Ch. 11
Protecting YouIt's double update. Make sure you read the previous chap.
Enjoy!
~Protecting You~
[Youngjae's POV]
Jaebum hyung piggy back me for a while. We walked around school building which I never reached. I found myself enjoying this moment with him and how my mind and heart were easier by the time. Jaebum hyung hummed a song of love that I loved to sing.
“Your voice is good, hyung.” I commented, leaned more to him. He hopped me a bit to reposition me.
“Glad you like my voice.” He said slyly. He kept walking and walking.
“H-hyung? Where are we… going?” I asked in amused because I never been in this spot of school before.
“We are heading to… here.” He said, as we reached at the other side of the field. He carefully put me down.
“Welcome to my heavenly tree, baby~” he chimed happily. I looked around. We were far away from the school building, but just across the football field. It’s a bit hideous place with a very big tree stood there. It’s a good place and peaceful. I looked at the tree in awe, staring at it a bit longer.
“Do you like being here?” Jaebum hyung wrapped his arms around my waist, back hugging me.
“You often come here?” I asked, forgetting about all as I found this place so nostalgic. I felt Jaebum hyung nodded.
“This tree…” I mumbled.
“What about the tree, baby?” he asked, releasing his embrace around me as he stood beside me, keeping one of his arm on my shoulder. I kept looking at the tree before turning my head to look at a handsome black haired boy beside me.
“It reminds me of my home and my parents. I used to have this similar tree back then, at the garden behind my home.” I explained.
“Shall we sit? So you can tell me more about it?” he kindly took my hand. I followed him to sit under the tree. As I was about to sit beside him, he pulled me to sit in front of him as his arms wrapped around me. I found myself leaned in back to his chest. Jaebum hyung played with my fingers.
“So, tell me about yourself, baby~” he asked. I chuckled a bit before turning my head to look at his eager face.
“We were a happy family. Dad worked as an accountant in a company. One that Taecyeon hyung’s parents own. So, I knew him from before, hyung. My mom was a typical mother. She didn’t work instead always stay at home with me. We always went to a vacation every weekend. I really love them, still I do. And they also loved me. I knew it.
Once in a month, my mom always brought me to orphanage. The one that I lived now. She said that she wanted me to learn how to treat people and that not all people like me, having a perfect family. She also wanted me to learn about happiness from the children there. I never knew that a months after our last visit, I would be the of the children who lived there.” I paused, taking a deep breath.
“And… Taecyeon? What about him?”
“We always played around together because daddy and his father were close. Ever since I was little, I always help Taecyeon hyung with his homework. Until one day, aunty, his mother found out about it and she was angry with him. And he was angry with me. He got short temper just like you, hyung…” I briefly turned my head. Jaebum hyung pouted, shaking his head, “We are different.” He said.
“Yes, you are different.” I smiled assuring him.
“And?”
“And… He never talked to me again. But, we used to go to the same elementary school. At that time, I lost all of my friends because of him. He threatened them to stay away from me. I often cried because of him, but I never told mommy and daddy about it. I kept it alone. Until one day, when my parents died and I lived in the orphanage, he made fun of me. I fought him. Yes, hyung… I could fight at that time…” I said, hearing him gasped in amused.
“So?”
“So, his mother found it out and changed his school because maybe his mother thought that his son had made bad reputation for his parents there. I never met him again since then. I met him again when I was in Junior High School. I walked around with my step parents in Myungdong and he saw us. I still remembered what he said at that time, ‘Got a new parents, huh? You got the poor one.’ Hearing this from him, I knew that he never forgive me for what happened in elementary school.”
“That’s so childish.” Jaebum hyung commented. I shrugged my shoulder.
“Just then, I never met him again until I entered this school. For the first day in this school, Taecyeon hyung told me that he saw my step parents robbed a bank. And that they were a criminal. He threatened me with this information to back to his old habit, making me did his homework. I thought at first, it was only him, but the next day, he brought his friends too.” I told him. Jaebum hyung shifted a bit so I could lean in more comfortable.
