A Heart To Heal (BL)

CH 3.2 - Divulge (PU)

Trigger Warning: Child Abuse and Manipulation

Excited chatter between Jaehwan and his doctor broke the silence of their house. Aki was studying some everyday phrases that he'd use in Korean just so he could familiarise himself with the language. Dr. Yoo glanced at the door and smiled. "He's trying hard. What a good boyfriend you've got,". Jaehwan just smiled to himself, holding a wet towel in his hands. "I'm lucky. He really does work hard,".

Dr. Yoo picked up her bag, handing Jaehwan his medicine. "Take these in larger doses. After a meal, 2 times a day. The other ones are to regulate your blood pressure and your stress. You should be more careful,".

Accepting the medicine meekly, he bid his doctor farewell and sank into the comfort of the down pillows that supported his back. "I'm glad Dr. Yoo lets me speak Korean with her. It just feels more natural,"He laughed to himself, feeling the soft satin sheets brush against his cold neck. Aki entered the room again, holding the workbook that his partner gave him.

"Are you okay?". Jaehwan stretched out his arms and put them around Aki's neck as he got close. "Yeah, I'll be okay now. The medicine Dr. Yoo gave me is stronger but it'll work,". Aki kissed his beloved on the neck, melting into his scrawny arms. "Jae, I can't imagine how you feel. Being so ill and there's problems with getting appropriate treatment. I feel bad for you,".

Slim fingers tousled curly locks of brown hair. "Well, being ill frequently has taught me to be more grateful. I appreciate what I have around me more than ever. Especially people like you,"Jaehwan grinned, letting Aki rest in his embrace. He felt bad that Aki had to look after him and expend so much energy on something as mundane as that. He did feel sorry about it.

Despite Aki's numerous attempts to get Shujin to come over, all Shujin sent was a "get well soon" card and some money. Although it was good that he was covering Jaehwan's medical bills, he clearly couldn't have cared beyond that. Heck, perhaps the only reason he even bothered enough was because Aki hounded him to.

Jaehwan couldn't have imagined how Shujin had gone from treating him as if he were something so precious, a treasure, to treating him like a distant relative. He didn't know what he did wrong and Shujin never told him anything. So why? What could have possibly happened? Jaehwan hugged Aki close to him, smiling to himself. "Kiki, sleep. You've been studying so much today,". Aki nodded and buried his face into Jaehwan's small chest. "Will do, babe,".

Muscular arms wrapped themselves around Jaehwan's lean waist. He could feel how much thinner Jaehwan had become and his heart felt as if it was breaking. If anything, he pitied Jaehwan.

'I'll make a lot of delicious food for him. Hopefully, he can gain at least half a pound. It'd do him good'. Aki thought to himself as Jaehwan stroked his locks of curly hair tenderly.

'He's just too frail now. His hair feels brittle as well. He just doesn't deserve to live as miserably as this'.

Eventually, Aki fell asleep in Jaehwan's arms, vowing to make plenty of tasty and filling meals for Jaehwan. He hoped that Jaehwan could gain enough weight to be in the ideal range for the surgery he was supposed to go through with. Jaehwan was always in pain and he was basically so thin, he might as well be wasting away.

The fact that Shujin was adding to Jaehwan's misery didn't help. Aki realised that his partner had become quieter. When he smiled, the minute Aki looked away, it faded instantly. That was dangerous.

But unless Shujin was willing to be truthful and cooperate, there was nothing Aki could do about it. He huffed and cuddled with Jaehwan, trying to get some rest. Jaehwan could feel Aki's calm breathing and relaxed. He looked to the sky and felt his mind moving towards a dark memory. An event so traumatic, he just couldn't get rid of it.