The lighting of the room was fuzzy when Jinyoung (JR) first attempted to open his eyes but soon his gaze became focused and the room before him came to life. The first thing he noticed was what he was wearing, he was wearing a long white clinical looking gown. He laughed at the pale flowers on it and gasped when he saw an IV drip in his arm. He fainted and didn’t rise for a few more hours.

The second time Jinyoung woke up he wasn’t as surprised to see the IV drip in him but more surprised at the sound of a snoring man coming from the seat at the other side of the room. He edged his head up, letting out a groan at the pain, and looked around the small white room. He was in a hospital.

His gaze flicked to the figure in the chair and he squinted his eyes to see who was lying in the chair, softly snoring whilst their chest heaved up slowly and went down even slower.

Jinyoung suddenly remembered and cried out, placing his hand on his wound.

Jaebum stirred in his sleep and shot up, holding his head and taking in his surroundings. He had fallen asleep there a few hours after bringing Jinyoung to the hospital. He had defied the nurses and stayed with Jinyoung, resting his back in a very uncomfortable chair. He shot up like a dart and was at Jinyoung’s side, slowly resting his hand on his arm.

“Do you remember anything Jinyoung?” Jaebum asked, his voice laced with sympathy and worry.

“I do” Jinyoung whispered, slowly nodding his head.

“Where does it hurt?”

Jinyoung just glanced at his lower abdomen where the pain was emanating from. His back also ached and it felt like he couldn’t even feel it. Jinyoung wasn’t even most worried about his injuries and instead cocked his head slowly to Jaebum and asked, “Why did you bring me here? You know I can’t afford medical-“

“Do you think I was just going to leave you in the street?” Jaebum whispered, his hand slowly rubbing against Jinyoung’s arm.

Jinyoung’s flinched at the touch and looked up, biting his lip.

“Don’t worry about it” Jaebum said, “I took care of it before they even operated on you”

Jinyoung’s eyes widened and he lifted up the gown to show a faint scar just beside his belly button. He gasped with a dry throat and lay back in his bed, taking a gulp.

“Thank you Jaebum”

“You don’t have to apologise to me, not ever Jinyoung…we’re friends now”

The word ‘friends’ danced around in Jinyoung’s head before a smile came to his face. He looked up at Jaebum and nodded, “Friends”.

The two were interrupted in their moment by a knocking at the door that sent Jaebum jumping two feet back in the air. Jinyoung smiled in amusement and Mark, accompanied by Bam and another walked into the hospital. Mark immediately ran over to Jinyoung, disregarding Jaebum.

“Are you okay Jinyoung? I can’t believe you didn’t call sooner Jaebum”

“You called them?” Jinyoung asked, looking up at Jaebum

Jaebum nodded and took a step back, sitting back down on his chair whilst Bam walked forward with a boy who Jinyoung remembered to be from the gang. Jinyoung recoiled back in fear but Bam just smiled and shook his head.

“This is Youngjae and he’s here to say sorry, for everything”

“Better make it good” Jaebum shouted from his chair

Youngjae blushed and began to speak, “No words can describe how sorry I am but maybe this will, I vow to fight against Jackson and his gang in order to help you…you don’t deserve any of this”

Jinyoung shook his head, “You don’t need to do any of that for me…thank for you apologising”

Mark smiled and put his arm around Bam, “Everything is going to be better now in school, just you wait Jinyoung!”

Jinyoung nodded and glanced down to the faint scar on his lower abdomen, “How long will I have to stay here?

Mark turned around to Jaebum who then looked up from looking at the newspaper. He stood up, pulling up his jeans with him as he moved over Jinyoung’s bedside.

“Well it depends on when the police come-“

Jinyoung’s eyes widened and he tried to sit up in his bed, a pain in his lower abdomen shooting up and stopping him from doing so. Jaebum’s hand moved instinctively to Jinyoung and the other boys in the room stared at the two. Jaebum removed his hand and blushed before Jinyoung began again.

“I don’t want any trouble…”

“He did this to you! Jackson did this and you’re not going to report it?” Bam blurted out, Mark putting a hand around his waist and nodding in agreement.

