“This is where we can get our fortunes told right?” A group of three high school students asked, beaming with nervous excitement.

“It certainly is.” Woohyun shot them a charming smile, making them all blush. “Come sit.” He gestured to the round reading table.

After making sure, he had received the appropriate payment, he shuffled his trusty deck.

“Ah! Look at this…” Woohyun pointed to the nine of clubs. “It looks like you’ll have an admirer in your future.” He told the girl who was sitting down and the girls standing around her squealed excitedly.

“Woohyun-ah…” Sunggyu wandered in from the other room, lazily running a hand through his wet, freshly showered hair. “I’m hungry…”

The girls immediately froze, when they spotted the new face. After Sunggyu had begun living with Woohyun, obviously he got a chance to clean himself up, shave, cut his hair, and wear some decent clothes. And Woohyun had to admit, Sunggyu cleans up quite nicely. His black hair framed his eyes nicely now, and he actually had fresh clothes on—though they were Woohyun’s so they didn’t fit him as well as they should, and were a little on the tight side.

“C-Could the future be now?” One of the girls nudged the one sitting down, sending the whole group into an excited flurry once again.

“Hyung, I’ll cook something later, ok?” Woohyun attempted to send the elder a signal with his eyes. “I’m with a customer.” Sunggyu pouted slightly and rubbed his tummy before making his way into the back again.

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

Living together with Sunggyu was not bad for Woohyun, and actually he rather enjoyed the company. After all, he was someone who liked to talk and Sunggyu was a good listener. Though sometimes he couldn’t tell if Sunggyu was actually listening or if he was just sleeping.

And Woohyun found that he always managed to sleep through the night when he was in Sunggyu’s arms. He was more than a little unnerved by that fact, though. But it wasn’t like they could do anything about it, since the couch was the only place to sleep in the confined space.

After the incident with Woobin and his scary hired help, Woohyun continued with his business, but at the same time attempted to seek out something a little more…on the legal side of the spectrum.

Sunggyu had managed to obtain a job as…well Woohyun didn’t really know. All he did know was that Sunggyu disappears somewhere during the daytime, and comes back in the afternoon, or at the latest sunset.

He tried to ask Sunggyu about it on many occasions, but the elder had assured him he was just working at a normal minimum wage job.

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

One Sunday afternoon, Woohyun and Sunggyu were leaving the grocery store, with the ingredients needed for dinner. Woohyun stopped when he spotted some breaking news playing on the huge screen perched in front of the many skyscrapers cluttering the city.

“Yes, its been reported that Lee Woobin-sshi of K corp. has been fired on charges of money laundering, and has been seen making associations with one of the most violent gangs in the city. And further—.”

“That guy! Woobin!” Woohyun pointed to the screen. “Hyung, he got arrested.”

“Looks like it.” Sunggyu nodded, subtly scanning the plastic bag Woohyun was holding in search of a snack.

“But how did that…I mean I guess it was karma.” Woohyun smirked smugly. “Heh, bastard got what he deserved!”

“We did buy those barbeque chips didn’t we?” Sunggyu questioned, clearly having more important things on his mind.

“I wonder how the police found out about it though…” Woohyun pursed his lips, mulling it over. “I hope they didn’t find out about me…since they found out Woobin was dealing with gangs, and I’m pretty sure those scary guys that beat me up that time, were gang related and—.” He froze when he felt Sunggyu’s cold fingers brush his own. He stared up at the elder. “W-What are you—?”

“Uh sorry.” Sunggyu retracted his hand. He was honestly just reaching for the chips which were in the bag Woohyun was clutching onto rather tightly.

Woohyun pouted slightly. “Hyung, were you even listening to me?”

“Of course I was!” Sunggyu protested.

“Liar, you’re just saying that so I’ll give you a snack!” Woohyun grinned and slung an arm around Sunggyu’s shoulder as they walked.

Sunggyu’s lips curved slightly upwards, as he glanced at Woohyun. “Is it that obvious?”

“Well today was a pretty good day, so I’ll make you anything you want hyung.” Woohyun announced. “So what’ll it be?”

“Mm…meat.” Sunggyu’s tiny eyes glowed.

“Nope, too expensive.”

“Then why’d you even ask?” Sunggyu pouted, but Woohyun just chuckled in response.

They didn’t even realize someone lurking but a few feet away from them. A brawly fellow his stubble and grinned creepily as he watched the two, specifically Woohyun.

The man smirked. “Found him…”

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

Sunggyu barely budged when Woohyun plopped down right on top of him on the good ole lumpy sofa. It was late, and Sunggyu was half asleep anyways since he was exhausted from a long day of work. He absently ran his fingers through the younger man’s hair.

“I should tell him about it…” Sunggyu thought, when Woohyun suddenly lifted his head to meet Sunggyu’s eyes.

“Hyung,” Woohyun was wearing a serious expression.

“Yeah?”

