The two best friends were making their way out of school when one of them asked, "Where's Gikwang? Not going home together?"

Dongwoon nodded, "Yeah, he said he have some council work to finish up."

But Dongwoon knew that his boyfriend was still a little shy and awkward with his best friend, and he knew that Gikwang just wanted to let the buddies catch up with one another. He didn't want to be a spoilsport, thus the council excuse. Junhyung nodded and immediately lighted up with a teasing smile. He nudged Dongwoon on the shoulder and gave him a cheeky grin.

"Yah, you have to tell me everything from the start!"

"W-What...You we-were the one who couldn't make it that day, s-so I had to ask for backup..."

Dongwoon stammered his way through.

"And...? Backup and end up as your boyfriend? That's really something..."

"We...w-we just drank a little...That-"

"Omo!!! Both of you already...???"

Junhyung dramatically covered his mouth to stop his gasps and hits Dongwoon's chest with the back of his hand. Dongwoon literally jumped up and waved his hands everywhere.

"Aniya!!! Stop jumping into conclusions!"

Junhyung laughed at his dongsaeng's reaction. He knew Dongwoon wouldn't have the guts to do things that are only allowed after marriage, let alone with a guy and in his house when he wouldn't know if his parents will suddenly come back by the morning flight.

"I'm just pulling your leg. Carry on, what happened after that?"

Dongwoon started telling Junhyung everything from Gikwang's confession, to his crying face which haunted him the whole night, and Yoseob's text, all the way to what happened on the rooftop. Junhyung made a mental note to make friends with these two council members after today. It was only until they reached Junhyung's apartment when Dongwoon started asking him about Hyunseung. The elder one invited him in, Dongwoon sat on the couch and Junhyung joined him shortly after placing two cans of coke on the coffee table.

"I brought him to Neverland."

Junhyung told him about the date, the light peck, but he skipped the part about Zico. The younger one was genuinely shocked by the new advancement. He knew about Junhyung's 'secret mission'. Junhyung have never hid anything from Dongwoon, vice versa. They would tell each other everything. Junhyung was not interested in relationships in the past. He never dates and never cares. He was not gay, but he couldn't be considered straight too. To be rather honest, gender doesn't matter to him. What he wanted was just that one person who could let that boring heart of his, skip a beat and make him put that person before work, and do things for that special one. Junhyung is a really ambiguous person since young, he never needed relationships, be it the gender, none moved his heart. That's why Dongwoon is really curious what is so special about Hyunseung that make his hyung do so much for him.

"Hyung, I really sincerely wish that both of you will get together soon."

Dongwoon patted Junhyung on the shoulder. The elder smiled and nodded. He would love to have that wish come through soon too. Both of them kept their silence as two different person floods their minds.

"But Woon, how are you going to break the news to your parents?"

This question made Dongwoon's blood freeze. He let his hand slip off Junhyung's back and slumped on the couch. He rested his head on the tip of the top of the couch and looked towards the ceiling.

"Molla hyung...molla..."
 
---
 
Hyunseung was whistling happily while preparing to go DUSK. Geurim was grinning cheekily while poking her head into his room. Hyunseung chuckled as he noticed the weird looks his sister was giving him.
 
"Yah ert, stop the greasy grins. Why are you so creepy today?"
 
Geurim jumped into his room to protest.
 
"That's for Kyung oppa! And you are the one who is creepy! Smiling like a love-stuck fool, and it’s so rare to see you in such a good mood, something happened right?! Tell me tell me tell me!!!"
 
"Nosy parker~"
 
Hyunseung smiled and went back to looking at his outfit in the giant sized mirror in his room. Geurim couldn't stand the suspense and reason hidden behind the smile on Hyunseung's face. She jumped on him, causing the doe-eyed to scream and quickly piggy-back her.
 
"Yah! What if you fall?!"
 
"I don't care! Now tell me, why are so happy, oppa? This is the first time in fifteen years of my life that I have seen you this happy..."
 
Geurim rested her chin on Hyunseung's shoulder. Hyunseung have a slight blush on his cheeks before replying.
 
"I think...I...kind...of...like...him..."
 
“Like who?”
 
Hyunseung rolled his eyes at his sister. She obviously knew who he was talking about and she just wanted to ask.
 
"Kyaaaaaaa~!!!"
 
Geurim screamed into Hyunseung's ear. The poor boy winched and glared at her.
 
"Omo oppa! You are like a high school girl! Pfft...! I bet Yukwon oppa and Minhyuk oppa will laugh real hard if they see how you are acting now!"
 
Geurim laughed real hard at Hyunseung. Angered by shame, Hyunseung threw his dongsaeng on his bed and started tickling her. Geurim screamed and squirmed and laughed even louder. Hearing the loud commotion, Jang umma came into the room to see what was happening.
 
"Yah yah yah! Both of you are noisy, what's happening?"
 
"She teased me!"
 
Hyunseung pouted at his umma. Geurim tried to stop laughing and looked at her umma.
 
"Oppa is like a girl! Hahaha!!!!! Umma, you have to know ab-mmm!"
 
Geurim's mouth was covered by Hyunseung.
 
