17

                                    

                                          
Hongjoong came home to see drops of blood on the floor. He followed the trail and saw Seonghwa trying to dress up his wounds. Seonghwa looked like he had been in a fight, his shirt was torn, he had cuts on his face and his left palm was bleeding. In fact, he was bleeding almost everywhere, what has he been upto? Hongjoong let out a loud gasp, "W-what happened?" he asked. Yeosang came downstairs and rushed towards them. "I might have been in a fight" Seonghwa replied. "You're literally covered in blood, what are you even talking about?" Yeosang asked, concerned. "All the blood is not mine, it might be someone else's too" Seonghwa answered, managing a smile. 
"You idiot! What are you even saying! Why would you fight someone like that? Were you off at war? Look at you! You look like you've been bathing with blood. Can't you for once be careful? And where were your guards? What were they doing? Don't tell me you tried to be a hero and went one on all of them. Who were you fighting with? And why-"
                          
"Hyung, hyung. Calm down. Why do you always yell at him when he's clearly not in a good condition. And attacks like these are common for us, must have been some competitors. But he's right, why didn't you have guards with you?" said Yeosang. "Um, I was actually driving back home, there wasn't much work, I thought I'd do some at home, and this happened." Seonghwa answered. "Well, first of all go and wash off the blood before I pass out" Hongjoong said.
Seonghwa was in no state to cover up his wounds, Yeosang and Hongjoong had to help. Hongjoong was disinfecting a cut when Seonghwa said, "This feels like someone's pouring coca cola on the cut"
"Shut up, please"
                          
Hongjoong asked him if he could walk around himself. Seonghwa tried getting up, but couldn't walk without a support, and having a support meant paining the hands. "You see for yourself, I don't think I look like I can walk" croaked the other. "You want to go up your room?" Yeosang asked. "Yeah that would be fun" Seonghwa replied.
The two of them had to practically carry Seonghwa up the stairs, to his room. They helped him to his bed, he said he'll be fine, and would call if he needs something. The two came back down, assured. 
                          
"What did you mean? Fights like these are common?" Hongjoong asked.
"Yeah, pretty common, it's like they would want to kidnap him or something, to get his money and stuff. Keeps happening, no worries, we are used to, we've developed some skills, it's people like you who should be careful" Yeosang answered him, not quite clearly. Hongjoong was surprised, though he was immune to the physical pain because of his past, he wasn't quite used to seeing people like these get hurt.
"You guys are insane" he said.
"Money is insane" Yeosang whistled.
"Yeah righ-"
"Hyung, you've to be careful too, our enemies might attack you someday. Definitely don't wanna see you bathing in blood" Yeosang teased. 
"Yeah, don't worry, I've got some tricks up my sleeve too" he replied, but Yeosang just laughed it off.
Hongjoong was being quite serious, he had learned to fight those black dressed people who never missed a chance to attack him during the times when he still used to live with his step parents. He had learned how to find shelter on the streets, to climb houses and quietly steal from the shops. His instincts were always alert, as a result of living with his step parents who would show up out of nowhere just to beat him up. Hongjoong had rebelled quite a lot, because who cared? No one did. His step parents wouldn't care until he was paying his rent on time, they just thought of him as a burden who was now a relief to have been sold off.