Scarlett Scars (Stray Kids FF)

Chapter 18

Pov: Hwang Hyunjin

"I feel like I'm being a burden," she murmured next to me.

Isabelle and I were on our way back to the company by bus. I observed as she struggled to stay awake while her eyelids gradually gave up on her.

"It's not a burden. I'm the one who suggested it," I countered.

After our little phonecall on the set, I'd told her that I'd meet with her at the hospital even though she had opposed to the idea. Upon my arrival, I confirmed that her actual state was even more exhausted than her voice on the phone.

Coming to get her was a good idea.

She insisted on staying at the hospital and sleeping on a chair next to her mother, but eventually gave in when I nagged at her to get some rest. Even her mother begged her to go and have a good night's sleep. The woman was in good hands, so Isabelle's stay would have been useless anyway.

"Hyunjin.." She stretched.

"Yes?"

"Can I.. maybe borrow your shoulder for a bit?"

I didn't need to answer her as my hand tilted her head and had it lay on my shoulder.

Stop being stubborn. Sleep.

"Hyunjin.."

What now?

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked.

"I'm not who you think I am, Hyunjin. I'm not as innocent as I seem. I've killed people. People who have done nothing to me. I've looked them in the eye and stolen that light from them."

"For your mom?"

"For my only family."

I don't know what to tell her.

It's wrong. What she's done is so wrong.

But can I blame her? I've never been in her situation, so who am I to judge?

She lifted her head and moved away from me. "I understand if you're scared of me now. You were too nice to me, so I didn't feel comfortable keeping up a virtuous image in front of you. I won't be troubling you anymo-" I stopped her rambling by resting her head where it belonged again.

"Just sleep, Isabelle. I do have mixed feelings about this, but I don't think you're a bad person."

Her rigid body relaxed at my words, and her eyes fluttered shut again. "Hyunjin.."

"Isabelle, we're going to reach our destination before you can get a wink of sleep if you keep this up. Do you like my name that much?"

"Would you rather be called 'pretty boy'?" she laughed, "I need to tell you one more thing since I'm confessing and all."

"You're making me nervous," I sighed.

"Mrs. Amelia is not my biological mother."

"What?!" I was a bit too loud, so I turned around and looked at the other passengers apologetically.

"Calm down! It's not as big of a deal as my first confession! Get your priorities straight!" She feigned anger and slapped my arm gently. "I grew up in an orphanage in Korea. Mrs. Amelia used to visit me there all the time. She was the closest thing I've had to a mother, so that's exactly what I called her. I felt the need to keep this from all of you since I felt like Scarlett wouldn't have saved her if she had known."