“Is it okay if we sit here?” Jaehwan asked the very next day, flanked by a smiling Sanghyuk and Hongbin. Wonshik’s head jerked up in surprise, body tense and ready in alarm, but Taekwoon had expected them to appear some time or another. He looked at Wonshik with a suggestive brow. Eyes catching Taekwoon’s, he calmed down.

“Well?” He urged on when Wonshik only stared at him in confusion, suggesting that this was Wonshik’s decision to make. An inner conflict was apparent in Wonshik’s eyes before he huffed and finally answered with a shrug and “sure”, looking down.

The three sat down beside the two, Jaehwan and Hongbin beside Taekwoon and Sanghyuk beside Wonshik. Wonshik stayed silent for the entire meal, not looking up, shoulders tense, only listening to the casual conversation between the three new boys and Taekwoon’s occasional comments. By the end of the meal, his shoulders seemed to relax a little, Taekwoon noticed. But he was still avoiding looking at the others, occasionally giving Taekwoon a glance before returning it to his food.

He had been afraid Wonshik would simply get up and leave, avoiding the situation completely, but he was happy when he stayed in his seat despite being visibly uncomfortable. The three newcomers kept their conversation light and casual, throwing some glances at Wonshik but not actually addressing him in any way. At least they didn’t act like he would jump them, which had been his biggest concern. They all finished their meals in peace and moved back to the classroom.

--

It was when all the classes ended, Taekwoon’s mind hazed and tired and feeling more ready to go home than ever, that Wonshik had tugged his sleeve when they were the only two left in the classroom. His fingers withdrew from the sleeve immediately when Taekwoon stopped moving away from him. Taekwoon turned to look at Wonshik in question, but he wouldn’t look at him. Hand coming up to rub at his neck, he seemed to be worrying about what to say. Taekwoon felt himself melt.

“What is it?” He asked carefully, leaning on a desk to make sure the other knew he wasn’t in a hurry to leave.

Another few moments of worrying.

“I… I just wanted to say that if you want to sit with Jaehwan and his friends, I fine sitting alone, you know.” He finally said, slowly, dragging the words while keeping his gaze on his feet. Taekwoon stared at him in utter confusion.

“What?”

“Just… you know…” He hesitated, a blush creeping around his neck. “I don’t want to keep you from having other friends, that’s all.” He huffed, clearly uncomfortable.

Taekwoon’s chest felt tight. His head hurt. His pulse had risen and was beating hard against his cranium. He clenched his jaw, gripping the desk he was leaning on tightly.

“Wonshik.” He said, more strictly than he had intended. It made Wonshik finally look up at him and Taekwoon could see all the worry and insecurity in his eyes. It made Taekwoon’s hands loosen their grip and his jaw unclench, but only made his heart beat faster.

“They came to sit with us. Me and you. Both of us.” He wanted to be as clear as possible. Wonshik still looked confused, but eventually his worried face turned into a rather dumb one as he digested the words.

“Huh.” He ended up saying, having no further comment. Taekwoon watched as the side of Wonshik’s mouth twitched slightly into a lopsided smile and affection washed over him. Overwhelmed and hiding his face by looking at the floor only, he sprang up from the desk and waved at Wonshik before turning to leave. Running away.

“See you tomorrow!”

“Yeah!” Wonshik answered with a shout, Taekwoon already out of view.

Mind racing, his legs guided him home until he eventually realized he was standing in his own room, heart still racing.

Damnit.

--

Just past midnight that evening Taekwoon was awakened from his near-sleep by his phone ringing. It was his father, who was still at work.

“Hey Dad.” He said into the phone groggily, rubbing at his eyes. He had been so close to sleep.

“Hey. Sorry to wake you up, but Mr. Kim the mechanic’s son is here and he keeps calling your name.” Taekwoon shot up from his bed. “Are you guys friends?” His father asked, sounding a little bewildered. He could almost hear him smile, hoping that indeed his son had made friends again. In the background he could hear the sound of metal door being shaken, and something that sounded very much like Wonshik shouting.

“YAH! I WANT MY PHONECALL!”

His dad sighed. Taekwoon flinched. He rested the phone on his shoulder, got up from bed and started dressing hurriedly. Burning regret was pooling in his chest. He felt sorry for running away from Wonshik in the classroom. He wished he had asked him to hang out. Instead he had chickened out. Just because his damned heart acted up again.

“I’ve told him that I already called his teacher, but he just won’t shut up about wanting to call you.” He sounded tired but surprisingly not annoyed. But Taekwoon could easily picture him rubbing his forehead, as he always did when something was stressing him out.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few Dad. Tell him I’m on my way.” He said and hung up, rushing out of the apartment while pulling on a sweater.

