Kevin and Kiseop met at the estate and both just sat there. They were in the grand salon and they sat at a little table in the corner facing each other. Kevin had his hands on the table, staring at Kiseop who kept looking at his hands in his laps. Jaeseop came back from work early and stayed away to give them privacy. But he still kept an ear out. It was still silent and he was getting impatient. Would they ever talk?
Finally Kiseop looked up at Kevin through his large glasses and said. "Kevin, please forgive me"
"Kiseop, I am only here to get this over with. You don't need my forgiveness. Just move on" He sounded so cavalier and Kiseop flinched at the coldness in his voice.
"What happened between us, I deeply regret it"
"So do I" Kevin cut in, He was so cold and kept replying with disdain. Kiseop tried again but Kevin was getting annoyed now.
"Let us not waste time, Kiseop. You used to hit me, I took it like a love sick fool until I got away. You could not handle it. That is your problem not mine"
"But Kevin,,," Kiseop entreated as he made to hold Kevin's hand. That one looked at his attempted action with so much dislike, Kiseop stopped.
"Kiseop I know what you want and I will give it to you. I truly do not like seeing you like this no matter what you did to me. I forgive you. That is what you want right? My forgiveness. The problem is you never had the guts to tell your cousin what you really wanted from me and you also kept everyone thinking all this was my fault. I do not care. What I do care is you feeding Dongho with more misconceptions and it will stop as of now. I don't want you seeing or meeting with him anymore. You can tell him what you want but you will not see him again. Is that clear?"
"But Kevin, Dongho has been a source of strength to me and..."
"And like I said I do not care. That is how you reeled me in, with that helpless attitude and it was hell from there. You will not do that to my dongsaeng. Kiseop you are weak and you have a violent streak, which I am beginning to think might run in your family and I want you to stay away from me and mine"
Kiseop was quiet throughout Kevin's dictates. Kevin was breathing so hard by the time he was done. Then he stood up and asked, "Did you know I lived in this city when you moved in with Jaeseop?"
Kiseop did not answer. Kevin simply shook his head and left Kiseop still sitting, defeated.
      Kevin felt free. If he was honest with himself, he had been very nervous. He had expected screams, yells a whole fight even. But their meeting was without any fireworks, rather anticlimactic if you thought about it. He knew Jaeseop had been on the lookout, but he did not go looking for him. He was done with this family. He got in his car and drove off.
Jaeseop came downstairs and found Kiseop still in the same spot. "Is it true all he said?"
Kiseop looked up and just nodded. There were tears streaks on his face. "You still love him" Jaeseop realised
Kiseop only stared up at him. "Argh Kiseop, "Jaeseop exclaimed in disgust and went to get a drink.
"You were seeing his dongsaeng Dongho too" Jaeseop said. He was trying to take it all in after having been misinformed for so long. Jaeseop was facing the fact that his cousin had planned to use the young man all along to get Kevin back. What he wondered was how far would Kiseop have gone with the naive and innocent Dongho.
        Kevin arrived to an anxiously waiting Dongho. "How did it go?"
"It went well,"  Kevin said as he removed his jacket and Dongho kept following him wanting to know more
"Is he alright? You were not too harsh I hope. You know, he is very sensitive". The whole time he spoke Kevin just smiled as he got himself a glass of water and drank it. Then he kissed Dongho on the cheek. "I promise you, we talked and Kiseop held up well. It is over and we cleared the air. I feel unburdened and know I will sleep like a baby tonight".
And he did.
Not Jaeseop. In the privacy and silence of his room, there was so much to think about.  Dongho was like Kevin's brother and lived with him. Dongho knew Kiseop and he also knew Jaeseop had been seeing Kevin all this time, He never said a word. Instead of getting angry at Dongho for withholding so much, Jaeseop was more impressed at the young man's discretion. Then his thoughts turned to Kevin, he would not give up on Kevin. For things to work though, Kiseop could not be around and he was going to make arrangements as soon as possible for Kiseop to go see his parents. He kept replaying when he hit Kevin. Now he understood Kevin's actions. Yes, Kiseop had to go because he could not bear to see him knowing he used to hit Kevin. He loved his cousin but for their own good, it was best they seperated.