"Hyung~" is what Jaebeom hears when he picks up the phone a few days later, a loud and powerful voice that makes one think of an opera singer, or in Jaebeom's case, of his cousin Choi Youngjae.

"What's up, Youngjae-ah," Jaebeom asks, his smile naturally coming to his lips.

Youngjae is his cousin from his mother's side of the family, a family that resides in Mokpo, so while growing up they didn't meet much except for Chuseok and Summer Holidays when Youngjae, his sisters and their mother, Jaebeom's aunt, came to visit. If Jaebeom is honest, Youngjae is his favourite relative and he treats him like a dotting mother every time. The younger never complains, if anything he seems to truly enjoy Jaebeom's attention and affection, even when he's acting embarrassingly proud. Youngjae is that kid that can only be described as sunshine, bright and happy, with the most innocent look that isn't much different from what he is like. He's pure and optimistic, kind and warm. He has the dorkiest and loudest laughter that makes anyone else in the room feel as joyous as he is. Youngjae is also a little chicken, constantly getting scared so when they were kids and his big sister scared him, it was Jaebeom the one who had to protect him and reassure him it was all stories his noona told.

Jaebeom is an only child, but Youngjae feels like that younger brother he always wanted.

"Did eomma call you already?" Jaebeom's brow knits in confusion as he moves in his mother's room, changing the water for the flowers Mark brought two days ago.

"No, she hasn't since last week. Why do you ask?" The older cousin questions, holding the gadget between his shoulder and his ear while he makes sure the flowers are still beautiful and taken care of. He isn't the gentlest guy out there, but he tries for his mother.

"Well, she called me and I was ranting how I barely see you when I also came to stay in Seoul to be closer to you." Youngjae studied all his life in Mokpo, but after finally graduating, he came to Hongik university to study Music. "She started saying it was so unfair you were looking after imo all alone without anyone else helping you out. She said also really bad things about samchon that I'm not going to repeat because I still love him."

"It's okay, though. You don't need to worry. Eomma will wake up soon, and I'm doing fine," Jaebeom says, smiling fondly even if his cousin can't see it. He takes his seat by his mother's side again, brushing her hair away from her brow and caressing her softly.

"Still!" Youngjae exclaims, maybe too into this whole situation. "You're in your last year and you need to focus on graduating. What about the internship? You need one to graduate, don't you?"

"It's okay if I don't graduate this year, Youngjae-ah. Eomma is far more important right now."

"I know, hyung, but it's not fair you're carrying all the weight on your own. So eomma decided she'll come to Seoul to help you out so you can also take care of your studies and get a break because imo will be in good hands. She said she can't believe she let samchon persuade her to stay at home when she should've come to take care of her sister immediately." Jaebeom doesn't want to feel as touched as he does because it also feels like he's imposing on others, but he cannot help it because he's tired and it's difficult, and a little help would be welcome, especially coming from his aunt. "Anyhow, I'm sure she'll call to tell you all that but I was excited and called first." Youngjae laughs sheepishly and Jaebeom can imagine him, scratching the back of his neck, looking so childish and innocent. "It won't be good if you get sick for pushing yourself too much."

"Thank you, Youngjae-ah, for worrying so much," Jaebeom replies, feeling a lump in his throat.

Just thinking about his aunt looking after his mother as well makes him feel so much at ease. The two sisters are close and they love each other, so it might be even good for his mother to have her sister by her side.

"To be honest you started to look more like a zombie than a person and I worry I might not control my zombie-killing instincts next time I see you." Jaebeom laughs loud and dramatic, all teeth showing and face distorting into something that Youngjae calls beautiful but everyone else says it resembles a dinosaur. "Normal logical worries of any person, hyung."

Still laughing, Jaebeom replies, "You're right, Youngjae-ah. Better just kill zombies in video games, right?"

"Totally."

Jaebeom truly loves his cousin, he always manages to make him smile honestly and feeling relieved no matter what's going on in his life.

