Nam Soon stopped at the door. He looked at the ‘close’ sign. ‘Can’t be closed right?’ the teen asked himself as he checked his phone. It’s Friday, 8.35 p.m. ‘No notice from hyung. I’ll just check if it really closed’

Before Nam Soon could pull the door opened, it was pushed from inside. The tainted glass door collided with his forehead with a loud thud. As Nam Soon rubbed his red forehead, Tae Sun immersed behind the door. He doesn’t look as his usual self, his hair are quite messy and he’s wearing an overly expensive black suit, however his eyes are bloodshot and his smooth fair skin looked even paler tonight.

“Hyung?” Nam soon hesitantly called the older. Their eyes met for a short moment. Nam soon never sees this side of Han Tae Sun. He’s usual charismatic self are long gone, replaced by a very broken soul. He knows it too well; it’s the look of someone who lost something precious. He used to have the same expression. But he feels less awful recently, probably because the person he once thought he had lost, has comes back to his life. Though he doesn’t believe it entirely, a little part in him still wants to holds into that. Even though just a while, it’s more than enough, for him to be close to Heung soo and cherish his smile once again.

But the question is now, why Tae Sun is looking this way. Their short acquaintance had make Nam Soon to care for the older. He respects the older and somehow he feels safe under his kindness and soft gaze.

“Nam Soonie” the voice was soft. Tae Sun throw himself to the younger boy in front of him. Shocked, Nam Soon just let the man embraced him. He could feel Tae Sun trembling hand wrapping him and hot tears wetting his clothed shoulder. Nam Soon bites his lips as he feels a stabbed in his heart.

“Hyung…” was the only thing Nam Soon could say in this situation. They stay that way for some time until Nam Soon couldn’t hear any sobbing sound from the older.

Tae Sun was beyond relieves when he saw Nam Soon at the door. He had kept this feeling to himself for the entire day. He doesn’t want to bother his lover, so he didn’t ask the guy to come over. He knows he should be at home. Even though he can’t sleep, he shouldn’t have come to the bar. For the past 5 years, he never opens the bar on this day. For a day, he only wanted to be a hyung. The responsibilities he failed to carry out had haunted him and resent his life. The tragedy that had took away his dongseng’s life played in his mind again and again. He could never bring himself to close his eyes. His dongseng’s paled face laid lifelessly, the pool of blood beneath his body and the scream are too much for him to bear it. On this day, Tae Sun let his emotions go wild; guilty, scared, anger, hate, and regret filled his mind and heart.

Tae Sun finally let go of the younger when he managed to get a hold of himself. There were no words between them. They exchanged silent stare, with Tae Sun trying to seek comfort from the boy in front of him.

“Let’s go inside” Nam Soon voiced out, as he grabbed the older’s hand firmly and dragged him inside. He couldn’t bear leaving the nice man alone like this. He feels as if the man would not survive the night if he’s left alone.

Nam Soon then locked the door, with the keys which he got it from Tae Sun’s pocket. Tae Sun, who was standing beside the school boy, only observed the younger’s doing. He just don’t want to think about anything now, if that is possible. He allowed the younger to take control.

Looking at the unresponsive owner, Nam Soon takes his hand once again and drags him to the counter. Nam soon looked at the emptied bottles with wide eyes. Supressing his sigh, he make the older sat on the counter stool.

“D-do you want to talk about it?” Nam Soon carefully asked, as he scratched his head.

He feels awkward to ask such question; maybe because he himself never had the opportunity to ask that kind of question. Usually, Heung soo was the one who had this role, and he’s on the answering end. If Heung Soo looked troubled, he only need to hugged the guy or stay beside him as he lean against him. That’s would make Heung soo spilled out his heavy heart. When it’s too hard to say it, they just embraced each other as they listened to the other’s heartbeat and breath.

Tae Sun just shook his head, as he pinned his eyes on the younger’s face. “Get me that” Tae Sun pointed at a bottle of red wine. Nam Soon doesn’t want to do as he was asked to, based on the number of bottles scattered across the counter, however he gave in to his desperate voice.

Nam Soon put down the opened bottle and a glass in front of the man. Tae Sun didn’t waste a single second to devour the drink. True, he had countless bottles before. He had drunk every possible beverage he has in his bar; from soju, to wines, to vodka, to beer, to liquor. But it’s not enough to make him drunk; that’s the problem when you have a high alcohol tolerance.

Nam Soon followed Tae Sun’s movement with the corner of his eyes until the older finished the last drop of the wine.

