Straight | Joshua Hong

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝐹𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉𝑒𝑒𝓃

"Go pack for the night then." Tae smiled back at him. 

"Ok noona, I'll be right back." Chan nodded and ran up the stairs. 

She sat down on the couch and closed her eyes for a moment as she waited for the boys to get their things. 

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt fingers snake into her hair. 

His hand moved down her neck and rested on her shoulder. 

Joon placed her hand on top of his to comfort him. 

"Promise me something." 

"Depends on what it is." 

"Joon." 

"Fine." 

"Promise me that no matter what, we'll always be together. That you'll never stop being my best friend..." He stopped talking, but she knew he wasn't done yet. 

" ...That you'll never leave me." His voice was quieter. 

Taejoon grabbed his hand to her mouth and kissed his palm. 

"You're stuck with me bitch, whether you like it or not." She tried to lighten the mood. 

He didn't say anything; just nodded his head, deep in thought. 

Chan came down the stairs and Jeonghan pulled his hand away. Tae felt his wall go back up the second he saw his brother. 

"Ready to go kiddo?" 

"I think so." 

"Ok, let's head out, you can ride with me." She ruffled his hair. 

"We actually have a room for you to stay in this time, I managed to get my mom to clean out her craft room. I figured you probably wouldn't be comfortable staying with Jaemin." 

"He isn't too bad when it's just him or he's with Jeno. I think he tries a little too hard to fit in with his other friends." Chan tried to reassure her. 

"I have noticed he does that." Joon sighed. 

"Being a teenager is hard, it's next to impossible to know who you are and what you want with your life." 

"Truer words have never been spoken kiddo." Taejoon patted his head as she turned down the street to her house. 

"I'm gonna kill your brother." Joon growled. 

"Move your piece of shit car out of my parking spot you jackass!" Taejoon hollered at Jeonghan as he was getting out of his car. 

Jeonghan threw his head back in a laugh as he moved his car. She angerly parked her car in her spot and stomped to the door. 

"Babe, come on, it was a joke." Hannie called after her, laughter in his voice.

Joon gave him the middle finger and went inside.

"Why do you tease her so much?" Chan asked his brother as he grabbed his overnight bag. 

"Because I love her." 

"Isn't she a lesbian though?" 

"Not like that you dumbass, I meant like a sibling." 

"I'm your sibling and you never tease me like that." 

Jeonghan gave him a face of hurt and ran off in the opposite direction of the house. 

"That didn't go well." Chan sighed, looking up at the sky as he felt raindrops. 

With a heavy sigh, he walked into the house. 

"DINO!" Both of Joon's parents cheered when they saw him. 

"It's good to see you Mr. and Mrs. Na." Chan bowed. 

"Please, you know you can call us mom and dad." Byeol pinched his cheek. 

"Where's Han?" 

"I upset him like usual and he ran away." Chan shrugged. 

"He has really bad timing, a huge storm should be upon us according to the news." Joohyuk shook his head. 

"I'm sure he'll find his way back." 

"Chan, you don't know anything about your brother do you?" Tae hissed, grabbing her coat and one for Jeonghan. 

"What do you mean I don't know him?" 

"He's afraid of thunder." She said coldly, then she was gone out the door. 

"Oh..." Chan said quietly, suddenly feeling guilty. 

"JEONGHAN!" Joon called out. 

The sky was black except when there would be a random flash of lightning. 

"Think Joon, where could he have gone?" She said out loud, taking off down the street. 

She ran into town and saw that all the shops were closed for the night. That checked a few spots off the list. 

"He shouldn't have gotten far, he's a weakling." She sighed. 

She pulled out her phone and called Seungcheol. 

"Hello?" 

"Cheol, hey, it's Taejoon. Have you seen Jeonghan?" 

"No, why would I? Wasn't he with you?" 

"He..." 

"Taejoon what happened?" 

"He ran away and we're in a thunderstorm." 

"Shit, I hope you find him, let me know when he's safe. I'll call you if he shows up." 

"I just don't know where he could have gone." 

"Think about where you used to hang out as kids. He could have gone there if he was scared." 

"The park! I'll check there. Thank you." 

"Good luck." 

She hung up the phone and tore off in the direction of the park. 

"I'm coming Han." She whispered as thunder boomed once more. 

It took her fifteen minutes to get to the park on foot and she knew her feet were bloody by the time she got there, but that was the least of her worries. 

"YOON JEONGHAN!" She screamed as loud as she could. 

She didn't see him. 

Thunder hit once more, and she faintly heard a scream from the jungle gym. 

"Han!" 

She ripped her shoes off and threw them so she could climb the rock-climbing wall to get to the fort on top. 

The sight before her broke her heart. 

Jeonghan was curled up in a tight ball in the back corner of the fort. He was shaking like a leaf, letting out sobs much like a child. 

Thunder hit once more, and he screamed again. 

"Fuck, Han. I'm right here." She ran over to him and pulled him into her body. 

"Noooo!" He wailed when she touched him. 

"Hannie, Joonie has you. You're safe." 

"J-joonie?" He cried, finally opening his eyes and looking at her. 

When he realized it was her, he fell into her chest and cried harder. She held him as tight as she could. 

The next time the thunder hit, he didn't scream, he merely flinched and burrowed his face into her neck. 

"You're safe." She repeated one more time.