This Day | Gyuhao (Threequel to Youth & The Aged)

- 41

| Forty - One — Crumble Cookie |

It's been Hell.

Literally Hell.

Mingyu won't come out of his room, will only occasionally show himself to talk and play with his kids, but that's it. It's sweet that he makes time for them despite his pain, but he's still cramped up by himself, staying alone, swirling in his own pit of fire.

Riki and Eunchae fought, too.

It was over basically nothing. They blame it on pent up frustration from all this awful shit that's piled up on them.

It was the little things that hurt even worse.... simple shit like a door being left open... too many questions... lost items that end up being right next to them...

They're not on talking terms now.

It's so stupid.

But for now, Eunchae hangs out with Zhang Hao, Ricky and Gunwook while Riki distances himself over to Anton and Kazuha. They don't spare any glances at each other like they used to, do shit like purposely whip the other way when they're going down the same hallway....

It's so stupid.

And Jungwon's still resting.

After a short procedure, Jungwon's head injury was labeled pretty severe, and Yuqi manages to check it 3 times a week, 4 to 5 when Jungwon asks for painkillers during a harsh round of headaches.

It's been a few weeks since Minghao's memorial service and yet, Jungwon's still not budging. Nobody pushes him to talk, nobody yells at him or tells him it's his fault....

So, Jay's beyond confused when Jungwon admits that it was.

"What?" Jay had asked.

"I tried to help." Jungwon muttered, back faced to the older, elbow tucked under his head. His tears hit his skin like the fat raindrops on that fateful night, "I tried to help him, Jay hyung." He sniffled.

"You did?"

"I didn't get there in time." Jungwon squeezed his eyes closed then, shutting up for the rest of the night.

Jeonghan's bruise is still healing, Joshua watches Yuqi check it weekly and even helps, Seungcheol by their sides as well.

They thank the universe he wore that fucking vest that night.

As for Soonyoung and Junhui...

No words could describe how broken they both still are...

Soonyoung doesn't talk anymore, genuinely has not said a word since the funeral and it has everybody on edge.

The boy has gone completely mute and it's terrifying. He looks dead in the eyes, pale like a ghost and Jihoon has tried to do everything and anything to bring the honey shade back to his skin.

He fails at every chance he gets.

Junhui spoke though... not well, but he did.

He'd reply quietly, still managing to find his voice, but the raw hurt and exhaustion of his entire being weighed on his tongue each time he talked, as if it were trying to force him to stop speaking.

The twins aren't as happy as they used to be, and it's devastating.

They play with Qian, but they always just look distracted.

It's like the reality of Umji and Minghao's 'trips to space' were actually all lies, like it all finally caught up to their tiny heads, the gears smoking from the never ending turning.