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When Jisung made the decision to defer enrollment to college, there had only really been one thing that his parents asked from him. It’s a very simple request – one he should not have a hard time keeping given the wholesome life he’d been living for more than two decades, and the fact that he’s never really been the kind of kid that would ever do something illicit. But he learns that it’s quite difficult to stay away from jail even when he’s the least likely to break the law and the least likely to challenge the authorities.
He wonders quite too often, especially when he’s out with his friends, if his lazy ass should have just endured attending college when he had the chance.
-
Jisung becomes too familiar with darkness and only having to see through flashes of light coming from their phones and battery-operated torches. He’s able to distinguish who’s who by squinting in the dark and making out silhouettes standing in front of brick walls. The smell of spray paint fumes lingering in the air no longer triggered his allergies. His friends’ whispers don’t sound like whispering to him anymore.
Jisung’s skill is that he can identify Seongwu based on enunciation, Daniel by accent, Minhyun by his volume and Woojin by diction.
Jisung has spent so much time hiding with them, running from building owners, and escaping law enforcers that he’s learned to become accustomed to all of this. If he could write a book compiling all the excuses he’s told his parents along with all the excuses he could tell in the future, he might be able to make a whole series.
“Hyung,” Seongwu takes a few steps back from the wall to examine from a distance what he’s finished so far, “how does it look?”
There's an explosion of color on the wall, three artworks completely distinct from each other.
Jisung tilts his head and squints his eyes through the darkness; tries to make out what he can see from the streaks of light. “It’s beautiful. Very artistic. I like what you did with the yellows and the blue-green and that– ” his hand makes a circular motion referring to the artwork, “–tail thing over there.”
“You don’t know what it is, don’t you?” Park Woojin, who’s squatting directly in front of the wall, pauses his own work and cranes his head to look back at Jisung and at whatever Seongwu is working on.
“I don’t have a single clue, sorry.” Jisung holds up a peace sign to Seongwu.
They’re in front the building of a small convenience store, one that had falsely accused Seongwu of stealing a chocolate bar. He had to stop himself from slapping a whole fifty-thousand won on the store owner’s face along with the two credit cards he had in possession, and settled for this.
Defacing the store itself.
“Remind me again,” Jisung tells Minhyun who’s lounging in the front seat of Seongwu’s car and has his eyes fixated on some game on his phone, “why am I here?”
“You’re the fully-grown, responsible adult in our group,” Minhyun answers mindlessly as he leans back on the comfortable leather of their supposed escape vehicle.
“I’m the fully-grown, responsible adult in our group that no one seems to have half a mind to listen to,” Jisung corrects.
“People do suspect us less when you’re with us,” Minhyun pouts.
“So, I’m like a beard, is that what you’re saying? A beard that enables the four of you to seem innocent?”
“Essentially,” Seongwu smiles cheekily at Jisung’s glowering face as he takes a step forward to continue painting.
He takes Daniel’s spot, who steps back and pulls his facemask down below his mouth. Daniel has his bottom lip trapped between his teeth and has a chuckle in his throat he’s trying to suppress.
“This funny to you?”
“Kind of,” Daniel says. “Only because it’s true.”
Jisung rolls his eyes.
The next time he applies for a job, he thinks of claiming credits for babysitting a bunch of delinquents.
-
The next day, they hang out over at the football field and play a casual game under the summer sun. No one keeps score.
Jisung tries to empty his thoughts and lets himself get distracted by the heat crawling in his skin.
Daniel runs towards the bleachers where Jisung is at, huge grey shirt absolutely soaked in sweat and white sneakers stained by dirt. He pulls his shirt over his head and lets it dry on the metal railing to his right while the soft blow of the wind naturally dries the beads of sweat on his skin.
Jisung scans him from head to toe. “You know, it’s also illegal to be half-naked at public spaces,” Jisung comments as he hands Daniel a bottle of water.
“I heard Seongwu’s family donated half the money to renovate this field,” Daniel says as a-matter-of-factly, twisting the cap of the bottle open and pouring all the contents straight into his mouth.
“That doesn’t mean Seongwu’s family owns it. Doesn’t change the fact that it’s still public property,” Jisung reasons.
“Arrest me,” Daniel says mockingly, with a challenging look in his eyes and teasing smile. He wipes the wetness around his lips and sets the bottle down by his feet. “I’ve been thinking about last night,” he says after a while.
Jisung hums.
“Why are you here?”
