Sins Are for Angels || 2Jae fanfiction

Fifteen - Sweet Sugar

Day 36 – Thursday

Jinyoung did have something to get off his chest yesterday. He ended up expressing his worry for Youngjae's mental well-being due to the weight of Jaebum's character. That is how he phrased it. BamBam had given him a look and Jinyoung had spun his ring around his finger about seven times before he could look Jaebum in the eye. "Also, the reason I'm so concerned about Youngjae is that I've been there myself. I, uh, it's not easy carrying two people's problems alone and having to walk on your tippy toes all the time is difficult too. I had trouble sleeping for a while and it really affected my life, so that's why I brought it up, Jaebum." Jaebum had clenched his jaw to manage his feelings. Neither end of that confession was easy. Jinyoung is one of the few people who has been a sturdy rock in Jaebum's dizzy life. It increases the importance of the things he says, especially things like these because he knows what Jaebum is like. He knows it's not normal for Jaebum to talk about his feelings. He knows it's not normal for Jaebum to let someone into his mind. He knows it's not normal for Jaebum to get off to boys, especially boys like Youngjae. Mark knows too. The only thing Mark said is that he likes spending time with Jackson but that it does not make him any less fond of his good old friends who let him into their tight friendship when he needed it the most – when he could barely speak any Korean and everyone else at school looked at him funny. He was the American kid with his foreign way of doing things. The only two people to find it intriguing were Jinyoung and JB. (Youngjae and Jackson awed at that.)

"Is this all because of me?" Jaebum looked hurt because this question had been prickling at his heart for a while and he needed some closure.

"A little," Jinyoung said with resistance showing on his face. Youngjae stepped up to the rescue. "But it's alright. We have done some damage control and to be fair, I was in this too." Jaebum shifted a little in his spot but accepted this answer as Youngjae's sweet refuge for his already scarred mind, heart, body, soul. A little bit of everything by now.

"Mark, we're friends no matter how many new friends you make and I really like Jackson... He has done this little circle some good in this whole mess." Jackson can't hold his smile back and neither can Mark. "Jinyoung, I can't believe you did all of that for me. I can't believe you stayed friends with me." Jinyoung shrugged in a mix of relief and some pride that his friend had reacted so calmly. It was Jinyoung's turn to smile now and his arms ended up around a startled Jaebum.

"I guess it's one of those times where a hug is inevitable," Jaebum mumbled faintly.

"Not the first time, won't be the last one either." Jinyoung lets go of his oldest friend and they seal it (whatever it is) with a look that holds a million words. One they have known what meant since they were only kids.

It felt right to leave the auditorium and all of their negative feelings behind. The door was shut. The feelings will have dissolved in the purifying air by today.

It's okay now, right? Jaebum hopes so. He feels guilt still but he knows he is nowhere near the best at dealing with that feeling. He hopes that Youngjae will help him through with the great expertise he has. "I want to see where you live." Youngjae's shuts his locker and takes in the male in front of him like sugary coffee on his sensitive tongue. Jaebum is dressed in line with his usual style and yet something feels brighter about him. Black sneakers, a pair of ripped blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a sarcastic statement written across the chest. Mark brought it home as a present from America last summer. The whole outfit looks cute to Youngjae but he keeps quiet about that observation. The leather jacket finishes it off as per usual, probably to make up for the lack of darkness in today's look. He finds his eyes tracing the round edges of his ears that are decorated with silver and black rings and other piercings. He realises how patient Jaebum is being when he has been staring at him for about ten silent seconds.