not what you think

v: n-1

His hands slither through the coarseness of the bills, every piece leaving his psyche more and more frustrated than it has been since that day.

Yangwon got hauled, rather mercilessly, away by the mogul's son. Kim Taehyung.

The center of his copious hatred, angst and chagrin as of this moment.

He's the reason they are here. Where they shouldn't have been, along the strides they nearly took to the beginning of the end of the crumbled path.

"How much is left for the month? Is it enough to pay for the semester?", the deeper voice resounds whilst sitting beside the younger, brows pleated in a worrisome way.

Joonki delves into contemplating before voicing, "Only half of it. The rest got used for the four months' rent and savings."

Yeosang views the younger, putting effort to perceive Joonki's mind.

"Are you thinking about saving while your last semester needs to be paid?"

Joonki's expression only discerns his suspicion to be true.

Yeosang heaves a sigh, discarding the bills from the other's hands, tethering them to his own.

"After all that has happened, you're thinking about saving? We should use the last bit to finish your college."

Joonki stances himself into defense in his seat, heaving a deep sigh, eye to eye with the older, "Hyung, we've had little to no earnings in the last few months, thanks to that dingy store. Most of the savings were wiped clean because I don't have a job anymore, at least better than this. I've been looking for ones which ask for experience and even better pay, but I don't. And I really don't want you to go back to the convenience store along with me, staying there until wee hours. Not after what went down last year."

His brother trudges the lean fingers through the tresses, "What are we supposed to do then? Let me hold you back? Make you fear for my life while I sit, hands folded from the accident? It's time I stood up for myself and let me handle my issue. I can't make you bear all the burden, not like this."

Joonki emulates the gesture of his brother mere a moment ago, "Hyung, this is not about you. It's about both of us."

"Yet I feel like I'm the only one to blame for all this. If I worked hard along with you, this wouldn't come up. The convenience store doesn't pay much for you to pay it off by next month."

Joonki sways his head, "Still, I can't let you work. Your mid back is still fragile, and sitting down for longer hours needs a lot of work. I won't risk it until you get even better, not that the makeshift bed isn't ruining the pace."

"No," his brother resounds, "this time you're not doing this alone. I do too. Both of us have to work together to do this."

"Hyung, we can go to Wooyoung hyung to lend us. This is the last time we ask from them. Deal?", the younger inquires the rather effervescently disconcerted older.

"Okay," the other heaves a large breath to stow the feverish thoughts in volatility.

"Don't force yourself until you're ready. I'm here to do it until you do,"Joonki tenderly pulls the smaller to an embrace resulting in carving small, leisurely circles at the feet of the backbone.

"I won't, I promise this is the last impulsive or overwhelming decision I'll take."

"Alright hyung," Joonki voices his reassurance to the older.

"Thank you," the lanky of the two profounds the embrace on the toned, shrouded middle.

"Anytime."

The older sways his head in affirmation of the reciprocating feeling.