Jisung thinks he mishears so he leans closer and asks, “What?”
“I’m asking, why are you hanging out with us,” Daniel mumbles. He turns his head to look down at Jisung who’s raising his eyebrow at him. “I’ve been wondering that a lot lately too. Since you don’t really do anything when we paint. You don’t steal when we do. But nine times out of ten, you don’t really stop us either. You don’t gain anything from us, but we gain some sort of immunity from hanging out with you.” Daniel leans forward with elbows on his thighs, head craned at an angle so he can still look at Jisung.
Jisung thinks back to when they started doing this. Admittedly, he can’t remember the exact time he just decided to group with a bunch of kids – three of them notorious for leaving behind the most scandalous graffiti and street art on public spaces (Daniel, Seongwu, and Woojin), one involved in street races (Minhyun), and about all of them stealing the most ridiculous items from stores, but he does remember how he became acquainted with one of them.
Daniel is an only child, and Jisung is the closest thing he has for family even though his biological mother is still alive. Truth be told, Jisung isn’t even sure if Daniel likes him. It’s just that the both of them hadn’t been given much choice, with their parents being close friends with each other. It meant that the two of them had to spend time with each other whether they liked it or not. Jisung didn’t mind at all as a kid. If anything, Jisung thought it would be more of Daniel’s concern since he was, after all, the one all the other kids wanted to hang out with.
Jisung wasn’t exactly the kid nobody wanted to hang out with either, but no one fell in line to be his friend. He’s the good kid. Maybe a boring one, but a kid that no one would expect to get into trouble. The one their parents expect would never let Daniel get into trouble.
Jisung knew how to take care of Daniel. There was a lack of a father-figure. Second, his mother was, still is, too busy for him. The first time Daniel’s mother missed an important milestone, she had to ask Jisung’s parents to be there for Daniel’s middle-school graduation. By the time he graduated high school, Jisung had been the one to voluntarily show up with a small bouquet in his arms and a proud smile, hauling Seongwu, Minhyun, and Woojin with him.
Jisung treated him that night to a way expensive dinner that would surely make a dent on an unemployed person’s wallet. “I don’t know why we’re celebrating,” Daniel had said. “I barely passed my subjects. I always cut classes. I almost got kicked out twice.”
“We’re celebrating because you graduated despite your attendance record,” Jisung had told him. “Still pretty impressive to me. Besides, that doesn’t really seem to stop you from stuffing your face with all this food.”
Even the line he knows he should never, ever cross blurs itself when Daniel’s the one who gets too close anyway. Jisung lets himself indulge even if it’s so wrong.
He might not have voluntarily asked to be in Daniel’s life, but he voluntarily stayed.
So, Jisung naturally answers Daniel’s question with the only answer that he has to the question “Why are you here?”
“Because you’re here,” Jisung says.
The simple-but-loaded answer is enough to render Daniel speechless, blank and bemused look on his face.
Jisung makes it easier for Daniel to accept. “Because you were the one who introduced me first to the others. I wouldn’t be friends with them if it weren’t for you.” It’s so much more complex than this, but Jisung knows he can’t let Daniel in on what he truly wants to say; knows Daniel might not be able to understand what he really means.
Daniel seems to take this better. “We’re going to get you in trouble one day, and it’s going to be awful.”
“I know.”
“And you don’t care?”
Jisung looks at him in silence, then drags his eyes to the other four boys running on the field, raucous laughter and banter echoing towards the bleachers. Jisung has grown fond of all of them. He’s even more motherly towards Woojin now than he is with Daniel.
If Jisung didn’t care, he’d have graduated from a university by now. He’d be working an eight-to-five. He could be everywhere, except here.
“I do,” Jisung answers. “Why I don’t stop you… Well, I don’t think I can stop you even if I tried.”
Daniel shrugs and leans back. His skin has dried up by now. “You’re probably right.” He doesn’t say anything about the first part of what Jisung said, but Jisung knows better than to pry; knows that Daniel will only say what he willingly lets out.
Either Daniel chooses not to comment because he believes him, or because he has some doubts. Jisung doesn’t really want to find out which one it is.
-
The cola Jisung drinks is refreshing and perfect for the heat. For the first time in a long while, he lets his shoulders loose and wills himself to relax.
It’s a semi-secluded space this time, and although Jisung still isn’t sure if they’re allowed to trespass in one of the abandoned apartment complexes sitting on the edge of their town, he’s less worried than when the kids do their spray painting smack-dab out in the open.
