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Do-chul was returning to their small apartment.
He was returning from his date with Mimi. He felt content with the rain soaking his hair and clothes, his mind only drifting to her. He thought about her listening to him sharing his worries about his failing boxing career, his struggles and even supporting him. He felt grateful for it, not because of her support but because she believed in him. He felt her love deep down to his core, reaching to him in her beautiful smile.
So he tried to support her too, as best as he can do. He actually believed that she could rise as an actress, not like those fake supporters. Not like Hong-gi, anyway.
His thoughts drifted to Hong-gi. He didn't want to trust him, but he always ended up working with him anyway. How can a guy be this irritating and a peacemaker at the same time? His actions never matched with another. One second he was a decent man and the next second he was the most annoying idiot of all time.
Their conversations turned into an argument almost every time. They would usually bicker about how Hong-gi's gambling made them lose money again or how he couldn't control his anger again. They would bicker like two kids and next day everything would be normal again.
However, he despised his arrogant side that acted like he knew everything. He despised his know-it-all attitude with the impulsiveness of a five year old with no control, never thinking about the consequences. The way he would waste their hard earned money on stupid horse races, thinking he would make a fortune.
But, a part of him still cared.
He felt himself getting worked up and decided to not think about that idiot anymore. He was probably getting ready to go clubbing outside, wasting money on expensive jewelry again, or working for the Red Star, collecting money.
But when he opened the door to their small apartment, expecting to find it empty, instead he found Hong-gi laying on the bed with his back turned.
He didn't mind it, he assumed he was tired and that's why he was early.
"You're so early."
Hong-gi stayed silent.
Do-chul was surprised that his friend didn't talk his ear off or talk back with along the words of 'So what?' as usual. It seemed..strange.
"I just saw Mimi."
He assumed he would turn to him, as Mimi was his friend too. He was the one usually hunting for opportunities for Mimi, seeing the potential in her.
But he stayed silent again. Do-chul was getting worried, the man he cares for, who was usually talkative and cheerful, now looked like his soul was drained.
"Hong-gi..."
He was silent. Do-chul couldn't understand what was wrong, he couldn't tell what he was feeling.
"What's up with you? Don't you want to see me?"
His worry escalated as he didn't get a response again. He had enough when he saw him trembling slightly. If he didn't look at him, then he would make him look.
"Hong-gi-" He forcefully turned him around so he would look at him.
He felt a chill run down from his spine as the time slowed around him.
Hong-gi's face was covered in shades of purple and yellow, like a child painted on his face with markers. Blood dried in thick lines on his cheek, sliding down from his face. His upper lip was bleeding and bruised.
But the thing that shocked him the most of all was the humiliation on his face. He tried to hide from him, to not let him see him when he had his walls down.
"Let me go." Hong-gi tried to sound cold, like the prideful man he always presented himself as, but Do-chul was not buying it. He could see past the bravado and the lies he told. One question was in his mind:
"What happened to your face?"
Hong-gi still covered his face with his arm, not allowing him to see him, and the two of them pulled at his arm like it was a tug-of-war, Do-chul trying to push it down and Hong-gi trying to cover his face.
"I told you to let me go."
Do-chul could see him more clearly now, the bruises covering his neck and angry red marks on his arms that looked a lot like it was going to leave a mark.
Do-chul was beyond anxious, he was scared for his friend's safety and mad at the same time, not at him but at the ones who did this to him, the ones he didn't even know the names of.
"Who did this to you? Who?" He couldn't get a response from Hong-gi, he was thrashing against his arms that tried to hold him. Do-chul refused to let him go and escape from the explanation. He demanded answers. He should at least know who they were dealing with.
"Tell me, who did this to you? I swear I'll-"
"Leave me alone!" Hong-gi yelled with exasperation as he finally turned to him.
"Leave me alone. It's nothing. Nothing I have dealt with."
Do-chul wanted to believe him, he really did, he knew that working at the Red Star came with the likely chances of getting a beating like this. He still remembered slight panic on his face as he tried to stop him from beating that man in debt half to death. He knew he probably terrified him a lot that day, scared him with his power and what he could do if he let his anger drive him like that. He also knew that he was probably used to the beatings, it was a normalcy to him.
But all his words died in his throat when he saw him looking at him with those black, glassy eyes, filled with tears.
"Hong-gi ah.."
Do-chul tried to touch his face, instantly backing away as he saw him wincing.
"Don't look at me like that." Hong-gi said, still embarrassed about the fact that he was defeated.
