Hero

(Seunghyun's P.O.V)

“Hyung, I know I told you to end the match in a good style, but I didn’t expect you to do something like that!” Daesung patted my back and took a sip of his drink, he was holding in his other hand. “You’re amazing!”

I smiled at him, assuming that he had just complemented me. I couldn’t hear a single word he had said, because of the music playing far too loud. We were standing in my kitchen from where we could see hundreds of people dancing in the living room. It was one of the rowdiest parties I had ever seen.

I would never imagine this day to finish like that. After my buzzer beater people went totally crazy. I almost suffocated when the whole team and a part of the audience started hugging me, cheering and calling my name. The coach himself kissed my forehead. I shouldn’t be surprised - it was a match that our school had never seen before. Not only did we win against a better team from central Seoul, but also the match finished in a way that people usually see only on TV, while watching NBA finals or something of that kind.

I became a hero of the night. Who could have foreseen such an ending? For sure, not Dongwook. He hadn’t said a single word to me, even though we shared a locker in the changing room and came back home in the same car. He was ignoring me on purpose, nonverbally letting me know that what I did, wasn’t the thing he had expected from me. He was aware that after such a tiring match I would prefer to go straight to the bed, so he organised this improvised party just to spite me. I couldn’t blame him - it was my fault that I made everyone focus on me. My single shot became more important than his efforts during the whole match. It was Dongwook who should be standing in the spotlight, and I took his chance to shine away from him.

“It’s getting crowded even here,” Daesung said with a weary expression on his face.

He was right. People had probably found my hideout and decided to move the party to the kitchen, because more and more people were coming to me, expressing their admiration for my play, the house, my mom’s beautiful garden, enormous swimming pool and other things.

“Let’s go.” I nodded to Daesung, when I managed to release myself from yet another girl’s embrace. I was sure they would never behave like that being sober.

As we entered the living room, it filled with excited voices. People were pointing at me, but they weren’t as drunk as those in the kitchen, so they were too intimidated to come closer.

I realised that Dongwook had really invited the whole school. I recognised some faces, but most of the guests were complete strangers that I had never noticed in the school corridors. They were dancing to some popular music, I didn’t really liked, swimming in the outside pool, even though it was the middle of November, and drinking everything what my brother had served them. Not really my thing, if anyone asked.

Someone grabbed my hand and I mentally prepared myself for another series of compliments. I turned around and, to my surprise, saw someone familiar, who didn’t plan to adore my person at the current moment.

“I’ve finally found you,” CL said. ”Have you seen Dongwook?”

“Nope, he avoids me the whole evening,” I answered, shrugging my shoulders.

CL bit her lower lip. She seemed worried about something.

 “That’s bad.” She looked me straight in the eyes. “Seunghyun, I need your help.”

She caught my hand and pulled me to the dance floor.

“Chaerin, what the hell are you doing?!” I groaned. “You know I hate dancing!”

She sent me an amused look.

“We won’t be dancing, .”

Then what did she want from me? Normally, I would invent some possible scenarios in my mind, but not tonight. I was simply too tired and the music booming from the big speakers didn’t let me collect any thoughts at all.

Finally, we reached the room with fireplace. It was my father’s favourite spot in our house, a place where he would always sit after work and listen to classical music, while drinking his afternoon tea. He would probably get a heart attack seeing his private source of relaxation now full of kissing pairs on his Italian sofas and drunk teenagers lying on the expensive rugs.

I glanced at CL, not sure what she wanted me to do. She rolled her eyes and grabbed my chin, making me look in the right direction - father’s armchair, which was standing near the fireplace. There was a girl sitting on someone’s laps. I couldn’t see, who it was, as she covered the person with her body.

I frowned. Was it Dongwook cheating on CL with another girl? She wanted me to separate them or something? I was about to voice my questions, but suddenly the girl sat up, letting me see the face of her ‘boyfriend’.

Have I mentioned my dad getting a heart attack? Because I’m having one right now.

My jaw dropped. I could now easily recognise Park Sandara, my classmate, who was sharing a lovey-dovey moment with nobody else, but Jiyong. I looked closer, not believing my own eyes, and I realised that he wasn’t particularly enjoying the situation. He tried to shake her off, but he could hardly move. His face was red - it looked quite funny as it contrasted with his blue t-shirt, the same he had been wearing during the match, but I didn’t feel like laughing. It seemed that the whole world was against Jiyong.

