Angel Smile 150 Scene 150

Immediately after In Guk's hospitalisation, his mother had came to the school and caused a commotion.

"I can't feel reassured letting my precious child study in such a dangerous place," she said. "This is why I didn't want to send him to this kind of third-rate school!"

Approximately one day after In Guk was discharged from the hospital, Hyuk was hauled to the police station by the teachers. Apparently, the Joo family intended to press charges against him for assaulting their precious second son.

Of course, Lee Do Joon was also called in to discuss about this matter, but he couldn't care less about his own son. "Just throw him in jail or whatever, who gives a damn," he had told the teacher.

This statement of his made the teachers shake their heads. Now, though, they understood just why Hyuk turned out the way he did. It was inevitable—with such a cruel father, which kid could stay on the right path?

Thus, with that one sentence, Hyuk had no choice but to be dragged out to the chopping block. No one wanted to protect him and he had no power of his own. It was his fault that he went crazy and beat the sh*t out of the boy, and now he had to pay the price.

Hyuk was incredibly uncooperative. If he was asked a question, he'd only talk back or say, "just because," or "he got on my nerves."

"So? Why did you beat him up?" The police officer asked again with a tired look.

"My son suffered to the extent where he had to be hospitalised! Mr. Officer, you have to send that unruly brat to jail right now, or else!" In Guk's mother screeched.

"Yes, yes, I understand, Ma'am, but the procedures—"

"Who gives a d*mn about procedures?! Just send him away!" Mrs. Joo interrupted the police officer, pointing savagely towards Hyuk.

The police officer had just spent the last two hours trying to placate the hysteric woman while simultaneously trying to get the report for their case done, and it was incredibly tiresome. He just wanted to go home but life liked to throw him lemons.

In Guk grimaced at his mother's behaviour. "Mom, you don't have to be so—"

"—Be so what? So dramatic? This is a matter of life and death! You're hurt, sweetie! Look at your face; your nose broke because of this b*stard child!" Mrs. Joo shrieked. She couldn't believe that In Guk was acting like that when the guy who had beaten him up had gone too far.

"Ah, mom!" In Guk miserably yelled. His mom was making such a big fuss in the police station. His face was burning from shame. To be honest, he thought that the situation had escalated way too much. He never intended to get anyone in trouble and he definitely didn't want Hyuk to be sent to prison or something.

"..." Hyuk stared intently at the table in front of him, his back slouched. He kept his hands in his pockets with a fixed frown on his face, ignoring everyone.

"Mom, seriously! It's just a fight between kids, do you really need to be so fussy?"

"Son, aren't you being too lenient? This god-knows-where-he-came-from kid was going to kill you!"

"He wasn't! Oi, Lee Hyuk, you say something!"

Hyuk lazily glanced at the mother-and-son pair. He sneered, baring his teeth like an unruly brat, "F*ck you."

"You—!" Mrs. Joo's face reddened with anger. She jabbed her pointer finger at Hyuk, "You rude brat! Just how did your parents teach you?! Where's your mother?!"

'Just how did your parents teach you?', 'didn't your parents teach you anything?'... these kinds of words, he'd heard them until he almost turned deaf. Now that he's all grown up, he had become so numb to them and he no longer cared much.

Hyuk looked at the older woman as if she was a jumping monkey. He smirked mirthlessly, his eyes cold. "She's dead. Why?"

Hyuk's words slowly registered in the Joo mother-and-son's head. They were stunned.

In Guk lowered his head as if he was apologetic, a sense of pity appearing in his heart.

"You want to meet her? Go right ahead," Hyuk added bitingly. He was basically implying that she should go die.

Hyuk's words erased any trace of pity Mrs. Joo had for Hyuk. She scrunched her eyebrows, "You little—" Mrs. Joo raised her hand as if she was going to slap the impertinent boy.

"Oppa!"

Recognising the voice, Hyuk tensed.

