A chill washed over him. That… hurt. Everything else he’d heard was bad enough, but to hear that… Jinki opened his mouth and took a small breath, blinking quickly. He wasn’t even sure how to process it, to respond. Especially since Kibum didn’t seem to think anything was wrong. Choosing his words carefully, he bit his bottom lip and winced. “You… sleep… in the place where your mother died?” His heart twisted at the thought and his stomach sank.

                Kibum nodded as if he was just confirming a simple fact. He was unphased at first. But Jinki watched the words slowly seep into the other man’s skin, the uncertainty flicker in his eyes. His brow creased, a wrinkled line of confusion marring his forehead. Suddenly stiff again, Kibum glanced at the bed in the corner of his eyes, head tilted forward as if a weight had suddenly appeared.

                Jinki could practically hear the wheels of Kibum’s mind turning and he hardly dared breathe for fear of breaking the tension that had risen between them. Kibum looked like a porcelain statue sitting on his chair, thin pale skin suddenly too bright – no, vulnerable - in the enclosed space. “Kibum?” Jinki dared to whisper, one hand reaching towards him.

                He flinched when Kibum inhaled sharply, jerking back around. “Wrong…” he hissed between a mostly closed mouth. His eyes landed on Jinki but there was no recognition in them. He looked right through him before he slid his palms up his arms to his shoulders so he could grip his shirt and curl up on the chair, making himself as small as possible. He was like a child, bottom and heels of his feet perched precariously on the edge of the seat, looking for all the world like he might fall over if even a whisper of wind brushed against him.

                It was a startling and haunting change. Jinki pursed his lips and clenched his fists on the table between them. “Kibum,” Jinki whispered, looking at the hunched shoulders and the crown of his head. There was no answer as the other man just sat there, looking all too eerily like he’d stopped breathing. When he looked closely, he could see the barest rise and fall of the slender shoulders. Taking an audible breath himself, Jinki forced his hands open and laid them flat on the table. He had suspected this would be a difficult conversation, had tried to mentally prepare himself for it ahead of time, grateful for the notice. But even with that, he had no idea how to respond to this. This was so out of the realm of anything he had expected.

                But Kibum had trusted him enough to let him in and rip off the scab of memory in his presence. Of course the wounds he’d exposed would probably be raw. If he’d been blocking it out for six years now, it was likely he didn’t even know how to handle it himself. And Jinki was no healer, but he had to do or say something at least. The smart thing would probably be to call one of the healers on call in the system but… Looking at Kibum again, Jinki didn’t think he’d appreciate such a step. As much as he felt he was in over his head, it wasn’t really his call to make at just this moment.

                With a mental pep talk, he nodded to himself and stood up awkwardly. His feet scuffed quietly on the floor when he shuffled in front of the first year and knelt beside him. “Kibum,” he called, touching his back with light fingers. It took a second but eventually, unfocused dark eyes slid sideways to glance at him as Kibum remained hidden behind his hands and shoulder. “Why are you staying here?” It was the only question Jinki knew to ask. It was certainly safer than ‘Why are you sleeping in your mother’s deathbed?’

                There was no answer for a long moment. No movement at all save the slow blinks and tiny breaths that moved Kibum’s body.

                “Why… can’t you stay in the dorms?” Jinki waited for a response, practically holding his breath, but all he got was that damn dead stare. He his lips, brow furrowed, and risked a different question. “Why aren’t you staying with your guardian?”

                Kibum flinched and his head rose slightly so his eyes peered just above his shoulder. It wasn’t the movement Jinki wanted but at least he shifted.

                Dammit though. Crying would have been preferable to this painful silence. Jinki at least knew how to deal with tears. Standing up, he inched forward a little bit more and carefully slid his hand around Kibum’s back, a half-embrace. Mutely, the younger man leaned towards him, shoulder pressing into Jinki’s lower abdomen. Out of reflex, he reached to cradle the dark crowned head close with his free hand, hair soft under his palm. “I’m here,” he whispered, statuesque in his pose.