“Who invited him here?” I managed to speak, despite the dryness in my throat.

“I did,” I heard CL’s answer. “I dragged him here, even though he didn’t want to come. And that’s why I feel some kind of guilty…”

I was about to make a move forward and rescue Jiyong, but CL forced me to stay with her.

“It’s not the whole story,” she added.

“What?” I gazed at her, confused. She looked around the room, trying to find right words.

“I think Dongwook is up to something,” she finally got it off her chest. “Look, I shouldn’t tell you anything, but he told me he wanted to make a ‘good show’,” she used her fingers to draw quotation marks in the air. “And I’m afraid it has something to do with this boy.”

I froze. Was he really that cruel to use Jiyong as a part of revenge on me? No, it didn’t have anything to do with my person. There wasn’t even a slightest connection between me and Jiyong. Dongwook couldn’t have realised that it was him screaming my name during the match and right before my buzzer beater. He just wanted to get rid of his negative emotions by making fun of his favourite victim. His plan was to humiliate him in front of the whole school. It would make everyone forget about the match - they would be talking only about his public prank on Jiyong, whatever it was going to be.

“But why is Sandara helping Dongwook?” I asked, unable to find any logical reason for her behaviour.

CL raised a brow.

“You really don’t remember…?” She looked at me questioningly. I shook my head. “Wasn’t she the one who confessed to you last month and whom you turned away without any explanation?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but then I reminded myself, that there actually was such a situation. I lowered my eyes, too ashamed to admit it was true.

“I don’t usually treat girls like that,” I mumbled.

“I know you don’t, but you hurt Dara and that’s why she made friends with your brother. It seems it was quite easy for her to change love into hate.”

So it is a revenge on me in some way.

“I really don’t get it, but Dongwook is totally obsessed with this boy. I completely forgot that it was him. He sat next to me on the match and seemed to be really fascinated with the game. He’s a great fan of yours, that’s why I thought it would be nice to let him talk to you or something…”

I glanced at her in utter shock. Jiyong?... being my fan?... It can’t be… I know it was him who was shouting my name, but I was sure he did it only because I helped him yesterday. It was just a way of being thankful, wasn’t it?

“I’m so sorry,” she said and lowered her head, having probably misunderstood my reaction. “But we still can fix it, can’t we?” She added with hope in her eyes. She continued, not letting me answer. “I’ll take care of Dara and you should take the boy somewhere, where Dongwook won’t be looking for him.”

CL described her plan to me and when she was sure, I had understood everything, she pushed me towards Dara and Jiyong. The girl was currently playing with Jiyong’s hair. He seemed to be deeply embarrassed, with his eyes pointed at the floor and huge blushes on his cheeks.

I cleared my throat.

“Sandara?” I made her look at me. She eyed me up and down and sneered. “CL wants something from you,” I told her, trying not to pay attention to her strange reaction.

I pointed at Chaerin who was standing just a few feet away from us. She pretended to be collecting empty glasses and bottles.

Sandara frowned.

“Really? Okay, if you say so…” She stood up and neatened her miniskirt. She bent down to face Jiyong and touched his cheek. “I’ll be back in a minute, sweetie.”

She smiled at me and left the room with CL. This part of Chaerin’s plan ended with success. Unfortunately, the next point was a lot harder.

I glanced at Jiyong who avoided looking up. What should I do now? CL told me to take him away from here, but it wouldn’t be easy… I squatted in front of the armchair to look into Jiyong’s eyes and ask him, if he didn’t mind going somewhere with me, but then I smelled a characteristic pungent odour of alcohol. I almost couldn’t believe it. Not only did Sandara force herself on Jiyong, but also got him drunk. It was obviously a part of Dongwook’s plan.

Jiyong put his dizzy eyes on me, having probably just noticed me. His face turned even more red.

“Seunghyun?” he mumbled.

His shaky voice made me sure that my suppositions were true.

My hands closed into fists as anger filled my body. How could they do something like that to such an innocent person like him? I can’t let them do anything more.

“Jiyong? Can you hear me?” I asked with care in my voice, leaning to him.

He nodded and fidgeted in the armchair. I turned around, still squatting.

“Put your hands around my shoulders,” I told him and he did, what I ordered. “I’ll pick you up, so hold on tight.”

He wrapped his legs around my waist and I slowly rose to my feet, trying not to lose balance. Jiyong turned out to be not so heavy as I had thought. In fact, his weight was kind of pleasurable on my back. Or maybe I had mistaken the feeling of pleasure with relief, that I would manage to get him out of here.

