In Between Time | Seongjoong

13

"Seojun, wait up!" Hongjoong jogged to the younger boy. He threw his arm around him making the other flinch and the boy still hadn't said a word.

"Hey," Hongjoong stepped in front of him but Seojun's head just hung low as he picked up his pace passing the older.

"Seojun what's wrong?" Hongjoong tilted the younger's head so that he was looking at him and his lip was busted. He looked over him more and noticed bruises going up his arm.

"Who did this?" Hongjoong yelled making Seojun burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry, but listen, you need to tell me who did this." Hongjoong crouched down to his level.

"I c-can't they told m-me not t-to." He sobbed into his older brothers shoulder.

'Let's get ice cream then we can go home to talk about it, okay?" Hongjoong offered taking his little brothers hand.

Recently Hongjoong had noticed Seojun's off behavior, but since they had recently moved he thought it was because they started a new school. He should have known though since the boy was so excited about starting school again and the enthusiasm left as time went on.

The two walked in silence as Hongjoong entered the ice cream shop with spare change he had for lunch but never used. He got the boy his favorite with an extra scoop and opted out on ice cream himself since there wasn't enough money.

"Why didn't you get any ice cream?" Seojun asked looking up with his puffy red eyes.

"You deserve it more than I do." Hongjoong smiled ruffling the boys hair. Ever since his Seojun had been born Hongjoong had been by his side. He was so excited about becoming a big brother and wanted to show Seojun all the cool things he could do and that never faded. They were practically inseparable and Hongjoong took care of Seojun as if he were his own child. 

"Here have some, I know it's not your favorite but I promise it tastes good." Hongjoong tasted a bit of the blue ice cream and hummed as a thanks. The flavor wasn't all that good and the only reason Seojun liked it was because it was his favorite color and came with a tiny edible spaceship.

"Now, are you going to tell me what happened today?" Hongjoong questioned once again.

"These guys at school always pick on me and say I sound weird or I look funny," Seojun confessed.

"Sometimes they push me down and hit me..." Hongjoong's blood was boiling at this point.

"But you can't say anything because then they'll do something worse. One of them said they had a knife please Joong." Seojun pleaded holding onto his brothers waist.

"We'll figure this out Jun," Hongjoong held his little brother close before continuing their walk home.

The rest of the night they never another word about the issue. Hongjoong had slept in Seojun's bed upon the boys request. He never would've thought that would've been the last time.

The next morning things were as they usually were. The boys went to school and Hongjoong lingered around a little longer to watch Seojun. Hongjoong was worried that something else would happen and Seojun would come home with more injuries, the day went on anyways.

It was lunch time now and Hongjoong wasn't as hungry but he figured he'd at least eat some fruit. He saw that his mom had put strawberries in his and was craving them. When he pulled out the container it wasn't yellow but a light blue meaning it belonged to Seojun. With the time he had, Hongjoong figured he'd walk over to the twin school that was only next door to trade with Seojun.

"Kim Hongjoong to the front office please, Kim Hongjoong," He looked confused but grabbed his belongings and made his way to the office anyways. Hongjoong's father was standing there a saddened look covered his face.

"What happened?" Hongjoong hesitantly asked. He hadn't really seen this look on his father before but the man was on the verge of tears.

"Just go to the car Hongjoong." He spoke not bothering to look at the boy as he signed on the sheet in front of him.

Hongjoong didn't say anything else and made his way to the entrance of the school. Upon walking out he noticed the police cars and an ambulance. A women was screaming in the distance holding a child in her arms.

"Seojun," she screamed and with every call of his name Hongjoong picked up the pace across the field separating the schools.

It was his mother and her arms was Seojun. The paramedics had been calling out for her but she blocked out everything. Hongjoong could only stand in shock of the scene before him. Seojun's belongings were scattered everywhere the fresh strawberries became food for insects.

A group of girls were talking to a lady cop about what had occured some of them seemed to know what happened. When the lady left to speak with her partner Hongjoong tried to collect himself in order to talk to the group as well.

"Do any of you know what happened?" Hongjoong's voice was shaky as he fought to stay calm.

"We saw these group of guys throwing his things out of the window and saying nasty things," one girl spoke up.

"Then there was some yelling and guy told him to 'swan dive off the roof' if he wanted to get his things back and if he was lucky enough he could 'end his pathetic life'"

"We went in to tell someone and I saw him falling from the window...it didn't look like he did it on purpose..." another one chimed in.

"Do you know who the guys were?"

"They're known for bullying people in our school and I heard they made a girl commit suicide before," the girls became quiet as Hongjoong paced.

"T-thanks," he mumbled before walking away. Hongjoong was more than distraught and his tears were streaming down his face as he made no sound. Silent tears that he couldn't stop he'd wipe them away but they'd continue as if he hadn't done so.