A gloomy atmosphere hung in the waiting room of the police office, where the five teens were waiting for an officer to come out.
Jisoo had wrapped an arm around the still shivering Jeonghan, being guarded by Soonyoung and Wonwoo on both sides. While on the opposite side of the room, Seungcheol was seated, awkwardly looking down at his hands as he tried to ignore the hatred glances being thrown at him.
They didn't even give Seungcheol the chance to talk properly to Jeonghan, the boy being pulled away from his reach as soon as they arrived at the police station. It only made the feeling of guilt Seungcheol was experiencing worse.
But their actions were understandable, after everything Seungcheol had done to the boy. And especially after the traumatizing encounter they had only half an hour ago.
"Can I please go over to Cheol now?" Jeonghan's voice broke the silence, making Seungcheol'a heart thump louder against his ribcage.
"I'm not letting you. Can't you see what he did to you?" Jisoo hissed, hitting Seungcheol in the gut with his words only.
"Jisoo is right, why would we agree on you going back to that asshole. Can't you remember how miserable you felt up until today? Not to forget, he nearly fucking killed you." Wonwoo agreed with Jisoo, scaring Seungcheol even more with the gaze he held.
"Why couldn't we just have some fun tonight.." Soonyoung whined, leaning back in the uncomfortably plastic chair, hitting his head against the wall by accident.
Seungcheol sighed, letting his body sink all the way back in his seat, knowing he wouldn't have any chance of acceptance with Jeonghan's after what he had done.
Until Jeonghan spoke up again.
"Yes. Maybe he nearly shot me. But he also rescued me. Seungcheol saved my life!"
"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound right now?" Jisoo asked in disbelieve, "come on you can't be serious."
"I am serious! I'm not a fucking child any more Jisoo! I'm older than you! Can you stop making decisions for me for once in my life?" Jeonghan suddenly burst out, harshly pushing his arm off him.
"Well you clearly can't make your own. Because of him you nearly got killed today Jeonghan. Killed. Do I need to spell it out for you?" Jisoo shot back, getting visibly more angry.
"Oh no.. here we go again.." Soonyoung sighed, giving Wonwoo a look who returned the same bothered expression, rolling his eyes to the back of his head.
"Seungcheol wasn't the one trying to kill me, it was his father!"
"Let's make it even worse, his entire family is like that!"
"You didn't just say that?" The tone in Seungcheol was dangerously silent as he suddenly got up, tears visible in the corners of his eyes, making Jisoo regret his choice of words.
"See what you did!" Jeonghan nearly yelled.
"I might have the same blood running through my veins as that man. But that doesn't make me a monster like him. Because my mother wasn't like that! She was the sweetest, most caring and loving mother a child could ever wish for."
A single tear left his eye, his words getting softer the longer he spoke.
"Her blood runs through my veins too. Her personality resembles mine more than that monster I used to call my father. And if she were still here with us, she would have been proud of the decisions I made."
"The decision when I ran away, when I found Jeonghan and when I fucking fell in love with him. She would have been so proud of me! But he shot her right in front of my eyes when I was just a kid."
A painful silence followed, all boys suddenly looking up to the boy with compassion in their eyes, especially Jisoo who regret what he had just said.
"I get that you hate me, I hate myself too for what I've done to Jeonghan and for all the pain I caused. But I promised myself to protect him at all cost. If I hadn't done that to him back then, he wouldn't have been alive by now."
Suddenly, everything got cleared up for Jeonghan. this is why he never told me about his past.
he tried to protect me..
"I need a moment. Call me when the officer is ready."
Seungcheol hurried himself out of the opened door, slumping through the corridor with his head hanging low. Once he turned around the first corner he pressed his back against the plaster wall, letting his body slowly sink down to the ground, pulling up his knees and burying his nose in the fabric of his jeans.
His cries echoed through the empty hallway. He wasn't even able to think straight after what just happened. After everything that happened for the past few weeks.
Everything, all the feelings he suppressed suddenly overwhelmed him, resulting in the sobs that left his mouth.
Meanwhile, the waiting room was still in full silence, none of the boys aware of what just happened.
"Hey Jeonghan.. I think I should apologize to you." Jisoo choked out as tears of guilt started drenching his face.
"Apologize to Seungcheol, not to me." Jeonghan harshly said, ignoring his bestfriend who broke down in tears, getting up from his chair as well, ready to follow Seungcheol.
"Jeonghan wait." Wonwoo got up as well, reaching for Jeonghan's arm to stop him in his tracks, "I feel really sorry for Seungcheol and I'm sorry for the things i've said to him earlier. But are you sure it's.. safe?"
"You heard what he said," Jeonghan said, a small smile displaying on his face, "he would protect me at all cost."
The left corner of Wonwoo's lips curled up as well, nodding in approval as he let go of his arm.
"There really isn't anything that makes me stop you, isn't it?"
Jeonghan shook his head, certain that he wouldn't change his mind, whatever it had to take.
"Then I won't stop you any longer, go get your boy back Jeonghan." Wonwoo playfully ruffled Jeonghan's blonde hair, a gesture he wasn't used from the usually distant boy.
But Jeonghan accepted it with a smile and ran out of the room, running in a certain direction on instinct.
Sobs filled the silence in the corridor, leading Jeonghan to the figure of Seungcheol, shoulders going up and down in the same rhythm of his sniffles.
Jeonghan silently approached him, kneeling down next to him and gently laying his arms around him, pulling him in a hug.
"Hey it's okay.. I'm here now.. It's okay.." He whispered, giving Seungcheol everything he had to offer.
After all those times where Jeonghan had been crying his heart out, he was finally able to return the same comfort Seungcheol had been giving him. And all the broken boy could do, was lean deeper into Jeonghan's touch, desperate for more comfort and warmth as he was unable to speak properly.
With the silent whispers of comfort coming from Jeonghan filling the atmosphere, mixed with the sound Seungcheol's sobs, both boys knew everything was finally alright.
Finally.
