HEE || Heejake

The safest place (2)

Taking only time to check that his parents couldn't see them, Jake hurriedly helped Heeseung get in and up the stairs to the safety of his room.

"Wait here," he said, while Heeseung was slowly wallowing onto the floor, still clutching his flank.

Two minutes later, Jake was back with damp towels, a medical kit and food.

Temporarily ignoring the fact that Lee Heeseung had miraculously resurfaced, Jake was solely focusing on stopping the blood from flowing. These wounds were too distracting for him to think straight.

He undressed Heeseung, while the latter was pressing a towel against his bloody skull. His stomach wound looked nasty.

"Is it a bullet wound? In and out?"

"It's a stab wound. It didn't cross through."

"No residues then," concluded Jake, initiating the cleaning of the wound.
"And that one?" he asked to a wincing Heeseung, pointing to his head injury.

"That one is a bullet wound." Jake opened eyes wide, but Heeseung was quick to add, "It's shallow. I can still talk and breath, can't I?"

Jake frowned.

Once the wounds were clean, disinfected and bandaged, Jake could finally breath again. Heeseung was gnawing on a sandwich, emptied of all energy.

"Now, tell me what the fuck came through your thick skull for you to come here in this state."

Jake wouldn't have bet on it, but Heeseung suddenly looked a little sheepish. His eyes were looking at his sandwich and his shoulders were dropping more than usual.

"I didn't know where else to go."

Jake scoffed.

"What about your own house? It's filled with trained gangsters ready to lay down their life to protect yours, is it not?"

"Not tonight it isn't. I've been betrayed. The rat is still unknown, so, until we find who he is, I can't go back there."

"What about your friend's house? The tall guy who was hanging out with you the last time you went to school."

"Riki? When he heard I left school for good this time, he stopped going and went back to Japan. His family would be in danger too if I just went to ring their bell."

"What about-"

"Your house is in a filthy rich neighborhood, every square foot of this area is covered by CCTV, and your father is chairman Sim. No man in the mafia would try anything against a giant of the entertainment industry like him, and no one would expect me to come here, especially since I've not been seen with you for months." This explained that. Jake could hardly argue. Until Heeseung added, "Also, I wanted to see you."

Jake raised his head to meet Heeseung's eyes. He coughed, and suddenly screeched,

"You fucking bastard. Are you mocking me? After I let you in and tended your wounds?"

"Jake, I-"

"First, you made me believe we had something between us, even when you were so cold to me, using your situation as an excuse. Then, you disappeared from my life without a word, left me crumbling, just to come back and ignore me again! Finally, you treated me like shit after the most traumatizing experience of my life, what- now, did you expect me to be moved by these words?!?"

"It was also the most traumatizing experience of my life!" exclaimed Heeseung. Jake calmed down a bit. "To realize that you let yourself get abducted was the most excruciating feeling I've ever been given to experience...and I just got stabbed for fuck's sake! I've been a jerk, I've hurt you, but I suffered too, and you're not innocent!"

Silence fell, Heeseung taking his breath and Jake staring at the now stained carpet.

Jake was realizing how much he underestimated Heeseung's feelings and pain. Too lost in his own despair, he failed to take into account how Heeseung must have felt, having to act like he did.

After a while, he murmured,

"Why did you come here, Heeseung?"

Heeseung took a moment before crossing Jake's eyes again.

"I had to tell you that..." He swallowed with difficulty. "I'm sorry."

"You'll need to be more specific," immediately replied Jake.

"I'm sorry for coming tonight and imposing all of this on you."

"This is actually the least-"

"I'm sorry about our first meeting."
Jake stayed quiet, feeling a faint throbbing in his head from the memory.
"I'm sorry about every encounter we ever had actually. I'm sorry for always stabbing you where it hurt, and I'm sorry for putting you in danger."

He marked a pause.

"I'm sorry, but not really. These things, I'm too thankful for to be sorry, because they brought us together."
His tone was taking up confidence.
"The one thing I'm actually sorry about is what I told you the last time we saw each other..."

Jake took a moment before throwing,

"It's a little late to come to your senses."

"It really is..."

"Then why are you telling me this now?"

Heeseung took a big breath and explained,

"I almost died today."
Jake rolled his eyes, thinking Heeseung would stop at that, but he wasn't done,
"I looked death in the eyes today, and when I did, the only thing that came up my mind is how I wanted to see you..."