Archive of Our Own ^beta

It’s dark as the creepy clouds hanging from the sky and his skin is poking him like needles since the air brushing pass him is cold. He can’t see anything but he continues to limp forward until he reaches the end of the alley and he sees a door. It looks like an exit door of a bar and the door’s frame is full of colorful lights. Clenching his bleeding arm, he glues his body against the door and tries to detect any sound from it but all he can hear is thud and no sign of people at the alley. He can’t hold it anymore as he blows out a harsh breath through his gritted teeth, trying to swallow down his screaming voice along with his lump. In a hope someone will find him very soon, he leans against the wooden brick wall and slowly closes his eyes.

-

He stutters his eye open, trying to focus on the voices he hears. It’s noise actually. Head pulses, mouth are dry and he feels like there’s stone on every part of his body.

“He’s awake!”

“I told you to shut your goddamn mouth, Jun!”

“What do we do now? He looks like he’s in pain.”

“Jeonghan hyung! He’s awake! Come here!”

Then, he hears another voice approaching him from a distant. “For the love of the god, shut up all of you!”

Unable to detect any of the voices, he stirs his body to left to look at his surroundings despite his throbbing head. At that moment, a hand presses his shoulder to stop him from moving and a soft and a graceful face peeks at his direction. Letting out a hiss, he settles on the bed and everyone in the room surrounds his bed, looking at him with a pitiful gaze.

“Hi!” A tall guy greets him.

“Are you still in pain?” A hesitant voice asks him and the voice belongs to another guy who looks like in early 20. He tries to study everyone before the owner of the soft face speaks to him.

“Chan, he’s alright.” The man consoles the boy and shoots a stare on him. “So, hi! I’m Jeonghan.” He introduces himself. “That tall one is Mingyu and he is Chan and that guy who is eating the fish bun is Jun. There are four of us. We found you at the alley, you looked like a bunch of dicks punched the hell out of you but you aren’t injured that bad. Your arm is stitched, I mean, the cut isn’t deep enough and there won’t be infections only if you take care of it really well. Other than that, your body is full of bruises. It will heal on its course. Your face is not affected, you still look good,”

“Hyung, cut it off. You talk too much.” Mingyu interrupts him and they sigh in unison as if they have predicted this to happen.

“Can you talk?” Chan asks.

Jeonghan waits for a minute before proceeding. “Tell us about you. What’s your name?”

He still looks clueless as he gets up while Jun helps him to lean against the pillow. Just then he realizes that he is shirtless but he has no energy to debate that had the right to take off his shirt without his consent so he breathes to finally speak.

“I’m Seungcheol.” First silence engulfs them for about 30 seconds. So Seungcheol observes each one of them as he has an inner contemplation to say the next sentence. “I’m an orphan.” He swallows his saliva when Chan creases his brow at him. “I ran from the orphanage home.”

He receives a response from Jun as soon as he finishes his last sentence, “Cool! You ran away from an orphanage. It must be excit-“

“Jun!” Jeonghan scoffs. “But why did you run away?”

“I was bullied.” Seungcheol adjusts his position on the bed and focuses his gaze on Jeonghan whose face now has turned serious.

“Who? The kids?” Seungcheol nods. Jeonghan gapes, opening and closing his mouth, trying to collect his consciousness to comprehend what he just heard. Chan, with a face full of sympathy, joins him on the edge of the bed, next to Jeonghan and rubs Seungcheol’s hand. They are in silence for a good minute while Seungcheol looks at the hand that is holding his and he hates this urge of feelings building up inside him. Once again, no matter how hard he pushes it, it always find its way back to him which makes him to shut everyone out but he doesn’t push Chan’s hand away.

“You can rest here until you feel okay or you can just leave. We will not care.” Jeonghan breaks the silence which makes Jun to scoffs.

“Why would you say that?! Let him just be here. He can join us too,”

Join us?

Mingyu and Jeonghan shoot a fire glare to Jun but the guy just shrugs it, not caring much the backlash he could get. Seungcheol stays silent; he knows he can’t interlude their eye conversation, well since everyone is glaring each other and he feels like a total burden so he thinks carefully before speaking which catches everyone’s attention.

“Can I stay here and go whenever I want?” Only  Chan’s face lit up while Jun looks like he has aimed a wrong spot and on the other hand, Mingyu crosses his arm as he rolls his eyes after seeing Jeonghan hesitantly nods.

“Or you can just live here! With us!” Chan enthusiastically adds to which Mingyu murmurs, “I can’t believe this.”

Seungcheol can’t lift his gaze to meet Mingyu’s. For some reason, that tall guy with golden tanned skin which fits perfectly for him looks irritated with him and he realizes he can’t involve with anyone. He has to deal with himself alone but there is something about Jeonghan’s voice reassuring him that he can be here, that he can be safe here, and that he needs someone’s warmth. Seungcheol flutters his eyelids to steal a glance from Jeonghan but the latter is looking at him.

A deep sigh escapes from him. “You can live here. I’m allowing you because you look awful and I hate unmotivated people. So fix that before you go.”

“Hyung? Are you kidding? We can’t believe him! He might be an undercover cop!” Mingyu hints Jeonghan to reconsider his decision.

“If he’s a cop, he would be the first one to come to us but we went to him first, Mingyu. I don’t want to hear anything else, be good to him!” Mingyu rolls his eyes and stomps his feet on the floor to his room after hearing Jeonghan and night falls.

*

“Give Seungcheol hyung the burger! He loves it with cheese!!” Mingyu screams at Jun who is running away with a burger on his hand and Jeonghan can only shakes his head while Chan doesn’t care about what’s happening since he is doing his assignments.

“Shut up!” Chan can’t take Jun and Mingyu’s antics no more. Jun stops running and Mingyu takes the chance to snatch the burger away from him.

“Hey kid, calm down.” Jun says to Chan who is no longer giving shit to them. Mingyu, walks over Seungcheol with a radiant smile on his face and gives the burger to him.

It has been three days since Seungcheol is staying here and much to his surprise Mingyu doesn’t give him a cold shoulder anymore but treating him rather warmly and he finds him adorable like a puppy who likes to cling on him. It’s not that he dislikes it but it is his first time having someone running to him and it feels weird at first because he doesn’t know how to react to such interaction but now he just let him be. On the other hand, Jun is just a person who is oblivious to his surroundings but he is also someone dependable. He works at a construction site as an ironworker which is obviously dangerous but most of the time, he will bring back metals from his workplace and sell it to earn money. Seungcheol already loves the four of them. They’re friendly and warm like Chan who is a second year student in liberal arts. It’s amazing that he is sponsored fully by the government and even got a scholarship to finish his study.

Seungcheol sits silently on the couch and secretly glances over Jeonghan who is sitting next to Chan at the dining table. He finds himself in awe every time he sees Jeonghan. It’s a helpless habit that he has developed. He doesn’t know why is he reacting certainly towards Jeonghan but he knows that his heart will always beat faster than normally when their eyes meet and he doesn’t want to think about it any further.

Jun joins him on the couch and nudges him with a playful smirk plastered across his face. “Be a man!” He whispers which catches Seungcheol off guard. He licks the sauce that dripped on his finger and wiggles his brow at him.

“What do you mean?”

Mingyu who already knows the situation, sighs. “You’re into guys? I know that you like Jeonghan hyung! Everyone does! Even Jun braced himself to confess at hyung but hyung rejected him.”

Seungcheol’s eyes widen but he stays generally calm. “Yeah man! He said we should stay as friend. I mean, I’m not trying to get under his pants,” Seungcheol instantly chokes at what Jun has said.

“You what?” Seungcheol asks once again for clarification to which Jun only presses his lips together.

“Forget about that, tell us about yourself! We don’t know anything about you except you ran from the home and your name is Seungcheol.”

Seungcheol hums for a while before Jeonghan joins them. “What are you guys talking about?” Mingyu shrugs and points at Seungcheol who is in between Jun and Mingyu so Jeonghan sits facing him on the floor.

“I grew up there, at the home. I don’t know who are my parents and I don’t care about them as long as I can live there.” Seungcheol breathes as he clasps his hand together tightly which Jeonghan notices so he caresses his hand smoothly, stopping Seungcheol’s lungs from functioning. “When people came for adoption, they’ll agree at first and then leave without saying anything.”

“Did they adopt you?” Chan butts in.

Seungcheol nods. “I don’t know why. Once they see me, they’ll cancel the procedures. The kids called me as cursed and bullied me.”

“That’s why your body is full of bruises. I was confused when treating you.” Jeonghan softly says.

“You treated me?” Seungcheol creases his eyebrows and gives Jeonghan a demanding look.

“You didn’t know? Jeonghan is a med student.” Jun tells him.

“An expelled med student, Jun.” Jeonghan corrects him.

“Expelled?”

Chan nods with a sigh as he drops his head to the ground. “They framed Jeonghan hyung taking drugs so they kicked him out without carrying out a proper investigation but the whole school knows hyung is not guilty.”

“You could sue them,” Seungcheol suggests.

“Higher authorities bribed everyone to keep their mouth shut and also threatened them and I don’t have much money to file a case.” Jeonghan plasters a smile so Seungcheol decides to not ask him anything further.

Adjusting his position on the couch and changes the topic. “How did all of you end up together? Do y’all know each other?”

This time, Mingyu answers. “I have known Jeonghan hyung since high school while Jun is a friend of mine since little and Chan has been growing up with Jeonghan hyung because his parents left him.”

Seungcheol is amazed by the story. It’s fascinating how they built friendship among them out of blue. “But how did all of you end up together?”

Jeonghan chortles quietly, “Guess broken kids know where they should belong, huh?”

*

It’s Saturday and there is no one in the house so Seungcheol grabs his bag to check if there is any money and luckily there is. Seungcheol walks to the pastry shop which is 20 minutes away from the house. He has been craving for chocolate croissant so he picks it before going to the counter to pay for it. Walking out of the shop, there is an alley at the end of the street where he spots Jeonghan and Mingyu with cash in their hands. Curious, he slowly approaches them before Mingyu notices him and he quickly whispers something to Jeonghan.

“Hey,” Seungcheol softly greets.

Jeonghan shoves whatever it was on his hand into his back pocket and shows him an awkward smile while Mingyu is just standing nonchalantly.

“What are you doing here?”

Seungcheol lifts the croissant on his hand in the air.

“You can’t roam here. It’s dangerous.” Mingyu warns.

“No one knows me.” Seungcheol shrugs it off.

Jeonghan steps in. “That’s the point. No one knows you and they’ll bug you. Harass you.”

“I can manage it.” Seungcheol is still stubborn.

Jeonghan brushes his hair with a little frustration and stands straight. “You must have looked easy on us since we treat you nicely huh? We’re bad persons, Seungcheol.”

Seungcheol doesn’t bat an eye but still stay composed. “Everyone is.”

Mingyu shakes Jeonghan’s arms after noticing a bunch of guys at the end of the alley who are walking towards them, “Hyung, let’s go first.” Mingyu starts running with Jeonghan behind him and when Seungcheol turns his back, his collar is grabbed by a man who he doesn’t know.

“Who…who are you? Let me go!” Seungcheol yells at the thick-skinned man. However the man signals his gang to go after Jeonghan and Mingyu and noticing it, Seungcheol bites the man’s arm as he tries to escape. The man burst in anger and as in result, he kicks Seungcheol on his stomach and he weakly falls onto the ground, screaming the pain.

“Don’t play with me, kid!” The man says which sends tremble inside Seungcheol’s stomach. The man crouches in front Seungcheol and forcefully pulls him up by his arm to match his level. “Tell me, where do you guys live?”

It alarms Seungcheol to not spill anything so he stays silent which doesn’t satisfy the truculent man as another punch lands on the corner of Seungcheol’s mouth. “Don’t try to protect them, they’ll abandon you. So tell me.”

The air feels chilly at night after a hot day and Seungcheol can see the flowers are still verdant and somehow it looks much lively than him. He walks back and forth in front of their house, gazing up the empty sky as he is waiting for certain someone. There is no one at home since Chan has a seminar program and Jun is still not home from work while Mingyu and Jeonghan are missing since early evening. The sight is amazing since the wooden house is located in front of sea. The big, old tree sways together with air, giving him fresh oxygen to inhale.

“Seungcheol!” A familiar voice calls him and an instant smile creeps up to his lip.

“Oh? Hyung? Your mouth…it’s swollen,” Mingyu points out before Jeonghan rushes to him.

“What? Did you get beaten up?” Jeonghan takes a close look at his mouth and hisses in pain together with Seungcheol when he lightly touches the swollen area. Seungcheol just find it hopeless to look at Jeonghan who is worried about him.

“Mingyu, we do have the first-aid kit right? Bring that.” Mingyu nods and the three of them enter the house. Jeonghan beckons Seungcheol to sit on the dining table while Mingyu hands him the kit.

“Hyung, I’m going to shower!” Jeonghan answers his call and scoots closer to Seungcheol so that he can apply the cream on him.

“I’m sorry.” Jeonghan speaks as he gently puts iodine on the tiny scratch and lifts his eyes upward for a second before he focuses back on his mouth. Seungcheol twitches his lip into an oblivious smile and opens his mouth to respond but get shut by Jeonghan with his index finger so Seungcheol hums the sentence that Jeonghan obviously doesn’t understand.

“What are you saying?” Jeonghan laughs shortly and creases his brows in regret. “This won’t do, I have to put an icepack on your mouth.”

“Hey, Jeonghan. It’s fine, don’t apologize. I’m glad to save you.” Seungcheol lifts his eyebrows as in an agreement with his sentence but Jeonghan stands in a silence which makes Seungcheol to move from his seat. As if he is startled, Jeonghan urges him to sit down and runs to the kitchen to grab icepack. Once he returns, Seungcheol prepares himself to get treated by him but unexpectedly he just gives the icepack to him and walks away, leaving him in a confused state and also in a little heartbreak.

Mingyu comes out from the bathroom, half naked with a towel around his waist, contently exposing his golden-tanned skin with droplets of water clinging onto it as he wipes his foot dry with another towel. Great body, Seungcheol thinks. He then sits at the dining table, giving Seungcheol a company as he takes off the food tent to find kimchi and a bowl of fish soup.

“Where’s Jeonghan hyung?” Seungcheol shakes his head while focusing on the icepack against the corner of his mouth.

Munching the kimchi, Mingyu faces Seungcheol and snorts amusingly. “I’m sorry for this happened to you, hyung. I think Jeonghan hyung might be at the rooftop with a cigarette.” Seungcheol doesn’t find the relation between what Mingyu has said so he put down the icepack on the marble table.

“Why those guys were chasing you two?” A silence knocks onto him as he notices Mingyu’s eyes waver with hesitance before he places the kimchi back into the food tent and silently laughs for a good second.

“Did you ever think that you would be saved when you ran away from the home?”

“No,”

“Then, did you know that you would meet us? The four of us?”

“No.”

“Do you think that the people that you meet even for a second are good?”

“Yes. I mean, even if they are bad, they might be good for someone else. Like to me, you guys are good to me. Isn’t that enough?”

The face of Mingyu starts to crumple in disarrayment and since the surrounding is dim, Seungcheol isn’t sure of what kind of expression is Mingyu wearing and when he realizes, he rises from the chair and goes into his room. Seungcheol is left once again without an explanation and when he turns his head, Jun is already taking off his shoes at the doorway and puts it into the shoe rack tidily.

“Welcome home.”

“You’re not sleep yet?” Jun rubs his face for multiple times, throws the bag on the floor and sloppily slides down the comfy couch with his both arms and legs are widely spread as he keeps his eyes shut. A pity smile lands on Seungcheol’s face. He walks to Jun and gently massages his eyes that are shut to which Jun seems startled.

“Don’t move. This will ease your tiredness a bit.” With a mumble of thanks, Jun relaxes all of his muscles and lets out an exhale.

Twenty minutes later, he is standing on the rooftop, watching the city he lives in with his peripheral vision and when he gazes up, the sky is still empty. Big and tall buildings are standing vigorously in front of him, almost an arm to reach to which he laughs emptily after being blinded by the ray of thousands lights that are still shining up until midnight. That’s it. People are still everywhere. At his left, he can see a figure, standing lazily with one leg on the ground while the other one is on the wall that confines the area as he blows out a harsh breath along with poisonous smoke. Mingyu was right, he is with a cigarette. ‘A friendly company, huh?’

“How does it taste?”

Jeonghan curses under his soft breath because of shock before sliding the cigarette in between his teeth. “Death.”

“Poetic, I’d say.”

“Life seems to be it for others.” He pulls out the cigarette from his mouth, stretches his body into a loud scream that fades into the dark sky and inhales once again. He tastes death and smells earth, how ironic. However, Seungcheol enjoys the sight of it, when the cigarette is held loosely in between Jeonghan’s cranky yet delicate fingers and when the smoke softly blows upon his face.

“May I?” Seungcheol signals the cigarette to be shared but Jeonghan doesn’t budge.

“You’d smoke?”

“I was bullied,” After a second of pause, Jeonghan realizes the answer so he just gives it.

“How did you like it when you were forced?”

In a moment of exchange talks, the exact cigarette tastes glossy damp of sweetness and a mix flavor of rice cake and sundae. He might have eaten those earlier, Seungcheol assumes. After a pew puffs, Seungcheol notices a gleam of city lights in Jeonghan’s eyes so he remains silent only to study the magical in it before speaking.

“Hmm, it was like a stress-reliever. I instantly loved it.”

“Maybe your chest was burning too.” Jeonghan abruptly says.

“Oh, are you going to be a poet?” Seungcheol teases him but what Jeonghan said was somehow true.

Jeonghan kicks his leg. “Or I could say that you were trying for an indirect kiss.” Without realizing, that moment held anticipation from whose heart is now slowly melting in hope and desire. Seungcheol smiles just for seconds before it vanishes into a hopeless hint.

“You’d really think that I will use cheap trick like this, huh? I could just toss you around and give an actual kiss on that lip of yours.”

Moments passes, along with fresh breeze that sways the tingling desire away when Jeonghan looks away into the vast vision where he can hear honking sound of cars only to shut off the voices creeping up inside his mind.

Morning comes and he is welcomed by cheerful noises at the outside.  Rubbing his eyes open, he walks lazily to the direction of the sounds coming from. There, he stands on the sand, barefoot, silently adoring how playful are the four of them. Chan is back and now playing footvolley with Jeonghan, Mingyu, and Jun. The particles of sand flies in the air along with their high kick and fade in a second but their lively laughter increases and it sounds genuine. Seungcheol crosses his arm and watches over them before Jun calls his name out loud.

“Seungcheol!” Even in that tiniest second of looking away, Seungcheol notices how Jeonghan’s gaze seems disturbed after shifting his attention on him.

“Come, play with us!” Chan invites when Mingyu serves the kick. “I’m not good with kicking.” Seungcheol nicely rejects and lays his butt on the sand as he dusts off his palms. Just then, Jeonghan misses the ball and sand gets into his eyes. He stumbles backwardly before held by Mingyu and Seungcheol rushes to him.

“Hyung, don’t rub! Open your eyes.”

“I can’t open my eyes, idiot!” He curses Mingyu and keeps rubbing his eyes when Mingyu tries to blow on his eyes. Looking at his stubbornness, Seungcheol grabs both of his hands and keeps them in the air as he successfully blows the dust out from his eyes.

“Look at that hyung, he can’t even take care of himself but still stubborn.” Chan comments.

Jeonghan sends a sharp gaze to them. “Shut up, Chan!” Seungcheol laughs and sits on the sand back and watches the game.

Soon, the sun starts to set high on the sky and sweats are prickling on their bodies. Chan has already laying flat on the sand under a big tree while the rest of them are still continuing the game. They are still running around the beach, laughing so brightly.

“It’s hot!” Jun grumbles and starts taking off his shirt before plomping on the sand harshly. Mingyu joins him while Jeonghan is still playing with the ball alone. Seungcheol feels like to give him a company before he averts his eyes to Jun and Mingyu who are whispering to one another as they fix their gaze on Jeonghan. Before he could interpret the situation, Mingyu sprints off to an oblivious Jeonghan and hauls him by his waist as he pulls him off the ground and is joined by Jun who starts to tickle him.

“Put me down, Mingyu!” Jeonghan screams but is ignored by the both of them since they are having fun by teasing him.

“These hyung,” Chan hugs his knees and looks at the playful situation before his eyes. “I’m glad I have them.” He whispers softly with a smile on his face and plays with the sand.

“Jun, stop it! Let me go!!! Oh my god! I hate you two!” Jeonghan suffers when Mingyu sways their body, accessing Jun to tickle him more.

“Mingyu,” Jun calls him and signals him something to which he nods enthusiastically and Jeonghan is already seeing it coming when they eye the sea.

“Mingyu, I swear to god if you thro-" Jeonghan is thrown into the salt water before he could finish his sentence followed by their evil laughs.

“Look at him!” Jun points when Jeonghan comes out of the sea soaked fully wet. Seungcheol is amused by the scene but not anymore when he chases Mingyu in a full speed and pushes him into the sea as a pay back. Jun who let his guard down while laughing is also pushed to join Mingyu in the water by Jeonghan.

“Fuck it, Yoon Jeonghan!”

Jeonghan snickers, “That is what you two deserve.”

With a loud sigh, Chan stands up. “I’m going in.” Seungcheol nods and waits until Chan is lost from his view before focusing back on the others and when he does; his breath is found hammering deep in his throat.

Mingyu and Jun are splashing water on each other while at the other side, there is Yoon Jeonghan, casually taking off his wet shirt as he shakes the water droplets from his hair. As the sun shining so brightly onto his bare skin, Seungcheol can’t take his eyes off the droplets clinging onto each part of him. As if he has fallen into a spell, a spell of Yoon Jeonghan. His eyes slowly dilate upon seeing Jeonghan who is standing under the perfectly shimmering sun, obliviously closing his eyes to let the warmth to engulf his whole body. He glances over him once again and everything feels perfect. Maybe he is slowly falling into something ethereal, love maybe.

Seungcheol has never been jealous. He never does but today, he discovers himself envy of the water droplets and the sun.

*

“Why Jun isn’t home yet?”  Mingyu asks and passes the dirty towel to Jeonghan. It’s Sunday and they are cleaning the house. Since Mingyu is 6 feet, he is the one who has to wipe the fan which has turned black because of so much dust and there is Chan who has been complaining about the speed of the fan has become slow and it is uncomfortable to sleep amidst the hot weather.

