The rest of the week went by with Jaehyun and Woonhak spending nearly all their time together. They finished the hamster project and hung out with Jaehyun's friends after school.

Although Woonhak still had moments where he grew quiet, looked down, or seemed withdrawn, his overall mood lifted with each passing day. Slowly, he began to rediscover the extroverted and bubbly side of himself-the person he had been before losing his parents.

---

Sunday

On Sunday morning, Jaehyun sat in the living room with Woonhak, both of them locked in an intense game of Mario Kart. Laughter and excited shouts filled the air as they raced each other, the playful competition making the room feel warm and safe.

When the game ended, both of them breathless and grinning, Woonhak's phone buzzed suddenly. He fished it out from under the couch cushions where it had slipped during their game. Jaehyun leaned over his shoulder, curious to see who it was. The screen displayed five missed calls and several new messages-all from his aunt. The cheerful atmosphere vanished in an instant. The buzz of excitement faded as Woonhak's face grew pale and serious.

He hesitated, then tapped one of the messages to open it. Jaehyun's eyes scanned the harsh words along with Woonhak's.

Woonhak, don't you dare ignore me, you ungrateful thing. You are coming home today, got it? You have work to do.

A cold chill settled in Jaehyun's chest. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arm tightly around Woonhak's shoulders.

"No, Woonhak, you're not going." His voice was firm, protective.

Woonhak looked up at him, eyes wide with fear. "But she'll-"

"No!" Jaehyun interrupted, his voice resolute. "I won't let you go back. Don't worry. You're safe here, okay?" He gave Woonhak's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

He hesitated, then tapped one of the messages to open it. Jaehyun's eyes scanned the harsh words along with Woonhak's.

Woonhak, don't you dare ignore me, you ungrateful thing. You are coming home today, got it? You have work to do.

A cold chill settled in Jaehyun's chest. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arm tightly around Woonhak's shoulders.

"No, Woonhak, you're not going." His voice was firm, protective.

Woonhak looked up at him, eyes wide with fear. "But she'll-"

"No!" Jaehyun interrupted, his voice resolute. "I won't let you go back. Don't worry. You're safe here, okay?" He gave Woonhak's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Woonhak hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. His shoulders trembled slightly as he muttered, "She always makes me clean the entire house on Sundays. Every room, every corner... It's a large house and my uncle is not exactly what you'd call clean... It takes hours. That's why I was so exhausted last Monday. I was up cleaning and doing other stuff until late at night. And if I don't do it well enough..."

He trailed off, his voice breaking slightly, and Jaehyun's grip on his shoulder tightened.

"Woonhak," Jaehyun said softly, his voice tinged with both anger and concern. "You shouldn't have to do all that, especially not alone. It's not fair."

Woonhak bit his lip, his gaze dropping to his lap. "It's just how it is," he murmured.

"No, it's not. It's wrong." Jaehyun's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. "You deserve so much better than this."

After a moment, Woonhak took a shaky breath, the tension slowly draining from his posture. He nodded. Jaehyun let out a relieved breath as he rubbed the youngers arm comfortingly.

An idea suddenly sparked in his mind.

"Hey, Woonie," Jaehyun said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "How about we bake something together? As a distraction..."

Woonhak blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, sounds good."

"Great! Let's make cupcakes." Jaehyun stood up and led the way to the kitchen. They began gathering ingredients, the familiar, mundane task bringing a sense of calm back to the moment.

Jaehyun opened the fridge, frowning when he realized something was missing. He turned to Woonhak with an apologetic grin. "We're out of eggs. How about I run to the convenience store real quick? You can get the rest of the ingredients ready while I'm gone. I'll be back in a few minutes!"

Woonhak nodded, giving him a small smile. "Sure, I can do that."

"Awesome! I won't be long." Jaehyun grabbed his jacket and dashed out the door, his heart lighter now that Woonhak seemed a little more at ease again.

The trip to the store was quick. Jaehyun hurried back with the eggs in hand, excitement bubbling at the thought of spending the rest of the morning baking with Woonhak. He kicked off his shoes and stepped into the kitchen, ready to get started.

But something was wrong. The ingredients were laid out neatly on the counter, but Woonhak wasn't there.

Jaehyun's heart plummeted. The cheerful anticipation turned to icy dread. What if he went back to his aunt and uncle's house? The thought pierced his mind like a blade. I shouldn't have left him alone. What was I thinking?

Panic rose in his chest as he sprinted out of the kitchen. "Woonhak!" he shouted into the hallway.

Silence.

Only Japchae poked his head out of the living room, eyes wide and ears perked, sensing Jaehyun's distress.

Jaehyun's gaze darted to the entryway, and his breath caught in his throat. Woonhak's shoes were gone.

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. His heart hammered in his chest as he rushed to the door, dread clawing at him. He grabbed the handle and yanked it open.

---

Word count: 928

Thank you so much for the 100+ votes!❤
여러분 모두 사랑해! <33