Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- 22 -

"Um... Well, I went out with Mark that day. We got pizza, so that was alright. When we... When we walked back to the school, we went through the backdoor, right?" Youngjae wiped his tears away once again. "Then some security guard knocked me out and pinned us to the ground," he laughed a little, staring off into the wall in front of him. "They kept us in some room for a while until one of them just... threw me out."

"Shit, I'm so sorry..." Jaebum tightened his arm around the younger once again, comforting him the best way he knew how.

"And then I slept on the street for a few nights until Yugyeom and Bambam found me—"

"They haven't done anything to you, have they?"

"Why do you keep asking that?"

"No, it's fine... God, I can't believe this..." Youngjae looked up at Jaebum and noticed a hurt expression on his face. The older's rapid heartbeat was apparent in his head and he wondered what he was thinking. "I'm so glad you're okay." Suddenly, a tear fell from Jaebum's eye, but was wiped away by the younger.

"Yah, why are you crying now?" Youngjae giggled.

Jaebum only nodded his head with a solemn grin.

"What is it?" It was quiet while Jaebum played with the strings on his shirt and thought carefully about what to say. He took a deep breath and bit his lip before answering.

"No, I just... I've been homeless before."

The words hit Youngjae in his heart, and he felt his stomach drop. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he should ask more or just let Jaebum talk. "Really?"

"Mhm. It's how I met Jackson, actually." The older laughed a bit at the old memory, quickly becoming emotional about his past. "I don't want to bore you with my life. Let's just go to sleep—"

"Jaebum." Their eyes met in a split second. "I'm listening."

Jaebum cleared his throat. "Well, um... My dad died when I was ten," he began, getting choked up. "Yeah, that... That really fucked me up." Youngjae looked up at the older with wide eyes, waiting for him to continue. "I mean, I was alright for a couple years, and then I got really depressed... I was in bad shape," Jaebum chuckled slightly and sniffled. "My mom wasn't doing well either, and she kinda disregarded me. I got sick of it and ran away when I was sixteen and missed the last two years of high school. And I didn't leave for nothing, either; That woman taunted me. She wanted me out of her house... After that, I was on my own for the most part. I made money from singing on street corners so I could eat, you know? Ah... I think nearly two years passed..." Jaebum started tearing up again, and Youngjae noticed that this was a sensitive part of his past. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine..." He handed the older one some tissues and said, "Hey, you don't have to tell me if it's too hard for you." A few minutes later, Jaebum gathered himself and continued.

"Nearly two years, and I met some guys who offered me a place to stay. God, it was fucking stupid of me to go with them..." He looked down at Youngjae before turning away again. "They're the reason I was terrified of you being here, but the guys you're with are alright..."

Hesitantly, Youngjae asked, "What do you mean?"

"They terrified me, Youngjae."

The one with jet black hair was bawling his eyes out suddenly. Such a quick and abrupt reel of memories spiraled into his head and reminded him of his past.

"They only let me live there to be their plaything... I'd never felt more humiliated. They were so threatening and down to the bone..." Youngjae felt Jaebum's body shaking while he held him tightly in his arms. He listened to the older's quiet cries as he so obviously tried to keep it in, and it only made him want to be there for Jaebum. "I went to one of those free concerts one time, to get away from them, you know? Thank fuck for Jackson being there, man..."

"Jackson? Like our Jackson?" Jaebum nodded, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

"We hung out until he asked if he could hang at my place. I ran back to the apartment after letting him down..."

"Ah— Couldn't you have gone to his place? Why would you—"

"Youngjae, those guys were menacing... They hurt me bad..."

"Like, they beat you up?"

"Youngjae..."

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a/n: aye i'm back! <:~~~^D