Red Strings

Red Strings 8/?

A case of 2 broken ribs, punctured lung, busted lip, open cut on the forehead, and a black eye. A few other cuts scattered here and there, some worse than others but none needed as many stitches as the one on his face.

Taekwoon let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes as he remembered the sight of Wonsik. They had made it just in time to see the paramedics lift the bloodied man onto a stretcher, Taekwoon nearly collapsing into his father's arms in shock as Jaehwan ran over to them with tears of his own running down his face. Though they had dimly met each other, the despair of the state Wonsik was in was enough for the two to hold onto each other tightly.

"Coffee?"

Taekwoon opened his eyes to see a cup of steaming caffeine, Jaehwan offering a small smile. "Thank you." He grabbed the cup gratefully, blowing at it as the other took a seat next to him.

"I don't think I ever got to introduce myself. Lee Jaehwan, but you can call me Ken if you want. It's basically a Ravi for me." The younger male smiled his cheeky smile, though Taekwoon had a feeling it could reach much higher if they had met on better terms.

"Jung Taekwoon." He answered softly, bringing his hand out for the other to take.

"I know." Jaehwan laughed, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet finally meet you. Wonsik's talk about you."

"Good things, I hope."

"Nothing but." Silence ensued for a few seconds, Jaehwan looking torn between saying something or keeping it to himself. "You know... Wonsik... Wonsik's completely whipped for you. Came to my house crying over you just yesterday night."

Taekwoon frowned, pausing in his sip of coffee. "Crying? Did I make him cry?"

"No." Jaehwan chuckled a little, "He's just an emotional little bitch sometimes even though he tries not to."

"Why was he crying than?"

"Because he liked you more than he can handle." Jaehwan hummed,"He's scared."

Taekwoon didn't respond, merely staring at his cup.

"You know why?"

"Because he thinks he's ruining me." Taekwoon answered, getting a nod of approval from Jaehwan, a look of surprise and impressment on the others face. "He thinks I don't like him as much as I say I do. Doesn't want to believe it because he thinks I can't tell the difference between like and like-like."

"You're a lot smarter than he's let me in to believe." Jaehwan murmured as he stares at the male his friend is completely head-over-heels for.

"Not really, I do struggle on a daily basis when experiencing new feelings with him. But I know the butterflies I get in my stomach and the way my heart skips two beats when he says my name is not the effects of a friendly like." Taekwoon paused, "Plus, he's a lot easier to read than he'd like to be when he's with me."

"Amen to that." The other sighed. "You should tell him that. Reassure him before he makes a dumb mistake and lets you go thinking it's for the best."

"I think we both know even then he'll find an excuse to leave. It's not me he's scared of, it's the way he feels towards me." Taekwoon stared at his own reflection, feeling almost unacquainted with himself. When had he really began to catch on? Why couldn't he had just stayed ignorant to the things around him like he had grown use to? Things hurt a lot less than.

But nothing felt as good either. Sure, the pain and sadness he felt now was tenfold of what he's ever felt before but the happiness he felt outweighed everything. His knack for wisdom and urge to understand more and more was driving him more than ever. He wanted to know the good and bad, wanted to know all there was to be felt.