Chapter 4

Unlike when they were heading out, on the way home, it was Hyukjae who walked in front, leaving Donghae trailing behind. They didn’t exchange more than two words as they were walking and the words were ‘let’s go’, spoken by Hyukjae. One didn’t know what to say, the other was afraid to know what the one would say. So, silence accompanied them, until they reached Donghae’s house.

Hyukjae expected Donghae to go back and said, “Bye,” before he headed home again. But, after another of minute of walking he stopped as he was still hearing Donghae’s light footsteps behind him. He turned and raised a brow at the boy – who was staring at the pavement with a vengeance, it seemed. “Why are you still following me?”

Donghae shrugged, “Just thought of sending you home.”

“Well, you don’t have to. I came here by myself, I think I can find the way home by myself too,” Hyukjae turned and walked away. He didn’t hear footsteps other than his anymore, but his heart felt so weighted that he turned around again.

Donghae stood there, at the exact place he was before, only a bit further as Hyukjae had taken some steps. “If you really have to then come on,” Hyukjae sighed. He knew they couldn’t avoid this talk he was sure they would be having anyway, so why put a hold on it? Donghae jogged up to him, a slight smile on his face. As the fell into steps again, Hyukjae realized it wouldn’t be fair for Donghae if he keep distance from him again after seeing all those.

What did Hyukjae have seen anyway? Did what Donghae showed him told him any reason why he had beat up the kid from yesterday’s night? What did Hyukjae found out from watching the other act maniacally, destructing things?

Well, definitely not what he wanted to know. But, it left a deep impact, it affected him a way he didn’t thought it could.

Hyukjae did not like it when Donghae acted that way, but, he could not deny the tugged on his heart when Donghae gave him that hot, alluring smirk. His head said it was wrong; his heart completely knocked out and disagreed with that thought. He was torn.

“Why?” Hyukjae finally voiced out the question.

“I had to.”

“Why?”

“Complications.”

“What kind of complications?”

“Family.”

Hyukjae thought for a moment before asking, “Who is family?”

“Me, mom and uncle.”

Hyukjae leaned against the high fence of his house, Donghae joined him. “Tell me. Tell me everything.”

“Why? You never wanted to know everything before, Hyukkie,” he smiled at Hyukjae, truly not meaning to hurt the other or to be menacing. He was purely curious.

Donghae wasn’t daft; he was the top student of his school, anyway. He might like Hyukjae, but he wasn’t stupid to not realize how Hyukjae was never interested with him, how Hyukjae never asked anything about him, never even try to get to know him more.

His heart fluttered when finally his crush actually wanted to know more of him, curious about him. But, was it just that, though? Was it just simply curiosity?

“Truthfully, Donghae, I don’t know too,” Donghae lifted an eyebrow at Hyukjae’s answer, so he continued, “I never felt this way before. I was never curious about anyone before. But… you weren’t yourself. I mean, I might not give anyone attention much, but I am not ignorant about those people around me, either. You don’t act the way I’ve known you. You sparked… a surprise in me. When I say you weren’t yourself, I meant, I don’t know there is this side of you other than the one I’ve observed at school. So, I think, the reason why I want you to tell me is because I want to know why you have this side and hide it from people’s eyes, from...me,” he hesitated slightly before saying the last word. Who was he, anyway?

Donghae nodded absentmindedly, and, without thinking about it, he slipped his thought into words, “So, you don’t actually care for me?” His eyes widened and he clapped a hand against his mouth. His heart pounded against his rib cage, fast and hard. But, despite it being accidental, Donghae really did want answer for that question. If for nothing else, then it could serve as a confirmation that they would be nothing more than friends.

Hyukjae opened his mouth but nothing came out. He gaped for a moment, not knowing what to say. Did he care? Oh hell yeah, you do! A voice rang in his mind. No, I was curious.

Curious my !

Shut up!

“Donghae, do wanting to know something that won’t actually benefits me count as caring? Because I can assure you, that knowing you are a badass won’t make it any easier for me to take away that first place from you,” Hyukjae didn’t look at the other boy, biting his lip now that he was done talking.

Donghae chuckled at that, grinning slightly before it changed into a shy smile. He knew he wasn’t going to get the word out of this best friend of his tonight, so why waste time trying. He lightly punched Hyukjae’s arm, “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

He took a deep breath before starting, “My uncle is an alcoholic. You know the typical drunkard you see on movies? The sort that asks money from his family and has tons of debt? Yeah, he falls into that category. Since my dad passed away, me and my mom stayed with him. Actually, we took him in. That was our house and one day, he just came and begged us to let him stay. So we did. I was 10. We did not know he had people chasing after him at that time. And after we did, everything changed. He ruled the house. He controlled what my father left for us, which would have been enough if he didn’t spend them on alcohol and women. Years passed and the money was gone. He came home one night, drunk, bit up my mom because she couldn’t give him money and I snapped. I was 13. That night I hurt him, knocked his head with a bat and then punched him, lots of time. But, it wasn’t possible for me to run. My mom was hurt. We had no place to go. So, when he woke up the next morning, he did what I had done to him.”

