WARNING: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, explicit and sexual scenes, intense language and use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.
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CHAPTER XI
As he tried to apply the ointment to Jooheon's bruises, the elder couldn't cease his giggles upon apprehending Changkyun's gentle touch against his skin. Of course, the youngest demanded him to remain silent-- terrified that their loud laughter will prevent them from perceiving Minjun's arrival at the house.
Finishing up with the ointment, Changkyun sets it aside on the nightstand, his last laugh quieting down. "Today was such a fucking mess," he admits, his eyes retaining upon the petite ointment bottle.
Jooheon emerges with a smile, his eyes scanning Changkyun's entire visage. "At least we made it out alive. I take that as something. Don't you, too?"
"Of course, Jooheon," Changkyun says. He turns his attention upon Jooheon, their lips inches away from each other. The urge of wanting to smooch Jooheon's plump lips doesn't fail to leave him. If he could-- he'll kiss those lips for an entire day, perhaps even run his hands all over Jooheon's tone figure.
"Kyunni?" Jooheon calls out to the youngest for the third time, hindering his smutty dreams. "Earth to Kyunni-- you've been drowning in your thoughts. What are you thinking about?"
Changkyun's cheeks go red, and he shakes his head, a slightly abashed grin embellishing his appearance. "It's nothing, Jooheon. You should go and rest-- you took a lot of blows from those men."
"Prison was worse," Jooheon remarks with a shrug. He rests the rear of his head against the headboard of the bed.
Changkyun tilts his head, curious about Jooheon's announcement. "How was prison-like, Jooheon? I've been meaning to ask you that, but I'm not sure if the question is sensitive to you."
Jooheon shakes his head as he scoffs, "Not at all, Kyunni." He sits upon his rear. "I will say that prison is hell. But, I guess I only say that because you weren't there."
"If I was your cell buddy, would things have been better for you?" Changkyun quirks a brow, a sneer creeping over his face.
"Oh, totally, Kyunni," Jooheon says with a smirk. "Perhaps we could have tried out prison sex. Doesn't sound bad, does it?"
Changkyun profoundly sighs. "Please don't tell me that's your sexual fantasy, Jooheon."
"I doubt you'll be surprised to hear what my kinks are," Jooheon adds, a vague chuckle cutting through.
Ascending to his feet, Changkyun nears Jooheon, plastering a kiss on Jooheon's lips before drawing away. With a smile, he says, "I'm going to take a shower, Jooheon. Get some rest, okay?"
"Of course, Kyunni," Jooheon responds, a gentle smile decorating his front.
Allowing Changkyun to escape from the room, Jooheon watches as his figure disappears from his view behind the chamber door. Taking in another deep sigh, Jooheon sprouts up to his feet, marching up to the wall mirror that hung by the window. He takes a moment to admire his appearance-- the garments over his body concealing his bruises and cuts.
The prison was hell-- with or without Changkyun, the place has changed Jooheon's perspective about people entirely. His cell buddy was nothing but a crackhead-- a crackhead that got detained by the police for selling illegal drugs. Regardless, he was released earlier than Jooheon-- solely for a difference of two years; And for Jooheon to be arrested for a crime he hasn't committed prompts him to grow with wrath and annoyance.
It was all Gun-hee's fault. If it weren't for him, Dong-rim, Jackson, and Bhuwakul-- also known as Bambam, he wouldn't have gotten in the mess that got him in trouble with the police. He still can't believe they didn't believe him, and the absence of his parents and the records he obtained with the police provoked the judge to consider Jooheon as guilty for the crime.
"What the hell. . . it's all over," Jooheon reminds himself, his attention drawing away from the mirror.
He steps out of the room, stalking down the corridor and stepping foot inside the kitchen. In there-- before the fridge-- he draws out a beer bottle for himself. Moving ahead to plant it down on the table, he instinctively freezes in his position upon apprehending a voice booming from the living room. But it's not any voice.
It belongs to Minjun.
"I want you to tell me something-- and I need you to tell me the shitty truth, Jooheon," Minjun strictly asserts.
Jooheon scoffs, turning away from the neglected beer bottle. He lays his eyes upon Minjun, his arms crossing before his chest. "What is there for me to tell you? Those henchmen you sent to attack--"
"I didn't send them," Minjun immediately says as he ascends to his feet.
