Sangwoo x Yoonbum: If Things Were Different

Week Old Pizza

The buildings passed in a blur as Yoonbum ran along the streets to his uncle's house. He felt his lungs ache for more oxygen than he was able to take in.

Reaching his home a few minutes after six, Yoonbum stood on the patio in defeat. He knew once he walked in that he would be in for a world of hurt; but would it be worse if he waited just a minute longer? Maybe, by some chance, his uncle has not noticed the time.

But years of previous abuse and controlling behavior argues that his uncle is in fact, very aware of the time.

Yoonbum sighed as he pressed his body against the front door; slowly turning the doorknob at the same time.

Once inside, multiple familiar smells hit Yoonbum all at once. His grandmother's cooking in the kitchen smells wonderful, but harshly conflicts with the stench his uncle chronically produces in the living room: cigarette smoke, beer, and week old pizza.

Perhaps I can quietly sneak into my room and go without dinner tonight... That'd be better than dealing with uncle...

Yoonbum weighed his options as he shut the door behind him. He had eaten a few bites of the soup at Sangwoo's house; which is more than he's allowed to eat at home sometimes.

Sangwoo. I miss you already.

"Ma! Get me another beer!" Uncle's voice bellows from the living room. Yoonbum can't see him from his spot by the front door, but knows that his uncle is reclining in his lounge chair, sporting a beer stained tank and boxer shorts. Usually he watches sports, but sometimes he'll watch movies that are old enough to be watched for free on television. He'll eat his dinner in that chair, drink beer after beer in that chair... yell at Grandma and Yoonbum from his spot in that chair. And at the end of the evening, if he hasn't passed out in his chair, he'll stumble his way into one of the bedrooms in the house. Either the larger bedroom; which holds both a bed for Grandma and a bed for Uncle, or the smaller bedroom; which only has the one bed for Yoonbum.

"Just a moment!" Grandma shouted, but it wasn't rude or impatient in tone.

"Tell that brat to get in here! He thinks I can't hear my own goddamn front door?!"

Yoonbum felt shivers run down his spine. Grandma appeared in the archway to the kitchen, and the two of them made eye contact.

"Don't keep your uncle waiting any longer, you're already late." Grandma said, pulling a cold beer from the fridge. Yoonbum reluctantly began walking towards the living room, grabbing the beer from his grandmother's outstretched hand.

Walking past the sofa and coffee table, Yoonbum nervously approached his uncle. A small table lamp with a dim yellow lightbulb was the only light in addition to the television screen. A sports commentator's voice seemed to blur in Yoonbum's ears at the same time as the scent of cigarette ash nearly overwhelmed his nostrils.

It looks like he just finished a cigarette, so that's good I guess... He always feels a bit better after a cigarette.

Uncle didn't turn his head or look in Yoonbum's direction until the frail man was inches from the lounge chair. Using the bulk of his mental capacity to keep his limbs from shaking, Yoonbum extended his left arm out to offer his uncle the beer.

Instead of grabbing the beer, Uncle wraps his fingers around Yoonbum's wrist and pulls.

Having dropped or spilled his uncle's beer too many times before not to know better, Yoonbum's immediate focus was to secure that bottle at all costs. The force of the pull caused him to stumble forward; and since his left hand was holding onto the beer bottle for dear life, his right hand had to be one to keep his body from completely falling over.

"You're late. Did you forget how to tell time?"

Yoonbum, now slightly bent over the cushioned arm of the chair, realizes that his right hand has used his uncle's thigh to to catch himself. Dark memories briefly resurface in his mind and he is seemingly unable to move.

Just go somewhere else. Not here. Not here. That's not happening right now.

"Bum! Are you listening to me?! And get your fucking hands off me, you demented child!" Uncle slapped Yoonbum's hand off his thigh.

Yoonbum steeled himself against his own thoughts and straightened himself up as much as he could. "I'm sorry, I wasn't- You pulled me and-"

"Oh shut up! Don't you dare try- this is all your fucking fault!"

Yoonbum could tell Uncle was getting angrier. Uncle's grip on his wrist tightened. Uncle finally took the beer out of Yoonbum's hand and downed half the bottle in one go.

"I- I'm sorry Uncle." Yoonbum quietly stuttered out. Uncle met Yoonbum's eyes with a disapproving glare.

"What are you gonna do to make it up to me?" Uncle said, taking a drink.

Yoonbum felt his chest tighten, and his arms wanted to retreat back into his body. "I can- uh..." Yoonbum had begun speaking when his uncle started to lightly rub Yoonbum's wrist with his thumb. Yoonbum swallowed before trying to start his sentence again. "I c-can clean the house. All of it." He tried his best to make his tone enthusiastic. "I promise I'll do a really good job!"

"Hmm..." Uncle's intense eye contact was making the entire interaction worse for Yoonbum, and that's largely why he did it. "I suppose that should be enough."

Uncle finally released Yoonbum's wrist, and Yoonbum immediately brought it to his other hand. Yoonbum was sure his uncle could see the stress physically leave his body. Uncle finally turned his gaze back to the television.

"Or maybe I'll change my mind and have you do something for me later tonight."