                Eventually, a thin whisper of sound disrupted the stillness, so quiet Jinki had to lean closer to hear. “All I had.” He took a breath. “Didn’t think about it when I came.” His body shook with a hiccup and he whimpered. The sound nearly broke Jinki. “Oh stars, what is wrong with me?!” he choked, trying to curl up even more.

                “Hey, hey. Shh,” Jinki soothed, holding him tighter. Like somehow his arms could hold the other man together and keep him from falling to pieces. “I don’t-” he stopped, not wholly sure of what he wanted to say. “I don’t know the whole story, but I’m certain you were just doing the best you could,” he reasoned, nodding to himself as if to reassure them both.

                A bitter laugh hissed between what had to be clenched teeth but Kibum didn’t say anything. He just sat and rested against Jinki taking one shallow breath after the next.

                Jinki looked around the room and bit his lip again, the wheels in his head turning while he came up with a tentative plan. He couldn’t let Kibum stay here. Not today at least. He wasn’t sure about long term, but for now, he could have the first year stay at his place. He had space in his room. Kibum could have the bed and he’d sleep on the floor. Maybe Daejung wouldn’t mind sharing his room if it got to that point. They didn’t have a guest room but he could make it work. Henry had stayed over a few times. As had Larad. And Ercite, though they didn’t count. They could sleep anywhere.

                “Hey,” he called softly, determined to make this happen if nothing else. Kibum grunted, a muted guttural sound that at least reached Jinki’s ears. “Pack your stuff. At least enough for one night. You’re staying with me today, okay?” he asked, though it was hardly a question. Shoulders shrugged, a noncommittal gesture at best. It made Jinki frown but it wasn’t a no. Easier to work around. “Alright,” he sighed, patting Kibum’s head gently. “Just sit here for a minute. I’ll pack your bag for you.”

                Another noncommittal grunt broke free, without the shoulder shrug this time. Stepping back carefully, Jinki made sure Kibum wasn’t going to tip over before he turned his attention to finding a bag to pack what little belongings were in the small apartment. For good measure, he immediately put the bed up and that seemed to at least wake Kibum from his stupor.

                He uncurled from the chair and moved around the apartment like a shade, all cold energy and in utter silence. Jinki shadowed him, watching the younger man retrieve a bag to stuff with clothes. He was unusually messy in shoving them into the empty space, not a care for the wadded-up fabric. Not that he had much to begin with. Clinking sounds emerged from the washroom, the containers of hygiene products settling haphazardly.

                When he seemed to be finished, he stood in the entryway, staring at the still frame of his mother’s picture. One hand reached as if to take the image down but then stopped, hanging in the space between them. He pulled his hand back and looked away, staring at the door before glancing towards Jinki, lost empty eyes settling on him.

                “Ready?” he asked, grabbing the container with the tray inside and moving closer. There was a delayed response, the question taking a moment longer to register. But then Kibum nodded once and Jinki gestured for him to lead the way, making sure the table and stools were down and the lights went out as they exited the room. Outside, he reached to take Kibum’s bag but the younger man moved it away, holding fast. He didn’t look at Jinki though he did stay close. “Okay,” Jinki agreed, putting a light hand against Kibum’s back, offering silent support and… guidance as they moved towards the front of the building.

                Sunny’s bright face popped up on the screen when they reached her. “Have a good day Mr.- oh! Are you alright?” she asked, the smile fading into a look of concern, utterly sentient in her response.

                “He’s just not feeling very well right now,” Jinki promised with a hand motioning for understanding in her direction.

                “Should I call a cab?” she wondered immediately, frowning when Kibum shook his head in answer to the question.

                “Yes please,” Jinki countered without a second thought. It was a long ride but it would be well worth the money spent. He was sure. It hurt that Kibum’s shoulders slumped though, like he was defeated by the answer. Likely worried about the cost.

