Joonmyun put a slice of bread in the toaster as he waited for the water to boil. His apartment seemed eerily quiet tonight, even though it wasn’t different from any other night. He’d been living alone for quite some time after all.

Suddenly his cell phone rang, causing Joonmyun to jump a little. He closed to fridge with a bang, scaring himself some more, and fumbled while trying to grab his phone. Finally he picked it up. The caller ID read, “Kyungsoo”. Joonmyun frowned, wondering why he would be calling at this hour when he was supposed to stay with his parents for the rest of the week. He picked up the phone anyway. “Hello?”

“C-Can you come pick me up?”

Kyungsoo’s voice was so quiet Joonmyun could barely hear him. “I thought you were staying at your parents’ hotel,” he said.

There was a loud banging on the other end and the anguished scream of a woman. A little sob escaped Kyungsoo’s lips, as he struggled to keep his voice steady. “Please. Just come pick me up.”

Joonmyun’s grip on his phone tightened, the worry sinking in fast. “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said quickly, already pulling on his jacket. He threw his phone in his pocket and ran for the garage of the apartment.

Joonmyun drove quickly and dangerously to the hotel, almost getting hit by a truck. His mind swirled with possible scenarios where Kyungsoo would sound so terrified. He hadn’t seen his parents in two years, so Joonmyun assumed they would be happy to finally spend time together. Also, who was the woman who screamed on the other line?

Joonmyun crudely parked in front of a parking meter, his bumper nearly colliding with the front of the car behind his, and ran into the lobby. A busboy yelled at him for running, but he ignored it. He watched the numbers tick by on the elevator, all the way up to floor 10, where he bolted it down the hall to Kyungsoo’s room. Luckily, Kyungsoo had already given Joonmyun a hotel key in advance, as if he knew this would happen. Maybe that’s why he gave Joonmyun a key. He had thought it was strange as to why his boyfriend would let him have the key to his parent’s hotel. Joonmyun wrenched open the door and was welcomed with screaming and the smashing of dishes.

Carefully picking his way through the room, he found a German man and two Korean women yelling at each other in a three-way scream fest. There were pieces of porcelain on ground, as well as an over turned chair. Joonmyun assumed the German man was Kyungsoo’s father, and the older Korean woman was Kyungsoo’s mother. Another Korean woman, much younger than Kyungsoo’s mother, was standing a few meters from the couple, looking extremely angry. From that much information, he understood the situation. He stopped when he reached the doorway of the kitchen, careful to stay out of sight.

His eyes scanned the room and found Kyungsoo clinging to his father’s arm and trying to stop him from hitting his mother. The other woman had an expression of absolute disgust. “Dad, stop,” Kyungsoo said, in perfect English. “Please don’t hit Mom.” There were tears rolling down his cheeks, and the rims of his eyes were red.

Joonmyun understood English very well, and caught most of what came after. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“You ing bastard cheating on me. And with a younger woman too,” Kyungsoo’s mother spat. “Am I, a rich business lady, not good enough for you?”

Kyungsoo’s father scoffed. “You’re an ignorant , that’s what you are. Why else would I have cheated on you so many times?” Kyungsoo’s mother’s eyes widened, then turned to slits in seething anger. “That’s right. I bet you didn’t know.”

Kyungsoo looked at his father in horror. “Dad… how could you?”

He looked at Kyungsoo with only a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry,” he said, his features becoming angry and steel like again. “But she doesn’t make me happy anymore.”

Kyungsoo’s mother scoffed and glared at her husband. “Do you think I haven’t ed another man while being married to you?” Kyungsoo’s father’s expression changed slightly, before becoming nonchalant. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, looked like he was going to vomit and faint at the same time.

“Like I care.”

Kyungsoo’s mother let out a cry of despair as her mascara streaked face contorted with rage and heartbreak. She glared angrily at the woman whom her husband had cheated with. She stormed towards her and slapped her on the face. “You , this is all your fault!” She grabbed the lady by the hair and tried to slam her face into the wall.

Kyungsoo’s father roared with anger and grabbed his wife, throwing her off the younger woman. Kyungsoo’s mother toppled to the ground, helpless. Kyungsoo ran to her side, crying and asking her if she was okay. “Mom, please… let’s just go…”

Kyungsoo’s mother stood up with great defiance and grabbed Kyungsoo’s arm. “Yes, let’s leave this motherer for a better life.”

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks when he realized that his mother wanted to leave his father. Although his parents cheated on each other, and it was obvious they want to leave each other, he didn’t want to have to choose. “Wait mom, I’m sure we can talk this out…”

Kyungsoo’s father smirked. “That’s right, my son doesn’t want to live with a . You’re coming with me right?” He smiled and offered his hand to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo looked at it, then back to his mother.