I felt Jiyong’s hot cheek on my neck. He had problems with breathing, I could feel his chest go up and down with too long breaks. It really started worrying me. I was grateful to CL - she had called me just in time.

We reached the staircase. One of Dongwook’s friends was sitting at the bottom of it, leaning on his hand, his eyes closed from tiredness and boredom.

“Can you move a little bit?” I asked him. He looked up and his face lit up.

“Everything for you, Hyung,” he stood up, but suddenly sat down again. “But Dongwook told me not to let anyone go upstairs.”

“I live here, remember? It’s my house and I can go to my room, whenever I want,” I replied with growing impatience.

He scratched his head and finally stopped blocking the way up.

“Don’t tell Dongwook that I went there,” I told him. “Otherwise he will find out that you broke his order.”

He nodded and I began climbing up the stairs.

“Why are we going to your room?” Jiyong moaned straight into my ear, what made me stiffen immediately.

“You have to rest,” I answered in a weak voice. Why is he making me feel like that?

I found the key to my room in the pocket of my trousers and opened the door with my shaking hand. I switched on only the wall lightning, because I didn’t want the room to be too bright.

I laid Jiyong on my bed. He closed his eyes and put his hand on his forehead.

“I don’t feel well…,” he groaned.

“I know you don’t.” I sighed and decided to open the window to let in some fresh air. I stood close to it for a while and breathed in and out a few times to calm myself down.

When I finally turned around, Jiyong was still lying in the same position. His blue t-shirt was creased and a bit wet on the chest. Its colour reminded me of G-Dragon’s model, this handsome guy with the hair as blue as the sky on a sunny day. Why from all the colours has he chosen this one? Suddenly, he turned to his side and pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his hands around them. It made him look like a lost puppy. It caused me to remember, why I took him here. I had to take an action.

I made a move forward, but stopped - I didn’t have a slightest idea, what I should do.

Think, Seunghyun, think. He’s drunk and feverish…

I gradually invented a plan of things I should do to help him. The first point was bringing him some tea or mineral water. I crossed the room and at the exact moment, when I put my hand on the door handle, I heard Jiyong’s weak voice.

“Don’t leave me, Seunghyun,” he asked with his big watery puppy eyes staring at me. My heart slammed out a beat. “I guess, I’m dying,” he added.

“I’ll be back in a minute, don’t worry,” I answered in a surprisingly soothing voice. I had never spoken to anyone like that. “And you’re not dying. I won’t let you.”

“Thanks.” He sniffed and closed his eyes.

I quickly walked out the room and closed the door softly to avoid making any noise. I doubted that anyone downstairs would hear it, but I wouldn’t like to scare Jiyong with the sound of slamming door. Fortunately, there was no need for me to go to the main kitchen, which I probably wouldn’t be able to leave - the girls would attack me and never let me go. We had also a kitchenette on the first floor, so I headed there without hesitation. I switched the electric kettle on and started looking for a thermometer in the first aid kit, which I took out of the kitchen unit. There wasn’t a single trace of it. My search in the shelves and lockers didn’t give any effect either. The water boiled and I poured it into my favourite mug with the picture of Iron Man with a teabag already put in it. Nice aroma of fruit tea filled the room. I waited a short while to let the tea cool down a little and then took the mug and went back to my bedroom.

Jiyong was again lying on his back with his eyes closed. I assumed that he was asleep, because his face seemed to be quite relaxed, he wasn’t wrinkling his forehead from pain or anything. It appeased me a little. I put the mug on the wooden nightstand and noticed an unfamiliar thing lying there. It was a mobile phone. It must have been Jiyong’s.

Not knowing what to do now, I started staring at the boy’s face. Barely had I met Jiyong, when my brain connected the appearance of the boy with my vision of G-Dragon, for some unknown reason. I admitted that I had never actually seen GD, but I had created a picture of him, based on what he was telling me about himself, and it was far different from G-Dragon from my dream. I wondered, if dreaming about G-Dragon being Jiyong’s twin brother meant that I got subconsciously attracted to the boy. He hadn’t got any especially eye catching beauty, but when I took a closer look, I noticed that he possessed a lot of features that made him look cute, even girly. His skin was smooth, lips pouty and he had a sweet button nose. However, it was easily visible that it was a tiring day for him. His cheeks were flushed and some drops of sweat occasionally dripped of his temple. His hair was ruffled. It was neither long nor short, but it easily covered most of boy’s forehead. I impulsively brushed off hair from Jiyong’s face and rested my palm on his forehead. I was curious, if he still had a fever, but my hands were too warmed up from holding the mug with hot tea, so I wasn’t able to appraise it properly. Not thinking too much, I leant closer and put my own forehead on his, as my mom always did to check our body temperature.

