[ thirteen ]

myungsoo honestly doesn't know how he got into this sticky situation. all he's aware of is that he was hungry and wanted to head out to the convenience store, opposite their dorm to get some instant noodles with sungyeol. 

and now he's standing face to face with a muscular, scary-looking male, who seems to be in his mid-thirties and is about 10cm taller than myungsoo. the man glares at myungsoo with his black, menacing eyes and his lips before he speaks.

"give it to me," he yanks the pack of instant noodles from myungsoo's hands easily. because the convenience store was closing in about 10 minutes, there was limited stock and there seemed to be only one pack of instant noodles left. 

"but i took it first," myungsoo fights back as he frowns, trying to pull the packet from the man's strong grasp. but of course, myungsoo was definitely weaker than him, so he failed to do so and angered the big man even more. 

"trying to fight with me, are you little boy?" the man let out a snort of laughter, "don't make me angry, i'm warning you." 

the man takes a step forward and fists the front of myungsoo's shirt, pulling him closer so that they're eye to eye with each other. myungsoo screams, he flails and tries to loosen the man's grip on his shirt, kicking about wildly. 

"you won't like me when i'm angry," the man grunts, and myungsoo can smell his rotten breath. 
"get your hands off my boyfriend!" 

myungsoo yells as the man suddenly drops his grip from his shirt, he falls to the ground on his with a thud. the man ignores myungsoo, who hisses in pain, and stands directly infront of sungyeol. 

"you're the boyfriend, huh?" his eyes examine sungyeol's body from head to toe, "you're even weaker than him."

sungyeol frowns, "but we're both better looking than you."
//
"ouch! , myungsoo, that hurts!" sungyeol winces as myungsoo uses a finger to run over his bruised cheek. 
myungsoo mumbles an apology, chuckling slightly as he uses a clean cotton bud to gently apply a layer of ointment onto the purplish bruise on sungyeol's cheek, earning more yelps and whines from his boyfriend.

"it should feel better in a few days," myungsoo reassures as he proceeds to press a feathery kiss onto sungyeol's unbruised cheek.

"you didn't have to stand up for me, you know. would have saved your pretty face from getting hurt." myungsoo fusses as he keeps the bottle of ointment into the cabinet in the bathroom.

"excuse you, if i hadn't insulted mr big foot then you'd probably be the one with the bruised face," sungyeol shoots back as he massages his cheek with his fingers, "and a broken bone."

a dopey grin appears on myungsoo's lips, he encircles his arms around sungyeol's waist and squeezes him tightly. 

"thank you for sacrificing your safety to protect me," myungsoo mumbles as he kisses sungyeol sweetly on the nose. 

"alright, babe. i already have a bruised cheek, i don't need a bruised ribcage as well." 

myungsoo snorts as he releases sungyeol from his bruising (hopefully not) hug and smiles at him. he leans forward and kisses sungyeol one last time, this time on the lips and it lasts longer than the previous two. 

"i love you, sungyeol."

and it's in these moments, when sungyeol protects myungsoo, when sungyeol makes sacrifices for myungsoo's sake, that make myungsoo realise how fortunate he is to have found such a selfless, loving partner. and he vows, promises, swears that he would always do the same for sungyeol, that he would do everything he can to make sure that sungyeol remains safe and well. 

it's so frustrating to do this on my phone ugh but still here's a chapter for you guys (: