He was back. 

Joon tried to pretend he didn’t notice.  As he cleared tables, he saw the young man take a seat in a nearby empty table and pull out the menu.  Except the young man wasn’t reading the menu… he was staring at Joon.  Swallowing nervously, Joon quickly returned to the kitchen with the dirty dishes to escape his gaze.  Setting the plates down, Joon closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  Why was he back?  Who was he?

“You okay?” asked the boy washing dishes.  He took the plates from Joon and glanced at him, frowning.  “You’re really pale, hyung.”

“I’m fine,” Joon said, managing a smile, “Thanks.”

Satisfied with the answer, the boy returned to his task.

“Yah, Lee Joon,” called another waiter as he came swinging in through the door, both hands filled with plates, “Tables need clearing!”

“Ah, yes,” Joon said quickly, bowing.  Taking a deep breath, he left the kitchen and made his way out to the tables again.  Avoiding the young man’s gaze, Joon made a beeline towards a dirty table and began clearing it quickly.

“Excuse me?” called a voice.  Looking up, Joon’s heart raced. 

Luckily, it wasn’t the young man that called him.  Two tables down, a man in what looked like his early thirties beckoned Joon.  He wore a clean suit and square glasses on his nose.  His hair was neatly styled, framing his handsome face. 

Joon tried to mask the relief on his face as he walked over to the man, pulling out a pen and paper pad.  “Yes sir, can I help you?” he asked, surprised that his voice wasn’t quivering.

The man looked at Joon intently.  His eyes roamed over Joon’s face and body as he tapped his fingers against the table.  He made a small humming sound as he motioned for Joon to turn around.

Confused, Joon turned a full circle on the spot.  Why… why did he always get the strange customers?  “Sir?” Joon asked after his turn.

“What’s your name?” the man asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“Eh?” Joon said, taken aback.

“Your name,” the man said patiently, waiting.

“L-Lee Joon,” Joon replied.  He felt his heart speed up again with anxiety.

“Age?” the man asked nonchalantly.  He looked over Joon again, his expression unreadable.

“Ah…” unsure of how else to respond, Joon said, “Eighteen…”

“You go to school?” the man continued his questions, all the while staring at Joon.

Joon shook his head, swallowing nervously.  Why did this man want to know so much about him?

“Hmm,” the man said finally, and pulled out his wallet. 

Relieved, Joon put his pen and paper pad away, ready to accept the man’s payment.  He was surprised when, instead of bills, the man handed him a business card.

“My name is Mun Hyunsik.  I work for Korea Talent Agency,” the man said, picking up his utensils again, “You’re a good looking kid.  Interested in the entertainment industry?”

Shocked, Joon stared at the card.  Mun Hyunsik… was Joon being scouted?  Korea Talent Agency, or more so known as KTA… they were a hugely successful talent agency!  But…

“I… thank you for… I don’t think I’m suited,” Joon refused politely.  What could he do in the entertainment industry?  Besides, he already had plans to get his high school equivalency… KTA was not a part of his future plans.

“Fool,” Hyunsik scoffed, picking up a peanut with his chopsticks, “You don’t go to school right?”

“No…” Joon replied.

“So what the hell are you going to do?  Work here for the rest of your life for pocket change?  You’re missing out on big bucks,” Hyunsik said, chewing on the peanut.

Unsure of what to say, Joon stayed silent.  The man was quite intimidating… but he had a point.  Still though, Seungho had worked so hard to help him study for his equivalency test…

“I-I don’t think that I am suited for the industry,” Joon repeated, bowing slightly, “Thank you for offering… If you need anything else, please let me know.”  Bowing again, Joon quickly returned to the kitchen again. 

Sighing, Joon looked at the business card in his hand.  Mun Hyunsik… KTA… never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would ever get scouted by a talent agency, much less the largest talent agency in Korea.  However, Joon was determined to follow through with his equivalency.  If he had accepted KTA’s offer, they would, no doubt, jeopardize Joon’s chances with getting his GED and there was no way he was going to let that happen.

“Hyung,” Joon responded, kicking off his shoes.  He glanced at the clock.  It was nearly 3:00 PM.  Seungho had told him that they would be visiting Dara when he returned from work.

