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after jaebum pays for their coffee, and takes an uber back to youngjae's apartment building. they walk up the stairs, youngjae getting more and more anxious with each step they took. he unlocks the apartment with his key, sighing as they walked in together.
"alright." jaebum says, sitting down on the small couch. "spill it."
youngjae glances at him, "it's not that simple."
jaebum sighs, "then tell me who youngjae is."
"it's complicated," youngjae says, biting his lip. "you're going to get mad if i tell you."
"what, is he your boyfriend or something? of course he is..." jaebum says, standing up. "you could've said that before. i'll leave."
"no," youngjae says, grabbing his arm. "youngjae... isn't my boyfriend or ex boyfriend or friend or brother."
"then who is he?" jaebum says, looking at him.
youngjae takes a shaky breath, tears already feeling like they were coming. he hadn't ever had this conversation with anyone before.
"i am youngjae." he says, looking at the tile floor.
jaebum looks at him, confused. "but... you're jaeseok?"
"n-no. i'm not. i-i'm youngjae." he says, tears traveling down his cheeks. "choi youngjae."
jaebum looks at him, his facial expression a confused, but empathetic one. "what does that even mean? is jaeseok your nickname?"
"no..." youngjae says, wiping his eyes as he cried steadily now. "i-i've been... hiding... under this persona... for years..."
jaebum looks at him, wrapping his arms around him and letting him cry into his chest. "hiding?"
"i-i was bullied in school... s-so... i changed my name and look and personality so that no one would recognize me..." he sobs out, gripping jaebum's shirt. "w-when i graduated i just decided to s-stay with it since everyone had forgotten about y-youngjae!"
jaebum rubs his back, sighing softly. "it's okay."
"i-i lied to you... none of those things i said were true! that's not me! its jaeseok... that's not me... i'm youngjae..."
"jae– i mean, youngjae... it's okay." jaebum says, sitting him down on the couch and taking a seat next to him. youngjae sobs his eyes out, taking s fistful of his own hair and tugging. nothing happened, but he seemed to do that when he was upset.
jaebum holds his hand out, smiling softly. "hello, i'm jaebum. and you are?"
youngjae looks at him, tears streaming down his cheeks. "w-what are you doing...?"
"i'm meeting youngjae." jaebum says, smiling softly. "i'd like to know the real you."
youngjae looks at him, his mouth open slightly. "r-really?"
"well of course," jaebum says, "he seems like a really cute guy."
youngjae smiles slightly through his tears, shaking jaebum's hand. "my name is choi youngjae."
"nice to meet you, youngjae," jaebum says, grinning.
"j-jaebum... you don't even know how happy i feel right now. i'm finally myself again... after being repressed for so long... it's been so many years!" he sobs, though they were happy tears now. he wraps his arms around jaebum's neck, pulling him into a hug.
jaebum smiles, "i'm glad." he says, rubbing youngjae's back. "yah, you don't actually like wearing all this black, do you?"
"n-no," youngjae says, "i-i miss wearing pastels and bright colors so much."
"let's go then," jaebum says, standing up.
"where?" youngjae says, wiping his eyes and smiling softly.
"shopping. i'll buy you some new clothes." he says, walking towards the door.
"oh... you really don't have to,"
"no, i want to. plus my heart is already hurting at the thought of you in something pastel. so cute." jaebum says, laughing softly. "come on." he says, extending his hand out.
youngjae smiles brightly (for the first time in forever), running to to jaebum and taking his hand.
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a/n: ((: what an angel
i hope you enjoyed! please vote / comment, i really appreciate it! thanks, ilysm~ -author em
