Yoseob's feet hit the ground harder and harder; he ran so fast that he felt like any moment he would fly. He wished that he could; fly high into the sky without a care in the world. It wasn't until Yoseob was deep inside a park that he slowed down, coming to a stop. His breathing was uneven and he felt a stitch coming on. His head was aching even more, but his eyes had stopped hurting. He sat down on the grass and remembered what had just happened. His shouting, the echo of the fry pan dropping to the floor and the realisation of what he'd done. Where the fry pan had hit his hand was pink, and tingled whenever he touched it but he'd had worse. Burying his head into his arms, he sighed. 

He no longer had the hope of forgetting the past, for he had tried so many times and failed. Bruises and marks still remained on his body, and were like a part of him. However, now he was afraid that the past was slowly eating him up, and turning him into something he didn't want to be. It was funny how things worked out; all he wanted was to get away and yet he was becoming the very thing he feared. He wanted to be normal, and live a normal life. A life with happiness, laughter and love. Love. It was something he envied the most from other people, and something which seemed the most furthurest away from him. He looked at a couple walking past, smiling and holding hands with each other. They were as close to each other as they could be and they almost seemed to be connected. He watched with amazement. How could you put so much faith and trust into another person, without being doubtful? How could you believe in someone when in just one moment they could leave you, alone in the darkness? Leaning on someone else's shoulder for support meant opening yourself up; it made you vunerable. This was why Yoseob relied on no one, and had built up so many walls around him. That way, he wouldn't be able to get more hurt than he'd already been.

Loneliness was a part of Yoseob, and he didn't mind it too badly as he had gotten used to it. The coldness of being alone was numb to his heart, and feeling empty was normal to him. But often, such as when he was watching families and couples go past he'd wonder how it felt. To be loved. 

-

No matter how hard Doojoon tried, the food stain from the fry pan would not disappear out of the carpet. Rubbing vigorously one las time, he threw the cloth into the sink and crouched down onto the floor. It had been an hour since Yoseob had stormed out of the house, and he was still worrying about him. He knew that he should've at least been a little mad at Yoseob for shouting at him when he had been trying to help but all thoughts of anger disappeared when he thought of Yoseob, his small gaunt face and hollow eyes. 

"How much does he eat a day, a piece of bread?" Doojoon murmured to himself, absent-mindedly touching his side burns. He knew that Yoseob was none of his buisness, as he hardly knew who he was but... whenever he was with Yoseob, he stopped feeling so empty, and he felt like how he had been before. Whenever Doojoon saw someone who needed help, he couldn't leave them alone afterwards until they were better. It was the same with Yoseob, or so he told himself.

Taking out his phone, he began to dial Hyunseung's phone number. "Hello?" A groggy voice asked. 

"Are you still asleep? It's the afternoon, seriously Hyunseung." Doojoon smiled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure; what do you want?" mumbled Hyunseung. 

"Are you sort of close with Yoseob? I need to ask you something about him." 

"Yoseob?" Doojoon heard Hyunseung get up. "I don't really know him, but if you want to ask something about him I would go to Junhyung."

"Could you ask Junhyung then if he could meet up with me in an hour?" Doojoon asked. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. "I have a few questions."

-

"So, you must be Doojoon." Junhyung peered at the tall handsome young man in front of him. "Hyunseung's friend?"

"Yes, it's nice to meet you." Doojoon went to shake his hand and received an iron grip back. Not someone you want on your bad side, Doojoon thought to himself. 

"Sit down, sit down." The waiter came over and they ordered some coffee. After he left, Junhyung asked, "Hyunseung told me you wanted to ask me something?"

Doojoon nodded. "It's about Yoseob."

Junhyung's eyes widened with surprise. "How do you know about Yoseob?"

"We work together."

"So you're an assistant also?" Junhyung asked, looking doubtfully at him. 

Doojoon was about to say no when he realised that Hyunseung hadn't told him that Yoseob was working at the library. So instead he lied. "Sort of. I'm just working a little while I'm here."

"How is he?" Junhyung asked concernly. 

"Well that was what I was going to ask you about... does Yoseob have some sort of tramatic history?" Doojoon asked polietely. 

"Traumatic history?" Junhyung blinked, then his eyes narrowed. "What's that got to do with you."

Instantly Doojoon realised that he had started off too quickly. "I don't mean to sound nosy it just seems that he looks very weak, and almost sick. He also seems to have symptons of-"

"Whatever Yoseob's history is has nothing to do with you." Junhyung put it bluntly. "If you don't mean to be nosy, don't ask questions about him."

"I didn't mean it that way- I'm just worried about him." Doojoon tried to explain. 

"Worried?" Junhyung laughed. "I'm heard that a lot."

"I was hoping to get closer to Yoseob but..."

"I can't tell you anything about Yoseob's history but let me tell you: don't try to get to know Yoseob. He has a wall around him and he has a reason for it. Heck, even I don't know him properly. But the people who have tried to get to know Yoseob have always ended up hurting him and I don't want that to happen. Got it?" Junhyung leaned in, hissing. 

"I honestly don't want to do anything bad to him; I just want to become friends with him." Doojoon bit him lip; even his own words sounded a little strange to him. 

"I've heard this one before. They always say they just want to be friends, and then they end up using him in some way. It's people like you; good looking, rich, and popular that try to take advantage of people like Yoseob. Play with him." Junhyung glared at him. 

"I'm telling you, it's not like that!" Doojoon told him angrily. Junhyung stared at him; maybe he had reacted too rashly. He was Hyunseung's friend afterall. However, he couldn't trust anyone with Yoseob, especially people like Doojoon. Yoseob had been hurt a lot in high-school, Junhyung remembered. Maybe even before that. 

Finally he opened his mouth again, his words sounding less harsh. "I'm sorry for accusing you like that it's just that that's what the case often is like. I'm sure you mean no harm, but I can't allow any chances. If you're worried about him, the best thing would be to stay away from him. He gets nervous around strangers." 

The more Doojoon thought about it, the more it seemed that Yoseob was not okay and what Junhyung had just said backed it up. "I'm glad Yoseob has someone like you to look over him- he is very lucky. And I appreciate that your trying to help him, but I can't do as you say. I really want to get to know Yoseob."

Junhyung was suprised when he heard this and he saw the gentle but determind look in his eyes. "Fine you do what you want," Junhyung told him with a faint smile, "but if Yoseob ever gets hurt and you're involved, there will be some serious consequences." 

"Understood." Doojoon firmly said, and there was silence as the two men took a drink from their long conversation. "If you don't mind me asking another nosy question, why aren't you asking me where Yoseob works? Aren't you curious about what he's doing?"

"I am but..." Junhyung paused, and looked out the window while stirring his coffee. "I have a feeling that he wants to be left alone, be independent or something. That silly boy, he has some strange thoughts on always being strong and independent." he shook his head with a smile.

"Have you known Yoseob since you were little?"

"No, I only got to know him in high-school. Don't tell Hyunseung, but I used to have a little crush on him. I think I was his only friend though, I'm not quite sure why. I guess high-school kids are quite vicious aren't they." Junhyung rolled his eyes.

"Not just the kids- high school is a itself." Doojoon nodded in agreement.