Love And Dragons | JiKyu • KyuHoon

2|The Friend

"Why did you lie?"

Junkyu stopped walking. The two newly formed friends were leaving the Park's house and Jihoon was accompanying Junkyu back to his own house. Junkyu tried to argued with Jihoon that there was no need for him to come and walk him home, but the latter was incredibly stubborn. Junkyu let him be and allowed Jihoon (or himself) to indulge with the offered company.

However, they both walked in silence. It was contrasting to their first lively walk together when they were heading to Jihoon's home. The atmosphere tilted over to a whole other degree and Junkyu felt uncomfortable from the way how Jihoon did not say a word. And that all became worse when the latter finally asked the question Junkyu predicted and feared he would ask.

"What?" Junkyu said instead, of answering.

"Why did you lie?" Jihoon repeated.

The first time he asked the question he sounded a bit sad and the tone was low. The second time there was a hint of anger boiling within. Jihoon's eyes did not meet Junkyu's own. His stare was fixated anywhere but Junkyu. The latter noticed how Jihoon had his hands crumpled to a fist, tightly hanging onto the hem of his tunic. The night sky was above them and a gentle cool breeze ever so softly grazed their exposed skin. A shiver ran through Junkyu as he let the silence stretched. The words seemed too hard to take out his mouth.

"Don't you want it to stop?" Jihoon asked in a small voice. His tone turning soft, a bit tensed by how he has yet to be given a response. There was somewhat even a whimper at the end of his voice.

It pinched Junkyu's heart hearing it. He still couldn't muster a reply. The words were at the tip of his tongue, yet cowardice and fear kept his mouth clamped tight shut. It wasn't easy. For years of the life he has lived and grown through so far, no one has shown him ever such concern.

"Don't you want to stop them from hurting you again?" Jihoon added, his eyes still avoiding Junkyu. An awful tingle ran up Jihoon's spine as his mind relived the image he saw of Junkyu being beaten up a while ago.

The pained expression from Junkyu that etched into his mind when he caught them in the act. Jihoon clenched his fists so hard that Junkyu could plainly see the obvious tremble from how hard he was squeezing his own palms.

"Jihoon..." Junkyu finally spoke. He could only utter Jihoon's name. He wanted to change the subject.

"Don't you want that, Junkyu?" Jihoon added. He finally looked up and stared at Junkyu right in the eye. He almost looked away again as the face of the younger staring back at him engrossed him in a way he doesn't quite understood. It somehow tickled his stomach. "I know we just met. You probably feel like I'm overstepping. I'm sorry. But it's just...just wrong that you're letting them do that to you." He let out.

Junkyu stayed silent again, meeting Jihoon's piercing gaze. He almost felt dizzy having his new friend looked at him like that. Like the finest black pearls formed from the deepest ocean trenches, a sacred and mysterious glimmer they held which for now reflected deep concern and something uncharted. Junkyu had always kept his piling ruminations all to himself in silence. The question that now filled his head was if he could trust Jihoon enough to at least get a tiny chunk of those thoughts he held inside.

"Jihoon...do you know who my father is?" Junkyu said, not breaking eye contact from him.

Jihoon looked confused by this sudden upbringing. They were having a serious talk about and then Junkyu just pulls out this question as if out of nowhere. Jihoon was about to answer that he doesn't know who Junkyu's father is yet but Junkyu beat him to it.

"My father is the chief of this tribe, Kim Sunho." Junkyu said, his face unchanging of emotion.

Jihoon's mouth went agape. His eyes going wide in surprise and shock from what he just heard. He felt stupid for not knowing.