My Best Friend's Brother

Because Of You

Hyunjin thought he had broken. He couldn't stop laughing. All of the events didn't seem real.

He had a sister. A 14 year old sister. He couldn't deal with this right now. He rushed his way up the stairs, desperately wanting to just lay down and sleep the week away.

As he got up the stairs he was faced with his childhood bedroom, but it was not his bedroom. The room was purple. There were LED lights hung on the wall and posters scattered around. His old growth chart on the door frame was gone, replaced with a different one, one for Yeji.

Hyunjin scoffed and laughed more. Sarcastic and filled with pain. He dropped his bag in the hallway and stormed back down the stairs and out the front door. He could hear his father call after him but he kept walking, fishing the box of cigarettes out of his pocket and taking out the lighter.

He paused by a pond and leaned over the railing of the small bridge that crossed it. He put the cigarette between his lips and hesitated. He knew he shouldn't. He had been working on quitting, but right now, he just wanted to feel the sweet release.

He lit the lighter a couple of times, trying to fight the urge but he eventually gave in, the temptation of something to help with the storm too great for him to pass up.

"You got another one of those?" He could hear his father's voice speak out behind him.

"Leave me alone." Hyunjin stated, not looking back.

"Please..?" He pleaded.

Hyunjin sighed and reached into his pocket, grabbing the box and picking out a cigarette, passing it over his shoulder. His father grabbed it and leaned next to him over the railing.

Without saying anything, Hyunjin passed him the lighter while he exhaled the drag he took. They stood there for a couple minutes in silence.

Hyunjin finished his cigarette and put it out on the metal railing. He watched the fish below swimming, attempting to hang onto the temporary calmness the nicotine brought to his mind.

"I'm sorry it went the way it did.. I was hoping I could talk to you before you met Yeji." His father finally spoke, keeping his eyes forward.

Hyunjin laughed sarcastically. "What would you have told me to make that any easier?"

"There are a lot of things I regret Hyunjin, especially when it comes to you and even your mom." Henry finally turned to look at Hyunjin, placing his hand on his shoulder.

Hyunjin snapped to look at him, his brows immediately furrowing in anger. "Don't you dare bring her into this."

Henry sighed and turned back towards the water. "I know I wasn't a perfect husband, but I really tried to be a good father to you."

Hyunjin laughed harder with disbelief. "You weren't even a decent husband so don't even try to go there."

Henry drew his brows together and grabbed Hyunjin's arm to make him look at him. It was not a rough grab but enough to anger Hyunjin who snapped it back. "It was complicated, you were 5. There is stuff you don't know about as well on your mom's side." He snapped.

Hyunjin got closer to his father's face. "I don't care what mom did, she did not deserve the crap you put her through." He backed away again and faced the water, his hands tightening into fists. "You said you were going to try, for me. You didn't want to lose me, and yet you still continued to fuck everything that moved." Hyunjin felt a tear escape his eyes. Henry opened his mouth to speak but Hyunjin cut him off.

"I don't give a shit about the things you did to try to be a good father. I had to watch mom cry... constantly... because you would say you were going to faithful and never stuck to it for more than a month!" The tears were freely rolling down his face now. Henry placed a hand on Hyunjin's back and rubbed it.