FOUR

      Hyesung, even if annoying with this damn habit he have to always talk, is rather cool to be around. He's nice, when I stop focusing on my rage to be stuck with him, and he actually have some value for someone like me. He's some money we try to save and spend smartly, and he's a few stuffs we can sell.

For once in my long years in the street I was able to eat a real meal for three days straight, and for that I fancy Hyesung's presence.

It's not only benefits to be with someone else, mostly someone like this boy, and I'm not sure we'll manage for long this cat and mouse game around the city. If I thought people were bothering and persistent with me -with Hyesung it's worse. These dudes all notice his pretty face and wants a go at him. They all have pretty words to say and good money to show, and saving Hyesung's (and my) becomes a daily problem.

“ !” Falling on the ground after a punch, I touch the blood flowing out of my nose and look up at the guy standing there, ready to beat me more for standing between him and what he called himself some fun.

Seeing the guy move, I try to move too, but before I can go far I hear a loud grunt of pain and find Hyesung at the alley entrance with some board in hand.

“Come on !” He says hurriedly, and wasting no time I jump on my feet and ran with him away from the guy on the ground groaning in pain after being hit in the back.

“The was that ?” I say once far enough, and I can't help the smile on my lips.

“What ?” Says Hyesung in clear amusement, and I can't help chuckle at that.

“You saved my man.”

“Yeah ?” He grins and straightens up, still panting. “Looks like I'm your guardian angel then.”

I sneer and punch his arm. “Let's go.”

Hyesung laughs and follows after me. “What ? It's the third time I save you this week...”

I give him a sidelong look and say, “Who's fault I'd to fight these old dudes ?”

Hyesung looks down and scratches his head. “Yeah, well. I guess we're even then ?”

I scoff and smile, deciding to give no answer to such idiocy.

 

      Karen stares at us when we enter the diner, but she doesn't say anything as we walk to the bathroom where I eventually clean up my face. There's a bruise already forming on my cheek and it hurts, but it's nothing I can't handle. The blood's dry above my lip and I clean up the remaining traces I couldn't wipe away with my hand. My lip's busted too, and I just realize it.

Well, at least now I've matching bruises. The one from two days ago on the left side of my face's fading away slowly, but it makes me look like some troublemaker or abused kid. I rather be seen as a troublemaker than abused case. As if anyone would care anyway.

I snort at my own thoughts and get a curious look from Hyesung playing with the hand dryer on my right.

“You want to eat something ?” He asks instead of any nosy question, and I think about it.

“We're short on money.”

“Well...” The hand dryer eventually stops and I can't describe how good it is for my throbbing head. “I think we deserve some treat, don't you think ?”

I eye Hyesung through the mirror then sigh. “Okay, but nothing more than five dollars, got it ?”

He smiles and nods, happiness clear in his shinning eyes.

      I order a milkshake and Hyesung a muffin. I feel like the happiest kid on earth when Karen hands me the drink, and I don't even care about the amused look the boy's sending me. I've my milkshake, everything else is irrelevant. Karen offers us french fries with our order, and I can't help stare at her in surprise for such treat. It was never in her habit to give me free food, but a single observation's enough for me to remember how in love she's with Hyesung.

I can't help roll my eyes, but then, Hyesung's value brought us something good, which I can't regret even if I try. I'm just bothered to realize Karen never liked me that much, even if she says otherwise. She never gave me free food, or maybe she did... once. When I stumbled into the diner looking like after a nearly avoided deadly confrontation. At this time, she was nice enough to give me a free meal and caring look.

Well, she gave Hyesung free fries for no reason, which makes me think too much and glare up at her like a pouting kid. She snorts at me and smiles before waving us out.

“See you around, boys.”

“Have a good night Karen.” Says Hyesung ever so nicely, and drinking my milkshake from the straw, I glare up at his back before waving a quick goodbye and exiting the diner.

 

*
 

      Hyesung sticks with me more than any of us ever planned. Or maybe this boy planned it all, but I don't think so, and after a few weeks passed I don't think I want to get ride of him anymore. He's been useful so far (even if a great source of trouble too). I've grown attached to him and I can't deny it's better to have someone to relay on and be with than spend every days of the year fighting and dealing with this alone.

I like these moments we have together once night there and we're settled at a place for the few hours coming. I like to talk with him even if I was never talkative. With Hyesung I loosen up and enjoy joking, laughing and speaking. It feels good to feel a bit normal after being so abnormal my whole life.

