𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄

#.. FORTY-FOUR

Someone rang the bell again. But this time it wasn't Hyeongjun, it was Jiseok. Opening the door, Seungmin's father got startled by the other's wounds on the face: His nose was bleeding, the blood running down his face and dripping on his clothes, bruises were forming on his cheekbones.

"Is Seungmin home?" the teen asked, voice brittle and squeaky. He looked close to collapsing, seemingly unstable on his feet. Without saying anything else, he dragged the injured boy inside to the small living room.

He asked Jiseok to sit down on the couch while he went through the shelves of the room, searching for a first-aid kit. Finding it, he gently put it down on the table in front of the couch.

"I'm fine, Mr Oh. I just want to see Seungmin.." he muttered, unable to speak up. "Not until I've taken care of you. Do you mind telling me what happened?"

Jiseok shook his head yet still Mr Oh could imagine what exactly happened. He applied ointments on the dark hematomas that formed on his face and wiped away the blood from his face, putting a cooling pad on his neck.

"Dad, who was th-" Jiseok felt his mood lift up as he heard the familiar voice and as he turned his head towards the door, he smiled weakly.

"Jiseok..." Hearing Seungmin call out his name was everything he needed. The younger sat down next to him, carefully inspecting his injuries.

"You... What are you doing here? What happened?" Both of them didn't notice how Seungmin's father quietly left the room, sensing that the two might want to be alone in the very moment.

"I wanted to see you..." Jiseok whispered, analysing the other's face. He looked just like a dream.

Seungmin gently put his hand on the elder's cheek, careful to not accidentally hurt Jiseok. His thumb caressed a bruise while he battled himself to look Jiseok in the eyes.

He felt guilty. He was ashamed to look Jiseok in the eyes after what he has done. Would that be a great time to apologise? Why was Jiseok visiting? Did he want to break up?

"I'm so sorry for... everything I've done that day.." Seungmin started, feeling the tears build up in his eyes. "I shouldn't have left you. And I'm so sorry I wasn't able to man up and- and talk to you earlier. I'm-"

Seungmin let out a sob, only then realising that he was crying. Why was he so sensitive the last days? "I'm so sorry for ruining your birthday. It's just- I never meant to be the reason you out yourself to your father. I'm such an idiot for- for- for literally anything-"

He wasn't able to ramble for even longer. While talking, Jiseok suddenly leaned forward to capture Seungmin's lips, silencing his rant. Sure, Jiseok was upset at first when he left. And he was upset the whole week where Seungmin just ghosted him. But deep down, Jiseok forgave him since the beginning.

The kiss was bittersweet, it took Seungmin a while to catch himself, his other hand replacing the cooling pack on his neck.

Their lips moved against the other, as if they were molded to fit perfectly. As if they were meant to be. Jiseok noticed how much he missed Seungmin's touch. His hands on his body, his cologne being the only thing he was able to breath in.

The kiss ended as fast as it started, Jiseok just looked at him with glassy eyes. "Don't apologise for that, please.." he whispered. "I've already forgiven you."

He hugged Seungmin, who obviously needed some time to process the said thing. He.. forgave him? Hearing that, Seungmin wrapped his hands around the boy's fragile body and pulled him towards him tightly. Oh, how much he missed that.

"My dad is just mad that my mom filed a divorce. Probably mad that someone loves me." "Your parents finally got a divorce?! I mean I'm sorry but..." Seungmin was shocked. It was his first time hearing that. Jiseok nodded and sighed.

"And I need my mother to have full custody. I mean I'm practically old enough to live on my own but that's still important.. And that's why I'm here.. I have a plan."

Seungmin knew that something bad would happen as soon as the word 'plan' appeared. Yet he first wanted to listen to what Jiseok said.

"We'll be in a call and I- uh- In that time, I'll talk to my father and I'll tell him that I want to quit ice-skating. Ideally, he'll get so mad that he starts beating me up again. That's your sign to hang up and call 112, say that you think there might be child abuse happening.

So police will come looking for him and I mean what is my father gonna do? Even if they were his co-workers, they still are obliged to check the house. That way they'll see me, injured, and arrest my father, taking away his custody and giving my mother full."

Seungmin didn't know what to say. It was a stupid plan. But as long as Jiseok knew what he was doing...

"Count me in. But please be careful."