Oh my word, I've taken forever to update again. My bad.

Slightly longer this time~

comment/review as always?

       As the pair shook hands, their eyes locked; Junhyung’s expression something the lines of sincerity, understanding—at least, that’s what he intended it to be— and Hyunseung’s that of uncertainty. But what was done, was done, he thought as their hands pulled apart, their fingertips brushing lightly against each other as they drew their hands back to their sides. He couldn’t go back against his little deal now.

       But, as he opened his mouth again, his lips popping apart as he drew a quick breath, preparing to clarify one more thing, Hyunseung was cut off by the sharp tone of a cellphone ringing somewhere in the room—Hyunseung’s cellphone. The brunette’s expression shifted instantly into one of annoyance. There was only one person who called him these days—with the rare exception of course—and that person, unfortunately enough, happened to be his boss.

       Sighing, Hyunseung lifted a finger, as if to tell Junhyung to keep silent, and grudgingly crossed the distance between the couch and his phone (or rather the space where the sound was coming from) in a few quick strides. There was a moment in which, with fumbling fingers, he had to search around; but, thankfully, before the last annoying ring, he had managed to answer.

       “Hello?” he said softly, pivoting on his heel as he spoke, thus turning his back on Junhyung in the process.

       There was a pause, in which Junhyung could hear the faint murmurs of whoever was on the other end of the line. That and the occasional nod, however small it might have been, as Hyunseung practically whispered responses into the small phone’s receiver.

       “Yes, sir,” he said quickly at one point, in between one nod and the next, “I understand, sir.”

       Another pause, filled with more murmurs from the other end of the phone. After which Hyunseung let out a quick breath, a disappointed sort of sigh, his shoulders dropping quite noticeably. And then, before even a minute could pass, the brunette had hung up, snapping the small phone shut with an all to audible click, and turned back to face Junhyung— who was, oddly enough, looking rather smug on the couch— running his hands through his hair as he did so.

       “Who was that?” Junhyung questioned, tilting his head at the slightest of angles as he spoke.

       “None of your business!” Hyunseung snapped in response, his body tensing like a tightly coiled spring, as if he were ready to strike anything that drew too close.

       It was an action that made Junhyung flinch. He was surprised by the sudden venom coursing through the other’s tone of voice. Sure, he didn’t exactly know Hyunseung very well, they had only just met after all, but the sudden snap seemed, well, out of character for the brunette. Something had obviously gone wrong, his mind concluded.

        But, before he could ask what had happened – which he did intend to do, mind you, the question was already building on the tip of his tongue— Hyunseung himself provided an answer.

       “I’m sorry,” the brunette said after a few moments of silence, the tension slowly unwinding itself from his body.

       Junhyung raised a single brow at that, confused by the brunette’s behavior. But could anyone blame him? It wasn’t anything he was used to; and he certainly hoped that this wasn’t how the other behaved in secret. If it was… then this would be a very long recovery period indeed, he thought with a shudder.

       “That,” Hyunseung went on with a huff, “Was my boss. And, if you must know, evidently I managed to get myself fired yesterday.”

       To that, Junhyung felt his mouth pop open; though he managed to force it shut before Hyunseung could notice. ‘Fired?’ He thought, a scowl twisting its way onto his lips, ‘Yesterday?’ Could it have been that Hyunseung had skipped work because of him? At that, Junhyung felt himself frown; he hoped that wasn’t the case. If it was, then he was more in debt to the brunette than he had originally anticipated. Much more.

       Hyunseung, however, seemed to detect this thought as it danced across Junhyung’s mind, and promptly lifted a hand, using the other to run through his now messy brown locks, waving it quickly from side to side.

       “Not because of you,” he said breathily, his lips twitching downwards and his eyes following their trend, “It’s because of my own stupid mistakes.”

       Well, then, Junhyung thought with a hint of a relief. At least he wasn’t going to have to add a couple hundred ticks to his growing debt meter. Still, this new development complicated things quite a bit. If Hyunseung didn’t have a job, then there wouldn’t be a steady income, which meant food was going to become a little scarce; for him while he was staying there, but for Hyunseung as well in the months that followed. And, blame it on his slightly abnormally large appetite, for Junhyung that simply would not do. He was going to have to figure out a way to fix this—after he was actually on the mend, at least.

       But, even with this new knowledge that Hyunseung’s situation was not totally his fault, Junhyung couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. He had practically— though unintentionally— himself on the other—how was he supposed to know that the brunette would take him under his wing instead of calling an ambulance?

       “So what are you going to do?” he dared to ask, shifting his position on the couch slightly and staring up at the other intently.

       To that, Hyunseung gave a half-hearted shrug.

       “I don’t know. But,” he paused, taking the opportunity to withdraw his cellphone once more and check the time, “It’s getting late. And we could both do with some sleep.”

       Another short pause.

       “Do you think you can move?” Hyunseung asked suddenly, lifting his head a little to eye the other with concern.

       This time, it was Junhyung’s turn to shrug; he hadn’t honestly thought about it, or even tried. Not since last night, at least—and that experience had been far less than pleasant. But, he supposed there was a point to the brunette’s question; especially if he didn’t want to sleep on the couch – which, mind you, he did not. So, in other words, Junhyung decided (albeit a little reluctantly) that perhaps it was about time he tried.

       Cautiously, like a wildcat stalking its prey, he shifted to place one hand at either side of his body, and gently began applying pressure to each limb (and by extension, appendage). He managed to, much to both his and Hyunseung’s surprise, lift himself a good couple of inches (perhaps only five) off the couch cushions before his left shoulder gave a painful spasm, leaving him to collapse back against the bloodied upholstery. At which Hyunseung lurched forwards, offering a steadying hand to the other.

       Not that Junhyung would accept it, though.

       In fact, he didn’t; instead he opted to slap the hand away, and attempt to raise himself off the couch a second time. Needless to say, he didn’t get much farther the second time around (if he even got higher at all) before sinking back against the cushions once more with an expression of defeat.

       ‘Well then,’ Hyunseung thought as the slightest of frowns spread across his features, ‘I’ll take that as a no.’ It was true though. He didn’t want to force Junhyung off the couch—the action could easily tear open his injuries; if they hadn’t already been re-opened by his previous two attempts at moving. But, at the same time, he wasn’t about to leave him there without even a pillow to use.

       “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” he said suddenly before bolting down the nearest hall.

       He was gone perhaps only five minutes before returning, panting slightly, with a pile of something in his arms. For a moment, Junhyung stared, obviously confused as to what the brunette had rushed off to grab for him. But, as Hyunseung drew closer, Junhyung realized that the other had simply grabbed a pillow, and what appeared to be a change of clothes.

       “Here,” the brunette said, ing the pile towards him, “I thought you might want to change. You’re probably not totally the same size as me, but it’ll have to do for now. At least until we can get you your own stuff.”

       Hyunseung took a second to pause and catch his breath before continuing on.

       “There’s a pillow there too,” he went on to say. (To which Junhyung simply thought ‘Obviously.’) “Anyway, I’ll be down the hall there,” another pause, in which Hyunseung threw a hand over his shoulder to point at the said hallway, “First door on the left is the bathroom, if you need it. My room is the door on the right, got it?”

       Junhyung nodded once slowly.

       “Right, I’ll leave you to it then?”

       And with that, the brunette was gone, quickly shuffling out of the room and down the hall; leaving a confused Junhyung in his wake. ‘God, help me,’ Junhyung thought, as he followed Hyunseung’s retreating figure, before it disappeared behind a wooden door, that is.