Step 1: Make Changkyun Stay

chapter two

"Changkyun." 

The named person only cried harder as he pressed his face farther into the other person's chest. It was an uncomfortable position, as the person was standing behind him, but that's okay. 

He didn't care.

Tears rolled down his cheeks endlessly, and the fabric of the clothes the person was wearing soaked it all up. The emotions that he had kept in for a long time were finally emerging, and he tightened his grip on the shirt of the person. He knew exactly who it was, and the fact that he had not seen him in a long time made his tears even more uncontrollable. 

Jeongwook tried to shift his position so that Changkyun would be even more comfortable, but the younger held him tightly. 

"Are... you okay?" Jeongwook felt stupid once the question left his lips. Of course the rapper wasn't okay. He was crying his eyes out, for goodness sake. 

"Ye..yea." The younger hiccuped. The singer's heart soared as he held Changkyun in his arms. 

He loved the younger for being strong, but hated him for being so strong that he didn't let himself fall sometimes. 

"You stubborn brat." He muttered, stroking the rapper's hair while his comment made the younger smile despite still crying. His favorite hyung was here and he was grateful, but also hated himself for letting the older see him in such a sorry state.

He seemed to hate himself a lot lately.

Minutes later, they were seated on the top of the slide, with Changkyun sitting in between the other male's legs as they somehow fit on the slide made for kids.  

He missed his hyung's insults that actually showed his care for the younger. They sat in a comfortable silence, Changkyun gaining warmth from his former member's jacket. Jeongwook had forced him to wear it when he noticed the younger shivering. 

The silence was broken when Jeongwook finally said what had been bothering him since he had watched episode 8 of the survival show. "How could they be so mean to you?" 

Changkyun didn't even think about it. "They worked so hard and I just popped out of nowhere, free riding on their hard work." He paused, "and now I'm debuting. Jooheon wanted so badly to debut with Gunhee and I...I just stole his spot."

Changkyun didn't know how, as it was so dark and everything, but Jeongwook noticed the tear sliding down his acne-scarred cheeks. He leaned forward to hug the younger. "Even then, what they are doing is despicable. Gunhee was good. He really was. But he wasn't selected. You were." 

Changkyun drowned himself in disbelief. He merely stared at the moon. 

Jeongwook knew it too. He knew the rapper all too well. 

"Changkyun... there is a reason why you were chosen, okay? Why else would they want you to debut?"