The building is mostly a wreck – standing with one wall completely gone, windows completely bared, and cracks and gaps on the stone floor. They deem the brick structure sturdy enough to play around in, but they note that should a natural disaster happen, it wouldn’t stand for long.
They’re on the third floor – only because they’ve somehow managed to fill up the first and second floor walls with dozens of murals. Jisung would sometimes walk slowly through the building to see the improvements of Daniel’s strokes or the evolvement of Seongwu’s style or the difference in Woojin’s color preference.
“You know, you’re surprisingly good at doing street art,” Jisung says with a tilt of his head as he scans the unfinished piece. “Why don’t you try putting your skills into good use instead of, oh, I don’t know, trying to land yourself a spot in prison every week?”
“What skill? Vandalizing public property?” Daniel’s voice comes out as muffled under his facemask, but the look of incredulity on his face when he looks back says it all for Jisung.
“Typical emo nineteen-year-old,” Seongwu laughs from the wall on the opposite side. “You have to give yourself a bit more credit than that. I know that all of this is your way of defying authorities, but you somehow do it in a way that makes it even hard for the police to paint over because it’s just that pretty.”
Daniel returns to working without acknowledging any of Jisung and Seongwu’s remarks, which isn’t anything surprising, considering that both are aware of how Daniel tends to ignore verbal praise. Jisung makes sure to praise him ten times, hoping that Daniel would somehow accept at least one.
“For real though, you could go to an art school. Shouldn’t you be starting college this fall?” Jisung asks, putting his can down and leaning back on his arms. “You’ll be good enough to pass the talent tests.”
Minhyun, who suddenly walks in with a drink in his hand, takes his seat beside Jisung on the floor. “What are we talking about?”
“Daniel going to college,” Jisung mumbles.
Minhyun’s mouth drops. “What kind of miracle…”
Jisung gives a hopeful look towards Daniel’s way, but his optimism is only shot down when the other laughs. “Yeah, right. Maybe when Minhyun hyung gets a girlfriend.”
Minhyun frowns. “Why are you saying that like it’s never going to happen?”
All three other guys have a hard time suppressing the laughter at their throats when they see Minhyun’s mildly offended face, ending that conversation there.
“Want to come over for dinner later?” Jisung calls Daniel’s attention when the latter is finishing up with the smallest details on the wall in front of him. Minhyun and Seongwu have gone home, leaving the two of them behind. “Your mom told me she’s going to be away for a week.”
Daniel doesn’t reply; only continues to glide his hand holding the can of black paint across the surface of the wall. He pulls his facemask down and twists his neck to look at Jisung. “Nothing new.” He chuckles bitterly. “Can I stay the night too?”
“Of course. Don’t you know that you’re my mom’s favorite kid? She likes you more than she likes her own son.” Jisung pulls his face into a frown when he sees the pressed smile on Daniel’s lips. “You know that you’re always welcome, right?” Jisung waits, but doesn’t hear any reply, so he stands up from his spot to sit in front of the crate of spray paint near Daniel’s feet.
Jisung looks at Daniel with a certain way -- in a light that he shouldn't be seeing him in -- and it's gotten so frequent that it makes Jisung nervous and each time he just attempts to shake it off and convince himself that it's all wrong.
It fascinates Jisung, when he scans Daniel’s figure and realizes how much Daniel has grown, how long they’ve known each other, how long they’ve been friends. Jisung had been taller than Daniel when they first met and he doesn’t quite remember when Daniel grew to the point that he would be able to crush Jisung if he wanted to. Only now, when Jisung recalls thirteen-year-old Daniel asking for permission to sleep over at their house or share his bed, does he notice how far they’ve come, how he’d been able to earn Daniel’s trust, how he’d grown to care for Daniel as if his same blood coursed through his veins.
It’s been too long that Jisung is still honestly surprised by Daniel’s willingness to keep him around.
“Don’t you ever get tired of me?”
The corner of Daniel’s mouth twitches, and he briefly glances at Jisung with mild interest. “Out of nowhere?”
Jisung slouches his shoulders and tries to alleviate the tension he unintentionally brought upon the two of them by fidgeting around with the different cans of paint in the crate. “Yeah. You said it yourself. I don’t run the way you do. Or Seongwu, Woojin, and Minhyun.”
“Then shouldn’t I be asking you that question? We already talked about this. Besides, I’m one-hundred percent sure you have more reason to get tired of me than the other way around.”
