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I'm not leaving (so look at me)

Summary:

AU where Taeui doesn't run from Ilay to protect his brother in Chapter 136 but instead asks for help. A kinder relationship development? Yes please.......

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As a novel reader, I am terrified. As a manhwa reader, I can bring us into a kinder world before we all get traumatized.

Notes:

To all my novel readers, please hold my hand. (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)

Ever since I finished reading PASSION and then reread it again, and again.....and again, I kept thinking "What if Taeui stayed?" but then it only remained as a thought because I hadn't touched on writing fanfiction for YEARS. But then I started last month and then I read chapter 136 of the manhwa.

IVAN IONOV IVAN IONOV IVAN IONOV IVAN IONOV GUYS CAN YOU BELIEVE HE MADE AN APPEARANCE? DUUDDDEE I DIDN'T THINK WE'D GET TO SEE HIM SO SOON???????? I AM SO HAPPY. (Also, we had a peek at Alain but why is he so white? I forgot but isn't he from India? Or did he only grow up in India?)

Anyway I felt myself die a little bit at how amazing Kangjak illustrated that part because it brought out more emotions than i thought it would've, omg. Especially since I've been waiting to see Ilay's smile that gets extinguished not even a minute later...and then I thought we would see his expression when he gets shot and rolled off the motor...BUT NO....WHAT DID WE SEE INSTEAD? JEONG TAEUI'S REFLECTION AND HIS BLOODY HANDS AS HE LOOKED BACK AT ILAY'S FIGURE DISAPPEARING INTO THE DISTANCE.

I suffered through the heartache of reading that chapter again to bring this one-shot to life so please pardon me if there's tear stains that has managed to leak through my screen into the fic. 🥲

I really love ILTAE and I hope you all will love them as much as I do!!! <3

If you haven't read finish Taeui and Xinlu's conversation, or you are an only Manhwa reader, you can wish to skip their convo part from where you see ⟿⟿⟿⟿ to ⟿⟿⟿⟿

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

The ground shook violently from the distant explosions around them. Taeui stabilized himself on the wall, checking on his brother to make sure that he was okay.

No way this isn’t the work of that bastard.

Cold sweat dripped down his face and his heart thumped rapidly against his ribcage at the thought of seeing that sharp and flawless face again. Turning to Jaeui, he shouted over the booming, “Hyung! Let’s find a way out!”

Jaeui nodded stiffly, guiding the way to another exit he remembered seeing during his time in the villa. They stuck close as they navigated through the rattling of guns and the explosions that were terrifyingly getting closer.

*BOOM*

Suddenly, the gate in front of them exploded. Wind and smoke whirled past Taeui and Jaeui, making them lift their arms to shield their eyes from the dust. Ever since Taeui had smelled the familiar smell of gunpowder earlier, he’d been getting a weird sense of deja vu.

Ah. It’s just like back then. The growling engine of a motor in that forest…..and then…

Taeui gulped. If that were really the case, then that man is officially insane…

A dark silhouette started to appear from behind the smoke that was starting to clear. His breath hitched at the sight and his hands started to sweat from nervousness.

No way…

“...Ila–”

A pale neck revealed itself as the person stepped forward, his black hair ruffled from the strong wind, a smile on his face.

“Taei hyung!”

Taeui froze, “...Xinlu?”

Xinlu approached with a gentle presence, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Do you know how shocked I was when you suddenly disappeared that day?”

Gaping, Taeui stumbled out a small, “...uh,” eyes looking over the figure in front of him as if trying to figure out something.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you want to see me?”

Jolting back to reality, he shook his head and said, “No, it’s nothing like that…” while thinking simultaneously, ‘What is it? He seems different…though nothing has really changed…’

Xinlu’s head lowered and he said darkly, “Was I not the face you were expecting?”

Taeui stayed silent at the question for a brief moment, then he asked, “Did you come here alone?”

“Huh? How could I possibly come all the way here by myself? My father arranged some people for me.”