                Sunny looked between them again, obviously conflicted in her programming. “Mr. Kim?”

                “Please, Sunny. A cab,” Jinki encouraged, wondering what the protocol was for a guest trying to order a cab ride for a resident under these circumstances. He was certain the optics didn’t look the best at the moment.

                She glanced at Jinki and then at the man beside him with a concerned frown. “Mr. Kim?” she asked again, still hesitating. When Kibum sighed and waved a hand at her in dismissive acceptance, she looked at him sideways, mouth quirking in mild suspicion. Her brown eyes shifted back to Jinki. He gave her a bright smile, trying for innocence. He really was trying to help. Her lips pursed but she hmphed and nodded. “Okay.”

                It didn’t take a cab long to arrive. They waited inside, Kibum huddled close to Jinki’s side, until Sunny announced it was outside. “Thank you, Sunny,” Jinki waved before he turned his attention to help Kibum get settled in the cab. When the destination screen popped up, he typed in the address and sighed into the ensuing silence when it took off. Jinki wondered what to tell his parents – his siblings… It didn’t matter right now. He could get by with a vague explanation for the time being, but he needed to figure out what would be safe to say from Kibum himself. A sidelong look at the younger man did not engender confidence in that possibility at the moment. Jinki wished he had a blanket to put around his thin shoulders. Kibum looked lost, his head tilting down, white knuckled hands gripping his bag tightly, silence incarnate. His only noticeable movements were the periodic slow blinks that made him look sleepy or under the influence of something…

                Jinki winced and carefully laid his hand atop Kibum’s, ready to pull back at the slightest warning. Kibum inhaled once, a soft, sharp sound, his eyes blinking faster as he focused on the hand before him. Haunted eyes rose up to meet Jinki’s worried gaze. For a moment, he really saw Jinki, but then his face clouded with what looked like worry and guilt before he shuttered himself again, looking down once more.

                “I’m here,” Jinki whispered, so quiet the words barely made it past his lips. He stopped looking at Kibum, worried it might cause him more discomfort, but he left his hand where it was, a silent reminder he was still by the other man’s side.

                It would be easy enough to say that Kibum was sick. His mother would accept that, especially if she saw him now. Harder though to keep it running if it went on for more than a day since modern medicine could work wonders for physical ailments and illnesses. Not so much for matters of the heart and mind though… Still, if he talked to his mom, she’d probably help think of an explanation good enough for the time being. His father usually went along with whatever she said anyway and the only one he was really worried about, in that nagging sibling sense, was Hajoon. Old enough to think she knew everything and young enough to not be able to read the room effectively - sometimes, she could push for an answer harder than was needed if she wasn’t convinced.

                Stifling a scoff, he did roll his eyes at the thought and sighed quietly. It didn’t matter. He’d deal with it when a problem arose. For now… he let his gaze slide back over to see Kibum once more. His concern was figuring out how to take care of this one currently. Not for the first time since meeting Kibum, he wondered what in the galaxies he’d gotten himself into.

                The cab price made him wince when they finally got to his home, but he hid the expression from Kibum so it wouldn’t worry him. Not that he really needed to bother since he was only looking down anyway. “Let’s go,” he encouraged, forcing a smile he didn’t feel as he placed a light hand against Kibum’s back and walked beside him like he was some sort of invalid. It was disturbing how pliant he was when Jinki led him inside; like a living doll.

                He was apparently doomed to have no luck that day as his mother stuck her head out from the kitchen when she heard them come in. “You’re back early,” she started to say before her eyebrows rose curiously upon seeing Kibum, a silent inquiry etched upon her face.

                Jinki forced a grimacing smile and responded, “We decided it would be better to come back here for now.” He tried to explain with his facial expressions the situation but he wasn’t sure how successful he was.

                His mother tilted her head at him with a tiny frown and he almost tried to add something else before they both heard, “Is Jinki back?” Crap! That was Doyun. Not the worst-case scenario but still bad enough.

