“ARE YOU TWO SKIPPING SCHOOL”!!!

That was he ended up cleaning the house with Jiyong. He wasn’t going to do it but he couldn’t say no when Jiyong practically begged for them to be punished and he had to look good in front of Jiyong.

“How are you not exhausted”? He asked as they were resting on the couch in the downstairs living room.

“I’ve cleaned bigger places than this house all by myself” Jiyong said chuckling.

“Lies”

“Actually I cleaned the church close to the school three months ago”

“What during Christmas, why would you do that”?

“I needed the money” Jiyong said and the air quickly sour, how could he have been so insensitive.

“You wouldn’t have to anymore”

“What”?

“Clean. You wouldn’t have to do all that anymore, I’m here for you”

“Really”?

“Yeah”

“You’d do anything for me”?

“Name it”

“I want a million dollars” Jiyong never failed to surprise him.

“Done”

“What… I’m just kidding. Were you really going to give me that”? He was embarrassed now, Jiyong probably thought of him as some kind of weirdo.

“Uhmm, do you want to watch a movie. We can go to the movie room” It was the only thing he could come up with to end that conversation.

“YOU HAVE A MOVIE ROOM”? The entire Seoul would have heard Jiyong and it made him happy seeing him acting free.

They walked over to the movie room with Jiyong basically skipping beside him.

“So what do you want to watch”? He asked as they got in the room.

“Don’t laugh but do you have the notebook. Bom always talked about it but I never had the chance to see it”

The notebook was not his type of movie but he would watch it for Jiyong; he put the movie in and ordered pizza and got popcorn. The movie started with Jiyong so engrossed in the movie that he didn’t know when he left to pick up the pizza. He couldn’t help but watch Jiyong as he watched the movie; the light from the screen made his eyes shine more and he couldn’t help but stare at him, he boy he’d gotten to like so much. All he ever wanted was to get closer to Jiyong but now that he was, he couldn’t help but want more. He wanted Jiyong to like him but he knew he had to take it slow because no matter how strong Jiyong was, he was also fragile. The movie quickly turned sour and he watched Jiyong’s expression change also, he was crying and it made him want to cry also.

“Are you okay”? The movie was over but the tears were still pouring out so he had to ask, he was scared.

“It’s just... So sad” he was sniffing “He loved her so much”.

The tears weren’t ending and he couldn’t stop himself as he stretched towards Jiyong and slowly wiped the tears off his face using his thumb, he couldn’t help but let his hands linger as he his face some more. ‘Who are you and what are you doing to me’ he thought, as he looked deep into Jiyong’s eyes.

Jiyong’s POV

‘How did we get here, one minute I’m crying and the next he’s sitting so close to me my cheeks and looking into my eyes and I cant look away’ His heart was still racing as an image flashed in his head, it was of him kissing Seunghyun. His eyes widened as the realization hit him; it wasn’t Taeyang, Seunghyun was the one he kissed that night. The kiss he couldn’t stop thinking about.

Seunghyun’s phone vibrated making him pull back quickly.

“Omma…. what they’re here… okay I’m coming down” Seunghyun got off the phone and stood up hurriedly. “My grandparents are here”

“So why do you look like you’re getting shipped off to the army”? He wanted to laugh at the sight before him but he decided not to, he’d never seen Seunghyun look so scared.

“My grandfather is the devil. So my mother wants me to come down to save her, do you want me to put another movie in for you”?

“Uhmm… Do you have titanic”?

“Wow… you really like your romantic movies don’t you”

“Yeah, I’m kind of hopeless”

Seunghyun put the movie in and left immediately but watching the movie was the last thing in his mind as he kept thinking about the kiss between him and Seunghyun that night. Seunghyun never pushed him back but he never mentioned it either and he wasn’t sure why.  Without knowing, he ate all the popcorn and half the pizza in the box.

“Ugh, I need water”

Seunghyun’s POV

They kept talking and on and on about business and he couldn’t be any more proud of his mother; she had the perfect comeback for all his grandfather’s rude comments and it was obvious that she was doing a good job in the company. He wanted to watch titanic with Jiyong and not being stuck having a conversation about the company that he didn’t care about, the same company that took his father’s life.

