All throughout the day, Jongup tried his best to avoid Himchan. When Himchan enters the kitchen, Jongup would quickly make an excuse and runs towards the counters. When the older one had finally left the kitchen and will stay there, the younger one would once again end up making an excuse and serve the customers by bringing them their drinks and sweets.

Jongup himself don’t know why he was avoiding the elder one, but things doesn’t seem right after seeing that R-rated scene. Jongup himself is not even an innocent kid anymore, his eyes had already opened to the reality and the y life of people, he knows what this and that is, he also knows why couples are eager to be left alone. But seeing that was really awkward especially that they made out just beside the café, open for the public.

Decency, does his hyung doesn’t have that? Maybe, or maybe the other man just forced the other one to do that and his hyung was just caught up with the ‘feeling’ that man gave him, but still in Jongup’s mind, it is still not appropriate to do that just everywhere, especially that he’s wearing a somewhat uniform of their café, wow now Jongup was concerned about the café’s image.

The younger one shook his head completely taking all those headache-producing-questions out of his system, he resumed his work inside the kitchen and behind the counter. The other workers were busy as well. Everyone was walking here and there, everyone was making small noises, the glasses were washed over and over again, new dirty glasses and plates were delivered back to the kitchen while at the same time new ones were placed as a replacement.

The first day of his work was really tiring, things were really hard for him, especially when there were times where he unconsciously hands out the wrong change or serve to wrong tables, but his co-workers were nice to lend him a hand, and slowly he finally mastered the art of serving and walking to and fro.

The night had already covered the skies when the customers finally disappeared. Himchan had already hung the close placard and was just flipping the chairs and putting it upside down on the tables when Jongup decided to go home since his hyung will be surely infuriated about his ‘job’.

“H-hyung I’m going home now …” He meekly said, his hands were on his front while his heel was moving every breath. Himchan turned around and tucked the cleaning cloth on his belt when he heard the younger’s call. He smiled weakly and was clearly embarrassed about the Rated scene earlier. “Uhh okay … but … about what happened earli --- “ “It’s okay hyung .. I’ll try to forget it … wait no …  I WILL forget it.” He cleared before letting out a choked cough.

“ahh yeah sure … uh tomorrow … 7 am … come here … job …” Himchan was loss for words, will he explain that to him or not? But decided to just shut up as the younger one bowed down and walked away. “This is getting really awkward … “

It was awkward at the sense that Jongup saw Himchan kissing with someone he doesn’t know outside the café, everyone even the most tainted guy would be really put in a akward position to see that, ESPECIALLY when Jongup thought that Himchan was straight, yes he thought that he was straight … not anymore.

Jongup was already a few lamp posts away from the café. The car was driving beside him towards their own destinations, some people were talking while others were just walking alone, hands tucked inside their jackets or pockets. It was a very peaceful night, but when he looked at the watch on his wrist, his eyes widened in shock, it’s already 9 and he’s sure that Daehyun had already arrived from his work.

Jongup started jogging towards his hyung’s house, passing the small bakeries on his right side, passing a very large apartment on his left and a sharp turn to the left. But then when he was passing by the park, he saw a very familiar figure. That figure was wearing a beanie, a head set on his head and a pen swirling around his fingers. He was sitting on a bench when Jongup caught a glimpse of its body, but its face was hidden in the shadows, Jongup wanted to walk closer to that figure to see who it was but decided not to do it since he’s already late and Daehyun is already waiting for him. Without further ado, Jongup ignored the man and once again run towards the direction of their house.

↔↔↔↔

“WHAT!?” Daehyun screamed which made the younger one bit his lips and look down.

When Jongup entered their house, Daehyun was there on the couch staring blankly at the tv screen. Jongup thought that everything was fine, that Daehyun will let this slide but when Jongup started tip toeing towards the kitchen for some drink of water, Daehyun’s head slowly turned and looked at him, his gaze was too intense that Jongup can feel his legs slowly weakening, he knows well what’s going to happen, he’ll gonna receive a hell scold from him.