Why haven’t I noticed his long eyelashes?

I didn’t have much time to admire my latest discovery of Jiyong’s beauty, because suddenly his eyelids lifted and he looked me straight in the eyes. I froze and for a few seconds was unable to move. He was staring at me with a surprise in his look and I got lost in this chocolate gaze. Our noses and foreheads were touching and it came to my mind that finding yourself in such a position with another guy was rather… awkward. This sudden realisation let me break away from his spell. I jumped away and almost bumped into my wardrobe.

“I-I… I’ve brought you some tea,” I stammered, looking in different direction.

“Oh,” Jiyong sighed in reply. He was probably as embarrassed as I was.

I looked up and saw him trying to sit up, but he eventually fell back on the pillows.

“Drinking tea on a rollercoaster isn’t a good idea,” he concluded his attempts and sent me a shy smile.

I chuckled. The atmosphere had relaxed. I decided to pretend that nothing had happened and sat next to Jiyong.

“You probably feel dizzy, so let me help you,” I said, smiling to him.

I slipped my hand behind his neck and drew him up, supporting the back of his head. His hair was tickling my palm and I felt that he got surprised by this sudden contact. He slowly pushed himself onto his elbows, blush burning on his cheeks.

Damn, why does he have to be so cute…?

I put the mug to his lips and helped him take a sip.

“Isn’t it too hot?” I asked to break the silence and the strange tension that had raised around us.

Jiyong shook his head. In less than a minute he drunk everything from the mug.

“It was tasty, thanks,” he mumbled and stuck out a tip of his pinkish tongue and his upper lip. My heart started pounding unexpectedly, so I glanced away.

“You like Iron Man,” Jiyong said. It was rather a statement than a question.

My lips twitched into a smile.

“Yeah. I used to be into Marvel comics some time ago,” I told him. “And what about you? Do you have your favourite hero?”

Jiyong was glancing at the ceiling for a while, probably thinking about his answer.

“I guess, I do,” he spoke finally. I looked at him expectantly. “But he isn’t from Marvel,” he added.

“Oh. From Justice League then?”

Jiyong shook his head again and suddenly looked me straight in the eyes.

“You are my personal hero,” he said without blinking. My mouth opened in surprise.

“What?” It slipped out of my mouth, bringing even more blood to Jiyong’s face. My cheeks also felt hot, but I never blushed as hard as the younger boy.

“Well… I… you… you have saved me four times already,” he started explaining himself. “Even though we met only yesterday… And I feel… I feel that I will be safe by your side!”

He grabbed the pillow and put it on his head. I internally thanked him for doing so, because that way he wasn’t able to see my expression. I had never expected such an confession. But he is drunk, he would never say something like that being sober. I was sure it was an effect of alcohol running in his veins, but I subconsciously felt… joy. I had heard a lot of compliments today, but nothing really seemed as sincere as this little drunkard’s declaration.

I grasped the pillow and tried to put it up, but Jiyong didn’t plan to let go easily. We both tugged the pillow for a while, when I decided to use another method. Hide and seek wasn’t my favourite game, there was something different that I always enjoyed.

I stopped clenching my fists on the pillow and I sighed out loud, hoping that Jiyong would start thinking that I had given up. I noticed his body had relaxed a little. I smirked and started his belly with my fingers. Light touches soon changed into serious tickling. My unexpected action made him throw away the pillow. He started flapping his hands, his body shaking from spasmodic laughter.

“Stop… stop it… Seunghyun!” He managed to speak between sequences of uncontrolled laughter, gasping for a breath.

“You want something?” I teased. I unexpectedly got a mood for bantering with the boy.

“Pleeeease… Seunghyun… I beg you!” he coughed out, his eyes full of tears.

Satisfied, I finally stopped tickling him, but instead grabbed his wrists, because he was still waving his hands. I impulsively leant forward and whispered into his ear:

“We’re in my room, so we’ll be playing by my rules.”

A second was enough for me to realise what I had done and said. I regretted not having bitten my tongue, but it was too late now. Jiyong started giggling.

