Thirty-one

ATTENTION! This chapter may be too relatable!

Taekyung walked around looking for Jaehyuk who was nowhere to be found.

"Ugh. I'm thirsty." Taekyung said tired from walking all around the school.

He walked to his 5th period class where the teacher has free water bottles that he gives to his class.

Taekyung bent down, grabbed a bottle and began chugging it down. He wiped his lips and gasped, "Shit. Now my stomach hurts."

"Taekyung."

Taekyung jumped startled at the voice from behind him and turned around to see Jaehyuk. "Oh shit! You scared me."

Jaehyuk walked to Taekyung and hugged him tight. Jaehyuk took a deep breath and sighed relieved, "I haven't seen you all day."

Taekyung furrowed his brows, "Jaehyuk... Is something wrong?"

"Kinda." Jaehyuk said smiling, satisfied with the warm hug he was giving his boyfriend.

"Wait. Jaehyuk there's someone passing by." Taekyung said in panic.

At school, Taekyung and Jaehyuk hide their relationship. Everyone thinks the only relationship between them was that they were step brothers. Plus, neither of them have came out to anyone other than their friends and family. But hiding it everywhere they went was really hard.

They couldn't be a couple at home and couldn't be a couple at school. The only time they felt like a couple was when they drove home together.

Jaehyuk let go of Taekyung and took a few steps away from him too.

They both watched as the girl walked past the classroom on her phone not even looking up.

They both sighed relieved and looked at each other sadly.

Jaehyuk bit his lip, "I wish things weren't like this." He lowered his head and walked past Taekyung out of the classroom, walking off campus.

Taekyung sighed feeling guilty. It wasn't his fault of course, but he couldn't help but feel bad that him and his boyfriend were having issues.

He walked away from the classroom, into the empty hallway, stressed out about it all.

Jiha saw Taekyung walking slowly and smiled relieved. He had so much to tell him. Jiha approached Taekyung, "Oh! Taekyung, I've wanted to talk to you about something for like a week now-"

"Jiha. Please, not now. I'm sorry I just... I have a lot of shit going on right now and I don't have time to talk! I'm sorry. I... have to go find Jaehyuk." Taekyung said storming off campus as well.

Jiha watched his so called "best friend" walk away from the conversation.

He was speechless. Stunned actually. Jiha stood there staring at the doors Taekyung walked out of sadly.

He smiled sadly and scoffed feeling stupid for even trying.

"Heh." He looked up, he was so annoyed, so done.

He began walking around in the hall even though he had no specific place he was going to.

He looked up the stair case and saw the boys bathroom that nobody goes to.

His eyes teared up and he walked into the bathroom feeling dead.

Immediately as the door shut close behind him, Jiha broke down crying. He put the palms of his hands on his eyes trying to stop himself from crying.

He felt like he didn't matter to the one person that should have his back no matter what.

He fell to his knees crying so hard it wasn't even audible anymore. His chest was rising and falling because he couldn't take a breath.

He gasped trying to breathe but it was really hard, "I just want to feel like I m-matter."

He grabbed his hair aggressively. He felt pathetic for crying and trying to cope with himself. "Stop, stop, stop! Just... please stop!" He was pleading with himself to stop crying and eventually his crying calmed down.

He stood up when his eyes caught the glimpse of a mirror.

Jiha stared at the image in front of him. He hatted it. He fucking loathed it. "What's wrong with you?"

He began crying hysterically again with his teeth grit and his small fists in a ball.

Without thinking, Jiha began punching the mirror uncontrollably. He couldn't stop. He was so mad and sad and miserable. He wanted it all to go away.

All he ever wanted was love. From his mom, from Taekyung... he just wanted to be special to someone.

"JIHA! STOP!" Strong arms wrapped around Jiha's waist, pulling him away from the mirror.

Jiha froze and realized what he did. He looked up to see shattered bloody glass in front of him and Yohan's reflection behind him.

He turned around slowly. He put his hands out in front of him, scared to see the damage that he made.

He gasped at the horrific sight of his bloody trembling hands.

"M-My mom's gonna k-ill me!" Jiha bit his lip chocking on a sob.

Yohan walked up to Jiha taking the bloody and shaky hands into his own, gently. Jiha winced in pain. "Jiha, what do you mean?"

Jiha cried and took breathy gasps, "My h-hands! If I can't work, t-then I won't be able to pay for my mom! Our house! Her meds! I-I can't believe I did this!"

Yohan hugged Jiha tightly, feeling equally as emotional because of the situation. His voice grew shaky, "Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it."

(^o^)

Yohan and Jiha sat beside each other on the bathroom floor, shoulder to shoulder.

Jiha let out a deep breath, "How did you find me?"

Yohan looked at Jiha staying silent for a moment. Jiha looked at Yohan concerned.

"Would you believe me if I said I came here to cry, too?" Yohan said smiling with teary eyes.

Jiha shifted his body to face Yohan. He wiped his thumb over Yohan's cheek, brushing away the tear that fell.

He stared into Yohan's eyes, "Are you gonna be okay?"

Yohan laughed, "I feel better now."

Jiha felt really light in that moment. This felt good. It was nice to be taken care of for once and to return the favor.

Jiha hesitated for a moment but then leaned into Yohan's face, kissing him on the cheek and then gently kissing above his eye.

He pulled away from Yohan's face nervously.

Yohan's eyes got teary again. "Why are you taking care of me?"

Jiha's nerves left his body, "I like to."

"But sometimes it takes a toll on you." Yohan said.

Jiha nodded but smiled gently. "You don't take a toll on me, though."

Yohan hugged Jiha's waist and buried his face into Jiha's neck, "Take care of me then. I'll never take a toll on you, I promise."

Jiha hugged back sighing relieved, "I will take care of you."

to be continued...