Chapter 18: I'm Home

“I am your mother and you will obey me!”

“And this is my house so you can leave now, bye!”

Hyunseung woke up to the sound of the door crashing shut. It had been quite a blissful evening and he was quite expecting to wake up just as gently as he had fallen asleep. He remembered feeling lightheaded to the sound of soft music. Soon after, he felt like he was being carried to the bed, and that was when he realized that Junhyung had carried him so that he could sleep comfortably.

Hyunseung was not going to lie. He was feigning sleep for quite a while. It wasn’t so difficult for someone like him whose open eyes and closed eyes made little difference, acquainting with the darkness. He felt when Junhyung brushed off strands of his hair, and even though he was already falling into sleep, he tried so hard to keep himself awake if only to hear Junhyung’s soft whispers. He felt bursting with every word, and had to take in every urge to whisper them back. And finally, that one tight hug, reassuring, as if Junhyung made a silent pact with him that they would be together no matter what. He felt like melting into his embrace – if only that was possible.

But the morning after was quite fiery, with the sound of people yelling and the violent crash of the door. Hyunseung heard Junhyung spoke in tones that he had never heard him before. He was cold, and evidently angry. And if is hearing was right, he heard that Junhyung spoke in such a tone to his own mother.

With light feet, Hyunseung felt the floor to find his slippers. With caution, he opened the door and searched for the man.

- - -

“That didn’t sound so well,”

Junhyung broke his gaze off of the floor to find his lover feeling the walls. He stood up quickly to reach out for him. It was a foreign home and he didn’t know his way around. He’s not getting hurt, not on Junhyung’s home.

“I’m sorry if we woke you up,” he said, apologetic, in a low tone that only showed he was tired of it.

Junhyung had planned a great morning. He planned to wake Hyunseung up with the smell of waffles, berries and fresh flowers that he had paid to be delivered on his door step. He mastered the art of cooking instant pancakes an hour or so before he got the right temperature of the pan. It took him about a dozen of burned and watery pancakes before getting it right. He had everything nicely set on his newly bought table-tray and he was already giggling like a school girl just imagining how Hyunseung would react. He was so happy, thinking that maybe, just maybe, they’d have their first kiss. He swore he could almost taste the maple syrup in his mouth. At least until the door bell rang and his mother came crashing in.

“It’s fine, so, um, what was it about?”

They want to send me off.

Is all he had to say. But Junhyung had seen so many Korean dramas before and knew how saying that would trigger something. Being the kind hearted person Hyunseung was, he knew he would let him go. And Junhyung cannot afford to have Hyunseung let him go. It was the least he would ever want. So he lies through his teeth, if only to give him an answer.

“They want me back home,”

“And you don’t want that?”

“This is my home, with you,”

There was nowhere else he wanted to go to, even less to come home to. He knew that the moment he agrees, he will be trapped. And the moment they become aware of him and Hyunseung, they will be separated.

Junhyung was all about taking chances. He ‘was’. He used to gamble his life away but not anymore. With Hyunseung by his side, all he ever wants is certainty, certainty that no matter what, they will be together.

- - -

“That is unacceptable, are you saying that my son is gay?! That the heir to my name will not continue my lineage?”

Shin Donggun, Yong Junhan’s right hand man saw it coming. He knew the rage the head of the Yong clan would feel once he heard it. But he had to, there was no sugar coating it and he just had to make sure that he reported every detail of it. He even saw that hard slap coming, but he knew better than to evade it.

It stung a bit but it was not like he didn’t experience it before. He knew how harsh the spouses were. They remained cold and calculating no matter what. Even with their son. Their only son. He watched as the young heir grew up. And it was no wonder how he grew to despise them. He couldn’t place him at fault in anyway. After all, he too, had been practically raised by the Yongs. He owes them his life and his education. But despite everything they have done for him, he still comes to despise them once in a while due to how they lead their people. And now, as he finds the truth behind Yong Junhyung, the only heir to the whole empire, he knows how everything will boil down.

“He is, Sir. At least, from the way I have observed them, the red haired lad is his lover.” He supplied as simply as he could. He had observed them for quite a while. He felt happy for the young man. Seeing him grow in a cold household, knowing how he was treated as he grew up – he felt pretty happy that he found happiness in life. However, he could not help but feel regretful by the fact that he will soon see it all crumble before his eyes.

“Despicable. A gold digger with great taste,” Surely, he was a man with very little empathy.

“It does not seem like it, Sir. From what we could find, he has a brother and he seems well moneyed as well. And your son is doing well with his work, too.” He tried to make peace with him, he tried to sugar coat things.

“Inspired, isn’t he,”

“Yes, it seems like they are together quite well,”

“Not for long.”

And he knew that things will start crumbling once he gave the word.

- - -

Note: Things are starting. We can say we are now at stage two. And also, I hope one chapter a week isn’t too difficult for you. I’m really sorry this is all I can afford for now. Happy December! And thank you for sticking by!