                “Perfect timing!” Mrs. Lee grinned, abruptly smoothing her facial expression as she caught Doyun’s attention from her vantage.

                “Huh?” Doyun chirped in surprise, coming to a halt in the hallway across from the kitchen.

                “Come help me decide what we should have for supper,” their mother continued, reaching across the hallway and playfully dragging her into the kitchen with her.

                “Mom!” came the expected groan of complaint.

                Jinki sighed in relief and then quickly urged Kibum up the stairs in case anyone else decided they wanted to show up randomly. “Careful,” he cautioned, still hovering close as Kibum plodded along with listless steps.

                It was a relief when they made it to the safety of his room without anyone else appearing. And as he looked around, there were few moments where he was more grateful that he was generally clean by nature. Nothing to trip over or otherwise need to hide was in easy sight. “You can set your bag down anywhere,” he promised, gesturing at the expanse of the room. Larger than a dorm room, it was still a bit cozy with all the more ‘permanent’ fixtures a house often afforded. Oh, everything was still retractable, including his bed, the clothes drawers, display shelves, and desk with a chair, but he had space enough to keep them out without too much trouble.

                “Mm,” Kibum grunted in understanding, literally dropping it with a thud where he was standing. Without saying a word, he turned a slow circle, appraising what he saw with eyes that glossed over everything. He paused when he saw the bed though and tottered over to it as if entranced. Jinki watched him carefully, hovering within arm’s reach in case he needed to help him somehow. But Kibum simply stopped when he was close and leaned over to trace his fingertips over the blanket on top. “Tired,” he sighed, a single whisper escaping from his pale lips. All of a sudden, he collapsed beside the bed as if a switch had been flipped, legs collapsing under him and arms clinging to the top weakly.

                “Kibum!” Jinki gasped, lurching close to catch the other man before he fell backwards completely. Limp deadweight settled into his arms as Kibum’s head lolled to the side, his eyes closed. “Kibum?” he tried again, a worried frown etched into his face. He placed his hand on Kibum’s forehead – no temperature, and then carefully jostled his cheek to try and wake him. There was no response, but he was breathing fine and a quick check of his pulse showed nothing amiss either. “I guess you were tired,” Jinki sighed uncertainly, his gaze softening at the utterly vulnerable man in his arms. He was still thinner than he should be but the sharp angles had been blunted slightly, and in his rest, he seemed almost innocently childlike.

                “Alright,” he murmured, reaching over to throw the covers back on his bed. “Please bear with me for a minute,” he urged, gathering Kibum in his arms and lifting him up. He was both heavier and lighter than Jinki expected: a strange combination of toned muscles and slightly sunken flesh. Taking the utmost care, he set Kibum’s unconscious body on the bed and pulled the blanket back into place. Tentatively, he settled on the edge of the bed and looked over the sleeping man. His gentle hands smoothed the fabric and traced stray strands of hair from Kibum’s forehead. “You’re safe here,” Jinki promised as he pet Kibum’s hair, letting his hand linger while he leaned over him. His thumb gave tiny as he tried to think ahead about what should happen next but he didn’t know.

                He had done well in getting here, but now he had a chance to replay what Kibum had told him in the apartment and it just made him feel even more out of his depth. “No wonder you hate lies so much,” he whispered, recalling all the times Kibum found ways to avoid telling them. It explained all the half-truths and silences he chose when he didn’t want to say something; all the ways he’d change the subject when something got too close to his heart; how he would literally flee if nothing else worked. It also explained the biting honesty… utterly untempered but wholly sincere.

                Jinki sighed and pet Kibum’s hair again. “I knew there was a reason you acted out so much.” It was impossible to ignore with how often he put on a front, forcing a laugh or a smile to hide what he was really feeling, the tension in his body giving him away if you looked too closely. How he turned overly dramatic about unexpected things like not wanting to learn Terran biology. Oh stars…

                “I get it now,” he laughed, a bitter and forlorn sound. He couldn’t imagine losing his mother to something like that… In layman’s terms, it was effectively a minor Moladhi STD. He didn’t know the details as he’d never needed to look it up, but he knew it affected males and females equally and was easily treatable. In Terrans though, only the women showed symptoms.

