Chapter 9
Always By Your Side
The first time Lee Jinki saw Kim Kibum was a night back in May. He was really stressed out throughout the day and thought that maybe a stroll could help him. He enjoys the night lights as he walks to a park by Hangang river, just 10 minutes away from his house.
It's like the world is against him right now. Problems piling up in the company, the fact that he's a fresh transfer from overseas and many other things he needed to worry about — like his umma bugging him for marriage. He's 24 and he thinks that there's no need to rush in these things. It doesn't even matter to him whether he'll be married or not.
As he entered the deserted park, he suddenly hears a sound of someone crying. Those sobs and chokes, he can't be wrong. He immediately went to seek the source of the sound, leading him to a man. For a man, he cries too girly — he thought. He was about to leave him alone. But something inside of him tells him to help. Like he was being pulled towards the crying man.
He knows it would burn his conscience if he left the man. As a soft-hearted man he is, he approached the man.
"What does a boy like you doing here at this late at night?" It's obvious he startled the man so he introduced himself. "I'm Jinki. What's your name?"
"Kibum." He laughed as he saw how tensed the man named Kibum looked.
"Relax, Kibum. It's not like I'll hurt you." He sat beside Kibum, eyeing the stars above. "What are you doing here, Kibum? You're not a runaway, are you?" He was curious why Kibum had a big suitcase beside him.
Kibum's answer was not something Jinki had expected. "Not a runaway. But my father told me to leave. Technically, I'm homeless. You?"
"Taking a walk. Today's pretty tough." Jinki smiles. And right now, he wants to know more about Kibum. "But enough of me. Tell me more about you, Kibum."
The older learned a lot about Kibum. How imperfect his life was. Why his father told him to leave. And what are the reasons behind all these. Kibum did ask him a few things. How old he is. And other basic information needed to know him well.
He didn't even expect that by the end of the night, he'll share his house with someone. Moreover, a stranger. But it's fine. At least he knows that Kibum isn't some rebellious kid who might do something wrong whenever he's not around in the house.
Living with Kibum has its perks. No more boring weekends, empty house whenever he'll be back from work, and no more silent take-out dinners by himself. He'll go home to a very neat house, a delicious home-cooked dinner, and his favorite sight — Kibum in his pink apron.
He sometime teased Kibum about how they looked like a married couple. He'll be the hardworking husband and Kibum, his loving and beautiful wife. It's fun, teasing the younger like that. Seeing that faint blush on the younger's cheeks always makes his day complete.
But some things are inevitable.
Like how he falls more and more in love with Kibum as the day pass.
From those feline eyes he began to love to the feeling Kibum would always make him feel. The feel of being loved, needed. His past relationships never made him feel like this. And it worries him a lot. What would Kibum think if he tells him that he loves him? He would probably think he's a pedo. He knows the fact that Kibum is barely even legal.
And the thing that always make him feel uneasy was that 6 year between them.
He gave Kibum a job as his assistant since latter said he needs one. He refused at first. He convinced the younger that this is better than small part time jobs. He knows its selfish. But he wants Kibum by his side. It was one of his problems whenever he's at work. Every second, every minute of every day he'll think of Kim Kibum.
He'll be excited whenever the clock strikes 6, knowing that he'll be home in a few. He'll be sad whenever he'll have to work overtime because of too much paperworks. And his lack of secretary makes things worst. The previous one had to quit his job for unknown reasons.
He knows no one is in favor of this arrangement, hearing it from his bestfriend from the Marketing Department. But hey, he's the boss and he has the right to make decisions like hiring someone with no experience. He knows Kibum is gonna do great at this since he had helped him once before when he had to take his work home.
One thing he didn't expect was his younger brother walking in on them, with him hugging the younger because of his worries. He didn't miss that glint in the eyes of Lee Taemin. He sighed as he answered the questions thrown at him. He didn't have the chance to escape the precise observation skills of his brother. Or was it a sixth sense? It was a time he really liked to curse his brother's ability to know things without someone telling him.
Was he that obvious that Taemin knows he's in love with Kibum?
In the present time, they were in in front of Kibum's house. He held Kibum's hand, sending a subtle message that he'll always be there just like he promised. He was nervous as well. But seeing how Kibum act right now, he knows he has to be strong for him. He lead Kibum to the path that led to the front door. And he sees Kibum took a deep breath before placing a faint knock on the oak door.
They were welcomed with a tall man whom he assumes as Kibum's stepbrother, Minho. Minho smiled and hugs the air out of Kibum, mumbling how he misses his hyung so much. He knows Kibum had missed the younger too. He would always check the younger at night when he's about to sleep and he usually mumbles how much he missed his family.
As they both pulled away from the hug, Jinki then sees someone. This time, Kibum's stepmother. Tears were shed as Kibum hugged her, apologizing over and over again. She just smiles, hugging Kibum tighter and placing a small kiss on his forehead. They barely noticed Jinki's presence until Kibum introduced him.
"Minho, Umma, this is Jinki. He's the one who helped me for the past year."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kim and Minho-ssi." Jinki bowed to show his respect.
Minho bowed back, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you for helping my hyung."
"No need. If anyone was to say his thanks, it would be me. Kibum helped me a lot." Kibum blushed at the older's words.
"Come. Let's go to the living room and catch up." Kibum's umma said as she led them in.
Jinki knows that what he was fearing for the past year would come soon. The day that Kibum will leave his side. But as long as Kibum's happy, he'll always be happy.
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