*Another Myungjong fic here, yes, there's part 2 for this one. If I'm not too lazy today, I might have finished this, but because I'm not...

*Well, enjoy! Never mind me being a zombie that I am.

Men tends to be selfish, to lie, to hurt each other, to want affection, and careless with their actions. It’s a nature that’s quite hard to bend. Yet they still find their needed sanctuary within the arms of the most unexpected persons, they just like to push it to the back of their minds, and kept believing on their dreamt illusions.

Know the difference between feeling sad and being empty? When you’re sad, once you cry, the weight that you carry in your heart subsides a little, and then you get your hopes up. Once you’re empty, you feel like crying and you’re already breaking inside, it stays even a tear comes out, and it seems hard to find a way of removing this cruel emotion.

“You won’t cry, nor smile in front of anyone else, but me. Keep that in mind. Don’t make me feel bored and don’t try being stubborn, or you’ll see yours and your family’s luggage thrown out and sent to an incinerator. Oh, I just remembered that your father’s one step away from jail right? So better behave Jongie.”

The petite guy was listening intently, looking like a cat chained to its master. Yet inside, he’s cringing to the other man’s words and actions, and is currently killing him in his mind. It’s the beginning of another school year in college for Sungjong. At one point, despite of being not that interested with managing business, he needs to learn it because it’s Myungsoo’s order, the male planning on absorbing him into his family’s company once he become the president. On the other hand, it has its perks, such as being far away from Myungsoo’s gaze and touches even for a while.

Wherever the other goes, he’ll pull Sungjong. He requires him to eat every breakfast with him; he goes to the younger one’s part-time job to take him out for lunch; and every night, the younger one needs to wait for him, no matter how late just to have dinner together. And aside from the fact that Myungsoo’s being like his father’s (the embodiment of cruelty itself) younger version, what he hates more is the older one being kind of obsessive (and in a creepy way, plus their both male) with him, with Myungsoo obviously enjoying his power over him. He’s totally straight and he doesn’t need any romantic affection from another guy. Being mistaken as a girl most of the time doesn’t mean he wants to be treated that way.

But because their family’s tied to a huge debt to the Kim family, he really got no other better options but stick to Myungsoo’s side like a slave (and try to survive from the strong gaze the other always throw at him every time he pulls away and ignore every skin ship).

--

“Sungjae hyung, good morning!”

“Good morning Sungjongie, young master,” he greets the latter with a slight bow.

“Give me the keys, move away from the car ‘cause I’m driving today.”

“But sir, I’m the family driver, and I’m given the task by your parents to make sure you reach your destination safe and sound as always so-”

“But who’s here right in front of you giving you orders? They’re not here, so for today, I’m the only master and you’ll follow whatever I  say. And they wouldn’t know unless you speak up about it, right?”

He felt Myungsoo looking at him as if throwing daggers, making him feel who’s in command. It became heavier, as if saying, mess with me and you’re dead. Inside Sungjong’s mind, he’s blaming his self for his brother’s predicament. If he wasn’t that bright towards him, when Myungsoo just warned him about it minutes ago, he knows Sungjae won’t be at the receiving end. On the other hand, his brother is mentally kicking his self for not being able to protect his innocent brother from a predator like their young master, who’s currently holding Sungjong’s free hand who’s not cluthing to the strap of his backpack, giving off dark aura that makes him feel smaller and defenseless.

Before handing the keys, he mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ to the smaller male while Mynugsoo’s busy jumpstarting the car, but before he could voice out another message to his beloved dongsaeng, the latter was called on to hop in already.

“Okay, because it’s the beginning of the school year, I’m driving you to school, and- no, let me.”

Sungjong was about to clasp on his safety belt but was stopped by a very lively Myungsoo, far from the cold one earlier, just for him to personally fix the belt for the petite male.

“Eeey, don’t choose this style of hair. Let me fix it, that’s better, just let your bangs down okay? So your face won’t show that much. I don’t want to see others drooling over you.”

Before he returned his attention to the steering wheel, he leaned forward again, to inhale the scent of Sungjong’s hair. It smells of lemon, vanilla, and springtime when the garden’s in fool bloom. It’s faint, but still there. And he likes to do that every day, to Sungjong’s horror, especially when the other tried to use the same hair and skin products yet he doesn’t have the same smell of Sungjomg that got him more addicted to the younger one.

Contentment filled Myungsoo’s lips, curving upward showing a genuine smile. Yet Sungjong just wanted to pull away as much as his master wants to stick to him.

What did I do during my past life to make me suffer in this present one?

--

“Woah, is that really you Sungjong? You look like a tsundere straight from a manga I just read. Where’s the lemon candy smile?”

