Word: 2093

Angst and comfort as usual

Wooyoung stayed behind Yeosang, feet hurting from walking all the way to the market and back but he stopped suddenly when someone held his arm.

"Wha-"

"Hey there, pretty boy," a middle aged man slurred, his breathe smelling alcohol. Wooyoung was about to say back off but Yeosang acted faster and pulled Wooyoung away from the man, he grabbed the man's arm and pressed his half finished cigarette on his arm.

"Stay away from my boyfriend, you disgusting pedophile," Yeosang hissed, kicking between his legs and slapping the back of his head for good measure.

"You piece of shi-"

"Get away, you pedophile. I'll fucking kill you if you touch my boyfriend again ain't," Yeosang growled. He got his little knife he kept in his pocket in any case and held it out against his throat.

"Wooyoung, call the police. And don't you dare-"

"What's going on?" A man in the distance called out, taking out something from his belt and jogging to beside them.

"This pedophile tried to harrash my boyfriend and he's drunk!" Yeosang called out, gripping the knife tightly as he kept his eyes locked onto the man's. The newcomer, a security officer, approached with a stern expression, getting between Yeosang and the man.

"Step away from the boy," the officer commanded, his voice firm. "Sir, I need you to calm down and explain what happened."

The middle-aged man stumbled back, clearly disoriented, but anger bubbled beneath the surface. “I didn’t do anything! They’re just kids!”

“Kids?” Yeosang snapped, his voice laced with indignation. “You were harassing him! I saw you grabbing his arm, you filthy creep!”

Wooyoung stayed a few steps back, trembling slightly but trying to maintain composure. He reached for his phone, fingers shaking as he dialed the police. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of fear and gratitude towards Yeosang for defending him so fiercely.

The officer eyed the man, assessing the situation quickly. "I need to see some identification. You’ve had a bit too much to drink. How about I call for a ride home for you?"

The man scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "You can’t do this! I know my rights!"

"Right now," the officer replied, his voice dropping slightly, "you're making everyone uncomfortable. I suggest you cooperate."

Yeosang took a step closer to Wooyoung, wrapping an arm protectively around his shoulder, keeping the knife hidden but ready. "You don’t get to intimidate us. Just leave us alone."

Wooyoung could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, a mixture of fear and relief at Yeosang’s fierce protection. Just moments ago, he was uncertain and vulnerable, but with Yeosang by his side, he felt a surge of courage.

“Please,” Wooyoung whispered to Yeosang, “maybe we should just—”

“Shh,” Yeosang said, squeezing him a little tighter. “We’re not going anywhere until he’s dealt with. I’m not letting him get away with this.”

The officer took out his radio and spoke into it, calling for backup. Meanwhile, the drunk man started to realize he might not be able to talk his way out of this. His bravado faded slightly, and he glanced between the officer and the couple, frustration morphing into fear.

“Fine, fine! I won’t do anything! Just let me go!” he protested, backing up a step.

“Not until we sort this out,” the officer replied, his position unwavering as he secured the area.

Wooyoung’s heart raced as he watched the scene unfold, leaning into Yeosang for comfort. No matter how scary it was, he was glad he wasn’t alone.

×

"I hate police stations, can't we just go home?"

"He said we should give out prespective, and he's had a few things like this before us," Yeosang sighed as they sat on the cold bench in the waiting area of the police station. Wooyoung rubbed his temples, trying to erase the lingering tension from the encounter.

“I know,” he replied, glancing around at the stark walls and fluorescent lights. “But I just want to forget about tonight. It’s been so long since we’ve had a nice evening out.”

Yeosang nodded, his expression softening as he reached out to squeeze Wooyoung's hand. “I get it. I really do. But if we don’t do this, that guy might think he can get away with it. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because I didn’t stand up for you.”

Wooyoung looked at Yeosang, admiration swelling in his chest. “You’re so brave. I can’t believe you handled him like that. I was just... frozen.”

“Anyone would freeze in that situation,” Yeosang said softly. “It’s normal to feel scared. Just promise me you’ll try to stay strong until the detective comes. They just want to get your side of the story.”

Wooyoung nodded, though he still felt a knot of anxiety in his stomach. “What if they think I’m overreacting? I mean, it’s not like he hurt me physically. Maybe it was just an awkward encounter?”

“Creepy and unwanted attention isn’t just awkward; it’s serious,” Yeosang insisted. “You don’t have to downplay it for anyone. Your feelings are valid, okay?”

Wooyoung took a deep breath, letting Yeosang’s words sink in. He appreciated the strength and assurance his boyfriend always managed to convey, even in the worst circumstances. “Okay,” he said softly. “You're right. I just want to get through this.”

After a few more minutes of silence, an officer appeared, gesturing for them to follow him. “Alright, you two. The detective is ready to speak with you.”

Yeosang stood up, pulling Wooyoung to his feet. “Just stick with me,” he whispered as they walked through the maze of the station.

As they entered the small, sterile interview room, Wooyoung felt a mix of apprehension and determination. He shot a glance at Yeosang, who nodded encouragingly. The door closed behind them, leaving their worries on the other side.

“Take a seat,” the detective said, maintaining a professional demeanor. “I understand you both had a troubling encounter tonight. Let’s start from the beginning.”

Wooyoung took a deep breath, gripping Yeosang's hand tightly as he prepared to share his perspective—and it felt a little like taking back control.