Jisung knits his eyebrows together. “That’s not true,” he mutters to himself.
Daniel, suddenly confused by the turn of the conversation, lifts a hand to scratch on his head, stops painting abruptly and puts the paint down in favor of talking to Jisung instead. He sits down in front of the other end of the crate and reaches for his unfinished can of soda. “Why’d you ask?”
“I just think you might enjoy others’ company better,” Jisung shrugs. He takes one can of blue paint in his hand and sprays a small amount on the wall to his left. The paint that stains the tip of his finger doesn’t come off when he tries wiping it off of his jeans.
“You’ve always been there for me, you know?” Daniel says this slowly and carefully, like he’s still shy to admit this out loud. “I’d take a bullet for you.” He looks at his own tinted hands and hides his palms around the can he’s holding. “Besides, who’s going to stop me from making all my bad decisions if you aren’t around?”
Jisung has a difficult time processing this but is also relieved that his consistency had somehow broken through Daniel’s walls, even when he thought that those mom-like phone calls or sleepless nights around town or just in his bedroom weren’t all for nothing.
“Didn’t we agree that there is no one who can stop you?”
Daniel tries to sneak a look at Jisung’s face and shrugs. “Maybe you’re the exception. Us against the world.”
-
Jisung is the most on edge in the evening, and even more when the place the boys decide to paint on isn’t even a bit secluded. The streets are empty, the evening is quiet. Tonight, Daniel has decided that he wanted to paint on one of the brick walls along the sidewalk, which isn’t anyone in particular’s property, which makes it a hundred times worse since there would be no owner to convince to let it go just in case they get a bit careless and get caught. Their only cover is the darkness of the night and the broken light posts from each end of the block.
Jisung hadn’t known that it would only be the two of them tonight, not that he minds, because this isn’t the first time that Daniel has attempted to paint without Seongwu or Woojin. They would be surprised, asking Daniel why he didn’t call them over. Daniel would tell them that it would be a spur of the moment – something he does just because he feels like it. Jisung and Minhyun tells him to do it less; reminds him that it would be better if he hauled any of the hyungs with him for safety reasons.
Then Jisung thinks it would have been better if he just kept his mouth shut because his words are probably the reason why he’s here now, serving as Daniel’s look-out while Daniel paints away.
After being Daniel’s acting-guardian all these years, Jisung learns that these decisions, Daniel’s so-called “spur of the moment” evenings, don’t actually happen for no reason. It’s never just because he feels like it. When he decides to do it alone, it’s always because he wants to forget, wants to take his mind off of something and wants himself distracted by something that’s tormenting him.
Jisung spends half an hour sitting on the dusty floor of the sidewalk, fidgeting with one can of green spray paint that Daniel has yet to use for this artwork. After thirty-three minutes of letting the younger boy paint in silence, Jisung speaks up, voice still quiet, but at least audible enough for the both of them to hear. “Talked to your mom recently?” He asks, knowing smile on his lips.
Daniel pauses painting for a moment, looks at Jisung as if he’s surprised that Jisung already has an idea of what had happened recently. He pulls his mask down to his chin. “Yeah,” he replies, voice raspy and rough. “She called me over the phone.”
Jisung crosses his arms and the right side of his head on the brick wall as he squints at Daniel’s figure. “What did she say?”
“I have a feeling you already know.”
“I want to know what she told you.”
Daniel sighs heavily and stops painting completely. He reaches for the cover of the can of spray paint from his pocket and squats in front of the crate resting between the two of them to put the can away. “She told me that we’re going to move to Seoul. A bit before summer ends.”
Which is exactly what Jisung had been told as well, like what Daniel’s mother mentioned when she called a couple of days back to check up on her son. It didn’t sit well with Jisung either, suddenly taking Daniel away from his friends, the ones who actually treat him like family, from him, but he knew he was powerless; has absolutely no jurisdiction over Daniel no matter how many more days they’ve spent together. So when Daniel’s mother tells him that I know what’s good for my son, and we’re moving to Seoul, he simply tells her to have a good day, maybe actually act like a mother to her one and only son for once, and hangs up the phone.
“Doesn’t matter,” Daniel says nonchalantly as he runs his fingers on the different cans of spray paint. “I told her I wouldn’t go.” He presses his lips into a half-smile, grabs the neon-blue can of paint, and returns to where he had been earlier.
