Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- 13 -

The dorm was quiet when Jaebum walked in, the sound of the fan creating a steady ambience. A pencil scribbled and a variety show sounded through earbuds; A rhythm that Jaebum disturbed. As per usual, Jinyoung was doing work, and Youngjae was satisfying his bored mind.

While he didn't want to interrupt either of them, Jaebum decided to sit on the foot of his bed quietly. Soon, however, a heavy tension rose in the oldest's head, and he went back and forth about whether he should have greeted the two. Nonetheless, he lied back and scrolled through emails on his phone. "Uh..." he uttered quietly. "They're doing dorm inspections next week."

"What?" Jinyoung's attention had been caught, his pencil dropping to the desk. They looked at each other through metal bars, panic in the younger's face. Jaebum's worry was not visible, but a sounding alarm in his ears that gathered as heat in his eyes. Though, one common thought between the two was why Youngjae didn't seem more antsy. "Youngjae?"

Jaebum stood from his bed and rested his arms on the top bunk. "Hey," he began, taking Youngjae's earbud out. "Did you hear me?" The younger chuckled.

"No. Why?" He watchedd as the two others looked at each other with worry. "What is it?" Youngjae sat up as the air grew thicker, and his heart sped up.

Jaebum began, "The secu--"

"Dorms are being inspected next week." Jeaebum gritted his teeth, annoyed that Jinyoung bothered to interrupt him. It was a childish move, he thought, but it was done. "So... You might have to walk around outside for a bit until they're done."

"Oh... That's alright," Youngjae sighed, slouching back on the bed.

"Ah, we can figure this out when the time comes," Jaebum said, standing close to the door. "Besides, I have to talk to Jinyoung about something." The younger had a surprised expression, wide eyes and o-shaped lips.

"What? Again?" Jaebum bit his lip and looked at Youngjae, who shrugged and went back to his phone. Jinyoung rolled his eyes and stood up, walking to Jaebum. "Don't piss me off this time," he whispered to the older as they left the room.

The silent hallway wasn't very quiet this time around, since Jaebum started speaking right away. "Do you have a problem with me?" he asked gently, earning a glare from Jinyoung. "If you do, I could just ask for another room." He leaned against the wall, waiting for an answer, but was responded to with a sigh.

"It's... not you, Jaebum. I wouldn't have accepted a 20-year-old as a roommate if it was, especially because the advisor only told me about you the day after you got here." Jaebum stood with firm hands in tight pockets, listening intently to the person in front of him. "I don't have any knowledge of your past or anything, but... I know Youngjae's."

Jaebum questioned, "Is this about him?" Jinyoung looked down at his feet and began to play with the long sleeves of his sweater. "What does he have to do with the way you treat me?" In that moment, Jinyoung almost looked – and felt – ashamed of what the truth was, leaving Jaebum completely clueless.

"You want to get to know him, right?" Jaebum's eyes widened for a short second, and he nodded his head. "Well... he hates cucumbers," Jinyoung started, speaking quickly. Jaebum held back a smile the best he could, but it broke through a little. "He used to play the piano when we were kids, but he stopped because he lacked the motivation. He's a really good singer, too. Uh... his legs are really strong... Oh- He doesn't like to wander around at night alone. He'd rather do that with another person." Jaebum's smile grew wider with every piece of information he was given, despite his efforts to put it away.

"How long have you known him?"

"Hm.. we became friends seven years ago."

"Yah, I could tell you two seemed close." It was comforting to the older that the two had known each other for so long, because it explained how they were so natural around each other. He still wondered, though, why Jinyoung was so careful about Youngjae; It seemed strange to him. After all, Youngjae told him that something happened. He was curious if those things had any correlation.

"Are those the kinds of things you want to know?" Jinyoung asked, rolling up his sleeves so he would stop messing with them. Jaebum smiled again and gave a small nod, looking just behind Jinyoung's feet. "Ah... You probably want to know why I act towards you the way I do, right?"

Jaebum sighed, "Yeah... A little."

Jinyoung looked at him with serious eyes and scratched his head. "It's all in the past... but Youngjae went through a lot when we were younger. It was a lot to do with himself, and other people around him... Even though it happened a long time ago, it really affects him sometimes. He's been really hurt by people..." Jaebum's attention was solely on the words leaving Jinyoung's mouth. "It's not... That I think you'll hurt him, I just..." Jinyoung went quiet, to think about how he would phrase his thoughts. "I care about him a lot. I don't want to see something bad happen to him again."

"Ah, I understand..." Jaebum's mind wandered to his own past, and how Jackson was like this to him. It made him feel better that Jinyoung told him some things about Youngjae.

"I'll... try to step back if you want. You treat him well anyway..." Jaebum couldn't help but to smile more, his stomach twisting. "I'll go inside first-"

"Ah.. Can I ask another thing?"

"Sure."

Jaebum thought about his question, and how he would ask it in such a way to not sound too obvious. "What kind of girl does he like?" Jinyoung laughed louder at the question than he'd meant to, quickly covering his mouth once he did.

Just before opening the door for both of them to go back inside, "Guys," he answered simply. "He likes guys."

-:-:-:-

a/n: sorry about the late update T-T i'm on a roll now, though. lol.

anyway...