His last year of high school should have been a lonely affair too. And it was, at least at school.
Do-Yung refused to go to college at first. He found it a bother and assured Na-Kyum he could find work without it. It was only after Na-Kyum begged in tears that he agreed to apply. He had incredible grades despite his laziness, another difference between the hard-working orphan who pulled all-nighters before every exam and struggled to get good grades and the carefree senior who only had to glance at the book to get it all. At least, he had the genius as a free tutor so he couldn't complain. Do-Yung was infinitely patient with him.
« Come to bed, » he whined, the usually impassible man only ever this open with him.
« Nope, » Na-Kyum ignored him and sat on the rug with a headlight on. The dormitory was dark and quiet. « Go to sleep. »
« I can't sleep without you, » Do-Yung complained, sounding so much like a petulant kid it made him smile. It was true, whenever he came back from those vacations he had yet to explain to Na-Kyum, he'd be exhausted, the dark circles under his eyes telling.
« I need to ace this test, » Na-Kyum frowned at the incomprehensible formulas on the notebook. A minute passed before Do-Yung sighed and climbed down the ladder. His body was already way too big to accommodate the bed but no matter how much Na-Kyum insisted, he refused to sleep apart.
« I'll teach you. »
Na-Kyum got an A.
The first month after the start of the school year, Do-Yung had announced he had found a part-time job and dragged Na-Kyum around town in search of an appartement. Their appartement.
Na-Kyum had finally let go of his dream of being the one to get them out. But he did it happily. There was no way he'd wish for his hyung to stay a minute longer than necessary amongst those cruel gangsters, no matter that they had long stopped hurting him. Now he just dreamed of living together peacefully, like a normal family.
« The master bedroom has the best view on the Han river, » the real estate agent, a middle-aged woman wearing a champagne blouse over a black pencil skirt, stated as they toured the appartement.
Na-Kyum gaped and started sweating as he realized his hyung had no concept of money.
« We'll ta- » The silly giant deadpanned.
« Think about it ! » Na-Kyum rushed to say with an awkward smile. « Thank you for the tour but we have an urgent appointment in half an hour. »
« We do ? » Do-Yung tilted his head at him, looking like a lost puppy.
Na-Kyum dragged him out before he could embarrass them more.
« Hyung… » He sighed as they sat in front of a convenience store, munching on snacks Na-Kyum had bought with his small allowance. « Let me handle the search, alright ? »
Of course, Do-Yung had easily agreed and a few days later they found themselves in the middle of a tiny, one-bedroom appartement. Na-Kyum proudly smiling at Do-Yung with his hands on his hips as hyung stared at the landlady dubiously.
« So cheap, » he remarked.
« I-I can lower… » The lady who had sounded a lot meaner over the phone gulped and looked down at her hands.
« It's perfect ! » Na-Kyum exclaimed excitedly.
It was small, there was spot of mold in the corners, he had counted at least four bugs while visiting, the kitchen sink had a leak, the bedroom's window had a crack, it was thirty minutes away from both their schools. It was perfect.
Do-Yung's face softened as he noticed his excitement and he quickly signed the lease.
« Our first home… » Na-Kyum couldn't stop smiling as they went to bed on the old mattress the previous tenant had left behind. It was weird to have space and they instinctively kept close. Also, the window let the wind in and it was cold so they had to warm up and share the unique blanket.
« Hm, » Do-Yung had smiled back at him, gaze warm as Na-Kyum giggled, glee brimming out of his every pores.
« Finally, » he hugged the taller man tightly. « You're finally safe. »
The ball of worry that had been eating at his gut for a decade disappeared as they fell asleep in the humid, freezing room.
Do-Yung quickly furnished the appartement with what it lacked, once again under Na-Kyum's vigilant eyes. There was no way they were buying that flatscreen no matter how good it looked or how much they liked watching movies together on the week-ends. The major piece was the sofa though and Na-Kyum decided to put his feet down. They were two healthy grown men now. They couldn't sleep together anymore and they had the space to proceed through. He omitted the shameful dreams he had grown used to. Also, Na-Kyum felt that he needed to do this to go back to what it was. He couldn't see his brother that way. He wouldn't.
It took him two weeks to give up.
Do-Yung never slept in his bedroom. Every single morning, no matter that he had warned him about it before going to sleep, Na-Kyum woke up in the same warm, familiar arms. He figured there was no need to pretend anymore and they finally, to Do-Yung's greatest pleasure, moved back to the bedroom. Their bedroom.