When Daehyun started walking towards him, Jongup was walking backward. Daehyun has this aura that he wants to kill someone and the younger one was really afraid of it. “H-hyung?” he whimpered when his back finally hit a dead end. Daehyun smirked, his anger was clearly showed from his eyes. “Do you know what time it is?” the elder asked making the brown haired guy look at the watch on his wrist. “9 … 9:30” He murmured before looking up again. Daehyun’s angry face slowly softened until all that’s left was concern.

“Do you know how worried I am!!??” He let out a restrained shout, he felt guilty because of it, Daehyun never shouted at him nor showed his anger and for the first time he made his hyung worried, really worried. “I-I’m sorry hyung .. I was just … job … and …” “Wait .. what job?” Daehyun cut his words with a question. Jongup’s eyes widened and his hands quickly flew towards his mouth, covering it. “I mean … err rob … a friend of mine … ah … rob .. no there’s a robbery … wait … uh …” Jongup tried to make an excuse but things don’t come out of his words that good. After almost an endless stutter and murmur, Jongup gave up and ended with saying the whole truth to him.

Daehyun burst in flames when he heard what Jongup said. He doesn’t know who Himchan is but for him he’s a very deadly fella for Jongup. “No … you should have just stayed at home!” Daehyun hissed making the younger look down again. “But hyung … I need a job too … so that we can have food on our tables.” He tried to reason out but Daehyun kept his face straight. “THAT’s THE REASON WHY I TOOK A JOB!” Jongup turned to the side when Daehyun once again shouted at him. “I can pay everything with my salary!” He continued.

“But hyung … we’re living together, it’s only natural for me to help you! I’ve been living here for what? Months? Months already hyung and all I do was eat and sleep and have fun while you … you were working really really hard in your past work, and we almost ran out of food when they kicked you out, please hyung … you already sacrificed both your wants and your personal life just to feed the both of us, I wanted to help you!” Jongup voiced out all his worries about the two of them.

Jongup was already living together with Daehyun right after his father kicked him out for being a disgrace inside their family, his loving mother didn’t said a word about this, all she just did was to stare at Jongup with pity as his father continued to land blows on his face and stomach. His brother was looking at him with disgust, why can’t they just accept him as who he is? Right, in this world, loving someone freely isn’t allowed, a man should fall in love into a woman, that’s a rule, a very strict rule.

“But … you’re …. You’re just 18!??” “Hyung, I’ve already stopped going to school right after that day, I am capable enough to work everywhere! Hyung I’m not a kid anymore so please stop treating me like one!” Jongup was to fed up of being treated as a 12 year old kid, ever since he was a child his hyung always treated him like a very fragile person, or a girl to be exact. A very fragile one that would easily break when a hurdle comes in front of him or he’ll quickly be depressed when a kid steals his candy, all Daehyun see was a fragile little boy, that’s how Daehyun see Jongup. But the latter guy was too fed up with this kind of attention, he’s a man for the sake of mankind, he’s man despite his taste with love he is a man who can withstand whatever trouble fate throws at him, he’s not a fragile kid anymore, he’s already a very sturdy guy.

“Hyung … ever since that day no … years before that thing happened, I was already aware about things in this world, I’m not a kid anymore, I can already protect myself from whatever the fate gives me, I can even feed my own mouth right now, please just … just trust me!” Jongup begged to be trusted, to be leaned on, to provide support to someone needing it, he wanted to stop being a parasite to someone, he wanted to stop waiting for someone to feed him or give him clothes, he wanted to become him right now, to be a guy who can do everything. Everything.

 Daehyun was taken aback with the sudden outburst of words from the silent guy. He never saw Jongup force something like this, did him treating him like a kid too much for the younger one? Is he treating Jongup like a new born infant? Did he really cross the line? Daehyun did not know, he didn’t know until Jongup spat everything in front of him. Before Jongup even came knocking on his doors, crying and face filled with bruise and cuts, Daehyun was already treating him as the most important person for him, even more important than his own brother.

Daehyun remembered the times where the younger one came crying hard inside his hug when his ‘friends’ insulted him for being who he is, for some reason after that thing between his family everyone in the school found out about Jongup’s uality and that news even made his friends turn their backs on Jongup, which led to every thick headed student there bully the poor guy.