“No, what I meant to say was—AH!” Taeui suddenly exclaimed when a realization popped into his head, “Xinlu, they said you were hurt! Your body…”

Xinlu waved it off nonchalantly, “We’ll talk about that later. Let’s go before it’s too late, otherwise, they’ll ruin everything.”

Though there were still things Taeui wanted to say, he decided to keep it in for now and followed behind Xinlu quietly as he led the way to the back door where his car was waiting.

“....Xinlu, are you okay?”

“Well. I broke a few bones and my internal organs were a bit damaged, but it’s all okay now. While you were here for a whole month, the cuts on my skin have healed too.”

....Bones? Organs?

“I almost died. After Taei Hyung disappeared like that, that bastard was grabbing people and demanding for you to be handed over,” Xinlu turned his head back slightly, “I was pissed off, so I said no.”

“If it weren’t for Mr Gable, I probably would’ve died.”

Jaeui softly said to Taeui from behind, “Taeui, that person…”

*KABOOM*

…..

“Xinlu, don’t you think it’s time to stop this? Things are gonna be complicated later if they don’t stop.”

“Oh, that? They’re not people I can touch.”

Taeui tilted his head, “No? What do you–”

“You’ve heard of them. T&R’s Special Task Force. I heard that those monsters gathered again, so I guess we can consider this place a goner.”

Ilay…are you here right now?

He turned around quickly, eyes darting around the debris’ smoke filling the place as his chest started to feel strange again.

“Thanks to him destroying everything, I was able to quietly come get you, Taei Hyung.”

Taeui, still looking around, shakily said to no one specifically, “There’s no way you…”

“Me?” Xinlu scoffed lightly, “No way. Let’s go.”

He grabbed Taeui’s wrist and pulled, “It’s a chance that I worked so hard to create, hyung. If that guy spots us, it’ll be difficult.”

Taeui stilled himself against the pull and said sternly, “No. I’m pretty sure I told you this before, but I’m not going—Hyung?!”

He stared in shock at Jaeui falling unconscious behind him, jerking away from Xinlu in vain when he tried to approach. He watched as a burly man carried his brother into the sleek black car nearby, frustration fueling in his chest.

“...Just so you know, Jaeui Hyung isn’t the type to just take a hit if someone tries to harm him,” Taeui glared at Xinlu, “even when Ilay pointed a gun at him, he came out unscathed.”

At that, Xinlu’s grip tightened painfully as his expression darkened, “Still, the drugs seem to be working, don’t they?”

“Xinlu!”

“This time, hyung. I’ll prove to you that that man means absolutely nothing to me. I didn’t like you just because you were the Gilsangcheon,” he sneered, “I can easily lock him into an opium den.”

“So you still really don’t understand what I said,” Taeui replied without hesitation, “that’s why I’m not going with you.”

Xinlu finally released his wrist, stepping back, “I know you won’t give me what I want.”

‘It’s different now, Xinlu. What you’re asking of me is…….something I can no longer give,’ Taeui thought to himself, staring at the bruise already starting to blacken on his wrist.

Xinlu continued backing away until he was right in front of the car, “That man is so repulsive. Just thinking about him makes my vision go red….”

“Come here, Taei. Come over here yourself.”

“Otherwise…I wonder just how far Jeong Jaeui’s luck will reach. I’m more than willing to risk my life for that.”

Taeui blinked, trying to double-check something.

....? You’re not looking at me…

“TAE!”

Taeui flinched, ice and fire collided in his veins at the sound of that voice so familiar, so etched into his memory that he could recognise it even decades later. He looked back as a strange feeling burned wildly in his chest.

“...Ilay.”

There, on the same motor as back then. A man with silver hair that was flowing unkept in the wind, but still looked infuriatingly perfect. He abandoned his motor and panzerfaust aside and rushed down the steps.

Taeui’s breath caught in his throat at the man’s expression as his heart tried to escape from his chest. That man…he was smiling. As if he’s happy, as if he’s genuinely glad to see me.

“Il…”

“Taei Hyung!”

