abide

chapter 6

jihoon flared up at the other, looking askance at him.

"how could you let him get away?!" he yelled, never looking away from his prey.

the man's current behavior was nothing like his build. the sturdy figure jihoon chose because was strong enough to fight back, as well as agile and good to be a substantial shield, was now almost kowtowing in front of him, the face gazing down, ashamed.

"punish me, boss, I am begging you, I deserve to be treated equally to the worst criminal."

jihoon clenched his jaw, his fist formed again, but the boy's preparation got disturbed as a usually mellifluous voice cried out :

"no, hyung, he didn't do anything wrong!"

another boy came into the room, and quickly stood in front of jihoon, shielding the one kneeling on the ground.

"impudent child, from who did you inherit this bothersome courage?" he thought, his fingers not alerted any longer.

"I lied to him. I said I was going to sleep, whilst I..."

"I don't even want to listen to it. how many times have I told you that you have to lie low? don't you know that-"

"but hyung I have been waiting here for eight years! you wouldn't let me go outside for longer than a day and only with a company of mashiho, following me like a shadow non-stop! why do I have to suffer because of your reckless life choices?!"

this was his younger brother, his dongsaeng. the one last thing remaining in this world that he actually thought about, cared for, tried his best to treat with kindness, and keep safe from the ferocious life behind the doors of this house, the life he got used to and hated the most.

"jeongwoo, I have promised you that I will do everything I can to get out of this heinous business. I vowed so to you, don't you trust me?"

his brother's eyes welled up with tears. jihoon was craving to hear the answer, see him nodding, he would even be grateful for another spiteful remark spat in his face. disappointingly, his sibling was more patient, he knew how to handle his emotions much better than the one who should be his role model in this world.

the thing the younger would never say out loud was that he trusted mashiho much more than jihoon, and sometimes he couldn't distinguish whether everything that his brother did "for him" wasn't, in reality, to push him to the dismay.

"I am really going to sleep now, hyung. do not punish mashiho, it wasn't his fault it was me who ran away."

jeongwoo dragged his feet wearily, head hanging low. jihoon's eyes followed the figure which disappeared behind the door of his room. after making sure the boy must have reclined on his bed by that time, he directed his gaze towards cerberus. the man as if sensing the burning attention promised solemnly.

"I will keep an eye on him now." he bowed in front of the leader, faking to be raring to go.

"I will do it tonight." jihoon hindered him, motioning with his hand towards the sofa standing close by. "get some sleep instead, you look like you haven't slept for days."

the guy was so taken aback that he stuttered something between "thank you" and "no need", eventually lying down on the mattress whose rusty springs screamed upon being clenched for the first time in a prolonged while.

jihoon stood at one spot, watching how the other's eyes closed, and breath became constant soon after. he must have been exhausted, but wouldn't say a word.

"stupid." he murmured, something heavy weighting on his chest. "so your name is... mashiho?"

it took him three years to remember junkyu's name although they had been working under one roof, seeing each other every day, nevertheless the boy resolved that he won't forget this name.

"jeongwoo seems to like you cerberus. good job."

he said, although no one could hear him, and finally strode towards his brother's room. inside, he found his sibling buried in quilts, so he sat down by the bed quietly.

his hand haltingly traveled all the way to the young boy's head and patted it a few times. jihoon smiled sincerely, glad that no one could see it in the dark. he enjoyed the closeness so rarely given to him and so rarely given by him.

// ✧ //