Friday - Two weeks after

Friday had been a sort of uneventful day as Youngwoon had no clue on how to approach Sungmin and the younger seemed to be sort of ignoring him. The most eventful thing that happened between the two of them actually happened after school.

Youngwoon had been at the library with Kyuhyun for their tutoring session when Sungmin showed up with a few books to return. When he saw the two childhood friends, Sungmin smiled and waved – at Kyuhyun – before he ventured through the bookshelves to pick more books. Moments later Sungmin did approach their table. “Excuse me, sorry to intrude.” Sungmin spoke softly in greeting before he looked at Kyuhyun. “I just got confirmation from our music teacher, we can use the music room tomorrow morning, so I’ll be waiting for you and Jongwoon hyung.”

Kyuhyun had nodded with a smile and promised he would later tell Jongwoon. Before going away Sungmin looked at Youngwoon and bowed his head to the older boy in a farewell greeting. Youngwoon bowed his head back.

Kyuhyun kept doing his questions while Youngwoon kept looking at the younger and wondered for the umpteenth time how Kyuhyun could have a best friend he was not even friends with. Every time he thought about Sungmin he felt something heavy growing inside of him, it felt like he had a puzzle almost complete, with just a piece missing, it felt like someone had given him a piece saying it was the last one, but no matter how Youngwoon tried to, it would just not fit.

Youngwoon looked at his tests schedule and sighed. It was already Friday and his usual agony was getting to him, he kept wondering if his brain wouldn’t give a break and miraculously recover, he kept on praying that one day he would not forget those important to him. And would not forget those important to those people. He felt bad towards Sungmin for forgetting him as side effect.

Side effect.

Youngwoon looked at Kyuhyun one more time. There was something wrong. If he couldn’t remember Sungmin just because of side effect he had to remember something about the younger. There had to be something, them crossing paths at the corridors or saying good morning. It just couldn’t be possible that they had never crossed paths for practically two years without the others being around. Their very first interaction of the week had been like that, it couldn’t possibly be the first time.

“Kyuhyun, when are you going to give me back my old diaries?” Youngwoon asked softly not missing how the younger had momentarily stiffened. The younger though looked up at him with a reassuring smile. “This Sunday, hyung, I promise.”

Something happened between him and Sungmin.

Youngwoon was certain about that. He was also certain that Kyuhyun, Heechul and Jongwoon were hiding something from him, they had been trying to keep him from asking things about Sungmin, always dismissing him whenever he tried to question. Seoyeon also seemed to know something, but she was not like them, she was always popping out of nowhere to allow him to have, time and again, a moment alone with Sungmin, she was somehow trying to bring them closer, Youngwoon noticed.

He knew though that he couldn’t ask any of them, because they would just not answer, they would all try to dismiss him, he couldn’t ask specially Sungmin because really, how could he ask the younger what had gone wrong between them? He didn’t seem to know about his predicament. Youngwoon frowned. Sungmin knew his predicament, their very first interaction, the hurt Youngwoon could swear he saw in Sungmin’s eyes. Sungmin was hurt because he couldn’t remember him, but then just why? Why he kept acting as if they had not been anything? Why act as if they were strangers?

Youngwoon closed his notebook and gathered his things. “Sorry, Kyuhyun, I am not feeling well. I am going to leave first.” He told the younger with a small confused voice, his chest hurting so badly.

Kyuhyun looked up startled. “Not feeling well? Why? Should I go home with you?” All the worry in Kyuhyun’s eyes was something Youngwoon grew used to see, it was something he wanted so badly to take from the younger. At that moment Youngwoon knew that whatever reason that made his friends and even Sungmin to play that farce was solely thinking of his wellbeing. He had to believe in that. He couldn’t doubt those people he loved so much.

“I am just worried with next week’s exams, you know I am a lost cause in foreign languages.” Youngwoon retorted with a small smile. “Take a rest Kyuhyun, you can’t become more genius in math than what you already are, take the day off and go on a date with Jongwoon.” He added and somehow Youngwoon felt weird. He had said something like that to Kyuhyun the week before or something like that, he knew he did but he couldn’t remember why or where he said that.

