Here For You | JunHao

十七

It was hard for a while.

No, it was still difficult.

It was still...

Painful.

But as time passed, Minghao could endure it a bit better.

The pain was never gone and never lessened. He just learned to be stronger.

Or rather, he ignored pain that was eating him up.

During the few weeks that Junhui had introduced his girlfriend to Minghao, it was much harder for the boy. He found himself trying to avoid Junhui. He would try to go outside, hangout with his friends, or just walk around aimlessly.

It was tiring.

But he got used to it.

He got used to avoiding Junhui.

Got used to crying in the middle of the night.

Got used to staring at the view from the park for hours.

Got used to the slight hangover he'd get in the mornings.

Soon, he spent lesser and lesser time with Junhui.

But it wasn't only because of himself.

"Jun..." Minghao said, sitting at the couch beside Junhui, putting down his phone.

"Yeah?" Junhui asked, taking a few seconds to look at him.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Minghao asked, finally having the courage.

"Tomorrow night..." Junhui looked up, thinking about it. Then, his face frowned. "Oh, I have a date with Yuna tomorrow night."

"What about the day after?" Minghao asked, still trying.

"I can't. Yuna wanted to go somewhere that day." Junhui scratched the back of his head. "I think I'm free on Friday. Oh, wait... maybe next Monday? What about it though?"

"No, it's nothing." Minghao said, looking back at his phone.

Junhui scooted closer to Minghao. "What is it, Hao? You wanna hangout together?"

Minghao hummed in response, still looking at his phone.

"What did you have in mind?" Junhui asked.

"A movie." Minghao put his phone down, but wasn't looking up to face Junhui.

Junhui smiled. "Just like old times."

Minghao looked up at Junhui.

Just like old times...

How Minghao wished that it was just like old times...

"Sure. Let's go on next Monday." Junhui grinned.

Minghao nodded.

Junhui sighed in relief.

"Something wrong?" Minghao asked quietly.

"I was worried." Junhui chuckled.

"About what?"

"I thought you were mad at me these past few weeks." Junhui clasped his hands together. "You seemed to be avoiding me. You barely talked to me. Sometimes, we wouldn't even talk for a whole day. You also seemed to either be in your room or outside all the time. Did I do something wrong, Hao?"

Minghao paused for a moment.

He... Jun... noticed?

"No, I was just tired a lot these past few weeks." Minghao fidgeted the hem of the oversized shirt he was wearing. "Being a dance major takes a toll on your body. I've been working hard these days."

"Oh," Junhui smiled. "I'm glad that you aren't mad at me, but please take care of yourself, Hao. Don't push yourself too hard. You can always tell me anything."

Minghao looked away. He was on the verge of tears.

But he couldn't. He shouldn't.

Minghao just hummed in response, placing his palm on the lower half of his face, in case he makes any sound.

"I missed your cooking a lot. You used to cook food for me pretty much all the time, but you stopped cooking for a while now. Of course, you're not required to cook for me or anything, but... I kinda miss it." He said, lifting his head up, but put it back down a few seconds after. "These days, I've only gone out to eat with Yuna. Of course, I'm always having a great time with her, but your cooking... tastes like home." Junhui said with a small smile on his face, trying to reminisce the memory.

Minghao took a few seconds before, once again, humming in response.

"You used to make breakfast for me a lot. Do you remember?" Junhui said, leaning on Minghao's back.

The boy's action slightly froze Minghao. He remembered this sensation. This warmth.

"Without a doubt, you cooked more meals for me than my mother ever did." Junhui chuckled. "I probably also spent more time with you than my parents in my entire life."

Minghao couldn't stop a tear from getting out. He quickly wiped it, only to have another tear rolling down his cheek.

"You're more 'family' to me than anyone else. You were always there. You were always... here... for me." Junhui said, resting his head on Minghao's shoulder. "Thank you, Hao... for everything."

Minghao covered his mouth with his hand, but couldn't stop a slight sniffle from escaping.

Junhui heard it and turned his head. "Are you... crying?"

Minghao tried to walk away, hiding his face, but Junhui grabbed his hand. Junhui turned Minghao's face to look at him, but Minghao was covering his face with his hand.

"Were you touched? You suddenly felt sentimental?" Junhui chuckled.

Minghao lightly hit the boy.

Junhui laughed even more. He placed his arms around the boy and into a hug. "It's okay." He said with the boy in his arms, his hands going through the back of his hair and patting it.

Soon, the two had calmed down and it was time to sleep.

Junhui had asked Minghao if he could sleep beside him. Minghao refused, but stubborn Junhui kept insisting.

"You have your own room and your own bed!" Minghao reasoned.

"But I want to sleep next to you!"

"Your room is right across my room! I'm not going anywhere."

"I said, next to you. Next. To. You." Junhui argued, trying to go inside Minghao's room.

Minghao blocked the entrance of his room with his arms. "Your room is already next to my room, Jun."

"I mean, in the same bed! We used to do it all the time back then. What's wrong with doing it now?" Junhui scratched his head in confusion.

After 20 more minutes of arguing, Minghao gave up, knowing that Junhui would be stubborn until the end.

As the two lay down on Minghao's bed, Minghao faces the opposite direction from Junhui.

Junhui turned his head to the side, but was met with Minghao's slender back. Junhui pouted, but soon placed his arms around Minghao's waist. "Have you been eating properly? Your waist seems a bit smaller than before."

Minghao removes Junhui's arms that were wrapped around his waist. "Just sleep."

Junhui, once again, places his arms around the boy's waist.

Minghao sighed, knowing that whatever he does, Junhui would keep being his stubborn self.

How nice would it be if moments like this... moments with you... lasted forever?

There was a smile present on Minghao's face, just as he slowly goes to slumber.

END