“Bam is right…” Mark started, “If not for yourself, do this for all those others that Jackson treats like back at school…if he goes down then the whole school will be a better place”

There was a silence in the room just as the door creaked open and the doctor that had been assigned to Jinyoung walked in. He was a man of about 40 with short black hair. He wore big thick-rimmed glasses and walked over with a smile on his face, nodding at all of Jinyoung’s friends.

“Well aren’t you popular?” he said before grinning. Jinyoung stared back at him before he started again, “I’m glad to see you’ve woken up, your surgery was quite urgent and thank god you had the funds to cover it”.

Jinyoung glanced over to Jaebum who was looking away before turning his attention back to the Doctor.

“…- Just a little bleeding so we stitched that right up you’re looking at a week bed rest here before we can even begin to think about sending you home…there’s also the police-“

Jinyoung turned to look at Jaebum and he nodded at the doctor, “I think I would like to speak to the…p-police as soon as possible”

The Doctor looked up from his glasses and raised an eyebrow, “I’m surprised, usually victims are much more reclusive but I’m glad you’ve done the right thing. I’ll be back in the morning to check up on you. Visiting hours close in 10 minutes boys.”

As the doctor left the room Jaebum ran out after him, placing his hand on his shoulder, “Sir- I need to stay with Jinyoung”.

The Doctor stopped and turned around before smirking, “We have rules for a reason Jaebum, they are there to be obeyed.

“Please- I’ll sleep on the chair I won’t make a sound I just want to make sure he’s okay”

“Didn’t you say that the people responsible for my patient’s condition were your friends?

“They were- it was a gang but that doesn’t even-“

“Who knows what you would do if I let you stay there then”

“Sir…please”

The Doctor stared at him for a few seconds before rolling his eyes, “FINE. But not one word from you, okay?”

Jaebum grinned to himself as he walked back into the room, just as Mark, Bam and Youngjae were leaving.  Mark stopped beside me and nodded.

“Make sure he’s okay. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

“Don’t worry Mark, he’s staying with me”.

Jinyoung’s eyes lit up as Jaebum walked in, “You’re staying?” he mustered.

“Of course” Jaebum said before resting down in the chair, “How could I leave you looking like that?”

It was a few days later when the police came to interview Jinyoung about the incident but when he was finally asked to speak, he crumbled and his throat seized up. He just couldn’t say anything. Squirming in front of the policemen like that, he wished nothing more for Jaebum to be beside him to comfort him. After policemen let him go they informed him there could be no formal complaint made and thus his appeal was dropped. He walked back to the hospital room dejected, looking down at the floor as two nurses opened the door for him.

Jaebum didn’t look so good either. He had bags under his eyes from staying up all night to watch over Jinyoung and he had been eating solely from the vending machine down the hall. Whilst Jinyoung grew in strength day by day, Jaebum grew weaker and by the fourth day in hospital, the nurse, and Jinyoung, had convinced Jaebum to go home to shower and eat but when he returned home, he fell asleep on his bed.

It was the next day when Jaebum woke suddenly and made his way back to the hospital after grabbing some food and taking a shower too. When he arrived at Jinyoung’s room, Jinyoung was standing up with his drip facing the window. When he saw Jaebum’s reflection in the glass he turned around and almost jumped for joy.

“Jaebum! You came back!”

“Of course I did” he said, moving over to the window to place arm around Jinyoung’s fragile waist.

“You have to get me out of here Jaebum” Jinyoung started, he voice shaking a bit, “I’m all cooped up inside- I need out”

“But the doctor said you’d be here until the end of the week, I can’t just steal you away as much as I want to”

Jinyoung smiled and nodded before turning back out to look outside at the city when Jaebum led him out of the room and down the hallway.

“W-where are we going Jaebum?” Jinyoung asked, his feet shuffling quickly behind Jaebum’s.

“It’s a surprise” Jaebum muttered before pushing open the fire escape doors when they climbed a stairs Jinyoung had never been up before.

When the doors opened, the scents of lavender, freshly cut grass and fresh air hit Jinyoung and filled his lungs. He took in a deep breath and began to grin as he looked around at the rooftop garden. Jaebum led him past the doors and around to a seating area that overlooked the city under a cherry blossom tree. It was one of the most beautiful places Jinyoung had ever been to during his time in South Korea and it had been Jaebum that had showed him.

