Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- prologue -

Fear boiled in his body, his heart racing in his chest, thumping in his head to no end. Choi Youngjae thought he had no reason to be scared, since his mother was an open person who would accept him for whoever he was. Still, he was shaken with apprehension, sitting down with the woman who was curious to know what the commotion was about. The 15-year-old was silent for a long time, letting the moment drag on for what felt like hours, when it was really only a few minutes before he spoke up.

"Mom," he finally croaked, a crack in his voice, "I don't want to marry a woman."

It was in that moment when he could have become homeless for the first time.

As he walked the streets, cold and scared with a near empty backpack hanging on his shoulders, Youngjae's throat tightened up. Tears were held in his eyes as he thought about the scene that was to be forever burned into his memory. The fiery gaze he saw from his mother, and the disappointment in her voice that soon turned into anger, was loud in his mind even in the quiet of Mokpo that night. He was terrified that the sweet woman he'd known forever had turned evil, and of such profanities spewing from her, usually very conservative, mouth. Her flaming eyes and spit falling from her teeth revealed a woman who was a stranger to Youngjae.

The boy thought that he would have to sleep on the side of the streets, being endlessly ignored by the ones who were more wealthy, but he had a friend who he knew would take him in. So, he traveled the distance to the house he'd visited far too many times. Park Jinyoung, his only friend since they were 11, saw the disheveled younger one with tear stains on his face. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked, concern in his tone.

"It's a long story," Youngjae choked out. Of course, since he was the type to not want to be a burden, he was afraid that he was disturbing Jinyoung. Soon enough, though, his hand was grabbed, and he was dragged into the house. At that point, he had no reason to argue. He knew he'd lose anyway.

-:-:-:-

A week, and Youngjae had been staying in Jinyoung's house, not going to school all that time. Jinyoung had explained that he'd gotten ill, but after so long, the school didn't believe such a thing.

"Youngjae, did something happen to you?" Jinyoung's mother asked him as they sat in her son's room.

He stuttered, answering, "I-it's a long story..." His eyes were focused on the bare feet of Jinyoung's father, who was sitting next to his wife.

After explaining what had happened, in whole, to these people who he trusted, Jinyoung's father told him, "We'll let you stay here, but you have to go to school."

-:-:-:-

Soon enough, three years had gone by, and, somehow, Youngjae had hardly spoken a word to his mother. The only way she knew what was going on at all was when Jinyoung's mother told her that her son was staying in their house, to which Youngjae's mother was perfectly content with. She'd only spoken to him when she dropped off some of his things for school early on. She never even tried to go back for him.

When it came time for the two boys to graduate, Jinyoung had already celebrated his acceptance into university, while Youngjae was searching for a job. Youngjae couldn't afford university, but that didn't tear him away from Jinyoung. His parents had the impression that Youngjae would be going with him to Seoul to look for a cheap apartment to rent, and live in, away from Mokpo.

So, together, they were on their way to Seoul. Jinyoung's parents had helped Youngjae find an apartment, and payed for the first three months. When they arrived, they were settled in their own places; Jinyoung in university, and Youngjae in his apartment to job hunt.

After a long two weeks, and what felt like a thousand interviews, he was finally hired in a restaurant to clean and things of that nature. Meanwhile, Jinyoung was studying, and meeting new people in his university, in his room that he shared with no one. However, in a vicious cycle of events, a unique situation was presented, and that was when the two boys unexpectedly met Im Jaebum, and Jaebum unexpectedly met Youngjae.

-:-:-:-

a/n: aah i hope this hooked you guys for the rest of the story! :P

make sure to vote for all the chapters as it really helps me out a lot + i feel more motivated to write/post if you all seem to like it! ^^

i hope you're looking forward to future chapters ~~