“You know, Jae… when you disappeared, he came to me, asking about you… after that bathroom incident. He said that he wanted to apologize to you, but I didn’t know whether he was joking or serious. He looked serious though.”
“He was serious, hyung.”
“Huh?”
I took a deep sigh as I turned my body so I faced him, “He apologized to me just now. And… and…”
“And what?” He took my hands, encouraging me.
“He confessed to me.” I softly said.
“Oh.” Was his reaction.
“I never told you before, hyung… but, I want to be honest with you. When I told you in the hospital that he almost me, that he kissed me… it’s true… but, what made me scared the most was his words, hyung. He… h-he was drunk. And he confessed to me that he loved me since elementary school. And he kissed me.” I told him the full story.
I got no reaction from Jaebum hyung which was scared me so much, “H-hyuung?”
He looked at me deeply. I felt little under his gaze. “And then? I feel like you still hide something from me. The days you were disappear, where have you been? Could you tell me? And also, I don’t understand why Chansung always called you like you are such a e or something. I am sorry, baby. I don’t mean any harm. I just want to know. Because, when I think about it… just a kiss with Taecyeon wouldn’t make him and his gang called you that.” Jaebum hyung told me all of things in his mind. Yes, I left him in the dark, just because I didn’t want him to worry about me and…
I took a deep sigh. “I know you will question it someday. And I know that I should tell you sooner. I am sorry. I cared more about how you will react and how I was scared you would leave me.” I said, lowering my head.
He took my chin and made me look at him in the eyes, “I already made a promise to protect you and to be with you. You can tell me anything, Jae. you trust me, right? You are with me. We are together. Hm?” he assured me. I searched for a slight lie in his eyes and found nothing except sincerity and honesty.
I nodded slowly, “I am with you. I trust you.”
“So?”
“You know that I had trouble paying monthly rent for the apartment, right? I used all my money in Jaemin while he was sick, hyung. The landlord gave me three days to pay it. All of this situation, rent, Jaemin’s sick, and Taecyeon hyung’s confession got me crazy. I really didn’t know what I should do. my payment in the café wasn’t enough to cover the rent. So, I looked up for another job where I could get money in less than three days.
I got the job, hyung. In a bar, down street from here. I got a job as the singer there and they would pay me weekly. So, I told the landlord to give me more times until my payment day. I thought everything was good, until one night, on my third day… Chansung hyung and his friends came to the bar. I never got the chance to explain the situation to him because he saw me when a man flirted with me on the stage. That’s why he called me…” I couldn’t speak the word, but I knew Jaebum hyung knew what I tried to say.
“WHAT?! A man? Flirting?!” I could feel he surpressed his anger.
I nodded, “I got my reflex at that time. I shoved the man and he was furious at me. chansung hyung only laughed at me more when the manager came shouting at me and fired me. So, I got nothing. That’s why… I felt so scared and embarrassed to go to school again, moreover to face you, hyung. I felt disgusted by myself. But, really… I only did it because I really need money which in the end I didn’t get. Such an irony, right?” I laughed to myself for being a fool.
“Youngjae…” he called me. I still couldn’t look up to see him.
“I am sorry… I never knew you experience such a bad thing. I am sorry… I didn’t protect you right. How come you bottle up all of your miserable alone, Jae? You should learn how to share your problems with me… I should know better about you… I am sorry.” He sincerely said. His words got me lift my head.
“No, hyung. You are no wrong. It’s me. I was a coward. I couldn’t face you. I couldn’t bring myself to talk to you when you really want to protect me. my fear of losing you was bigger than anything, hyung. I kept thinking that maybe you finally realized that I was no one to you and you would disgust with me, and decided to leave me alone. I was so scare you will leave me because you are my very first friend after all of this time. I never had friend before, hyung. I am sorry. I should understand it that you won’t leave me even though I tell you this. I am sorry, hyung. I just… I just scared so much… I am afraid you will leave me.” I got tears in my eyes. Jaebum hyung scooted closer to hug me, patting my back.
“Ssshh… It’s okay. We are okay now. I got you now. Just promise me, Jae… you will tell me everything. Don’t ever bottle up your problems by yourself. You got me. You got Junior, Jackson, Mark, Bambam, and Yugyeom. All of them care about you.”
