TIME ─ JAEYONG

027⸰

this gave them the alone time they needed to talk. "so, your uncle says i can only kiss you on the lips and cheek now."

"you aren't going to follow his rules exactly right? his restrictions are dumb. i know how much you like kissing my neck and you know how much i love it as well."

"i can't send you home with love bites anymore. he'll think i disobeyed his rules and who knows what he might do."

the door opening cut their conversation. sicheng, however, wasn't done with the topic. he wanted to continue what he and yuta were doing in secret and he planned on getting yuta to agree on breaking the set of rules.

"hi taeyong, jaehyun. let me get you something to drink." sicheng quickly whipped up a fresh brew. he set the steaming cups down and pulled yuta into the back room to finish what they started.

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while jaehyun and taeyong waited for yuta to finish up whatever he needed to speak to sicheng about, they sipped on their drinks quietly.

jaehyun could see that the anticipation was eating taeyong alive. the way he continuously shook his leg, moved his eyes from his cup to the window, even to the way he tapped his fingers against the mug.

"he'll be fine taeyong." he tried in a reassuring tone, his hand just barely brushing against taeyong's. tae looked back from the window to their nearly touching hands and smiled.

"i hope so."

"yuta, we should be able to do whatever we want." sicheng's voice grew louder. taeyong stopped shaking his leg and leaned in closer as if that would help to hear better. jae sent taeyong a confused glance but leaned in as well.

"sicheng i told you—"

"yuta we're together now. couples have the right to touch each other and have sex. we shouldn't be restricted from what we want to do!"

taeyong's eyes grew wide at the comment. jaehyun clamped a hand over his mouth that was now hung to muffle his gasp. "baby, listen—"

"no yuta. you can't kiss me and touch me and then stop all because my uncle told you so." it sounded like sicheng stomped his foot on the ground. "i'm needy too."

jaehyun could literally picture sicheng with a pout on his face and arms crossed while yuta ran his fingers through his hair, a method he picked up when stressed.

"sicheng i understand you're needy but for right now it's important for me to stay in your uncle's good books. when we're farther in our relationship then those restrictions will go out the window, okay? now stop pouting."

"fine. when you come over though, i won't give you kisses or let you hold my hand." taeyong and jaehyun scrambled to act normal once the door to the back room opened.

jaehyun cleared his throat and brought the mug to his lips whereas taeyong crossed his leg, looking at the imaginary watch on his wrist.

"we can go now." yuta muttered. taeyong looked at the two. sicheng still seemed bitter and yuta looked uncomfortable, most likely knowing they heard the conversation loud and clear.

"right. thanks for the drinks sicheng." jaehyun was the first one out the door. taeyong bowed to sicheng and rushed out the door, nearly bumping into jaehyun on the way.

"i can still feel the awkwardness." jaehyun shivered. they watched through the glass window as yuta tried to hug sicheng goodbye only to get pushed away. yuta exited the cafe with his head hung low.

"all because i want to be a good boyfriend and wait a while. am i the bad guy here?" he moped as jaehyun patted him on the back.

"no, but you are a bad best friend for not telling me you finally asked him out!" jaehyun slapped yuta's arm. "you are so rude. i'm sick of being left out of things."

"gosh. is everyone going to pick on me today? taeyong, are you next?" taeyong shook his head, earning a sigh from yuta. "let's get this over with."

taeyong knew exactly where doyoung would be located. there was an abandoned building he resided in. the windows were busted open, the walls were run down and moldy, rats and mice scurried across the floors but it was shelter. a place to call home.

a bunch of other homeless citizens shared the place since it was pretty spacious. tents, carts with blankets and other junk the homeless managed to scavenge littered the dusty floor.

jaehyun shivered as all their beady eyes landed on them at the entrance. a scruffy looking fellow with dried up blood on his upper lip approached them at the entrance. his rotten teeth and repugnant breath caused jae's eyes to water.

"what can we help you with? not here to steal our stuff aye?"

"no. we came to visit someone."

"go ahead." taeyong went first. jaehyun stayed in the middle, he felt safer knowing yuta was behind him. over in the far corner of the building was a torn up green tent, it belonged to doyoung. taeyong was sure of it but none of his stuff was in it and neither was he.

"his stuff is gone."

"are you sure this is his? there are plenty of other green tents—"

"i know this is his!" he snapped. "i'm the one who gave it to him." his voice softened. taeyong looked around at the other homeless people, one wearing a familiar checkered shirt caught his eye.

he jogged up to him, expecting to see doyoung but it wasn't. his hair wasn't orange nor was his skin complexion light. taeyong tapped him on his shoulder. the man turned to him, an annoyed look plastered on his stubbly face.

"what kid?"

"where did you get that shirt from?" he looked down at the shirt in thought.

"ah right. some kid named dongyoung or something like that."

"you mean doyoung? orange hair?"

"yeah yeah him. he use to live over there." he pointed to the tent they had just come from. taeyong furrowed his eyes at the man's statement.

"use to? what do you mean use to?"

"he died yesterday. right outside the building." taeyong felt his world collapse from under him. his fingers went numb, his mind blank. jaehyun and yuta shared horrified looks as taeyong crumbled to his knees.

"h—he died..."

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ah, so saddening. tysm for reading and voting!