The evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the living room. The air was heavy with anticipation as Jaehyun sat next to Woonhak on the couch. Jaehyun's mom paced back and forth, glancing occasionally at the door, her face a mixture of worry and determination. The ticking of the clock felt unbearably loud.

Finally, the doorbell rang.

Jaehyun's mom took a steadying breath before answering. Two figures stood at the threshold - a quite handsome police officer with a kind, yet serious expression, and a young woman with a clipboard and a gentle smile, who introduced herself as Park Sobin, the social worker.

"Good evening, Ms. Myung," the officer greeted. "I'm Officer Jackson Wang. We're here to speak with Kim Woonhak."

"Please, come in," she said, stepping aside.

They entered the living room, their eyes immediately falling on Woonhak. The bruise on his cheek, now a deep purple, was impossible to ignore. Officer Wang's gaze hardened slightly, and Ms. Park's smile faltered.

Jaehyun's heart clenched as he felt Woonhak stiffen beside him. Without thinking, Jaehyun reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Hi, Woonhak," Ms. Park said softly, kneeling to his eye level. "We know this is hard, but we're here to help you. Is it okay if we ask you a few questions?"

Woonhak's eyes darted to Jaehyun, then to Jaehyun's mom, and finally back to Ms. Park. He swallowed and nodded.

"Okay," he whispered.

Ms. Park's voice was gentle. "Ms. Myung already explained your situation but can you tell us what happened today, and why you have that bruise on your cheek?"

Woonhak hesitated, his fingers tightening around Jaehyun's hand. His lower lip trembled, but he took a shaky breath.

"Jaehyun and I... went to get some of my things," he began, his voice barely audible. "At my aunt and uncle's house. I thought they weren't home." His eyes glossed over with tears. "But my aunt came back while we were there. She... she got really mad. She said awful things." He blinked rapidly, tears finally spilling down his cheeks. "She hit me."

Ms. Park's eyes filled with sadness, but she remained calm. "Thank you for telling us, Woonhak. You're very brave." She gestured toward the bruise. "May I take a photo of your injury for evidence?"

Woonhak flinched at the request, but Jaehyun's thumb brushed over the back of his hand. He nodded, tears still streaming down his face.

Officer Wang took a small camera from his pocket and snapped a couple of careful photos, his jaw tight.

"Is this the first time something like this has happened?" Officer Wang asked gently.

Woonhak hesitated again. His shoulders curled inward. "No," he whispered. "They've always... they never wanted me there. They'd say I was useless. They'd... push me, or ignore me. And sometimes... yeah." He pointed at his face.

Jaehyun's grip on Woonhak's hand tightened, his own eyes burning with unshed tears. How had Woonhak endured this for so long? How had he kept going, carrying this pain by himself?

Ms. Park nodded slowly, making notes on her clipboard. "Thank you, Woonhak. I know this is painful, but you're doing the right thing. We're going to make sure you're safe."

Jaehyun's mom, who had been standing silently, finally spoke, her voice shaking with restrained anger. "This has gone on long enough. I want to press charges. This child deserves justice."

Ms. Park looked at Woonhak. Her expression softened. "Woonhak, if we move forward, it means you'll need to talk to a few more people - police officers, maybe a judge. But you won't be alone. Ms. Myung and her son will be right here with you. Is that okay?"

Woonhak wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. His gaze flickered to Jaehyun, who nodded, his eyes filled with fierce determination.

"You're strong, Woonie," Jaehyun said quietly. "You can do this. We'll be here every step of the way."

A shaky breath escaped Woonhak's lips, and he nodded.

Ms. Park smiled gently. "You're very brave. We're going to help you, I promise."
And with that the two of them bid their goodbyes for now and left.

Jaehyun's mom stood tall, her eyes blazing with resolve. "I'll have to make some more calls now."
She smiled at the two boys and then left the room, her footsteps firm.

As the door to the kitchen closed behind her, Jaehyun wrapped an arm around Woonhak's shoulders, pulling him close.

***

The sky had turned an inky blue by the time Jaehyun and Woonhak headed upstairs to Jaehyun's room. The weight of the day hung on them both, but it was softened by the warmth of each other's presence.

The two of them stepped into Jaehyun's room, a warm sense of comfort settling over them. Japchae padded in behind them, his tail wagging softly. He sat down beside the bed, his eyes following their movements, knowing he wasn't allowed on the bed but still keeping watch over them.

Jaehyun and Woonhak slipped under the covers, the warmth of the blankets cocooning them. Without hesitation, Jaehyun opened his arms, and Woonhak curled into his side, his head resting on Jaehyun's shoulder. Jaehyun's heart thudded a little louder as he held Woonhak close, the realization of his feelings lingering in his mind.

Woonhak's soft breath evened out, and Jaehyun tightened his arms just a little, silently promising to keep him safe. Japchae gave a satisfied huff and laid down on the floor beside them, a loyal guardian in the night.

As the quiet of the room settled in, Jaehyun let his eyes drift closed, the weight of his feelings mixing with the comforting presence of the boy in his arms.

---

Word count: 946

"Boys do cry" ~ Jackson Wang

{I had to include our beloved Jackson Wang (I actually like him a lot, but I know many don't...)
Anywayy, he used to be a part of pretty much every fanfiction. People used to say "A fanfic isn't a fanfic without Jackson Wang" Be it as a café owner, the school bully, the kind best friend or the evil ex, he was everywhere.
I feel like 5th gen k-pop stans and fanfiction writers forgot about this "tradition" tho.. So I'm tryna keep it running🙃 }