“Another one” Tae Sun requested. “Bring me anything…no….everything on the shelves…and from our storage room too” he looked at Nam Soon. The younger didn’t reply but sighed.

Nam Soon cleared the counter as he takes away the emptied bottles and throw them inside a box. The then takes a new drink from the shelves. He picked a few from different types and set them on the counter. He then takes a seat beside Tae Sun. The older man looked at Nam Soon, who was smiling at him.

“There’s no fun in drinking alone” Nam Soon gulped down half of a bottle of soju. It gives a burnt sensation to his throat but he shrugged it off. Tae Sun suddenly couldn’t find his voice. He still couldn’t believe the younger had drink half of the bottle in one gulp.

“I can finished them by myself if you only gonna sit there and stare at me” Nam Soon said, with a smirk. It makes Tae Sun chuckles.

“Saekki, I’m gonna charge every single thing you drink” Tae Sun retorted as he pick a bottle of vodka.

Then they both laugh. It was the first laugh Tae Sun had in that day.

~~~

The time passed too fast to their liking, and now it’s approaching midnight. The two guy had a hell amount of alcoholic beverages but they are still not drunk. Nam Soon had discovered that he too has a high alcohol tolerance.

“I never had the chance to teach him to drink…like a man” Tae Sun suddenly say. He then takes a sip of his beer.

Nam Soon was surprised with the sudden confession. He doesn’t say anything though.

“He’s beautiful…just like you” Tae Sun continued. Nam Soon turned to his right, he caught a small smile plastered on the older’s face.

“He’s my precious..I would do anything for him…anything!...but he…he’s too stubborn. He loved that bastard…that bastard…he….” Tae Sun couldn’t continue as his tears come again.

Nam Soon could feel a squeezed in his heart as the sobbing voice hit his ears again. He got up, ignoring the funny feeling in his stomach, and patted the older’s shoulder.

Tae Sun cried with all his might. He doesn’t bother what will Nam Soon thought of him or the questions that arise in the younger’s head from his sudden confessions. All that he knows is he had to let go of his frustration so that when the sun rise, he will be able to return back to his normal state. It took a while for Tae Sun to calm down.

“I’m sure he loves you too, hyung, just as much as you do” Nam Soon said when the sob had mute down. Nam Soon received a small nod from the older.

“Are you going to stay here tonight?” Nam Soon asked. He’s not sure what to do now.

“Take me home…” Tae Sun replied with a weak voice. Today was a long day. He’s mentally and physically exhausted.

“Arasso” Nam Soon agreed. But then he thinks, ‘How?’ He can’t let the guy to drive home by himself and he can’t send him home. He can’t drive and absolutely had no idea where Tae Sun could be staying.

“…no…not mine...yours…take me to your house” Tae Sun turned around. He doesn’t want to be alone tonight.

Nam Soon was taken aback. “Mine?!” he almost shout. “But…hyung..”

“Just tonight..one night…” Tae Sun plead. From his voice and his current state, Nam Soon knows he couldn’t say no to the guy. At last, he nodded, showing his agreement.

“I’ll drive then” Tae Sun, who managed to put on a smile, get up from the counter stool. But he had a hard time to balanced himself. Was it because of the excessive alcohol or from sitting for too long; he himself not sure.

“No! You can’t drive like this hyung!” Nam Soon quickly says. Though Tae Sun claimed to be sober, Nam Soon’s didn’t believe his driving skill now. It’s too dangerous for both of them.

“I’m 100% fine. I can drive us” Tae Sun insisted. He takes out his car key and show it to Nam Soon.

“We’re going to my place..with cab. That’s final!” Nam Soon argued back.

Tae Sun scoffed at the younger. “I’m the hyung here, you know saekki”

“Yes..yes…hyung-nim” Nam Soon respond lazily, as he helped the older to leave the bar

****

Heung Soo blinked- one time, two times. He froze on the spot, shocked with the scene before his eyes. However, he refused to accept it. He rubbed his eyes, before he looked to the front. It’s still the same, no changes, from the moment he opened the door.

There are two figures sleeping soundlessly in the middle of the living room. They are facing each other. One guy, whom he had known from his childhood, and another one, whom Heung Soo regard as a erted stranger.

Nam Soon’s face is so red, that Heung soo would mistaken him to have a fever. His school jacket and sweater were found near him, and his shirt is ed, revealing his smooth pale skin. The other guy, who looked much other than them, but also good looking (though Heung soo hate to admit it) only had his pant on.

Heung soo clenched his fists as he dropped the plastic bag he carried. He is beyond furious. He doesn’t know which one he should do first; kick the stranger out or kill him!

