January 18, 2022 - Eleven pm 

"I sincerely apologize," Nabi bowed down deeply for the umpteenth time. 

She tugged Suho at his arm, as he is standing beside her, and made him bow down deeply too. 

The lady in front of her scoffed as she rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. 

"Do you think your apology will pay what you have done to my son?" The lady demanded angrily. 

The lady's son in question was standing right behind the lady with an obnoxious smirk on his face as he saw Nabi and Suho get yelled at. For the most part he looked completely fine and healthy 

Nabi kept her eyes cast down as she said, "I'll compensate you for any of your charges. Please let me also pay for the hospital bills," Nabi offered, the best she can do at this moment. 

The lady laughed and said, "You are going to pay for my son's hospital bills. You're probably not even old enough to work. Where are this man's parents." 

She rudely pointed towards Suho, who clenched his jaw in anger. If it weren't for Nabi holding onto his arm and preventing him from moving forward, he probably would not have hesitated in retaliating. 

"I'm his legal guardian," Nabi explained, "Please. Let's not make this situation any bigger than it had also gotten. I sincerely apologize for what my brother did. Please accept our apology." 

"Wow," The lady scoffed once more, "What a family. The sister is the legal guardian. No wonder he turned out like a gangster. When his parents couldn't even be bothered to raise him probably."

This clenched her jaw and bit her tongue from saying something sharp she might regret later. Her father once told her that there is no need to interact with those who look down on you. If you do, you'll only be feeding onto their ego even more. 

"Miss, I know my brother shouldn't have hit your son, but he isn't the only one in the wrong here. Your son has hit my brother. Realistically speaking, they both are in equal faults here," Nabi calmly said, "It's late now. I'm tired and I'm sure you are too. Let's calmly resolve this issue and move on." 

The lady, however, widened her eyes in anger and said, "Wow! Look at your guts. How dare you speak to someone older like that. Do you not have any shame? How dare you say my son was in the wrong! Are you even sorry?" 

Suho let out a frustrated sigh and spoke," Listen here lady. Don't talk to my sister that-"

"All of you listen," The police officer who had been standing at the side all this time spoke up, "This is a police station. Not a broadcasting station. We aren't filming a drama here."

"Sir," The lady furiously turned towards the police officer who looked like he was dealing with a headache, "That man deserves to pay for his crimes! How dare a college student hit a high school student! That is pretty much assault! Look at my son's face! He needs to get a checkup."

"Look Miss, I understand your anger but as I said before, when we arrived at the scene, it looked like as if your son was the assailant. And let's be honest, you son's face barely has been scratched," The office gestured towards Suho and said, "He needs more medical attention than your son."

"But he's the one who hit me first!" The son said. 

"Liar. You're the one who punched me!" Suho retaliated. 

"Suho!" Nabi said quietly, trying to shut her brother up.  

"Look. I have a job to do so I don't have all day for this," The officer continued, "Clearly we don't know whose in fault. Why don't you accept their apology and move on from the issue. I'm sure your son hasn't exactly been an angel either. "

The lady gritted her teeth together but nonetheless listened to the officer and said, "Fine! Let's go! We don't need to waste any more time here." 

Nabi once again bowed, mostly out of relief, and said, "Thank you for accepting our apology." 

The lady barely looked at Nabi, who was still bent down, and directly spoke to Suho, "If I see you once more doing anything to my son, I won't hesitate to sue you and throw you in jail." 

She then strutted her way out of the police station with her son following right on her heals. 

Nabi finally straightened her back with a very defeated face. Nabi is only twenty three and yet her hard life has already began to transform her face to make her look older than she really is. There are clear dark circles under her eyes and the wrinkles on her forehead were beginning to deepen. 

Even though Suho is largely at fault at the recent incident and that officer should really scold them, he couldn't help but feel bad for Nabi once he saw her tired face. It reminded him of how hard his single mother had to work to raise him.

"Look. Everything's resolved," The officer continued, "But I'm afraid you will still have to pay a fine. Unfortunately your bother is a legal adult, unlike the kid, and he will have to pay charges for damaging private property."

Nabi nodded, "I understand. How much do I need to pay." 