Seungcheol is assigned to clean the cabinets which have nothing but dusts and dead insects. “He’s ditching to clean the house.” Mingyu answers himself after being paid dust.

Seeing a sneezing Seungcheol, Jeonghan approaches him and crouches beside him. “Are you allergic to dusts?”

“Not so,”

Jeonghan looks apologetic, “I’m sorry for asking you to clean the house.”

“It is our house.” With that, Seungcheol removes the cap he is wearing and puts it onto Jeonghan’s head and gently pats it before walking away.

“Seungcheol!” He stops on his track, turning 360 degree to hum to the call back.

“Do you want to come with us tonight?”

Mingyu steps down from the ladder. “Us?”

“Where?” Seungcheol asks clueless.

Jeonghan tries his hardest best to keep their eyes meet. “Being free?”

Seungcheol smiles and agrees.

An hour later, they are walking on streets companied a can of beer and night breeze. Seungcheol doesn’t know where are they heading but following them foolishly.

“Hyung, there are they!” Mingyu says and runs to the direction of two guys coming out from a convenient store. Jeonghan nods and calmly follows Mingyu from behind.

“Who are they?” Seungcheol asks. Without answering him first, Jeonghan delivers a strong punch on one of the guy’s cheek. Seunghceol backs away because of surprise while Mingyu holds them tightly; not letting them escape and Jeonghan kicks their knees, making them to crumble on the ground.

“Argh!” The man screams.

“Where is the money?”

“I asked you for some time.” The man says while hissing the pain away.

Mingyu pulls his hair, “Aack!”

“The date has expired. I warned you to be wise.”

“Spare us, Jeonghan.” The other man begs.

Jeonghan drops his head and brushes his hair upwards before glancing over Seungcheol who is studying the situation with wild eyes. “Seungcheol, kick him.”

“Huh?”

“Kick him!”

With a speed of light, his feet lands on the man’s stomach and he vomits blood. “Good.” Jeonghan says.

“Mingyu, release him.”

Jeonghan crouches in front of them and searches for certain things in their pockets and when he gets nothing, he snatches the chain on the man’s neck and smirks.

“I’ll take this which rebates your debt to 60,000 won.” Before letting them go, Jeonghan lets another sharp kick on his neck.

Mingyu dusts his hands off and gives a thumb up to Seungcheol. Gulping down the beer, Jeonghan breathes out and laughs. An evident of happiness is shown on his face. Seungcheol is confused. What is their business with those guys? He thinks. For someone who has a pretty face, Jeonghan is quite brutal but somehow he likes the appearance. He must have gone crazy, Seungcheol can confirm that. Seungcheol is insane now that he wants to experience this kind of things more.

“Are you guys usurers?” Seungcheol carefully asks when they at udon stall.

Mingyu instantly laughs after exchanging stares with Jeonghan. “That sounds cruel,”

“You guys just almost killed a person.” Seungcheol states to which Jeonghan tenses his face muscles.

“We don’t kill people, Seungcheol.”

After taking a shot of soju, Mingyu scratches his jaw, “Hmm, it’s like teaching a lesson?” He looks at Jeonghan for confirmation and nods.

“Lesson?”

“You kicked him too.”

“But why did you ask me to do so?”

The aunt comes to serve their foods. “I wanted to know how good you are.”

“For what?”

“We need to make a living. Don’t you think?” Mingyu answers in between his munches.

Seungcheol lifts the chopsticks and laughs before digging into the udon. “You guys are crazy!”

“So what do you think?”

“What?” Seungcheol slurps the soup when Jeonghan pours soju for him.

“We’re doing this because they deserve it. We work under a gang, the guy who beat you that day, he’s the boss.”

Seungcheol raises an eyebrow, “If he is your boss, then why did he chase you?”

“We don’t obey him. He’s using other guys for smuggling, drugs, sex and all for money. We collect money from those who are in debt with him. Higher officials are also included in this. At first, it was fine because we didn’t know the whole story behind it but after we found out, we can’t work with him. So we continued to collect the money, not for him, but for us. There is a welfare centre here so we sponsor our parts. As much as we can to help them.” Mingyu explains.

“When the boss found out, he set his guys to kill us but we’re still escaping.”

Seungcheol’s forehead creases and he has stopped eating. He can’t digest the food nor the information. “Police?”

“All for money, Seungcheol. They won’t take any actions or file a case.”

“That’s fucked up.”

Mingyu snickers, “This world is corrupted.”

“Well, sometimes, those in medical give me a call for any emergency situation. Like a backup support.”

“Do Chan and Jun know about this?”

“Of course they do. They just don’t interfere. They know what we are doing.”

Seungcheol offers to pour the soju for both of them, “Allow me,”

“Oh my god! You’re cheesy!” Jeonghan screeches.

“Now I understand why Chan said he is grateful to have you guys with him.”

They were heading back home but Jeonghan suggested something and none of them can resist it.

“Seungcheol, do you want to do it?” Jeonghan whispers.

He is stunned but up for the challenge anyway while Mingyu stays a few steps away from them, quietly supervising the situation and the surroundings.

“I don’t know why we are stealing fucking coconuts.” Says Seungcheol, as he climbs the tall tree as he catches his breath.

“The left one,” Mingyu eyes the ripe one and tells Seungcheol to pick that it. “The upper one, between the rotten one, hyung!” He is half screaming and half whispering due to frustration. In the other hand, Jeonghan is picking the fallen coconuts and gathers it at a corner.

Luckily, it is late night and there is no other than them at the beach which eases their doings.

“Is it enough?” Seungcheol asks, looking down at them.

“Okay!” Jeonghan signals his reaction with his hand and bends his body when he passes by the tree. With much strength, Seungcheol climbs down, before falling down for about 6 feet above the sand. All of the grit their teeth and covers themselves while Seungcheol is staying frozen on the ground, not knowing what possible action he can do. That is when he hears a loud scream from a distance.

“Stop!” It is a voice of an old man and since it is dark, he can’t quite tell who it is but his brain clicked when Jeonghan yells after.

“Seungcheol, run!” With two coconuts in each of their hands, they run as hard as they can and finally hide in a public washroom which enables if anyone wants to wash themselves before and after entering the salt water. Holding their breath, they peek outside and minutes pass, there is no sign of footsteps or people.

“Why did I do that?”

“Relax, he deserves it.” Mingyu tells.

“Who? The man?”

“Yes, he sells ice cream at the beach and his house is like 15 minutes away from here.”

Seungcheol can’t connect the dots. “So?”

“He is a selfish man despite his age. He striped a kid days ago because the kid didn’t pay for the ice cream. And this tree is his; he put a board to not steal his coconuts since he makes coconut flavored ice creams.”

“Are we revenging? I mean this isn’t the best way. Stealing his coconuts? We should strip him back.”

Mingyu almost throws up, “Please, my eyes have better things to watch.”

“He’s gonna suffer anyway because this tree is old and doesn’t fruit often. It’s gonna take him probably a month or a year to start selling again.” Jeonghan explains.

“This is pretty much exciting,” They burst into a big laugh after Seungcheol’s comment and exchange gazes, the one which holds much secret of the heart.

*

The next night unfolds and all of them are at home so Jun insists to throw a small barbecue party at the beach. They were busy since evening. Since Mingyu is a pretty good cook, he offered to buy meats, sausages and nuggets along with a few vegetables like salad, cherry tomato and spinach. Jun’s work ended early so he spared some time to buy the charcoal and the grilling steel with Seungcheol while Jeonghan picked Chan from the campus.

“Great, all of us are here!”