"They attacked Kyunni, too. That wasn't your intention, was it?"
Minjun pauses for a solid second before muttering "Fuck" beneath his breath. He approaches Jooheon, his glare melting over the other's face. Minjun has a lot of secrets-- and he's keeping them from Changkyun.
Minjun ceases before Jooheon. "You stay away from Changkyun-- and we won't have any fucking problems."
"Stay away from Changkyun?" Jooheon emerges with a foxy sneer. "For fuck's sake, you barely even make time for him, asshole. All his sexual urges-- I was the one who took care of them. Not to mention we've made out several times behind your shitty back--"
Jooheon's quickly cut off when Minjun's fist ruthlessly strikes his cheek. His body stumbles to the side, his figure colliding against the fridge. He eyes Minjun-- with wide eyes, but succeeding to conceal his devious smirk. Even if he adores to annoy Minjun further, he wouldn't want him to hurt Changkyun.
"You're the one provoking it!" Minjun snaps, his glare turning into a fiery gaze. "I should have had those shitty gangsters wound you for what you're doing!"
"If I tell Changkyun what you just told me, do you think you guy's relationship will end up in the ditch?" Jooheon vaguely laughs, but it only prompts Minjun to grow furious.
He initiates to strike Jooheon's face again, causing the said name's bruises to grow worse and dwell with agony. Nevertheless, Jooheon doesn't fight back against Minjun-- which angers him even more. Still, Jooheon will not beat Minjun in return. If he does, Changkyun might believe he partook in the fight, and end up in another argument with him.
Whatever obstacles he faces, Jooheon solely promised himself he'll save his former relationship with Changkyun.
Ceasing his blows, Minjun watches-- with hysteria-- as Jooheon's figure weakly collapses to the surface. His back rests against the cabinets of the sink, his bruised lip bleeding from a cut made by Minjun's punches.
"You. . . r-really need to control your anger. . ." Jooheon remarks with a sharp inhale.
Minjun narrows his eyes upon Jooheon. At first, he didn't apprehend why he didn't fight back but immediately recognized Jooheon's tactic. He attempted to anger Minjun so he could hurt him. He did it so Changkyun could see what he has done.
"You fucker!" Minjun shouts, his fingers tingling with anxiety.
Jooheon urges himself to look up at Minjun, apprehending his distress. He merely chuckles at his misery and says, "I only did what needed to be done."
"Minjun? What the hell just happened in here?!"
Immediately freezing in his stance, Minjun looks over his shoulder, his eyes locking with Changkyun's. In the youngers eyes, the eldest pinpoint horror and anger. But, before he can explain himself, Changkyun pushes past him, stalking up to Jooheon's figure and kneeling by his side. Admiring Jooheon's bruises prompts Changkyun's stomach to churn.
"I had a reason, Kyun!--" Minjun shouts, but immediately gets cut off by Changkyun's cry.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Minjun?! You hurt Jooheon for no fucking reason!" He jumps up to his feet. "I expected you to be better! But I was wrong! Fuck! I was wrong about you!"
Minjun furrows his brows as his face flushes entirely red. "Changkyun!-- There's no reason for you to behave this way! You've been cheating on me with Jooheon! Why? Why will you do that?!"
"I'll tell you why!" Changkyun shouts, his voice increasing with each word that slips from his lips. "You never have time for me-- never! You weren't there when I graduated from College! You weren't there when I auditioned at Special K Entertainment! And you weren't there when I got my ankle surgery!" He pauses for a second, his breathing becoming heavy with the wrath that dwelled inside of him. "Fucking hell-- Minjun. You never acted like a boyfriend!"
Silence surrounds them. Minjun attempts to process everything that occurred. It's obvious-- Changkyun's going to dump him all because of Jooheon.
Jooheon. That motherfucker.
Apprehending Minjun's stillness, Changkyun strictly announces, attempting to cease his anger from blowing, "Minjun, leave the house. Leave the house. Now."
"But, Changkyun--"
"Leave! Just fucking leave, okay?! I want you out of the house. I don't want you here anymore," Changkyun concludes, turning his back to Minjun, silently declaring that the conversation is over.
The youngest doesn't understand why his heart beats harshly against his ribcage. He did what was needed to be done long ago. He stood up against Minjun-- spilled all of the feelings he felt for him. Changkyun's crazy to date him.
He's always loved Jooheon, not Minjun.