I want to thank my beta reader PrincessPanjandrum who helped me with this chapter. PrincessPanjandrum, you did an amazing and fast work my love and I truly appreciate your help. ^_^

Chapter 18: New Conditions

Jong Suk wakes up later that day in the dimly lit room to find that he is still squeezed against Woo Bin’s firm chest with Woo Bin’s arm gently wrapped around his shoulders. Jong Suk thinks back to his last memory, when he had pulled Woo Bin into the bed with him and then nothingness. He had fallen asleep right after that.

The faint glow of the bedside lamp struggles to expel the darkness gathering in the room. He squints his eyes, trying to focus on the wall where he knows the old-fashioned clock is hanging firmly. It is the only thing in this room that doesn’t fit in with its cracked face that looks as if it was hurled at the wall at least a few times. He doesn’t know why Woo Bin is so determined to hang onto it. He had once offered to replace it with a new one his aunt had bought only to be snapped at by him.

He fails to locate the clock, but looking at the somber room, he predicts he has been sleeping for a good few hours now. He blinks away the residues of sleepiness still lingering on his eyes and winces at the sudden ache spreading down his bony cheeks. He doesn’t remember having any pain when he snuggled into the bed, but then again his memories from that afternoon are still a bit hazy. He chases away the fragments of those memories trying to tremble his tranquil mind. At least he is no longer living that nightmare anymore. The fingers drawing smooth circles on the nape of his neck belong to Woo Bin and it paints a soft smile over Jong Suk’s face. He had a good sleep, but his eyes still feels heavy and his head feels heavier. He likes Woo Bin’s placid touch soothing the ache in his neck so he doesn’t move from his spot and considers going back to sleep. Woo Bin suddenly speaks and Jong Suk realises the other is on the phone.

“He says he doesn’t know?...I had a hunch it was that bastard!...No, he is still sleeping…I don’t know, I’ve to wait until he wakes up…did you find out who came....”

Jong Suk frowns as he listens to Woo Bin on the phone hissing in a low voice. He hadn’t actually mentioned anything about the incident that afternoon to Woo Bin, but come to think of it Woo Bin had also kept his silence regarding the matter…and Jong Suk simply did not initiate the unwanted conversation. He remembers pleading Woo Bin to bring him home and nothing much after that. Is he being deceitful for not wanting to tell Woo Bin about it? He doesn’t want to lose Woo Bin…he knows Woo Bin won’t look at him the same if he knew the truth…who would? His throat tightens as he thinks.

“No, I can’t come tomorrow…I know I’ve missed too many lessons…I won’t be kicked out for missing out one more day…shut up, that won’t happen…stop calling him princess!...no, if you dare call him that it’ll be your last words…yes, only I can call him that…why? Because he is my angel.”

Jong Suk twitches; he doesn’t like this penitent feelings spreading in his heart each time Woo Bin calls him an angel.

“Ummm…I got to go…yes he is it seems…no, you can’t talk to him…stop whining, it’s disgusting…whatever, try to find who it was, and come pick up your bike tomorrow…it’s way past midnight bastard! You can’t come now, go to sleep, I’m hanging up.” Woo Bin declares, turning off the phone quickly and sliding it under his pillow. His hand comes to rest on Jong Suk’s waist.

“Did you have a nice sleep?” he asks, squeezing Jong Suk into his chest.

Jong Suk nods, letting the other pull him closer. “Was it Seung-hyun?”

“Yeah, he wants to pick up his bike now,” he answers.

“Did I sleep long?”

“Not long enough. It’s just past midnight now,”

“Did you eat?”

“No, I wasn’t hungry.”

Jong Suk jerks up, sitting on the bed. “I’ll fix you something to eat,” he states getting off the bed, but Woo Bin pulls him back down.

“Just sleep,” Woo Bin tells him, squashing him under his grasp once again.

“But—”

“It’s past midnight and I’d rather sleep than eat”

He stops arguing and slides under the blanket again, shuffling around a bit until he is comfortable.

“Are you feeling better?” Woo Bin breaks the silence after a while. He is probably trying to find a way to bring up the unwanted topic without alarming Jong Suk, he assumes. He hums in agreement, and steadies his mind for the foreseen question Woo Bin is going to fire at him.

“Your mom texted me earlier,” Woo Bin tells him, and Jong Suk’s gaze instantly travels to his face. He had expected Woo Bin ask him about what happened that afternoon by the back gate, not inform him about his aunt’s text message. But a part of him feels relieved; he’ll at-least get some time to prepare himself for that question.

“They are going to stay in Gwangju for the night. Probably will come home tomorrow I think,” Woo Bin says, sliding his fingers into Jong Suk’s hair.

“Gwangju?”

“Yeah…my uncle apparently got into an accident. We are the only family he has, so my father probably got called by the hospital.”

“Is he badly injured?” Jong Suk asks, wondering if they should call and check.

“I don’t know, apparently not in a very good condition.” Woo Bin remarks as if he is talking about some evening news he read on the papers. 

“Did you call to check?”

“No…but I’m sure he’s okay”

“But he is your uncle,” he objects, “shouldn’t we call your dad and check?”

“It’s past midnight now, they must be sleeping. I’ll call in the morning to check.” he promises, massaging Jong Suk’s scalp in soft motions. Jong Suk decides to stop arguing and closes his eyes, giving into his tiredness.

***

He wakes up for a second time that day and it is his aunt’s voice that arises him. Woo Bin had told him they were coming back this morning. He glances at the wall clock—9:30 it marks. He should get up now, he thinks, but lies on his back instead. He catches a fragment of her melodious voice conversing with her husband; he sighs. He wishes he could just rush downstairs and jump into her warm arms and cry to his heart’s content like he had done six years ago. Yet he knows he cannot do so. He is no longer a ten year old kid, and she is no longer a free woman.

Woo Bin’s warm breath blows down his neck and it pulls him out of his thoughts. He gently turns around to face the boy hugging him so tightly even when he is fast asleep. Perhaps Woo Bin has been alone for far too long, growing up without siblings or his mother’s warmth and now there is him, Woo Bin might just want to fill that lonely part of him with Jong Suk. He tucks away the strand of hair framing his closed eyes. He should probably wake up Woo Bin too, but he hadn’t had much sleep, so he decides to let him sleep in for bit longer. He untangles from Woo Bin’s limbs and gets up, stretching his sluggish joints.

He cleans his teeth and takes a quick shower before heading downstairs to find Woo Bin’s father in the hallway, instructing some movers where to pile the boxes they are carrying. Jong Suk makes way for one of the movers and spots his aunt trying to shift a box out of the doorway. He decides to walk closer when she doesn’t seem to notice him standing behind her.

“Oh, Jong Suk-ah,” it is her husband who notices him first. He skips over a large box and walks toward him with a smile. “You’ve woken up,” he states, offering him a wide smile, but it falters the moment he gets a closer look at Jong Suk. “Good lord! What on earth happened to your face?” he asks, reaching out to touch the reddened scratches.

“A cat got me,” he lies, taking a tiny step back, trying his best to not make it obvious. He never knew he could lie with such a straight face. He observes a suspicious glance flashing across the man’s face, but it disappears immediately.

“You should’ve been more careful,” the man tells him. He is proud of his surprisingly improving acting skills, but he doubts it’ll be strong enough to deceive his aunt.

“Where is Woo Bin?”

“Still sleeping,” he tells him, stepping back for another mover. “But…is someone moving in?” he asks, carefully eyeing at the cardboard boxes invading the living room space rapidly. 

“Oh, yes…we wanted to tell you both, but didn’t have much time. My brother—my cousin,” he corrects himself, “is going to live with us for a while,” he says pointing at the packages. “He got into an accident, and he has no family. So he is going to stay with us until he gets better. Will that be alright?”

