JongUp was absolutely sick and tired of his “home”.

It had all started a few months ago when his dad had come home later than usual. His mom had started screaming her head off at his dad who hadn’t hesitated to scream right back at her. Four months later they were still at it – except it worse now because they were involving JongUp. At least once a week his mother shouted for him to “control his father”. The first time JongUp had panicked and rushed down the stairs to see if his dad was trying to hurt his mom but it was nothing more than the two of them being scandalous. They showed no signs of stopping so JongUp had made up his mind. He was leaving tonight.

He had his duffel bag full of his necessities and ready to go. As if on cue he heard a crash from his parent’s bedroom and the shouting started. He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of his room and down the stairs. He wrote a brief note saying he was done trying to live in a warzone and left it on the living room table. JongUp glanced back at the living room from the front door then stepped out into the warm evening.

It felt refreshing to be outside. No one was shouting, no one was breaking things, no one was being slapped. He started off down the street deciding to walk as far as he could until he eventually found some sort of hostel he could stay in.

JongUp walked for hours but it didn’t bother him, He was just relieved he would be able to sleep in silence tonight. When he felt too tired to go on he sat on the sidewalk to take a break. He suddenly realized he had forgotten to bring any water along with him and decided to find a corner store to purchase some. Luckily, not too far away, he found a dingy-looking convenience store. He walked inside, bought a good-sized bottle of water and then continued on his way.

It was pitch-black now and JongUp was starting to worry a little. Shouldn’t he have found somewhere to sleep by now? He rounded a corner and saw yet another dingy-looking place. It was a motel and even though it looked like the home of hogs JongUp just wanted a bed to sleep in. He walked inside and headed to the front desk.

The guy behind it didn’t look too much older than him, maybe five years or so. JongUp thought he was pretty handsome and should have been modeling somewhere instead of working in a place like this. JongUp glanced at his name tag that said ‘YongGuk’ before asking for a room.

“Sorry, we’re full,” YongGuk said, looking truly apologetic.

JongUp groaned and almost sank to the floor. He was so tired and he didn’t even know where he was.

“Please,” JongUp said, “can’t I sleep on the floor or something?”

YongGuk smiled but shook his head.

“Sorry,” he said again, “If you need to make a phone call or anything though you can use our house phone.”

“I don’t have anyone to call,” JongUp muttered.

YongGuk frowned and took in JongUp’s duffel bag, bottle of water and tired appearance.

“Are you running away?”

JongUp froze. Were people on the lookout for him? How did YongGuk know?

“Um…no…” JongUp said, trying to think of a lie.

“Right…”YongGuk said, “What’s a cute kid like you doing here in the middle of the night, then?”

“I…I just need a room, ok? I don’t have anywhere to go…”

JongUp looked at YongGuk with pleading eyes and the older man sighed.

“Do you mind sharing with me?” YongGuk asked.

JongUp’s eyes lit up and YongGuk couldn’t help but take a liking to him. Like he’d said before, he was cute.

“Thank you so much!” JongUp gushed. “How much?”

YongGuk shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it…what’s your name?”

“Um…it’s JongUp. Are you sure you don’t want me to pay? I have money.”

YongGuk shook his head again. He couldn’t make this boy pay even if he wanted to.

“Come on,” YongGuk said to JongUp exiting from behind the counter.

JongUp followed YongGuk to a room located towards the back of the motel. YongGuk took out his keys and let JongUp in.

“There’s an adjoining bathroom if you want to clean up. I just have a few more minutes left of my shift so if you want company…” YongGuk scratched the back of his neck and left the room. JongUp looked after him and blinked. YongGuk almost seemed nervous but he shrugged it off. He took a shower then pulled on a pair of clean boxers to sleep in.

When he left the bathroom YongGuk was already there lying in bed while reading a book. JongUp missed the way YongGuk’s eyes widened slightly at his bare body as he walked over to his bag to put his things away.

“Do you need a shirt?” YongGuk asked.

“Oh, no, I normally sleep like this,” JongUp said nonchalantly.