Flinching again, he jerked to look back at Xinlu and his eyes darted to his brother’s unconscious form in the car, oblivious to the gaze Xinlu was directing at the man behind him.

Taeui looked back to Ilay as he called his name again, a conflicting emotion surging up at the thought of his brother being in the hands of Xinlu.

Ah. Fuck.

If I get caught by Ilay now, he’ll definitely never let me go again. No matter what.

....But.

He glanced back at the car already backing up to leave. Worry for his brother filled his entire body as his fingers twitched.

“Taei, come here.”

Forcing his voice out, he shouted, “Not now! I will come back, so–”

*BOOM*

Ilay didn’t hear his words over the sound of explosions drowning his voice out. His expression turned icy and a voice as cold followed, “Taei. Come here.”

Taeui froze in his place, heart thumping wildly, though for a completely different reason now. God damn it. After a whole month, he finally got to–

“Fucking hell, if you don’t want to come, then just stay where you are!”

Taeui’s expression crumpled as his chest tightened. Trapped between the choice of his brother and this man, it felt like he was going to die. He subconsciously took a step back.

Wrong choice.

Ilay’s piercing gaze remained locked on to him, but his gloved hands twitched against the gun strapped on to his thigh as if he was contemplating using it. Taeui did not want to find out who he was going to use it on.

The distance between them felt impossibly far, yet so close. Taeui swallowed the lump in his throat, deciding whether he should make a run for it. There was no time. He heard the car engine start to accelerate behind him and was about to take the first leap towards his brother when he suddenly thought of something.

T&R Special Task Force…

That group was…full of inhuman beings like that guy, isn’t it?

He turned his head to look at Xinlu who was staring at him with a hard expression, as if sensing his hesitation. There were more motors coming from the direction Ilay had come from, and by the sound of it, there were more than just one or two.

If I ask, would he even listen?

Shit. Shit. What should I do?

(“I won’t stop you from reuniting with your brother”)

 

The sudden memory stopped all of Taeui’s thoughts in its tracks. Before he even knew it, he had already turned his back on Xinlu, his decision set in place without him even knowing.

He forced another lump down his throat as he stared back at Ilay. The man’s dark, icy gaze seemed to be questioning his actions. Then he took a step towards him and paused for a short moment. It was so brief and minimal, but Ilay caught it anyway.

Ilay’s nearing felt like inevitability at its finest. He knew. In the end, Ilay would’ve found and dragged him back to his side, dead or alive. But if Taeui had a choice, he wanted to hear the answer from Ilay’s mouth. He needed to know what he felt.

When they met in the middle, a gloved hand yanked his chin up and he stared into sharp, cold irises. They were void of any of the warmth from earlier, making Taeui feel a tinge of regret.

“Jeong Taei, do you think I won’t do it? That I won’t kill you?”

“...Ilay”

He lifted his hands to hold gloved ones on his face and pulled away to stare at the retreating car, already vanishing into the distance.

“Ilay. Jaeui Hyung, he–”

His face was roughly gripped and wrenched him back to face the empty expression, sending shivers down his spine.

“Why are you always trying to run, Taeui? Do you think that Ling boy will save you?”

“What? No, Ilay I–”

Lips smashed into his and sharp teeth bit down, drawing blood instantly from Taeui’s lip. He jolted in pain and pushed at the unmoving body in panic, hitting the hard chest and shoulder with everything he had.

No. If we miss Hyung, he’s going to…

It was as if Ilay was devouring him, consuming his very soul. His tongue was relentless, slipping deep into Taeui’s mouth and sucking out every bit of air he had. Right before he was about to pass out from the lack of oxygen, Ilay released him and wrapped his pale fingers around tanned neck.

“Jeong Taeui, you–”

While still gasping for air, Taeui blindly reached up and landed a hard slap across Ilay’s face, making his head whip left from the force of it. Taeui’s hand stung from the hit, but still reached to pull Ilay’s collar down.

“Ilay, you fucking idiot! Send them after Xinlu,” he said, “I didn’t leave with him, so get it together!”