"When imo comes, let's all go eat together," the older proposes and he can hear the excited gasp from the other side.

"Brilliant! I'll tell her, although when she calls you then you can tell her yourself but still."

"Definitely. Did you have dinner already?" He asks next, taking a look at the machines that keep track of his mother's brain, heart and other organs activity. He watches them constantly and he's actually learning what they mean and all that. Right now the numbers are around the usual parameters.

"Not yet. I'm at the library but once I finish here I was planning to go get something."

"Do you wanna get udon with me tonight? My treat," offers the older and it seems Youngjae jumps on his seat in the library because there's a rustle similar to that at the other end of the call and the apologies to someone else.

"Sure! I'll be finished in like half hour. Do we go to the Japanese restaurant in Hongdae?" Jaebeom only hums his agreement. "Okay, then I'll get to work and I'll see you later, hyung."

They hang up and Jaebeom turns all of his attention to his mother.

"Eomma, Youngjae-ah just told me imo will come to look after you. Aren't you excited? You won't be so alone and you won't get angry at me for neglecting my studies." Obviously, no answer comes out from his mother, no reaction whatsoever. "I'll be heading out to dine with Youngjae-ah, but I need to change and shower and all those things so I'll sleep at home today, but I promise I'll drop before classes tomorrow. I don't know when imo will come, but don't feel lonely, okay?"

Jaebeom rises to his feet to press a kiss on his mother's forehead as farewell and gathers his belongings before heading out. Late September and the temperatures have dropped a lot already so it isn't as unbearable to head out where there's no AC. The humidity levels aren't that terrible but the shower rain storms are quite annoying, still.

With his umbrella in his backpack, Jaebeom heads out, greeting the nurses that already know him so well, wishing them a good night and accepting their good wishes. From the hospital it's like a thirty minutes ride to Hongdae so he'll be by the popular street right in time to meet Youngjae. He uses the time to nap a bit although he should use it to study, but he's too tired for that. His phone rings when he's in Idae station, awakening him just two stations from his stop. He picks up and talks with Youngjae's mother until he reaches his stop, listening to the same thing his cousin already shared. He obviously expresses his gratitude and makes the offer to have dinner all together, he even tells her how he's on his way to meet Youngjae for some udon.

They hang up when he's walking out of the metro station, bearing with all the people walking up the stairs of exit nine. He takes the principal street where all the performers are, getting distracted with some that are covering up different k-pop songs that sound from the speakers of every group and every other store as he walks by. Hongdae is a cacophony of so many different songs, so many voices and people from all around the globe shopping or dining out.

Jaebeom waits down the street from Hongik University's entrance, near the tourist information centre, knowing his cousin will show up soon. He distracts himself watching a singer that doesn't have the best vocals and who is kind of butchering the song, but he's handsome and a lot of people are watching him, plus, he is so into it that one gets dragged. Actually, he gets so into the performance that Youngjae surprises him, tapping his shoulder.

"Hyung, why are you watching so intently someone who can't hit the right note eighty percent of the song?"

If someone has the right to criticise any of the performers on this street, that's Youngjae as a music major.

"I didn't have anything else to do and the humidity numbs my judgment," Jaebeom replies, smiling as a greeting and focusing solely on his cousin. Although, right in the moment, the song the street performer is singing has the high note that he completely misses, making not only Jaebeom cringe but everyone else.

"Ouch," the two cousins say in unison, deciding then that it's better to leave before the boy decides to murder another song.

The restaurant is quite close, just a few metres and once in there, they are greeted by the employees as they grab their trays and ask for what they want. Youngjae grabs other snacks for himself and then Jaebeom is paying while his cousin gets water and the side dishes for them, Jaebeom looks for an empty table and they head there together.

"How's imo doing?" The younger asks as they start eating their noodles. "Any progress?"

"No," answers the older. "She's just the same and the doctor seems to be less and less hopeful every day, which is making me really angry at her."

