✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

07. Bandages

@samsllama

sul
please tell me what's wrong
don't leave me waiting like this
is someone bothering you?
or are you in a tough position?
you have to talk it out if you want me to help you
sul :(
come on...

( 2 Missed calls from Sam )

sul
[read]

The lights were turned on in the basketball court. Yeseul leaned back on the stairs, her eyes closed, face surrendering itself to the evening. The coldness kissed her wounds better. She smiled, although her lips hurt by the act. Evening somehow always held the power of curing the wounds she received through the day. Since she was a little girl, she grew up basking under the ending of the day.

Her eyes opened, gaze catching the radiant Venus.

sam
do me a favor. look for Venus if you can
bro I'm falling in love
so majestic

Hyunjin was out of breath when he reached the ground. His eyes creased up as he bent down to catch his breath. The sight of Yeseul brought a rush of peace to his sore ribs. He walked ahead, the fear of being pushed away still hanging on the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked, a safe distance between the two strangers.

Yeseul came back to the present. Her shoulders fell down by the feeling of someone witnessing her in such vulnerable state. She didn't reply. Her head dropped on the wounded crescents on her wrist.

Hyujin breathed out, the pain of his ribs resurfacing when he caught the dimming away smile from the girl's face. He closed the distance between them, sitting on his knees in front of her, his hand gently taking hold of hers.

Yeseul felt the lump in her throat tighten. She wanted to cry, but her lips forced her to hold it all in. She tried pulling herself away from him, but he didn't let go. "Please let me do this before I go."

He pulled some bandages from his pocket that he got from the infirmary. He handled her so softly, as if mending the memory of what Jihoon did to her. One by one, he kept covering her wounded wrist with it. Yeseul just gazed at him, her eyes blurred by stubborn tears.

Hyunjin swallowed hard. "I'm sorry that you had to go through all that."

Yeseul felt the flutter of hurt awaken again. She grew conscious of her pains. "Thank you for saving me today."

Hyunjin sighed out a relieved breath. The birds chirped overhead, a black cloud of theirs flying towards their homes. The peacefulness of the place turned so full of depth, that Hyunjin couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He watched the bruised elbows, the flaring red on her wrist which still peaked from the bandage, the soft purple on her mouth. She was so hurt, yet she felt so beautifully strong in that adorning darkness.

"Yeseul. Thank you for saving Jeongin."

Yeseul looked up, her eyes finding the warmth of Hyunjin's. She couldn't hold it in anymore, her lips quivered, tears falling on her face. "I'm sorry." She breathed out, leaving him all alone. Hyunjin just stayed frozen, not knowing how to comfort the girl. A sigh of sadness left his lips.

@sulisnotasimp

sam
do me a favor. look for Venus if you can
bro I'm falling in love
so majestic

why would you not let me help you? :(

Yeseul walked to the office, leaving the repaired glasses of the boy she just met, unaware that he was the owner of them. The teacher handed her her glasses in a paper bag. When she pulled them out, a note fell out on the ground.

Yeseul sat down to read the scribbling. She scoffed. "why would you choose such an ugly frame?"

"Idiot. We have the same frame."