                Jinki could only imagine the powerlessness that Kibum might have felt in facing the decline of his mother after his father deserted them. He could picture a young Kibum poring over articles and digitexts, searching for an answer, but not being able to connect the dots because a lot just wouldn’t make sense to him. Not at that age… It was no wonder his Terran anatomy and biology grades throughout high school were his worst scores. That tidbit of information had taken Jinki forever to pry free from Kibum’s guarded trove of secrets. But the way he’d watched the first year’s eyes glaze over when he tried to study seemed a lot more understandable.

                It also made a lot more sense about why Kibum spent so much time away from his apartment. Maybe he had been able to literally suppress that particular memory, but any place that’s been lived in has memories… By all standards, Kibum’s apartment had been practically bare, probably intentionally so, but that didn’t mean he could just erase the ghosts of what he’d experienced in it. Jinki was pretty sure that finances could have something to do with it too, but it felt more likely that the real reason was… the memories of the place. He would not soon forget the way Kibum had looked when the doors opened after he’d arrived.

                Even with a forced smile, as weak as it was, he’d just looked so… lost. Flustered. Like there was so much running around in his head and he didn’t know how to let it out. He’d seen a much-reduced reaction in Siwoo sometimes, where she bottled everything up and then didn’t know what to say when things were bothering her, but Kibum was on another level.

                Jinki took a breath and moved his hand to smooth the covers again, watching Kibum’s brows twitch in his sleep. Admittedly, this was a little bit more than he’d bargained for when he signed up to try and make sure Kibum succeeded, but… he’d come this far already. It was heavy, what he’d learned today, but it felt like a major victory all the same. If he could just get past it now, Jinki wondered how many more victories they could make happen. Completing the semester. Graduation. Becoming a spacefarer – no, captain. All normal enough things, but for someone like Kibum, Jinki could only imagine they would have special significance.

                Especially that last one. It brought a genuine smile to Jinki’s face. So far as he knew, he was the only one Kibum had told that secret to. Captain. His dream was to become the captain of a starship someday. Any starship would do, but he had to become the captain to decide where he went and how he got there. Honestly, it fit. Jinki couldn’t see Kibum being much of anything else. He did have a bit of an engineer’s spirit – you could always fix something mechanical, but his heart was probably that of a captain.

                “You’ll get there,” he promised in a quiet whisper, his hand shifting up to brush at the odd strand of hair trailing over Kibum’s forehead and eyes. “I’ll make sure of it.”

                Almost as if he was agreeing in his sleep, Kibum hummed softly, the corners of his mouth turning up into a tiny smile.

                Seeing even that tiny response helped unwind the terrible knot in Jinki’s gut. He breathed a sigh of relief, even as his thoughts turned to the rest of the day and beyond. Now that he was relatively sure Kibum would probably sleep for a while, Jinki nodded to himself and stood up, brushing at the wrinkles on his pants from sitting too long. Now was as good a time as any to try and… tactfully explain the situation to his mom. If he was lucky, it would just be her. She could be quite scary when she wanted to be, but she was surprisingly easy to talk to about tough issues like this one.

                Jinki was out of luck again when he carefully made his way down to the kitchen. Doyun had seemed to take up residence and their father had joined them, easily talking with his wife and daughter. Bolstering his resolve, Jinki forced a smile and stepped in, focusing his attention on his mother. “Mom. Where do we keep the med kit again?” he asked, trying to keep his voice as normal as possible.

                He watched his parents turn curiously surprised looks at him while Doyun scoffed. “It’s in the storage panel under the stairs like it always is.” But as soon as she finished, her eyes got really wide and she audibly gasped, “Is Kibum sick?!”