“How d-did you find this place?” Jinyoung said, playing with his hands in his lap

“My mother was in hospital and she took me up here the day…the day before” he almost whispered, looking away

“Before she went home?” Jinyoung asked, cocking his head to the side in a questioning manner.

“Before she went home. In a coffin.” Jaebum stated, his hands gripping onto the under of his thighs.

Jinyoung stared at him before something overcame him and suddenly his arms were around Jaebum, pulling his close. He nuzzled his head into Jaebum’s chest as Jaebum’s arms wrapped around his own body and the two boys comforted each other in their moments of strife. They stayed like that for a few minutes under Jaebum slowly tiled Jinyoung’s chin up to face him. Then he started to lean in, his eyes closing and his grip tightening around Jinyoung. Jinyoung did the same and his lips kissed the lips of his former tormenter; at least they would have if a nurse didn’t interrupt their moment.

As they walked back down to the hospital room under the watchful eye of the nurse, Jinyoung wondered what Jaebum’s lips tasted like. They looked like they would taste like a sweet cherry or even something fruiter like a mango or a pineapple. They glistened and sat in a perfect smirk upon his face as they walked back, his hands in his pockets and his face facing forward.

Jinyoung was alone however when it finally came for him to leave the hospital and he was actually kind of glad. It meant he wouldn’t have to clean his apartment for Jaebum coming over with him, he could just go there and relax and maybe even watch some TV.  The day before his release, Jaebum had went to visit his mother’s grave as he did every Sunday and promised he would be back in time to pick up Jinyoung but Jinyoung took matters into his own hand and began the oh so familiar walk back to his apartment.

He entered the dull building and began the flight of stairs, holding his back every 3 steps. Once he finally reached the top he stopped and sat down outside his apartment, stretching out his legs and began to pant. He rubbed his back and using the wall as support he stood up shakily and pushed open his door.

“LAST NOTICE – EVICTION”

Is what read on the red notice stuck onto Jinyoung’s apartment. ‘Eviction?’ Jinyoung pondered…but he was sure he had paid the rent. He pushed open the door to find 12 more red notices on the ground. His knees buckled beneath him as he realised the day for the eviction was scheduled for tomorrow. He took in a gulp and walked over to his safe beside his bed, opening it to reveal a few dollars and some coins. He cursed and left the apartment, being interrupted by a man across the way smirking at him. The man was a crack addict and Jinyoung trusted his wits not to go near him.

“Looks like a bit of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into there” he laughed before clapping his hands together. Jinyoung just looked at the man before turning back into his apartment.

“Hey kid- I mean no trouble, we men have to look out for ourselves nam’ saying?”

“Y-yeah…” Jinyoung said, his voice shaky.

The man looked at his collar and noticed the hospital discharged sticker, “ Oh man you in hospital?”

“Yes…I was stabbed”

“That’s some tough - if you need anything gimme a call alright?”

Jinyoung smiled and nodded but stopped short of his apartment before turning back around to the man, “You wouldn’t know where our landlord is at the moment? I need to talk about delaying payment…”

The man nodded, “He won’t be here for tomorrow but you know he doesn’t like delaying payments…he’ll throw you out kid”

“Then what am I to do?|” Jinyoung muttered, leaning against the door to his apartment. He wanted nothing more than to just throw his hands up into the air in exasperation.

The man across the hall from his just smirked, “I’ll lend ya the money kid”

“No-no, that’s fine I hate-“

“No. I insist kid. It’s the least I could do for you since your mom passed away”

The man passed a bunch of rolled up notes towards Jinyoung and smiled. Jinyoung hesitantly took the money, fully realising that this man was a drug lord and he would come back for his money one day…and he would probably bring bullets with him.

“T-thank you sir…I will repay you twice as much”

“It’s fine kid- you owe me one okay?” The man said before returning to his apartment.

Jinyoung stood there still for a moment after the man left, clutching the notes in his sweaty palm. His stomach turned over and he knew deep down that something bad was going to happen. He just didn’t know how, or when or if the others around him would be put in danger by his decisions. He gulped down his dry throat and walked into his shabby apartment, shutting the door and almost immediately fell asleep facedown on his small mattress.