Do you like me?

 Jaewoong stood back up slowly. His silky shirt flowed about him as he did so.

Minjun cleared his throat. “Thank you.” He said watching Jaewoong.

Jaewoong nodded once.

“I’m going to the room. It’s been a very hard day, and I need some time to think.” He turned on his heel, his slippers scuffing the floor, and because they were Minjun’s old black ones they sorta went with his black tight jeans and fancy shirt. Except that they looked to be a little tight. ‘I will have to take him for shoes and clothes. He doesn’t have anything with him.’ Minjun realised.

Jaewoong paused, and after a second he looked over his shoulder.

“Just come to me if he bothers you again. Or if you need a hug.” Jaewoong said, then left the room, shuffling away as if he hadn’t just dropped a huge bomb and walked off.

Minjun breathed in deeply, his heart beat against his will.

‘That was cool. How is he just so confident, so sure of himself? Why did he protect me? Why has he been choosing to protect me? Ah, I am so confused.’

Minjun sat down at the computer and pulled up the screen talking about Jaewoong. He clicked back out and went to the second google result without thinking. Just mindlessly clicking on the results. A second later a headline popped up. Newly made billionaire Bae Jaewoong disappears after selling game and Losing Parents. Where is he now?

And below it as he scrolled he saw pictures of Jaewoong but he was in regular clothes and moving around the city doing things. Some of them were faked pictures, clearly someone else.

Minjun clicked off the news article. ‘Losing Parents.’ was a top search result.

Minjun typed in Bae Jaewoong, parents.

The first search result. “Bae Jaewoong, only survivor in car accident” Minjun clicked. On Sunday night, during the rain an accident occurred on the outskirts of Soul. A mudslide from heavy rainpour made the side of a mountain collapse. Bae Jaewoong was driving in the heavy rain on the overpass when... Minjun skimmed through the article.

He is the only remaining family member of the Bae Household. Funeral rites were held in private on Sunday. The article finished at the bottom was the reporter's name and the article's date it was dated over a year ago.

Minjun suddenly felt rude to be prying. He closed all the screens and stood up. ‘If I have questions I will just go ask him myself.’ He thought, and headed up the stairs. Checking his watch as he went. It had been almost a half hour reading the articles. Would Jaewoong even be awake and willing to talk? Or would he be sleeping already. Minjun stopped about to push open his door.

“Minjun.”

Minjun looked up and Wonyong stood leaning against the wall outside his room door.

Minjun stopped.

“Wonyong-ssi.” Minjun said slowly.

Wonyong frowned. “I am right, you are treating me differently than before. Ssi? You have always called me Wonyong-ah. Did I do something wrong?” Wonyong asked, stepping forward and reaching out.

Minjun stepped back, his slippers scuffing the floor. He pulled on the edge of his sweater with his fingertips.

‘Please Let's not get any closer. Please, it already is so painful.’ His heart throbbed not knowing it was supposed to not feel anything anymore. It betrayed him and beat wildly for him anyway.

“I… It’s not. Jaewoong-ah…” Minjun mumbled out.

“What?” Wonyong asked.

“Jaewoong-ah he will be.” Minjun started.

Wonyong hissed. “Jaewoong, Jaewoong, Jaewoong. He has been here one day and all I can hear out of your mouth is his name. Are you that happy he is here?” Wonyong spat, angrily.

The door opened and Jaewoong leaned out of the door, one hand on it the other hand wrapped around Minjun’s neck.

“Yah, when are you coming to bed Jun-ah, I’m lonely. You know I am unfamiliar with this place, and I hate unfamiliar places. He let go of the door and his other arm fell around Minjun. He cuddled into his back.

“I don’t want to be alone anymore, he pouted. Minjun felt his breath and that wonderful rich smell tickle the back of his nose and throat.

“Wonyong-ssi. I will talk to you later. It seems Jaewoong needs some help for a bit. Have a goodnight.” Minjun said and then hastily shoved Jaewoong through the doorway and shut the door behind them. Jaewoong scoffed, turned on his heel then walked away. Minjun remained with his head against the door.

“Hey, do you have to stare daggers at him? Do you have to jump to my rescue before I can even talk to him? I don’t want him to keep touching me like that. But I need to be able to tell him without you barging in. He doesn’t seem to like you.” Minjun said hoping his soft tone would soften the blow of the harsh words.

Jaewoong scoffed. “Good, he shouldn’t be touching you like that. There is no reason for a guy like that to be touching you like...”

“Jaewoong.” Minjun snapped his chest heaving with emotion.

“I will do it myself.”

Jaewoong chuckled. Minjun turned to look at him. He looked pissed off, he wished he could know why Jaewoong was being like this. It made no sense, they had just met.

Jaewoong’s lip trembled. “Last night I said when you need someone to talk to and to keep you company. When you are lonely… I never break my promises and I promised you.” Jaewoong started.

“Jaewoong.” Minjun said softer this time.

“The thing you said before… He paused. “Just forget about it, let's pretend it never happened.” Minjun said, opening the door of the bathroom and closing it behind him. A second later the door opened and Jawoong walked in.

 “Why?” He asked.

“I don’t want to.” Minjun lied.

“I wouldn’t have offered it if I didn’t mean it. I am not the type to say empty words.” Jaewoong said.

Minjun stayed silent.

“Want and need are two different things. I won’t be there if you want. But if you need me. I’ll be there.” Jaewoong said softly.

“Love can really hurt.” Jaewoong said.

“Love can feel like you are peeling away a part of your own soul when it is rejected. Because that’s what they did. They rejected a part of you that was so deeply who you are that it feels sour. It feels like a wound that has festered and deepend to an unfixable depth. And that’s why love can hurt so badly. Because it is someone saying I’m sorry I don’t and can’t love that part of you. Which makes us unintentionally tell ourselves no one can ever love that part of us, so neither should we. But it's wrong, it's just how we are feeling in that moment when we are rejected. It’s the wrong feeling. We can be loved, by ourselves and others. And we will, if not that day, in that moment, then someday. Someday that little spark inside of us will find someone who wants to fan the flame into love.” Jaewoong said.

“You know you can only feel lonely and hurt by love because you have felt it before. Those who have never felt it don’t even know it's what they are longing for and missing. They can only look longley with envy.”

Minjun felt the tears well into his eyes. ‘He hadn’t realised he had been so lonely. He was surrounded by friends almost all the time. So why was there that pit in his stomach? And here was someone who barely knew him and yet he could tell he really needed a hug.’

Minjun nodded then looked up at Jaewoong.

He was staring at him. But his eyes were gentle.

‘I thought I had figured out why you had been cursed to be a bear. I thought I understood it was because you were impossible, selfish and a maniac… But now, I wonder why were you turned into a stuffed Bear?’

“What are you thinking about?” Jawoong asked.

“What happened to make you turn into a bear?” Minjun asked gently. Making sure to be careful about the way he worded it.

“Do you like me?” Jaewoong asked suddenly.

Jawoong’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Because I am a bad man.” He said, earnestly. “So try to remember that and don’t get too attached, since I won’t be here in thirty days anyway.” He turned around and walked out of the bathroom without closing the door. He sat down on his bed, took his slippers off then laid down and turned over so that his back was facing Minjun.

Minjun watched him, his heart aching a little. ‘He seems hurt. Did I upset him by asking?’ He wondered. After brushing his teeth with the door open he walked over to his bed and laid down too.

“Good night Jaewoong.” He said softly.

But there was no response. Minjun closed his eyes and went to sleep.

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