✦ 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 | 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘰

020 | the last sign

"I thought Yedam already quit on getting into fights? As well as his smoking habits."

"He did, but their rivals won't just back off."

"Why are they like that?"

"I don't know either."

While eating their breakfast by the kitchen island, Haruto remained silent as he listened on Jeongwoo and Yejin's conversation.

"How did Yedam got into a gang?" Jeongwoo asked Yejin out of curiosity.

"Yedam became friends with Junkyu first and he knew that Junkyu is a part of one of the gangs on that school. But, that was not the reason."

"Then, what?" Jeongwoo asked, wanting to know more.

"Our parents forced Yedam to study abroad, in which Yedam did not want to," Yejin explained. "Since then, he started smoking and joined the gang where he belongs to right now. I thought that he would eventually pull himself out of the gang as soon as our parents left for a business trip, but I was wrong."

Jeongwoo could not say anything even though he wanted to know more. He kept silent, just like Haruto.

"When our parents died," Yejin began, making the two boys to stop eating their breakfast and look at her. "That was the time where Yedam said all of his regrets. Hearing his regrets pained me because I did not try my best to help him on his sufferings before."

Haruto let out a sigh before rubbing Yejin's back for comfort since they are just sitting next to each other. Jeongwoo, who sat across them, could only smile a little.

Just then, the ringing of the doorbell filled their ears. Jeongwoo gave them a look, telling them that he would answer the door.

As soon as Jeongwoo opened the front door, his face brightened. "Come in quickly!" he told the newly arrived people as he stepped aside.

"Where's Yejin?" Yedam asked as soon as he stepped inside the house.

Jeongwoo pointed a finger towards the kitchen, and Yedam immediately headed there.

"So? What about last night?" Jeongwoo asked the other boys as soon as Yedam left.

Keita shrugged his shoulders with a playful smile plastered on his lips. "Them, being a bunch of chickens, surrendered themselves," he chuckled.

"As they should," Jaehyuk agreed.

"Where are the others?" asked Jeongwoo as he led the two boys towards the kitchen.

"Resting," Keita briefly responded. "We just went with Yedam since Hyunsuk told us to do so."

Nodding his head in understanding, Jeongwoo then prepared a breakfast for the three boys. There they were, eating breakfast together as if they do it every morning. No awkwardness, just pure honest talks with each other.

✦

It was the second night of having a sleepover on Haruto's house. This time, Junghwan is present. They left the bed unoccupied as they made themselves to sleep comfortably onto the mattress that is laid on the floor.

The ticking of the clock inside Haruto's room is the loudest sound that could be heard. Along with the ticking of the clock, Junghwan's soft snores could be heard too.

Their peaceful sleep at three in the morning did not last long when Haruto suddenly held the mattress firmly on both sides. He began to sweat as he mumbled some words, eyes closed as he is lost on another nightmare.

Bothered by the sudden noise, Jeongwoo woke up from his slumber. He looked left and right despite him being half awake, only to find out that it was only Haruto.

"Hey, Haruto," Jeongwoo called out softly as he began to shake the latter's arms. "This wouldn't work," he mumbled after noticing that Haruto is still stuck on his sleep.

Jeongwoo got up hovered over Haruto, trapping the tall boy in between his legs. He rubbed his palms together before saying, "This would definitely work."

In just a split second, Jeongwoo slapped Haruto's right cheek. The sudden contact made Haruto shot up, resulting for him and Jeongwoo to collide with each others' forehead.

Jeongwoo fell on his back with a thud, letting out a groan after. It made Junghwan wake up with a clueless expression painted all over his face.

"What happened?" asked Junghwan while rubbing his eyes.

"Nothing," Haruto responded with one hand rubbing his forehead.

Jeongwoo, who is already letting out a quiet groan, remained still with his back on the floor. He then shook a hand towards Junghwan, reassuring that the younger boy shouldn't worry about anything.

Junghwan immediately went back to sleep after that, but Jeongwoo and Haruto remained awake.

"You don't have to slap my face just to wake me up," Haruto told Jeongwoo as soon as he heard Junghwan snoring.

With a huff escaping from his mouth, Jeongwoo spoke after. "I wouldn't have done that if you only woke up while I was shaking your arms."

"Is that so?" was Haruto could only say.

Jeongwoo finally sat up, facing Haruto. "What's with your dream again?" he asked.

"Yejin died, again," Haruto responded bluntly.

"You need some company?" asked Jeongwoo, in which Haruto shook his head as a response.

"Just go back to sleep and I'll do the same after a moment," Haruto told the younger.

Jeongwoo only hummed, crawling back on the space between Junghwan and Haruto where he laid earlier.

Meanwhile, Haruto could only close his eyes. He is starting to believe that he is insane for always dreaming about Yejin who always dies at the end of those dreams.