Taeui panted and threw a hand back to point at the car in the distance. He felt like the anxiousness in his chest would explode and kill him if he didn’t see his brother safe soon.

Sharp eyes slowly turned towards him in silence, taking in his expression. Behind him, four men on motors were beside where Ilay’s abandoned one lay, dressed in all black as well.

“What are you waiting for? Jaeui Hyung– Xinlu, he took him. He wanted to use my brother to get me to go with him. If we don’t catch up now, Hyung—he will–”

Words spilled out of Taeui in panic as he recalled the opium den and Xinlu’s words. His face twisted in anxiety and worry, shaking Ilay’s collar violently.

Fuck. Shit. I should’ve just gone with Xinlu. Hyung, he’s going to…

He pushed Ilay away, stumbling back as his eye caught the motor on the ground near the men in black. There was no time to think, he dashed forward to run past Ilay.

But then hands tugged him into a chest and pushed his head down.

“Go. Make sure Jeong Jay is safe, other than that, do whatever.”

There was a roar of agreement before motors flew past them at high speed, kicking up dust, but the arms around him prevented his face from getting caught in it.

“.....”

He was only released when the dust around them settled down and now gloveless hands gently tilted his head up. A thumb brushed over the wound on his lip, making him wince.

“Tsk. Taei, you really know how to make me go crazy.”

Taeui opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the sound of artillery fire behind him. He whipped around, but he couldn’t see anything except the spark of bullets flying.

There was another click of tongue, then a finger was shoved into his mouth and he looked back in surprise.

“Stop it. Trust them, they won’t fail.”

Seeing Taeui looking dumbfounded, Ilay leaned down and licked Taeui’s bottom lip, making him jolt in shock at the sudden closeness. He touched his lip and asked, “What the hell are you doing…?”

Ah. I was biting on my wound…

He glanced sideways at Ilay, wanting to say something but couldn’t find the words. Now that he’d calmed down, Taeui was starting to relax too…like everything was going to be okay.

Turning away sharply to look at the still ongoing gunfire, he cursed at himself inwardly. It’s been a whole month since he saw this man, yet he still felt so reliable in times like this.

“Taei, we need to go.”

“—Huh? Why?”

Ilay raised a brow at him, “Didn’t you want to see Jeong Jay?” He pointed to the motor behind him, “We’ll go to them.”

“......Hey. That thing's a single seater.”

He only smiled slyly and walked towards the fallen motor, righting it, then sat on it. Then to Taeui’s horror, patted his thigh a few times and said, “There’s one here for you.”

“NO WAY!” He shouted in complete terror, “Are you crazy?”

Taeui stood rooted to the spot as the motor stopped beside him, gaping at the man on it…‘No way, is he really going to make me sit there….?’ He felt goosebumps rise on his skin at the thought.

“Get on and hold on tight.”

“...................On where?”

Ilay smiled—the same smile from earlier….the genuine, happy smile. His white teeth were exposed as his lips stretched across his face. There it was again. That same thumping in Taeui’s chest when he heard a smooth, low voice call his name earlier.

“Choose. Front or back.”

“HUH?”

A soft huff of laughter came from behind the smile, “....Taei, where’s your mind gone?”

Ilay tapped his foot on the ground then reached for the surface behind him where it was big enough to hold one person and tilted his head teasingly, “Front. Or back?”

Flushing from embarrassment, Taeui clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath before jumping onto the platform behind Ilay and planted his feet on the steps on both sides of Ilay’s waist.

“Hold on, Taei.”

His hands hesitated where it hovered over broad shoulders as he contemplated whether to just risk falling off.

Taeui jerked forward with a yelp to hold tightly on those shoulders when the motor suddenly jerked forward and roared to life. Catching a snicker from the man below him, he kicked at his thigh, but didn’t say anything more as the motor started speeding up.

As the villa got further and further away and the wind caressed his face, he started to relax and looked at the destruction around them. Uplifted grounds, debris, and bodies of most likely Xinlu’s men.

When they finally reached the car wreck surrounded by the four men in black, Taeui hopped off immediately and ran towards the car, only to jerk to a stop when he saw Xinlu sitting against the side of it with blood dripping down his face.

