Ricky's mouth fell open as he stared at the two boys. Changjo, who's hair had been black with red bangs. And had, in Ricky's opinion, been a little cute kid. If he remembered correctly, had he been shorter than Ricky. Innocent, cute, sweet and happy-go-lucky. That was what Ricky remembered of Changjo.
But before him, walked a mature and tall man with soft, brown hair. If it wasn't for the smile on his lips, Ricky wouldn't have recognized him. It hadn't been that long since they met for the first time, Ricky thought, but after a quick check, it had been a couple of months. Five. To be exact. Or maybe four?
Ricky saw how Changjo laid an arm around Chunji's neck and smiled sweetly at him. The blonde giggled and a soft blush spread over his cheeks.
Ricky raised an eyebrow. Since when did Chunji blush? And since when... did he like boys?

Those questions of his had to wait, as the two boys walked up to him. What surprised him even more, was that the one to recognize him first, was Changjo. He gaped and came to an abrupt stop.

“Hey! What happened to your face?”, Changjo asked and hurried over to Ricky and stared at him with widened eyes. He bit his lower lip and reached out his hands to touch Ricky's face.
“Oh this”, Ricky chuckled and remembered that he wasn't looking like his normal self. “It's nothing. I got into a fight I couldn't win”.
Chunji raised an eyebrow and stared with disbelief at Ricky. But he remained silent and muttered something that it wasn't the first time. But Changjo just shushed the older boy and softly cupped Ricky's face with his both hands.

“Who dare touch this pretty little face... it doesn't make any sense”, Changjo whispered and somehow, Ricky saw how hurt displayed over the boy's face. To see him like that, triggered an impulse of his to hug him.
“I'm waiting for a friend. She's helping me”, Ricky said and placed his hands on top of Changjo's and pulled them away. “Don't worry, Changjo-ssi. I'm fine”.
“Are you here with Eunhee?”, Chunji asked with a slightly happier voice and pulled Changjo closer to him. “Tell her I said hi. -Come on, Changjo. We gotta go”.
“Chunji, chill”, Changjo sighed and gave the blonde an annoyed eye. “We can't just leave Ricky alone. How stupid are you?”.
Chunji gasped, but didn't say anything. Ricky felt himself doing the same. Why would Changjo react that way to his lover? Or maybe, they weren't together, but just were close, close friends. No, that wouldn't explain his behavior either. This was going to drive Ricky insane because he wanted to know. He needed to know.

As on cue, did Eunhee walk out of the gates with a brown bag hanging down her shoulder. She had pulled her brown hair into a ponytail which made her look adorable. With the bright smile on her face, she looked more like a sun ray than a human being.

“Oh hi there”, Eunhee greeted and bowed before Changjo. “Oh! Chunji! I thought you said you were going to Seoul”.
Chunji cleared his throat and ignored her. Changjo gave her a small bow. “You're Ricky's friend? Who's suppose to take care of him?”.
She nodded and gave Ricky a small smile. There was no doubt that she didn't hear the hostility in Changjo's voice.
“Wae-yo?”.
“Well, obviously, Ricky needs to go to the hospital. What's he doing here?”.
“Yah. Don't talk like Ricky's not here, because he is. And as far as I'm concerned, what Ricky does and don't do, is non of your goddamn business. And you are in no position to speak informally to me, punk”, Eunhee sneered, her good mood gone with the wind.
Ricky squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed her arm. “Hee-ah, he didn't mean it like that... -And Changjo-ah, I said not to worry. I am fine. Really. My face is a little demolished right now, that's all”.
“See that, Jojo? He's fine. Eunhee will take good care of him. And I'm sure L.Joe will too”, Chunji said in a weak attempt to calm the boy down. Changjo didn't bulge; it was as if Chunji at that moment didn't exist.
“What kind of “friend” are you?”, Changjo sneered angrily and gripped Ricky's hand. “Come on Ricky, we're going to the hospital. Whether you like it or not”.

