By the Will of Love (A KaiSoo Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Kyungsoo's emotions were in pandemonium. One part of him regretted not staying to see the full picture, but another part of him was glad he didn't stay because he didn't know if he could handle what might have happened after. 

Kyungsoo spent the rest of the weekend at home in his room and not talking to anyone. Jongin would still try to call him or text him every day, leaving voicemails begging Kyungsoo for five minutes of his time so that he could explain. But Kyungsoo rejected him each and every time and even tore the battery out of his cellphone. 

Even if there was some part of the story he was missing, he wasn't ready to hear it, not with the way he was feeling.

The night before their return to school, Xiumin knocked softly on his door before opening it. He smiled at him, holding a plate with a slice of pizza on it.

"I thought you might be hungry," he said as he walked over to his desk and set the plate down. 

"Not really but thanks," Kyungsoo mumbled from his bed, his comforter wrapped around him like a cocoon. Sighing lightly, Xiumin pulled out the desk chair and sat down facing his brother's bed.

Xiumin just kind of stared at Kyungsoo in curiosity. "What happened on Friday wouldn't have anything to do with Jongin, would it?" he inquired. Feeling a sudden wave of confusion come over him, Kyungsoo parted his lips and turned his head so he was looking at Xiumin.

"H-How did you know?" he asked quietly as his eyes blinked.

"It wasn't hard to tell," Xiumin said with a nonchalant shake of his head and chuckle. "Plus, he stopped over here Saturday morning. He was worried about you because he didn't see you at the party."

Kyungsoo sighed and turned back around. "Sure he was," he said with a pout. "He seemed more worried about making out with some random girl when I saw him."

"Oh, yeah he told me about that." Xiumin said, making Kyungsoo's ears perk up again. "He said some girl he had never seen before just came up to and started kissing him. He says he pushed her off after that. I didn't see anything, so I can't confirm or deny that, but he seemed like he was being honest to me."

"Well..." Kyungsoo began to say, furrowing his eyebrows. "I didn't stay long enough to see what happened afterward, so...maybe he was telling the truth...but it would make sense if he wasn't. You know how he was before."

"I'll admit," Xiumin said, "he's not at the top of my favorite-person list, but I do know that I've never seen anyone look at someone the way he looks at you. And that time in the restaurant, even though he knew damn well how protective I am of you, he still offered to check on you for me."

Kyungsoo smiled faintly, remembering that night like it was only yesterday. He finally turned around so he was facing his brother fully. "That's when you knew?" he said.

Xiumin nodded and grinned. "That's when I knew," he said. Kyungsoo smiled again. "Look, I'm not saying you should run to him right now," he continued. "I think it's good to give yourself some time to think about what you think the right thing to do is. But what I mean to say is, don't shut him out because of something vague you saw. Everyone has moments of vulnerability and I think that's what you caught him in, a moment of vulnerability where he couldn't do anything to shield himself." 

The advice sunk into Kyungsoo's mind and heart, and for the first time in days, he was finally thinking clearly.

"Thanks, hyung," he said with more of a natural smile. "You always know how to cheer me up."

"Well," Xiumin said with a shrug of his shoulders, "it's only my job as the best older brother in the world."

Kyungsoo laughed at that. "I don't know how I'm gonna tell mom and dad," he said, rubbing his hands against his face. "I think they'll literally send me back to the orphanage."