Locked Away

•38•

Hongbin just sits on the end of his bed as I pace before him.
"What are you thinking about?" he asks me and I shrug my shoulders.

"I'm mentally making sure that I've packed everything, I guess" I tell him honestly and he laughs at me.

"I'll help you physically check" he reaches for his phone on his bedside table and I see a white bandage on his wrist.

I step forward and grab his arm. I pull his sleeve back to fully examine the wound. He's cut again.

"Yah. I thought we talked about this" I frown at him and he avoids my gaze.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm not ready to stop just yet okay? I'm sorry" he walks past me and heads to where my suitcase is on the floor in the living room.

I honestly believed that he had stopped hurting himself. Then again, recently I have been so caught up in my own little world that I have not payed any attention to how Hongbin's been doing.

I am the worst brother in the world.

I head into the lounge room and it takes me a moment to process what I'm seeing.

Hongbin has tipped my suitcase upside down and emptied it. He smiles at me and steps away from the new mess.

"You tell me what you are packing away and I'll check it off your list."

"I don't have a list" I sigh in frustration as he pulls a small notebook from his back pocket and grabs a pen.
"I just made one."

We proceed to repack, well I repack, my bags once more. I have everything.

Yuta and Jaehyun are picking me up in about ten minutes. I didn't want Hongbin to come to the airport this time because I would probably cry.

A lot has happened since the last time that I left. Especially now more than anything, I need Hongbin to be by my side.

"One last drink?" Hongbin extends a glass filled with a clear liquid to me. I take it and smell it but it smells of nothing.

"It's just water. Don't get too excited" he chuckles and I smile before drinking the glass.

There is a knock at the door and Hongbin visibly tended as he goes to answer it.

"Hello, hows he doing?" I hear Yuta's concerned tone. "As well as you can possibly do after being cheated on twice" Hongbin replies quietly.

"Twice? I thought it was only that night at my party." Jaehyun states.

"It's a long story" is all Hongbin as he steps out of the doorway and lets them inside.

"Hey Hakyeon" Yuta exclaims as he rushes over to me. "Hi" I mutter and try to smile at him.

"You ready for our trip?" he asks me and I nod. "Let me take your suitcase to the car" Jaehyun takes my suitcase and leaves the house.

"Call me every day. When you are struggling call me. When you are bored call me. Please don't forget" Hongbin steps over to me and wraps his arms around me.

I hold onto him tightly and it's only when I feel tears welling up in my eyes that I step out of his embrace.

"Have so much fun. And don't you dare think about Taekwoon at all" he orders me.

"I'll see you in two months Hongbin" we bid our goodbyes and I get into the car with Jaehyun and Yuta.

I bite my bottom lip as I attempt to not cry in the car as we drive away.

Taekwoon's POV

I am a terrible person. I've caused Hakyeon so much heartbreak and I don't even know why I did what I did.