"Yah!"
 
His eyes were warning her with a 'if you tell, I'm so going to kill you!' expression. And just at the same time, Hyunseung's phone rang in his back pocket. He got up from the bed to pick up the phone when he saw that the caller was Yukwon.
 
"Yoboseyo? Deh, Yukwon-ah? Wae?"
 
The two females started to panic as Hyunseung started to turn pale as the mumbles on the other line got louder.
 
“I’m going over right now.”
 
Hyunseung ended the call and searched for his keys and wallet.
 
“What happened, oppa?”
 
“Hyunseung, is every all right?”
 
Hyunseung wore his shoes and was about to leave the house.
 
“I will explain when I get back, okay? Sorry umma, I will skip dinner for tonight. I’m going DUSK now.”
 
Hyunseung hugged Geurim and kissed Jang umma on the cheek before shouting bye and running out of the house. Hyunseung took a cab to DUSK. On the way there, the conversation with Yukwon started replaying in his mind.
 
“Yoboseyo? Deh, Yukwon-ah? Wae?”
 
“Hyung-ah! Quickly come to DUSK now! Zico called Junhyung here, and told him to leave you alone. But Junhyung said he couldn’t and wouldn’t. Zico got pissed and punched him. Come and stop him now!”
 
“We are here.”
 
“D-deh? Ah, thank you ahjussi!”
 
Hyunseung paid the driver the fees and ran out of the vehicle. He ran into DUSK and saw Yukwon sitting at the bar with a really worried expression.
 
“Kwon!”
 
Yukwon perked up at the sound of his name. He got off his seat and ran towards Hyunseung.
 
“, hyung! Even Kyung couldn’t stop him! Zico said that unless he promises to leave you, he wouldn’t stop!”
 
“WHAT THE ?! Is he trying to kill Junhyung?! Where are they now?!”
 
“At the back alley!”
 
Both of them rushed towards the alley. They could hear people shouting and sounds of body collapsing onto the ground.
 
“YAH!!! STOP IT!”
 
Hyunseung shouted at the top of his voice. Minhyuk and Kyung were both trying their best to pull Zico away but he was struggling to push them off. The latter was panting with rage and Junhyung was on the ground with blood and bruises all over his face and limps.
 
“WHAT THE IS WRONG WITH YOU, WOO JIHO?! Are you insane? You want to kill him?!”
 
Zico looked at Hyunseung and back to Junhyung.
 
“I want him to leave you alone. His brother caused those faded scars on your wrists,” Hyunseung unconsciously curled his hands up to cover his wrists even when the scars are no longer there, “and his brother was the one who made you a living zombie for more than a year!”
 
“But he was the one who pulled Hyunseung up from the grave!” Kyung screamed.
 
“So what if his brother was the one who did these things to me? It is not his fault! And to get things straight, I was the one who did all these things to me!”
 
“NO! I wouldn’t let history repeat itself! I didn’t handle it well last year. I wouldn’t repeat my mistakes again!”
 
“And you think whatever you are doing now, is the right thing?! THAT THIS IS HELPING ME?!”
 
“YES!”
 
Zico struggled and pushed the two males off him. He charged towards Junhyung. The four boys ran after him too. Zico pulled Junhyung up from the ground by his collar. The poor boy was panting real hard and looked at Zico with half-lidded eyes. Zico threw his punch towards Junhyung, but it didn’t end up on him. Hyunseung had got there in time to pull and cover Junhyung, Yukwon and Minhyuk held Zico back, and Kyung stood in front of the two men to receive the punch. The punch directly landed on Kyung’s left cheek.
 
“Kyung!”
 
“Hyung!”
 
Kyung fell to the ground from the impact of the punch. Yukwon quickly picked him up. Kyung’s lip was bleeding from the cut.
 
“K-Kyung…you…”
 
Just when Kyung could balance himself up right, he used all the strength he have got and slapped Zico across the face.
 
“Are you awake now? Are you? Woo Jiho, I know you worry about Hyunseung. I know you love this hyung of yours and care about him. Don’t all of us here feel the same too? But don’t you think you went overboard this time? Yes, I know you blame yourself over what happened to him. But this is his life, Ji! I know you don’t want him to get hurt again, but he is no longer that innocent boy who thinks that no one loves him.”
 
“…”
 
“I don’t see the need for you to wallop him up till this state. And I can see that Junhyung really likes Hyunseung. And you know what, Ji? I’m really disappointed in you. I thought you are not one to use violence to solve problems. I was wrong, I guess?”
 
“…K-kyung…”
 
“No…Ji, don’t. Just go cool down and think about it before coming back in DUSK, ‘kay?”
 
Kyung looked towards the injured man and signalled Hyunseung by nudging his head towards the door to tell them to go back in. And he slowly made his way back in too. Yukwon was still helping to support him with Minhyuk letting go of Zico and running towards Hyunseung to help carry Junhyung. Zico punched the wall out of frustrations and leaned on it. He let his hand bleed, while he covered his head between his arms.
 
---
 
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”
 
Hyunseung asked Junhyung once again. The latter winched when Hyunseung pressed the bag of ice on the bruises on his face. They were all resting in the employees’ restroom.
 