If you’re living my life today, that smile would be wiped off your face too.

“And since when did you change your hair from pale blonde to solid black?”

No matter what I do to defend yellow, I can’t avoid black just because my stupid master thinks black is the Mecca of fashion.

“It’s only summer vacation that passed and you seem to evolve already. What’s with the 180-degree turn with the looks?”

“Hoya hyung, it’s still early and you’re throwing so many questions already it makes me feel dizzy,” the other guy who’s probed answered in a whiny voice, making the older one’s lips break into a huge grin.

“Well, at least I’m sure now that you’re still the same Sungjong within. Once you feel well, tell me the story behind this sudden change, okay?”

“Okay hyung, but I’m warning you as early as now, it’s not a nice story to listen to. Promise me you won’t break anything after I finish the tale.”

“Alright, I promise, in honor of the color purple. So now, what? I’m listening.”

---

“What the-‘’

“Hyung stop! That’s your own lunchbox you’re about to slam on the desk.”

“Sorry, I just got carried away. That Myungsoo, if I see him, I’ll make sure to-”

“You won’t do anything that involves punching or kicking him hyung. I knew it, you can’t keep calm when it comes to this ind of situation. I should have kept it a secret to you,” Sungjong spoke the last part in a hushed tone, yet Hoya being Hoya, picked up with the words and quickly turned the younger’s head, facing him.

“Then you’ll be a bad dongsaeng, hiding things from your favorite hyung.”

“That’s why I’ve told you hyung, but you can’t do anything to help me, nothing at the moment.”

Seeing the older one’s shoulder fall, the anger etched on his face earlier replaced by sadness, Sungjong can’t help but feel sorry for his choice of words..

“I really appreciate your concern, but Myungsoo, he’s not the only one at fault here. I do love my father, but it doesn’t change the fact that he wronged the Kims. I might always want to tell him that it’s unfair that we’re suffering for his mistake but I simply can’t voice it out. I don’t want to see him locked in prison either. As long as we can endure it, me and Sungjae hyung will take the weight of the consequences of our father’s action.”

Sungjong wasn’t surprised when Hoya pulled him into a hug, what made him confused was the tenderness of the hug. It wasn’t the same playful one that is followed by a tickle attack, nor the bone-breaking hug he does when Sungjong achieves as award or wins a prize from a game of luck.

It made him feel thankful as well, so he simply shook the weird warmth away from his mind.

It helped him that the one taking over his mind right now ruffled his hair without any warning, breaking his thoughts.

“Aish, I feel like you’re all grown up now with those words coming from you. How come you’re nearing adulthood so fast?”

“Stop right there hyung, you totally sounded like my mother when she held my hand after graduation. It creeps me out.”

“You brat!”

The one with the strong features and ruffled Sungjong’s hair again (his favorite maknae at the moment, he decided) and was about to share some of his own cooking when the door to their classroom opened, (yes, Hoya might be a senior with a different course, he found a way to make them have the same schedule for the same classes that they have) revealing a grinning and blushing curly-haired  girl called Min, one of Sungjong’s classmate in college algebra.

“Hey Sungjong-ah, your boyfriend’s waiting for you at the gate. You’re such one lucky bastard, you know that? Hurry up and don’t let him wait any longer. And don’t forget to use protection, if ever the both of you got carried away.”

“Wait, but I don’t have a boyfriend, and I’m seriously straight.”

Why does everyone kept on bugging me about me uality? Do I need to kiss a girl in public just too prove my point?

“Hey, that Myungsoo guy took an effort to come here just to treat you to lunch, and you’re denying him?” she answered, shaking his head to show disappointment.

“Myungoo…” the other guy left unnoticed whispered, and he quickly gave his attention to the wide-eyed boy, wanting to see his reaction.

“Myungsoo hyung? He’s here?! Aish, seriously? Even now that I’m in college.”

Sungjong walked in a hurried pace, forgetting the hunger setting in, to meet the reason of his patience in not skipping classes (to make sure he doesn’t have a reason to be pulled to anywhere because he could use the reason of being busy while in campus).

“Wait Jongie! I’ll come with you.”

The petite guy stopped on his tracks, frozen.

“Hyung, stop calling me that from now on. I don’t like that nickname anymore,” he answered without looking back and walked again.

*Buahaha, I've put Hojong here as well. Because I find Sungjong to be shipabble with anybody in Infinite, of course, except Woohyun and Sunggyu, these two are just for each other. Though I must say, Myungjong is my first choice as always.

*And that moment when you showed pictures of Sungjong and Ren (nu'est) to others and they kept on saying that those two are girls in disguise as boys. Seriously. It's nice to play prank and confuse my friends though. (evil smile)

*Be safe always.