𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

#.. TWENTY-TWO

"jiseok ran away" jungsu informed his two new friends at lunch. this time they sat at jungsu's favorite place.

he needed a quiet place, his mind and thoughts killing him when he stayed in loud places for too long. especially in that moment.

hyeongjun and seungmin looked at each other in shock. "what do you mean he ran away?" the older of the two then repeated, having a surprised frown on his face.

that was the point. he didn't know any other information, too. his parents just suddenly received a call by jiseok's father, telling them that their son ran away from the clinic.

"we gotta search for him" hyeongjun then concluded. "what if he decides to do something to himself?"

the thought scared jungsu. he didn't want jiseok to be hurt - no, he was fine. jiseok was okay.

standing up, the elder confused his friends. "what?" he asked with a scoff. "you said we'll search for him?"

hyeongjun furrowed his brows. "yeah? after school?"

lame. jungsu chuckled. "nah, i'm skipping. jiseok's more important."

so jungsu went alone. but he couldn't blame the other two. they weren't as close with jiseok and education was still important, after all.

[...]

jungsu saw his silhouette in the very back of the abandoned railway tracks. fighting himself through all the plants that grew over the years, he approached jiseok.

he had a hunch where his bestfriend might be; these railways were their go-to place. pretty much at the corner of the city, barely anyone still knew them, deep inside the forrest.

jiseok heard the snapping of twigs and felt the presence of someone grow stronger and stronger. he knew that jungsu would find him, and somehow, he found comfort in it.

jungsu would always find him, that's for sure.

"you're okay.." the elder mumbled once he reached the blonde, sitting down next to him with a relieved exhale.

hugging his legs to his chest, jiseok laid his head on his knees. "that's the only place i can really calm down.. i panicked yesterday."

jiseok knew he owed jungsu an explanation. his friend must've been so worried. "when gunil and i went to the bathroom yesterday, he- um- kissed me.

well, it kinda escalated and i jerked him off. because i love him, okay? so i asked him if he loved me, too... he doesn't."

jungsu actually felt sorry for him. there was no way he could help jiseok, he had to get over gunil himself.

but what was he doing? why was gunil giving him all these hopes?

"he's an asshole" jungsu stated, wrapping his arm around jiseok's body. "but you're here since yesterday?"

jiseok laughed, pressing himself into jungsu's soft touch. "yeah. too scared to return.." the elder just nodded, understanding.

"you can't stay here another night.. that's so dangerous, what if you were killed yesterday night? or- or- kidnapped?"

"then my heart would stop hurting, jungsu."

jiseok's voice broke, his small shoulders started trembling as he started crying, hiding his face in jungsu's shirt.

all his friend needed was comfort. and jungsu was ready to give it to him.

putting his arms around the younger, jungsu gently guided them to sit more comfortably, so he could hug him better.

it was quiet, jiseok's ugly sobs breaking the silence from time to time. jungsu will definitely talk to gunil once he gets released.

yet he couldn't promise if it would end well.