DONGHAE´S POV

Jailed

It´s almost time, I looked at the old watch on my wrist, I better hurry. I can´t believe I´m this excited to meet that jerk, seriously. It was night but far from being dark. It has been snowing since three days ago without stopping and the whiteness didn´t rest even at night. I slowed my pace when I had the cold tall building in my sight.

When I was getting near the prison, yes prison, I noticed a man coming out. He had a long coat and a tall hat, he was slim and graceful. It was him, it was Eunhyuk. The man took me under his wings when I was nine years old and took care of me for eight years. Now I was twenty-one, the last four years I spent at different places because Eunhyuk had been in prison. I can´t say he left me all abandoned, I did keep receiving checks and presents wherever I was, but that´s not it. I liked Eunhyuk, he was the only person that ever understood me.

“I was waiting for a boy, but a man came to pick me up instead,” he greeted me with cheesy words.

“Should I leave?” I snorted.

It was ridiculous but although Eunhyuk practically brought me up, he has never acted like my parent. At least he made sure I wouldn´t consider him one. He addressed me always politely and with honour, even when I was a small child. ´I would recommend you to go to bed´, ´Would you mind addressing me comfortably?´, ´I advise you to not touch that.´ I realised the ridiculousness of his actions only after growing up but all the more I was now comfortable with him, we were on the same level.

“Definitely not, I missed you too much to let you just leave,” he smiled. That grin, nobody could match his smile.

“I hope you learned your lesson,” I poked into his chest with my finger and felt it shake. Eunhyuk laughed.

The truth is, he could have easily escaped if he wanted when they accused him of sorcery, but he deliberately went to prison. He said he had things to do and that he needed some time alone. At first, I took it personally, but he took the time to explain to me that on the other hand, he was thinking of my safety. I didn´t understand but I knew he wouldn´t lie to me about something like that. I decided to give him those four damn years and then ask for a good explanation.

“I did,” he sighed, “you are very mad at me.” I saw him trying to read my face and see into my heart.

“That´s right,” I crossed my arms over my chest, knowing perfectly well that he was wishing for an embrace. Unexpectedly, this stern man loved being cared for. A small pat on his bony shoulders would make him beam so brightly it could be blinding. But I also missed him and I wanted my revenge.

“I am sorry, Donghae,” Eunhyuk bowed ninety degrees, his back started being covered by the white snow right away. No, not like that. I sighed.

“Come here,” I snorted and spread my arms. It took barely two seconds to the raven-haired man to hug me, he felt colder than ever and somehow smaller? Thinner? Or was it because I grew to be bigger?

“How could I even compare spending time with you and the afterlife,” he sighed into my collar. It was strange but leaning on me like this, I couldn´t see him the same way anymore. As if he was the one who became a man. Wait, what did he just say?

“Afterlife?!” I blurted out shocked, trying to pull him away and look at him.

“Yeah, I will tell you everything but first, my dear Donghae,” he raised his head and looked straight into my eyes, “I would welcome a cup of hot wine.” Some things don´t change.

I took Eunhyuk to my current home. It was on the first floor of a building standing on the town´s square. There were two more floors above and downstairs was a tavern. I had the landlady bring us dinner and a pint of hot grog. My companion was delighted.

Eunhyuk washed himself up and changed into comfortable clothes I prepared for him. I knew what he liked, and my memory proved to be right as the older man sprawled himself on an armchair, stretching his long legs toward the fireplace, holding a grail of grog in his hand. Sighing, he began poking into a plate with warm meat with a fork. I gave him the time to fill his stomach and to get a little tipsy. Eunhyuk was the secretive type, a bit of alcohol was helpful when I needed to talk to him about something serious.

“That was perfect,” he hummed, closing his mischievous eyes.

The wood in the fireplace cracked but apart from that it was completely quiet. I wasn´t even trying to hide my stare as I was watching Eunhyuk´s lean person. He had his legs crossed and had his head in the prompted hand. Like this he was lazily floating in and out of consciousness, feeling blissful and content. Maybe I should let him off today, I thought.

“Let´s have some rest,” I offered, “and we can talk tomorrow.”

“Can we?” He asked me, as always he made me feel as if I was his king or something. Not like it didn´t make me flattered.

“Yeah,” I chuckled and opened the door to his bedroom, Eunhyuk stood up from the armchair, “I waited four years, so I think I can withstand one more night.” The raven-haired man stopped in his tracks and looked into my eyes. Then his expression thawed, his pale cheeks slightly darkened with blush.

“It may sound improper,” he suddenly said, awkwardly standing