Hyukjae unconsciously wrapped his arm around Donghae’s shoulders, not understanding what himself was feeling inside.

“One way to pass a day without any of us getting hit is to give him money and settle his debt. 13, what could I have done to find money? My mom works at a grocery store that is only enough to feed us. After a month from the incident, my – please, I can’t call him my relative – that bastard asked for money again. He started beating my mom outside the house and I saw it as I walked from school. My blood boiled so I charged at him and knocked him off my mom, wrestling him. My adrenalin was so high, I felt so good doing it, I even smirked at him when he was about to lose his consciousness,” Donghae might didn’t realized it, but Hyukjae saw the smirk he was talking about, the same smirk he had seen multiple times before, on his face.

“I joined the gang because I was approached by one of them, the leader. He saw me beating the bastard as the gang was coming to collect his debt. Next day, he came to me while I was heading to school and said I had a potential to be a good fighter. So I was in. He promised me that he would take care of my mother's safety and he wouldn’t let the bastard come within a 50 meter radius. Until today, he kept that promise. The bastard tried getting into our house but he couldn’t. He spied on us, though. That bastard doesn’t know when to quit.”

It was silent for a while, a few minutes passed. Hyukjae’s arm was still around Donghae.

“I don’t like it.”

“What?”

Hyukjae looked at Donghae and shrugged, “I don’t like you being with the gang, but I see your reasoning.”

“So, you don’t mind?” Donghae grinned, wrapping his own arm around Hyukjae’s waist, gripping the jacket he wore.

“If I do, it changes nothing, anyway,” Hyukjae sighed.

Donghae’s grin faltered, knowing that if it really did bothered Hyukjae so much, he would try to find a way to leave the gang, though it would be hard.

“So, why be a goody-goody at school then, if you are this good in fighting?” asked Hyukjae.

It was Donghae’s turn to shrug, “My mom doesn’t know about this. And besides, I do want a better future and a real job one day. Being goody-goody, as you say it, sounds like a nice way to achieve it. It’s like that Hannah Montana girl. You know, the TV show? You get the best of both worlds,” Donghae started singing and Hyukjae laughed.

“You watched Hannah Montana? Seriously?”

“Yah! What is wrong with that?” the boy pouted.

Hyukjae continued laughing hysterically, saying, “It is just… unexpected,” between breaths.

“Ha, ha, ha. Yes, make fun of me. You forgot what I can do, is it?”

Hyukjae stopped laughing as he heard the threat and looked at Donghae’s alluring smirk. He gulped and tried to act normal, dropping his arm to his side.

“Hey, Hyukkie, don’t be afraid of me, okay? I was just kidding with the threat,” Donghae was worried that Hyukjae thought he was serious. He would never do such thing to his Hyukkie.

The blonde nodded and let out a few chuckles, “Okay, Hae.” He smiled at Donghae, making sure that the boy knew he really understood it. A smile was sent his way back.

Another moment of silence occurred, this time a bit more awkward and Donghae started scratching his head. They both didn’t know what to say.

“Well… I’m going in, okay?” Hyukjae asked stepping out of Donghae’s arm and moving to the gate of his house.

“Okay, goodnight,” Donghae waved at him. They smiled again, also a bit awkward, before Hyukjae went in and shut the gate. Donghae was about to leave when he heard his name being called.

“Hae?”

“Yes?” Donghae turned around and saw Hyukjae peeking from behind the slightly open gate.

“See you tomorrow.”

“At school?”

“No. At the junction, like usual. Goodnight.” And then he disappeared and the gate was locked and never open again that night.

Donghae stood there for a moment, blanked. When it finally got to him, he jumped high and made a fist pump in the air. He was skipping on his way back to his house, singing ‘Best of Both Worlds’ again.

Hyukjae entered his house, smiling. He was, because lack of a better word, happy. He couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled or laughed this much. Hell, when was the last time he had actually laughed? He made his way up the stairs, thinking that maybe, after 3 years of knowing each other, it was time to actually take this friendship Donghae offered seriously. Maybe it was time to really be a friend.

Donghae was now labelled his friend.

“You look happy, son.”

“Yeah, I –” Hyukjae cut himself off. His smile now completely faded.

“You what, son?” the sweet voice of his father asked.

“Nothing. What do you care, anyway?” and with that he walked to his room and slammed the door. He didn’t want to see the smirk, that hideous smirk on his father’s face.

Hyukjae walked to school the next morning, and as usual, Donghae was there waiting at the junction. Their routine was resumed, with the difference being that Hyukjae no longer have his earphone with him. They talked, and both actually enjoyed the morning.

It was, really and finally, the start of a fresh, old friendship.

Chapter 4 is now here! I hope it answers some questions you all had. Next chapter, it will be more fun, I promise. My big test is coming in less then 3 weeks. Wish me good luck! After that, I guess I will update again. Anyway, I started a new eunhae story. I don't know why but I couldn't hold myself back from posting it. Do check it out, here! 

And, GIVE ME LOTS OF LOVE AND COMMENTS WITH COOKIES AND I'LL GIVE YOU COTTON CANDY IN NEXT CHAPTER. BYE!