Jong Suk smiles, “of course,” he answers immediately. Though the thought of sharing the same house with a stranger daunts him, he has no right to complain and he isn’t heartless enough to do so to a patient.

“He’s not moving in until next month or so,” his voice pulls Jong Suk off his trailing thoughts. Jong Suk looks up to meet his eyes and they stare back at him apologetically.

“But, how is he now?” Jong Suk asks.

“He is in a much more stable condition now. We are moving him to your mom’s hospital tomorrow. It’s easier on all of us that way. But he won’t be able to come home for a few weeks”

“I see…” Jong Suk falters, “I hope he’ll get better soon,” he wishes.

“Oh, there you are! I was looking for you,” he looks over Mr Kim’s shoulder to where his aunt’s pleased voice calls him. She skitters across the hallway toward them.

“Where you sl—Oh my GOD!! What happened to your face?” she leaps past Mr Kim, grabs his face in her palms, and examines it closely, turning from side to side.

“A cat got him,” Mr Kim answers helpfully. She jerks her head, giving a very suspicious look at him and turns back to Jong Suk.

“What happened to your face?” Her firm voice warns him and he looks pleadingly at his aunt, hoping she’ll not push any further. She sighs and let his face off her grip. He knows he is off the hook—at least until there is no one else around them.

“Sir, what should we do with the large box?” one of the movers asks Mr Kim who is observing his wife’s worrisome face.

“Ah…wait for a moment, I’ll be there.” he tells him and turns back to them. He offers them a brief smile and turns away, returning to direct the movers around, but his aunt doesn’t. She keeps on looking at Jong Suk. He can feel her eyes following him as he fidgets.

“I’m thirsty,” he mumbles before sprinting past her into the kitchen. He can hear her light steps following behind him, and he hurries, hoping she’ll return back to the living room. He pours himself a cold glass of water and gulps it in one go. He knows he has to tell her the truth sooner or later—she’ll not let him off until he does so.

“Let’s go to the garden,” she states, walking past him. He stares as her thin figure disappears behind the back door. He doesn’t like the thought of going to the garden with her at all. Just to delay things, he pours another glass of water and takes more time than strictly necessary to swallow it down.

“Aren’t you coming?” he hears her call after a minute or two. He sighs and pushes the water bottle back in the fridge and sets the empty glass on the rack before following after her. 

“You look tired,” he tells her, watching her weary figure lower on the bench under the apricot tree. Spring is almost gone and the young flowers have developed into unripe fruits every here and there on the tree. He settles down next to her. He can feel her eyes on his face, observing with suspicion but he doesn’t dare to catch them. He waits for her to say something, but instead she keeps observing him carefully like she’s found some strange species. It only makes his already thumping heart hammer faster. He fiddles with his nails, trying to focus his attention on something else.

He sighs when she doesn’t seem to respond anytime soon. The sooner he gets this over with the sooner he will escape this awkward nervousness eating him inside out.

“He found me.”

He hears her gasp and catches a glimpse of her frozen figure from the corner of his eye. Perhaps he shouldn’t have told her, he ponders. But it is too late now and he cannot take it back. She jolts suddenly and grabs him by the wrist. He lets her swing him around.

She jerks his face, peeks around his body and finally returns to his eyes. “D-Did he…are you hurt?” her fingers skim over his cheek, assessing the damage carefully “Did he do this?” her voice is raw and a tiny part of him fears her snapping like six years ago.

“No, it was me,” he confesses, “I kind of...lost control,” he admits even though he doesn’t want to.

“I’m going to have to talk to your principle,” she informs, “You are—”

“No! Please don’t,” he looks into her eyes, “I will be careful. I promise. Woo Bin is also there, so I’ll be okay.”

She sighs. It has been a while since he has seen her so depressed. It’ll probably relieve her tension a bit if she were to secure his safety at school, but he does not wish anybody to know his dark past. He wants to escape that world, not spread it around.

“Fine,” she says after a while, “But you’ll have to agree to some conditions.”

He nods, though his instinct says he isn’t going to like those conditions.