Untouched [minsung]

Chapter 100

Chan POV

Once Lee Know and Han left, I helped Changbin pack some of his things to bring back with us. Most of his clothes had already been transitioned over to our house, but he had a few photos and knickknacks left here that had been valuable to him at one point in his life. He had fought me about coming back with us at first, but I refused to leave him in the home where his mom had died...the home where he'd shot her.

He seemed disinterested if not completely detached as he tossed various things into his bags with no real care for what they were or if they were needed at all. I packed some of the items I knew of that were important to him. He paid no attention to what I did and didn't add to the disordered clump of items.

Jeongin and Hyunjin had already left to go by their old home and would be meeting us later. Though I wasn't thrilled about it, I planned to uphold Lee Know's promise to Jeongin. Hyunjin had texted me to let me know that they made it there and that they'd dismissed all unnecessary staff.

"Done," Changbin announced, and I tried to take the bags from him but he pulled away. "I've got them," he'd muttered before heading to the garage. He walked ahead of me as if he were avoiding me so that I couldn't try to start another conversation.

Seungmin was already waiting in the car. Changbin sat in the back with his things and headphones in as I drove us all back to my house. The car ride was quiet as the weight of the day's transpired events had exhausted us.

I'd wait until tomorrow to ask Seungmin if these changes had made any progress in helping to change his mind about dating me. For tonight, I'd just let us sleep.

Once back at the house, Hyunjin texted that they would need more time to go through things and planned to stay there for the night. I was a bit grateful to have one last Jeongin-free evening but slightly concerned over the legitimacy of the text.

Jeongin may have gotten Han out, but none of us had seen the bodies of his parents or proof that they'd died. I hoped Hyunjin was safe and was about to call to find out when Changbin strode forward with a blank expression and crashed into my chest.

"They're dead," was all he managed before falling apart. His sobs erupted through the house. His pain was far different than Seungmin's and I's. Though we hadn't known Mrs. Seo was responsible, we'd long since gotten through our grief. Changbin had found out that his dad had been killed by his mom and then discovered all of his mom's nasty, hidden secrets, and had taken it upon himself to free the rest of us from the responsibility of deciding her fate.

"I'm sorry," was all I told him as I wrapped my arms around him in support. I was grateful he wasn't repressing his feelings. I'd seen that destroy people before.

"Were they really so bad? My dad, too?" he asked, pulling away from me.

"Not all the time," I answered truthfully. Sometimes it had been easy to forget the things they'd done or had me do because of how kind of a front they put up. They could've blended in at a church choir just as easily as a high-security prison.

Changbin nodded through tears before turning to go up the stairs with his things. "I need to sleep," was all he muttered as his steps sounded out through the entryway.

Seungmin, who had disappeared long enough for me to pacify Changbin, came down the hallway. I smiled at him softly as he approached me.

My main source of comfort returned my smile with extended arms. I walked towards him, too, and welcomed the hug. He hummed as I sunk into him and rested my chin on his shoulder as we embraced.

"I'm ready," he declared, his voice barely above a whisper...so quiet that I thought I might've misheard.

"What?" I asked, separating from him so that I could see his face clearly as he spoke.

He took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"But Jeongin..." I began. I don't know why I was arguing with him about something that I had wanted, but it slipped out.

"I'm terrified of Jeongin," he admitted. "But I'm more scared of pushing you away. I've been holding you at an arm's length, but I don't want to do that anymore."

I blinked in surprise. "What made you change your mind?"

A smile played on his lips, and he seemed to be recalling something far in his past. "You don't remember fighting those kids at all, do you?"

I shook my head, curious as to what my childhood antics could possibly have to do with this conversation.

"I have a better memory than you I guess. I just didn't connect the dots until now. Those kids you fought, those three kids you took on all by yourself had stolen my stuffed dog from me. I had just started there, and they found out I was a foster kid and picked on me, called me unwanted."

My heart broke for young Seungmin.

"I carried that dog toy with me everywhere because it was all I had left. One of them took it and threatened it with a pair of scissors but you stepped in. You saved it, and protected me from them when they tried to beat me."

I listened to this tale of a heroic young Chan who, even then, had been willing to put it all on the line for Seungmin. As he told the story my own brain recalled the fight. The three kids with their nasty attitudes and a scared little Seungmin hiding behind a plastic castle so that they couldn't get to him.

"You got kicked out of the school for fighting and transferred elsewhere. I never got to thank you. I never even got your name since it was my first day, and I'd been so shy."

Seungmin looked at me in surprise and awe. "So thank you," he finally said.

My heart swelled, and I lifted Seungmin off of the ground. He yelped in shock at the motion, but I ignored it and carried him up the stairs. He squealed in delight and quickly settled into my grasp. His face and ears grew redder with every step up the stairs as we drew closer to his room.

"I can walk," he laughed as he threw his head back.

"I know," I smiled and kicked open his door.

I set him down, and he stood confidently in front of me. "I don't want to wait anymore," he muttered as he brought his lips just in front of mine.

"You're ready?" I whispered.

"I'm ready."