"It'll be about 800,000 won miss," The officer told her. 

Nabi bit her tongue from showing her disappointment. Even if she wanted to cry, she needs to hold it in and control her emotions. 

"Do I have a deadline? Can I pay in installments?" Nabi asked. 

The officer very calmly guided Nabi through the procedure, although this isn't the first time she has been in the exact same situation.

"Thank you so much officer," Nabi bowed once again. 

The officer nodded and said, "I'm letting you go again this time but I'm afraid I can't let it go the next time. This has happened far too many times for me to ignore once more."

"I understand officer," Nabi said, keeping her head low, harshly tugging Suho at his side to make him apologize as well.

Getting the message, Suho too put his head down and messily mumbled, "I'm sorry officer." 

Nabi walked out of the police station without bothering to check if Suho was following her or not, even though she knows he is hot on her heels. 

Nabi is furious. Very, very furious. 

Just when she thinks Suho is turning over a new leaf or getting better, he pulls a stunt like this and disappoints her, 

"Noona," Nabi heard his feeble voice but ignored it. 

"Noona," This time Suho spoke louder and Nabi came to a stop as she came out of the station and into the cold, winter night. 

"Noona I-ow!" Suho yelled when Nabi turned around and strongly hit Suho across his arm. 

Suho took a step back and rubbed his arm as he stared at Nabi in mock horror. 

"What was that for-Oh ow!" Suho yelled once more as Nabi smacked him again, this time at his shoulder.

As Nabi took another step close to him, Suho immediately stepped back and said, "Ok ok! I get it. Don't hit me again." 

"Don't talk," Nabi hissed, "Get in the car. And where the hell is your mask! Do you want to catch Covid!" 

"Sorry. I'll wear it here you-wait you have a car?" Suho asked, "Where is it? Hey! Where are you going?" 

Suho hurried to follow Nabi, who is walking in the direction of a black BMW car parked in the public parking within the station. 

Nabi got in the front passenger seat of the car, slamming the door shut so hard that even Scoups, who was sitting on the driver's seat, flinched violently. 

"Wait-" Nabi heard Suho's voice nearby as the door of the back seat opened and Suho slipped inside, "Is this your car-. . .who are you?"

It seemed that Suho spotted Scoups sitting in the driver's seat, who is as equally as confused as Suho is. 

"Can you drive us home," Nabi told Scoups, who only nodded in reply and started the engine. Scoups too has a million questions going through his brain but he read Nabi's face and decided against asking her nothing. He saw the punches she landed on her brother earlier and let's just say that you should never underestimate a woman's physical power. Scoups is already scheduled for a weight training workout next morning and he doesn't need to get it in advance from his angry girlfriend. Not to mention that the tension in the air between her brother and Nabi is already edge cutting and Scoups most definitely doesn't want to add onto the tense atmosphere. 

She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes as the coldness from the window started to cool her own skin touching it. 

"I'm so confused. What's going on? Are you my sister's boyfriend?" Suho asked, curiosity getting better of him. 

"Noona, is this car yours? It's not right? We can't afford something like this, right?" Suho continued. 

Suho suddenly gasped as if he reached enlightenment and leaned forward towards Nabi, whispering," Don't tell me. . .you didn't get married did you?"

Nabi turned her neck back to give Suho a deathly glare that immediately shut him up, making him fall back into his seat. 

"Would you please shut up and sit back," Nabi told him in a low voice. 

Suho complied and sat back into his seat, slipping to the side, right behind where Nabi is sitting so that she can't see him at all. Suho is definitely hot headed and violent but he knows how to shut up when his sister tells him too. 

Every person has a handful of things they are absoultley afraid off. For most men, the list includes their mother, their girlfriend and their older sister, if they have on. For Suho, his sister tops the list much higher than anyone else in the world. 

Despite his fear for his sister, however, Suho quickly ran out of patience as his curiosity kicked back in and he once again leaned towards the driver's seat, this time directly talking to Scoups. 

"So. . .is this car yours or something? Because I don't think my sister can afford something like this," Suho asked. 

"Uh. . ." Scoups nervously glanced at Suho through the rear mirror, ". . .um, yes?" 

