A Person I Call Home - Showki

XVI

Night was here. The sun was gone, most people were heading home or at bars, and they were only an hour and a half from two in the morning- which was the time they intended to sneak in being things would have slowed down. It was nearly time to leave.

Changkyun felt as if he was going to break out into hysterics. He didn't want to go back near that building- hell he didn't want to even be in the same city as that damned hotel. A lot of traumatic things happened within those walls; many things the boy wished he could forget or act as if they never happened. He hated the lifestyle he had there. It was never something he'd wanted to do, but his lack of finances made him stoop down to that level. His standards for himself were wrecked and his confidence was crushed. The poor boy had never realized how draining that job was for him until he was gone and left with the empty feeling. He had hoped that being bought out of his contract meant that he could start anew: he could rebuild himself, relearn his worth, fix every part of him that was emotionally hurting. He didn't want to ever see that building again.

Yet here he was, anxiously pacing around the bedroom after changing into more appropriate clothes for the upcoming task. In his mind, making a last minute run for it seemed like a better idea than to go through with this plan- and he nearly did if it wasn't for Jooheon gently knocking on the door before entering quietly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked carefully. Jooheon knew well that Changkyun didn't want to do this. He knew better than anyone that he didn't want to take part.

"How do you think I'm feeling?" Changkyun spat as he finally stopped his pacing and stared back at the other. "I feel like I can't breathe and the thought of being caught there and forced back into that old lifestyle has been haunting me all day, Jooheon" he added with a harsh chuckle, "I don't know what I'm doing- this isn't the type of person I am, I just want to live a peaceful life for fucks sake-".

"Changkyun, I know, just listen to me for a moment," the other spoke softly to cut off his rambling, "nothing bad will happen, I promise you, and if in the event things go downhill, I won't let them take you back. I'll get you out before myself" he said as he walked closer, very carefully pulling the younger into a gentle hug in hopes to comfort him.

    "How do you know everything will be fine?" Changkyun asked, his tone finally softening up as he relaxed his previously tensed body into the older's arms. "How do you know they won't kill us or arrest us?".

    Jooheon was silent for a few seconds, trying to find the right words to say. In all honesty, he didn't know. He didn't know if they'd walk out of this and he didn't know what it would be like after- being Hoseok would very likely attempt tracking Kihyun down. He took a gentle deep breath before he spoke. "I don't know everything, but I do know that as long as we have each other and work as a team, we'll be okay" he said, pulling back from the hug to look at the smaller boy. Jooheon knew he was in his twenties, but while afraid like this, he looked like a scared child. Jooheon wanted to hold him and continue to reassure him while pampering him, but they unfortunately didn't have the time for that.

    Changkyun- despite still feeling overwhelmed with fear- felt slightly better at the other's words. He nodded gently and slowly backed out of his arms before dragging his feet out of the bedroom. Changkyun was unfortunately too logical for his own good. He couldn't lie to himself like Jooheon would and say nothing could go wrong. He knew otherwise. He knew everything that could potentially shatter in front of them and he was still struggling to understand how Kihyun was worth all of this. If anything he was starting to resent the boy for putting him into this situation, but he knew he shouldn't hold grudges when the said boy also had no control over the situation at hand.

    When he entered the main room, Hyunwoo was seen standing behind the kitchen counter drinking some water. Changkyun glanced over at him and briefly held eye contact, but he soon turned his head back down as he placed his elbows atop the island counter and rested his weight against it.