“It’s nothing serious, just a few bruises and cuts from abrasion and impact with the ground. I will be fine after a few days’ rest.”
 
“You are really stupid to even show up when he invited you here.”
 
Kyung snorted, but whimpered at the next moment as his lips stung from making that move. Yukwon was applying cream on the cut at the corner of his lip. While Minhyuk brought in more ice from the bar.
 
“Kyung is right, why did you even come? You know what he will do to you.”
 
Hyunseung glared at Junhyung. Why did he come when he knew? He knows that Zico will hurt him since he already did that a few nights ago.
 
“I thought I could at least talk to him before he starts punching me. But once he saw me, I have yet to make a single sound and he started throwing punches at me.”
 
Hyunseung sighed and looked at the other dongsaengs.
 
“Why didn’t any of you stop him from contacting Junhyung?”
 
Yukwon and Minhyuk raised their hands in defence.
 
“We were…not…around them…when…”
 
All eyes went to Kyung. The said man looked around hesitating if he should be truthful. He opened and closed his mouth for a few times, and opened it again.
 
“Aish! He left me on the bed! And I was tired, all right?! I asked him who he was calling, he said he was calling Hyunseung and going to the alley to wait for him…It’s not my fault!”
 
Hyunseung rolled his eyes and sighed out loud. He messed up his hair in frustration.
 
“Yah, Hyuk-ah, bring me an empty cup and a bottle of pure whiskey.”
 
“Pure…?!”
 
“YES, HYUK. PLEASE.”
 
“D-d-deh…!”
 
Minhyuk quickly ran towards the bar to take the items. Kyung looked at Hyunseung and shook his head. Junhyung saw that and looked at Kyung with a questioning look. Kyung mouthed him, stop him, he will drink till he is drunk. Out of reflex, Junhyung winched in pain and held his head. Hyunseung looked at Junhyung, he didn’t know where to place his hands so that Junhyung will feel better.
 
“Are you all right?”
 
“The music is too loud here… Hyunseung, can we take a walk outside?”
 
“E-eh…? Outside? O-okay!”
 
Hyunseung stood up with Junhyung and held his arms. He turned to look at Kyung and Yukwon.
 
“Tell Hyuk, sorry for the trouble, I will be back for the whiskey tomorrow. And…Kyung, I think you should go outside and talk to him instead. And tell Zi, I will be back tomorrow to talk to him. He better be in a clear state of mind. And tell him to bear it in mind, I’m still his hyung. Show his respect for me even if I am always the one who is weaker.”
 
“Deh…bye Hyunseung. Take care, Junhyung.”
 
“Bye hyung.”
 
“You too, Kyung.”
 
“Let’s go.”
 
Once they were outside, Junhyung turned to look at Hyunseung. He pushed Hyunseung’s hands away and walked on his own.
 
“I’m okay. I just didn’t want you to drown your sorrows with alcohol. It’s not good for you, Seungie.”
 
Hyunseung looked down at his legs and sighed, “I’m sorry for what Zico did to you…he have always been really protective for me. I really thank him for that, but I need my freedom… I can make friends with anyone, I can protect myself now…”
 
“I don’t blame him… If I was in his shoes, I guess I would do the same things too, minus the violence part. He was right to take precaution, since I really am Yongguk’s hyung. It was also partly my fault how did things turn out this way. I should have talk to Yongguk more, and help him when he needs me…”
 
“Stop, I really don’t want anyone to be blaming themselves anymore. It’s purely my fault because I was too weak then. I took everything too heavily and end up breaking myself apart. But I’m fixed now, and by you. So I owe my life to you.”
 
Junhyung suddenly stopped walking and turned to face Hyunseung. The latter stopped too, to look at Junhyung. The taller male took Hyunseung’s hand and turned to look at the tattoo on his wrist.
 
Shadow
 
“This is the one that saved you, not me. You inked this on you. You let this pain from here,” Junhyung brushed his fingers on the tattoo, “heals the pain from here.” Junhyung pointed on Hyunseung’s heart.
 
Junhyung smiled to Hyunseung.
 
“And it’s time to realise, when I said Yongguk, you have no reaction anymore. No painful expression, no trembling, no surprised look, nothing. You passed the stage, Seungie.”
 
---
 
A/N: DENG DENG DENGGGGGGG IM FINALLY BACKKKKKKKKKKKK! Kekekeke today is the last day of exams, and…ORZ I THINK IM GOING TO FLUNK IT. UGH . Oh well. :x kekeke~ anyway, its going to jun’s bdae soon, so…yup peeps! Im preparing a bdae fic! Kekeke~ look forward to it. and i know this chp a bit boring uh...but no choice, i have to skip all the boring parts for the....WOOHOO not telling! ;p
 
For people who don’t understand wad kyung meant by
 
“Aish! He left me on the bed! And I was tired, all right?! I asked him who he was calling, he said he was calling Hyunseung and going to the alley to wait for him…It’s not my fault!”
 
My readers, you should understand wad I meant. XD kekeke! Baiyeom! :3