when jungwoo's dad died, yukhei was there to be his crying shoulder;

🌼

he still had an hour left till he was dismissed but classes can't seem to be important for him at this moment, even though he did have a test to take. after receiving a message and hearing the news coming from his bestfriend's mother, yukhei knew that he had to be there right at this moment. the hospital was quite far but taking the cab would just delay more time, considering the heavy traffic at this hour. his other option was to run and that's exactly what he is doing right now.

❝hey!❞

yukhei widened his eyes and immediately took a step back when a car almost hit him. he could feel his heart racing at the almost accident. he stood there still for a good moment before getting back to his senses and continued to run towards the hospital that can now be seen.

receiving a phone call, yukhei wouldn't have answered it if it weren't for the caller id showing his bestfriend's name. ❝woo? kim jungwoo!❞

"yukhei.."

his heart broke at how tired his voice was, he can also hear his loud sobs and it only fastened the male's pace. ❝excuse me!❞ he bumped to almost everyone the moment he got inside the hospital, still having the phone pressed on his ear. ❝hey, i'm coming.. woo.❞

"y-yukhei.." all the person from the other line can call out was his bestfriend's name, needing his presence.

❝yeah, i can hear you. i know, i'm almost there.❞ yukhei did everything to reassure the older that he'd be there beside him. ❝just cry woo, i'll soon be there. and when i do, let it all out.❞ his breathing was uneven and he almost can't say every word properly.

there was no voice heard from the other line but yukhei could hear his cries.

upon reaching the floor they were in, the tall male stopped for a moment and panted. he brought out his hand up to wipe his sweat and he ended the call once he could see the familiar figure sitting outside a room, down the floor. yukhei approached him and crouched down in front of the older. he was about to wrap his arms around him but jungwoo had already done it first and engulfed him in a tight hug.

❝i'm here.❞ yukhei got himself seated down the floor and made sure that the older was comfortable in his place. ❝cry, it's okay to cry.❞

❝yukhei..❞ jungwoo sobbed as he buried his face on to the younger's shoulder, drenching his uniform with his tears. ❝h-he's gone.. he's—❞

jungwoo didn't get to finish his sentence when he felt his throat itching. he then bit his lower lip and all he could do at that moment was to cry. fortunately for him, he had a shoulder to cry on. ❝don't worry, i'm just here with you.❞

yukhei would definitely get a scolding from his mother for leaving before classes had ended but that didn't matter to him even though it had crossed his mind. what mattered the most was being beside his bestfriend during his down times.

❝where's your mother?❞ yukhei questioned, patting the older's back as he tightened his embrace on to the crying male.

it took jungwoo awhile to gather up the will to speak. he tried to move his hand but he could, he just had it wrapped around the younger's body as if he didn't want for him to leave by his side. ❝i-inside.❞

nodding his head, yukhei continued to pat and rub small circles behind his back. he didn't bother asking more questions and just continued to comfort the older, may it be words or by actions. jungwoo cried out loud and his sobs echoed down the silent hallways.

❝please d-don't l-leave me..❞ jungwoo said with his voice cracking, sniffling as he snuggled close to his bestfriend's neck. ❝y-yukhei, p-please don't.❞

❝i won't.❞ yukhei told him, closing his eyes as he also tried to relax his tense muscle and calm his breathing down from all the running. ❝i'm always here for you.❞

❝i don't g-get it.❞ despite of having his tears falling down and nose being clogged, jungwoo still managed to say a word. ❝h-he was getting b-better but w-why d-did he have t-to—❞

lifting his hand up, ❝sshh..❞ yukhei then stroked his hair as he hushed him down from speaking. he could hear how he was having a hard time speaking in between hiccups and his voice cracking. ❝some things are just not meant to last, woo. we all have our deadlines and even we, ourselves, don't know when.❞

he would like to use his feelings as an example but aside from it not being the right moment to do so, yukhei remembered that his feelings for jungwoo still hasn't disappeared. although, at least he made progress. after that kiss they had, yukhei was starting to get obvious by asking him out on simple dates, getting more clingy to him, and even flirt more with him.

it's just jungwoo not noticing the true meaning of all his actions.

❝you know, i didn't get to meet my father.❞ he then started, his voice overlapping the older's cries. ❝but my mom told me that he's just watching me from above and that she could tell that he's so proud of what i have become right now.❞

even though he was still crying, jungwoo was listening to the younger's story intently. he even lowered down his sobs just to hear him clearly.

