Doojoon was back again at the dilapidated apartment where Yoseob lived. The rejection was still loud and clear in his mind, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened at the memory of it. He lightly hit his forehead on the steering wheel, a frustrated growl escaped from his throat.


“Mom, how many times have I told you that Gina is out of the question?” Doojoon was pacing up and down his spacious living room, one hand making exaggerated gestures to vent out his frustration while the other one held his phone close to his ear.


There was an answer from the other side, “And how many times have I told you that your Dad wanted you to have a companion for the social gathering? Who else can stand you except Gina? Give her a chance, Doojoonah.” The voice was persuasive, the kind that made people surrender their souls. 


But it did not work for Doojoon, never worked on him. 


A frustrated sigh, “Mom, listen. Gina and I are like impossible! Anyway, I have a boyfriend.” Doojoon bit his tongue and a shocked expression clear on his face. He wished he could sew down his stupid mouth as he kicked the sofa in anger. 


“A boyfriend? Doojoonah you should really bring him to the event! Is he cute? What’s his name? I’m going to tell your dad! I can’t wait to meet him,” excitement was too obvious in her voice that it made Doojoon’s head hurt. 


Doojoon massaged his temples, “I will bring him around if he can make it. I will ask him later on.” 


And this was how Doojoon needed so badly for Yoseob to be his boyfriend and accompanied him to the social occasions and whatnots. Originally, he did not plan to ask Yoseob to stay with him, but seeing the place he lived in, the offer just blurted out of his forever idiotic mouth. 


Doojoon would beg Yoseob if needed, he just wanted to shut his parents up with the whole pairing and companionship and boyfriend/girlfriend and the social gathering stuff. His head started to pound again.


Doojoon climbed the stairs and was nearing the door when he saw it was slightly ajar. The door was not opened, it was broken. The knob was destroyed, and there was a shoe mark on the door conveying it was kicked open. 


He could hear a slight grunt from inside and he quickly slammed the door open to find a man, almost twice Yoseob’s size and age, was sitting on top of him on the small bed, pinning him down and trying to violate the blond boy. The man whipped his head to the door and Yoseob’s struggles stopped when they both saw an infuriated figure at the door. Anyone could hear his rage, smell his fury, and see the hatred in his eyes. 


Doojoon ran to the bed and put his arms around the older man’s neck, choking and dragging him away from Yoseob. Once Yoseob was free, he strutted to the kitchen, getting a knife to protect himself. 


Doojoon took one of the man’s flailing arms, slammed him down on his face, and quickly turned the man around so that his back was on the floor while Doojoon straddled him and threw countless merciless punches on his face. He proceeded by dragging the battered body outside of the apartment and flung him off the railing to the parking lot on the first floor. Some of the doors opened, a few residents came out to see the chaos, but they went back inside, locked the doors, and pretended nothing happened at all. 


Doojoon went inside and saw Yoseob with the knife on his hand. Yoseob’s clothes were slightly ripped, his hair was a mess, his eyes were wide and wary. Doojoon slowly approached him, “Yoseobah, I am Doojoon. Yoon Doojoon. I will bring you to the hospital. Please put the knife down.” Doojoon tiptoed towards Yoseob, “Yoseobah, can you hear me? Seobie.”


Yoseob suddenly came around from his trance. He blinked a few times and nodded to Doojoon, putting his knife on the floor. Doojoon went to Yoseob and hugged him tight, “Everything is going to be fine,” and he piggybacked Yoseob to the car. 


Yoseob received treatment instantly for his bruises and cuts, and medicine for his slight trauma. He was sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed when Doojoon dialed Dongwoon’s number. 


“Dongwoon-ah, I need help,” there was a slight murmur from the other end.


Doojoon gave Yoseob’s address to him and said, “Please take care of it. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Doojoon cut off the lines. 


The next morning, Yoseob had finished dressing and was sitting at the edge of the bed when Doojoon arrived to pick him up. The hospital gown was neatly folded at the foot of the bed. 


Doojoon raised an eyebrow, “Are you okay?”


Yoseob gave him a tired smile, “It was not my first time with a man, Doojoonah.”


“But he is disgusting.” Doojoon said matter-of-factly.


“Do I disgust you?” It was a blunt question, simple but precise. Doojoon pursed his lips, refused to answer. And Yoseob’s smile faded a little. 


He frowned when he saw Yoseob’s tattered clothes from yesterday. He handed Yoseob a bag of new clothes, “Change to these. I think the size will fit you.”


Yoseob did not take the bag. He shook his head and smiled slightly at him, “So, when do we start our agreement?”


Doojoon cocked his head towards Yoseob, “You…accept my proposal?” Doojoon questioned Yoseob, searching for any hint of trickery in the younger’s face.


Yoseob nodded, “Yeah, this is the only thing I can do to pay you back.” He grabbed his thighs and looked up nervously at Doojoon, “Is included?”


Doojoon was dumbfounded, again by the bluntness of the question. He opened his mouth but closed it, and cleared his throat, “Only if you want to.” 


The smile grew slightly wider, “That’s considerate.”


Doojoon smiled back warmly, “What do you want to eat, Yoseobah?”


The body and any trace of chaos had been removed from the scene in Yoseob’s apartment. It was as if nothing had happened at all, good job Son Dongwoon, Doojoon mused. 


Doojoon was in the car waiting for Yoseob to get his belongings and moved in with him. He saw Yoseob running with a small backpack and a black box in his hands. 


“Are these all?” Doojoon asked, receiving a nod from Yoseob.


He could not help but stole glances at the box Yoseob was holding, “You can just ask, you always stare too much.” Yoseob chuckled. Doojoon scoffed and quickly averted his gaze to focus on the road in front of them. 


Yoseob continued, “This box is out of the agreement territory. You and everybody else are forbidden from opening this box, it holds all my valuables and I would appreciate it if you don’t mess with it.” His voice was soft but it was serious and stern, almost threatening. 


Doojoon nodded and started to wonder what was inside the box and worthy enough to be deemed valuable to Yoseob.