Hyesung makes me feel like a real teenage boy able to have fun and spend time with a friend. Sure, the situation's nothing usual but I can do with it. I never had any real friends in my childhood and the one I had vanished the day I ran away. They were nothing special anyway so I don't miss them... but when I think about Hyesung leaving I feel this pang of sadness awaking in my chest.

“My stepfather was an . Abusive type, you know.” I say, sitting under some stairs in a building we managed to sneak into. “I put up with his until I was fourteen and got the hell outta here.”

“What about your mother ?”

I sigh and say thoughtfully, “What about her.”

Hyesung observes me and waits patiently for me to continue. I don't really know how my past got thrown on the table, but strangely enough, I don't mind talking about it with this boy. It's been anyone else I would've tell him to go himself, but when the topic about how I ended on the street came around, I didn't try to avoid it -and here we are now.

I guess such ty weather is a good opportunity to talk stuffs like that. With this heavy rain outside we've nothing to do but hide some place inside and wait for night to fall. It's too early to sleep, but it's too late to do anything much outside. So talking is certainly our last option left.

“She was nice, I guess.” Hyesung frowns at me but don't say anything. “She was never the lovely kind of mother, you know. She got me at fifteen and got dumped by my father. I never heard from him and I don't even know what he looks like. I don't care though.” I say with a shrug.

Talking about myself brings back these memories I never allow at the front of my mind. I never liked to think much about my past considering there was so little to comfort me, but after three years in the street, I can't deny the memory of a home (as ty as it was) where a bed and food were waiting is something I miss.

“She never raised a hand on me. Never stopped this bastard from doing so either, though. I guess she didn't care.”

“Do you miss her ?”

I scoff then lose this little humor passing through me. “Why would I ? She never loved me, I don't, either. I don't even remember much about her. I mean... I remember her face and all... but I don't have any memory with her.”

Hyesung doesn't say anything and I'm glad for that. He learned pretty quickly when to shut up around me, and I'm relieved he doesn't give me some bull compassion or whatnot. I don't need it. He just wanted to know about me and I told him. It doesn't make me feel any worse than I usual am, and I don't care about anyone's pity for my ty story. It's not like I was the only one anyway.

“Well, what about you ? You said your father kicked you out.” I look at him and notice this little tension in his shoulders. “You never said why, though.”

I wait patiently and silently for him to think about my question and his answer. He wouldn't answer me I wouldn't mind. He's free to do as wanted, even if after telling him about myself I'll like to know more about him. I wouldn't blame him if he wasn't ready to talk about his personal issues.

“I'm gay.”

What ? Okay, I wasn't expecting that, I mean, not like this, not so abruptly not... okay. Whatever, it's cool, I guess. I mean, it's okay with me, which wasn't with his father apparently. I don't really mind if he's gay (even if I can't help hope he doesn't have the hots for me -I wouldn't know how to deal with that), and I guess I should say something before he freaks and thinks I hate him for liking guys.

“Oh.” Really genius ! Nothing better to say than that ? You're gonna freak him away if you keep this up, just say something and let him know it's fine with you. “It's great... I mean...” Just shut up ! Please, just shut up and don't say anymore idiocy. “When did you find out ?” Here ! See when you use this brain of yours ? You can say smart and coherent things.

“Two years ago. I'd a crush on one of my classmate, and I started wondering if I was normal.”

I chuckle and I don't ing even know why. I shouldn't laugh at such moment, but I can't help it and imagining a younger Hyesung being all shy and in love is something... funny... to me. Okay ! I'll just shut up.

“Sorry.” I still say, because there's a limit to my jerkiness and rudeness.

Hyesung gives me a semblance of glare, and I'm thankful for him to be so understanding about my ty reaction.

“It's okay.” He says, sighing. “I've known worse.”

Damn ! This kid knows how to break it to me. Now I feel awful for him and I can't help wonder if he was that hurt by others for being gay. It wouldn't be surprising, but what's weird to me is how much I care and feel annoyed about it.

“How did he find out ?” I ask, needing to change the mood a bit, if I can. “Your father, I mean.”

Hyesung his lips and shifts beside me with his hands tightening around his ankles.

“It started with rumors at school. People noticed me staring at boys in the locker room and being weird.”

I frown and say, “What is that even supposed to mean ?”

He shrugs and says, “It got to my father's ears a few months ago, but I denied it and assured him I was normal. He believed me.”

Pain flashes through Hyesung's eyes and I hate to see him like that.