“Let’s head out soon,” Seungho said as he typed away on the laptop, “We should pick up some stuff at the store on our way back.”

Nodding, Joon went into the bathroom to clean himself up.  Splashing water on his face, he willed his heart to slow down.  There was no use getting nervous now… his visit was long overdue.  Taking a deep breath, he walked out into the living room, where Seungho was now waiting for him. 

“Ready?” he asked as Joon came out.  He must have sensed Joon’s anxiety.  In a soft voice, he said, “If you don’t want to go anymore, I understand.”

“No,” Joon said quickly, pulling on his shoes, “I do.  I-I need to go.”

Smiling, Seungho nodded and led the way out. 

As they waited for the bus to arrive, Joon could no longer hold in the question he’d been wanting to ask since Seungho confessed about his initial feelings of blame.

“Hyung…” Joon said, squinting in the sun.

“Hmm?” Seungho looked at him.

“Cheondoong-shi… does…” Joon stuttered, unsure of how to ask, “Does he… blame me as well?”

Seungho looked away and down the street as if he was checking to see if the bus was coming.  After a brief pause, he said slowly, “Cheondoong… understands the situation.  He’s a smart kid so he knows it’s not your fault.”

“But…” Joon pushed, noticing that Seungho didn’t actually answer his question, “He’s probably upset with me-”

“Cheondoong knows in his head that the only person to blame is Jang Daeho,” Seungho interrupted, turning to look at him, “But he’s just a kid.  It’s not correct to say he blames you but…”  Sighing, Seungho scratched his head.  “He’s obviously upset that it happened… but I don’t think he blames you,” he said softly.

Unsure of how to respond, Joon nodded silently, gazing at the sidewalk.  The way that Seungho had responded… it was clear that Cheondoong was upset.  Whether or not he blamed Joon for it…

The ride to the hospital was silent and heavy.  Their conversation regarding Cheondoong seemed to weigh on Seungho’s mind.  Joon watched as the usual calm and collected Seungho fidget in his seat and glance aimlessly out the bus window. 

As they neared the hospital, Seungho finally broke the silence.  “Cheondoong… he might be there,” he said, glancing at Joon, “He’s usually there from after school until visitor hours are over.”

Nodding, Joon followed Seungho as he lead the way into the hospital towards Dara’s shared room.  As they neared, Joon could feel his heart thudding loudly in his chest.  What if he ran into Cheondoong?  What should he do?  How should he act?  Joon felt so guilty about Dara’s involvement in his problem… how could he convey his apologies correctly so that Cheondoong could hate him a little less?

Slowly, Seungho slid the door to the hospital room open and took a step inside.  When Joon didn’t follow, he turned and held out a hand.  Returning Seungho’s warm gaze, Joon took his hand and stepped inside.

The medium sized room was split into six areas, all sectioned off with their individual curtains.  Dara was located near the end, by the window.  As they walked inside, Joon’s breath hitched at the sight of her bed.

Dara laid peacefully, her hair fanned out on the pillow behind her.  Her face was wound free, but a small scar had formed on her forehead near her left temple.  She was hooked up to an IV drip and several other monitoring machines.  Her heart monitor beeped quietly to the rhythm of her heart.  Beside her bed on her night stand was a vase filled with beautiful flowers.  Several storybooks laid strewn across the surface as if someone had gone through them.

A flurry of emotions passed through Joon.  There, on the bed dressed in a white hospital gown, laid the woman that had rescued him from nearly a decade of abuse… the same woman that, in turn, became a victim herself.  All for him.

Letting out a shaky breath, Joon took a step closer to the bed.  His hands shook as he reached out to take Dara’s.  Her hand felt warm in his own cold grasp.  It eased his mind to be able to confirm that Dara was still alive.  She was still warm, with blood flowing through her veins and breaths filling her lungs.

“Why,” Joon whispered softly, “Why won’t she wake up?”

Standing behind him, Seungho placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and murmured, “We don’t know.  There’s nothing physically wrong with her.  Her wounds are healing but…”

Joon bit his lip as held Dara’s limp hands.  How could he fix this?  How could he help her wake up?  What could he do?