“Where do you work?” Sunggyu gulped, taken off guard at how Woohyun had managed to read his mind. “I wish you would tell me…”

“Uh,” Sunggyu bit his lip, eyes wandering to the side.

“Keeping things to yourself like that…to me that’s the worst thing.” Woohyun murmured, “And before you said you got those scars from your previous work place. What kind of employer…would do that to you?”

“I-I don’t want to talk about that right now.” Sunggyu swiftly sat up, causing Woohyun to fall forward slightly.

“But hyung,” Woohyun eyed Sunggyu, full of concern as he leaned forward. He absently placed his hand on what he thought was Sunggyu’s thigh.

It wasn’t.

Sunggyu gasped slightly at the contact and his cheeks went red.

“W-Woohyun—!”

“Hyung, please tell me.” Woohyun remained oblivious however, as he was fully concentrated on getting the truth out of Sunggyu. He shifted slightly, and his hand accidentally tightened its hold on Sunggyu’s crotch. He leaned closer to Sunggyu’s face, mesmerized by the older male’s flustered expression. “…What’s wrong?”

“Ahh…W-Woohyun…” Sunggyu’s voice was a breathy whisper, as he gripped onto Woohyun’s wrist. Woohyun looked down, and finally realized what his own hand was grabbing on to. His face heated up in an instant, and he immediately backed away, still staring at Sunggyu with wide eyes.

“S-Sorry!” Woohyun blurted out, his cheeks burning with color. “I-I didn’t—.”

“C-Can you give me some time…alone?” Sunggyu averted his eyes, extremely embarrassed by the bulge in his pants.

“Oh r-right!” Woohyun instantly got up. “Uh, d-do you need some help or—?” He immediately realized what it sounded like he was implying and became even more flustered if that was even possible. Sunggyu merely stared up at him with shocked eyes. “W-Wait no!” Woohyun held his hands up in front of him. “T-That’s not what I—.” He whimpered slightly, covering his mouth with his hand. “I-I’ll be outside!”

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

“I can’t believe I did that…” Woohyun thought to himself as he wandered down the block, letting the chilly night air nip at his nose. He dug his numb fingers into the pockets of his jacket, as he attempted to settle his mind. “I-It was just an accident…” He assured himself. “Besides Gyu hyung is a guy…a-and what would Boohyun hyung think?” Woohyun glanced up at the evening sky, studying the stars that twinkled mysteriously, as if trying to tell him a secret.

He remembered one night, a few days after Sunggyu had moved in with him.

It was after dinner, and Sunggyu had disappeared somewhere. Woohyun got so scared that he had left him, and searched everywhere for him. However he didn’t expect Sunggyu to be sitting up on the rooftop of his house, his legs dangling through the gaps of the balcony’s metal bars.

“You must really like rooftops or something…” Woohyun huffed, more than a little annoyed that he had searched everywhere for the older man. And all this time he was right above him.

Sunggyu turned to him with a slightly nervous glance. “No actually, I-I’m not really good with heights…”

“What?” Woohyun blinked. “Then what are you—?”

“Jiho…”

Woohyun sighed and sat down beside Sunggyu. Jiho was Sunggyu’s cousin that had died.

“He liked being up high?” Woohyun asked.

“No…but he had some weird fascination with the sky…” Sunggyu murmured fondly, and Woohyun smiled. He noticed the way Sunggyu’s eyes always lit up when he talked about Jiho. Sunggyu turned to Woohyun, with a humored grin. “He always used to try and find the best place to see the stars, the sunrise, sunset, all of it. When we were little he always used to climb too high in the trees and get too scared to come down.”

“…You really loved him didn’t you?” Woohyun gripped onto the bars, his eyes still on Sunggyu.

“He was a weirdo…” Woohyun could tell the reply was Sunggyu’s way of showing affection, so he just chuckled softly and gazed up at the sky.

“In all the time I’ve lived here…I’ve never thought to come up here.” Woohyun sighed. “I don’t know how I even lived my life up until now…I guess I didn’t think about things like that. My own life…was not something that I really cared much about…Boohyun hyung…I just wanted him to be alive again. After he died…I guess I kind of died too.”

Sunggyu stared at Woohyun for a moment, before looking back up at the stars. “You know when I miss Jiho…I go somewhere high up, and just stare at the sky. He loved the sky so much…I feel like he’s there with me, when I see the stars.” Sunggyu looked down, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Totally cheesy right?”

“No…” Woohyun looked at Sunggyu, a small smile forming on his lips. “It isn’t…”

“Is there some place your brother liked to go, or something he liked to do?”

Woohyun thought about it for a moment. “He really liked food and cooking. He wanted to be a chef…and own a restaurant.”

“…A restaurant huh?”

“Yeah…actually it was our dream to open a restaurant together…me and him.” Woohyun smiled warmly. “That’s why I’m doing this fortune telling thing now…I want to collect enough money to eventually open my own restaurant…and name it after him.” Woohyun noticed Sunggyu looked to be deep in thought. “Hyung? Is there something wrong?”