Youngwoon felt his vision blurring for a moment. “Are you really ok, Youngwoon hyung?” Kyuhyun asked standing up, but Youngwoon just nodded. “Have fun with your boyfriend, Kyuhyun.” Again Youngwoon felt familiarity in those words, and he couldn’t take it anymore, he picked up his backpack and left.

He didn’t know that Kyuhyun was overly worried, because he indeed had said part of the exact same things he had said that week when he was dating Sungmin.

“Take a rest Kyuhyun, you can’t become more genius in math than what you already are, take the day off and go on a date with Jongwoon. I also want a longer date with Sungmin today.”

“Have fun with your boyfriend, Kyuhyun. I’ll make sure I’ll have fun with mine. But it’s so hard to wake him up when he looks this cute while sleeping.”

All his way home Youngwoon felt frustrated, he felt like his brain was just too stupid for still keeping him away from the people he loved and trusted. He couldn’t keep still inside his bedroom, the acknowledgement that Sungmin was supposed to be there on his wall and on his notes, but for some reason or another he was no longer, made him feel bad, made him want to know why.

In an attempt to clear up his mind Youngwoon picked up his wallet and left to the batting cages, maybe hitting something really hard could help him tire his body and his mind enough for him to stop hurting so bad.

He had been on his third set of twenty balls when someone was thrown against a nearby cage. It was quite normal that from time to time someone would try to pick up fights there, so he just decided to not pay it any heed. “When you bump on someone you have to apologize, you know?” Youngwoon scoffed as he heard the lame excuse chosen by whoever the loser was.

“You should be the one apologizing then, but I am letting you slide.” An overly familiar voice retorted and Youngwoon felt goose bumps all over. It had to be his damaged brain playing tricks on him. The same sound of someone being thrown against the cages was heard again and Youngwoon could no longer hold himself back, he exited to see what was going on and indeed it was Sungmin, the younger was not wearing his school uniform, so it was clear he had already been home, just like Youngwoon, but he was being cornered against one of the cages by a group of four guys that seemed to be older.

“Are you seriously implying it’s my fault, pretty boy?” the one that seemed to be the leader was asking while lightly slapping Sungmin’s cheeks every few words. “You picked me in a wrong day, kid.” The guy added but then something rather unexpected for Sungmin’s assailants happened.

Before one more slap could be delivered, Sungmin swiftly held the guys wrist and skillfully twisted it, forcing the guy’s face against the cage as he suddenly moved and twisted the guy’s arms against his back. With a hand Sungmin’s pressed the guy’s face further against the cage. “You picked me in a wrong day.” Sungmin hissed.

When the surprise dissipated the other three guys tried to punch and kick Sungmin but the younger was not a black belt for nothing, even if it was four against one Sungmin still managed to hit more than what he was being hit.

Quickly Youngwoon intervened trying to pull Sungmin away from those guys. “Stop that!” he shouted and for a moment everybody halted. Youngwoon firmly held Sungmin’s arm praying for the younger to not go all taekwondo against him. “Get lost! Go find somewhere else to practice anger management!” he added and the guys snickered at Youngwoon. “What? Pretty boy has a boyfriend?” that question made something jump inside Youngwoon and a sudden ache filled his heart.

As he was somewhat rendered speechless the other guys started to throw insults at them for being gay, those guys were truly wanting to punch things, but instead Youngwoon managed to recover from the strange sensation and throw a dirty look on them. “I believe you should start running. Now.” Youngwoon seethed. The guys were about to throw a first punch when a security from the batting cages complex showed up.

The guys ran away when other two security officers showed up, but Youngwoon stood there, still holding on to Sungmin. “Was it you that called?” one of the officers asked as the other two went after the trouble makers. Youngwoon nodded. “They were bothering my friend.” He retorted but not a second after his words Sungmin forced his arm out of his grasp. The officer looked at them shortly and then left to check on his colleagues on the pursuit.

“I am not your friend.” Sungmin seethed. His eyes were red and angry as Youngwoon turned to look at the younger.

“And I don’t know why.” Youngwoon shot back, a sad tone to his voice that made Sungmin stiffen and look at him in flabbergasted silence.

