#waykimforever

Stressed (2)

Now that Kim has finished the sandwich, Way picks up the yoghurt drink and pokes the straw in, before lifting it up. 

Kim's mouth opens automatically but he's momentarily shocked as he had expected another bite of the sandwich.

Finally, Kim looks up from his work and realizes it's a drink. He processes this piece of information and takes a long sip to quench his thirst, eyes looking up to meet Way's.

So there's Kim, inches away from Way's face, sipping on a straw from a drink that Way is holding for him. Way hadn't realized he had moved this close to Kim while feeding him.

Way pulls himself back.

"Ah. You can drink on your own now." His ears are slightly red at this point and he looks toward the windows.

"Mhmm." Kim nods in agreement and receives the bottle from Way.

Kim takes this opportunity as a moment to rest, placing the drink on the table. 

He moves his head down, hunching his back, with his eyes closed, to drink from it lazily and without using his hands, which were aching from all the writing.

Way sees this from the corner of his eyes and realizes it could be dangerous. What if Kim, who's probably so tired now that he could sleep anywhere, falls asleep and the straw hits him?

He thinks it's still better that he holds the bottle.

"Hey, it's dangerous like that."

And so, Way takes the bottle away and forces Kim to sit up

Kim obliges, although his eyes remain closed. He's being strangely obedient today, but only because he's actually exhausted and drained from lack of rest.

"Kim, why do you study this hard? You always come to school with all the extra work done, so I know you don't rest at home either." 

"..." Kim doesn't really know how to reply. No one has ever asked him this before, so even though he has the answers in his head, he doesn't know how to form the sentences. He continues sipping on the drink.

"I mean, everyone wants to do well in school, but you are pushing yourself so much. There must be another reason right?"

"..." On second thought, maybe he shouldn't tell Way about his issues. What if Way didn't understand? Kim avoids making eye contact with Way.

"Kim, you alright?"

"Yeah."

Kim takes a deep breath. He decides that he has nothing to lose by telling Way about his family.

So he does. He recounts how his parents have pressured him to be perfect since he was a young child. How he was scolded harshly without a pinch of leniency every time he makes a mistake that all other children were bound to make. How he was only noticed and cared about when he got good grades and was complimented by the teachers. How he now believes that he has to be a flawless role model in order to be a good brother for Khet.

Way listens intently. Some parts, he relates and feels the same hurt Kim does. 

Kim thought he was going to cry, because having to expose his wounds and scars which were still raw was beyond painful. But he manages to hold his tears back. 

Instead, Kim feels a huge sense of relief when he finishes. He's never told anyone this before, not in his entire life. Years and years of built-up emotions could finally find a small release in a trusted friend. The weight of the world that seemed to have left his shoulders for a moment. 

He's even more surprised when Way starts to share his own story. His jaw basically drops when he finds out what Way has been through. While he listens, his forehead is knitted and he feels as though he can feel Way's pain like his own.

They'd never expected each other to be burdened by such things. In the short amount of time they had known each other, they showed only their playful sides. Up until now, their interactions was always filled with endless bickering and fun.

Today, they had shown each other the sides of themselves which were vulnerable.

After that talk, they felt like they truly connected on another level. One that outsiders would never be able to understand. One that strengthened their understanding of each other so much that they almost started to know each other better than they knew themselves.

Kim sees a little bit of himself in Way. The side of him that is reckless and wants to do whatever he pleases. 

Way sees a bit of himself in Kim. The side of him that pushes himself beyond his limits to stand out, so that he would be noticed and not forgotten.

Now, they saw each other as people who were hurt at a tender age, who seriously lacked warmth and love, and were honestly a little bit lonely. It was a lot easier to understand why they were living the life they did, making the choices they made. 

This was the start of their silent understanding.