“N-No…I think that’s a really nice thing to do.” Sunggyu nodded awkwardly and stood up. “Well we should head inside now. It’s getting cold.”

Woohyun just couldn’t fight the feeling that Sunggyu was definitely hiding something from him…something big. He desperately wanted to trust the older man, but how could he, when Sunggyu was hiding things from him. He sighed softly, and looked up, realizing he had wandered quite far from home. He hunched down on the sidewalk, rubbing his palms together for warmth.

“I finally found you~” Woohyun immediately looked up to see a familiar face standing there in front of him. He hastily got to his feet, staring at the other man wide eyed. “Aw don’t tell me you don’t remember me?”

“Y-You’re that Taewoo guy…?” Woohyun muttered, nervously. He knew he should have already been trying to escape but he was frozen with fear. There was something about that muscular man, with his eerie leer, that freaked Woohyun out.

“Aigoo, I guess I left a good impression on you~” Taewoo smirked and took a step forward. “And actually, I’ve been searching for you—.”

“G-Go away.” Woohyun hastily stepped backward, almost tripping on his own feet.

“Yah, you didn’t even hear the great offer I have for you—.” Woohyun finally found the strength in his legs. He took off down the walkway, shaking with fear.

“G-Get away from me!” He yelled out.

“Yah! Don’t run away from me!” He could hear Taewoo’s booming voice close behind him, the sound of heavy footsteps right on his heels.

“L-Leave me alone!” Woohyun cried out. Why did it have to be now? When the streets were practically deserted…There was no one around to help him. But then again there never was. Woohyun realized that at this point. Boohyun hyung wasn’t there anymore to save him. To tell him everything was alright, even though it was obvious it wasn’t. There was no point in crying out for him. Boohyun wouldn’t come.

He was alone.

And he would have to deal with this alone too.

Taewoo chased him all the way back to his house. Woohyun hurriedly rushed inside and slammed the door closed, his fingers shakily attempting to strap on the locks. But he was too slow, and Taewoo pushed open the door.

“Yah!” Taewoo was huffing and puffing, and red faced as he grabbed onto Woohyun’s wrist.

Woohyun wriggled his wrist out of the bigger man’s hold, and in the heat of the moment kicked the guy in the nuts.

“T-The ?!” Taewoo exploded, hunching over and groaning slightly from the pain.

“G-Get out of here!” Woohyun shouted, as he stood behind the round reading table, making sure to keep as much space as he could between them.

“Yah! I just—!”

“I-I’ll call the cops!” Woohyun threatened, instantly becoming more frightened as Taewoo shoved the table aside. “I-I’ll—!” Suddenly Taewoo grabbed the collar of his shirt and shoved him against the wall.

“Damn, why are you so feisty—?” Woohyun frantically kneed him in the guts, causing Taewoo to grunt slightly, and collapse, taking Woohyun with him.

“G-Get off me!” Woohyun shouted desperately, as he attempted to push the heavy body off him.

Sunggyu finally appeared from behind the gold curtain. “Woohyun!” He gasped and immediately rushed to scene. He kicked Taewoo hard in the side, causing the bigger man to roll off Woohyun, whimpering in pain. “Yah! Are you ok?!” Sunggyu pulled Woohyun up to inspect him of any injuries. “What happened?”

Woohyun didn’t say anything and instead wrapped his arms around Sunggyu’s waist, shaking slightly. Sunggyu sighed and rubbed the younger man’s back soothingly.

“It’s ok…” He murmured softly in Woohyun’s ear. “It’ll be ok…” And Woohyun really believed it would be, so long as Sunggyu was there with him.

“W-What’s your guys’ problem?” Taewoo whined pitifully from his spot on the ground. “I just wanted to get my fortune told…”

Woohyun immediately released Sunggyu and they both blinked at Taewoo.

“You…what?”

“Yeah…I heard that’s what you did right?” Taewoo frowned. “Nam Woohyun the fortune teller…”

“W-Wait, that’s why you chased me all the way here?!” Woohyun gasped.

“Why else would you think I was following you?!” Taewoo slowly sat up.

“Uh…” Woohyun rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He hadn’t really thought it through, but he just figured Taewoo was going to beat him up or molest him or something. “I-I’m sorry…” He mumbled.

“You’re sorry?!” Taewoo shouted.

“Ok ok! What if I give you a free reading?” Woohyun suggested.

“…F-Free?” Taewoo pouted. Sunggyu almost choked from laughter, at the rather manly man, pouting like a child. Woohyun nudged him lightly, before sending Taewoo an easy smile.

“Of course! It’s the least I can do!”

“Well ok!” Taewoo’s small dark eyes lit up in an instant, and he even helped fix up the table that he had knocked over earlier in their scuffle.

-------------

A relatively light chapter. One chapter to go~