look after you | hyunin

iii

cw // mention of eating disorder , body image

"this is it," hyunjin says as the two approach his house.

he waits a moment for a response from the younger. he looks over when he doesn't hear the boy say anything.

jeongin blinks his tired eyes before he suddenly faints. hyunjin catches him before he can hit the pavement.

"i knew i should've brought him here the first time we met," he mutters to himself.

hyunjin carries the younger boy inside with his bag and gently places him on the couch. thankfully, his parents aren't home to question why he just brought an unconscious boy into their house.

the older boy goes to get a small snack and glass of water for jeongin. the younger gains consciousness while hyunjin's out of the room.

"hyunjin?" jeongin says. his voice is quiet but still audible enough to the older.

"i'm here," hyunjin smiles softly. he walks into the living room with a few crackers on a paper plate and a glass of water. "you fainted," he explains while the younger sits up and turns to face him.

"oh," the red haired boy frowns slightly.

"here, have a small snack," the dark haired boy says sweetly, giving the plate to the younger.

"i- i'm not really hungry."

"you should have something small to start, jeongin. you haven't eaten in three days. i told you i'd take care of you, yeah?"

little did hyunjin know, it wasn't because jeongin hadn't eaten in three days that he wasn't up for food. his relationship with his body and food has never been good nor healthy. amidst his parents' mistreatment and his ongoing self confidence issues, he developed an eating disorder.

no one really knew about it. he had only talked to his best friend seungmin about it but that was it. that was the only time he had ever admitted or ever talked about it with anyone.

"no thank you," jeongin replies, giving the plate back to the older.

"that's okay," hyunjin sighs. "maybe later?"

"yeah... um, is there anywhere i can get settled? i kinda wanna take a nap, i haven't gotten much sleep lately."

"yeah, of course," the older says, smiling kindly. "you can stay in the guest room for now, it's the first room on the right."

"thank you," jeongin mumbles, grabbing his small bag and heading to the room.

as soon as jeongin's settled in the guest bedroom, hyunjin calls one of his best friends, jisung.

"yo, what's up?"

"jisungie, you will not believe what happened," hyunjin begins. jisung rolls his eyes on the other side of the phone in anticipation of a dramatic rundown of what happened.

"what, jinnie?"

"you know how i told you about that boy i met like, five days ago?" the dark-haired boy continues.

"the one who got kicked out of his house and rejected your offer to stay at your place?" jisung questions.

"yes, him. so i was going on my walk, right, and i went a different route and ended up at a park so i decided to find a bench. well, there he was... on the bench. he looked miserable, ji. i couldn't let him continue to live on the streets.

"i don't know the kid that much just yet but he was putting himself through hell. he didn't eat for three days and slept on the streets for four nights. i don't know what came over me when i first met him.