“I don’t know. They looked like they still upset with me because… because of me you fell ill.” I said, couldn’t hide my sadness again.
“No. I already told them. They are good. We are good. Okay?”
I nodded, “I am sorry, hyung. I really am.” I said, wipping my tears. He took my hands and stared at me deeply, “No more tears, okay? Promise?” I nodded.
“Now, smile.” He said. Slowly, I curved my lips to form an awkward smile.
“No. No. Give me your best smile, baby~” he asked. I smiled to him and he suddenly peck my lips, “That’s my boy.” He happily said.
“Oh, right. About Taecyeon… What did he said just now?” he asked in different tone.
“Huh?” It got me nervous again.
“W-what he said just now, Jae?” He asked, somewhat demanding and impatient. “Tell me honestly. I know when you lie.”
"I... I've told y-you, hyung..." I nervously mumbled.
"Not the full story." he argued.
I let a sigh, “H-he said that h-he was sorry and… and he l-loved me… and… i-if I c-could forgive h-him.” I stuttered under his intense gaze. Jaebum hyung gasped. I couldn’t tell his expression.
“And what did you say?” he asked again. I could sense an impatient tone in his voice.
“I… I… said t-that I l-love another person. And that person is you. And that I… I am with you now. I never feel anything to him, hyung.” I found myself explained to him as if I didn’t I would lose him forever. And if that happened, that’s another nightmare.
I looked up nervously at Jaebum hyung. Magically, Jaebum hyung got his smile back, “Right. You are being honest.” He said. I felt like he saw me thru my body and soul.
“I hate that you can read me so easily.” I mumbled nervously. He let a chuckle, caressing my right cheek with his left hand. He smiled at me again and I could see that he looked at my lips. I let a nervous laugh as he leaned closer to me.
“Of course. You are with me, Youngjae. You are mine. No one can read you as good as I am. And no one can touch you except me. And I love you so much.” He lastly said before closing the gap between our lips. I moved in sync with him. We kissed for a while until we interrupted by principle’s voice again.
“Errrmmm… I think I have warned both of you about kissing in this school.” He said. We both looked at him in amused.
“D-dad?”
“S-sir?” we both stuttered out as we were surprised by his sudden presence.
“It’s break time, boys. Better you eat something good for your body than eating each other faces.” He commented in playful tone as he began walked away. I fet dumbfounded, was he joking just now? He sounded so different from before… I wonder…
He turned to us again, “Oh, Youngjae-ah… I would like to invite you to my house for dinner tonight. Better take your brother too.” He said before walking away again.
We both abruptly stood up and walked behind him, “S-sir? A-are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What for, Dad?”
“I should get closer to my son’s boyfriend, right? Beside, your mom keep nagging at me.” he said.
“Huh?” I felt lost now. Dinner with principle family? Although I am happy as I felt the tension in Jaebum hyung’s family was gone, but dinner?
“I gotta go, boys. See you tonight!” he said again as a car parked in front of us and the principle got in.
Jaebum hyung chuckled beside me, “I got my daddy’s back.” He simply said.
I turned to look at him, “H-hyung?” I gulped, somehow scared about the idea of meeting Jaebum hyung’s parents.
“It’s gonna be okay. They love me so much to hurt you, baby. Don’t worry.” Jaebum hyung assured me without I asked. I guessed we began to develop some kind emotion where we understand each other without words.
“Let’s eat. I am starving.” Jaebum hyung took my hand and lead me the way to the crowded cafeteria.
On the way, I pinched myself and realized that it’s not a dream. But, I felt a sting in my heart as I hadn’t told Jaebum hyung about my choice. I just said it tonight to principle. I hoped he wouldn’t be too surprised. I took a deep sigh and muttering a “It’s okay, Youngjae-ah…” as I felt Jaebum hyung tightened his hold. Maybe… just maybe… a miracle would come tonight.
~^^~
I want to make fast progress with the story because I'll be away for more than two weeks.
Thank you for leaving comments. I really really appreciated it!
Thank you and hope to see you soon, again ^O^~
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