“Noona,” he murmured, “Please… please wake up.”  He closed his eyes and prayed with all his heart that she could hear him.  He prayed that she would hear his sincerity and open her eyes.  Only then, could he get on his knees and beg her to forgive him.

Silence fell as the two stood at her bedside.  The soft beeping of Dara’s heart monitor was only interrupted by the occasional footsteps of hospital staff walking down the hall. 

“Oh, hyung,” came a voice from behind them. 

Joon’s heart raced as the two of them turned around to face Cheondoong.  He mentally prepared himself for the accusations and blame that would be thrown at him but was surprised when there was none.

“Oh,” Seungho replied, glancing at Joon quickly, “You’re here?”

Cheondoong looked at Joon briefly before walking around to the other side of Dara’s bed.  He set down the plastic bag he was carrying and tidied up the strewn books.  “Mmn, my last period was self-study so I asked the teacher if I could leave early,” he said, not looking at either of them. 

“Oh, I see,” Seungho said slowly, glancing at Joon again.  He motioned for him to say something, nodding towards Cheondoong.

Taking a deep breath, Joon said nervously, “Ch-Cheondoong-shi…”

“Why are you here?” Cheondoong interrupted, still not looking at them.  He’d stacked the books neatly against corner of the night stand and frowned.  His eyes fell on the Dara’s hand that Joon was still holding and his frown deepened.

“I…” Joon stuttered, caught off guard.  He quickly released his hand on Dara’s and took a step back.  Although Cheondoong wasn’t aggressive towards him, the annoyance in his voice was clearly evident.  How should he respond?  What could he say?  “I-I’m… I just wanted to visit noona-” he said but was interrupted when Cheondoong hummed.

Nodding to no one in particular, Cheondoong pursed his lips and grabbed the vase.  “I see,” he said shortly, staring at the flowers, “I’m going to change the water.” With that, he walked around the bed and headed for the door.

“Yah, Cheondoong,” Seungho called after him, frowning, but Cheondoong had already disappeared into the hall.

Letting out another shaky breath, Joon leaned on the edge of Dara’s bed to steady himself.  He should have listened when Seungho told him not to come.  He had no place here.  He didn’t have a right to visit Dara.  It would only hurt her more to know that he’d come and upset her brother.  He should have never came.

“Joon…” Seungho said, reading him like a book, “Don’t blame him.  He’s…”

“I-I don’t blame him at all,” Joon said, staring at the tiled hospital floor, “You were right hyung.  I shouldn’t be here… I don’t have a right to be.”

“I never said that,” Seungho replied, frowning, “I just didn’t want you to feel depressed.  I never thought that you didn’t have a right to visit her.”  He took a step closer and gripped Joon by the shoulders, giving him a little shake.  “Stop this pity party,” he said firmly, “Dara helped you because it was the right thing to do.  She would never regret doing it and she would have done it for anyone.  I’ll say it one last time; it’s not your fault.  It’s nobody’s fault but Jang Daeho’s.  Understand?” 

Joon looked at him, surprised at the assertiveness in his tone.  He had always treaded carefully around Joon because he’d been so wary of Joon’s sensitive nature.  He never raised his voice nor did he ever appear intimidating.  For the first time since Joon had moved in with him, Seungho was scolding him with a firm tone.  And instead of feeling intimidated, Joon felt himself relax.

Nodding, Joon smiled softly and murmured, “Thank you.”

Satisfied, Seungho let go of his shoulders and scratched his head.  “We should go look for Cheondoong… that kid is stubborn,” he sighed, “He doesn’t blame you or anything.  He’s just not sure how he should act around you, you know?”

Given courage by Seungho’s words, Joon nodded and followed him out into the hall.  Cheondoong was probably in the washroom washing the vase.  Joon mentally rehearsed how he would speak to him, muttering to himself as he followed Seungho blindly down the hall.  He almost ran into him, however, when Seungho suddenly stopped.  Confused, Joon looked over his shoulder and looked at what he was staring at.

Cheondoong was holding the vase and flowers tightly as he listened to a nurse.  She held a clipboard in her hands and was reading him something as she flipped through the papers.  Cheondoong’s face turned grim as he nodded and bowed.

