Episode 11

"Jing Li! Dinner's ready!"

"I'm not hungry!"

I hear my mom place a plate in front of my door and walk back downstairs.

It's been nearly a week since we moved her. I've stayed in my room and refuse to leave. I only leave when she goes out for work and that's when I finally eat something. She says she's done all this to help me and because she loves me but she took away everything good in my life.

Seoul was finally the place I fit in. I finally felt like I could change and become someone worthwhile.

Taehyung made me feel like I was a normal teenager and a person. He showed me how to have fun without getting into trouble. I miss him so much. I miss his laugh, the boys teasing him, annoying him and pretending to date him. It gave me a purpose.

Honestly, I miss his more than I ever thought I would. It may have started out with a stupid favour to help him get rid of his lunatic ex, but he made me into a better person. He made me want to go to school every day, get better grades and put my life straight.

I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling and my stomach growls at me. I roll my eyes and drag myself off of the bed. I make sure she's not there, open the door, grab the plate and lock the door again.

Once I've finished eating, I leave the plate outside my door. I lie back on the bed and continue thinking about nothing. I have nothing else to do. My mom took away all of my electronics and my tv. I would study but what's the point? I'm not going to school as I refuse to do so.

"I'm off to work!"

I open my eyes and hear the front door slam. I must have fallen asleep last night from boredom. It's already half past eight which means the beginning of another boring day. At least I can watch tv in the living room.

My mom will be home around five so it gives me enough time to have some peace and quiet alone.

I climb off of my bed and stumble downstairs into the kitchen. I grab the orange juice out of the fridge and drink straight from the carton.

For some reason, I hear something buzzing in the drawer. I walk over and open it to see my phone and it ringing. When I see that name, I almost scream with happiness.

"Oh my god, Taehyung!" I answer.

"Where the heck are you? I've been ringing you for the last week." He replies.

I sit at the breakfast bar. "I am somewhere called Gwangju apparently. My mom forced us to move after my fight with Aera. She enlisted me in this school for misbehaved and troubled teens."

"Are you serious? What's the school like?"

"I wouldn't know because I refuse to leave my room and go to school in protest."

"Wow. Well, you need to come back. I have no one to hang around with and I feel like a loner."

I laugh a little. "I wish I could but she locks me in every day when she leaves for work. And anyway, you have the boys."

"I made a promise to you, didn't I? I was to leave them and the gang for you."

I can't help but smile. "You're really sweet, you know that right?"

I hear him chuckle. "Thanks. Please come home though."

"Do you miss me?" I tease.

"Honestly, yes."

My heart drops. Is he serious? "Well, I miss you too."

The phone call goes quiet for a second before Taehyung breaks it. "Don't you have a spare key?"

"Spare key?"

"Yeah. Every house would have one and if there's a fire, how would you get out?"

He's got a point. "Hang on."

I begin to search through the drawers in the kitchen. There's nothing. I walk towards to the door and look through the drawers in the unit near the front door.

"Found it!" I shout. I run back into the kitchen and pick up my phone. "I found the key. I'm going to get the next train to Seoul. I'll wait for you outside the gates at school when it ends."

"Get back safely okay?"

"I will."

I put the phone down and race upstairs, grab my suitcase and begin to pack my things. Luckily, I didn't unpack everything when we arrived as I didn't plan on staying very long. Once done, I carry it downstairs and go to the safe in the living room. I take out my college fund and leave.

I'm surprised my mom even has a college fund for me with how my behaviour was. It would be useful now but it's needed more to help me leave than it is for college.

After a short walk to a metro and taking it to the main station, I walk up to the vendors. "Ticket to Seoul please. One way." I request.

"Next train leaves in twenty minutes." They explain.

I nod and pay for my ticket. They direct me where to go and I follow their instructions. Thankfully, the train is already there and I can board. I clamber on and take a seat.

I'm coming Taehyung...

After a few hours on the train, I arrive in Seoul station. I grab some food and figure out my route back to the school. It has never felt so good to be back here.

I may have got lost a few times getting back but I eventually do make it back to the school. I still have around an hour to kill until classes are over so I sit on the wall and snack on the crisps I bought back in the station.

Once school ends, I watch students walk past me. I keep an eye out for Taehyung but he was nowhere to be found. I check my phone but there's nothing. The drone of students dies off and still nothing. I sit back on the wall and stare at the ground.

What am I gonna do now? I ran away from home and now I'm here, alone and nowhere to go.

"Jing Li?" I hear someone say.

I look up and see Taehyung. "Tae!" I shout. I jump off the wall and hug him tightly. He picks me up and spins me around. "I told you I would come back."

"You do not understand how happy I am to see you." He says, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Not going to lie, I did get worried that you left me."

He chuckles. "I wouldn't leave you. I got stuck after class with the teacher and no, I wasn't in trouble."

I laugh at him a little. "Well, there is one issue." He tilts his head. "Where am I staying? My mom sold the house."

"Well, I was thinking about that and the only place you can stay is with me."