“Oh…sorry I didn’t know everyone was here” It was Jiyong; he walked into the kitchen looking like he’d just seen a ghost.

“I see you hired someone new Mirae. Why isn’t he wearing the uniform” his grandfather said looking at Jiyong with a disapproving look.

“He isn’t the help, he’s my friend” He shot immediately.

“Really”? His grandfather asked looking back at Jiyong with a disapproving look. It was the reason why he never wanted to introduce Jiyong; his grandfather would literally try to eat him alive. “So Seunghyun, you’re now bringing in people from your little orphanage project I see”

“Mr Choi, please don’t be rude,” His mother said heatedly.

“He goes to my school grandpa” He felt bad for Jiyong; he was mounted on the floor with his eyes on his feet.

“And since when did we admit homeless people into Top high”?

“I’m not homeless….”

“Your elders are speaking boy”!! His grandfather snapped at Jiyong who was shivering now.

“He’s one of the smartest people in Top high, he’s on academic scholarship” He defended Jiyong, it was supposed to be his chance to show Jiyong how much he’s changed and to be a better person but his grandfather was ruining it for him.

“Smart? He’s tardy, rude and now he’s made you rude also. This is why you should’ve come live with me Seunghyun, this is the kind of people your mother has you being friends with” this was why he hated his grandfather so much, nothing his mother ever did was good enough for him, he’d been eight when his father passed and his grandfather was still threatening to take him from his mother.

“Seunghyun is a great child, and Jiyong is helping him with piano lessons”

“Great child? Please, he….”

“Don’t you dare say anything against my son”! His mother lashed.

“Jiyong? the boy’s name is Jiyong”? His grandfather asked as he looked at Jiyong trying to study his face “Look up boy, what is your father’s name”?

“His...”

“Seunghyun take Jiyong to his room, he’s suffered enough rudeness today” His mother said quickly, cutting Jiyong off and he couldn’t be more grateful.

“I’m really sorry about my grandfather” he said as he walked the shaken Jiyong to his room.

“It’s okay… its not your fault”

“Jiyong you can be angry at me if you want to, I should have stopped him sooner. Please don’t keep it in”

“I’m not angry at you… I guess I’m just in shock, I’ve never met anyone to scary and free with his words” Jiyong said smiling and he wondered how he could do that, smile it off.

“How do you do it”

“Do what”?’

“How you smile things off”?

“It keeps things easier, life’s too short right”?

“Right….so did you finish your movie”? He wast ready to say goodnight.

“No but, I’ve had a pretty long day. I’m going to call in”

“oh…okay goodnight”

Jiyong POV

For some reason, the conversation with Seunghyun’s grandfather didn’t phase him, he was happy about the fact that Seunghyun and his mother did their best to defend him.

It was three in the morning when he heard screams, just like the previous day but the difference now was that he knew where it was coming from and made his way there immediately. It took more than a shake to wake him up this time and when he finally woke up and stopped screaming, and hugged him tightly.

“Its all my fault, he should have killed me,” Seunghyun was crying now and he couldn’t help but cry with him.

“What exactly did you go through”? He asked as Seunghyun’s cries got louder

“Its my fault. I’m a bad person, I couldn’t help my dad but she died because of me”

“Seunghyun” he pulled Seunghyun off him “What happened”? He had to know, what was his fault? Who did he kill?

“When I was eight, I got this nanny. Her name was Mimi and she always took me to school and bring me back. She’d been with me for over two weeks and I loved her..” he choked a little but continued “One day my dad came with her to pick me up and my dad decided to top my a business associates house, I’m not sure why but I remember him arguing with Mimi and when he got there… I got scared and asked her to stay in the car with me while my dad went in… and after a couple of minutes we heard loud bangs from inside and Mimi told me to run, to go get help as she ran in but I didn’t, I went in shortly after a her when I heard more bangs, and I saw my dad lying on the floor unconscious. I was going to run away when I saw a guy pointing a gun at me, I heard a shot fire but there she was, Mimi, kneeling in front of me telling me to run away as fast I could and I did... I didn’t even look back, I just left her there” Seunghyun broke some more and he couldn’t help but cry more and wonder how he must have felt all those years, being scared.