When he arrived at the station, which was a short walk from where he and his father lived, their teacher was seated in front of an officer and Wonshik hanging heavily against the door of a cell, arms hanging on the outside and forehead leaning between two bars. His head lifted when Taekwoon entered, two red marks from the bars on either side of his forehead showing.

“Ohh? He’s here!” He shouted and smiled brightly. Mr. Cha turned in his seat to see and broke into a relieved smile. Taekwoon bowed shortly in greeting and moved over to Wonshik without pause.

“You really came!” Wonshik exclaimed brightly. He looked like , his clothes dirtied, face bruised and flushed and he reeked of alcohol. He was even still in his school uniform.

“What the hell are you doing here, Wonshik?” He asked. Wonshik just smiled at him, eyes drooping sleepily.

“You were worried about me.” He grinned and chuckled.

“Well, yeah.” Taekwoon answered, snorting.

“That’s nice.” Wonshik slurred.

“He’s been doing quite a bit of underage drinking, and we had to pull him off another student from your school.” His father said as he walked up to them. Taekwoon winced. Fighting again. He had hoped he wouldn’t do that anymore. He huffed at himself, feeling stupid for thinking his presence would have made a difference. He gave his father an apologetic look. “Thanks for calling me, Dad.”

Wonshik blinked slowly, moping as memory jumbled back in place. Blushing furiously he bowed towards Taekwoon’s father.

“I’m sorry I bothered you Mr. Jung.” He shouted out, sounding like a soldier caught doing wrong, staring intently at his shoes but eventually losing his balance and stumbling sideways. Taekwoon’s father just chuckled at him, opening the cell door and waving Wonshik towards him. He walked hesitantly towards him, and as soon as he was within reach his hand reached out to ruffle Wonshik’s white blonde hair. Wonshik flinched as if getting hit, then stilled at the action, a little stunned.

“It’s okay kid. Just don’t show up here like this again.” He said, then walked over to their teacher to talk, motioning for Taekwoon to help out with the lack of balance in the other.

Taekwoon gave Wonshik a flick on the forehead. “Why did you fight again, you ?” He tried sounding strict. Wonshik’s hand shot up to his forehead as he yelped in pain, but he didn’t look up.

“They were talking about my dad…” He said pitifully. Shoulders hanging and leaning his body on the cell door again. Taekwoon’s annoyance disappeared in an instant, feeling his insides melting together again. Now that those kids knew his weakness, they had an infinite source of fun it seemed. His pulse rising slightly, he frowned in annoyance. Not having anything to say, he simply sat down in front of the cell and waited in silence for Mr. Cha to finish the paperwork.

“Promise me you won’t go out and drink anymore, please?” Mr. Cha ordered as they walked out of the station, Wonshik able to walk away with a paid settlement between him and the student he had attacked and a warning from Taekwoon’s father.

“Yes, Teach…” He answered the teacher, voice giving away how tired he was. It was already 2 AM. The teacher gave him a pat on the shoulder and turned towards Taekwoon who was supporting Wonshik by the arm on the other side. “Please take him home with you, Taekwoon. I already asked your dad and he said it was alright. Make sure he drinks a lot of water before you go to sleep, alright?” Taekwoon nodded in answer and started leading Wonshik towards his home.

--

 “Where are we?” Wonshik looked around confusingly after Taekwoon sat him down on his bed and started untying his shoes. Wonshik was clearly on the brink of passing out from the alcohol he had consumed, constantly wandering out of consciousness.

“We’re at my house.” He said as he moved to pull off his shoes and socks. Pulling Wonshik’s leg, he fell backwards onto the bed quite hard, but he didn’t seem to mind and immediately grabbed for the sheets.

“Your bed is nice.” He said, sighing after settling despite his legs hanging off the edge.

“Water.” He thought out loud when he suddenly remembered the teacher’s words, and got up on his feet to fetch a bottle from the kitchen.

“Don’t fall asleep yet.” He got a grunt in return.

He was able to force Wonshik to drink half a bottle of water and a painkiller before he refused to drink anymore and turned to the side, facing the wall. Taekwoon stripped down to his boxers and joined him, back facing Wonshik’s, pulling the covers out from underneath him and then over the both of them.

“Night, Wonshik.” He mumbled, but the other was already starting to snore quietly.

He could only hope the other wouldn’t hear his heart beating as loudly as it sounded in his own ears as he felt the heat coming from the body behind him.

--

Wonshik is so freaking precious T_T 

- Viking