✔ 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠

¢нαρтєя ΙΙ.ՁƼ

Yeonjun did not have much time left with his siblings. Until Beomgyu had once asked his parents to come here to take the two minors, two days had passed. In that time, Sol and Dae had been able to get used to the idea, but the middle sister still didn't seem entirely convinced. Because of this, she had to have some conversations with her big brother, while Dae and Beomgyu were doing the exact same thing, but in a completely different direction. The younger one completely blossomed, telling Beomgyu about his future dreams and plans. He seemed completely different from his sister, looking forward to finally living a normal life.

But since Beomgyu's parents were still strangers to the two teenagers, the two adults had taken time to get to know them first. Still, it was completely upsetting for Sol, which is why at first she had merely sat on the bed and remained silent. It was only when she had met Beomgyu's mother, a truly loving woman, that she had been able to bring herself to go along.

She was so different from her mum, with whom she hardly exchanged a word. Still, the thought of them leaving her behind in the apartment wouldn't let her go.

Could her mum even survive without the help of her children?

After all, it had been Sol who ran the household. And as the only daughter, it was hard to accept a different and especially new life.

How much would change?

How much would she have to change?

For Sol, the change was simply unthinkable, but Beomgyu's mother approached her with a great deal of compassion. That she was actually willing to take in two strange teenagers, who were more of the difficult kind, was impressive. But Beomgyu's parents had always been so caring and they would always want to help their son.

Yeonjun had also been nervous, only able to keep calm when Beomgyu gave him a good talking to. It was a big decision to put the two of them in the care of strangers, but he wanted to give them a better and freer life.

Therefore, both of them went along with Beomgyu's parents, still saying goodbye to their big brother with tight hugs.

Until Yeonjun and Beomgyu were alone again and silence fell in the apartment. Beomgyu immediately approached the brown-haired man and wrapped him in his arms. "How do you feel?" asked Beomgyu cautiously, for it had surely been hard for Yeonjun as well.

Slowly, he nodded, burying his face in the crook of Beomgyu's neck. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was relieved that at least that was done. That he knew they were safe now, and he stroked the dark-haired man's back.

"Better," Yeonjun murmured. "Thanks for doing this for me."

Beomgyu nodded, standing on tiptoe to press a fleeting kiss to Yeonjun's cheek. "All that's missing is this trouble with Lisa, and we can all get back to a quiet life."

And no sooner had he uttered that sentence than Yeonjun's cell phone rang.

They both flinched in shock, with Yeonjun looking at Beomgyu like the devil was calling. "Who..." he stammered, searching for the cell phone with his gaze, then found it on the sofa. He was still holding Beomgyu's shirt and looking into his dark eyes. Actually, he didn't want to look because he couldn't imagine it was anything positive. Still, he exhaled slowly and turned to the sofa and walked towards it.

"Unknown number," he said curtly.

He reached for his cell phone and took the call, but said nothing.

"Meet us at Cheongun Park in three hours. Bring the money and nothing will happen to your friend." With that, the caller hung up again.

Yeonjun swallowed.

Then he turned his gaze to Beomgyu, who had definitely heard it too.

He didn't know that voice and his body tensed up so that he dropped powerlessly onto the couch.

Sighing, Beomgyu walked toward the elder, stopping only when his shins bumped against his knees and he rested his hands lightly on Yeonjun's shoulders. "We'll get through this," Beomgyu assured quietly, leaning forward and pressing his lips against the seated man's forehead.

Immediately, the latter wrapped his arms around Beomgyu's hips, pressing his head against his stomach. He held on to him so tightly that it might seem he was afraid of losing his mind otherwise. He was still treated by him with that loving and caring way and he wanted to give him back so much, but he didn't know how.

Yeonjun squeezed his eyes shut, you could even hear his teeth grinding, and his fingers clawed at the fabric Beomgyu was wearing on him.

"I want you to stay here."

"What, why?" replied Beomgyu immediately, straightening up but only able to stare at Yeonjun's head from above because he was still pressing his face against his stomach.

Slowly, Yeonjun looked up and you could see the slight glint in his dark irises, as if he was afraid. "Because I know these guys are dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."

Especially because he suffered from that rare disease that made him so vulnerable.

Yeonjun didn't want to risk anything.

"But you want me to let you go, or what?" the long-haired boy growled with his eyebrows drawn together, clenching his hand into a fist and pressing it against Yeonjun's head. "I'll go with you!"

With a quivering lower lip, Yeonjun sighed, trying to get rid of the ever-growing lump, but his fingers dug deeper and deeper into Beomgyu's garment.

What if these guys were lying?

"But if something happens to you-"

Stubbornly, Beomgyu shook his head as his fingers disappeared into the dark brown hair. "That's not fair. You want me to wait here, not knowing if you'll even come back? Wanting to leave me here with a cliffhanger when I don't even know if this is just a exciting story or a love story."

Sighing, Yeonjun stood up from the sofa, gently cupping the young author's face with both hands even as he felt the tugging in his shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head from left to right, looking into his eyes that showed despair. He knew he was just trying to protect Beomgyu, and he had to get his own act together first to defend himself against possible attacks with those arms.

How then would he be able to protect Beomgyu?

"It's been a long time since it was just an exciting story, Beomgyu."

"Then let me come with you! In dangerous situations, you shouldn't separate from each other!"

Slowly, Yeonjun leaned his forehead against Beomgyu's, stroking the soft cheeks with both thumbs. For quite a while they just stood there, in which Yeonjun had to think. Beomgyu would be hard to convince, and he also didn't want him to then secretly go after him and put himself in more danger.

Because Yeonjun knew that he would do something like that.

"But-... you-...", Yeonjun hissed because he just didn't know how to convince him to stay here anymore. "I don't trust those guys one bit."

Beomgyu fell silent.

He even kept silent for quite a long time, because he knew that Yeonjun only meant well and wanted him to be safe. At the same time, the thought of the elder going off on his own and probably never coming back was unbearable. Beomgyu looked up at him as his eyes filled with sadness that rolled down his cheeks in the form of thick tears as soon as he blinked.

"Please."

Tear after tear wetted even Yeonjun's fingers and seeing Beomgyu cry, seeing him so distraught was truly painful. Immediately, the older one tried to wipe the tears from his face, but the latter's lips trembled as well. "Why-...," Yeonjun kissed the quivering lips in confusion, for it overwhelmed him how much he felt guilty for those tears. "Why are you crying?" he whispered, kissing him again.

"Don't-leave me here alone ..."

Taking a deep breath, Yeonjun finally nodded.

"Okay," he said barely audibly and pressed his lips to Beomgyu's, this time longer and more intimately. All the feelings they'd been building up for the past few weeks seemed to catch right up with them, and he gently let one hand disappear into the dark hair. "Okay."