BAM!
An Phong froze, eyes wide, mind blank. Demyan's spinning kick was a blur—and then, just as it was about to smash into his face, a dark figure cut across, intercepting. Both Demyan and that shadow vanished from An Phong's view.
A chill ran down his spine. Cold sweat. If that kick had landed… he didn't want to imagine. Yet his face stayed composed, fists clenched, breathing steady.
Shouts erupted beside him.
"Aish! What the hell, Theodore Grantham!? Why are you here? What the fuck are you doing?!"
Demyan ripped off his helmet, tossing it to the floor, fingers dragging through his hair in frustration. "Unbelievable…"
A sharp punch landed on his head.
"Ow! Damn it!" he yelped.
"You bastard. Trying to kill him?!"
The voice was cold, commanding. Uy Phong.
An Phong's heart jolted. Since when—? Uy Phong was here? He'd been watching all along? The thought tangled him in confusion and relief, leaving him speechless.
The two cousins squared off like alpha wolves. Then Uy Phong flicked his gaze at An Phong—nose dripping blood onto the floor—and bolted past Demyan without hesitation.
"Hey! Where are you going? You're just gonna leave me here?" Demyan shouted after him.
Uy Phong ignored him. "You okay? Your shirt's soaked."
His brow furrowed, eyes dark with anger and worry.
An Phong, ever detached, just muttered, "Yeah," wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
Uy Phong caught that bloody hand, voice sharp. "Don't wipe it with your hand. That's disgusting. Use this."
He pulled a handkerchief from his hoodie and pressed it into An Phong's palm.
An Phong blinked at it—then used it to wipe his hand.
Uy Phong gaped, snatched it back, and pressed it to his nose instead. "Idiot. Your nose is bleeding, not your hand."
"My hand's bleeding too."
"…Shut up."
Behind him, Demyan tried resting a hand on Uy Phong's shoulder. Uy Phong shrugged it off, turning with a glare sharp enough to peel skin.
Demyan flinched, raising both hands. "Whoa. He's… your friend?"
"Do you even need to ask?" Uy Phong's voice was ice.
"Uh… I mean, sorry. Guess I went a little too hard."
Silence.
Demyan's eyes slid toward An Phong, who was still standing quietly with the bloodstained cloth. His lips twisted.
"So… is he your boyfriend?"
The air froze. An Phong's eyes widened. Uy Phong's face darkened like a storm.
Demyan backed up fast, waving his hands. "No, no, forget I said that! It's just—you care so much, and where I'm from, uh, same-sex stuff is kinda…"
"My classmate."
Uy Phong's words cut like steel.
"Classmate? Just that? Then why—"
Uy Phong didn't bother answering. He adjusted the handkerchief under An Phong's nose, then turned back, his stare frigid.
"Listen, Demyan. Two things."
"Y-yeah?"
"First. He's my age. So call him hyung, not 'kid.'"
"…Okay."
"Second… if you lay a hand on him again, I'll snap every bone in your legs—one by one—and toss you to the snow leopards in my family's reserve. You know I've got one in Canada. Don't test me."
The final word fell like a blade against Demyan's throat. His bravado crumbled into raw fear.
"Y-yes, sir…"
Uy Phong didn't spare him another glance. He seized An Phong by the wrist and pulled him toward the exit.
"Let's go."
Demyan stayed frozen, rattled, watching their backs vanish.
—
Outside, they stopped by a bench near the vending machines. An Phong draped his belt over his shoulder, sat, pressed the cloth to his nose, and sipped cold water, the metallic tang of blood lingering.
Uy Phong came running back, a small pharmacy bag in hand. He dropped onto the bench, still catching his breath.
"Got medicine. Tilt your head back, let me check."
"…Okay."
An Phong lifted his chin. Uy Phong shone his phone light into his nose, frowning, then eased.
"Bleeding's stopped. But I'm no doctor, so take some acetaminophen anyway."
"…What?"
"Painkiller."
"Oh."
An Phong swallowed the pill with water, then murmured, almost shy: "Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Silence settled, broken only by passing traffic. Uy Phong leaned back, eyes locked on him.
"Why didn't you dodge that kick? If I hadn't jumped in, your head would be rolling on the floor. That guy's insane. If something happened, your grandfather would tear my cousin apart."
"…I didn't react in time."
Uy Phong sighed, shaking his head. "You need a lot more training."
He cracked open a Coke, gulping it down, frustration bubbling with the fizz.
An Phong set his bottle aside, still clutching the handkerchief. His lips curved faintly. "But really… thanks for coming. I thought you wouldn't."
"Coming? To watch this mess? It wasn't a fight, it was torture. You were unlucky, stuck with a kid who's trained five years, plus MMA and boxing on top. Total disaster."
"Is that so?"
"Don't give me that blank face. I was losing my damn mind up there while you just stood there like a statue."
Uy Phong froze, realizing he'd said too much. His jaw clicked shut, but An Phong's gaze stayed fixed, reading him like a book.
He stiffened, crossing his arms. "Hey. I'm straight, okay?"
"…I didn't say anything."
"…" God, kill me now.
He cleared his throat. "Look—I only worried because you're my desk mate. That's all. Nothing else. Straight as an arrow."
An Phong's eyes glinted. "You mean gay, right?"
"Say it however you want. Just—don't say it out loud! It's awkward as hell!"
A quiet snort slipped from An Phong. A rare smile softened his face, melting the tension. Uy Phong couldn't help smirking back, shaking his head.
"You… If it hurts, say so. If it's dangerous, run. Don't freeze up like that, or people won't know when to stop—like that idiot today."
"…Got it. Next time it hurts, I'll say something."
"Good. Remember—when it hurts, speak up."
"…It hurts."
"What? Where? Your nose?"
"No. Your foot's on mine."
"Shit! Sorry! I didn't notice!"
"…Mm. You're talkative tonight."
"Talkative my ass—"
And so they kept trading words, until night settled deep and they finally went their separate ways. At the corner, Uy Phong waved back.
"Hey! Next time I see you getting beat to a pulp like that, you're dead meat."
But his steps slowed, just enough to glance back one last time before walking off.
An Phong stayed rooted, watching his figure fade into the dark, ears still echoing with that line: When it hurts, say so.
Strange how something so simple refused to leave his chest.
And with that thought circling, he finally turned for home, the day's exhaustion and odd warmth trailing with him.