Hong-gi was a prideful man, he had a dignity to protect. But look at where he was, getting beaten and now looking miserable in front of his friend. He thought of himself as a mentor to him like he was to Mimi, the one who experienced life to the fullest and knew everything. He wasn't supposed to be chased down by his debt collectors, he wasn't supposed to be getting beaten, he wasn't supposed to be living in fear of them, he wasn't supposed to be a failure as a friend, he wasn't supposed to be-
He felt hot tears running down from his bruised cheeks, the salt in them burning his wounds even more. Damnit, he thought, damn it all. I screwed up again. Why am I like this? Why-
He felt a grip on his shoulders. He raised his head and saw Do-chul's hurt expression staring back at him. He must be worried about him. All I do is hurt him anyway, he thinks. Still, he tries to talk in a reassuring voice, but it comes out shaky and weak.
"I'm fine, really. It's normal. It's because of debts, but I had everything under control."
The truth was far from having control. He didn't even know what could happen in the future. He couldn't pay his debts again, and they beat him as a result, but what if they did so much worse the next time? He knew he didn't have enough money, the Red Star didn't pay him enough despite being one of their best collectors, he still had to pay the rent with Do-chul, who was as useful as a white crayon when it came to working as a collector. He thought about asking his mother for money again, but he was too ashamed of himself to ask after the last time.
He thought about what could happen if he couldn't pay again. He would get abducted like today, get beaten half to death in their cold and dark office, then thrown onto the streets like a trash. No one would come for him, not even Do-chul.
He would die alone and miserable.
He wallowed in the endless possibilities, them drowning him and making him feel like he was sinking to the bottom of an ocean. He tried to reach to reality, swimming in a haze of 'what-if's and never-ending questions.
"Hong-gi!"
He looked at Do-chul again. He looked terrified for the man in front of him now, not understanding what just went through inside his head.
"Hong-gi..."
"Do-chul."
Do-chul just wanted to understand. Why was he like this? Why did he just dissociate, going into the depths of his mind? And most importantly, what did his debts have to do with his situation?
Then it all clicked.
That reckless idiot got involved with some debt collectors, hadn't he? He took debts, and couldn't pay. He sighed in irritation at the situation, but when he looked at his face again all his anger drained out of him.
Damn his expression for making him go soft.
He asked again in a rough voice.
"Hong-gi ah, answer me. Who did this to you? Who hurt you?!"
"Do-chul..." Hong-gi started, but soon the dam broke again, tears coming faster.
Do-chul couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't see him crying like that, the man had never cried before and it was clear something had hurt him.
With a bit of a hesitation, he wrapped his arms around him, embracing him while being careful to not hurt him further.
"Hong-gi..."
Hong-gi cried harder at the softness and the reassurance in his voice. How could he be this kind to him after all of the rude things he said, the bossiness, how can he comfort him the same way he comforted Mimi?
"It's- it's okay, you don't have to explain it, okay? I... how did you get yourself into this mess Hong-gi..."
Hong-gi felt guilty at the reassurance. He certainly didn't deserve that kind of softness from him.
"Do-chul ah.. I'm.."
"Shh, you don't have to speak. Just... let me be there for you."
They both stayed silent for a while. Do-chul didn't mind the tears soaking his Hawaiian shirt, as long as he knew Hong-gi had calmed down and felt safe.
He silently got up and got to the bathroom. He opened the cabinet to take out the small aid-kit they had in case for his boxing incidents.
He sat in front of Hong-gi, taking out a wet towel and started to clean the dried blood on his face, trying to ignore the groans every time he touched a sore spot. He carefully bandaged his cheek.
He got an ice pack from the fridge, again kept for him. He realized how he got hurt the most out of the two of them, and how Hong-gi got everything prepared for him. He realized he cared too, in his own way.
He went back to Hong-gi, resting the ice pack on the bruises.
"It might hurt, but then it will relieve the pain, alright?"
"I know that. You don't have to baby me."
"Then stop acting like one, getting into trouble like that."
"I never acted like a kid-"
They started to argue again, but instead of anger, Do-chul felt relief, relief that Hong-gi was starting to act like himself again. He got his friend back.
Soon after, Hong-gi felt exhausted from the soothing of the ice pack. He lay on the floor, tried to think about what happened just now. Do-chul cared for him. Healed him. How did he get stuck with such a nice man? He thought about how much he would get hurt in a world of trickery and deceit, how naive he is.
Meanwhile, Do-chul saw him laying on the floor, wondering how idiotic can this man get.
"Don't sleep on the floor, you idiot. You're injured."
Hong-gi reluctantly got up and laid on the bed. Do-chul covered him with the blanket and prepared to sleep on the floor when Hong-gi practically gripped his hand.
"Get next to me. The least I can offer is this. You always sleep on the ground anyway."
Do-chul was surprised, but didn't comment on it and laid next to him. When he felt the man's breathing even out, lightly snoring, he took a deep breath.
He looked at the man next to him, his sharp features now relaxed in sleep. He didn't look like his snarky and sly self, he looked like a kid, innocent and vulnerable with the bandages.
He looked at him, at the man he never realized he cared for more than anyone, and thought if the future was in their favor after all.