07 / a safe place

                                                                                             Sun-hee's only refuge seemed to be coming from none other than Dae-shim.

                                                                                            The two of them were spending more and more time together, leaving her to escape with Dae-shim. Sun-hee felt so special and important when she was with Dae-shim, like she actually mattered to someone. For as long as Sun-hee could remember, she had never been important to anyone before. She had been ignored, neglected, and abused by everyone in her life. If it wasn't one, it was definitely the other.

                                                                                           But now things were finally turning around for the better. And Sun-hee was slowly blossoming into the flower that Dae-shim knew she could be.

                                                                                          "You really are an exceptional young woman. So smart, so capable... you can do anything that you want. I know you can," Dae-shim assured Sun-hee, the two of them sitting together at a park bench.

                                                                                           There was no around that could recognize either of them and if there were any onlookers around, they'd naturally assume that it was an uncle with their niece. Not a teacher and their student. Dae-shim wanted to make sure it remained that way. He wasn't planning on getting into any trouble because he couldn't control himself or his growing curiosity towards the young, troubled girl. If Dae-shim was going to continue with... whatever they had going on between them, he needed to be careful.

                                                                                          "I'm not so sure of that. How is it that you always manage to think the absolute best of me?" Sun-hee chuckled, brushing some of her hair out of her face as she looked over at him. Sun-hee's heart skips a beat the moment their eyes meet, although she does her best to

                                                                                            It was hard to believe that he was even real sometimes, seeing how compassionate and soft spoken he was.  He listened to her, and he actually cared about what she had to say. He noticed her more than any of the boys her own age and Sun-hee finally felt important. Like she could matter to somebody.

                                                                                            And Sun-hee noticed how handsome he was. It was hard not to. As foolish as it was, Sun-hee was harboring a schoolgirl crush on her teacher. How cliche. It wasn't as though he could ever like her back... right?

                                                                                          "Anyone would, once they'd get to know you," Dae-shim remarked.

                                                                                            Sun-hee smiles as she looks away from Dae-shim, feeling a dangerous feeling blossoming inside of her chest. As much as she wanted to warn him against saying such things, Sun-hee couldn't deny how good it was to hear him say those things to her. It was addictive, intoxicating, and Sun-hee just couldn't get enough.

                                                                                            "I am curious though. What would you want to do after school's over and you managed to graduate?" Dae-shim questioned, his arms brushing against hers.

                                                                                            "Well... in a dream world where everything goes right for me, I'd go and become a doctor. But in order for that to happen, I need to do exceptionally well in school and have a lot of money. I'm good at the first part but money... I don't think I'll ever be able to get that soon. Not unless a miracle falls upon my lap," Sun-hee shrugged.

                                                                                             "You can get a scholarship," Dae-shim reasoned.

                                                                                             "True but... they only accept the best of the best," Sun-hee sighed, shaking her head.

                                                                                             "Why don't you think you are the best of the best? Sun-hee, you're so intelligent and capable. Too many people around you underestimate you, even yourself. I bet that if you really put your mind to it," Dae-shim responded.

                                                                                               Sun-hee smiles, parting her lips open to respond. But then the sleeve of her shirt slipped down, revealing another one of Ji-won's cigarette burns. Sun-hee instantly panics, rushing to pull her sleeve back up before Dae-shim noticed. But it was too late. Dae-shim had instantly seen the wound and his heart sank at the sight of it.

                                                                                               "Where did you get that mark? Did your... father do this to you?" Dae-shim questioned, automatically assuming that it was him. Based on everything that Sun-hee had told Dae-shim about the man, he could only assume that the neglectful bastard also took it a step further.

                                                                                               "No. It's not from him, I swear. It's from someone else," Sun-hee persisted, causing him to falter. Based on the fearful look in her bright eyes and the tone of her shaky voice, Dae-shim realized that Sun-hee was telling the truth.

                                                                                                But if it wasn't her father, who could it have been?

                                                                                                "Is it another student here? Have you been going through bullying?" Dae-shim continued. He wasn't going to back down and take no for an answer. "Come on, Sun-hee. You can tell me. This is a safe place."

                                                                                                   Sun-hee faltered, still afraid to confess the truth. She was worried about what Ji-won would do to her if the truth came out. Ji-won had promised to destroy what remained of Sun-hee's life and Sun-hee naturally believed her. But... maybe with Dae-shim by her side, Sun-hee didn't have to be alone. He was an adult, a teacher with some more authority, and he could help Sun-hee and Dong-eun finally be free of their bullies.

                                                                                               "I... I've been bullied by Lim Ji-won and her friends for the past couple of months. But she has been the main bully towards me. She's the one who's been burning me with cigarettes and beating me and tormenting me. I... I don't know why she's been doing this to me when I never did anything wrong to her," Sun-hee confessed, each word helping to lift the heavy burden sitting on her chest.

                                                                                               "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. You were right to tell me," Dae-shim assured her.

                                                                                               "No. No, I shouldn't have said anything. Once Ji-won finds out that I told anyone the truth, she'll make my life a living hell. I shouldn't have told you anything," Sun-hee quickly denied.

                                                                                                Dae-shim suddenly grabs a hold of Sun-hee's hands, causing her to jolt in surprise. But after her gaze lingered on their hands now intertwined, Sun-hee glanced up to meet her teacher's gaze.