"That's terrible. Why hasn't samchon asked for a different doctor? One that's a bit more supportive?"

"Because the doctor is good, and she's the one who performed the surgery and all that. And also because abeoji doesn't really care. He hasn't visited in two weeks," Jaebeom shares and watches how Youngjae's expression changes to a disapproving one, evidently upset.

"I'm sure when eomma comes she'll yell at that lady doctor for her lack of sympathy. Just leave it in the hands of an ahjumma to scold someone," Youngjae laughs because his mother hates being called an 'ahjumma' and if she heard his son she would probably pull his ear.

"Don't let her hear your calling her that," Jaebeom warns, but he's also chuckling.

They continue their dinner with casual conversation, Youngjae making most of the talk and Jaebeom listens with fondness in his eyes and honest interest. His cousin chats about how the second term is going so far and that he's already covered in assignments when it hasn't even been a month since classes started again and why is uni so hard? High school was supposed to be the worst, he feels lied to and wants to complain to someone, he just doesn't know to whom yet.

It's past nine when they finish and part ways. Jaebeom heads to Seocho while Youngjae lives near campus in the university dorms because he wanted the experience, but next year he's thinking of renting a flat because he's done with roommates (some of the many things he told Jaebeom during their dinner).

Jaebeom takes the subway because he's just so used and he prefers it over the bus, moreover he wants to stay away of all vehicles on the streets if he can. He doesn't get a seat so he just grabs a handler and plays with his phone, listening to music until he has to commute to change lines and then getting out in his station. It's near ten PM by the time he's walking to their apartment complex and as soon as he steps outside the station he has to take out his umbrella because it's raining. It's just three blocks from the station to his home so it isn't that terrible.

When he's approaching the intersection from the main street, he notices the many people already gathering, mostly workers after staying late, high school students coming from their academy lessons and other random people. The usual, everyone with their umbrellas waiting for the green light as the cars pass by. Jaebeom's eyes, however, fix on someone without an umbrella, getting soaked wet while staring at his mobile phone, the rain not a worry for him. The young man is dressed casually, with a dress pant, white t-shirt inside and a denim jacket, so probably he's just mid twenties or early twenties. He's at the front of the line, the first to start crossing.

There's something familiar about him, Jaebeom notices as he approaches some more, getting closer to him trying to recognise him. There's still a few more minutes until the light changes (why are they always so endless? It's most tiresome) but the young boy looks ready to cross.

The cars pass by so quickly, almost desperate and there's the sound of a sport car engine coming from the right, sounding like it's breaking all the speed limit laws. The young boy probably doesn't hear, listening to music, because he steps forward right when the yellow sport car is coming.

Jaebeom gasps and drops his umbrella as he bolts forward, his arms reaching out for the young boy, grabbing him from the jacket and yanking him backwards right before the car runs him over.

"Be careful!" Jaebeom screams, his own heart beating wildly at the almost accident. He's more sensitive about car accidents after his mother's, so he feels his legs shaking and his whole body cold, which has nothing to do with the rain soaking him.

The people around that, typically, didn't do anything but now stare at him as if he went crazy and immediately cross when the light, finally, turns green, the beeping for blind people making echo around.

The young man turns, all his black hair stuck to his forehead, drops sliding down his pale skin. His dark eyes widen when they lock gazes and Jaebeom gasps.

"I thought you said you wouldn't save me again," the young boy grins and Jaebeom curses, clenching even tighter the jacket he hasn't let go.

Fuck, Jackson is gonna tease me forever about being fated to save Park Jinyoung.

∞

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had no idea if Hongik university has all the majors the characters study, but I chose it because it's where I used to live, so I know the landscape better. Anyhow...

In case you don't know what these words mean and can't figure them out in the context.
eomma: mum
imo: aunt
samchon: uncle
hyung: older brother (term used by younger men to refer to their close older male friends or relatives)

Bel, xx