𝐓𝐗𝐓 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬.

4². Nicer (Yeonjun)

flashback (yeonjun pov)

"hey, siwoo." i greeted, sitting next to him on our favorite bench in the park.
"oh, hey..." he replied, sadness in his tone.
"you said you wanted to see me...?" i hesitantly asked.
"well, yeah." he sighed.
"what's wrong?"
"i'm...moving." he said, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"wait, what?"
"yeah, my parents decided it was 'for the best'." he made an air quote.
"but...why?" my vision was blurry from the tears.
"i honestly don't know. i wish i could stay here, jun... i really do, but they're insisting." tears rolled down his cheek.
"when? where?" i asked again. this time, i was already crying.
"to busan. in a week." he suddenly engulfed me in a hug. his tears were making my shirt wet, but to be frank, i was making his shirt wet too.
"make sure to visit, okay? i'm always here."

~two months after~

i was doing an assignment for school when i heard a knock on the door. i looked at the clock, unaware of the time. it was 11pm. who would visit me this late?

the knocking somehow didn't stop until i opened the door. in front of me was siwoo, his eyes puffy and his hair messy. he was still wearing what i presumed the uniform. it was a little bit dirty. he was looking at his feet, his hands clenched into a fist.

"oh my god, siwoo." i reacted. and without words, he just went into my apartment.
"y-yeonj-jun... i-i'm s-so sor-rry..." he mumbled, still stuttering due to crying. he was sitting on the couch, i soon sat next to him. he was still crying.
"hey, don't worry... sleep here, okay?" i comforted.
he nodded, not able to say another word. as soon as i got him a pillow and a blanket, i went to sleep, not finishing my assignment since i was going to stay to accompany siwoo.

_

i just sat there, watching him sleep so peacefully on the couch. i just called the school that i won't be coming that day since i was sick.
siwoo groaned, signing he woke up. i gave him a glass of water.
"jun, i'm sorry."
"bro, it's okay. but would you mind telling me what happened...?" i hesitantly asked, afraid of hurting his feelings. he sighed.
"y-you don't have to tell me, siw-"
"well, i have to tell my best friend, right?" he cut, making eye contact with me.
he seemed forced. but i just stayed silent.

"my parents... they fought so hard. i didn't know what it was about... i tried to stop them but.. but they just went on, and-d m-mom lef-ft..." tears streamed down his face once again.
"hey, hey, it's okay.." i quickly sat next to him, rubbing circles on his back, trying to comfort him.
he inhaled a shaky breath. "dad b-blamed me for it, and now everytime i-i try to d-do something, h-he would hit-t me." siwoo said in tears, his voice almost a whisper. "a-and it got worse last n-night-t." he covered his face with his hands, not wanting to show me his tear streaked face.
"breath, siwoo."

"jun, i don't know what to do now..." he cried desperately. i was speechless.
"i can't go back here, and i don't want to leave my new school." he reasoned as he started to calm himself down.
"why?"
"jun, i like this girl in my school. she's...the only person i know from my school."
"what's her name?" i asked, trying to distract him.
"y/n. lee y/n."
"wow. that's a nice name."
"i don't know what to do jun..."

"i'll move there."
"wh-what? jun, please, you don't have to."
"no. i'll sell the apartment and get a new one there, and you can stay with me." i decided.
"jun... don't bother, plea-"
"no, siwoo. you're my best friend, and i'll do everything i can to help."
"jun... i'd still not be able to afford to pay the school. yeonjun, you don't have to do this."
"siwoo, this will be a new experience for me too, and what do you know? maybe i'll be more comfortable there."
"yeonjun..." touched, he started crying again.
"you can get a job to pay for school. i'll call my parents about this." i stated.
"thanks, yeonjun." he stood and hugged me in a sudden.
i just smiled at his gesture.