Next morning they woke up in a chilling temperature. Everyone helped with tending the garden and making breakfast. Afterwards Myungsoo was made to help fix a few leaky rooms and replace broken down wooden fences. It was a little after lunch that the two bade goodbye to the orphanage.  The missus gave Sungjong a thank you hug and some kimchi as souvenir. Everyone stood by the entrance gate waving goodbye as the two drove away.

Since it was early in the morning the streets are almost empty and the shops along side the road are closed.

“ From here on out it’ll probably late into the afternoon or early evening before we reached our destination.” Myungsoo said.

“ you still haven’t told me where are we going?”

“ the house where I grew up. That’s where it all started for me that’s where I want to start. Sunggyu’s probably waiting there now” Myungsoo said the words calmly but the older boy knew his hands were trembling a bit.

“ I don’t know what will happen but I’m feeling like you’re doing the right thing of facing your fears” Sungjong commented as the car took a left turn away from where most cars drove off to.

For most of the trip Sungjong was sleeping on the passenger seat. He woke up once and saw they’re driving on a road with big tall trees lining up both sides of the road.

“ Sungjong-ah, we’re here”

When the younger boy opened his eyes he felt as though time had turned back years. The car pulled in front of a house.

Then his attention went back to the person on the driver’s seat. Myungsoo looked hesitant to get out of the car.

Myungsoo’s POV

 After all this time I’m back in this place. Seems like I’m running around in circles.

I don’t have to look at the place to know nothing has change. Not even the dead looking trees and the shed looming on the side of the house. I know the window is looking down on me the house felt like it was grinning back at me and telling me “told you so”.

Going here, and on my own account makes me want to laugh. I promised never to enter this place again but…

It feels suffocating, I can feel my breathing getting irregular and…

“ hey, I’m here. It’ll be fine. You can do this”

Sungjong was looking at me, smiling. I can feel his warm firm grip on my hand.

 I was expecting him to ask if I’m okay but instead he made me hear the words I wanted to.

“ you think so?” I ask finally able to breathe normally.

“ I don’t have wimps for a friend so I’m sure”

He’s right. I’m here, this is the last part. After this everything will be over. I can’t back down now.

I took one deep breathe and opened the car door. I noticed two familiar cars parked by the side of the house near the shed. And the lights on the house lit up.

When this is over. Everything will be fine. It will… but why do I keep having this feeling that I still want to do more… this has been thought ever since I came back to Sungjong. Every time I think for a reason to stay my eyes ere drawn to him.

His smile. I was happy to see it.

When he hugged me. I don’t want to part.

Looking at him made me happy and regret my life at the same time.

Just like now. I’m staring at him and I feel everything will be fine.

He’s the person who’s seen my worst and stayed.

Sometimes I think if I really do deserve his friendship.

 It’s alright when this is all over. You will no longer bother him.

Sungjong can finally live his life.

 For so long I know there’s this voice inside me. In the past the voice had been quietly murmuring in the background, now I can hear it loud and clear.

I took Sungjong’s hand as we carried our bags to the front door.

“ here’s goes everything”

“ I’ll be here”

Hearing that made me want to hug him again but I smiled and thought I could just do it later anyways.

Thinking of ways to make him blush so I could calm myself down.

Ah da*n it now I really want to do more than just hug.

Saying out loud inside my head as I finally rang the door bell.

*end of POV

the inside of the house is bigger than it looked outside. The architect in Sungjong was not disappointed with the seemingly well crafted house. However no matter how the house was designed it did not make him more comfortable.

Entering is like going home calling out everyone’s name and no one answered. Then that eerie silence and awareness of how empty the place is started to creep in. It’s that feeling that no matter how many furniture to put in your house it will always be empty.

That feeling came into Sungjong as cold chill spreading into his skin making his hair stand on its end.

Sungjong had never stepped into an extremely dreary house like it that he thought he’s entering a haunted house. .. well he might not be wrong about that…

 It was Sunggyu himself that opened the door to them. Sungyeol was sitting by the window and made no attempt to acknowledge the people who just arrived.

“ how was your trip?” it was Myungsoo’s older brother who spoke first. The younger boy looked at his boyfriend. They were still holding hands but the older boy made no move to reply.

Myungsoo felt a gentle pressure on his hand. He made a moment to look at his partner who smiled at him with urging eyes.

“ It was fine, we stopped by some place before we went here.” the later said his voice calm.

“ Then let’s get you settled. There new room here downstairs where you can stay. I’ve arranged the caretaker to cook us dinner, we’ll call you when it’s time to eat.” Sunggyu replied making sure he doesn’t take things slow and easy.”

“ is my room still available?” Myungsoo asked to the surprised of everybody even Sungjong himself.

“ Yes.. yes the whole house. I ordered it to be cleaned when you called me yesterday.”

“ then we’ll stay there.” Myungsoo still holding the younger boy’s hand walked up the twin stairs at the middle of the room going upstairs leaving the two below looking baffled at each other.

“ My room looked so big when I was a kid. Funny it doesn’t look that way anymore.” the older boy commented as they opened the door.

“ are you sure we should stay here?” Sungjong asked.

“ yeah, I figured if I’m going to fix anything I might have to face things I fear. But it’s alright I’ve got you…. wahh the bed is so soft. I want to sleep” Myungsoo said as he threw himself on top of the bed.

“ how long are we going to stay here?”

“ after I sort this whole thing. I called him and said I wanted to finally talk and here we are. Maybe by the day after tomorrow everything will be over. This has been dragging on for so long”

“ I’m glad you wanted to finally talked to your brother. You’re doing a good job”

“ I will talk with him after dinner. For now…” Myungsoo paused to pull Sungjong unto the bed beside him, “ I need to recharge” saying as he snuggled closer to the younger boy.

“ Sungjong-ah, thank you”

...........................................................................................................IDeviant..................................................................................................

Before anything else Happy Chinese New Year! 

Spring Festival is here! this year i get to spend it with my friends. we don't meet often nowadays but when we do it's like we just parted yesterday^^ 

anyways do forgive me for the long wait. I was in a slump and work piled up. 

I've been officially diagnosed with insomia and I don't like meds so here I am as twelve and a half in the morning writing and updating. 

i hope you enjoy these chapters. if you have any questions feel free to ask or if you just want to say something some hwaiting words feel free to drop them^__________^

Story Trivia: 

the design of the house was actually first based on the ghibli animated movie " When Marnie Was There" and after i finished all the lines and explanation i realized that the houses may proved too grand and changed it to something simple from seen on the outside but still looked like an elegant house from the inside. 

If you watched Haunting in the Hill House ( or was it Hill House Hunting" the latest version of the house in this story is designed on it. feel free to check 'em if you have time.