''Ethan?" He looked up and saw a familiar face
''Ah … Dohyun '' ethan said surprised and relieved at the same time. Dohyun looked at his friend who didn't look well and seemed tired ''Are you here with someone?" He asked but ethan only shoke his head and Dohyun without waiting for any invitation sat down next to him putting the box that he had with him on the other chair, ethan glanced at the box and then at him ''So you're here alone as well '' he said while placing his head on the table looking a little sad
''Yah I had to go pick up something and felt hungry so I decided to have something quick, what's your excuse?" Dohyun replied while massaging his wrists ''Pfft!, excuse? You hit a nerve! Haha!'' Ethan laughed at the perceptiveness of dohyun , he then replied after some seconds ''I recently moved out of my aunts place today and thought I'd grab something quick''
''You moved, why?" Dohyun asked curiously
''Well it's a long story, for now just now that I don't have a good relationship with her family'' ethan replied calmy while still laying down he yawned and added ''so I decided to move back into my parents old house, it's better that way''
''So you live alone now?" Dohyun asked worried about his friend and saviour ''Yes so after this I need to get some groceries '' ethan said lazily
The food came before Dohyun could say anything and they ate in silence.
After the meal Dohyun glanced at his friend's tired face wondering what happened to him at his aunts house that led to him moving out, but he didn't press further to respect his friends Privacy although he was genuinely curious. Ethan sensing his friends gaze broke the silence ''So going home now?"
Dohyun checked his phone before replying ''Ah… no actually, I thought I'd stick around and help you with the shopping
…if that's okaywith you?''
Ethan was surprised, he didn't expect his friend to offer some assistance and to be honest he did need the assistance so he didn't hesitate and replied '' Sure! Let's go right now!"
He stood up and headed to the counter and paid before coming back and dragging Dohyun out ''wait! I haven't paid for my meal yet!"
''Relax! I paid for both our meals'' ethan replied while walking to the grocery store
''Wha– Ah forget it! The next ones on me okay''
''Sure sure whatever'' ethan just smiled at his friend
They entered the store and left Dohyun's box with the security guard, they moved around for a bit and went to the till to check out ''wait, is that all?'' Dohyun asked glancing inside ethan's shopping basket that only had some bottles of water and drinks, aswell as some packets of noodles and lollipops, the majority of his things were sweets (strawberry flavoured sweets).
''Huh? Is there an Issue? '' Ethan replied with a confused expression.
Dohyun just looked at his friend and sighed, he didn't know what to think and was too scared to even ask him. Ethan wondered why his friend looked at him with a pitiful expression and shrugged it off while paying for his stuff, they then walked towards the bus station together. ''Which area are you staying in?" Dohyun asked with a complicated expression on his face
''Just around this neighborhood'' ethan casually replied with a lollipop in his mouth. Dohyun was stunned because this neighborhood was known for it's luxurious houses and affluent residents with beautiful cafes and malls. The only reason he came here was because he had to pick up his mum's parcel and would never hang out here on any other day. So how could his friend survive here?, and with no one to take care of him, his heart ached when he thought about how ethan would struggle to provide food for himself in the future. What happened to his parents was no secret, he knew they were rich and so it wasn't surprisingly that he was living in this affluent neighborhood, but he also heard about the rumors that were going around the school, about how ethan's parents gave everything they had to his aunt and uncle leaving nothing for their useless son, and si ethan was forced to beg them to take care of him. He didn't know how true those rumours were and didn't want to jump to conclusions. He would wait for ethan to tell him the details and wouldn't pry into his business.
''Dohyun!''
He was pulled out his thoughts when ethan called his name. ''Aren't you getting on?"
Ethan looked at him with furrowed brows ''Ah, sorry …um see you on monday '' he said then got on the bus.
Ethan sighed and just shoke his head 'what was up with him'
he then waited for the next bus.
Once he got home he made sure to lock all the doors and pack his groceries, there wasn't much to pack since he bought a few stuff. He simply had no idea what to buy for the house and instead of buying things that he would not use, he decided to buy only the things that he knew how to use.
....
Somewhere else Dohyun was in his room looking all gloomy on his bed, when his elder sister burst in disrupting his thoughts ''Dohyun! Haven't you heard mum calling you!"
He didn't move and just lay limply on his bed
''Hey! Get up you lazy ass up!'' She shouted as she pulled him off the bed making him stumble to his feet ''Ugh, Nunna!"
''Don't Nunna me, tell me what's wrong?!"
She replied while dragging him out of his room.
''I'm not in the mood to eat, just leave me alone'' he tried to protest as his sister dragged him to the table
''Doki, you don't want to eat?" His mother said while placing the last dish onto the table
''What?! Who doesn't want to eat?" His second older sister asked shocked by what she just heard, she couldn't believe it, her younger brother was such a foodie and for him to refuse food there must be something wrong with him again, this reminded her of what had happened to him. Earlier that year he had stopped eating much and grew thinner, they just attributed it to puberty and didn't press further but to their surprise, they had received a report from the school that he was being bullied, this enraged them to think someone was hurting their precious Doki. They felt bad and apologised to him promising him anything, even offering a transfer of schools but he refused and told them not to worry. They thought that he might be getting bullied again which made them all worry
''Son is everything okay?" His father asked worry etched into his voice. Dohyun sensing everyone's unease rubbed his temple in frustration ''Yes I'm okay, it's nothing don't worry about me and just eat…oh and I made not getting bullied'' he added and left leaving everyone looking unconvinced.
He went to his room and closed the doors and lay on his bed. He was seriously worried about his friend and was thinking about some ways to help him.