He turned around, and there she was, his precious little sister, running towards his directions with a worried look. Her hair was fluttering against the wind, messing it up. The skirt of her dress was flaring from her large movements. Sometimes, if one paid enough attention, one could see how the skirt rode up to her thighs before falling back down below her knees. Although she was slightly unkempt, there was a charm to her less-than-neat appearance.

His eyes widened, then darkened. He didn't tell her that he was at the police station. How did she find out?

"Oppa!" She cried again, coming to a halt as she neared him. She panted heavily, looking at him searchingly. When she saw that Hyuk wasn't looking too terrible, her shoulders fell, her body visibly relaxing.

Once his surprise wore off, Hyuk jumped up from his seat, "Lee Yeo Ri, who told you to come here?!" He shouted thunderously. "Why are you alone?! Where's Gun?! Go home, right now!"

His heart was beating loudly. Somehow, he felt jittery and anxious. He didn't know whether it was because he was ashamed, or because it was her. Granted, part of the reason was probably the latter; he hadn't seen her for some time since he had been sleeping over at Yeong Gi's these past few days.

Yeo Ri flinched at his harsh tone, but her concern won her over. She dismissed his brusque attitude, biting her lips. "Are you hurt?" She asked instead. She brought her hands to her chin and played with her fingers nervously.

"Go!" He shouted. "Do you think this is a place that little girls like you can go freely?! Just go home!"

Yeo Ri's lips trembled. Soon enough, her tear ducts loosened and large droplets fell from her eyes. She clenched her hands, looking at him sadly. Then, she finally noticed the two who was standing by the side.

Yeo Ri stifled a gasp as she saw In Guk's terrible state. Even without context she could tell that Hyuk had beaten him up. However, she didn't believe that Hyuk did it for no reason. The other man must have done something to provoke him somehow. Deep down, Yeo Ri did not want to believe that Hyuk was such an unreasonable and violent person. 'No, he was not that kind of person.' She knew it since she had always been by his side since the day she was born. Although he was crass and rough, there was a kindness hidden deep inside his guarded but sensitive heart.

"H-hello," she immediately bowed to the woman and her son. "I-I am Lee Yeo Ri, Hyuk-oppa's little sister. I will apologise on his behalf if he has done something to offend you," she said stutteringly, bowing her head to the angry-looking woman.

"Hmph! Look at this, he even made his little sister apologise for him," Mrs. Joo sneered. "At least there's one sensible person in the Lee family."

"I'm sorry..." Yeo Ri repeated.

Hyuk did not like seeing Yeo Ri lower her head for something he did. Furthermore, even though it was really his fault, it still left a bad taste in his mouth when he realised that she had assumed he was the one in the wrong. He grabbed her arm, pulling her up, "Who told you to do that?! Go away!"

Yeo Ri grimaced from the strength he had placed in his grip, but kept her mouth shut when she saw his frazzled and pained eyes.

"Hmph! I've had enough with this farce! I'll be contacting my husband, and I will make sure this boy pays his dues!" Mrs. Joo said, storming off. Her high heels clacked noisily against the tiled flooring, the loud noise signalling her bad mood.

"Ah, mom!" In Guk jolted in a hurry, looking as if he wanted to chase after his mother, but somebody had already beaten him to it.

Yeo Ri's face paled at the older woman's words, then she quickly pulled away from Hyuk to run after the woman. She had to somehow convince her to let Hyuk go.

"Yeo Ri!" Hyuk wanted to grab her, but the police officer had him rooted to his place.

"Where are you two going? We're not done here yet," the police officer said, rubbing his temples tiredly with one hand and holding Hyuk's wrist with the other.

Hyuk glared at the man fiercely, but for some reason, he could not remove his hand from the policeman's grip. It seems like despite his dull-looking figure, he was a strong person.

In the end, Hyuk could only resign himself to his fate while cursing everyone—particularly Gun, for letting Yeo Ri come to the station by herself.

Chapter end