His Paws On My Palms [DoShin]

CHAPTER 19: A TRIANGLE OF TROUBLE

It was Saturday morning when Dohoon went out for a walk. He needed exercise to loosen the density of his worries. When he reached the gate, he saw Youngjae warming up. It seemed like they shared the same goal that morning.

"Good morning!" Youngjae said, not even looking at Dohoon. His presence was easily recognized.

"Good morning," Dohoon replied.

"Going for a jog?" Youngjae asked.

"Nah, just taking a walk," Dohoon said.

"Mind if I join you?" Youngjae asked.

When Dohoon looked at him, Youngjae seemed pretty serious about it. He even smiled a bit to reassure him.

"Aren't you going for a jog?" Dohoon asked.

"I prefer walking for now," Youngjae replied changing his plans.

"Alright then," Dohoon said.

"Shall we?" Youngjae confirmed, and Dohoon nodded.

They were walking in silence, but Youngjae couldn't contain himself for too long. His curiosity won over after walking a short distance.

"You're awfully quiet, Dohoon," Youngjae said.

Dohoon immediately turned his face to him, raising both his eyebrows a bit.

"Don't get me wrong, I know you're usually like this, but this time, it feels different," Youngjae said.

"Different?" Dohoon asked.

"Yeah, seems like something's weighing on your mind," Youngjae said.

Hearing this, Dohoon released a deep sigh and finally took up his courage to share a bit of details.

"Just a family matter," he said.

"I see," Youngjae replied.

Knowing his neighbor, Youngjae wouldn't want to pry. He respected his privacy. When Dohoon sensed Youngjae's evasion, he knew how respectful he was.

"My parents got caught up in a scam. They lost a ton of money," Dohoon said.

"Oh no! Now I understand why," Youngjae said.

Genuinely, Youngjae was really worried about him after all. They were neighbors, and he had somehow shared a few friendly times with him.

"Last Friday, my mom called me and told me the news. She was crying when she said they were about to go bankrupt," Dohoon said.

"Don't worry, I know it's tough. If it were my parents, I'd feel the same," Youngjae said.

"Yeah, I just hope they can get back what was stolen. My dad already filed a lawsuit against the scammer. I can only hope for good news," Dohoon said.

"Well, I hope so too," Youngjae replied.

"This is hitting me hard because my parents are taking care of all my expenses here. Now, I might have to look for part-time jobs. I don't want to be a burden on them during these times," Dohoon said.

"I don't think they'd see you as a burden, but I get what you mean," Youngjae said.

Dohoon glanced at him, and when Youngjae caught him, he just smiled.

"If you need anything, you can ask me anytime. It would be my pleasure to help you, Dohoon," Youngjae said.

"Thanks, Youngjae," Dohoon replied.