“Should we make campfire?” Chan suggests to which everyone seems excited so he quickly gathers firewood at the back of their house while Jun sets the place.

“Seungcheol, give me a hand,” As soon as he is told, he holds the ladder which Jun is stepping on to hang the fairylights for a support since the ladder seems unbalanced.

Mingyu is still busy at the kitchen, slicing the meats and preparing the items for the barbecue.

“Hyung, be careful!” Mingyu sprints towards Jeonghan who carelessly let the knife fall right next to his foot. It almost cut his toe.

“Stop yelling for everything, Mingyu.” Ignoring him, Mingyu takes the knife from the floor and checks his fingers and feet if there is any cut. When there isn’t any, Mingyu suddenly places his palm on his nape and caresses it.

“Don’t touch anything.”

Seungcheol sees this, he sees how wary and troubled are Mingyu’s eyes. It is all evident based on his stares at Jeonghan and he also knows he shouldn’t have this weird, tingling feeling in his stomach whenever he sees Jeonghan with others, especially Mingyu. They are so close and he hates to brush off the emotions in his chest that has been building out of blue for the past weeks. He loves it but at the same time he realizes it is none of his business so he tries his best to desist whatever the ticklish feeling he’s newly experiencing yet he imagines how wonderful they would be if they had met sooner.

Without making a sound, Seungcheol steps into the kitchen, very casually, as if he is oblivious of Mingyu and Jeonghan’s existence at there and heads to the fridge to take out ice cubes and beers. With the corner of his eyes, Seungcheol notices how Jeonghan quickly shrugs off Mingyu’s hand on his nape and continues to what he was doing before but Mingyu boldly snatches the knife away from his hand.

“Hyung, go outside. I don’t want you to be here.”

Jeonghan resists, “I don’t have anything to do, let me-“

“Go help Seungcheol hyung.” Seungcheol who is back-facing them, freezes on his spot but still manages to take out the plastic of beers and turns to hand Jeonghan the ice cubes.

“Bring this to the beach.” With that, Seungcheol leads the way.

After half an hour, the five of them gather at the beach. They start by quenching their thirst with a can of beer for each one of them except Chan who is enjoying a bottle of sprite.

“It has been a long time since we did this, right?”

“As I remember, we did this a year ago? Back in winter. That’s almost 2 years!” Jun squeezes his memory when there were four of them, circling around a fire, just like this.

“But we have Seungcheol with us now.” Jeonghan says, putting a new cigarette in between his teeth.

“Hyung, no smoking today.” Chan forcefully snatches the lighter from Jeonghan’s hand and throws it into the sea. While Jeonghan groans, Jun sighs and gets ready to grill the meat.

“Gosh, take care of yourself.”

“I know Jun, it’s not like I smoke everyday.”

“You do smoke everyday, Han.” Seungcheol adds.

Chan snaps his head at Seungcheol, “Han? A nickname for Jeonghan hyung? That sounds pretty, Han. I love it!”

Jeonghan scratches his hand, “But why Han?”

Seungcheol takes a slice of watermelon, “I love it. It means big, like big star or just a beauty deprived from your name? Just like you.”

“That actually sounds pretty much romantic,” Mingyu who has been helping Jun grilling the meat, comments.

Jeonghan’s eyes flutter for a good second before he gulps down the beer and throws his head to look at the sky. “There is a big star. Look! I would like to name it after my name, Jeonghan. That’s my star.”

“How childish,” Jun shoves the hot meat into Jeonghan’s mouth and he rises from where he sits, unable to take the hotness.

“Argh, fuck you Jun!”

Chan laughs, “Are the meats done?”

“Come here, Chan.”

They spend a quality time together. The more he lives with them, the more he grows fond of them. Whenever he looks at them, he can’t thank god enough for bringing him to them. They play together, jokes around, curses each other and help each other. Seungcheol can’t remember how admirable his childhood that he spent at the home was. Even when he tries, it is all in vain. But the memories remain somehow, the bruises on his body, the scratches on his back, and the small cut on his temple. An obvious pain.

Eating together with others has never crossed his mind and now under a gloomy sky, he is with Jun, Mingyu, Jeonghan and Chan, sharing the food. ‘Ah, this was it. This feeling.’ Seungcheol thinks. Ever since past weeks, everything seems new to him and he hates trivial things yet even when this is ordinary, it is new to him, like the first flower he sees during spring or a new brand of alcohol he has never tasted. Something like that.

The beach is filled with handful people, not minding them when they’re having fun. No one cares about them, and Seungcheol feels like he is free. But at the same thing he feels bad for the people, what a shame to not care about the time they have. People are weird.

“I can’t eat the tomatoes.” Chan says.

“It’s healthy Chan, you’ll grow taller.”

“Shut up, Mingyu hyung. There is no scientific prove that it will make me taller.”

“So you’re admitting that you’re short?”

Jun chimes in, “You’re just a giant straw, Mingyu.”

“Ah, Jun. You hurt me.”

“Take that.” Jeonghan contributes laughter.

“What’s your ideal type Seungcheol?” Jun throws an unexpected, most uncommon question to him.

When Seungcheol can’t grip his brain, Jun answers, “My type is Jeonghan.” Just a second after the confession, he is hit by a thrown can by Jeonghan. Seungcheol swallows his saliva and opens a new can.

“Why would you say that?!”

“Chill, he knows it already.”

Jeonghan gives a betrayed look at Seungcheol who is also as much as surprised as him. “They were joking around,”

“Listen to me,” Mingyu pulls everyone’s attention focused on him. “As for me, I don’t care about anything if I can click with that person. Be it a woman or a guy, I accept both. As long as we tolerate each other, we’ll be good.”

Jeonghan shakes his head in pity, “So naïve,”

“For me, just like Mingyu, I don’t care too. If both of us love each other, isn’t that enough?”

“Love is not the only important thing in relationship, Seungcheol.” Jeonghan starts to comment.

“Yes, but consistency is the key.”

“So the same amount of love is enough for you?”

“I don’t know, I’m not poetic nor romantic and I can’t change myself for the sake of other person. Accept me as I am, I will be faithful to you.” Seungcheol pauses as he fidgets his fingers with the handle of the can. “Everyone needs love, don’t you think? Like a basic human need or a desire. We’re just created to, so when people met, they’re not destined, they work together to build the relationship. Some people believe it as fate but for me it is all about how we feel at the moment.”

“Bro, that’s meaningful.” Jun cringes.

“You have a lot of perspectives.” Chan eats the meat that has been chunked by Mingyu while Jeonghan remains silent.

20 minutes passes, and everyone is dead drunk, plomping on the sand. Jeonghan is nowhere to seen so Seungcheol enters the house to get more ice cubes since he wants his alcohol cold.

Upon entering the house, Seungcheol smells tantalizing smell of lethargic which he soon finds Jeonghan’s whereabouts is at the kitchen counter, swaying his feet as he breathes out the smoke out of his lungs, unaware of Seungcheol’s presence. He seems pretty drunk or not too. Seungcheol just can’t size him up.

Step by step, he approaches the fridge by passing Jeonghan whose eyes are closed. Without making a sound, carefully, Seungcheol opens the fridge.

“What will you feel at the moment?” Jeonghan asks.

“What?”

“About the thing you said earlier,”

“Oh,” Seungcheol moves towards Jeonghan who is still sitting on the kitchen’s counter. “I don’t know, I feel nothing now.” He places his arms beside Jeonghan, caging him as he bends his body slowly and leans in closer. 

“Even a bit?” Jeonghan squints to which Seungcheol doesn’t care but his eyes is fixed onto Jeonghan’s tousled hair and his flushed skin.

