Bully Me ✔️

15. Twisted Understanding

Sehyuk turns to the television stuck to the wall, switching on and randomly flipping through channels. He keeps the remote on his lap after finding a documentary about lions. He sighs as his eyes fall on his thighs. He's been in a wheelchair for almost a month and a half now. The boy doesn't know how he's going to break the news to his parents, they still don't know about his condition. Whenever they call, Sehyuk either sits on his bed or on the couch before answering their video calls.

"Stop watching boring stuff," a voice states, placing bowls of ramyeon on the table. "I'll get the drinks."

The smell of ramyeon is appetizing, spicy but a bit sour. Sehyuk is about to pick up his chopsticks and dig in when the door to his bedroom opens. "I thought you'd be sleeping for longer, it's been just fifteen minutes or so."

Jaemin digs his upper tooth into his lip, giving a small smile. "For someone who works part-time, there's no telling when I'll be called in to take over someone's shift. So yeah, thanks, I'll be heading out now."

As the shorter boy nears the door, Kihyun steps in with two glasses of coke.

"Leaving so early, Byun?"

"Not all of us have the luxury of spending daddy's money on a whim. So, I'm going to work." The door clicks shut right after.

"Why would you do that? No one can win against Jaemin in a debate." Sehyuk snickers at the sad puppy-like eyes Kihyun has stuck to the door.

"Whatever, I don't care." The dark-haired boy replies, sitting on the carpeted floor and reaching for a spoon. He takes a bit of the ramyeon soup and sips, immediately coughing and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, then trailing his fingers over his throat.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah...the food is just too spicy for me." Kihyun drops his head on the seat of the sofa is sitting in front of. "You can have my share too."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine, not hungry anyway."

"But—"

"I'm going to meet my brother today," Kihyun blows air through his mouth, lips shaped in an 'O'. "Do...can you come with me this time too?"

"Why do you want me there?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But it's nice to someone is at your side."

"Who says I'm on your side?"

"You're there, physically at least. I guess that's more than enough."

'How affection starved are you, Kang Kihyun?' The thought is loud in Sehyuk's mind but he keeps quiet at the corners of the older's lips pulled up into a small, but his eyes are defeated, with dark circles under them.

"Let's go after I'm done eating."

"Sure."

The situation he is in is clearly taking a toll on Kihyun. He speaks lesser than usual, usually doing whatever Sehyuk asks him to do without any complaints. His health may soon be another problem if he keeps on refusing to eat properly.

"Grab something light from the kitchen while I get dressed," Sehyuk says, keeping back the ramyeon bowl on the centerpiece and wheeling towards his bedroom. "Thank you for the food, bocchan! I was afraid you'd even burn water but you're full of surprises."

"Shut up," Kihyun mutters, picking up the empty glasses and bowls.

The blond enters his bedroom, heading straight for his wardrobe and picking out a white tee and denim jacket to go with the jeans he's already wearing. He then wheels to the dressing table, spraying a few puffs of cologne and tousling his hair with his fingers. His heart pangs at the sight of his motorbike keys sitting on top of his dressing table. Sehyuk is slowly losing hope in ever walking again, but his therapist asks him to stay positive. But there's a limit to that. He averts his eyes and opens his wallet, only to find it empty.

"Where's my money?" He mumbles looking around. "I just put it here last night." He checks his drawers and nightstand, even the wardrobe but finds nothing. It's his monthly allowance his parents sent. "Where could it go?" He wonders, but then it clicks, Kihyun had entered his room yesterday to drop off the washed laundry.

"Kang Kihyun!" Sehyuk fumes, opening his bedroom door to find the boy seated on the couch. "Did you take my money?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The money I withdrew yesterday is gone. You're the only one who was with me at the time."

"Min Sehyuk," Kihyun warns with sharp eyes. "Are you accusing me of being a thief?"

"Yes! What else am I supposed to think? You've been living here and you got no money. I didn't remove the cash from my wallet since yesterday."

Maybe, J—" The older seals his lips together. "Stop accusing me! I may be a selfish jerk who only thinks about himself and yes, I do accept I am a bully. But I'm no thief." He grits, his face reddening in anger.

Sehyuk chuckles with no humor lingering to it. "At least, you admitted being a bully."

"I thought...I thought we had a twisted understanding of some sort. Twisted but still an understanding in the end...such a fool, you're just like the rest of them. You have no proof I stole your money." With one final word, he's leaving the apartment. "I won't be coming back here anymore."

There's pin-drop silence and Sehyuk takes in long breaths to calm himself down. His accusation echoes in the living room, the ghost of his harsh tone building up tension in his gut. Maybe, no, he should've approached the matter with levelheadedness. Now, he has an angry Kang Kihyun to deal with. "Crap!" Sehyuk groans, pushing the joystick of his wheelchair to maneuver outside his apartment.

"Come on, come on!" He repeatedly presses the elevator button as if it would have an effect. As soon as he's in, he presses the ground floor button, moving out when it reaches it.

Sehyuk's shoulders sag in relief at the sight of Kihyun sitting in the lobby, on one of the twelve-seater, elbows supported in his knees. The security guard is sitting at his desk, mobile phone in his hand.

"What? Did you forget something else that you're going to accuse me of?" The older boy grunts, scoffing, eyes trained on the marbled floor.

Sehyuk raises his hands in surrender. "I come in peace. I realized I shouldn't have blown up on you like that."

"Whatever. I have no business with you anymore."

"Be the bigger person and forgive me."

"Shouldn't you have thought about that before accusing me? Seriously, it's not about that anymore."

"Then?"

Kihyun sighs, scratching his forehead. "I hate the fact that my life has been going down the drain since my brother went to prison. And I didn't realize I was becoming my...father. I'd rather die than be him..." he then looks at the blond, taking his silence as a cue to continue. "You kept calling me a bully for months but today in the heat of the moment only did I admit it to myself..."

Kihyun plays with his fingers, distracting himself. "I have been abused by my father for years now, I'm a victim but didn't know when I became the one throwing punches."

Sehyuk stares at the vulnerable boy, spilling his feelings, but he doesn't know how he's supposed to console his aching heart. "Twisted understanding. That's what you said you thought we had. You're not wrong." He smiles. "Do you know why I came back here from America?"

There's a pause before Kihyun answers, tilting his head slightly. "Because you were bullied?"

"No, because I was the bully."