Seungho and Joon approached him as the nurse left.  The first to speak, Seungho asked, “What’s wrong?  What did she say?”

Cheondoong pursed his lips and shook his head.

“Cheondoong,” Seungho said again in his firm voice, “What did she say?”

Sighing, Cheondoong looked at him, visibly upset.  “The nurse just informed me that I need to contact noona’s bank.  It seems the last payment they tried to run through got bounced,” he said quietly, staring at the flowers still in his hand, “She also said that… if it is a result of a lack of funds, noona will have to be relocated within forty eight hours to clear out her hospital bed…”

Seungho’s face also turned grim.  “I see,” he murmured, taking a deep breath.  After a brief moment of silence, he looked up with determination and patted Cheondoong on the shoulder.  “Don’t worry; we won’t have to relocate Dara-noona.  I have some extra cash lying around so we’ll figure something out.  Okay?” he said, smiling reassuringly.

“Hyung,” Cheondoong said, looking both deeply concerned and slightly relieved, “I… We can’t leech off of you like this…”

“It’s not leeching,” Seungho said, waving his hand dismissively, “Dara-noona is important to me too.”

Nodding, Cheondoong murmured, “Thank you hyung… I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t here…”

Smiling, Seungho sent the boy off to the washrooms to change the water in the vase.  As they stood in the hall, Joon tugged on Seungho’s sleeve to get his attention. 

“Hyung,” Joon said softly as Seungho turned to him, “Do you really have extra money?”  Joon didn’t believe that for a second.  He knew the financial troubles that Seungho faced… so where was he going to get the cash to pay for Dara’s hospital bills?

Seungho sighed, kneading his brow.  “I don’t have that much but I have enough to keep Dara-noona here for at least a few more weeks,” he said.

Joon frowned.  That couldn’t be right.  Even a few days in the hospital was extremely costly… there was no way Seungho could afford a few more weeks on top of all his other bills.  Unless…

“Hyung,” Joon said slowly, his frown deeping, “What are you planning?”

“I’m… thinking of quitting school,” Seungho replied, sighing.

Shocked, Joon’s eyes widened.  “Quit…?” he murmured.

“Tuition is a lot of money,” Seungho said, “I have enough to pay a portion of the tuition now but it’s better if I use it here.”

“You can’t quit school,” Joon said softly, “That’s your future…”

“I don’t have any other options,” Seungho sighed, ruffling his hair in frustration.

Joon remained quiet about the topic for the rest of his visit.  He watched as Seungho put on a bright face when Cheondoong returned.  The two chatted like old friends and Seungho even encouraged Joon to chat with them.  With awkwardness and tension, Joon tried to converse with Cheondoong.  The boy was also awkwardly resistant at first but soon, his expressions relaxed.  He was finally able to look at Joon as they spoke, although the awkwardness was still very much there.

As Seungho and Joon got up to leave, Cheondoong pulled out another small plastic bag filled with bread from the bakery.  Seungho accepted it graciously and ruffled his hair.  As they made their way out, Cheondoong placed a tentative hand on Joon’s arm.

“Joon… hyung,” he said hesitantly, “Please visit noona again.  I’m sure she’d be happy to see you.”  He offered a weak smile.

Joon felt relief and gratefulness flood through him.  Nodding quickly, Joon smiled in return and said softly, “I-I will.  And… thank you.”

With that, the two made their way to the bus stop.  As they waited for the bus, Seungho pulled out a grocery list and scanned it briefly.

“We need to pick up a few things,” he said, “We’re out of milk.  And we need some eggs-”

“Hyung,” Joon interrupted, making up his mind.  Given the financial difficulties they were facing, there was no way he could let Seungho shoulder the entire burden… especially when he had been given a chance to earn some good money.

Seungho looked at him, curious. 

Joon pulled out the business card he’d received earlier that day from the talent agency recruiter.  He showed Seungho the card.  With determination in his voice, he said, “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Author's Notes:

Back with another loooooong chapter!  Thanks for your patience!  Things are moving along nicely for this story.  Thanks again for following!