“I’m not lightweight,” Seungcheol’s eyes continue to prowl all over Jeonghan’s face. “I can handle 2 shots of tequila and 5 bottles of soju. I can remember things also even when I’m drunk. Isn’t that amazing?”

Seungcheol nods nonchalantly, his expression is almost lifeless, “Then, make sure to remember this.” Just as a speed of light, he pulls out the cigarette from Jeonghan’s mouth and seals his lip onto Jeonghan’s who doesn’t even look a little bit surprised but shuts his eyes.

Jeonghan’s hums vibrate inside his mouth so Seungcheol nibbles on his lower mouth to stop it. He doesn’t care about the taste, at least not a bit, but he can recognize a sweet and nutty flavor from when their lips touched. Seungceol’s veins pop when he tightens his grip onto the counter as he leans more. He must have gone crazy, he definitely is, what if Chan bursts into here? What if Mingyu and Jun size him up? What will happen if all of them saw this?

The clock ticks, and how Jeonghan kisses him adoringly makes him couldn’t care less of the aftermath. He has forgotten everything, right now, Jeonghan who is sitting on the counter, kissing him so effortlessly is the thing that matters. Their shoulders release the tension. He shall get a grip of himself but they’re keeping on tasting each other and he can’t break it, especially after how he notices Jeonghan closes his eyes.

Seungcheol catches his breath after dropping his head down as Jeonghan. “So what do you feel?”

Seungcheol’s gaze is tensed, “You.”

 Jeonghan gasps when he plants another kiss on his neck. “What do you mean by that?”

A peck lands on him and he uses the chance to not let go of him when Seungcheol holds his nape so carefully with both of his hands, as if he has turn into ashes, just like the cigarette on the kitchen floor, slowly burning and disappearing.

“Death,” He feels lively; Jeonghan wants to answer that when Seungcheol asks him.

*

The sun is burning on top of his head when he was strolling around the neighborhood alone, with no ostensible purpose. ‘When summer will end?’ He sweeps the sweat on his forehead and runs his finger on his hair only to brush away his bangs that is falling on his sticky forehead and he thinks of something.

An hour later, he comes out from a local barber shop, just 12 minutes away from where he was standing before, looking like a typical virtue guy with his hair trimmed and very much benign and decent since his black hair now is gelled and he doesn’t have to deal with that irritable bang anymore. How does getting a haircut can be so appealing to him and much to his surprise, he loves it. Seungcheol had never let anyone in the home to touch his hair before because for him, a person ruffling through his hair felt tenderly and he was fleeting away with that particular emotion which he didn’t had idea of. He hated there and he didn’t want to grow fond of anyone so he created a gap which leads him to crave now, from a certain person, in the, in the midst of summer air, he wants it.

To think about it, it has been 1 month he is here now which he can frankly say that he likes it. An old, wooden house right in front of an ocean, filled by exuberant people. No judgments but innocuous bond by strangers. ‘Friends’ a proper choice of word instead of ‘strangers’, Seungcheol thinks.

He is all smileys, walking across the neighborhood and greeting everyone he meets not until his eyes catch a man in his mid-thirties, very much familiar to him and he starts running towards him. He slowly catches his pace and drags the man into an alley which smells awful of cats’ waste but he doesn’t care when he pushes the man against the brick wall out of surprise and slams a fist on his stomach.

“Good money, huh?”

The man screeches quietly and looks up at Seungcheol. “What are you? Slave for that pretty kid?”

“If I am slave for him, then you should know what am I capable of.”

“Mind your business, Seungcheol.”

“That case, settle it clean, will you?” Seungcheol snatches away the briefcase from the man and opens it to witness stacks of moneys are arranged neatly to fit the space.

“Give it!” The man shouts but Seungcheol backs away and holds his throat. “Thanks for the prize, settle it as what you pledged as lawyer and also as a government server.”

He heads to home but is stopped by Jun who happened to be there. “Jun?” His face was full of hastens which Seungcheol smiles at it.

“Your hair?”

“Trimmed it and cut the bangs. It is hot and I can’t deal with my steamy hair.”

“Oh.” Jun snaps his finger and drags Seungcheol to a non-crowded place. “I went to police station earlier because there was a problem at the site but I heard your name there.”

“My name?”

“Choi Seungcheol, 22, right?” Seungcheol nods and his brows have creased as bubble of anxiety pops into him slowly.

“What did they say?”

“I’m not sure but there were 2 people, a woman with a man and they were filing a case and they mentioned orphanage home named something like Rise…” Jun can’t remember it.

“Rise Hope.” Seungcheol helps him.

“Are they searching for you? What are you going to do?” Jun asks to which Seungcheol stays quiet and biting his lips. “Seungcheol?” No response.

“Seungcheol?”  Jun shakes his shoulder and gives him a concerned look. He hates that expression, as if he has to run away once again, just until he can find an answer.

“Which station was it?”

“Dongdaemun.”

Seungcheol crumbles onto the ground, clasping his sweaty hands together and digging his teeth into the flesh of his mouth as Jun holds him. A lot of ‘what if’ is flooding into his mind and he can’t think of anything but invisible dark visions are clouding him.

“I don’t want to go there.” His voice is shaking in full of horror.

“Seungcheol, no. You won’t go there.” When Jun pulls him closer, he just buries his face into the crook of Jun’s neck and he wants to scream so much but nothing comes out except Jun’s cracked breath along with his silent sobs.

6 in the evening, Seungcheol finds himself doing nothing but concentrating at the sunset. He has seen sunsets before this, but this one, it draws him just like how the rays align as a mix of orange, yellow and red colors spread onto the canvas of a never-ending sky. Was it always been beautiful like this? Seungcheol wonders.

What if none of what he has experienced during his stay here is never going to have a continuation? Everything just ends here, just like that, just like how it begun. So many thoughts are rooting inside him, slowly pulling him to face the consequences and to accept the cliché quote, ‘everything has an ending’. Yet he still wants this, whatever he felt, whatever excited him and whatever opened his heart.

Turning at his left, he sees Chan and Jeonghan playing in the sea, half naked, wearing trousers. Both of them can swim well even deep in the ocean. Seungcheol calls it as a natural talent. Is it because they have been living here for so long that they learnt swimming? He exhales and throws his head onto the sky.

“Seungcheol,” He turns to the call beside him, Jeonghan is sitting next to him and he still has those droplets of salt water clinging onto his body and face. He shakes his head so that the water from his wet hair will drop and Seungcheol knows he is a goner when Jeonghan nonchalantly brushes through his wet hair and turns to face him only to smile at him. Added with the hint of red ray that is hitting on his face, and the glint in his eyes, Seungcheol knows the answer. It has always been beautiful. Then it dawns into him, it was this summer face that he kissed, also the summer soul that he fell in love with.

*

Few days passed and he doesn’t tell to anyone that he is being searched by the home’s authorities except Jun.  He is doing well, he thinks as he brushes off the anxious feeling inside him but what he not aware of is when the feeling turned out to be a stench inside his stomach which keeps on giving an uneasy sense to him. To put it short, he hates it.

That evening, Seungcheol showers earlier because he can’t resist the heat anymore. There isn’t anyone at the house so he takes his time to bath. To his shock, he hears someone unlocking the back door since the bathroom is adjacent to it. He quickly grabs the towel and wraps it around his waist before getting out from the bathroom and walks to the kitchen area with an umbrella. There isn’t anyone after scanning the suspected area. Weird. He clearly heard someone’s footsteps.

“Seungcheol!” He turns to the call at his back to find Jeonghan, standing in a confused state with a carton of strawberry milk on his hand.

