Wildfire And Rain

Chapter Ten

The light in Kai's room is still on, hinting that he's still awake despite the late hour. Beomgyu enters the house, kicking his shoes off. He takes a tip from the glass of water he poured himself and goes up to the second floor.

He knocks gently on Kai's door. "Do you want churros?" he offers through the door. "I got them from the theme park, it's chocolate-filled." He stands before the door, holding the two churros wrapped in paper he saved for Kai.

The door opens, revealing a tired Kai behind it. He wears an oversized black t-shirt and pajama pants. "Was the theme park fun?" He takes the churros, tearing at the top and putting the torn piece in his mouth. "Back late, are you?"

"We took our time. The rides did not agree with me, but I did have fun."

"That's good." Kai tries not to show they want to go out to normal places with people gnawing at him like a scratch he's not allowed to itch. He'll live vicariously through his brother in the meantime. "Pleasant night then." He closes the door, but Beomgyu slips his leg through the crack, stopping him.

Kai holds the door open. "What is it?" he questions.

"Tomorrow, maybe you should stay home." Beomgyu pouts his lips, looking at Kai. He's washed with a wave of guilt and concern.

Kai tilts his head. "And why am I to stay at home?" He straightens mindlessly and a sting from his wound makes him hiss under his lips.

"Are you hurt?"

"Only a little." Kai composes himself. "What is tomorrow?"

"People know now."

"They would have found out either way; Sooner or later. no reason for me to be absent." he tears one more piece of sweet churro.

Beomgyu had a sinking feeling Kai would be indifferent to it, but he as his older brother can't help wondering what those nosy students will do after uncovering the truth. He hopes the threats on Twitter are empty, from people trying to scare Kai into dropping out.

Half of him expects something terribly bad to happen because he's seen it before. His peers in high school were way less careful about the way they went with it. The bullying was so bad for a whole year Kai only focused on earning more money and he ended up taking the finals by himself early on before Beomgyu even graduated.

"Are you not at all worried?"

Kai shrugs. "Is that all?"

"No." Beomgyu sighs. "You said you're hurt. I told you to be careful."

"It was a momentary lapse."

"Show me."

He has not changed since Taehyun bandaged him and now the fabric is mostly pink with splotches of red, the gauze is fully soaked but the bleeding has since stopped. He lifts his shirt up, watching Beomgyu's thoughtful gaze. The other drags him by the hand to the bathroom.

Beomgyu begins unwrapping the bandage, cleaning the dried blood and redoing the messy sewing job with a well, tight stitching of his own.

"Do you know of a Kang Taehyun?" he asks Kai as he cleans the area with an alcohol-soaked rag.

Kai raises his brows, pressing his lips together. "Yes, we've briefly encountered."

"He's a friend of my friend, a very sweet guy I'd say. Little quiet, but he seems kind."

"He is."

Beomgyu smiles, sewing the stab wound. Kai lets out a hiss of pain. "Sorry." he scrunches his face in concentration. "I've never heard you describe someone as kind."