Relief should wash over Jisung, because even though he is one hundred percent sure that their opinions or decisions on this situation wouldn’t matter, at least he knows that Daniel wants to stay. A least he knows that Daniel doesn’t want to leave. But the internal struggle is there, because as much as he wants this, wants Daniel to defy his mother’s orders and stay, Jisung also wants the best for him. And even if he doesn’t want to agree with Daniel’s mother, it’s only too obvious that what’s best is that they move to Seoul and have Daniel study in college.
And Jisung’s number one priority is, has always been, will always be Daniel.
“What’s stopping you though?” Jisung asks cautiously, as if he knows all too well that this will trigger an unpleasant reaction from the younger boy. “Summer’s going to end and Seongwu would be living in Seoul as well five days a week when school starts. Woojin’s going to be busy. Minhyun already is.”
Daniel seems to not take this seriously and quirks his eyebrows at Jisung. “And you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll study. Maybe enlist somewhere in between. Work afterwards,” Jisung trails off as he watches their surroundings. “Doesn’t really matter. You, on the other hand, should consider your opportunities.”
“Opportunities? Enlighten me.”
“Study. Keep painting. Learn how to dance. B-boy for all I care.” Jisung steadily becomes frustrated, unintentionally increasing the volume of his voice enough to probably draw some attention. “You’re young. Do whatever you –”
“Why are you telling me to go?” Daniel matches his tone and cuts him off halfway. He’s turned away from the wall and has stopped painting again. “Why are you trying to get rid of me?”
Jisung’s mouth falls slightly agape, taken-aback by the accusation. “I’m not trying to get rid of you,” he sputters out. “I’m just–,” Jisung racks his brain for an excuse, a reason, just anything that he could say to deny Daniel’s statement. It turns out that there really isn’t one, because no matter how anyone looks at it, Jisung is trying to get rid of Daniel, but for all the right reasons. “You can’t live like this forever.”
“Like what?” Daniel talks as he continues painting, and although he tries to level himself, Jisung could sense that he is getting aggravated. Like this, Jisung thought, holding yourself back. Not giving yourself a chance to explore. Letting me drag you down. When he doesn’t hear Jisung answer, he continues, “You should have just told me if you wanted out.”
It’s the absolute worst time to not say anything, because silence means yes, but Jisung is at a loss for words; has no idea what the right thing to say at the moment is. Doesn’t actually know the best for Daniel.
“Maybe I was too egocentric,” Daniel mumbles under his breath. Jisung can’t see it through the dark but can hear it through his voice – betrayal, hurt, dejection – all too loud in the deafening silence. “Self-important. Arrogant? To think that you would never have the capability of leaving me ever. To think that you cared. To think that you would ever like me the same way I do.”
Jisung stares wordlessly up at Daniel, repeats the words in his head like he isn’t sure if did hear right. He pulls himself from the floor and shuffles closer to the taller boy.
“I’m not saying that I don’t care or that I don’t like you. You think I’d go out in the middle of the night and risk getting arrested if I didn’t? All I’m saying is that moving away can be what’s best for you.”
Daniel throws the can aside in frustration, and Jisung flinches at the loud clattering of the steel can against the asphalt road. “Don’t you get it? I don’t care. As long as you’re with me, I don’t care. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”
It comes from nowhere, or at least they have been too caught up with their argument to notice, but it’s all too late when the both of them becomes aware of the car nearing their area, even later when they realize that it isn’t an ordinary vehicle, but one that belonged to the police.
They’re momentarily blinded by the red and blue that suddenly flash on top of the vehicle, but Jisung is quick to lace his fingers with Daniel, is able to swiftly to grab the crate with his other free hand and drop it behind a bush around the corner of the block. The two of them run and run, until Jisung could feel his lungs burning and until he could feel his legs slowly giving up. When they’ve ran at least half a mile, they stop behind a building and press their backs against the grimy walls to hide as they try to make out any sign of anyone still running after them.
They’re both panting heavily, trying to catch up with their breaths, and only when ten minutes have gone by without any indication of them still being chased does Jisung groan out loud from exhaustion.
That had been the closest call and the most dangerous encounter they’ve had for a while. Had they contemplated a bit longer for more than a split second, they would not have been able to escape.
Jisung curses under his breath as he realizes how absurd the situation has become. “Still think I don’t care for you?” Jisung spits the words out as he bends over catch his breath. He turns his head to the side to look at Daniel, who has been busy trying to get some air as well, but still has all of his attention on Jisung. “You really think I’d put myself through this if I didn’t like you? I can’t believe you have the strength to tell me I don’t give a fuck about you when I’m choosing to stay despite all the consequences it may bring me.”