"I took my boyfriend to a dinner to treat him like usual, we had fun and stuff and on the way back this middle aged man grabbed Wooyoung's arm and-"

"Did you two drink?" The detecrive asked, taking notes.

"No, it was just a cozy dinner. The man just like grabbed me and said I'm pretty, i guess he meant i would look good in bed-"

"Wooyoung," Yeosang interjected, squeezing Wooyoung's hand tighter. “Let’s just focus on what he did to you, okay? We don’t need to repeat what he said.”

Wooyoung nodded, taking a moment to compose himself. The memories of the man's slurred speech and sickening breath flooded back, but with Yeosang's steady presence beside him, he felt a bit more at ease.

“Right, um... he just grabbed my arm, and I was startled. I didn’t know what to do,” Wooyoung continued, his voice steadying. “Yeosang acted so fast. He pulled me away and confronted the guy.”

The detective nodded, jotting down notes. “And Yeosang, how did you respond?”

“I... I just couldn’t stand there and do nothing. I pressed my cigarette into his arm to get him to back off, and I told him to leave us alone. I was scared, but I couldn’t let him believe he had the right to touch Wooyoung like that,” Yeosang replied, his voice firm.

“Good instincts. It’s important to protect yourself and each other,” the detective said, nodding appreciatively. “What happened after that?”

"Another officer arrived just as Yeosang was ready to go further with that guy," Wooyoung said, glancing at Yeosang with gratitude. "He took control of the situation and told the man to back off. We felt safer then."

The detective's expression softened. “I’m glad you two were able to get help quickly. Harassment is serious, and it’s good that you reported it.”

“Do you think he’ll actually face any consequences?” Wooyoung asked, anxiety creeping back in. “I don’t want him to just walk away from this.”

The detective paused, looking both of them in the eye. “It’s difficult to say. The evidence we gather and your testimonies will be pivotal. We will investigate, and if there’s enough to pursue, we can press charges. But it also depends on how cooperative the man is during the questioning.”

Yeosang leaned in, his voice low. “He was clearly drunk and aggressive. I don’t see how he could talk his way out of this.”

As the detective continued taking notes, Wooyoung felt a glimmer of hope. They weren’t just victims in this scenario; they were doing something proactive, and he felt empowered for the first time since the incident.

“Is there anything else you want to add or clarify?” the detective asked, wrapping up their conversation.

Wooyoung looked at Yeosang, then back at the detective. “No, I think we covered it all. Thank you for taking us seriously.”

“Of course,” the detective replied, standing up. “You did the right thing by coming in. I’ll keep you both updated as we proceed with the case.”

As they stepped out of the room, Wooyoung felt the weight of the situation begin to lift, the path forward clearer now that they had taken action. Yeosang smiled softly at him, and Wooyoung knew, no matter how difficult things got, they would face them together.

×

"Oh shit, Yeosang come! The new," Wooyoung gasped, making Yeosang almost drop the porridge in his hand.

"Its been four months, is the man still not charged?" Yeosang exclaimed, nearly spilling the steaming porridge all over the kitchen counter as he rushed to Wooyoung’s side. He could feel the panic radiating from his boyfriend, making his heart race. “What do you mean ‘new’?”

Wooyoung pointed excitedly at his phone, where the screen displayed a notification about a local news report. “Look! They’re saying that the man who grabbed me is facing charges now! They finally did it!”

Yeosang took a moment to collect himself and read the headline. “Man Arrested Following Multiple Assault Reports.” He nodded slowly, feeling a mix of relief and disbelief wash over him. “Four months, and they finally managed to do something. My goodness. Did they say anything about the other victims?”

“Yeah, it looks like there were some other reports that came in after mine. Apparently, he’d been doing this for a while, and I’m not the only one,” Wooyoung said, his voice trembling slightly as emotions swirled within him. “I still can’t believe they finally took action.”

Yeosang placed the porridge down and moved closer to Wooyoung, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “This is good news, though. It means they’re listening. You made the right call filing that report.”

“I know,” Wooyoung murmured against Yeosang’s shoulder, his heart still racing. “But I can’t shake this feeling... I thought maybe we were forgotten...”

“We weren’t forgotten,” Yeosang reassured him, stroking Wooyoung’s hair soothingly. “The system just moves slowly, and it’s frustrating. But we did our part, and now there might be justice for you and those others. We should focus on that.”

Wooyoung nodded, pulling back slightly to look into Yeosang’s eyes, trying to gather his thoughts. “You’re right. It’s just... I wish it hadn’t taken so long. I thought that if I reported it, something would happen right away.”

“Me too,” Yeosang admitted, his voice softening. “But now we see that the trajectory is finally changing. You’re not just some statistic; you’ve helped shine a light on what’s happening.”

“Yeah,” Wooyoung said, a small, hopeful smile beginning to creep across his face. “I guess this means we can start moving forward.”

“Exactly.” Yeosang brushed a thumb across Wooyoung’s cheek. “We’ll keep supporting each other through this. Who knows? Maybe this is the beginning of something better for everyone impacted by this guy’s actions.”

Looking back at his phone, Wooyoung read more about the case and the upcoming court hearings. “I want to go to the hearing when it happens. I want to see him face the consequences of what he did to me.”

“Then let’s do that,” Yeosang said, his determination shining through. “You’ve got every right to be there, to stand up for yourself and those who couldn’t.”

As they settled on the couch with the porridge forgotten, Wooyoung felt a sense of empowerment wash over him, realizing just how much they had already overcome together. And with Yeosang by his side, he knew they could face whatever else came their way.