Jooheon leans against the wall, trying not to seem anxious, but it's an impossible task. At four o'clock sharp, the door opens and Hyungwon steps out, his therapist trailing behind him as she finishes their conversation and wishes him a nice weekend.

Hyungwon thanks her and turns to Jooheon, his eyes starting to slide down to the ground but, as though remembering the encouragement of his therapist, he drags them back up to meet Jooheon's eyes. "Hey," he says, obviously still a bit uncomfortable at Jooheon picking him up from his therapy appointments.

"How'd it go?" Jooheon asks as they started walking. He was the one to encourage Hyungwon to continue on with therapy. He knew that Hyungwon would likely never discuss the details of his abuse with Jooheon – he'd specifically told Jooheon that "You can either be my friend or my therapist, but you can't be both" – but he sincerely hoped that Hyungwon could tell his therapist because he needed to tell someone in order to start the process of recovery. He was also scared for Hyungwon because, from the research he'd conducted on cases similar to Hyungwon's, it seemed that victims who had been sexually abused as children were likely to be revictimized in the future. He didn't want Hyungwon to suffer through anything else. He couldn't fail again.

"Like normal," Hyungwon says, a short reminder to Jooheon that he isn't ready - and might not ever be - to talk about it.

But that's okay with Jooheon. He'll be Hyungwon's friend, in whatever capacity Hyungwon will let him.

They exit the building and begin walking in the opposite direction from Hyungwon's home. Hyungwon still avoids riding in cars, not because he is afraid of another crash but because he doesn't want to trigger memories of his father, or at least, that's Jooheon's assumption. But Jooheon doesn't mind the walk.

After Jooheon picks Hyungwon up from his therapy appointment each week, they walk to Jooheon's house, where Hyungwon is invited in to have dinner with their family. It's partially Jooheon's way of keeping people in Hyungwon's life since he has no family of his own, but it's more than that. Jooheon has talked it over with Hyungwon's therapist in private, and they think that if Hyungwon is exposed to a normal family with positive relationships, then maybe he'll be able to acclimate better if he wants to start his own family one day.

Jooheon doesn't tell his parents all the details – certainly not Minjae and Minjun because they are too young – but he gives them the broad strokes, just enough detail to prevent them from asking Hyungwon questions that might hurt him. And he's always loved his parents dearly, but he finds an even greater magnitude of love for them when he watches them treat Hyungwon like their own son.

He sees how tentative Hyungwon is at first, how strange and frightening the concept of a family – a real, normal family – might be, but he grows a little in confidence each week. He notices that Hyungwon can't quite look his father in the eyes yet, but he gets along well with Minjae and Minjun, asking them questions and listening as they ramble on about everything from school drama to the bird they almost caught. Jooheon is surprised to realize that Hyungwon is actually very good with children, and he thinks that maybe it's because of Mi-Yeon's influence, so he tries to get Hyungwon to hang out with Minjae and Minjun whenever they have time.

Sometimes, Hyungwon complains to Jooheon about all the extra attention Jooheon is giving him, but it's all Jooheon knows how to do. He's a worrier like his mom, and he can't help but try to fill the holes in Hyungwon's life. He knows he'll have to return to college at some point, but he needs to know that Hyungwon can treat Jooheon's family like his own before he leaves. That way, Hyungwon will always have someone to lean on even if Jooheon isn't around.

But he doesn't want to think about leaving just yet.

--

Hyungwon comes out of his therapist's room next week with red eyes, and Jooheon's chest hurts over the fact that, even though Hyungwon's abuser is gone, his influence continues to live on and consume Hyungwon.

Hyungwon's therapist stops in the doorframe, and instead of wishing Hyungwon a nice weekend as usual, she looks over at Jooheon, her eyes trying to convey that Hyungwon has had a rough session, but of course Jooheon already knows that. "I know you two are probably hungry, but I think Hyungwon has to stop at home to do something first."

Jooheon looks over at Hyungwon, surprised since Hyungwon didn't mention anything about it earlier, but he just nods and thanks the therapist before they start walking. This time, they walk to Hyungwon's house, and he takes a deep breath before the door and fiddles with the key, turning the knob a certain way and shouldering the door open.

This is the first time he's ever been to Hyungwon's house, he realizes. His first impression is that it's dark. When Hyungwon flicks on the light switch – Jooheon gets the feeling that it's more for him than Hyungwon – his opinion doesn't change altogether that much. The house is clean but in a sad way; there's nothing lying out to give the house personality, to showcase its resident. Just a few blankets on the couch and a night light plugged into the wall.

"Stay here," Hyungwon says before disappearing further into the house. Jooheon takes the opportunity to look around, but he doesn't learn anything. He always thought that if he saw how Hyungwon lived, then everything would make sense. But it doesn't.

Hyungwon returns a few minutes later with a small box between his hands. His fingers are gripping the edges so tightly that his fingers are white, and Jooheon doesn't know what's in the box, but he knows that it's painful for Hyungwon.

He doesn't ask though; just waits for Hyungwon to decide whether or not to tell him.

"They're pictures," Hyungwon says softly, his eyes staying on Jooheon's as though trying to assess his reaction. "Of me." He sucks in a breath and holds it, his chest shaking. "He would take them. After..."

Jooheon understands even though he doesn't want to, and he nods sharply, letting Hyungwon know that he's said enough, that he doesn't have to explain anything.

Hyungwon's hands are shaking now too, and he almost drops the box. "Do you...want to see them?" he asks, and his voice is quiet, so quiet.

