76 Sleepless Nigh (2/2)

Yeo Ri flinched in her sleep. She jolted awake from the almost-realistic feeling of that man's hand on her thighs. She recalled the feeling of her legs being forced open by him, the fear of being violated clouding her mind.

”N-No...!” Yeo Ri, in her delirious state, tried to scramble away from the man.

She had forgotten that she was on top of a western-style bed and not the beddings in her house, so she fell down to the floor with a loud thump.

The shadowy figure crept closer to her, his hands reaching out to grab her.

”No! Stop!” Yeo Ri screamed loudly, alerting the men who were still awake in the living room.

”NO! NO!”

Yeo Ri curled up into a small ball by the bed.

Even when she thought she was safe, that man still haunted her.

”Yeo Ri-ah?!” Hyuk and the rest threw the door open, crashing into the guest room.

”Yeo Ri, what's wrong?!”

Hyuk, without thinking, immediately ran to her side, hugging her tightly.

Yeo Ri tried to fight him off, thinking that he was that man, but he held onto her tightly.

”It's fine, everything's fine, Oppa is here,” he comforted her. The sight of Yeo Ri looking so traumatised made him feel stuffy. His heart felt as if it was being torn to pieces.

”Oppa, Oppa... I'm scared! He's going to—!” She sobbed, burrowing her face into the nook of his neck. ”I'm scared!” She hugged him tightly, limbs trembling.

Hyuk held her until she calmed down.

”...” Gun, Jin Goo, and In Guk watched the scene with complex gazes.

It was not just Hyuk whose heart was in pain. The other three also felt hurt at seeing Yeo Ri's pitiful state.

They wondered just how bad Lee Do Joon hurt her, to make her traumatised to that extent.

The time moved slowly.

Gun, Jin Goo, and In Guk could only stand awkwardly as they waited for Hyuk to coax Yeo Ri back to sleep.

Finally, after half an hour, Yeo Ri managed to surrender herself back to sleep again. In Hyuk's arms, she felt more or less safer.

Hyuk carried her back onto the bed.

The girl was holding onto the sleeves of his shirt so tightly that it took him a while to pry her fingers off of him.

He sighed as he fixed her blanket.

”She's asleep now. Let's go. Don't bother her,” Hyuk said quietly. He casted a long look towards Yeo Ri. Part of him felt unwilling to leave her be, but he had to.

He chased off the rest and followed behind them, leaving the door ajar just in case Yeo Ri woke up again.