#9 - “And if I don’t?”

Hoseok x You

Word Count: 709

“And if I don’t?” The words left the young man’s lips tersely, full of determination to follow through if the answer wasn’t something he wanted to hear. It was almost a threat but the one who was being threatened here was the young man not the other way around.

“Then this door won’t open for you again.”

The two men stared each other down, waiting for the other to break. It was so quiet that even a pin dropping would sound like an avalanche. The younger man began to feel the pin pricks behind his eyes, the pit in his stomach was sinking and he knew that he wasn’t going to win this. He would cave like he always had. Forever backing down to his old man’s wishes. He was his son after all, what else could he do?

“Mine will always be open for you, abeoji.”

Anyone could see the love and hurt swirling his the young man’s watery eyes, could hear both emotions in his voice but most of all the sadness. Turning around, the young man picked up his duffle bag and walked in the opposite direction to the door of the only home he had ever known. It had been there for him when he first scraped his knee, when he had stolen his first kiss and of course seen too many silly arguments that the child of his past thought were important with his parents. A part of him wondered if this moment would later become known to him as a silly argument.

Shaking his head and away that fear, he pushed through. What he was doing was right. Hadn’t his mother and father always told him to follow his dreams? He even got accepted into a dance school, why couldn’t they be supportive now that he was seventeen? He had his whole future ahead of him. Key word, his. Steeling his heart one last time he looked back at the man who had fed, clothed, provided a roof over his head, raised him, made him the man he is today.

“I love you. Thank you.”

Those were his last words as he left his steaming father behind. The door clicked shut behind him and it sounded so final that the man almost broke down right there on the front porch. in lungful of air, he pressed forward. One step at a time. Head held high, eyes set forward.

“How did it go?”

You asked as he slid into the driver's side, tossing his duffle bag over the seat. Just seeing that made you realize all that happened. It was what you both feared but nevertheless you supported him. Reaching across the middle console, you took his hand in both of yours.

“You made the right choice. Give him time, Hoseok-ah. You’ll walk through that door again and he’ll be proud, just as I already am.”

Hoseok couldn’t meet your eyes, he just kept staring at your hands. There might be tears spilling but you’d never let on that you noticed. This was a moment he needed to have and you’d be there for him in any way that he needed. Watching him you gave his hand a squeeze. It wasn’t automatic and in fact took a few minutes but Hoseok squeezed your hand back.

And you knew,

You knew he’d be okay.

You knew he’d keep stepping forward.

You knew he was the man you had always loved and respected.

His hand quickly wiped away the tears you knew he didn’t really want you to see and then he was grinning at you. That beautiful sunny smile that was his signature and while it wasn’t a fully there smile it was a start. Leaning over you kissed the corner of his lips.

“Oppa, let’s go eat meat. Hm? It’s on me tonight.”

Hoseok put the car in reverse and maneuvered out of the driveway.

“On you? I can definitely put it on you.”

Laughing at his cheekiness you smacked him in the arm while he pretended to be hurt by it.

“Say that again and I’ll eat all the meat.”

Laughter, love, support and understanding filled the rest of the car ride and perhaps the rest of your lives going forward too.