roses. ∥ 2jae.【paused】

五

"Y-Youngjae?"

Yugyeom finally came back from the restroom only to be greeted with a massive shock. His best friend was nowhere to be found.

He searched everywhere, his vision still blurry from all the drinks. The dancefloor was full of couples, nearly no people were at the bar. The young man even checked the bathroom again, but no. It was like Youngjae vanished into thin air. Did he go home? He hoped he just got home. Yugyeom started panicking.

Idiot! Yugyeom held his forehead. A headache was creeping it's way up Yugyeoms head due to the loud music. You shouldn't have left him alone in a place like this! What if he isn't at home right now? What if someone hurt him?

With careful steps, the younger made his way outside. Besides some random passengers, he could also spot two figures. He got closer. One of them looked suspiciously like Youngjae.

"Youngjae? Is that you?" Yugyeom wobbled to the two, tripping once or twice in the process. He was right. There was his best friend, asleep on another guys shoulder.

But That guy... he seemed oddly familiar to the boy. Didn't Yugyeom see him somewhere else already?

"Are you his friend?" The boy then asked Yugyeom, eyeing him from head to toe. He simply nodded as an answer. The giant then took care of his best friend, carrying Youngjae on his shoulder before he thanked the to him still unknown person.

"So..." Yugyeom began, staring at the stranger. "What happened and who exactly are you? Do I know you? I feel like I do." A puzzled expression was decorating his face.

"Ah right. He was harassed by some drunk creeps. They touched him rather inappropriately and probably said some disgusting stuff I don't wanna know of." He sighed. "I'm also pretty sure one of them put something in his drink. That's probably the reason he's like this right now."

To say Yugyeom was shocked to hear this was underestimated. What's even worse was that Yugyeom gave himself the fault.

"Take good care of him alright? Don't forget to give him some painkillers in the morning. My name is Jaebum and yeah, I'm pretty sure you saw me at least once."

Jaebum? Yugyeom suddenly thought, feeling like something clicked in his head. That name... it sounds suspiciously familiar... didn't Youngjae talk about him recently?

But he just shook his head. He decided that he could think about it later, maybe even ask Youngjae once he's conscious again. Right now he needed Yugyeom and Yugyeom knew that.

"I got to go now. Thank you again." Yugyeom then said. "Who knows what would've happened to Youngjae if you weren't there for him. God damn it, it wouldn't have happened in the first place if I just would've been more careful. It's all my fault."

Yugyeom felt utterly disappointed in himself. Maybe Youngjae was right after all. It really was a bad decision to attend the party. They could've rested at home instead, watching movies and all that stuff. However, Yugyeom just realized it at that moment, the moment it was too late.

"It wasn't your fault, don't worry." Jaebum then reassured him. "It just happens that people are assholes."

Maybe these few words helped to make him feel at least slightly better. Still not completely though. He thanked him and smiled or well, at least tried to. After all the boy still felt terrible about the whole situation.

Yugyeom then took Youngjae home rapidly but with caution which turned out to be a rather hard task for him in his still slightly drunken state.

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