“Aiiish. The smell!”

Namsoon eyed the cup of herbal tea with a grimace, only to betray his disgust by snatching that cup of love from Heungsoo’s mitten grasp. Had he forgotten herbal tea was best drunk, hot?

“Owww hot!! Hot!!!” Namsoon squirmed, having been caught unawares by the hot cup, spilling its contents onto his palm.

Heungsoo quickly grabbed Namsoon by the arm and placed his hand under the tap’s cold running water. Namsoon smiled, loving how Heungsoo’s parental instincts still kicked in habitually time and again.

“Why are you so careless how will you survive in the army,” Heungsoo muttered under his breath as he gently rubbed Namsoon’s reddened palm under the water.

How would you survive without me. Or perhaps he meant it vice versa.

He took Namsoon’s palm and blew it gently to soften the pain. It was nothing strange to them, he’d done it every time Namsoon’s fists had inflamed after a fight.

Many would interpret it as a sign of weakness. Boys would say pain is nothing, but witnessing Namsoon in pain was as wrenching as a stab to his gut.

Namsoon was never one to hold his emotions well. With Heungsoo by his side, he’d feel a confidence that brought out the bare bones of his sentiments. Yet Heungsoo was also the one that got his back, and his feelings in check.

Now that he was back to relying (although instinctively) on Heungsoo, how could he bear to enter the army? Would he resort to being a semi-recluse yet again just to shut out his gloom?

When Heungsoo joined Seungri it was then that Namsoon had realized how bitter he was living a life void of people to care for. Prior to that he’d cook two packets of ramyun, scooping a portion into a bowl and placing it on the other side of the table, while he chewed his own. Figments of Heungsoo slurping down the ramyun he made would flood his head.

During those three years the distance between the two never really did feel real. Perhaps it was masked by a twisted mix of guilt and longing that somehow, Namsoon felt Heungsoo’s presence ever so often. The memories (the guilt, mostly) were too clear and too solid to fade. But he wasn’t sure if he could sustain through army now that the guilt was healing and Heungsoo was all he cared about.

As his best friend quietly tendered to his wound, a heavy tear slid down his cheek.

The day passed with few words. Both boys knew too well that anything articulated would be baptized in tears. Namsoon turned to the wall, unable to sleep. Heungsoo too, tossing his head restlessly on the bed.

“Its cold tonight,” Heungsoo whispered into the silence, placing his blanket over Namsoon’s.

“It’ll be colder tomorrow.”

“Don’t see me off at the military camp.”

His bags packed, Namsoon didn’t want a teary farewell at where he’d be stationed for at least the next six months.

Tears already welled up in Heungsoo’s eyes as he grabbed Namsoon in for a hug. “Take care of your body, you bastard.”

Namsoon nodded amidst the tears that were falling onto Heungsoo’s shoulders. His arms were strung around Heungsoo, as his hands tried to gain as much recognition of Heungsoo’s presence as possible.

His hand stopped at a scar tissue that protruded out from the right of Heungsoo’s scalp.

Heungsoo sensed him stiffen.

“Don’t cry. Wherever you are, I’ll find my way to protect you.”

//

A/N: thank you for subscribing you guys are so sweet!