YongGuk nodded slowly and returned to his book. JongUp’s face was adorable but his body totally betrayed it.

“How old are you?” YongGuk asked.

“I’m seventeen, what about you?” JongUp asked.

“Twenty-three,” YongGuk answered.

JongUp nodded and climbed into the bed.

“I’m really sorry to inconvenience you like this,” JongUp said.

“It’s fine,” YongGuk said putting his book on top of a stack of them on his bedside table, “I haven’t slept with anyone in a while…I mean…”

JongUp laughed.

“I know what you mean, YongGuk-ssi.”

“You can call me hyung…if you want…”

JongUp nodded.

“Ok, YongGuk hyung.”

“So why did you run away?” YongGuk asked.

JongUp frowned and turned to look at YongGuk. Before he knew it there were tears in his eyes and he quickly looked away. He didn’t want to cry in front of YongGuk. He didn’t want to cry at all but for some reason he couldn’t stop the tears from escaping down the sides of his face.

He realized he had never talked to anyone about how turbulent his home life had become. He had chosen to keep on smiling with his classmates and other people he encountered in his daily life like the sweet old lady that ran the bakery close to his house. And now his tears had decided that he couldn’t hold them behind that smile anymore and they had broken free.

“Hey,” YongGuk said softly, “you don’t want to tears all over that cute face of yours, do you?”

A tissue appeared out nowhere in YongGuk’s hand and he gently wiped the tears from JongUp’s face and handed him the tissue. JongUp tried not to be too embarrassed as he wiped his nose and wondered if he should talk to YongGuk or not. He was twenty-three after all, maybe he could offer some advice?

“It’s my parents,” JongUp started, “they just…”

JongUp swallowed back his crying and explained to YongGuk how his parents had all of a sudden become vagabonds in their own house. JongUp appreciated how YongGuk didn’t interrupt, let him get everything out and even continued to wipe his tears away.

“So what are you planning to do?” YongGuk asked, obviously concerned, when JongUp had finished his story, “Where are you going to live?”

JongUp shrugged.

“I-I don’t know. I just couldn’t take it anymore and I left.”

“Do you have a phone?” YongGuk asked.

“Yeah…why?” JongUp wondered.

“I have a feeling your disappearance may have given your parents a wake-up call. Check it.”

JongUp got out of the bed and took his phone out of his bag. There were numerous missed calls from his house phone, his parents’ cell phones, his neighbours and other random numbers. There were even more text messages from his parents and classmates at school that he guessed had been notified about his disappearance by his parents.

He opened a message from his mother that read:

Uppie, please come home. We’re so sorry. Please come back. Please.

He looked at YongGuk who had a knowing look in his eyes.

“Are you going back?” YongGuk asked.

JongUp smiled softly and nodded.

“But…can I spend the night here still?” JongUp asked. He had taken a liking to YongGuk and, in his opinion, even though his parents were sorry they could wait a few more hours.

“Of course,” YongGuk said smiling.

JongUp climbed back into bed and looked at YongGuk.

“Thank you so much for helping me hyung, for giving me a place to stay and for listening to me.”

“I’m glad I could help you…”

JongUp sensed a ‘but’ and waited for YongGuk to continue but he didn’t.

“You seem…not ok though?” JongUp asked. He didn’t know how else to put it.

“It’s weird,” YongGuk said, “I just met you but I think I’ll miss you when you leave.”

“Do you have a phone?” JongUp asked.

“Yeah…”

JongUp held out his hand and YongGuk handed him his phone. JongUp fiddled around for a few seconds then handed YongGuk’s phone back to him.

“I put my number in. Will you call me later?” JongUp asked shyly.

YongGuk grinned.

“I will definitely call you.”

*To my previous subscribers: The title for this used to be 'I'm Here' which is just the title for the first oneshot but I decided to change it since I added another oneshot and it wouldn't really be representative of the future stories that I'll add ^^;; I hope no one is confused or too disappointed! 'I'm Here' was just a oneshot and I don't think I'll continue it. >_< I hope you guys will enjoy these oneshots :)

pic cr: http://blog.chriscrawfordphoto.com/?cat=5