, face kissing the ground, and arms out while sincerely begging for forgiveness.”

“This is ridiculous! Oppa, you can’t expect me to do this. . . There’s more of you, so just jump him and get this over with.”

“Shut up, bitch!” Sung-Ho yelled out, getting closer to her before shoving her to the ground.

Arthur wasn’t fond of Sung-Ho’s cowardice, but at least he didn’t have to force her down.

She grunted in pain and tearfully looked up at Arthur while laying down before his feet. It was the first time she truly felt fear, yet she still showed the courage to resist the dominating gaze Arthur cast upon her.

“If you don’t apologize, I’ll break your legs myself,” Sung-Ho yelled out, but Arthur raised his hand, hushing him.

If he allowed him to continue, he’d end up punching Sung-Ho.

Hana kept looking at Arthur who mercilessly stared down at her. Her spirit slowly wavered as he channeled his Qi toward her. The cold slowly surrounded her and the sound of her brother’s voice and betrayal haunted her. Feeling helpless, sincere fearful tears started to form.

“Hana,” Arthur whispered. “You’re alone.”

His words cut a deeper than any blade could. Sobbing, she ached from the sharp pain in her knees as her blood stained the ground after scraping them during the fall. She felt her will breaking, fearing that at any moment Arthur would step on her head and smash it in. Tears ran down her cheeks as she lowered her head before placed her hands to the side.

“I’m- I. . .” she couldn’t muster the words. “S-So-sorry!”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to say it properly, or that she couldn’t afford to say sorry, but the fear and pressure made her crumble in front of him. Her voice trembled as she felt the same fear that Sophie did, finally understanding her actions, even if the situation vastly differed. The fear of not knowing if you’ll survive was all the same.

Arthur crouched before whispering to her, “Why did you do it? Why did you have to bully my sister?”

“Because-” she repeatedly struggled to form a sentence.

“Because?” Arthur patiently waited for an answer.

Taking a deep breath and forming fists, Hana dared to look up at Arthur without his permission. But her eyes weren’t spiteful, instead, they showed a completely broken spirit.

“She took away the one I loved from me. . .”

Arthur was caught off guard.

“She did what?” he crossed his arms doubtfully.

“In middle school, I was a nobody! She didn’t even know we went to the same school. . .” she sobbed while mustering the courage to speak as she pushed herself up, still remaining on her knees. “The boy I loved finally accepted my confession right before the summer break. . . I finally had something to be proud of, but then he got caught cheating on me with her!” she yelled with the last of her breath. “I hated her! She had everything I wanted. . .”

She cried a river, but they weren’t tears that begged for mercy. They were tears of someone who truly felt like they’ve lost everything. With one glance towards Sung-Ho, Arthur could tell that he was still only worried about himself.

“Did she know about this?”

Hana bit her lip, trying to calm herself down. While struggling to hold back, still unable to muster words properly, she shook her head.

“So, let me get this straight. . . Without even letting her know why, your jealousy made you bully her and you even tried to get her raped. . .”

He couldn’t believe how ridiculous everything was. It sounded like a poorly written play, yet the reality was that such petty things happened daily, regardless of which world he lived in.

"I know what I did was wrong! I just couldn't hold it in and when it came out I kept on going. . . Getting revenge felt addictive and I got swept away by it!" she finally gathered the strength to at least admit the truth. "I'm nothing but a stupid bitch who kept getting swept up by everything and when I lost control I became terrified that it'll happen all over again. . . I'm sorry!"

Arthur felt betrayed by his feelings, unsure if what he was witnessing was guilt or fear, maybe even both. He understood that right now he should’ve felt nothing but rage. What Hana did was unforgivable and unjust. She should be severely punished. The trauma that Sophie endured was horrifying. If not for her inconceivable mental fortitude to push past such events, she could’ve ended up locked up in her room for years. Yet for some reason, he felt pity looking at her and the idea frustrated him.

Considering how Sung-Ho acted, Arthur couldn’t imagine how messed up Hana’s home was, nor did he wish to think about it. There was nothing he could do to her now that he wouldn’t regret. Hurting her, insulting her, or even threatening her further would’ve felt as if he turned into a monster that abused a little girl rather than someone who was there to protect his family. He couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen had Sophie seen Hana broken like that. Actually, he knew exactly how she’d react. She would’ve forgiven her and potentially even hugged her. That’s just how kind she truly was.

“Hana. . .” Arthur lowered his voice as his gaze softened. “Look at me.”

She used her shirt to rub her eyes before looking back at him. They were burning red and still forming tears. She used every ounce of her strength left to hold them back.

“What you’ve done is unforgivable. As Sophie’s older brother, I could never forgive the mercilessness you’ve shown her,” as Arthur spoke she listened intently, truly having abandoned all hope. “I’m not kindhearted,” he paused briefly to let out a sigh, venting his frustration. “However, my sister is. . . She might not seem that way to you, but she is possibly the kindest person I’ve ever met. Had you harmed her beyond what was already done, I don’t know what I would’ve done. I ask you to go to her once the finals are over and truly apologize for what you’ve done. She’ll listen. . . Potentially, she’ll even forgive you. Do not mistake this for an order, I’m asking you to do it. It’s never too late to truly apologize. As long as our intentions are sincere and meant to express our feelings of regret while reflecting on our misdeeds. A sincere apology isn’t meant to achieve forgiveness, but to mark the beginning of our journey to atone for our mistakes. Everyone’s path is different, and you must search for your own. You’re young and have a whole lifetime ahead of you. Please, don’t make such mistakes again. . . This had gone on long enough.”

She stared at him perplexed, but as he leaned closer to her and wiped away the tears that ran down her cheeks with his hand, her expression slowly changed from perplexed to comprehension. Arthur understood that before him was a confused fifteen-year-old girl, who still had time to make the right choices in life if given a chance. He reassured himself that he wasn’t making the wrong choice by believing that Sophie would’ve wanted the same, regardless if Hana deserved it or not.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur got up and gave Hana a hand to stand back up. She reluctantly accepted but was still wobbly from the endured stress.

“I hope you make the right decision.”

Those were the last words he spoke to her before stepping past her.

Sung-Ho and the rest observed the scene and remained quiet the entire time. As Arthur approached Sung-Ho, he grabbed his shoulder and looked him straight in the eyes with distaste.

“You disgust me,” Arthur coldly stared at Sung-Ho. “If you harm her or anyone ever again, I’ll castrate you. To think that you’re unable to put your life on the line for your sister regardless of what she did. . . You deserve a dog’s death.”

Sung-Ho averted his gaze before Arthur finally left the construction site for good. His only hope was to never have to see them again.

After it was all over he informed Irene, but before having a chance to explain what happened over the phone, she said that Sophie and she would come to their house. Impatiently waiting for the two to arrive, Arthur tried putting things into words. However, once he saw them, his conflicting frustration finally made him crumble.

While explaining what happened, Sophie and Irene sat down next to him. Both intently listened to every word he said, realizing just how hard it was for him to put things into words. His frustration with himself and the inability to be there when Sophie was in trouble caused him to shed a few tears that managed to escape him which Sophie brushed away before heartwarmingly embracing him. Irene leaned on him from behind while gently caressing his hair trying to soothe him. There weren’t many words being said, but Sophie reassured him that he had made the right choice and that she would’ve done the same. Hearing her say that made Arthur finally relax. His body gave away from the built-up frustration that had been piling up within him for a long time, making him drift to sleep in Sophie’s embrace while the girls exchanged a proud look as they took care of him.

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.