- five -

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mingi had finally picked up jongho and the two made their way to san and seonghwa's shared apartment. the oldest two had decided against living on campus, especially considering how both of their sexualities were viewed by the general majority.

upon arriving, san engulfed his cousin in a warm hug, causing a soft whimper from the younger's lips.

"shh... i've got you, jjong. sannie's here..." san whispered, rubbing the boy's back. "here, let's go talk in my room. my boyfriend and our friends are coming over in a little while."

jongho nodded, thanking mingi before following san into his bedroom, sighing.

"i'm so sick of my parents, san..." jongho muttered, laying back on the boy's bed. "they never fucking stop fighting... i-i'm so sick of it."

"i know, jjong... i know."

"yewon looked at me and asked me if they'd ever stop the other day..."

"what did you tell her?"

"i told her i hoped they would and that everything is going to be okay... what else was i supposed to do?"

"you did good, jjong. you did good."

"h-how am i supposed to leave for college if they keep doing this? i can't leave yewon like that..."

"i love her too, but i don't think you should hold off on your own life for her sake. you've been going through this long enough, you know..."

"san, i can't leave her... all she knows is life with me there to comfort her, what's going to happen to her when i'm no longer there? what if they hurt her?"

"as much as i hate your parents, i don't think they'd physically hurt her."

jongho sighed, stressed and upset, then began to rub his temples at the pain that resided in his head.

"are you okay, jjong? you know you're always welcome to stay the night if you need..."

"i'll be okay, san."

"i'll go grab you some advil and water, yeah?"

jongho nodded, a small smile on his face as san left the room. he was so happy that he was able to maintain a close relationship with san despite his parents' opposing wishes. he knew jongho better than jongho knew himself sometimes.

"san... sangie thinks you hate him," he heard a slightly higher voice whisper, whom jongho quickly recognized to be wooyoung.

"woo... can we talk about this later? my cousin's here and i don't want for him to be concerned about our lives when he has enough to worry about in his own."

jongho frowned slightly, then curled up where he laid and sighed, the throbbing pain in his head growing. there was a soft knock at the door before san entered, smiling small.

"here, take this," san insisted, handing jongho the medicine and water. "and if you're willing, wooyoung just got here which means that mingi should be back soon with the other two. we're gonna order some pizza and then play some games."

"is hwa home?"

"he will be soon. he just got out of class."

jongho nodded and took the medicine, then sighed a bit.

"who's coming? i've met mingi and wooyoung, but have i met the others?"

"i think the only one you haven't met yet is hongjoong. he's newer to the friend group. well, not new, but he never used to hang out with everyone, just woo and yunho."

"has anyone met wooyoung's imaginary friend yet?" jongho asked, having vaguely remembered the boy talking about a close friend who no one had met the last time jongho had been at the house when the whole group was present.

"actually, yes. he's a real person. hongjoong, yunho and myself have all met him."

"is he nice?"

"yes."

"why isn't he coming?"

"he doesn't do well with bigger groups. usually it's just him and woo."

"oh... interesting."

"you'll meet him eventually i'm sure."

jongho nodded.

"lets go out now, woo's going to be so excited to see you!"

a small smile appeared on jongho's face before he followed san out to see the others. wooyoung quickly greeted him with a hug, then mingi smiled and waved, happy that the boy was joining them. yunho got up and smiled before pulling jongho into a hug, then pulled hongjoong up next to him.

"this is hongjoong!" yunho introduced.

"hi, i'm jongho... san's cousin."

"it's nice to meet you! i've heard so much about you."

"they talk about me?" jongho questioned.

"you're san's pride and joy," hongjoong laughed. "any chance he gets, he mentions you."

"it's really quite endearing," yunho added.

"hmm, i never knew that."

san laughed before he put his arm around jongho, smiling sadly.

"you're the only family i have left, jjong... of course i talk about you."

"y-you have yewon too! a-and your mom, she accepted you!"

"yewon's just a little girl, jjong... she doesn't understand yet. and as for my mother... i'm forbidden from seeing her ever again. my so-called father found out we were meeting and she was still in contact with me and threw a fit. threatened to kill her if she ever saw me again..."

"sannie... why didn't you tell me?" jongho frowned.

"i didn't want to bother you... especially since you risk so much to stay in contact with me."

"well... if i ever get caught... i'll move out. i'm not losing the one person who listens and understands."

san felt both loved and heartbroken as he listened to jongho's words. a part of him was happy that his cousin cared so much, but a part of him felt guilty. if jongho got caught, san would be taking him away from yewon, who had only known life with jongho there to protect her.

"sannie... you should sit," wooyoung encouraged.

the distracted boy sat down, admiring the confidence that radiated from jongho as he spoke to hongjoong. that was his cousin, his person. he was so grateful that he had such a great person in his life.

all san wanted was for jongho to have things go his way.

_______
a/n:
mwah enjoy :)))
comeback later !!!! i hope you're all as excited as i am

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