“...Xinlu.”

The black-haired man looked up at him pitifully with a heartbreaking expression. He placed a hand over his eyes and laughed mockingly, “Taei hyung…have you come to rub it in?”

“No…that’s not it, move your hand away, let me see–”

“Taei.”

Taeui shot a look at Ilay, “Do you still not believe me?” he asked, trying to ignore the bewildered stares directed at him.

“.....Tsk,” Ilay clicked his tongue and looked away. It only made the men in black gape openly, without any sense of shame.

Crouching down beside Xinlu, he reached out to brush black hair away, freezing when Xinlu winced and flinched away. “Xinlu,” he said after making sure the wound wasn’t too bad, “Why did you do that?”

“...I thought it was the only way to make you come with me, but I was wrong anyway. Taei hyung, why? Why him? He’s so—so disgusting, he’s horrible. Everyone knows it’d be better if he was dead.”

“......”

“What do you even see in him?”

Taeui remained silent for a moment, then sighed as he stood up. “What did you give hyung?”

“Taei….”

“Xinlu. Was it only chloroform?”

“......Mm.”

Taeui nodded, then tried to open the car door but it was stuck. He peeked inside, seeing that his brother was facing away from the window, he took a sharp breath in and was about to strike at the window when his arm was grabbed.

“...Ilay?”

“Are you dumb?”

“—Huh?!”

He was pulled back behind Ilay as the man pulled the gun out his thigh strap and struck the butt of it on the window, shattering it with just one hit. A whistle sounded from one of the men.

Taeui stepped forward and reached inside to open the door with a click. He then crawled in alongside Jaeui to unlock the other side to avoid accidentally cutting his brother on the glass when getting him out.

He shook Jaeui gently while calling out, “Hyung, wake up. Hyung?” When he stayed motionless, Taeui patted his body to check for injuries before sighing in relief. Maneuvering around until Jaeui was settled comfortably on his back, he lifted his brother up and walked towards Ilay again.

“Uhm, thank you,” he bowed slightly at the four men in black, “...For saving my brother.”

A man with green eyes, visible even behind the tinted helmet, perked up, “Oh no, it’s alright. Boss’ orders, right, Rick?”

The other three agreed simultaneously, clapping each other on the back and laughing as if it was just another day.

Taeui peeked at Ilay, who was already looking at him with a dark expression, making him furrow his brows in confusion.

What now? What did I do now?

“If you’re done, let’s go,” Ilay said.

“Ah, okay…but how should we–”

“Ilay Riegrow,” a low growl came from Xinlu, “I’ll kill you, I’ll rip you from limb to limb, then I’ll make you watch as I snatch Tae away from your blood drenched hands.”

“......Aha. Snatch him away?” Ilay tilted his head menacingly as a dangerous glint shined in his eyes.

“Kid, he came to me himself. He chose me. You think you can snatch him away? Are you that eager to die?”

A bad feeling crept into Taeui’s chest the more he heard their conversation. He glanced around to see the men smiling as if they were entertained by a drama scene playing out.

...Right, they’re all crazy.

“Ilay, can you watch over hyung for me?”

The silver-haired man turned his head towards Taeui with an irritated expression, “If I snap and kill him, then what?”

What the fuck.

“................Then I’m trusting you not to.”

An unreadable expression flickered across Ilay’s face, then he sighed and gestured with his hand. One of the men in black stepped up to lift Jaeui off Taeui’s back and backed away.

Taeui checked to make sure his brother was in good hands before slowly walking towards where the two were facing off, his gaze steady on the man on the ground.

“Ilay, give us a few minutes.”

“...Ha. You’re really asking for a lot, Taei.”

“I’ll pay it all back, along with what you told me over the phone. This is my last request.”

The tall man clicked his tongue in annoyance before sharply turning to walk away, only pausing briefly to whisper into Taeui’s ear, “Be smart, Taei.”

