chapter four.

                                    

                                          
"where are we? what is this place?"
loud music greets him and he feels like his ears are about to explode. he sees girls wearing only two-piece dancing on the stage. he cringes at the horrible sight.
"we're at a club, renjun." donghyuck takes him to the counter. "two red wine, please," he orders to the bartender, sitting on a chair, holding up two fingers.
"i-i don't drink," renjun declines, sitting next to him.
"more for me, then. what do you want?" donghyuck places his hand on renjun's thigh.
the latter doesn't mind it, though. "juice?"
"you're not sure?" the purple haired guy laughs and calls the bartender. "you offer juice?"
"no, sir. we don't have that here." the bartender replies, just finished preparing the red wine. he places the two glasses of red wine in front of donghyuck. "enjoy your drink, sir."
"too bad, they don't have juice. just try this red wine. i swear, it tastes good." donghyuck slides the other glass in front of the teenager.
renjun bites his lip and stares at the red wine, "but you said if i want to do something, i have to be one hundred percent sure."
"you're learning, huh?" the purple-haired guy chuckles, "well, then, think about it if you're a hundred percent sure want to try that wine."
he gulps before slowly bringing his hand to the glass. when he holds it, he lifts it and brings it in front of his lips. "okay, i'll try." he carefully takes a sip out of the glass and tastes it with his tongue. "it tastes good."
"see? i told you. finish it," donghyuck tells him before drinking his wine in just one shot.
renjun widen his eyes when he witnesses what donghyuck did. he brings the glass in front of his lips again and drinks the wine like how would donghyuck did it.
"if your parents scold you, don't blame me, okay? you're the one who decided to come with me." donghyuck chuckles.
renjun nods, "sure."
"how old are you, by the way?" the purple-haired guy asks.
"i just turned eighteen years old this march,"
"hm? i'm twenty-three. you're still young," the older says, then asks the bartender for another order of red wine. "what time your school ends?" 
"five o' clock." renjun watches the bartender pour some red wine in his glass. "then i'd go to the ice cream parlor to work."
"why are you working?" the older leans forward, showing an interest to whatever renjun is going to say.
"because i want to provide for myself. i don't like my stepmother, so i'm trying to earn money for myself so that i could finally leave the house and buy myself an apartment," renjun firmly states, clenching his fist.
donghyuck notices it and grabs his fist, trying to open it into a palm. "tough."
"i just want to live peacefully. where all my problems are gone. where i don't have to worry about school. where i don't receive judgment. that peaceful." renjun sighs. "but i know that's impossible."
"you're actually right, renjun. that is impossible. we have this thing called society, i know you're aware of that. but i just wanna say that there are still people around who want to protect you, to be friends with you, and people who do not judge you. don't just focus on the negative side, renjun. look at the bright and positive side, stay there and you'll be fine." donghyuck suddenly laughs, "why am i saying these stuff?"
renjun shrugs his shoulder. "i know you're like me. you're tired of everything, you're sick of everything. i'm just glad that there's someone who understands me."
"renjun, i want to help you." donghyuck sighs.
"how would you do that if you can't even help yourself?" the younger chuckles.
"i asked myself that too. but if i help you, maybe i could help myself too."
"maybe we can help each other, donghyuck."
donghyuck nods, "that's a good idea, renjun."
and for the first time since yesterday, donghyuck sees renjun smiles. it's not a wide smile, but he knows it's a real smile.
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