LYHM | YG [✔]

15. Yeonjun/Beomgyu

I know he's proud of Yeonjun for being the star that he is, not because he loves him and wants the best for him, but because it makes him look good.

Mia once told me that she thought her dad used to wish she was never born. She thought she embarrassed him by being blind. I've never wanted to punch someone more than I wanted to punch him that day.

"He called me again this morning, and I picked up just to see what he'd say. He didn't even say hello before he started riding my ass about the game." He pauses, his jaw tightening as he swallows. "He didn't say a word about Mia."

"He forgot."

"Yeah, Beom. He forgot," he says quietly. "Or maybe he didn't, and he just doesn't give a shit anymore."

I clench my teeth to stop myself from saying what I really want to say, watching the scenery as we get closer to the ocean. "What about your mom?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to her."

"Why not?"

"You know my mom, Beoms," he grumbles, still not looking at me. "She's my dad's little minion. It doesn't matter what he does, he's never wrong. Everything was always Mia's fault. It was Mia's fault she was born blind, Mia's fault she got bullied in middle school, Mia's fault they made her so depressed that she started fucking around with you, got hooked on drugs, and ruined their reputation." His wrist is resting on top of the steering wheel, his hand curling into a tight fist. "My mom will defend my dad until she's blue in the face, but she could never stand up for her own kids. She took your side over mine the day Mia died, you remember that?"

"Yeah," I whisper, unsure what else to say.

He parks the car and finally lets go of my hand. "Leave everything you have on you in here."

"Why?"

"Just do it, Beom." He sighs, dropping his stuff into the inner console before he gets out.

Worried he'll leave without me, I quickly take my phone out and toss it in, checking my pictures and Mia's list are tucked safely inside my wallet before I place it down on top of his. I get out of the car and hurry toward him, pulling my hood over my head and shoving my hands into my pockets, shielding myself from the cold. The sky is gray, and there's hardly anyone up here, maybe two or three people walking on the sand.

Yeonjun walks to the end of the pier, just like I knew he would. I sit on the edge beside him, hesitating a moment before I slide my ass over and bump his hip with mine, getting as close to him as I can without being on top of him.

Silence stretches between us, but it doesn't feel awkward. It's almost nice, just being here with him, feeling the warmth of his body at my side, our legs dangling over the edge as we look out at the water.

"My parents used to do it every year, for both of us," he says after a while. "Throw these ridiculous birthday parties at the house, invite all their friends and their kids to show off how much money they have." He doesn't sound angry as he talks about it, just distant, and even though I've heard this story a few times before, I'm hanging on to every word as he tells me his version. "Mia was thirteen the year she finally told them she didn't want a big party with a bunch of people she didn't know. She just wanted to go to the damn beach, and they couldn't even give her that. I found her crying in the bathroom just before we were about to cut the cake. I was so pissed, I picked her up and told her to go wait for me in the garage. I swiped my dad's keys when he wasn't looking and we stole his car. Mia was so excited and hysterical at the same time, terrified I was gonna get arrested." A small grin breaks free, but he scrubs a hand over his mouth to bury it. "Anyway, I took her to the beach, and we sat right here, talking shit about our parents. And then she told me she wanted to swim..."