Jooheon stills. He doesn't know why Hyungwon has offered, but he knows that any answer he gives will hurt Hyungwon. If he says yes, then Hyungwon will think Jooheon is like his abuser, ready to use his relationship with Hyungwon and his trust to manipulate him. But if he says no – he wants to say no – then Hyungwon will interpret that to mean that Jooheon is sickened by him. And Jooheon is sickened by the thought of what's in the box, but he's disgusted by the man behind the camera, not the boy in front of it.

Carefully, Jooheon reflects the question back. "Do you want me to see them?"

His answer seems to relieve Hyungwon just a bit; he's still shaking, but his eyes have lost that look of helplessness. "No," he says after a minute, looking down at the box as though he can see every photo without having to open it.

"Then I won't," Jooheon says, and it takes effort to stay still and not move to comfort Hyungwon, but he knows that he can't.

Hyungwon just stares at the box for a minute as though lost, but then he looks up and swallows. "My therapist said that...that maybe I should burn them. And that way they'll be gone forever, and that it will maybe be like they never existed in the first place." His eyes tell Jooheon though that of course the pictures will always have existed, that Hyungwon will never forget.

But Jooheon likes the idea of burning them. Maybe it will bring Hyungwon some peace, even just to know that they're gone, that he will never have to worry about someone finding them. "Let's burn them," Jooheon says, allowing a small smile to fill his face, and Hyungwon seems surprised, but he nods.

Jooheon grabs a metal trash can from the kitchen and digs through a few drawers before he finds some paper in the form of takeout menus. "Can we use these?" he asks, holding them up, and Hyungwon nods, watching Jooheon but not saying anything.

Jooheon finds the matches in the last cabinet he searches, and he brings everything he's collected over to the trash can, crumpling up the paper and tossing it in before lighting a match and dropping it. The flame catches, and the house feels alive for the first time since entering with the soft whisper of crackling fire and the smell of warmth.

"Well?" Jooheon asks, turning to Hyungwon.

He seems to be hesitating for some reason, staring down at the box in horror but unable to take the final step and throw it in the flames.

"Burning them won't make you forget," Jooheon says, his voice only just louder than the fire. "But I bet it would piss him off if he knew."

And the smile on Hyungwon's face is small and slow to grow, but he gives a small nod and flicks the clasp on the box, opening the lid. His confidence seems to flicker when he sees the first photo, and his hand freezes.

"Just think," Jooheon says. "This is the last time you'll ever see it."

The words give Hyungwon the push he needs to pick it up, and he looks at the picture one last time, his face drawn with shame and loss, and then he throws it into the fire. He watches the whole time as the photo warps and shrivels, and when it's gone, he looks up at Jooheon.

He doesn't say anything, but he gives a small exhale, like he's been holding his breath all this time because he didn't believe that it would ever go away.

The exhalation gives Jooheon joy because he knows that with one simple action, Hyungwon was able to lighten the weight on his shoulders. "Well?" Jooheon asks, gesturing toward the rest of the box with a small smile. "What are you waiting for?"

And so Hyungwon begins throwing more photos to the flames. For each one, he stares at the photo first as though memorizing it, as though forcing himself to see it and then acknowledge that it's over, that he will never be put in that position again. Then he feeds it to the fire and moves on to the next.

Jooheon watches them burn, wanting to make sure that there is nothing left to remind Hyungwon of them. Every now and then, he sees flashes of photos that the fire hasn't gotten to yet. Bare skin and lidded eyes. He tries not to look too closely because he knows Hyungwon doesn't want Jooheon to see him like that. Soon, they're all lost to the fire, and Hyungwon is just staring at the empty box.

"What's wrong?" Jooheon asks, panic flickering in his chest as Hyungwon looks up at him with teary eyes.

"They're all gone," he whispers, and he lets the empty box drop to the ground. A second passes as the sound hits his ears, and then he's smiling, tilting his head up to the ceiling as relieved tears spill down his cheeks. "They're gone," he repeats, laughing in disbelief, and then he looks at Jooheon, and he's so vulnerable in this moment that Jooheon feels like he should look away, like he shouldn't be allowed to see Hyungwon like this, but he doesn't look away, just meets his gaze. "Thank you," Hyungwon says.

Jooheon doesn't reply because he doesn't deserve Hyungwon's thanks. Hyungwon owes him nothing. Jooheon's just doing what he should have had the strength to do years ago.

Hyungwon watches the fire for a while longer, and then they go to Jooheon's house to eat dinner with his family.

--

The story comes out in small pieces and sporadic recollections over the years. Jooheon never pressures Hyungwon to tell him, but he waits for moments when the light in Hyungwon's eyes gutters out, and then he listens as Hyungwon tells him. Never the full story, but bits and pieces. A coloring page. A camping trip. A red bike. On one particularly sad occasion, Hyungwon tells him the story of a Wednesday. Jooheon listens to Hyungwon, and he cries with Hyungwon. Sometimes he has to remind Hyungwon that he has worth – incredible, inestimable worth – and other times, he has to emphasize to Hyungwon that he is making progress, even when it doesn't feel like it.

Hyungwon gradually regains some of what he's lost. He retrieves the coloring Mi-Yeon did for him, and he keeps it folded up in his wallet. He goes to the beach for a weekend with Jooheon, Minjae, and Minjun, and he's able to take his shirt off the second day to go swimming. But there are other things that he will never get back. Jooheon notices how Hyungwon flinches whenever he hears a camera shutter and how he refuses to appear in any photos. How he can't seem to break the habit of adding ammonia to his wash. As far as Jooheon knows, Hyungwon sleeps on his couch every night rather than sleeping in his own bed.

He knows the road to recovery is a long one, but he promises that he will guide Hyungwon. And so Hyungwon endures the arduous process of healing, navigating by his star.