                “Mm,” Jinki nodded in quick agreement as he looked at his sister before he focused on his mother again. “He’s not feeling well and I’m not really sure what to give him,” he admitted with a shrug.

                “That’s different,” Mr. Lee hummed thoughtfully, glancing at his wife.

                “It’s fine, dear,” Mrs. Lee shook her head with a smile and pat her husband on the arm. “I’ll go take a look with him,” she added, moving closer to loop her arm through Jinki’s and guide him out of the kitchen deftly. They paused to grab the aforementioned med kit and then headed upstairs to his room so she could see for herself.

                In the safe privacy of his room, Jinki tried to start an explanation of what the situation was, but she stopped him from talking first to take a personal look at Kibum. Like Jinki had done, she settled herself on the edge of the bed and tested his temperature with the back of her hand. “He’s a little warm,” she murmured, opening the med kit to take out a temperature reader. It came back as 37.4 and she sighed. “He’s so pale,” she added in mild concern with a shake of her head.

                “Mom?” Jinki asked softly, hovering nearby with nothing but anxiousness roiling in his gut.

                She glanced over her shoulder and looked at him once, a quiet laugh escaping. “You look like how your father used to look whenever I got sick,” she commented dryly before glancing down at Kibum again. In so doing, she missed the slight flush that crossed Jinki’s cheeks before he could school his expression. Her fingers danced over the med kit replicator and she ordered two meds. “When he wakes up, give him this for the oncoming fever,” she handed him one tablet, “and this one for a general boost to his system.” She gave him the other tablet and then shifted to settle the full weight of her attention on him. “Okay. Now you can tell me what’s really going on.” It wasn’t a question.

                Jinki held the tablets close to his chest and took a quick breath. His mother raised one brow but didn’t say anything. “Right. I can’t tell you everything,” he murmured cautiously, already bracing for whatever reaction she might give.

                “Okay,” she simply said after a brief pause, looking between them as if she could try to solve the mystery herself. “I trust you, son. I know you wouldn’t bring him here like this without good reason. And I will help if I can.”

                Swallowing, he took another breath and did his best to explain in a vague roundabout way. He stuck the tablets in his pocket so he could better gesture with his hands while he talked. “As you know, I’ve been trying to get him to let me in and… he did. But… it’s painful and has to do at least a little bit with where he lives right now.” His mother listened with tiny nods to confirm she heard him. “I can’t let him stay there because of it and he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go. I know he has- had?” he murmured, not entirely sure himself, “a guardian but I don’t know who or where they are. And right now… he’s more head and heart sick than anything else,” he explained, touching his head and chest to accompany the words.

                “Which can make some people physically sick too,” she murmured in response, gently chewing on the inside of her bottom lip while she crossed her arms and frowned, a thoughtful expression on her face. Jinki nodded with a hum of agreement. Mrs. Lee glanced down at Kibum again. “What’s your plan then?”

                The question caught Jinki a little off-guard. He hadn’t really expected her to be so immediately on board with it. “Uh…” he trailed off, trying to marshal his thoughts.

                The sound made Mrs. Lee look at him and she laughed at his expression when she did. “Oh honey,” she chuckled sympathetically. “It doesn’t take a detective to see that someone like Kibum might have a lot going on under the surface.”

                Jinki didn’t feel attacked exactly but a fairly strong protective surge rose up and he blurted, “He’s getting things figured out!”

                Mrs. Lee kindly did not laugh at him this time. “Love,” she sighed, standing up to place her hands on his shoulders and look him straight in the face, almost at his eye level. “I mean no offense. You’ve brought many a mentee home, but this is the first one that has ended up in your bed,” she commented, deadpan in her delivery as she tilted her head slightly to the side.

                “Mom…” Jinki groaned, suppressing the urge to face palm.

                A soft and careful smile appeared on her face before she placed her warm hands on Jinki’s cheeks. “I only mean that this could get complicated. He’s not your typical mentee and you obviously care for him. As your mother, I need to know you have a plan before I can agree to whatever you’re thinking,” she explained, nodding at him once while she searched his eyes.