Jisung runs a hand through his hair in frustration and kicks the wall with all the strength he had left and falls down to the floor into a squatting position. When he looks at Daniel through hair that somehow had matted itself on his forehead, the younger boy avoids his gaze.
“You were asking me,” he says voice low and careful, “why I stay. Why I’m still here. Why I haven’t gotten tired of you yet. It’s the same reason why I want you to move away; why I want you to stop letting me hold you back.”
Daniel looks down at his feet, seems like he doesn’t have the energy to keep listening to whatever Jisung is saying.
“The answer is so fucking simple, Daniel,” Jisung says. Daniel finally looks at him, eyes dripping with guilt, but Jisung is still too tired to care. “It’s because I love you.”
Jisung has been mostly on edge this evening, but only now, when he’s finally admitted it to himself and out loud, in front of Daniel, is he able to breathe easily.
-
They somehow make it to Jisung’s house.
Jisung had left their hiding place first, never looking back to see if Daniel had followed him. He didn’t even need to turn around to figure out that Daniel had been tailing him, and all he needed was to hear the drag of Daniel’s sneakers against the rough surface of the road and the constant sighing and muttering to himself of how stupidly stupid sosososo stupid he is.
Daniel skids to a stop a few meters away when they reach Jisung’s front door, half-expecting that Jisung would be too mad to let him stay the night. Still, Jisung motions for him to come inside, and Daniel doesn’t really protest that.
The both of them are careful as they trudge up the stairs to Jisung room as to not wake up Jisung’s parents. It takes half an hour for them to settle down, for Jisung to collect himself and self-reflect momentarily about tonight’s events. Daniel had been sitting cross-legged on Jisung’s bed, his normally-large figure looking unusually small tonight, and he still hasn’t looked straight into Jisung’s eyes once.
Jisung settles beside Daniel, doesn’t turn the light on, only relies on the moonlight shining through his window to make out Daniel’s figure. It’s sort of fitting, he thinks, since they always spend their nights avoiding light anyway.
“I’m sorry,” Daniel starts, looking straight into Jisung’s eyes. “I’m sorry for everything I said. I’m sorry for almost getting us arrested.”
Jisung sighs shakily, scratches at the back of his neck awkwardly. “It’s fine. We’re fine. Let’s just call it a night, yeah? We should sleep.” Jisung moves to grab the blanket folded on the foot of his bed and pull it over himself.
“We’re not fine,” Daniel says, holding the soft cloth in his fist. “We need to talk.”
“I’ve said everything I needed to say. There’s nothing else I could say to you.”
“Then hear me out. Listen to me,” Daniel asks kindly.
Jisung loosens his hold on the fabric and hunches his shoulders in defeat. It was nearing dawn anyway, what’s losing two more hours of sleep anyway?
Jisung waits for a minute or two for Daniel to start saying something, anything. His eyes are getting more and more droopy by the second, and he only snaps awake when Daniel leans forward, moves as fast as lightning, to press his lips against Jisung for the briefest moment and then pull back like he’s been burnt by scalding hot metal. Jisung covers his mouth with a hand and watches Daniel with huge, bewildered eyes.
“Did that wake you up?” Daniel asks as he chews on his bottom lip. He sees Jisung’s eyes wide and clear even through the dark, and sighs in relief. “Okay. Good. I’m sorry. I love you, and all I want is for you to stop telling me that being apart from you is what’s best, because it’s not. I need you much more than you need me, and I promise to start trying. To do whatever it is that could be the best for me. All I want and all I’ll ever need is for you to just be there.”
Like how he’s always been, and how he never wanted to voluntarily leave anyway.
Jisung reaches up for his face and scratches his right eye as he yawns. “I won’t leave. I won’t push myself away. Just.” He takes a deep breath. “Be careful with the kisses. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“Getting too old, hyung,” Daniel jokes. Jisung reaches to pinch his side, but Daniel only pulls him closer. “I’ll talk to my mom tomorrow. About Seoul. About her. About me.”
“And if she doesn’t compromise?”
Daniel licks his lips as he eyes Jisung’s own. “We’ll work something out.”
“Us against the world, right?” Jisung whispers, moving until ‘til there’s no space between them when he feels an arm snake around his waist.
“Yeah. Us against the world.”