The Boy Next Door

when everything starts to change

++ joy pov

"What the fuck just happened?" I asked when the door shut.

"Joy, language." My mother said.

"Did you guys know that Sunwoo had family problems?" Lana asked calmly.

"We saw a glimpse of his dad when we went to welcome him the other day," Changmin answered

"But we didn't want to make any assumptions." I added.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Lana asked, aimed at me.

I glanced at Changmin.

He looked worried. Probably not worried for Sunwoo, but worried for me knowing I wanted to get involved.

"I'll go check," I stood from the table. It hadn't been so silent at dinner in a while.

I slipped my sneakers on, stepping over the heels and opened the front door.

"Jo, wait," Changmin rounded the corner and tossed me his sweatshirt he had been wearing.
I put it on and he added, "do you have your phone? Text me if something happens."

"Okay," I said. "I'll be fine."

"I know me saying this won't stop you, but if you get in too deep with him you might not be able to get out." Changmin said.

"....I can't just sit back and ignore some parts of him just because they're bad," I said. "I'm going because I care."

I knew what he was thinking. I knew he wanted to say that's what I'm afraid of. It was written all over his face.

But still I turned from him and closed the door. Changmin didn't really wear clothes that were super oversized, not like Sunwoo, so the sweatshirt was only a smidge too big.

I saw the boy sitting on the edge of my driveway. His elbows rested on his knees. He looked like a defeated athlete.

I walked up to him and my shoes crunched softly on the grass. It was dark.

I sat next to him and Sunwoo barely moved.

"I still think the same of you," I cleared my throat. "Just so you know."

Sunwoo's head lifted and he glanced at me. "I'm sorry."

For some reason those words sounded weird coming from him. I doubted he said that often, and he sounded so vulnerable.

"You don't need to be," I said.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry that I didn't say something sooner, so you wouldn't have asked him over."

"Well you didn't know, it's okay." I added.

"No I mean...." He looked away from me. "Honestly I was probably going to lie to you. I was gonna act like my dad was just at work all the time, and that aside from the divorce we were a normal family."

There was a pause.

"Would it still have been okay then?" Sunwoo asked, like he was testing me.

"You didn't though,"I said. "You didn't lie."

"Only because I didn't get the chance to." Sunwoo said and scratched at his nail. "And if I did lie right to your face, and you later found out my dad was actually a fucking beerhead, would it still be okay?"

"Sunwoo I came out here to see if you were alright," I said.

He looked at me. "I'm asking because I like you, and when I like something I don't stop wanting it, so I'm not gonna stop pursuing you in the future even if I end up hurting you. And if you're not okay with that, then say the word."