“Its not your fault Seunghyun, you were only a kid”

“I just left her there, she only went in because of my dad and I left her”

“You cant beat yourself up for it, she wouldn’t want you to” he wasn’t sure what to say but he couldn’t see Seunghyun crying. Seunghyun was strong; he was supposed to be a pillar.

“She had a family, I kept an old photo of her and she had a kid that was around my age; she spoke about him a lot and I took her away from him”

“Seunghyun please” he couldn’t help it as he placed a peck on Seunghyun’s cheek “you need to stop thinking like that, its why you have trouble sleeping. You have to cut yourself some slack”

“I tried... I even asked about her family for a while till my grandfather warned me never to ask and just like that, I gave up…”

“Seunghyun please” he cradled Seunghyun some more; placing Seunghyun’s head on his chest as he laid his head against the pillow. They lay there silently for a while till he thought Seunghyun was asleep.

“Please stay” He heard Seunghyun say when he was about to leave. “Thank you” Seunghyun whispered across his chest. “Wow your heart’s beating really fast” he was a little embarrassed, the moment Seunghyun whispered those words, his heart went haywire and he wasn’t sure why.

“You don’t have to thank me Seunghyun”

“You know you have to tell me something personal now right, I just told you something I haven’t really told anyone”

He thought long and hard about something personal he could tell Seunghyun but nothing came to him till he thought of the perfect thing. “Bom and I never dated”

“What”? Seunghyun looked up to face him.

“Yeah we never” Seunghyun’s shocked face almost made him laugh.

“I really thought..”

“I know, a little birdie told me”

“I’m really sorry Jiyong “

“No its fine. I understand”

“I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you, I’ve been so wrong about you”

“I know how,” he said as he tackled Seunghyun tickling him and it made it much better when he realized how ticklish Seunghyun was but his victory didn’t last long when he ended up below Seunghyun with him doing the tickling. “Okay okay okay, I’m sorry. Please stop”! He could barely breathe; Seunghyun was sitting on top of him while tickling him making him lose his breath.

“That’s what you get,” Seunghyun said as he finally stopped but he was still on him as they both tried to catch their breaths. His eyes locked with Seunghyun’s and his heart went haywire once again and just like that, the space between them reduced just like it’d been before. “May I”? Seunghyun asked with his face so close to his that his could feel his breath.

“What”?

“Can I kiss you”?

He wasn’t sure how to respond or if he could or when he did as Seunghyun closed the gap; his lips were warm and soft and it felt so good that he pulled Seunghyun into him more and his reflexes kicked in as he opened his mouth but he wasn't ready when he felt Seunghyun’s tongue in his mouth so he shoved him off lightly.

“I’m so sorry” Seunghyun apologized as he moved toward the side of the bed.

“No..I just” he had no explanation for why he pushed him off but he had to, it felt too good, a little too good.

“Please don’t leave”

He wished he had the option of leaving Seunghyun’s room back to his but he didn’t want to, he wasn’t sure if his legs would carry him and he was grateful that Seunghyun didn’t try to make conversation, they laid there for a while till they drifted into sleep.

“KWON JIYONG…JIYONG…JIYONG” he heard his father yell his name; he must have missed his father so much to be dreaming about him. “JIYONG JIYONG”! His father’s voice got louder when he realized it wasn’t a dream. He shot up, it was seven in the morning and there was no way his father would be in Seoul, let alone in Seunghyun’s house.

Seunghyun was still sleeping peacefully so he got off the bed and raced out of the room and there his father was staring at him with the most angry look he’d ever seen on him.

“Appa”!!

"What is this Jiyong... I get a call that Choi Seunghyun bullied you till you end up in the hospital and that you're living in his house? Not to mention the fact that he's making you skip school"!!!! His father's voice echoed over the house. He'd never seen his father so angry before and it scared him.

"Appa...."

"I am dissapointed in you Jiyong, i thought i could trust you. Follow me, we're leaving this house right now"!! His father grabbed his arm.

"Jiyong"? Seunghyun walked out yawning and the realizaton that his father saw seunghyun come out the same room he came out from made him even more scared as his father's eyes was on him but he didn't have the heart to look at his father so he kept his head down, getting ready for all the scolding that was coming to him.