“Jeonghan?”

“What are you doing?”

Seungcheol sighs and drops the umbrella as he steps towards Jeonghan. “I thought there were burglars,”

Jeonghan chuckles and rolls his eyes, “Our house has nothing worthy to steal.”

“I can see it.” Seungcheol just casually runs his fingers through his wet hair before he notices Jeonghan is staring at him. The latter scoots closer with his eyes fixed onto Seungcheol’s hair and raises his hand to touch his hair. Seeing it coming, Seungcheol bends a little, wide smile is spreading on his face.

“You cut your hair?” Seungcheol nods. “You look new, it fits you.” Jeonghan praises while his finger is still trading his wet hair. Being so lost in the moment, Seungcheol steals the time by gazing at Jeonghan’s eyes that holds endearments. He starts to love it. After gulping down the strawberry milk, Jeonghan asks, “Don’t you think you have to get back to shower? You’re half naked.”

Seungcheol has lost his focus when he continues to approach Jeonghan until he was locked in between his arms against the wall.

Jeonghan’s eyes don’t lie and Seungcheol knows it, so without considering anything; he licks Jeonghan’s lip which makes the younger to gasp in silence as he darts out his tongue while closing his eyes. Seungcheol takes the milk in his hand and puts it on the kitchen counter and intertwines their fingers together before they kiss passionately.

As if they are letting out the exact same desires, they can’t get enough of both of them. They keep on searching for each other in each other’s lip. He’s a good kisser, Seungcheol thinks when Jeonghan wraps his arm tightly around his bare shoulders while Seungcheol places one hand onto the wall and the other one is holding Jeonghan’s head.

Slowly breaking the kiss, Jeonghan whispers, “I still remember what happened that day.”

“Great, I wanted you to remember it.” Seungcheol smiles a second before Jeonghan smashes his mouth against his once again.

The next night comes and the air is little chilly now. Jun gets his salary so he decides to treat everyone for a dinner. He bought meat, a lot of meats, sparkling drinks and not forgetting beers. They cheer aloud before enjoying the food.

“Thanks for the food,” says Chan while Jeonghan is busy tossing his drinks with Jun and Mingyu at a corner, as if he has forgotten world, digging into the juicy meats.

“Eat a lot everyone.” Jun says. That is when he notices Seungcheol clattering the chopsticks instead of picking up the meat.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asks with a stern voice since he dislikes gloomy people on dining table.

Seungcheol snaps his head and tries to plaster a smile as he shoves a scoop of rice into his mouth and smiling after. “Nothing,”

“Tell me, what’s wrong?” This time, Jeonghan asks him.

“I told you, it’s nothing,”

“Is it because of that home thing?” Jun spills.

Now, everyone’s attention is drawn into Jun and Seungcheol just sits there, rather speechless and lifeless.

“Home?”

Mingyu chimes in, “What do you mean?”

“The home where Seungcheol hyung ran away from?”

Jun puts his bowl on the table and sighs while looking at Seungcheol. “Can I talk about it?”

Seungcheol shows a weary expression. “You’ve already spilled it.”

“What are you two talking about?” Jeonghan demands with a gumshoe attitude.

“5 days before, I went to police station because there was a problem at the site and I heard someone is in search for Seungcheol. They were from the home, the home he lived before.”

Seungcheol hates it; he absolutely does when the horror in Jeonghan’s eyes urges something inside him. For now, he doesn’t want to feel anything but the innocent of Chan’s voice doesn’t let him to do so.

“You are with us for a month. And I thought we’re gonna stick forever.”

“Which station was it, Jun hyung?” Mingyu asks.

“Dongdaemun.”

“What are we going to do now?” Chan asks again and Jeonghan walks away abruptly.

“Jeonghan!”

Seungcheol drops his head regretfully and scratches his head out of frustration.

“Why is he getting mad when it is not your fault?”

The clock ticks and it’s already 11pm when everyone has gone to bed except Jeonghan who is nowhere to be found. Seungcheol is roaming on his bed, trying to close his eyes but the thought of Jeonghan won’t leave him alone so he quickly gets off his bed and runs to the rooftop to find Jeonghan who is inhaling the smoke of nicotine. Seungcheol snatches the cigarettes away from Jeonghan.

“Can you stop it?” He is angry and don’t know what for.

“Shut it.”

“Don’t tell me those things.” Great, now both of them are mad.

“5 days and not one day you spared to tell me about it?”

“Why should I?” For that, Jeonghan backs away and in an incredulous state when he spots the unknown gaze in Seungcheol. “Don’t get wasted into this kind of useless emotions Han. I am not meant to be here Jeonghan, this is not my place.”

“Then, why did you kiss me? And patted my head and treated me like I am something to you and why did you look at me like that?”

“Isn’t it obvious because I love you?” A second of silence passes along with the autumn breeze, swaying Jeonghan’s heart. Seungcheol takes a few steps and reaches for his both hand and so does Jeonghan. They stand like that for a few moments and nothing illuminates what lies in their heart except the city lights.

“Then, don’t go.” Says Jeonghan, drinking in Seungcheol’s feature.

Seungcheol shudders in response, fixing his eyes on the ground and heaves. “I don’t know what to do.”

Jeonghan’s eyes flutter towards him, letting go of his one hand and wraps him by another arm. Since when Seungcheol has grown bigger than him that he has to tiptoe a little so that he can fully hug him? He wonders.

“We’ll figure this out together. I won’t let you go.”

The next morning, the whole house is waked by Chan’s screaming at the living room.

“What the hell are you screaming for? Oh? Seungcheol?”

Mingyu sprints out from his room, “Is there a snake again? Jeonghan hyung, you wake up early?” 

“Wait! Why are you together at this early morning?”

Jun and Mingyu darts their gazes at Chan who is sitting at the dining table, looking quite furious sending glares at Jeonghan and Seungcheol who are sitting on the couch, opposite the little boy.

“Will you tell me, Chan?” Jun asks.

Chan, squints and shakes his head at the two of them. “Jun hyung, do you know what I saw this morning?”

“What?” Mingyu interrupts.

“Those hyungs, what am I saying is, Seungcheol hyung and Jeonghan hyung were sleeping on the couch. I caught them!”

As if they’ve planned it before, Jun and Mingyu turns their head towards them with a perfect sync. “You mean, together?”

Chan crosses his arms and sits straight before nodding. “Exactly.”

“Chan, enough.” Jeonghan shuts him.

“Why? Why he should shut up? What the hell is happening?”

Jeonghan presses his mouth tight and shuts his eyes before kneeling in front of Jun and Mingyu. Jun backs away quickly, “Hey! Stand up! Stand up! Don’t treat me like an oldie.”

“Seungcheol and I, we’re dating.”

“WHAT?”

Seungcheol too, gets down in his knee. “Yes, we are.”

“Exactly what I assumed it to be,” Chan chimes in with a sigh.

“FOR REAL?” Mingyu asks in horror. They both nod.

“GET OFF THE FLOOR! I AM NOT YOUR PARENTS TO GIVE YOU BLESSING FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP” Jun yells.

Jeonghan with a soft voice, says, “But you’re our big bro,”

“Big bro, my foot. Since when did this happen?”

Seungcheol raises his hand, “A month ago.”

Jun calmly settles down on the couch and sighs, “Look,”

Quickly, they nod enthusiastically and wears a serious expression as they focus at what Jun is about to say.

“DON’T MAKE ME A GRANDPA, YOU FUCKHEADS! AND GET OFF THE FLOOR!”

“Jun hyung has never received this much respect from anyone,” Mingyu laughs.

