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Heeseung was fidgeting around his room. He looked through his window, trying to see if Jake was in his room. But Jake's curtains were closed. He sighed and sat on his bed. Niki put his hand on Heeseung's shoulder. "I'm sure he is fine. I mean, how bad can his parents be?"

Heeseung snapped his head towards Niki, his eyes wide with worry. "I haven't heard anything from him since yesterday!"

Niki paused, thinking about a solution. "We will wait until his parents leave, and then we will visit him." Heeseung nodded and went back towards his window.

Niki groaned. "I'm so so sorry, Heeseung. I shouldn't have told anyone about Jake being sick."

"It's not your fault." Heeseung answered quietly.

"Did they tell your mom about this?" Niki asked.

"They called her before I even got home... can you believe that? She said that she wasn't surprised. "

"So she was okay with this?"

"Yes... But that's not the case for Jake. I was really scared yesterday. I've never seen his dad like that."

Niki listened in silence. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, and leaned on his extended arms. They checked the time every few minutes, but there was no sign of Jake. Heeseung felt a knot in his stomach. 

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise. It sounded like a door slamming. They looked out the window and saw Jake's parents getting into their car. They were arguing with each other, their voices angry and harsh.

"Let's go!" Niki said, grabbing Heeseung's hand. They quickly arrived in front of Jake's house. Heeseung hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell. 

His action was followed by complete silence.

Niki raised his hand to knock, but the door was opened by Jake. He reached for Heeseung's hand and pulled him in the house, closing the door quickly behind them. Niki stood outside motionless. 

"Ok, that was... rude?" He said before leaving. 

Heeseung didn't process how he ended up in Jake's house because it all happened so fast. He was leaning on the front door, with Jake's hand on the handle and his head buried in Heeseung's shoulder. 

Heeseung wrapped his hands around Jake, feeling his warmth and heartbeat. He whispered in his ear, "Are you alright?"

Jake shook his head, hugging Heeseung back. "What's wrong?" The older asked. He cupped Jake's face with his palms and tried to look at his face, but Jake didn't cooperate, not moving his head from Heeseung's shoulder. 

"Jaeyun!" Heeseung yelled, which made the younger flinch and take a step back. Heeseung managed to look at Jake, his eyes teary, and his eye and lip bruised. 

Heeseung gasped, feeling a surge of anger and worry. "Your dad did this?" He asked, his voice trembling.

Jake looked away, avoiding his gaze. "It doesn't matter. It's not like it's the first time." He then smiled. It was such a sad smile, it made Heeseung's heart ache. He could see the resignation and hopelessness in Jake's eyes.

Heeseung wanted to say something, anything, to make him feel better. To make him feel loved. To make him feel alive.

But he couldn't find the words.

"He said that I don't deserve to be his son, and that he can't wait for the day I go back. He spat out those words with venom, making me feel like a worthless piece of trash. " 

Heeseung watched him, and what he saw wasn't the Jake he was so used to see, but a sorrowful soul. He noticed how gloomy Jake looked, how thin he had gotten during summer and how those bruises made him so miserable. Under all those layers of happiness was hidden a sensible person.

"Jake..." Heeseung whispered, and that's when Jake broke down in tears, crouching on the floor.

"I want this to end,"

 Heeseung grabbed him gently by the shoulders, helping him stand back up and hugged him tightly. "It's alright. I am here."

A phone call from Jake's pocket startled him. Heeseung grabbed the phone. "I'll take this for you." Jake nodded, still trying to stop his sobs. 

Heeseung answered the phone, hearing Sunghoon's voice. "Hey, Jake. I hope you didn't forget about our lunch-"

"He's busy," Heeseung interrupted him and ended the call, giving the phone back to Jake. That made Jake a little amused. Heeseung gently placed his hand on Jake's face, wiping his tears away with his thumb. 

Jake winced as soon as he felt the touch on his bruised eye. "Sorry..." Heeseung muttered, feeling guilty. He took Jake's hand and led him to the living room, hoping to make him more comfortable.

He told Jake to sit on the couch while he went to the kitchen to get some ice. He wrapped it in a cloth and then returned to the living room, finding Jake looking at the floor. Heeseung sat next to him, lifting his chin with his fingers. "Let me see your eye," he said softly, placing the cloth on Jake's bruise. 

Jake hissed in pain, but Heeseung didn't back away. "Just bear it. It will help with the swelling." The younger nodded, looking at Heeseung. He felt a warm sensation in his chest, and he wished he could feel it forever. 

"You always take care of me. I think I'm going to die without you once I leave."

Heeseung smiled at him, trying to cheer him up. "Don't say that. You will be fine."

But after that, his expression saddened. He didn't want Jake to leave. Now that he's come in terms with his feelings, he wanted to stay with Jake for as long as possible. 

He moved his face closer to Jake's, until their noses touched. He gently kissed Jake's lips, feeling a wave of emotion. The ice fell on the floor, but neither of them paid any attention to it. 

Jake kissed him back, wrapping his arms around Heeseung's neck. He forgot about his pain and his problems for a moment, and just focused on the feeling of Heeseung's lips on his.

They kissed for a while, until they had to break apart for air. 

"Come with me to Australia," Jake asked, while breathing heavily. 

Heeseung was taken aback by the request. "I... You know I can't do that..."

Jake looked down. He knew that that was going to be Heeseung's answer, but he was still disappointed with it. He nodded and looked back at the other. 

"I'll move there when I'm done with my studies. How about that?" he said, hoping that it's going to make Jake feel better. And it did. 

"Really?" Jake asked.

"Promise," Heeseung said. "But there is a problem," he added. 

"What is it?"

"I am really scared of planes."

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lemons // heejakeWhere stories live. Discover now