"FUCKING WOMAN!"

The screams echoed throughout the house. It was deafening to anyone who heard it. There were countless times the sound of shards and screams shouted at each other. As if competing who is the most superior to break the silence of the night.

Hyunji sighed. That commotion again. She was tired of hearing it. Hearing her parents fight has become a daily routine for her.

More specifically, her foster parents

Hence, her determination was made up. Tonight, she planned to run away. As far as possible from there. From the house where she grew up for about ten years.

She wore her black hoodie. Put on a pair of converse lying next to the wardrobe, then take a matching hat and mask with her sweater. Dressing all in black at night would help her disguise her identity.

She looked out the window. Without a doubt, she took a few steps back to take a square, then jumped off the balcony of her room on the second floor. Her legs landed perfectly on the ground.

Hyunji glances at the balcony of her house before stepping away. She put both hands into her hoodie pocket to escape the cold snow that pierced her skin.

Along with the footsteps that took her, the sound of the quarreling within there faded away.

***

Hyunji Kwon, that girl is now staring at the river which is right under the bridge where she stands. Occasionally tucked the strand's hair behind her ears, but her gaze kept locked on the same object. A view of the river, which was frozen at some points. Made her mind drift on some flashes of events that she had gone through in the past. For her, there was nothing more calming than brooding alone like this.

"Ahem! Excuse me."

The rebuke made Hyunji gasp. She turned around and found a man standing beside her without even glancing at her. The man's gaze was straight ahead into the distance.

Hyunji frowned. She didn't even notice the slightest presence of this strange man. "Are you talking to me, sir?"

Instead of answering immediately, the man took the time to wander around, before focusing on the girl beside him with a small smile. "I don't see anyone else here."

Hyunji rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

The stranger chuckled at the cold reaction he was getting. "Do you want some coffee?"

Hyunji turned her head back to face that strange man. A cup of coffee with smoke still billowing in front of her eyes. "Did you put something in it?"

"No, I didn't."

"You're suspicious."

The blunt words made the man let out a deep breath. He brought the glass to his lips and took a sip of coffee. "I really didn't put anything in it."

Choosing not to think too much about it, Hyunji shrugged her shoulders and then accepted the coffee that was offered to her. After all, there is nothing wrong with warming herself up by drinking a cup of coffee in the middle of the night. She doesn't care even if she can't sleep tonight. Skipping sleep for one night won't make her die horribly tomorrow.

"May I know what's your name?"

"Hyunji. Hyunji Kwon. You?"

"Jungkyu Yoon." The man smiled and tilted his head slightly. "Nice to meet you."

"Hm. Me too," Hyunji replied, briefly.

Jungkyu looked straight ahead again. Just like that girl beside him, his mind wandered. He took a deep breath. Makes white smoke puffs out along with his breath.

Each of them fell silent. Drifted by their own minds accompanied by a glass of coffee that began to cool. There is only silence and the faint sound of the night wind blowing gently.

Maybe for some people, such silence can create an uncomfortable awkward atmosphere. But it's different with both of them. Silence is like a friend beyond anyone in the world. The type of person who is not too fond of being in a crowd, but that doesn't mean they are not good at socializing. They just prefer to withdraw from the environment and live in their own minds.

Suddenly, the vibrations of her phone in the pocket shattered Hyunji's daydream. She reached into her pocket and found her phone with the screen on and showing an incoming email notification. Without thinking twice, she shifted the screen and opened the notification.

The girl was shocked for a split second before neutralizing her facial expression again. If she didn't immediately notice the presence of another person by her side, the phone might have ended up miserably at the bottom of the river. Reluctant to take the message any further, she decided to put the her phone back in her pocket.

"So, what brought you here?"

Hyunji turned her head spontaneously. A little surprised, because she didn't think that Jungkyu would talk to her again. "Nothing. Just a few internal problems at home. How about you?"

"Not much different from you. It's just ...," Jungkyu looked down, take a closer look at the calm stream below, "... I almost jumped in there."

"Then? Why are you still here?"

Jungkyu chuckled. He wasn't too surprised to hear Hyunji's words that seemed so frontal--and a little cruel. Although he was sure Hyunji didn't intend to joking around, but somehow that girl's words brought some consolation to him.

"I don't know. Maybe realizing I'm not the only one who desperate here, so I guess there's nothing wrong if I survive a little longer." Once again, he grew a smile.

Hyunji raised one eyebrow. "Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe."

"Guess I'm right," Hyunji sighed.

For the second time, the vibrations she felt from her pocket made Hyunji's attention diverted. But this time, one call came in. The name 'Jimin Hwang' was displayed on the screen.

Hyunji just stared at the screen for a moment, then shifted the red button. She was not in the mood to listen to anyone's words, so she turned off her phone at once.

"Who? Your boyfriend?"

"Close friend."

"Why don't you pick up?"

"I'm not in the mood to hear his lecture."

Jungkyu nodded in understanding. He glanced at the watch wrapped around his wrist. It's almost two in the morning. "Don't you want to go home?"

One corner of Hyunji's lips lifted. "Seriously? I came here to avoid trouble at home. If I come back now, doesn't that mean it's useless to come here?"

"That's not what I mean. I saw you didn't bring anything, so I think you should take some of your clothes or things from your house before you decide to leave."

Hyunji fell silent. She lowered his head, looked at her pair of shoes. "Oh really? I think I'm a little hypothermic. My legs are numb and it looks like I won't be able to walk back home right now."

"I'll take you home."

Hyunji crossed her arms. In disbelief at how persistently this man had forced her to go home. "Are you kidding?"

"What?"

"Do you realize you just offered to help a stranger? I mean, you only know my name. What if I'm a bad person?"

Jungkyu smiled. A slightly different smile from before. He lowered his body, aligns his height with Hyunji who is only up to his shoulder. "If there really is a possibility that you are a bad person like you said before, then I'm definitely worse than you. Wouldn't that make more sense?"

Hyunji gaped. Instead of trying to look like the a good person, they're arguing over the title of the bad person. It really doesn't make sense.

"Do you really want to help me?"

Jungkyu straightened up again and nodded.

"Then, there's no need to take me home. In exchange, may I ask for another help?"

"What kind of help?"

"Let me stay at your place."

"What?!"