                Jinki ducked his head just enough to look down but not dislodge her hands. “I know,” he grumbled, his knotted stomach proof enough of that. Kibum’s situation was different in so many ways, but he did have a tentative plan. He just wasn’t sure how it would play out in actuality. Looking back up, he met his mother’s gaze. “As long as it’s more or less manageable, I’d like to let him stay here for now. If he wants to anyway,” he added, glancing at Kibum quickly and then back again.

                “For how long?” his mother asked.

                “I don’t know.” Jinki looked down, troubled by the admission.

                “And if it gets to be too much?” she wondered softly, her tone making him meet her gaze.

                Jinki frowned, his lips pursed and brow furrowed. “If it gets to be too much… I’ll try to convince him to see a healer.”

                His mother’s resultant smile was bittersweet. She tilted his head down and rose up on her toes to kiss him on the forehead before pressing hers against his. “Even as a child, you were always three going on thirty. You’re so good at taking care of others, I just worry about you taking care of yourself,” she admitted with a quiet sigh.

                “I know, mom,” he murmured back, reaching up to grab her hands in his to cradle them under his chin. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

                “It’s what a mother does,” she sighed with a hint of amusement in her voice and leaned back to look at him clearly, a brighter smile on her face this time. She tugged on their joined hands to lower them between them, still gently clasped. “I’ll talk to your father and your siblings today. You can stay here tonight as by now, everyone will already know that Kibum is sick,” she winked. Doyun would never let that opportunity slip by.

                “No doubt,” he laughed once, allowing the normalcy of the moment to wash over him. It was a breath of fresh air from their previous conversation.

                Mrs. Lee freed her right hand so she could cup Jinki’s cheek again. “Do you want to come downstairs for supper or should I bring you something later?”

                Jinki hesitated with a glance at Kibum. “Bring it to me later?” he carefully asked, expression cautious.

                His mother chuckled as her lips curled up slightly. “Alright, love. I’ll leave the med kit with you in case his situation changes.” She nodded at the sleeper on Jinki’s bed. “If you need help, let me know. And if you just need someone to talk to…” she trailed off, looking at him from under intentionally raised brows.

                “I know, mom,” Jinki mumbled, smiling embarrassedly.

                “Okay. I’m gonna go now, but you take care of yourself,” she commanded, pointing her finger in his face, very much a protective mom in that moment.

                “I will,” he promised with a nod before catching her hand to lower it so he could wave with the other, a gentle nudge to get her moving.

                She clucked her tongue at him and huffed a laugh. But she didn’t say anything else as she departed, letting the door slide shut behind her without a glance back.

                Sudden eerie silence descended and Jinki found himself alone once more with nothing but the sleeping Kibum and his own tumultuous thoughts. A little at a loss now that the first hurdle had been cleared, he cast about for something to do. The bag Kibum had brought was still lying in the middle of the floor so he moved it to the top of his dresser for the time being. But that was all that needed to be done. “Okay,” he hummed with a shrug. A glance at Kibum showed him sleeping soundly. “Now… we wait,” he added, shuffling over to the bed and sitting down on the floor beside it.

                Obviously, he had time to kill so he opened his personal screen and started flipping through tabs to catch up on anything he might have missed. When he was finished with that, Kibum was still sleeping, but Jinki had a new thought. Pulling up the search bar, he typed in: Woman’s Demise. He didn’t know nearly enough about it to really understand what Kibum had gone through. And now was as good a time as any to start figuring it out.

 

(a/n: Apologies again for the delay. I've had a couple things changing in my life and getting back to the story, esecially during this segment has been a little challenging. XD I really need to change some of the tags and actual title for this story (i.e. Origin). lol Regardless, thank you for being patient and I do hope you enjoy the update. I'll try to get the next one out in a more reasonable manner and see if we can get things moving along a bit. Thanks again and happy reading!)