The next hour, were the two boys walking out of the hospital, Ricky with a small patch on his eyebrow and an ointment to put on before he goes to sleep. Changjo had demanded the doctor to make a thorough check up on Ricky. Though it was only his face that had been damaged the most. The ribs were unbroken and his head was doing alright. No concussion of the brain or anything like that.
Changjo held the little plastic bag with the ointment and description in one hand and Ricky's hand in the other. He had said that just in case the doctor had missed something, he would hold Ricky's hand, just in case he suddenly fell or fainted. It was a lame excuse, Ricky thought, but he didn't say anything. The warmth from Changjo's hand felt nice and with the boy close, he felt happier.

“Changjo-ssi. Thank you”, Ricky said as they walked down the steps.
“Hey, drop the formalities already”, Changjo replied playfully and smiled cutely at Ricky. “And you're welcome. Next time, call me right away. I will run to you and beat those punks up. Like this!”. With that, did he let go of Ricky's hand and threw a fist in the air.
Ricky chuckled at the goofy boy. “Pabo...”.
“No really, I will”, Changjo said with a serious tone and took Ricky's hand. “Anyone who dare hurt our lovely Ricky will die by my hands”.

That conversation ended smoothly as Ricky's phone vibrated in his pocket. He muttered an excuse and took out the phone from his pocket. He slid his thumb over the screen and answered with a low “Yoboseo”.
“Jagi-ya~”, said a soft, loving voice that Ricky was far too familiar with. “I heard you slept over at your grandma's. You totally stood me out yesterday”.
A lump filled Ricky's throat and he cleared his throat in an attempt to get rid of it. “S-sorry”.
L.Joe chuckled on the other line, the soft clang that made Ricky's heart flutter. “Don't apologize, I'm not angry! What are you up to, jagi-ya~?”.
“Oh. That. I'm uh... at my grandma's”, Ricky lied and squeezed his eyes shut and placed his free hand on top of his forehead.
“Jinja? Then... should I come over?”, L.Joe asked sweetly and chuckled. “Aish, what's with the voice...”.
“No”, Ricky said abrubtly. “I mean. I uh, want to spend some time alone with her. We haven't really been on good terms before, and now that we are, I kind of... want that to last”.
He could imagine L.Joe's happy face turn emotionless, and that he forced a smile. He always did that when Ricky couldn't play with him. Not that that would matter, he would find a way for them to hang out anyway.
“Arraseo... call me later?”, L.Joe suggested, with his normal, soft voice. “Bye”.

Ricky locked his phone and put it back in his pocket. He bit his lip and heard Changjo clear his throat. He glanced up at the taller boy and noticed surprise and disbelief over his face.

“Why'd you lie?”, he asked coldly.
Ricky in some air before explaining. “Because... he'd freak out. He'd ask questions that I don't want him to know the answers of. I can talk to him about everything, I know I can. But there are some things that... I just can't. Things he wouldn't understand”.
Changjo wasn't impressed. “That's bull, Ricky. If you love him, and he loves you, which I'm 100% sure he is, he will understand. He's been through a lot too”.
“I know”, Ricky whined and felt hurt by the boy's harsch words. Even the tone of his had been mean.
“Look... I don't like people who lies. And if you are one to do that, then I don't want to be your friend anymore”, Changjo said boldly and let go of Ricky's hand. “I really thought you were different”.
“Changjo-ah”, Ricky whispered and desperately grabbed the boy's arm. He didn't know why he did that, he had obviously no intention of being friends with him anymore. “Don't go. Please”.
“Why?”.
Ricky didn't know that either. He really liked the boy's company. He liked how he made him smile. He couldn't exactly say that to him though, that'd be weird. Maybe, it was his way of making sure the boy wouldn't run to L.Joe and tell him what had happened to him? Yes, that must be it, Ricky thought and gulped.

“I... I'll tell you everything, I promise. Just please”, Ricky began and felt tears form his eyes. “Please Changjo-ah, don't go”.

 

Don't misunderstand! Ricky needs a friend now that Baekhyun left for Seoul! ..............or?
I'm sorry for the short chapter... and the wait! I was going through ideas for a new fic...
or something. Well, actually I was thinking of making a sequel to this one. but maybe I shouldn't?