TIME ─ JAEYONG

021⸰

when johnny pulled up to jaehyun's front gates there waiting for them was no other than jae's parents. from the light provided by the street lights and crescent moon, his mother looked pissed. absolutely fuming.

jaehyun took one look at them before he begged johnny to drive off but a security guard blocked him from doing so. he had no other option. "dude you're fucked." johnny commented.

jaehyun wanted to smash his head against the glass window. anything other than step foot out the car. taeyong sat frozen, not knowing what to do. "should i come with you?" jaehyun faced taeyong who seemed paler than himself.

jae nodded and took in a deep breath as he reached for the door handle. "good luck. call us and spill the details of your ass whooping." johnny partially joked.

after sending him a mock laugh he exited the car and waited for taeyong to join his side. together they walked up to the two with their heads hung low. taeyong didn't know why he felt so scared and nervous when he did nothing wrong.

"taeyong sweetie, go inside. ask the maids for dinner if you're hungry." his mother spoke through gritted teeth, the struggle of not lashing out immediately could be seen on her face.

"yes ma'am." taeyong bowed then scurried off, not before sending jae a nervous glance. jaehyun heard tires screeching, meaning the guard must have moved so johnny could drive off. he truly was alone now.

"where the hell were you?" before he could even think of answering his mother stopped him to start her rampage. "you leave the house even though i told you, you couldn't leave!? don't you know what you've done? you ruined our family's name and stood up the girl who could have been your future wife!"

"why can't you let me be happy?" he screamed, instantly regretting it when his mother's hand swiped him across the cheek. the slap left him seeing stars.

the stinging sensation spread all the way to his jaw. his hand shot up to cup his soon to be bruised cheek as his eyes clouded over with tears.

"you should be fucking happy!" she spat out. "we've given you the world and this is how you repay us? we should kick your ass out so you can live in the slums like the rest of these sorry fucks in seoul!"

jaehyun's mom looked at him with disgust before storming off into the house. "dad..." he whimpered. he had hoped his father wouldn't look at him the same way his mother had done but that's exactly what he did.

it wasn't like jaehyun was closer to his father but right now he needed the support, someone to hold him in their arms while he cried.

"i don't know what happened to you jaehyun but you're starting to disappoint us more and more." his father shook his head and returned back inside the house.

when he heard the door slam he fell to the floor and brought his knees up to his chin, hugging them tightly as the tears slowly raced down his cheeks.

i should just move out, live with taeil or yuta... my parents wouldn't care. at least then i wouldn't have to hide who i was or live by their rules.

when he felt someone else's presence next to him he looked up with teary eyes. he made out taeyong's face which caught him by surprise. "wha– why are you out here?" he sniffled, quickly rushing to dry his eyes.

taeyong gripped his wrist, stopping him from doing so. "i don't like seeing people cry but in this case, just let it out." and that's exactly what jaehyun did.

taeyong didn't know how long he sat on the concrete floor letting jaehyun cry into his shoulder but after a while time started not to matter. he wanted jaehyun to feel better and he would wait however long it took for him to feel better again.

he didn't get the opportunity to with ten so he made sure to do it right with jaehyun. "taeyong," jae hiccuped, "thank you. i needed this."

"it's nothing– jaehyun your cheek!" he went to touch the nasty yellowish green mark but jaehyun turned away, covering it with his hand.

"my mom slapped me pretty hard but it's nothing, i'll put some ointment on it when we go inside. i can't even feel it anymore. it's completely numb." he tried brushing it off but taeyong wasn't having that excuse. he rose from the ground, pulling jaehyun up with him.

"let's go put the ointment on now before it gets worse. and i know it's still hurting you." taeyong stepped closer, his chest centimeters from jae's. "you winced when you touched it."jaehyun scoffed, shaking his head.

"what if i like the pain? what if my parents are right? i'm just a gay fuck who doesn't deserve the life i have right now. i should marry a girl so they could be happy huh? god, i had such a good day but a shit night. will i ever truly be happy?" he laughed pathetically.

taeyong frowned. he had wondered the same thing for years, will i ever truly be happy? but after meeting jaehyun, his question was finally starting to be answered.

jaehyun was the source of his happiness, without him taeyong would still be fighting for his life day and night. he owed it upon jaehyun to help him find his happiness he so desperately needed.

"you'll find happiness jaehyun, i'll be sure to help you. i could find a way to hook you up with johnny–"

"you believed me when i said i liked johnny?"

taeyong gave him a weird look. "why wouldn't i have?"

"johnny can't make me happy as much as someone else can." he confessed, keeping his eyes plastered on his nike's.

"who can make you happy then?" taeyong didn't understand these mind games. if he were to help jaehyun he needed straightforward answers.

"you really want to know?" he nodded eagerly. "you. you can make me happier than johnny can."

he hid his astonishment, keeping his face stoic. "how?"

"by kissing me back." jaehyun tilted his head, softly pressing his lips on taeyong's.

✿

cliffhanger~ tysm for reading. would you guys mind a chapter dedicated to yuwin?