Between The Hidden World And Ours... - [YEONGYU FF]

Chapter 8

He gasped quietly and crouched down onto the floor, his hands hurrying to collect the fish before it garnered germs from the floor.

Snapping out of the shock, Yeonjun immediately ran over and knelt down next to him, grabbing the slippery fresh catch and tossing it back in the box.

"Yeonjun... I'm so sorry."

The aforementioned froze.

Beomgyu's voice was trembling.

He was clearly choking up, a sign that... he... was he crying?

Yeonjun placed the last salmon that was on the floor into the ice box and scooted closer to him, touching his shoulders.

"Hey... Beomgyu... it's okay... I'm sorry too, I should've not exploded like that."

You had every right to.

Beomgyu was quiet, hands splayed across his face, hiding himself.

Yeonjun's worry grew at his silence, wondering if Beomgyu wasn't actually crying, or his tears were silent tears.

Either way, he had no idea what to do to help—

"It's not you Yeonjun... it's me... it's always been because of me."

Yeonjun's heart dropped at Beomgyu's shaky voice. He thought that last night was the most vulnerable he'll ever see him, but no— this moment right now took the cherry on top.

Cautious, he removed Beomgyu's hands from his face, and held them in his to finally confirm he was right— Beomgyu was indeed crying.

Two clear streaks of water were dripping down from his glossy brown eyes, which grew puffy and red by the second.

Yeonjun has seen plenty of people cry before— Taehyun included— but never has it hurt him as much as it was hurting him right now, seeing Beomgyu like this.

So unusually emotional.

"What happened to you?" Yeonjun whispered.

Again, Beomgyu didn't answer, trying to dry his tears. Yeonjun glanced around and spotted a paper towel nearby, taking that and offering it to him.

Beomgyu accepted it without a word, and dabbed his eyes while Yeonjun patiently waited, wanting to finally be his open year.

Except that.....

"I can't— I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

And before Yeonjun could even stop him, Beomgyu already scrambled to his feet and ran out of the house, the door slamming shut.

≈≈≈≈≈

The heavy door to the public bathroom was sealed shut. No sound came through the solid material, and it was good for him.

Beomgyu didn't want anyone to hear the pitiful sobbing coming out of his own lips, burying his head in his knees as he replayed the moments from earlier.

All that hard work... for nothing.

Frustrated, Beomgyu crumbled his latest 80% in math into a ball, tossing it into the trash bin.

The conversation from earlier echoed in his ears.

SLAM!

Beomgyu flinched when he heard the slam of his test on the table.

"Again?! An 80% on math?!?!" his father explained.

"I said I'm sorry—"

"If you were really sorry, you would've been in your room studying for the next one! Instead, you're in the attic as always!" his mother continued.