Release From Hell

Happily Ever After

He pulled out his phone and texted Jung and Yoonbum the verdict and said he was on his way back. When he got there, Jung was asleep on the couch, but Yoonbum was nowhere in sight. Shrugging, he turned to put his bag in his room.

"I'm proud of you," Jung said, apparently having been woken up by Seungbae.

"Ah, I'm sorry Jung, I didn't mean to wake you up, you must be tired after today."

"No it's okay. The only really stressful part was after we hung up. Yoonbum was pretty freaked out by the whole thing, and he was worrying me. Then he just opened up and sort of let out his whole life story. He's had it so bad, Seungbae. Remember how he said he didn't have any family? Well that's not true. He has an uncle who disowned him right before this all happened. He used to abuse him physically and sexually. I don't know if you've seen, but Yoonbum is covered in scars from it. I know you've seen the scars on his wrists, right? He tried to kill himself because his only friend stopped speaking to him after he found out about her father raping her. He was so alone; the only person he spoke to outside his landlord was his uncle. He basically had to be his uncle's sex slave so he would support him financially. I can't believe he lasted so long like that, Seungbae... I just... I can't imagine it."

She had started crying softly so Seungbae cried too. But Seungbae was crying because even though there was so much pain in their pasts, it was over now. Now that they knew each other, they would all move on and help each other heal. He told Jung this, along with what he thought about after he left the court, and she started to cry a little more. But this time, she was smiling, too.

"Do you know what Yoonbum started doing to calm down?"

Seungbae shook his head. He had spent so much time at work preparing for the trial that he hadn't payed much attention to Yoonbum's coping methods.

"He watches those god damn reality shows. You know the really awful ones with the blond women with fake boobs? He's in his room right now watching one where these two awful women are fighting over a man who doesn't care about either of them. He's so emotionally invested in them, he keeps talking to them: 'If she keeps that up she's going to get hit,' and 'I just can not believe that girl.' I told him I was coming in here to take a nap because I could feel my brain cells dying."

Seungbae laughed. Of all the things Yoonbum could have liked. Rolling his eyes, he started to walk away, but Jung grabbed at his waist. He turned around and she kissed him deeply. He wrapped his fingers up in her hair and pulled her closer. Her fingers migrated down to the hem of his shirt, and she was just about to pull it off, when they heard;

"Girl, don't let him take your man! You deserve more than that!"

They both stopped dead and started to laugh hysterically. Clearly annoyed by the noise, Yoonbum walked out of the room a second later,

"I'm sorry but I'm trying to-"

He was cut off by Seungbae lifting him off the floor in a hug and ruffling up his hair. Yoonbum's annoyance faded, and he hugged him back.

"You got my text, right? We won! Four life sentences back to back with no parole. It's over, you're safe."

Putting him down awkwardly, Seungbae saw Yoonbum look up at him and really smile for the first time since he had known him.

"Yeah, Seungbae. I've been safe since I found you."

Touched, Seungbae pulled him up in a hug again, gaining some muffled protests from Yoonbum. Jung laughed lightly and joined them. Right then, they were not victims or messed up kids or police officers or nurses or people who life had smacked across the face. They were a family and nothing could break them.

EPILOGUE 

One year later...

The apartment doorbell rang, and Jung opened the door to see Yoonbum and another, much taller man with him. Welcoming them in, she called for Seungbae, who came out from the kitchen to hug Yoonbum and attempt to give a handshake to the other man, but was ambushed by a hug that was like being enveloped by a squishy mountain of muscles. The man was Hyun Tae, Yoonbum's boyfriend. Seungbae had never told Yoonbum this, but Hyun Tae reminded him very much of a golden retriever. He was very energetic and always happy, but not the most intelligent person. Despite this, he had a kind of fierce loyalty and protectiveness toward Yoonbum that made Seungbae and Jung think he was probably one of the best people Yoonbum could be with. Seungbae and Jung had been living together since Yoonbum moved out and bought an apartment down the street from them a month after the trial. He had started working at a small grocery store run by an angry old lady who treated Yoonbum like her grandson and cooked him soup. Yoonbum also still attended weekly therapy with the doctor from the hospital, which Seungbae payed for. But he didn't mind doing this because after the case had gone so well, he had gotten a large promotion at work. He suspected Yoonbum would be moving in with Hyun Tae soon, which would mean he would be farther away, but he was happy for him anyway.

Yoonbum looked at Seungbae and Jung together as they sat across the table from him and Tae. Whenever they were eating together, Tae sat next to him. Every so often, he would kiss the top of Yoonbum's head and Yoonbum would scold him for getting food in his hair. Tae knew Yoonbum secretly liked it, though.

"So," Yoonbum said, "have you two thought at all about what kind of ceremony you want yet? Tae's mom is a wedding planner so I'm sure she could help you out."

"What? Oh, uh-"

"Oh, Seungbae I've never asked you, how many children do you want? I know it's a bit soon, but I'm just really excited to be an uncle."

"You'd be a great uncle, babe," said Hyun Tae.

"Thanks, Tae, hey, you would be too. You know, baby, when they have their kid we should-"

"Hang on hang on!" Jung interjected, "who said anything about children?"

"Yeah or a wedding for that matter. And for your information I have told you a few times I want three kids." Seungbae added. At his first remark, Jung looked away, blushing. Yoonbum and Hyun Tae looked at each other, surprised,and Hyun Tae said,

"You mean, Seungbae, you still haven't proposed yet?"

"Seungbae, really? I can't believe you, almost two years together and you still haven't asked her to marry you? I mean really!"

Seungbae looked sheepishly at Jung, who had stopped blushing and was now chuckling softly.

"You know what? We should change the subject. How's work for you, Yoonbum?"

They all laughed at him. The night went on in a lighthearted way, until Yoonbum finally had to leave. Later, Jung would bite the bullet by proposing to Seungbae, and he would say yes. As they woke up the next morning and Seungbae put his arm around her shoulders, he thought how grateful he was that everyone had gotten their happy ending.

THE END