"Really? That's cool? What do you do for a living?" Suho asked, oblivious to Nabi's jaw clenching. 

"Are you deaf or are you stupid?" Nabi spat, turning around to look at Suho once again, "Why can't you just listen for once!"

Suho retreated back to his seat and diligently looked out of the window, suddenly gaining immense interest in the stray cat sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, mumbling a very tiny and barely audible sorry. 

When the trio reached home, Nabi marched out of the car with Suho following her, leaving Scoups behind to park the car. 

Nabi jammed the keys so hard into the door to unlock that Suho for a moment thought she was trying to push the door open. 

"Noona. . .I just want to say that I'm sorry," Suho spoke quietly once they entered her apartment. 

Nabi whirled around on her feet and angrily spoke, "How could you even do this again! Again Suho! After last times situation, I thought you would've changed. That you've actually decided to concentrate on your studies but you go and pull this shit all over again!" 

Suho flinched and looked down, his head bent in disappointment. 

Nabi never really swears, especially at him. Suho guesses that there is a first for everything.

"Also a high schooler? Seriously? He's seventeen for god's sake! You're an adult now Suho. Not a child that still needs spoon-feeding. You're nearly turning twenty and you go around picking fights with a teenager?" Nabi spoke, the surprise and disappointment evident in her voice, "Why can't you just for once act like your age."

"I wasn't the only one there," Suho explained, "It's just that I couldn't run away with everyone else on time." 

"Are you seriously making excuses right now?" Nabi asked, dumbfounded, "This isn't the first time this has happened. If your friends couldn't be bothered to help you or even guide you towards the correct path then maybe you seriously need some new friends." 

"Noona. . .-"

"I'm serious Suho. These friends of yours, all they do is get into trouble and drag you in it. They aren't good friends," Nabi told him. 

"Don't talk like that about them. They are my friends," Suho spoke sternly. 

"And this is your life I'm talking about," Nabi clapped back, "You're not a fifteen year old kid anymore that can just get away with anything. Your actions have consequences now and these things you do with your friends will only come back and stab you in the future." 

Suho opened his mouth to retaliate but stopped when he heard the front door open and close. 

Nabi could read from his eyes that Suho is as equally frustrated and angry at the situation as she is. Knowing her brother, Nabi is sure he has a billion things to say back to her but Suho kept it all in. 

"Are my extra clothes still here? I'm going to take a shower," Suho announced. 

At least the two of them agreed that Suho should spent the night here. 

Nabi nodded and Suho fetched his clothes from the corner of her closet where she kept his extra clothes. 

Once Suho had slammed the bathroom door so hard that even the windows rattled slightly, Nabi finally sat down on her bed and held her head in her hands. 

She felt the space next to her sink down as well, feeling Scoups's leg brush against hers. 

"I'm guessing that's your brother then," Scoups commented. 

Nabi snorted. 

That's an understatement. 

"He's tall," Seungcheol commented. 

"I'm sorry," Nabi said. 

"Why are you sorry?" Scoups asked her, placing his hand on top of hers. 

"For all of this. You came all the way just for me only for that dimwit to ruin everything," Nabi muttered, casting her gaze down towards the ground. 

"It's not your fault. He needed you more than I did," Scoups said. 

"Still. . .I feel bad. We never get to see each other," Nabi told him, a certain hint of sadness in the tone of her voice.

"Hey," Scoups said, hooking a finger under her chin and making her turn towards him, "It's alright. It's out of our control. Today's just not our day."

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Nabi's forehead, lingering there for some few extra moments. 

"I guess I can't stay here tonight then, can I?" Scoups asked when he pulled away. 

Nabi shook her head lightly. 

"That's a shame. I had planned things to do with you all night," Scoups commented suggestively, his eyes shinning. 

Nabi gently hit him on the arm, her cheeks turning pink as she muttered, "Stop. Suho might hear us." 

Scoups let out a happy smile as he succeeded in getting the intended reaction he wanted from Nabi and stood up from the bed.

"I should go now. I think you both would want to be alone," He told Nabi. 

Nabi raised her eyebrows for a second and said, "I think we both will be biting each other's head all night." 