He heard chattering of the men speaking to Ilay as he walked towards them, but he ignored it in favour of settling down beside Xinlu, tipping his head back on the car.

 

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(Skip if you don’t wish to get spoiled on Taeui and Xinlu’s convo)

 

“...Taei hyung. I like you, I like you so much,” Xinlu’s voice was full of frustration, but also sadness, “so why won’t you just come with me? I can protect you just as much, so why?”

“Did you know? When I woke up in the hospital and they told me I might never see again, I was—that anger, it was so painful and—I hated him. So much that even I was surprised with myself…I thought I couldn’t hate him any more, but then as time passed, I hated him more and more—it just kept getting stronger.”

Taeui looked up at the smokey skies and waited for Xinlu to finish speaking. There was a silent understanding that grew in Taeui’s mind as he heard those words.

“Taei hyung, just wait, I will hide you from that man. I will make sure he can’t touch you ever again.”

Xinlu reached out to gently grab his hand and pulled it to his chest, his words full of certainty as he emphasised the ‘he’.

Taeui looked at the adorable boy he used to like, back in UNHRDO, when it was just the two of them at the start. He still found him adorable, but…

“.....Xinlu. I’ll return with Ilay. So after this…go back to Hong Kong and rest well.”

Xinlu looked at him in silence as his hand slowly slipped off from holding tanned ones. He then said in a low voice, “That man…you know better than anyone what Rick is like. How unpredictable he is, even if that side of him is gone right now…he can still snap and kill you at any time

Yeah, I do know better than anyone how insane he is.

Maybe one day, I’ll bleed and die at those beautiful and delicate hands.

But still.

Ever since Ilay had called out his name earlier, and then again when he thought Taeui was going to leave with Xinlu. The anger—no, the fear he heard in Ilay’s voice, in his expression that looked so wrong. It pierced Taeui’s heart, making it ache and throb, just like right now.

He looked towards where that man was conversing with his team members and said softly, “Yeah. I am afraid of him, I can’t be comfortable with him. Even though he’s kinder to me now, he is still a violent person. Nothing changes that.”

Lowering his gaze to his hand, he recalled the number of inhumane things Ilay had done, then clenched it when he realised there were too many to count on his hands.

“There are times when I’m just so furious with him that I could die. Even now…just thinking about the past makes me angry all over again. I don’t feel great at all being near him.”

Then Taeui went silent as he felt another ache in his chest, making him feel strangely down. He didn’t understand why.

He swallowed, then continued, “I don’t hate Ilay. Even though I’ve asked many times how someone like him could exist….I don’t hate him. Somehow, I feel like if I don’t take care of him, there’ll be no one who will.”

A stitch in time saves nine, huh…

“...And I have to pay it back.”

“You told him the same thing just now,” Xinlu said with a humorless laugh, as if he wanted to cry and shout, but was holding it in.

Then he said louder, “No. I don’t like it. Don’t go with him, Taei hyung.”

Taeui looked at the plastered smile—though still beautiful anyway—on Xinlu’s face, then he slowly opened his mouth, “Your goal has somewhat been achieved, hasn’t it?”

He knew Xinlu had never wanted Taeui for himself, at least not anymore, but for a personal reason instead. A personal hatred for someone.

Xinlu’s expression froze and his hands clenched into the sand between them. His mouth twitched, “No. You can’t go.”

“I will.”

“Taei hyung, you can’t!”

“I’m going.”

Xinlu suddenly reached out to grip Taeui’s hand tightly, his strong grip pressed into the bruise on his wrist. He then cried, “Taei hyung, please—please like me. I like you so much, so like me back again—once more. I like you more than myself, so won’t you pity me?”

His hands on Taeui’s trembled as he pleaded again with a small voice and a pained expression. But Taeui couldn’t give the answer he wanted. Not anymore.

“I’m sorry.”

“...I lost so much because of you…my eye—my heart only wants you, why can’t you just like me back?! It hurts, it’s so unfair. I can’t let you go.”

“Then take my eye.”

“.......What?”

“I’ll take responsibility for you losing one of your eyes, so choose, left or right?”