                                                                                               "It's going to be okay. Obviously, we're going to need a lot more evidence to take someone like Ji-won down. She's a powerful girl with a powerful family. There's no way she'd be able to go down without some proof," Dae-shim explained, his tone as calm as ever.

                                                                                                Sun-hee slowly nods, realizing that Dae-shim had a point. "How... are we supposed to get proof? Ji-won is a lunatic but she's smart. Really smart and she's careful about everything."

                                                                                               "She puts you down constantly, doesn't she? She constantly underestimates you?" Dae-shim questioned.

                                                                                               "Y - Yes she does," Sun-hee admitted.

                                                                                               "Then use to that your advantage. Let her think she can continue to use her like you're a pawn in her game. And by the time we have more than enough evidence against her, that little brat will finally be able to go down," Dae-shim raised a brow.

                                                                                                It actually... sounded like a good idea. The more Sun-hee thought about it, the more she realized that it could work out in her favor. Sun-hee could finally be able to expose Ji-won for the monster that she was and get her revenge. Ever since Ji-won had subjected Sun-hee to such cruel bullying, a part of Sun-hee had always wanted to get Ji-won back for every punch, every kick, every harsh word and cigarette burns.

                                                                                               Now Sun-hee could be able to finally get the revenge that she had been longing for.

                                                                                               "Why would you be so willing to risk your life and career for me?" Sun-hee then asked, a soft frown painting her features. "You know that if you help me... you could potentially lose your job. Or... you'll have to quit since Ji-won's family will be after you."

                                                                                              "I'm well aware of the risks. But I care about you a lot. To see you so tormented and hurt like this... it hurts me too. Sometimes, it feels like you're more than a student to me. You feel like a... really good friend of mine. And friends help each other, don't they?" Dae-shim explained, giving her hand a small squeeze of assurance.

                                                                                               Sun-hee feels her heart do backflips inside of her rib cage at his touch. "Yeah, of course. You have... no idea how happy I am to have someone by my side. Someone who listens to me and wants to be my friend. I thought I didn't deserve such a thing."

                                                                                               "Is that what Ji-won convinced you?" Dae-shim questioned, earning nothing but silence from Sun-hee. At this point, she didn't have to answer. Dae-shim was able to read Sun-hee like an open book. "It's not true. Not in the slightest. You deserve all of those things and so much more. It's going to take some time, building evidence against Ji-won, but it'll be worth it in the end. And once you finally get your justice against Ji-won, you can get all of that. Do you trust me?"

                                                                                              "Of course I trust you," Sun-hee immediately responded. He was the only person that Sun-hee could even trust, looking up to him and everything. It was to the point where Sun-hee could definitely say she idolized Dae-shim, seeing as he was already changing her life for the better?

                                                                                              "Thank you, Dae-shim. Thank you so much," Sun-hee remarked, hugging the older man close to her. Resting her head onto his shoulder, Sun-hee felt warm and comforted under his warm, assuring touch.

                                                                                               Dae-shim hugged Sun-hee back, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. He holds her close for as long as he possibly could, forced to pull away from her soon after. Dae-shim was smart enough to know that he was getting far too attached to Sun-hee. And yet, he couldn't leave Sun-hee alone. He felt a need to always be around her, protecting his greenhouse flower from the harsh world around her.

                                                                                             He couldn't stay away from Sun-hee not now. Not when he finally had a chance to save Sun-hee.

                                                                                            "You're very welcome, Sun-hee," is all Dae-shim could say after it was all said and done.

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                                                                                         Sun-hee managed to make it home, her mind still completely stuck on Dae-shim. She couldn't get the man out of her mind - no matter how hard she tried. Even while reminding herself that he only saw her as his student - and at most, a friend, Sun-hee still couldn't allow her feelings to die down.

                                                                                        If anything, their talk today only made her feelings toward Sun-hee deepen.

                                                                                        She had never been noticed before. She had never been anyone's priority, or the one chosen first. And now Sun-hee was getting everything that she could ever ask for. It brought Sun-hee a renewed sense of happiness and hope for the future. For the longest time, Sun-hee never thought that she'd be able to have that and now Dae-shim was giving her that and so much more.

                                                                                        Sun-hee sat alone in her dining room, picking away at her food. Although she was used to eating alone, that didn't make it easier. But as Sun-hee sat down by herself, she began to imagine that she was no longer alone at the table. Dae-shim was sitting right next to her, having that same warm smile on his face. 

                                                                                          He'd eat with her, telling Sun-hee all about his day in that calm and soothing tone of his. And Sun-hee would listen, her chin nestled comfortably in the palm of her hand with food being the last thing on her mind. Sun-hee preferred having Dae-shim in her life rather than her own father. Her dad wouldn't care if she died tomorrow but Dae-shim... he cared about her. He really cared about Sun-hee and he was willing to do everything he could to help her, which was so much more than what her father had ever done for her.

                                                                                          But she couldn't stay in her fantasy world forever. And when Sun-hee finally managed to snap out of it, Sun-hee frowned when she saw herself alone at the dining table. Alone like she had been for so long.

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word count: 2058
notes: dae-shim is becoming more and more of a creep omg. poor sun-hee won't even realize it until its too late