The sound had woken up Tae Sun. Opening his eyes slowly, to adjust the brightness; he turned around and notices an intruder. He tried to get up, but he cursed under his breath as he tastes the result of his drinking the night before. His head feels heavy but he braced himself into a sitting position. He then looked to his side, and he smiled at the sleeping boy. He must thanked the boy for being by his side yesterday. Though he wasn’t his dongseng, being with him ease his broken heart.

“Thank you, Nam Soonie” Tae Sun said softly, as he ruffled the said boy’s hair. The man had completely ignored the intruder, and therefore, had missed the annoyance in the other boy’s face and his murderous glare.

‘Nam Soonie!!?’ Heung Soo repeat in his mind. He gritted his teeth. He’s on the verge of exploding.

Tae Sun then picked up his clothes and put them on. “Whoever you might be, tell Nam Soon that I will call him back and ask him to rest a lot” Tae Sun said to the glaring boy opposite of him. He had an obvious jealous expression on his face and that makes him want to chuckle. But of course, he doesn’t. He wonders what their relation could be. Whatever it is, it wouldn’t hurt to tease both of them a bit, right?

“Why?” Heung soo questioned. He hates to think there was something going on between Nam Soon and the stranger.

Tae Sun laughed. “We had a long rough night” he answered, as he hold in his aching headache.

Heung Soo eyes went wide. He pulled every effort in him, to not punch the guy to death. He followed the stranger’s retreating back with his eyes, until he heard the ‘click’ sound.

Annoyed, he takes a seat beside the sleeping male. He looked around to check for any evidence from their previous night activity, but he found none. Heung soo huffed in annoyance.

‘I can’t wake him up and scold him, right?’ Heung Soo asked himself as he leaned closer to the younger. The strong scent of alcohol makes him sick. ‘What the hell did you do with that guy, saekkiya!?’he hit the younger’s head lightly.

However, Heung Soo quickly regret it when Nam Soon stir in his sleep. He saw a discomfort sign on Nam Soon’s face. He got alarmed.

Nam Soon feels a funny feeling in his stomach, that he rushed to the bathroom, without looking at the intruder who had woke him up. He then vomits out everything in his system. Nam Soon hates the throbbing feeling he had in his throat, the sharp pain in his stomach and he’s heavy head. Too much pain at one time, make the younger want to cry.

“Easy there” A soft touch on his back had help Nam Soon to empty out his stomach. It was Heung Soo’s voice. But he’s too preoccupied now to even bother how the hell the guy got into his house.

Heung soo then carry the younger in his arm, once he finished rinsing his mouth. Nam Soon looked too weak to walk by himself now. They entered Nam Soon’s room and Heung Soo carefully placed the boy on the bed. He observed his flustered friend. The little conversation he had with the stranger knock his mind.

Heung soo got a hell lot of questions to ask, but he decided to go with the decent one. “Are you ok?”

Nam Soon shook his head. “Get me some headache medicine” he pointed to his study table, “the top drawer” he continued.

Heung soo get the medicine from the drawer and handed it together with a glass of water, which he had taken beforehand, to Nam Soon. The brunette swallows the medicine and sighed. ‘That’s for drinking too much last night~’

“I’m going to refresh myself” Nam Soon announced. He knows that Heung soo wasn’t happy to see him like this. He got an explanation for it but now he wants to clear his mind a bit before their talk.

***

“Eat first” Heung Soo pointed at the table he had set when Nam Soon was in his room after the shower. Nam Soon raised a brow, but he sat down, nevertheless.

“Porridge again?” Nam Soon asked, unsatisfied.

“Just eat it, you punk!” Heung Soo scoffed, before he started eating his own porridge.

Nam Soon looked at Heung soo, who is eating silently. He then stares at his own bowl of porridge. ‘Well, my stomach still hurt. This is better than nothing, though. And the last time he made porridge, it taste just fine’ With that, Nam Soon too started eating the porridge.

“So?” Heung soo prompted Nam Soon to share the story about the mysterious guy from this morning and the entire situation.

“So what?” Nam Soon asked back. He’s looking forward to what Heung Soo would ask.

“You should at least warn me if you had anyone sleep over at your place. So, next time I don’t have to walk into an awkward situation!” Heung Soo said with his annoyed expression.