“........I don’t need it.”

Taeui looked at Xinlu with a serious expression, “I can really give it to you, right now.”

“But I don’t need it,” Xinlu spoke with a small groan.

Taeui stayed silent, then said again, “If I can make up for what you’ve lost, let me make up for it. You lost your eye, so I’ll make up for it. I must make up for what Ilay has lost too.”

Xinlu leaned back on the car as if in surrender, then he spoke with a weak voice, full of sorrow, “What did he lose?”

“Inhumanity,” Taeui said with a bitter smile.

“.....?”

“Ilay’s lost his inhumanity.”

The man who took everything for granted, now threw it all away just to pull this act off…

His unfamiliar, but full of happiness expression that made me feel so strange…

Xinlu huffed out a sarcastic laugh, “So you plan to help him regain it?”

“...No.”

 

“I will become Ilay’s weakness.”

 

Maybe Taeui had a strange expression on his face that he was oblivious to making, but he felt warmth in his chest as if it were enveloping his heart. Xinlu suddenly let out an air of defeat and went limp, as if he had given up on everything.

He didn’t say anything and just closed his eyes, like he’d fallen asleep.

Taeui was proven wrong when the hand holding his slowly loosened and retreated back beside its owner as Xinlu turned his head away, signalling the end of their conversation.

…….

 

(End of spoilers)
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Sighing, Taeui stood up and dusted the sand off his pants. He bit his lip lightly as he looked at Xinlu, feeling a slight regret.

“...You have a way to get back, right?”

They might never see each other again, but Xinlu didn’t reply and continued closing his eyes, face expressionless like a statue.

Taeui furrowed his brows but decided to not say anything more. Pressing his lips together, he glanced at Xinlu again before turning around and started his way back towards where his brother was still unconscious.

He felt his heart stop for a moment when his eyes caught silver-black ones staring intently at him. Unlike earlier, when they were sharp and cold, now it was soft at the corners with a light in them as though the person was happy.

When Taeui finally stopped in front of him, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously and asked, “What?”

Ilay shook his head and smiled faintly, “Nothing, let’s go now if you don’t want to get caught.”

“....What about hyung?”

“Ah,” The man with green eyes said, “I have an extra seat on my motor, so Jay will ride with me.”

Taeui observed the man with distrust in his eyes and was about to speak up when Ilay suddenly lifted him up and dumped him on the platform he had arrived on.

“—Hey!”

The irritating man just got on the front and started up the engine while the others followed along. Without thinking, Taeui tightened his legs slightly where it was beside Ilay’s waist and held on to his shoulders loosely.

It wasn’t until he heard whistles and laughter that he realised his actions. But it was already too late. Ilay leaned back against his stomach, which made his legs spread wider in order to accommodate the large body, and said, “Good boy.”

“........DRIVE ALREADY!”

His embarrassed shout made Ilay laugh loudly as he obediently accelerated his motor, the wind carrying the smooth, low, laughter into Taeui’s ears.

*Thump thump, thump thump*

The heart beating so loudly in his chest made him feel like he was going to die, his neck was flushed red and he felt strange. Really strange.

 

Oh.

I like this. His smile. His laugh.

When the wind started to dry up his eyes, he lowered his head onto silver hair to shield himself, biting his trembling lips as a shaky smile spread across his face.

The only comfort he had was knowing no one could see that his expression as he tried to calm down his heart.

But he thought, ‘at least, like this, there were no more misunderstandings between us.’

Yeah. I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I got into the car instead.

Burying his face into the silver hair, the person below him seemed to be in an inexplicably good mood as his shoulders shook in laughter again. Taeui couldn’t help but think that this felt good, feeling that man’s happiness.

 

Yeah, this….is not bad at all.

Notes:

GENUINELY WHAT SHOULD'VE HAPPENED UUUUGGGGHHHHHH I'M SO FREAKING AFRAID....

I love Iltae so much, so their misunderstanding hurt me so badly...I reread it before writing this and had to take a walk around the neighbourhood to scream and eat dirt.