Scoups smiled at Nabi's dry humor and said, "Don't be too hard on him. He made a mistake. He'll learn." 

"Now you're starting to sound just like him too," Nabi mumbled. 

"I'm going to go now. I'll text you whenever I'm free next time," Scoups told her as he walked towards the door. 

"Do you have a lot of upcoming work?" Nabi asked. 

"I have a packed schedule for the rest of the week. We're going to discuss our plans for the rest of the year. We have our fourth studio album to release and an upcoming world tour. We were thinking that maybe this we can finally resume our offline fanmeetings as well. Just a lot of things to discuss," Scoups listed. 

"You're going to be even more busy this year, "Nabi pointed out, "I guess we won't see each other much again." 

"Yeah. . .well. . .it's life," Scoups commented, "Bye." 

"Bye! Drive safely!" Nabi called out as Scoups left, shutting the door behind him and not even a minute later, Suho emerged from the bathroom.

He surveyed the surroundings and said, "Your boyfriend isn't here." 

"He just left," Nabi said. 

"Why?" Suho asked.

"Why do you think?" Nabi raised an eyebrow. 

"Are you hungry. I already ate but I'll just make you some ramyeon," Nabi told him and Suho nodded. 

Nabi got up from her bed and walked to the kitchen, bringing out a packet on shin ramyeon and heating up water for the ramyeon. She then took out a packet of instant rice and heated it up in the microwave and within five minutes she had a meal ready. 

As Suho sat down to eat his meal, Nabi bent down to drag something out of bed, stealing his attention away from the food in front of him. 

"What are you doing?" Suho asked. 

"Getting a blanket out," Nabi answered. 

"Are you going to sleep on the couch?" Suho asked, referring to himself taking the bed. 

"No. You are," Nabi answered. 

"What! But I can't sleep on the couch!" Suho protested. 

"Of course you can. All you have to do is lie down and close your eyes. It's simple," Nabi commented. 

"My feet don't fit. I'm too tall to lie down on it," Suho said. 

"Well I guess there is a first for everything," Nabi said sternly, dumping the extra blanket on the couch, "And do the dishes after you've finished eating." 

Suho rolled his eyes and changed the subject, "Whatever. Do you have money I can borrow?" 

Nabi turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes at him, "Why?" 

"Just. . .stuff," Suho shrugged his shoulders. 

"Don't you have money leftover from your trip to Jeju. I remember giving you more than enough for that trip," Nabi said. 

"I do but I need more," Suho said. 

"For what?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes. It matters. Give me a good reason why I should give you money. Is it school related?" Nabi asked. 

The single moment of hesitation from Suho's side gave her the answer she needed and Nabi sighed saying, "Aren't you ashamed to even have the audacity to ask me for money after the stunt you pulled today. Do you even know the fine I had to pay was 800,00 won! You and I both know that money will go to no good use." 

Suho clicked his tongue and annoyance and said, "Why do you always bring money into everything!" 

"Because we're struggling!" Nabi exploded, "Do you think we're rich? Do you think I have five black cards or a rich daddy who is going to give me everything I need. Do you think we have the luxury to constantly over splurge and buy things we can't afford. Wake up from your dream!" 

"You're so god damn annoying," Suho exploded as well, "Why can't you ever just let me live my life. You always bring money into everything than why don't you work harder and earn more money. Then we all can live the way we want to." 

"Do you think I chose this life? I chose to live this way? Do you think I still have tons of money left after paying for your fees, for mom's expenses, for grandmother's bills. I live off of scraps Suho! Why don't you get yourself a goddamn part time job. Once you start earning money yourself, do whatever the hell you want to do with it. But right now you're reliant on me so you're going to do what I say. If you want extra money than you need to tell me what's it for," Nabi yelled back. 

Suho gulped down the remainder of his food and slammed the chopsticks down in anger. 

"I really hate you sometimes." 

Nabi smiled back at him and said, "Guess you're still stuck with me in the end." 

I don't know but I feel like my writing skills are deteriorate over time. I feel like my writing quality just isn't as good as it used to be before or like the first few chapters. I think it may be because this story is a bit more darker and serious than my previous ones and I may be better at writing lighter concepts. I'm sorry for the bad writing : (