bite me once, shame on you. bite me twice...

lesson three: check the locks

Minho started working in security shortly after Yongbok started college, always ensuring that his schedule would align with Yongbok's so they were home at the same time.

He never really went into detail about exactly what kind of security he did and Yongbok didn't ask. Some nights when Yongbok had their dinner waiting on the table, Minho would come home with a distant glint in his eyes. Haunted. It wasn't Yongbok's place to pry.

It was that level of security and safety that made Minho give Yongbok daily lectures on keeping himself guarded and protected. Most of it was common sense, such as the "look both ways when you cross the road" lesson. Others... were a little more vague and a lot more foreboding for Yongbok.

He was a naturally kind person, at least that's what many had told him before. He wanted to make friends often which usually meant talking to strangers.

Minho didn't like that he talked to strangers. He listened to Yongbok recounting how his shift went as he chopped ingredients for tonight's dinner. He could tell from the tension in Minho's back that he didn't like any of what Yongbok was saying.

"So. You met the friend of the guy who said he was helping his sick friend. And you just trusted that he wasn't lying to you or manipulating you."

"Hyung. He was the only customer in the store at night, he opened his greeting by thanking me for helping his friend." Yongbok sighed, resting his head on his arms as he took a break from his essay.

"All of those things sound like a good set-up to be murdered." Minho muttered, the knife chops sounding more aggressive.

"You're overreacting, hyung."

Yongbok lifted his head when he heard nothing in response. His brother had turned around, one hand on his hip and the other still clutching the knife. Minho frowned, his brow furrowed.

"Every time I raise concerns about you meeting people and immediately trusting them, you say I'm overreacting. I want to keep you safe, Boks. Not everyone you meet is going to be a kind stranger who either wants your help or wants to thank you for your help. Someone could easily take advantage of your kindness!"

Yongbok knew all of this. He knew why Minho gave him the lectures he did and always pressed on the importance of keeping his guard up but it also got exhausting having to be so paranoid.

Instead of saying any of that, he kept silent, toying with the corner of his textbook. Minho sighed and went back to chopping veggies.

"I worry about you, Bokkie. You are a kind and gentle soul. People can be too reckless with a heart like yours. I don't want to see my sunshine dim." Minho murmured, punctuated by the scraping of the knife on the cutting board to push the veggies into the soup pot.

It was a touching speech and Yongbok understood the sentiment. He really didn't think there was cause for concern, he didn't think either of the guys he met were really a threat.

"I'll try to be more careful." Yongbok finally spoke, voice thick like he could feel his throat constricting.

Minho scowled as he turned around, pointing the knife at him, "No. You won't try to be more careful, you will be more careful or I will start following you around as a bodyguard. Clear?"

"Yes, hyung. Can I help with dinner?"

"Finish your essay first." Yongbok whined at Minho's finality of it, turning back to his essay. He just had a few more paragraphs of why lies in pop culture were harmful to vampires. Just a little more.

One of Minho's other lessons was to always double and triple check the locks, make sure the windows were fastened and there was no chance of danger. He had installed an alarm system shortly after starting his security job and made sure Yongbok knew the code for it.