After a few more minutes which seemed like hours to Youngjae, they got down from the ride and felt that awkward air around.

Daehyun broke the silence with his calm collected voice.

“Don’t you have to go home? It’s quite late and won’t there be people worrying about you?”

Youngjae’s insides hummed in delight from listening to his voice before what he said finally clicked in. His eyes widened and his lips parted in a quiet gasp, fumbling around his pants pocket before fishing out his phone. Pressing the screen button, there in bold bright numbers reflecting into his eyes was 11.59 pm.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so late. I’m going to be in so much trouble!” Turning to Daehyun, he bowed and apologised before running ahead, not forgetting to shout out.

“We’ll meet again maybe if time permits! It’s a small world after all!”

Daehyun stared at the running boy’s back with incredulous eyes. He shook his head soon after and turned around, intending to walk back home before a thought crossed his mind.

Aish, I didn’t ask for his number.

Sighing, he bade his luck a silent goodbye and trudged home, the current burden of the clan weighing heavily on his shoulders.

Sliding his hands into his leather jacket pocket, he looked up into the night sky and not for once, prayed for signs for his Youngjae.

Anything, just anything to tell me he’s still alive. That he’s safe. That at least he was able to grow up surrounded by people who loved him. And that would be enough.

Panting heavily as he struggled to gulp down oxygen, he pushed open the front door, wincing slightly as it creaked echoingly throughout the silent hallways.

Breathing a sigh of relief after a few seconds of no reactions from anyone in the house, he walked in, turning his body to shut the door and turned back, only to bump into a wall.

A very cold and hard wall.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he grimaced in his mind at his unfortunate luck. Biting his lips in a fake bravado, he tilted his head upwards and squinted his eyes, looking straight into amused eyes on a nonchalant face.

“Sheesh Aaron, creep around me again will you. Why not give me a heart attack while you’re at it.” He grumbled, making a tiny smirk appear on the other’s face.

“Didn’t take you for the faint hearted kind at all. And I have to thank you for tricking me earlier.” Aaron childishly pouted with his grown up face, making Youngjae show signs of horror on his face, lifting his hands to swat at his face in an attempt to cover that unsightly expression.

“This is too much for me. I feel sick now.” Were Youngjae’s last words as he fled for safety to his room.

“Aish that kid…”