"Taekwoon."

Ravi swallowed thickly and rose from his chair, gazing wide-eyed over Jaehwan at the shadow loitering in the doorway. "I thought you were in your room." He felt his chest tighten painfully at the idea Taekwoon might have heard- understood their entire conversation. As the boy stepped into the light, Ravi could see the tears glittering in his eyes, his bottom lip trembled and his hands gripped the door so tightly that his knuckles were white. His gaze travelled slowly to Jaehwanand he made a soft noise at the back of his throat.

"So... Sorry," he mumbled before turning and disappearing once more. Ravi could hear the dull thuds of his feet on the wooden floor as he ran down the hall; then the slam of the bedroom door. He took a sharp breath and lowered his head, scowling, "Are you happy now?" 

The doctor raised his hands in front of him, palms open. "You know I did not mean any harm," he defended himself "You shouldn't read those horror stories printed in the papers- Good Hope is simply a hospital." The press was prone to overexaggerating even the most minor of instances. It was true, the asylum was not without its faults but it was foolish to believe the figures people threw around. He couldn't understand how Ravi could put stock in such things. "Please, you must see that he is not normal! I beg of you to think about this... Please."

"He is as sane as you and I," Ravi retorted, folding his arms across his chest "He needs no hospital." He kept the volume of his voice to a minimum as he feared their shouts were what had aroused Taekwoon in the first place. But he made sure he was assertive; Taekwoon was not going anywhere. "In fact," his face softened as he took his seat once more "I am going to allow him to stay here- with me." He suddenly felt very composed as he said that, almost more to himself than to Jaehwan.

Opposite, the doctor's eyes blew wide "What? For how long... Forever?"

"If he likes. He modelled for me this morning; I am going to sell the drawing and, if all goes well, that can be his way of earning his keep." The plan was forming in his head as he spoke, images of what domestic life would hold with another person inhabiting his home. He had been on his own for so long it seemed almost inconceivable that he shouldn't be alone anymore. Of course, he had offered Hakyeon lodging in the past, but she had never thought to accept. For some reason, the idea of coming home from meeting a client to find Taekwoon tending to the fire in the living room, or of buying a third chair for the table in the kitchen so they could invite Hakyeon over for lunches and dinners brought a small smile to his face. 

At hearing this, Jaehwan sighed and shook his head "Fine, do whatever you like. Just be careful, alright? I don't have many friends- I wouldn't want to see you do anything stupid." He cast his eyes downward, still feeling immensely guilty under Ravi's hard gaze "I am sorry for any worry I caused you with my suggestion. I did not mean anything but to help, I promise. Go see to your boy; I will wait."

"My... My