the weather seemed to describe how hongbin was feeling exactly: cold and dark. his mind was filled with horrible thoughts of the recent events. he couldn't stop thinking about that look he got when he was swinging his hand and hitting his face. everything seemed to be bursting at the seams, except something was stopping it from doing so. hongbin couldn't escape, though he wanted to.

he figured he could leave if he chose to. but he was stupid. he chose to stay.

hakyeon told him what an idiot he was being. his harsh words weren't unfamilar. hongbin knew he was right. he knew he was in the wrong place, chose the wrong guy, acted stupidly to even begin with, but when the words "i love you" were spoken to him, just him, he melted and chose the wrong path.

the wrong path at times shifted and suddenly, hongbin thought he was going down the right one for the first time in forever. he'd smile and clutch the shirt of his loved one as they held each other close, but alcohol got in the way and he stumbled down the roadway he'd been travelling on for a while. most of his nights were tear filled and empty. no one was there to comfort him. the one who he wanted to do so was no where to be found. usually out drinking with friends hongbin didn't even know. someone named jaehwan. hakyeon said he met him once at uni. 

hakyeon.

he was the only one who pulled hongbin out of the ditch he fell into, purposely or not. hakyeon treated him like a human should, but that's what best friends are supposed to do. hongbin met hakyeon in his writing class. he'd been lucky enough to find himself next to the tan boy and they immediately hit it off. that was two years before hongbin met him. hakyeon always muttered under his breath that he was no good when he saw hongbin and the other together. nevertheless, every time hongbin was approached, he'd use the same excuse.

"but i love him, hakyeon-hyung!"

"he's up to no good. you two shouldn't hang out." 

hongbin knew hakyeon was just looking out for him, but when someone is in love, they are blinded to the bad things that come with people. the day hongbin was asked out was bitter-sweet. hongbin was over-joyed, but hakyeon knew better.

"congrats, buddy. i hope it works out well."

it didn't.

 

it was a sunny day when hakyeon found out the truth that hongbin had been hiding from him. hongbin came into the university in long jeans and a sweater, something no one even thought of wearing in the weather they were having. hakyeon made a joke about the outfit, but hongbin flinched at it. he laughed, but it was a forced laugh and hakyeon knew something was up. hongbin wouldn't tell him, not matter how hard he pushed. 

the last school bell rung and hongbin hurried out. he had to be back at the apartment soon or he'd be in trouble.

"hongbin, wait up!" hakyeon's voice cut through the air. hongbin froze. oh no. knowing hakyeon, this would take more time than hongbin had. hakyeon caught up to him quickly and grabbed his arm, which made hongbin wince in pain. hakyeon stopped and looked at him. "are you okay? you can tell me what happened. if it's that -hole boyfriend of yours, i'll beat him up for you." hakyeon said, his eyes meeting hongbin's and it was the truth. 

oh, the irony.

"i-it's nothing. don't worry. i need to go, though. i'm sorry." hongbin tried to get out of there, but hakyeon wouldn't have it.

"tell me, hongbin." his voice was harsher than usual, but it was laced with worry. hongbin sighed and took a glance at his arm, which was covered by the black sweater. hakyeon caught this. he pulled hongbin closer and pushed the sleeve up. hongbin bit his lip, knowing what was coming. hakyeon's gasp told him he saw what littered his arms.

bruises. lots of them.

"who did this?" hakyeon demanded. hongbin stayed silent. "WHO THE HELL DID THIS?" hongbin felt like he shrunk ten sizes, even if hakyeon was shorter than he. hongbin opened his mouth but no words flowed from them. his eyes began to water and he knew he was close to exploding, telling hakyeon everything. instead he lied.

"i fell in the shower. it's nothing. i'm sorry." hongbin pulled away and began running. hakyeon stayed in his place. he knew his friend was lying. there was no hiding that.

 

"you're late."

"i'm sorry. i ran into a friend and--"

"whatever. i'm going out. don't wait up for me."

"okay."

 

it was the knock on the door that dragged hongbin from his sleep. the clock said seven o'clock but it felt later. who could it be? when the door was open, hakyeon was standing there, a worried expression written on his face. hongbin could only think, oh. he wanted it to be his boyfriend.

"his car isn't here." was the first thing hakyeon said. hongbin nodded.

"he's not here." his voice was quiet and scared.

"good." hakyeon pushed his way in. usually, hakyeon didn't come over, since it wasn't much allowed. normally, hongbin would go over to his place if he needed something. hongbin would lie and say it was for school, when it was almost always to cry. hakyeon never knew it was because of the man hongbin was dating. when seeing the bruises on hongbin's arms, hakyeon just then figured that it probably was. 

by now, hongbin's sweater was off. he didn't need to hide the injuries from the person who caused them. he wasn't expecting hakyeon to show up, so he didn't even think to grab the sweater again. hakyeon's eyes wandered to hongbin's arms. the older's eyebrows furrowed and he took hongbin's arm gently, lifting it up to look at it. hongbin wasn't used to this kind of touch. the touches he got were hard and filled with something close to hate, even if words like "i love you" were spoken. 

hakyeon didn't say anything as he brought hongbin to the bathroom, making him sit down on the side of the bath tub and rummaging through the medicine cabinet for neosporin. he quickly found it and took care of all the throbbing bruises on hongbin's arm. hongbin watched as his friend carefully took care of him, treating him sweeter than he was ever used to. 

when done, hongbin and hakyeon found themselve in the kitchen. hakyeon was quietly cooking some dinner for the both of them.

"will you tell me what happened?" hakyeon asked, his back turned to hongbin as he cooked the food.

"i... shouldn't." hongbin muttered. he took a second before he continued on. "i must've said something wrong last night, because next thing i knew, punches were coming at me. i tried to block the blows with my arms, but they kept coming. that's why my arms are all beat up." hongbin confessed. hakyeon had turned and was staring at him with wide eyes. 

"taekwoon... he did that...?" hakyeon spluttered out. he wasn't exactly shocked about the fact it was because of taekwoon, but more of the fact that hongbin never told him.

hakyeon took hongbin into his arms, whispering into his ear, "i'll protect you, hongbin. i won't let him hurt you anymore. i'm sorry it took so long. i'm sorry."