“Fine, Seunghyun, but don’t tickle me anymore. I beg you,” he grinned.

Relief rushed through my body. He probably didn’t get the another meaning of my words at all. I thanked God for his innocence.

I sat straight and cleared my throat. I blamed my strange behaviour on alcohol and decided not to think about other possible reasons.

Jiyong wrapped his hands around his stomach. Those few minutes of constant laughing perhaps made him tired, because he closed his eyes and turned to his side. Smile was still dancing on his lips.

“I don’t really like parties, but thanks to you I’ll have some good memories from this one,” I said and ruffled his hair.

“I guess, I feel the same,” he answered. “And your bed is so comfortable that I don’t want to go back home.” We both chuckled.

“If you stay here, you’ll have to help me with cleaning the whole house,” I said, but at the same time I thought that I had nothing against letting him stay, even though he was occupying my precious bed. I couldn’t understand why it was so, but I felt like we were friends for a very long time. Behaving like that near the person I met on the ious day wasn’t actually my style. Again, there was only one explanation: alcohol.

“I would drive you home, if I hadn’t been drinking,” I told him. “Don’t you have someone who can pick you up?”

Jiyong wrinkled his nose, making another adorable face.

“My sister,” he said with hesitance. “But I can’t call her. She’ll guess what state I am in and tell mom.”

“I can make the call, if you want. She’ll see you, when she comes here and then you’ll ask her not to tell your parents,” I came up with a sudden solution.

“Fine,” he nodded. “It sounds like a good idea. You can take my phone. Her name is Dami.”

I grabbed the phone from my nightstand and stood up.

“I’ll call her in the bathroom, the music will be less hearable there,” I said, but in fact I didn’t want him to listen to the conversation. I wasn’t sure, what I was going to say, but I wanted to avoid lying to Jiyong’s sister while sitting next to him.

Already in the bathroom, I found Dami on the contact list and pressed the green button. After a few ‘beeps’, she picked up the phone.

“Jiyong? Why are you calling me this late?” She started talking without even saying “Hallo?”. Her voice didn’t sound sleepy - it was a good sign.

“Emmm… actually, it’s Jiyong’s friend speaking,” I started. “ My name is Seunghyun-“

“What happened to my little bro?!” She exclaimed, making me jump.

“He just wants you to pick him up!” I answered quickly, feeling that there is no time for explanations.

“Ah… I remember he said something about a party… Where are you then?”

I gave her the address and she quickly hung up. This short minute of our conversation made me sure that she was a complete opposition of calm and shy Jiyong. I came back to the bedroom and saw Jiyong sitting on the bed. He looked at me questioningly.

“It went quite smoothly, she’ll be there in a while,” I told him. “And how do you feel?”

“Still dizzy,” he answered. “But I think I can walk on my own.”

He stood up as to prove his words and if it hadn’t been for my quick reaction, he would be lying on his back again. I put my hand over his shoulder and helped him regain balance.

“It occurs that I’m still useful to you,” I said and together we walked to the door. When we were going down the stairs, I noticed that the party had moved to the garden. There were only some drunk people sleeping in the living room, but I wasn’t afraid that they would want something from me. I only hoped that CL was still with Sandara and Dongwook, and any of them wouldn’t appear, before I sent Jiyong home.

With my assistance Jiyong reached the main hallway without bigger problems. When I opened the front door, I noticed a girl approaching the house. A car was standing on the road, so I supposed that Dami appeared just on time.

She waved to me and as she came closer I could notice some similarities between her and Jiyong, so she didn’t have to introduce herself.

“I’m Kwon Dami, and you’re Jiyong’s friend who called me, right?” She said and I didn’t even manage to answer, as she continued speaking. ”It really surprised me, you know, when you told me you were his friend. Jiyong doesn’t have any friends, so I was about to call the police, thinking that you’ve kidnapped him or something, but then I reminded myself…”

She kept on talking, but I stopped listening to her. ‘Jiyong doesn’t have any friends’ repeated in my mind over and over and a strange feeling filled my body. Jiyong doesn’t have any friends. Jiyong doesn’t have any friends. Jiyong doesn’t have any friends.

“-but where is he, actually?” I heard her asking.

I blinked a few times and turned around to call Jiyong who was probably searching for his coat in the big pile of outerwear, but instead I saw him vomiting straight on my mom’s arctic fox fur carpet which used to be white. Till now.