Mocking Jay ➳ Jayhoon ✔

14. Nobody Noticed

Date: November 14th

They didn't talk at all in the couple months following that night. Heeseung said that Kangdae told Sunghoon that Jay tried to sexually harrass him, but there were tens of witnesses to say that it was Sunghoon who did it.

Sunghoon made it seem like he believed Kangdae, but he believed the witnesses.

And Jay would never hurt him.

It just became awkward when Sunghoon found out what he did. He apologized to Jay once, but they haven't talked since then.

Today, Sunghoon came into school walking on crutches with a large cast on his leg. He fell down the stairs, is what he said.

Sunghoon wasn't a liar.

He fell down the stairs.

And the purple marks on his neck are just hickeys that makeup failed to cover up.

And his black eye was from falling down the stairs.

Sunghoon is clumsy, after all. Everyone knows that.

Nobody questioned how he wore oversized clothes or didn't let anyone pick him up. No one noticed why he limped a lot or constantly passed out from dizziness.

Nobody noticed how he didn't drink lattes and only ate salad and drank water.

He was just on a diet, he would tell them. A dangerous diet, but the results would be worth it.

All that mattered was that he had a boyfriend who loved him.

A boyfriend that accidentally nudged him when they were by the stairs. But his boyfriend called 911 immediately. It was an accident.

Nobody noticed him crying behind the glasses he wore to cover up his black eye.

Nobody noticed that he questioned what love was. Was this love? Was he suffering pain just so Kangdae could feel good while taking care of him? That's what love was. Making sure the other person felt good.

So why was Sunghoon the only one making the other one feel good about themselves?

Jay had already heard the news, but it still surprised him when Sunghoon walked in.

"Are you okay?" He asked when Sunghoon sat down, but the younger ignored him. "Hey-"

"I don't wanna talk right now."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Okay... but, what happened?"

"I tripped and fell down the stairs."

"Huh. What about the bruises on your neck?"

"These are hickeys. What, are you mad you didn't get to give me one that night?"

"Nope. And I thought you believed the witnesses?"

"Why should I believe these witnesses over the love of my life? He's trustworthy."

"He called you ugly, which makes him a liar."

Sunghoon groaned and turned to face him. "Can you ever just shut up?"

"No."

"God, I hate you!"

"The feeling is mutual!"

*A few hours later*

"I can't believe you got me detention," Sunghoon groaned, sitting in a chair and wiping off the chalkboard.

"You're the one who yelled first," Jay shrugged, mopping the floor as Sunghoon did that. "You can only reach one part of the board at a time. Here. Let me help you."

He reached across Sunghoon to get another rag and cleaner, eyebrows furrowing when he jumped at the action.

Sunghoon nervously laughed and shrugged it off, but Jay stood up and looked at him with wide eyes.

"He hurts you, doesn't he?"

Four bruises lined up on the right side of Sunghoon's neck, and one on the other side.

It was a handprint. A deep one.

Sunghoon looked down and thought for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Only sometimes..."

"I fucking knew it," Jay said, shaking his head.

"Jay please! You can't tell anyone! You said I could trust you! You remember?!"

Jay looked furious. He was furious.

But he sighed and nodded.

Breaking someone's trust wasn't something he wanted to do.

But breaking whatever type of relationship he and Sunghoon had was better than letting him stay with his boyfriend.