Life Again Chapter 5
Title: Life Again
Author: Redeim
Genre: Angst/AU-Past story
Rating: R-ish
Pairing: GDYB if you want; GDTOP in later chapters
Summary: JiYong had been happy… So what happened?
Random Note (again): I'm REALLY bored tonight... but the plot bunnies in my head are only scheming instead of giving me plots. =.=
YoungBae thought he’d jump around the room in joy when JiYong finally decided to take a bite out of his banana he’d gotten with breakfast. He called to Umma-sshi happily.
“What is the fuss?” She asked, but didn’t need an answer as she looked to the younger boy, a smile spreading across her face as he devoured the banana. “Congratulations JiYong, you’re out of here.” She told him. “I’ll go get the dismissal papers.”
It had been a few weeks since JiYong had returned to home and the boy was playing with a cookie before chomping down on it. “If I have to do another math problem…” He groaned, almost as if warning his friend.
YoungBae laughed. “That’s what you get for missing so much.”
JiYong squirmed. “Can I just quit high school?”
“No, YG would kill you.”
“How about life?”
“I would kill you.”
JiYong remained silent, but a smile spread across his face.
“Next, English.”
JiYong’s smile faded immediately and he groaned.
“Hey, Hey, YoungBae, I got a tattoo, check it out.” JiYong told the other man one day, showing his forearm.
“It’s fake.” YoungBae replied casually.
JiYong pouted. “How can you tell?”
“If it were real, it would be swollen and red. It’s like a cut, it scabs and turns red and bleeds.”
“One day I’ll get a real tattoo.” JiYong promised with a strange smile on his face.
YoungBae wondered the reason behind his friend wanting one.
“JiYong? What is it?” YoungBae asked, hearing the boy squirming in his bed one night.
“Get off…” The boy growled, low and sleepily, proving to be a dream.
YoungBae knew this would happen eventually. It was when JiYong started thrashing that he rushed over to the other boy’s bed and woke him, the boy in a cold sweat. YoungBae held onto him until they both fell asleep.
The next day, JiYong looked worn out, as if he had gotten no sleep at all.
“JiYongie, are you okay?” YoungBae asked his friend.
JiYong looked up to him with dark eyes, and tears were let out. “I’m scared.” He whined repeatedly, crying until he fell asleep again, holding onto YoungBae desperately. YoungBae had their manager call the school and tell them they were both sick.
YoungBae didn’t know what led the sudden bout of depression when JiYong had been doing pretty well, but he almost expected it. He was relieved when he caught a glimpse of JiYong in shorts and a tank top on a particularly hot day, seeing no fresh scars.
Not that the old scars were visible anymore either. JiYong had been lucky enough to have them all heal quite well, and no one could see them unless they were looking for them. YoungBae’s eyes drifted to the man’s chest, a bit of a harsh scar still apparent at the tip of the collar. That hadn’t healed as well yet, and JiYong always made sure to cover it up when he went out.
But right now it was just YoungBae and him, suffering through a hot summer day with no air conditioning and no school.
JiYong poured water over his head instead of drinking it. “That’s better.” He smiled, collapsing into a laying down position on the floor.
YoungBae looked to his friend. “We should find a pool.” He suggested.
“The nearest one is ten blocks from here. Have fun.” JiYong offered, pointing a lazy hand to the door as if waving his friend out.
“What about you?” YoungBae asked. He hadn’t left JiYong alone since the younger boy had returned a month ago.
“I’ll stay here in front of five fans.” JiYong replied listlessly.
Naturally, YoungBae thought with a smile, counting the fans surrounding his friend, he’s being completely and brutally literal.