Daehyun see Jongup as someone who’s more important than his family, like when the day arrived when the baby Jongup was born and had finally opened its eyes, Daehyun pledged that day that he will forever protect this small being, he even remembered the times where he just creep beside Jongup’s crib, looking at the angel smiling inside it.

He himself don’t know why he was to obsessed with protecting Jongup as if he is his own son, he did not know, all he knows is that this kid was too fragile – in his point of view- that he really needs to take care of him, that he needs to make sure that Jongup was full before he can fill his own tummy, to make him comfortable first before he makes things easy for his own, for Daehyun, his world is Jongup, and him alone.

“Please hyung, I’m begging you … please let me work there … in that way … maybe you can have your own happiness … a girlfriend maybe? Or a wife .. hyung you have your own life … please stop treating me like a kid, I’m a big guy now …” There was Jongup again, using his puppy dog eyes to calm Daehyun’s raging heart. Is his care for Jongup was too small that the kid wants to go out on its own? Did he fail somewhere, Is jongup unsatisfied by the care Daehyun was giving him?

“Hyung … you’ve already taken good care of me these past few years, without you … I don’t know what might’ve happened to me … I don’t even know if I’m still breathing here if you didn’t let me live with you … hyung I owe you my life … and this is the only way I know where I can repay all those good things you gave me … those tasty meat you bought for me and those sweet things you shared with me .. even your cheesecakes, you shared those cakes with me … I’m really lucky to meet you hyung … so please let me do this for you.” Jongup slowly knelt down in front of him. He was practically begging for his hyung to let him do this for him … all for him.

Daehyun was too shocked with what Jongup said that he almost let the kid down there kneel in front of him. Before Jongup’s knees touch the cold ground floor, he took his hand and pulled him up. He placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it a bit. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to do that … I was just shock  …. Let’s just talk about this tomorrow? … but for now … rest first I’m sure you’re … really tired with your first day in work … are you hungry?” He asked. Jongup just shook his head and continued looking at the ground. “Okay … rest now … sleep.” He pulled the almost statue guy by the hand and pulled him towards his own room.

↔↔↔↔

Daehyun had already tucked the male inside his own bed, arms curled into an arc on his chest with his nose slowly twitching. Daehyun sat beside him, carefully fixing the fringes and ends of his hair and moving it away from his forehead and eyes. “You’ve really grown big Jongup… i already forgotten that you’re almost … 19 you’ve really became a very good man … I pity your parents who haven’t even dared to visit you … “ Daehyun murmured softly as he continued to trace the younger’s face with his own eyes.

He pulled the covers upwards and tucked himself inside it, there’s a fair distance between the two bodies, Daehyun made it sure that Jongup has its own space since the bed was too big for a single guy to sleep on so he decided that for just one night he’ll spend his sleep beside the young male. “I’m sorry that I treated you like a kid … i just can’t help but do that, every time I look at you, I felt like a father … or someone who cares for you the most, a guy who wants your happiness more than his own, a man who wants to treat you like a king or something, I never knew that that thing is already strangling you.” He whispered with his body facing him, lying on the bed sideways.

Jongup twitched a little which made Daehyun stop and look. After knowing that the younger male had once again settled down, Daehyun smiled. “A girlfriend? You want me to have a girlfriend? … I’m fine with just seeing you happy … you’ve already became my life Jongup … all I want is you to be happy … that’s all.” He slowly raised his body and leaned closer to Jongup, their noses almost touch each other. “fine this pabo hyung of yours will let you do whatever you want … but please don’t get hurt again … it breaks my heart whenever I see you crying … please don’t cry again … please my angel … “ He slowly leaned down and planted a kiss on Jongup’s forehead.

The younger slowly turned which made Daehyun jolt backwards in surprise. He remained like that, checking if Jongup awakened because of that, but fortunately he didn’t. With that Daehyun slowly returned to his own side and started to sleep with a deep smile on his face. “Good night Jongup …” he murmured before his eyes slowly close, finally entering dreamland.

Yongguk hasn't still made its appearance here in this fanfic ...  or did he?

Maybe Yongguk had already appeared in this chapter or the past ones or maybe he still hadn't made an appearance~

well anyways it'll be a few more chapters until Yongguk will finally show here ~

so yeah wait for him while indulging yourself with this small DaeJong scenes~

Good night!!