Kyungsoo’s expression was a mixture of confusion, pain and panic. He wasn’t sobbing, or making any noise, but the tears continued to flow like a river. It was obvious he wanted his parents back together, but his parents were blinded by the hatred that had grown over the years of pretending to love for their son’s sake. Now the poor boy was being forced to choose between his mother and his father.

Kyungsoo’s mother pushed Kyungsoo behind her and reached up to slap her husband, the sound of skin against skin cutting through the tense air. “I’ll never let you take my son,” she hissed.  

Anger flashed in father’s eyes as he lifted a plate and held it above mother’s head. Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as he watched the white ceramic come down. Joonmyun gasped and sprang into action.

In a split second, Joonmyun went from the doorway of the kitchen to having Kyungsoo’s father in a headlock.

"Who the are you?" Kyungsoo's father growled in pained surprise, dropping the plate.

Joonmyun looked at the man with ice cold eyes, and tightened his grip. "Kyungsoo is going with neither of you. He is coming with me." His voice was quiet, but dangerous. It was the voice of someone one would not dare to mess with. Joonmyun’s dark aura emanated through the room, causing the adults to back away slightly in apprehension.

“Let go of me!” Kyungsoo’s father yelled, but the anger from before had left his voice. The appearance of a mysterious stranger had stunned and scared them all. With a little shake of Kyungsoo’s head, Joonmyun let his friend’s father go.

Joonmyun gently but firmly took Kyungsoo's hand and pulled him out of the hotel room and down to where he had parked his car. The whole way, neither of them said a thing. Joonmyun was afraid Kyungsoo was too in shock, and he was. His eyes were glazed over, and tears fell, but he made no sound.

Joonmyun drove carefully on the way back glancing at Kyungsoo every so often. He only stared out the window with a sad, heart wrenching expression. There were still tear streaks on his cheeks, which he had not bothered to wipe away.

They arrived back at Joonmyun’s apartment, and Joonmyun led Kyungsoo to the couch, helping him sit and bringing him a blanket. He wasn't the best at comforting with words, so he hoped his actions could help a little. Joonmyun made that tea he was going to make, and put the toast on a plate for tomorrow. Neither of them wanted to eat anyway.

Joonmyun brought the tea to Kyungsoo and offered it to him without a word. Kyungsoo took a sip and relaxed visibly. "How did you know I like my tea sweet?" He smiled tiredly.

Joonmyun sat down beside Kyungsoo. "I suppose the sugar would make you feel better,” he said, offering Kyungsoo a blanket.

Kyungsoo placed the tea down and wrapped himself with the blanket. "I should have known something was wrong... Dad would never want to go back to Korea." He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "I don't want my parents to break up," he whimpered. "I don't want to have to choose."

Joonmyun gingerly placed his arm around Kyungsoo, hoping that the gesture would prove to be comforting rather than uncomfortable. To his relief, Kyungsoo didn’t seem to mind, and placed his head the on his shoulder. Joonmyun softly his back while the smaller boy cried. In situations like this, he knew saying comforting words and telling lies of a happier future wouldn’t help. And quite frankly, he didn’t know how to.

Eventually Kyungsoo stopped crying, his sobs turning into whimpers, and his whimpers became quiet breathing. He had fallen asleep. Joonmyun looked down and saw his peaceful face and sighed in relief. That was the face he liked to see. He didn't want to see Kyungsoo sad, or cry. He wanted Kyungsoo to smile, and laugh, because when he did, Joonmyun felt like he could too.

Joonmyun picked Kyungsoo up and carried him to his bed, gently laying him down. He tucked Kyungsoo in, and paused to watch the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way his eyelids fluttered, and how sometimes, he would turn his head slightly to the left or the right.

Joonmyun sat at the edge of the bed and brushed the hair away from Kyungsoo's forehead, letting his hand trail down his cheek and onto the bed beside him. He sighed. He would do anything to make Kyungsoo happy. A pang of guilt shot through his heart. Kyungsoo deserved better him. What was Joonmyun anyway? Sure he was rich, but that didn’t mean anything. He had a history of drug abuse, and harboured secrets that no one was allowed to know. He always ended up in dangerous situations, getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. The last thing Joonmyun wanted was for Kyungsoo to get hurt because of him.

With a sigh, Joonmyun whispered ‘Good night’ before turning off the lights and leaving the room.

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A/N: Hey so double update this week :D Well kind of haha 

I accidentally missed a chapter, which I just posted. Its chapter 25, so I had to delete the old chapter 25 (which is now chapter 26, don't worry I posted it again) and then the order made sense. I realized I messed up when the chapter numbers on my computer didn't match the ones I have here haha

I suggest you read chapter 25, cause it sort of gives closure on the school trip with Baekhyun and Chanyeol and Kris, as well as with Yixing and Kai. Can't believe I forgot such a important chapter lol 

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hope you can forgive me for my mistake haha 

Leave a comment below letting me know what you think, I really like reading comments and I will reply to all of them. See you next week!