Leo felt someone tapping him. He slowly opened his eyes seeing Junseo. Junseo placed a finger on his lips. "Shh the guards are still patrolling around" He whispered.
Leo weakly nodded. Junseo looked at him and sighed. "Sit, No guard is near. It's night, they won't see us" Junseo said, gently making Leo sit.
He looked at his bleeding knees that were stained with sand. "H-Hyung... I.. I didn't do it"
Leo croaked out. Junseo shook his head.
"You don't have to tell me. It's okay." He said rubbing Leo's hair.
"Sangwon... h-how's he?" Leo asked holding Junseo's hand. Junseo chuckled. "Look at you. You're in pain yet you're asking about him. I brought you food and water—
"H-Has he eaten?" Leo asked again and Junseo sighed. "If you want to be alive to see him, eat first" Junseo said opening the food flask.
"Open up" He said feeding Leo. "Sorry, If I had come earlier I could have done something but.. I'll protect you next time"
Leo wanted to speak but Junseo shut him up by putting food into his mouth.
"Don't speak. Remember what I said. Just have fun with Sangwon. Hyung will take care of the rest"
-
"Hyung! No!" Anxin yelled pushing Sangwon back away from the door. Sangwon panted looking at Anxin.
They've been doing this back and forth for hours.
'I need to see him'
"No. You have to stay here" Anxin refused.
'Why?'
"Because... Just because. I'm not letting you see him" Anxin said and Sangwon rolled his tongue against his cheek.
His eyes then widened. 'Are you hiding something from me? Did something worse happen to him?'
Anxin sighed. "Hyung. Stop worrying. Just stay here. I'll stay here tonight. I don't trust leaving you alone"
Sangwon gritted his teeth.
-
Leo wore back his shirt after Anxin dressed his wounds. He immediately turned to leave their room. "Where are you going? You just got released and you're leaving? Have some rest hyung"
Leo shook his head. "I need to see Sangwon"
"Sangwon hyung can wait, you can't even walk properly. Your clothes might brush against your wounds and they might start bleeding– hyung! Hyung!" Anxin clicked his tongue when Leo ignored him, leaving.
-
Sangwon quietly played his piano, gritting his teeth when he made mistakes he usually never made.
"We'll end the lesson here. You need to practice Sangwon. I don't know what's on your mind but it's affecting your performance"
Sangwon just nodded when his teacher patted his shoulder. He bowed to him as he left. He sat back down, staring into nothing.
He then felt someone covering his eyes.
"Guess who has come to see you"
Sangwon immediately turned seeing Leo looking back at him with a bright smile. He stood up crashing into Leo, tightly hugging him.
Leo folded his lips in pain when Sangwon rubbed against his wounds. He immediately smiled when Sangwon looked at him.
Sangwon held his face as he looked for wounds, when he tried turning him, Leo immediately stopped him.
"I'm okay. Look" Leo said grinning.
'I was scared. Are you okay?'
Leo nodded. He raised his arm. "I have good muscles, I barely felt anything."
'Have you eaten? Come I'll get you some food'
Leo held his hand stopping him.
"Relax. I've eaten. It wasn't even a punishment. The guards didn't even whip me, they just made me kneel.
They brought me food and we even played games together."
Leo smiled when he saw Sangwon sigh in relief. 'Someone framed you. We have to know'
"No, let it be. That was in the past now. What's important is that I'm in front of you. Right?"
Sangwon nodded and Leo smiled.
He hugged Sangwon. "Let's forget about it all. I'm here. I'm fine"
-
Jia Hao gritted his teeth hearing his parents fight again. He folded his lips looking at the blade in his hand.
He paused when he heard a knock on his window. He immediately hid the blade under his pillow and went to his window.
He opened his curtains and saw Anxin waving at him with a bright smile. He opened the window and Anxin crawled in.
He looked out the window to see if anyone saw.
He turned to Anxin who looked at him with a shy smile. "What are you doing here? How do you keep managing to escape the guards?"
Anxin chuckled and shrugged. "I came to tell you that Leo hyung has been released. You don't have to worry about Sangwon hyung, he's no longer worried"
Jia Hao looked down nodding. He then looked at him. "Is that all you came here to tell me? I could have known this on my own. What if the guards caught you?"
Anxin folded his lips as Jia Hao scolded.
"You would have rescued me"
Jia Hao kept quiet as he looked at him. Anxin looked back, looking away with a shy smile.
"My Parents are here. I can't have you around. Leave" Jia Hao said holding Anxin's hand.
"But hyung- I want to see you" Anxin protested not wanting to leave. Jia Hao looked at him seriously. Anxin pouted looking away.
Jia Hao rubbed his forehead sighing.
"You don't get it Anxin. My parents can't see you here"
"Why? Make me understand" Jia Hao sighed at Anxin's stubbornness.
"We can only see each other outside. Not here. They will..." He paused and looked at Anxin. He shook his head. "Just leave"
Anxin whined not wanting to leave as Jia Hao dragged his hand. "Hyung-
Jia Hao immediately hissed when Anxin held his wrist. Anxin looked at him worriedly. "H-Hyung is something wrong—
Anxin paused when he saw the cuts on his wrist. His face fell as he looked at Jia Hao.
Jia Hao immediately hid his hand behind his back, his eyes not reaching Anxin's.
"Leave"
Anxin blinked, still standing where he was.
"Anxin.. leave—
Anxin immediately hugged Jia Hao. He didn't say anything as he tightly hugged him, rubbing his back.