“I don’t care what’s happening between you two, you can date, or love or call each other with pet names or do whatever; I will not care as long as it doesn’t happen inside the house.”

Jeonghan outrages, “Ridiculous! Why we can’t do that inside the house?”

Mingyu covers his mouth with his palms while Seungcheol drops his head at the floor and Jun exchanges his look between Jeonghan and Chan who is emerging from the chair.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Chan asks.

“Jeonghan, we have Chan here.” Jun says. “A kid” Jun mouths the sentence so that Chan will not hear it.

“Hyung-deul, I know everything?” Chan says with a smug on his face before Mingyu headlocks him jokingly.

*

In a blink of an eye, summer ends just like how it began, just like how Seungcheol met Jeonghan and the others. It was a heat of strangers bond which knots them. To think it again, none of it felt real, as if it was a dream that you’ll forget once you wake up but continuously dreaming of it without a consciousness. But Seungcheol has to believe it, that he is much happier now.

Its evening and Seungcheol decides to go to search for a job so that he could help anything and it is also boring to stay at home doing nothing. After an hour strolling there, he is caught up by police at the traffic. Before he realizes what is happening, the officer takes out an A4 paper and compares it to his face. Then he knows, this is the day which he doesn’t want it to happen at all.

“I ran away from there.” He confesses.

“May I know the reason?” He glances over at an officer at the corner, silently making a call.

“Mr. Choi?”

“I was bullied.”

“You could’ve told Ms. Jang, why did you run?” God, he hates it.

“Don’t you understand? I said I was bullied and I don’t like living there. It sucks!”

A lady, a very familiar lady for Seungcheol, in her mid 40- enters the station with a wary look and rushes towards Seungcheol.

“Ms. Jang, you’re here.”

“Seungcheol-ah. I was worried, where did you go? Are you alright? I missed you, my baby.”

Disgusting. Seungcheol doesn’t face her and he doesn’t want to look at someone who is wearing a façade of a loving person. He clasps his hands together when he senses his phone is buzzing inside his jean’s pocket.

“Ms. Jang, please have a seat first.”

“Where did you find him?”

“Myeongdong.” The officer answers politely before getting back to his seat.

The lady takes his hand in hers and slowly rubs it. “Are you alright?”

He is done with all this bullshit when he emerges from the chair and harshly pushes her hand away. “I am much good now compared to the home! I am happier here! It was a hell being there and your attitude now disgusts me, Ms. Jang. Since when did you worry over me? Did you even love me when I was there? All you did was pushing me away and you’ve never listened to me when I told I was bullied! Your favorite was them. Am I alright? Hell yes, I am! Don’t search for me again, I’m living a good life now and I don’t want to get back there!” He pours everything out, leaving everyone stunned and walks away.

His heart is throbbing because of the sudden rage boner and the buzzing phone in his pocket is ignored as he stumbles his way home. He is unclear of where is he until he sees figure of Jeonghan, running towards him where he can notice a glint of wariness in his light brown eyes that glows under the autumn sun. Before Seungcheol can utter a word, Jeonghan hugs him tightly which brings a relief and realization to him-  he is safe now.

“Why you didn’t pick up your phone? I called you!”

Somehow, his heart is now has calmed down since he is in Jeonghan’s embrace. Crazy, Seungcheol thinks, how love can make him like this, but to think it again, it might be because it is Jeonghan and no one else.

He doesn’t cry but when Jeonghan let go of him, he can see a tear is rolling down his cheek and he wipes it off quickly. “Did you cry?”

“No,”

“Do you know that lying is the greatest sin?”

“I did cry because I was worried.” Jeonghan admits smugly so Seungcheol just pulls him closer effortlessly and kisses his nose before interrupted by Mingyu.

“Nasty,”

“Mingyu, you should get someone so that you won’t disturb us.”

Mingyu crosses his arms, throws his head as he let out a deep sigh, “I’ve been giving hint to Jun hyung but he is just so dumb to catch my love for him,”

“WHAT?” Seungcheol chokes.

“How many years has it been? 4? You should try harder, Mingyu. Jun probably has no brain when I rejected him.”

“So, what happened?” The question was stirred by Chan to Seungcheol at 8pm when everyone is at home, getting ready for dinner. So Seungcheol spent the next 30 minutes explaining to them what happened at the police station earlier, how did he got caught, what did he say to them that they let go of him and he accidentally spilled Mingyu’s feelings for Jun which he received a deadly glare from Mingyu but soon was dismissed by Jun’s shocking confession that he actually knew Mingyu has a heart for him but he ignored it because it won’t do good for both of them for some odd and illogical reasons.

“I just need to be open about what I feel towards you, hyung. Right?”

Jun hits his head with the spoon, “Just prepare yourself for the exam, will you?”

“Exam?” Seungcheol asks.

“Mingyu hyung is preparing for a law entrance exam. He failed twice and still not giving up, let’s pray for him.” Chan explains, not minding the grain of rice and the meat’s juice on his face.

“Ah! I got a job!” Seungcheol exclaims as he downs a can of beer.

“What? Congrats!”

“Congrats, Cheol.” Jeonghan leads the applause and sweetly feeds him a spoon of kimchi which the rest of them find it disgusting.

“Where?”

“Myeongdong. At a barbeque place. I need to deliver meats and all that.” He pauses and glances everyone nervously. “I didn’t say this before, but thank you for accepting me here, for giving me home, affections, friends and love. I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life.”

“Ey, what are you saying, we are one! We are family, hyung. No thanks between us.” Chan soothes him.

“That’s right. Don’t cry, finish the foods or else…” Jun threatens them jokingly.

Before the night ends, Seungcheol and Jeonghan are running around the sand, catching each other and counting the stars once they get tired while lying on the sand. Summer has ended, bringing regret to both of them. He clearly remembers how he ended up here, how the bond between groups of strangers strengthens him and how he fell in love with the person lying next to him. The process was vague to his memory but he knows it is beautiful and it was worth it.

“When I came out of the bar after collecting moneys that day, I was shocked to see you at there, with body full of bruises and blood. You looked like a zombie.”

“Zombie?” Seungcheol breaths in laugh.

“Yes. We wanted to abandon you but Mingyu, he’s an emotional freak. He almost cried when he saw you so we just threw you in the car and brought you. Luckily, I studied medicine to treat you freely or else we have to send you to a hospital.”

“You sound so insincere, do you realize it?”

Jeonghan rolls his body to move closer to Seungcheol with his elbows supporting him. He cups his face and looks at Seungcheol while swaying his one leg up in the air.

“But! Look, you’re the one that I love!”

“Oh my god,” Seungcheol throws his head to the side and lifts his head to leave a peck on Jeonghan’s mouth. “You’re so cheesy,”

“I love you,” Jeonghan says again, making Seungcheol to pull him down and he falls onto his chest while he locks him in his arm, not letting him escape. They laugh and Seungcheol feels like all of his heartbreaking memories have left his chest and mind when he looks at a smiling Jeonghan.

“Tonight, you can say whatever you want,”

“What the hell, that sounds like a goodbye.” Jeonghan groans.

Seungcheol grabs his both hands and places them beside his waist. “This might be my love at first sight.”

Jeonghan rests his head comfortably on Seungcheol’s chest, a faint sound of heartbeat can be heard. “What?”

“You. I think I fell in love at first sight with you.” Jeonghan quickly lifts his head with wide eyes. “Summer will have a special place in my heart.”

“You’re the first one I love. I love you.” With that, he softly places a fluttering kiss at the corner of Jeonghan’s eyes before they waste the night at the ocean with lazy talks, companied with rhythm of hearts.

They have a long life to live ahead of them.