“Everyone at school and knowing me were aware of the rumors, and some boy started hitting on me. I didn't understand at first and got scared, but he asked to be my friend, and one things causing another... we got really close.” Hyesung takes a moment and I observe him attentively.

I can't remember seeing him that sad before, and the only time coming close to this one is this day he broke down and bawled his eyes out. But even there he didn't look that... hurt. I really don't like seeing him like that.

“My father heard from I don't even know who I was kissing a boy in the school's bathroom.” He lets a moment pass before saying, “I could've deny it again... but I didn't. I was tired of hiding and Eric made me accept who I am. I wanted to be who I really was and I thought...” Tears shine in his eyes. “I thought my parents would accept me and love me despite that.”

Silence spreads around us, the rain the only noise coming to our ears along with the passing cars splashing water on the sidewalk.

“He didn't even let me a chance to speak. He just... exploded and yelled at me all the atrocities he could think about while dragging me to the door and kicking me out of the house. I begged him to listen to me. I even apologized and tried to bargain with him, but there was no way for him to have a son and just slammed the door in my face.”

I thought my story was painful and ed up, but Hyesung's actually hurts me more than mine ever did. I can't conceive loving parents can turn like that on their child, and I can't even imagine how it must feel to be confronted to such thing -to someone you thought loved you beyond possible but turned out as the worst person you'll ever meet.

It's horrible, and I can't help feel sorry for Hyesung.

“I waited for hours at the front door. I knocked and kicked and begged my parents to forgive me and let me in, but they ignored me.”

“What about your boyfriend, I mean...” I bite my lower lip and shut up.

A ghost of a smile forms on Hyesung's lips as he says, “I went to his house, but my father knew all about him and called his parents. He was grounded and I thought his father was about to kill me when he opened the door.”

“He didn't try to get in touch with you ?”

“I tried to talk to him and sneaked around the house to his bedroom's window. He was actually waiting for me, and when he saw me he threw at me a little bag with some money and a phone. I didn't have time to talk to him that his parents burst into his room and shut the window. I heard yells and got scared so ran away.”

“Why didn't you try to call him after, what about the phone ?”

A real smile forms on Hyesung's lips this time, and I feel confused about it. “Well, I presumed you didn't remember...”

“Huh ?”

The boy chuckles and looks up at me. “Don't tell me you thought I stuck around you randomly ! I'm not that stupid.”

I don't know why I feel embarrassed, but I quickly get a hold of myself and glare at Hyesung chuckling some more.

“What do you mean ?” I say in visible annoyance doing nothing to Hyesung's amusement.

“Well... Barely ten minutes after arriving around here I was jumped. I was trying to call Eric, but some guy stole my phone and ran away with it.” I frown, wondering what all that has anything to do with me. “I ran after him, but he was too fast...” Hyesung smiles. “That's when I saw you feeding some dog hidden from anyone's eyes.”

Why the do I blush like that ? Damn, I can't even hold his gaze anymore.

“You looked so gentle while petting it and talking to it. The poor thing was so thin...”

Shut up !

“You spotted me then and stood up protectively in front of the dog. That's when I knew I could trust you.”

I scoff and play with my fingers. How the hell could this boy be such an idiot ? It's not because I was feeding and protecting a stray dog it meant I was a nice guy. He's so stupid.

“Bull.”

“Huh ?” He asks, confused.

“What told you I wasn't like this guy who stole your phone ? You can't ing trust people just because of stuffs like that ?” Am I getting angry ? Maybe, but it's not my fault. Hyesung's logic pisses me off, and thinking he could have met such wrong person makes my insides twist. “I could've been anything, I could've hurt you.”

Hyesung smiles, “You would've on the beach if you were that bad. I'm not saying I immediately believed you were a saint, it's just... I thought I could give you a chance, and I don't regret it.”

Bull ! I can't help scoff and stare in front of me.

“You're an idiot.”

“Maybe. But at least I got a pretty good friend out of it.”

it ! Why does it make me feel so weird ? Damn Hyesung, you're really a pain in the .

“Good night.” I say instead of anything else and lay on my side, back to him to put to a stop this embarrassing conversation.

---

---

Is there anyone reading this story ? xD

Well, some background revealed here, I hope you liked it ^^ I guess you guessed pretty early Hyesung was gay (or did you ? ;pp) I didn't make it a big mystery.

Minwoo's story's nothing surprising, is it ? He's the "typical" runaway with a bad childhood and not much better present (yet).

 

Thank you for reading and please, tell me what you think about this fic ^^