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It wasn't all sunshine and daisies in Kim Namjoon's house.
Like usual, his father was throwing a tantrum, sending cups and plate flying to the wall and clattering to the floor in pieces, the cutlery pulled out of the drawers and smashed to smithereens under Mr. Kim's feet.
It wasn't unusual that the kitchen ware was suffering from Mr. Kim's tantrums. It happens at least once a week, and sometimes twice a week. Namjoon doesn't know how to stop his father - only his mother seemed to be able to do that but Mrs. Kim has been buried under five feet of dirt for the last thirteen years, having passed away three months after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
So yeah, the only thing Namjoon could think of to do is hide in his room, his phone clutched in his hands as he tried calling his best - and only - friend Jin. His whole body shook in fear as he heard his father yell and curse in the kitchen.
This had to stop. Namjoon didn't know what to do anymore other then escape his house every time his father would get mad, or lose his mind. Because when his father is mad, it is a danger to Namjoon, who has suffered many times from multiple bruises and cuts from accidents when his father would throw something at him in rage, and the school was starting to question things. They had even wanted to call the police when they found out that Mr. Kim hurt his own son, but when the police actually came, Mr. Kim said that it was all fine and that it wouldn't happen again.
Of course, Mr. Kim had threatened to hurt Namjoon if he told the school again, so he was forced to wear makeup wherever he went if and when his many bruises and cuts would peek out from underneath his sleeves.
But that lead to being bullied in school for wearing makeup and eventually to the name-calling, and Namjoon had lost count how many times he was called a 'gay faggot'.
"Hello?"
"Jin," Namjoon sighed in relief when he heard his best friend's voice over the line.
"Is something wrong?" Jin's voice sounded worried and that didn't comfort Namjoon at all. It only made him more stressed, and it only made more tears flow down his cheeks. He wasn't only hurting himself by keeping such a big secret from people who could actually help - unlike Jin, who was underage and had been told not to go to the police - but he was also hurting Jin. And Jin didn't deserve that at all.
"M-my dad -"
"Is he throwing a tantrum again?" Jin's voice now switched from worried to angry. "I swear I will kill him if he hurts you -"
"Jin, don't kill him please." Namjoon pleaded. "I just need to get out of here -"
"I'm coming over, hold up for five minutes." stated Jin, cutting off Namjoon.
"Jin, please don't come, it's dangerous, he's throwing cutlery and glass and I don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm still coming." Namjoon heard a door close on the other line and then the sound of a car engine starting.
"Jin, you can't even drive -"
"My brother's driving." said Jin immediately. "Besides, I'm getting my licence in a few days."
"Still -"
"Just shut up and make sure that your dad doesn't come in your room, okay?" Jin cut Namjoon off again. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Even though the last seven words were extremely silent, Namjoon heard it, and that made him smile and his heart flutter slightly.
Namjoon nodded at Jin's words, and put his phone down on his bed, carefully walking to the door, trying to dodge as many clothes and pillows thrown on the floor of his messy and now dark room, as it was nearing eleven at night. He put his ear to the white wood and listened carefully, hearing nothing but yelling from his father, mainly about bills, and how he had gotten anger-management issues after Mrs. Kim's death.
Every word he heard began to grow louder until Mr. Kim stomped up the stairs and through the hall on the second floor. Namjoon's breath hitched and he tried to stand as still as possible when his father walked past his door and into the room on the opposite side of the hall, continuing his raging in his bedroom.
Namjoon pressed his back against the door and slid down, wanting to grab his phone when he heard Jin worriedly calling out his name, yet Namjoon didn't move or speak, being too tired and his bruises and wounds beginning to itch from when Namjoon was in the kitchen when the tantrum his dad had started. He heard Jin yell at his brother to drive, but Namjoon didn't say anything to comfort his friend.
Yes, he knew that he should tell Jin that he is fine, but a giant bruise - mixed with an undeep cut - courtesy to Mr. Kim throwing a plate at Namjoon began to hurt so bad that Namjoon didn't bother to stand up and hurt himself even more.
"Joon?" A hand on Namjoon's shoulder shook him slightly and Namjoon shot awake from his trance, looking up into the amandel eyes of Kim Seokjin. "You okay?"
"I - Yeah," Namjoon lied, he knew that he shouldn't lie to Jin and that Jin would get angry at him for lying, but he couldn't trouble the boy any more now.
"C'mon, lets go." Jin held out his hand and Namjoon took it gratefully, not bothering to pack any clothes as he knew that Jin would provide him with pyjamas and probably some sweatpants and a baggy shirt or sweatshirt in the morning. He did however take his phone and stuffed it in the pocket of his pants. He limped slightly with Jin beside him, but because of the darkness of Namjoon's room Jin hardly noticed, and he also failed to notice the drying blood and the giant bruise peeking through a slit in Namjoon's pants on his lower leg.
Namjoon cautiously climbed out the window - the way that he and Jin always used to get in and out of his room - and jumped off the windowsill. His feet hit the pavement and he saw the car of Jin's brother - Hanjin - further ahead.
Just as Namjoon began limping toward the car, a pair of strong arms lifted him up around his waist and he was carried over the street by Jin.
"You shouldn't lie when I ask if you're hurt," said Jin, setting Namjoon down beside the car. Namjoon didn't say anything as Jin pushed him into the car and then across the seats, Jin sitting beside him.
Namjoon said a quick thanks to Hanjin for helping him out each time Namjoon had to leave the house, and Hanjin only put his hand up to dismiss the thanks.
The car ride to Jin's apartment wasn't long, but it seemed as if Hanjin's car decided to take ages to get there. Somehow, Namjoon's head had found its way to Jin's lap and he now lay over the backseats, his legs resting against the backrests of the seats, while Jin played with his hair.
And like usual, Namjoon fell asleep to the cool touch of Jin's fingers against his scalp.
Namjoon awoke to warm breath hitting his neck, sending shivers down his spine. He opened his eyes, finding Jin's face inches away from his and Jin's arms aroud his waist, while Namjoon's head rested against his chest.
To say the least, the sudden skinship and close position startled him.
But he didn't complain about it.
Namjoon turned his head, careful not to wake his sleeping friend, and found his phone on the table beside Jin's bed, taking it and wincing against the bright light when he turned it on. He quickly turned down the brightness and then focused on the many messages he had recieved from his father. Namjoon would've hissed a swearword if it wasn't for Jin sleeping beside him.
He read through the messages, most of them going on about how 'his mother wouldn't be happy with him if she was still alive' and how he had to go home immediately. He was almost halfway through all of them when his phone was taken from his hands and Jin scrolled through them.
"Don't go," said Jin, turning off Namjoon's phone completely and putting it on the table on his side of the bed, much to Namjoon's complaints.
Namjoon rolled his eyes and then noticed that he wasn't wearing his sweatshirt, like before, but rather a plain white shirt.
"Don't worry," Jin noticed Namjoon's sudden uncomfortableness. "I didn't change your shorts."
Namjoon nodded curtly.
"Thanks for letting me stay over."
"Hmm," Jin lay his head back down and nuzzled his nose into Namjoon's neck. "It's nothing."
Namjoon didn't say anything else and just relaxed into Jin's arms, closing his eyes.
"Hey Joons,"
"Yeah?"
Before Namjoon could open his eyes to see what Jin wanted, lips touched his. He was shocked and it only took a second for Jin to pull back.
"Goodnight."