“Well, excuse me. As far as I know, this is my place. I have the authority to invite anybody here and I don’t think you should bother yourself with my personal business. In fact, how the hell you got into my place, when I was sleeping?” Nam Soon tried to provoke the person in front of him.

Heung Soo glared. He ignored the question that was asked by Nam Soon. He needs to know who the hell the guy is. “So, you’re telling me, that he’s someone special?” Heung Soo asked bitterly.

“Sort of” Nam Soon replied. He had a stoic expression on. Well, Tae Sun is special, in a brotherly way. So, he doesn’t completely lie to Heung Soo.

“Huh! I thought you only know how to fight” Heung Soo said. His eyes are dark, “how special?”

“How you define special?” Nam Soon answered with a question.

“You..” Heung soo replied softly. His face flushed in embarrassment.

“What?” Nam Soon asked. He didn’t hear what Heung soo said before.

 “Anyway, care to tell me why he was here or how the hell he knows you?” Heung Soo continued his interrogation. He silently pray that Nam Soon didn’t hear what he had say. But at the same time, he wished Nam Soon did hear it. ‘Aish! Stupid heart!’ he scolded himself.

Nam Soon smirked. Heung Soo is successfully fall into his trap. “Why was he here- it’s none of your business. We met at our work place” Nam Soon answered. He feels it’s inappropriate to share last night event with Heung Soo. It should remain secret between Tae Sun hyung and himself. He sure that Tae Sun would want that too. After all, it’s not a big issue until Heung Soo needs to make a fuss about it.

“Which work place?” Heung Soo asked again. He wants to know more but Nam Soon is obviously hiding the fact from him.

“Just..my work place..you don’t have to know it” Nam Soon hesitantly answered. He can’t mention that he’s working at a bar. It’s too risky for many reasons- he afraid that Heung Soo would ask him to quit the job, he doesn’t want Heung Soo to ever come to the bar and search for him, and most importantly, he doesn’t want Heung soo to find out about Choi Jin Hyuk.

Heung Soo clenched his fist. “Then why the hell did you drink too much, saekkiya ?!” the older yelled, he’s too frustrated. They’re getting nowhere. Nam Soon won’t give the answers he wanted.

Nam Soon was taken aback. “Just because of..something” Nam Soon replied slowly.

Heung soo got up. He got fed up with Nam Soon’s answers. “Your beloved man said that he would call you and asked you to rest a lot!” Heung soo relayed the message before he stormed out of the house.

Nam Soon didn’t move from his previous spot. He just let the furious guy get on his way. ‘It would be better like this. You don’t have to bother about me and you cannot know about the bar, Tae Sun hyung or the sick bastard. This time I won’t let you suffer because of me.’

***

“Yah Park Heung Soo!” Kang Joo stand before the said man, with Byun Ki Duk and Ha Kyung on each side.

Heung Soo looked up. His eyes say ‘What?’ to his classmates.

“Are you close to President Go?” Kang Joo leaned forward and asked, as she carefully observed the tall guy, to look for any changes in his expression.

“What you have to do with it?” Heung Soo asked back. He had picked up Nam Soon’s new habit; answering a question with a question.

“Of course it’s matter to us. You just transferred here..how come you…and our president seem so know each other?” Byun Ki Duk carefully said. To tell the truth, he feared his new classmate. He gives out the same dark aura as Nam Soon’s. His conscious had warned him to be alert around this guy.

“Yah! Faster tell!” Ha Kyung forced the black haired guy. She had no intention to know about this, but her best friend was too eager to get some information on her hands. So, without any choice left, she agreed to do some questionnaire with the new kid, regarding him and the class president. 

“Ask Nam Soon yourself” was the only answer Heung Soo gave.

At the same time, Nam Soon appeared at the door with a stack of papers in his hand. He went to stuff room earlier to get these papers and Ms Jung had asked him to gives a copy of the paper to each student.

Nam Soon looked at Heung Soo. He wondered what they were talking about and why Heung Soo had mentioned his name. However, Nam Soon doesn’t let his curiosity run wild. Instead, he goes to the front, as he tapped the table loudly, to get his classmate’s attention.

“Each of you, take one of this” Nam Soon said with his stoic face, as he showed a copy of the paper. He then passed the papers to the upmost front students, before he goes back to his own seat. Their eyes met for a moment when Nam Soon was walking, but Heung Soo was quick to turn his eyes away.

Nam Son rested his head on the table once seated. He closes his eyes, pretending to fall asleep. He would lie if Heung Soo’s action just now doesn’t affect him. He was a bit aggrieved. But he had to remind himself, that his own action make Heung Soo acted cold toward him.