❝jungwoo, just know that he will be up there guiding you.❞ he told him, pulling away from the hug and wiping his bestfriend's tears using his thumb. he tried to show a smile, hoping that it would comfort jungwoo a sloghtest bit. ❝mom told me that they become stars and even though they won't be up there in the morning, they still are with you throughout the way.❞

❝m-my d-dad—❞ mentioning him only made jungwoo cry even harder after he just had lessened his tears. ❝he's s-someone w-who makes j-jokes at wrong p-places.❞ with sobs, he let out a chuckle. ❝h-he always p-pisses b-both me and m-mom.❞ the memories came rushing inside his head and it only made his tears run down like waterfalls. ❝he a-also s-sucks at d-dancing.❞

yukhei listened to him as he tried to use the sleeves of his uniform to wipe the tears falling down from his eyes.

❝b-but despite o-of his flaws..❞ jungwoo pressed his lips into a thin line, looking up as a hazy sight of yukhei sitting in front of him. ❝he's t-the best father i c-can ever a-ask for.❞

yukhei might not be part of their family but he had been with them long enough to know what jungwoo's family is. he would sometimes get jealous at how loving, caring, and just simply perfect his parents are to him. but his jealousy didn't last that long knowing that even though he doesn't have his father with him, he still has his mother sticking to him through thick and thin. he was just glad that jungwoo had a family that he deserved, the could love him more than anyone could, and that are always there with him.

❝y-yukhei?❞

being called out, the said male hummed. he didn't stop wiping the older's tears and gently caressing his arm to compose his bestfriend down. ❝hm?❞

❝if y-you're not busy..❞ jungwoo paused for a moment to catch his breath, doing his very best to stop the tears from falling and to stop sobs from coming out from his mouth. ❝c-can we go s-stargazing? i want t-to see him.❞

with a genuine smile, yukhei pulled him back to a tight hug and placed a hand behind his head just to let him rest on his shoulder. jungwoo didn't move an inch and stayed being held in his bestfriend's arms. ❝i'm just a call away, woo.❞

silence invaded them with jungwoo's sniffles being heard and yukhei hushing him down softly.

❝we can watch the stars the whole night and i won't mind.❞ yukhei said, sliding his hand behind the crying male's back and patting him gently. ❝i'd love to do that with you.❞

we all know how much he was willing to ditch everything just to make jungwoo happy

❝thank you..❞ clutching on to the younger's uniform, jungwoo bit his lower lip. he honestly wouldn't know what to do if yukhei wasn't here. he wouldn't know how much he'd breakdown if his bestfriend wasn't here for him. ❝yukhei, i l-love you.❞

oh, and after the kiss, the two would exchange each other those three words so casually now. as much as yukhei would love to put meaning to it, he knew very well what jungwoo meant truly by it. he knew that jungwoo would say that just to remind him how much he's grateful to have him by his side almost single time.

pulling away once more, yukhei cupped the older's face and leaned forward to place a short and soft kiss on top of his forehead. he stayed still for a couple of seconds and smiled before moving away just to see how jungwoo was doing. ❝i love you too.❞

with that, jungwoo snuggled close to him and got comfortable with just sitting on his lap and pulling the younger in his embrace. yukhei stayed smiling as he continued to pat his back and cradle him from side to side like baby. it went on for minutes till he could hear quiet snores coming from the older, indicating that he was asleep.

it was then he took the opportunity to add something from the three words he had said. ❝more than you know.❞

he very well knew that jungwoo would just take his 'i love you's lightly and treat it as if he said it just because they were bestfriend.

but no, yukhei meant those words. he really does love him, so much.

finally hushing the crying male down, and not intentionally putting him to sleep but he did in the end, yukhei was about to carefully stand up and carry his bestfriend with him but a woman came out from the room and that's when he knew, he had another person to comfort.

it's jungwoo's mother and if the son was hurt this bad, how much for the wife?

with tears falling down from her swollen eyes, she turned around and was surprise, yet it was heartwarming, to see jungwoo and his bestfriend being present there to comfort him. it made her cry even more when yukhei opened an arm for her.

❝need a shoulder to cry on, mrs. kim?❞

⚊ t b c ⚊