After a moment of staring at each other Youngwoon picked up his phone and called Kyuhyun, he was worried he would be ruining a date but he figured that Sungmin needed help and not from him. “Hyung?” Kyuhyun answered the call and Youngwoon could hear the younger was somewhere lively, the fair was still up so he figured the couple had gone there for a date, the though once again made him feel bitter for apparent no reason.

“Kyu, can you come to the batting cages I train at? I just bumped on Sungmin-ssi accepting a street fight, I believe he is not this kind of person so he might need someone to talk to.” Youngwoon shot not looking at Sungmin.

The younger, as he heard that, lowered his head and let himself lay against one of the cages defeated. Moments later Youngwoon ended the call and without giving Sungmin another word he went back to his rented cage and tried to continue with his routine.

Five balls later Sungmin sat by his gate and just kept looking up at the sky. The silence was supposed to be awkward but strangely it was not. Youngwoon could tell Sungmin just needed someone close by, not someone to talk to, as Youngwoon just needed to know that Sungmin was not going to hurt himself with stupid fights.

It had taken about thirty minutes for Kyuhyun to arrive with Jongwoon, the two of them picked Sungmin up without really paying attention to Youngwoon, they actually only noticed him when Sungmin looked inside the cage and mumbled lowly. “Thank you, Youngwoon-ssi.”

Youngwoon didn’t reply.

Kyuhyun and Jongwoon said nothing, only taking a dejected Sungmin away.

“Hyung what happened?” Kyuhyun asked softly with an arm around Sungmin’s shoulder. A tear escaped Sungmin’s eyes as re replied in barely a whisper. “My father called earlier. He is coming home in two weeks. With a new 'wife' and her son. If he couldn’t handle to keep our family, why he is already forming a new one?!”

Jongwoon and Kyuhyun looked at each other before putting all their attention on Sungmin. The couple called home after they got to Sungmin’s place and invited themselves to stay over. Sungmin couldn’t be more grateful for that, because it made him remember he also had made himself another family.

At his house, Sungmin had managed to calm down, but he still couldn’t sleep. At one point of the night Kyuhyun entered in his bedroom and sneaked into his bed, pulling Sungmin into an embrace. “Fear of the dark, Kyu?” Sungmin teased, but he was not expecting what happened next, Kyuhyun tightened the hold. “Hyung… I am worried with you.”

Sungmin smiled despite himself. “I know, Kyuhyun, I am sorry.” Kyuhyun shook his head. “I am the one sorry, hyung. I can’t fix your family problems, but as for Youngwoon hyung…” the younger started but Sungmin cut his words. “That is already fixed. With time it won’t hurt as much, with time I will get used with treating him as a stranger.”

Kyuhyun bit his lips. a moment of silence lasted between them. Kyuhyun’s hold was comforting and thus Sungmin almost fell asleep. Almost because Kyuhyun whispered to him. “Hyung, why were you at the batting cages today?” Sungmin was once again in that strange helm between reality and dream and thus his mouth had seemed to have a will of his own. “I wanted to feel connected to them. To my younger brother and to Youngwoon.”

Kyuhyun frowned. “What do you mean connected?” he questioned next and Sungmin didn’t take much time to reply. “Batting cages used to be the first place I would run to when I was in junior high, I would take my brother there with the excuse of helping him train. I miss my brother… the last time Youngwoon took me there, he made me remember that I could forget our family problems when I was there with Sungjin… now it is also a place where I can freely think about hyung.”

Kyuhyun bit his lips again. “Did you go to the batting cages that Saturday?” Sungmin snuggled on Kyuhyun. “I wanted to escape somewhere I had been happy… that is my new place to hide at.”

The door opened and Jongwoon came in, he settled at the other side of Sungmin and smiled down at Kyuhyun. “One more day.” He mumbled to his boyfriend and Kyuhyun sincerely hopped it would really be one more day, he couldn’t take it anymore the both of them hurting unnecessarily like that. "What did Heechul hyung say?" Kyuhyun asked softly hoping Sungmin had already fallen asleep.

Jongwoon nodded seriously. "He said to continue with the plan."

I want more comments people! comments make me happy! D: give me some love! ne?