A cold drink touches a tip of his finger. Nam Soon slowly got up, only to see Jung Ho standing by his table. He then looked at the bun and canned juice on his table.

“You haven’t eat right?” Jung Ho asked.

Nam Soon is now looking at that guy dumbfounded. He feels weird with Jung Ho sudden behaviour. They never talked to each other. So, why now? Jung Ho has been trying to talk to Nam Soon since last week. Of course, Nam Soon wouldn’t spare his time for the guy. There was no reason for him to do so.

“I’m not hungry” Nam Soon replied, as he looked at Jung Ho. He could see that Heung Soo is staring at him from the corner of his eyes. Heung Soo’s intruders had long gone back to their respective seat. 

“Just take them” Jung Ho said, before he goes back to his place.

The class was quiet. At first, Heung Soo seems to be close to President Go, now the bully, Oh Jung Ho, is trying to be on Nam Soon’s good side. What is happening in the class?

“What?!” Jung Ho yelled, as he kicked the front table. Those staring eyes are surely irritating him.

The students abruptly return to their previous activity. They don’t want to agitate the bully. Though, Nam Soon is much stronger that Jung Ho, Oh Jung Ho often bullies the people around him and picks a fight with everybody for no reason, unlike Go Nam Soon, which is much more composed.

Nam Soon ignored the commotion inside the class, as he stares outside the window. He doesn’t want to bother himself with this nonsense.

A buzz from inside the pocket make Nam Soon takes out his phone. He got a new message. It read : I have something to say during P.E class – H.S

Nam Soon sighed.

***

“Get into a pair and start stretching!” the P.E teacher, Mr Lee Dong Jin ordered.

The students scattered around, choosing their own partner. It was noisy. There’s another class using the field at the moment. The students are currently playing soccer. So, the students from class 2-2 had to moves away from the field, as they’re using the empty space in front of the field.

From the end of the line, Heung Soo slowly goes next to Nam Soon. “Are you going to start first?” Heung soo asked, with his hands tucked inside the pocket.

Nam Soon gives a small nod, as he gets down. Heung Soo then helped the younger by holding his feet down, as Nam Soon started doing sit-up.

Once Nam Soon’s done with his stretching, they switch position, as Heung Soo started his. The warm up activity were done in silence between them. They are too many people around them, so Heung soo thought it’s not appropriate to ask Nam Soon anything.

When Heung Soo had finished his own session, they both decided to run the lap. They run side by side, as they maintained their speed. Their stamina are quiet impressive, thanks to their outstanding fighting skills and the ability to speed off as to safe themselves from their enemy.

“Why do you seem to hide things from me?” Heung Soo asked.

“I’m not hiding anything” the younger replied.

“You are not good at lying” the black haired teen reminded.

Nam Soon remained silent. “What do you want to tell me?” he asked a while later.

“I had a request” Heung Soo said, as he slowed down. Nam Soon follow suit. He’s waiting for Heung Soo to finish whatever he wanted to say.

“Can we go back to normal, like our old days?” Heung soo sincerely plead, as he keeps looking forward. He prays hard for a positive respond from the younger.

“Do you think we can?” Nam Soon asked back. They stopped near the field to catch their breath.

“Of course, you punk! I need you more than anything in my life” Heung Soo said to the younger, as he stands in front of him.

Nam Soon looked up at Heung Soo with wide eyes. ‘Did I hear it right?’

A flying ball toward their direction had Nam Soon alarmed. He looked at the ball intensely.

“So, don’t push me away” Heung Soo smiled warmly, unaware of the ball behind him.

Nam Soon could barely register what he just heard. Without sparing a second thought, he grabs the other’s shoulder and arm, as he spun their body around. The ball hit Nam Soon’s back directly. The impact makes him stumbled forward, buried him into Heung Soo’s embrace.

“Yah! Are you ok?!” Heung Soo asked worriedly. His eyes are wide.

Nam Soon creates a distance between them. “It was only a ball, not a bullet” Nam Soo said to ease the worried guy. Heung Soo smacked the younger’s forehead. “Is that something to joke about?!” he scolded.

Clenching his fist, he kicks the ball hard and it flew across the field. “My knee wasn’t the same, but it’s healed completely. You’re no more indebted to me” Heung Soo said, which make Nam Soon cried. He turned around, hiding himself from Heung Soo’s sight.

‘Idiot Park Heung Soo!’ 

p/s : i took a while to update this, aren't I ? I hope this chapter is worth your waiting. Thanks for your comments and supports <3