"From today onwards, this will be your room."
Minhyun looked at the mattress with a single pillow on the floor and lack of drawers or cupboards. It wasn't furnished, of course, since the room had just been cleaned out for him as well. Seung-youn stood there with crossed arms and beads of sweats dropping off him as he scowled from having to help his dad shift out their things just to have a makeshift room for this strange boy. Minhyun stepped in and sat down on the mattress before looking up at them.
"Thank you," he said softly and the older man beamed.
"Glad to have you here."
Sometimes, the simplest words hold the most meaning. Minhyun felt tears sting his eyes almost instantly despite having cried them out just moments ago. He blinked them away and just nodded. He had fresh clothes and a warm bed to sleep on. There wasn't much else he would ask for. Sung-hoon closed the door and let out a sigh.
"Why did you bring him back?" his son immediately snapped.
"Because I couldn't just let him soak under the rain in front of the bar. Try to get along, would you?"
"No! You're kicking him out first thing in the morning, dad. We can't afford to take care of someone else. You're already working your hardest just to put me in school."
The older man patted his son's shoulders and chuckled. "And you just have to do your best to graduate. Don't worry about him. When he wishes to leave, he will leave."
Despite his protests, his dad didn't kick Minhyun out the next day. Instead, he was shocked when he opened his room door and almost walked straight into the vacuum cleaner. He managed to dodge it in time and scowled.
"Yah! What do you think you're doing in broad daylight making all these noises? Quit it, won't you? People are trying to sleep here," the boy hissed and Minhyun just kept quiet. It only infuriated him more but before he could snap again, his dad opened his bedroom door.
"Morning, kids. Want some tuna bread for breakfast?" he asked casually which made Seung-youn huff and stomp off. Sung-hoon walked over to Minhyun and patted his head. "You don't have to do anything for us to stay but thank you. It's been awhile since I had time to clean too. It's a big help."
Minhyun smiled a crack and nodded.
"I'll see you at breakfast. You can continue cleaning later if you want and then we will talk about schooling."
"Yes, sir."
"Hmm? Ah. Don't be so formal. Just call me Sung-hoon or better yet, call me dad," the older male chuckled jokingly.
"Yah! You better don't! We don't need you here!"
"Oh, come on, Youn~ Are you getting jealous?"
"Shut up, dad!"
Minhyun blinked and his chest stung but it didn't hurt like before. It was warm and he couldn't help but to let out a soft chuckle before putting down the vacuum cleaner to have breakfast.
Ah, is this what family feels like?
Tears were already falling from his eyes before he even opened them and they only fell more as he sat up and started sobbing like crazy, holding onto his aching chest that hadn't stopped hurting. He didn't care about the pain in his head. It didn't compare to the one in his heart. He bawled his eyes out although he knew he should be quieter, wailing into the blanket. It felt cold. It felt stifling.
"You're awake. You're finally awake," a worried voice filled with relief said as the door opened. Minhyun couldn't even bring himself to stop crying as Woodz made his way to his side and held him tightly. "Minhyun. I'm so glad you're awake."
![Two faced prick [w.s] by wommywoo](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/244277031-80-k495173.jpg)
He held onto Woodz and felt guilt wreck his soul even further. Woodz would be more hurt than him yet the one giving comforting rubs on the back was Woodz and not him. He felt as if someone had smashed his heart into pieces and he couldn't even pick them up as they slipped through his fingers like sand. A soft gasp made Minhyun loosen his hold to turn his head towards the door. Baekho stood there with relieved eyes before he started to turn around and leave the room. Woodz was shocked and so was Minhyun.
"Baekho sshi?!" Woodz exclaimed, unsure why the other bolted. Minhyun let go of Woodz and held his shirt.
"Seung-youn."
"Yeah?"
"Could you help me.... Go get him?"
"Of course." Minhyun let go of his shirt and he hurriedly left to find the other who was still fast walking towards the elevator.
"Baekho, wait! Stop!"
Baekho stopped and found himself gripping the bottle in his hand tighter. He kept his eyes away from Woodz even when the other was close.
"Baekho, where are you going?"
"I'm... I'm going home, of course. He's awake and... He doesn't want to see me so..."
"But you came to see him anyway, didn't you? And he was the one who asked me to come and get you. Why don't you go back and talk to him first?"
Baekho gritted his teeth and gave it some thought before nodding. "Okay..."
Woodz slowly walked him back, giving Baekho time to process his own emotions before they stopped at the door. Baekho gulped and entered the room away, feeling his chest squeeze as his eyes met Minhyun's right away. He felt hurt, of course but he didn't want to hurt Minhyun more so he walked to the other and placed the bottle down.
"Minhyun... Hey. Uh..."
Minhyun lifted his arms and pulled Baekho into a tight hug, surprising the sculptor and bartender alike. Baekho returned the hug and gave him a light squeeze as he sat down so he wouldn't be bending over awkwardly. Minhyun wanted to cry all over again when he felt Baekho's warmth that made him feel different compared to Woodz's but he held it in before slowly letting go.
"Are you... Feeling better now?" Baekho asked as he slowly fixed Minhyun's hair. Minhyun sniffled and shook his head. It made sense to Baekho that that was his response. He patted Minhyun's head and that seemed to help him calm down a little.
"I'm sorry... For saying all those mean things to you," Minhyun whispered softly. Baekho blinked and shook his head.
"That's okay. I forgive you. Yeah?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I do."
Minhyun whimpered and nodded, leaning his head on Baekho's shoulder. "Thank you."
If there was one thing the two had realised from the incident, it was that neither wanted the other to die so early. The thought of losing each other before their relationship had even smoothed out was now a weight both of them couldn't have ever imagined before. Minhyun knew he had to apologise and be truthful while Baekho felt that the other needed even more time now than before to sort things out. But now that Baekho was in front of him, he didn't know what to say or do. He just wanted to hold him close and protect him.
"You really had us worried... You didn't wake up for two days," Woodz said as he slowly sat down after the two had had their moment. He could see the quiet yet raging emotions behind their eyes but didn't say anything about it. He didn't know anything about Baekho but he knew Minhyun and if the other refused to talk, most times that was the end of it.
