I don't know whether the sky is playing games with me now because it's starting to get to my nerves.
"...It's raining again?" I mutter exasperatedly, glaring through the windows where the intense pouring rain can be seen. It was so hard that Joochan and I could hear the thunderous pattering of the rain on their roof.
Just when I decided on going home and resting there instead of being a freeloader in Joochan's home, the rain started to show up. How sweet.
Joochan didn't seem bothered by it, and instead had an unusual smile pasted on his lips. "I guess you'll be staying here for a while."
I cross my arms in annoyance. "Why did it have to rain this time?"
"Well, we're already in the rainy season of the year, so you gotta expect more rain showers to happen."
"But it's getting late, it's almost, what," I look around for a clock and read the time. "Seven." My eyes widen as soon as I realize something and hold out a gasp. "Wait, what if your mom sees me here?"
"She wouldn't, she texted me while you were sleeping she was handling some business regarding their upcoming project, so she's not going to come. And besides, if she would, she'd be overjoyed to see you here." Joochan smiles at you. "She missed you, you know?"
"Who wouldn't miss such a well-rounded child such as me?"
"Well you were pretty well-rounded, really."
"It's just because you were skinny as fuck, you..., you stick," I tsk and smirk at him. "She probably loved me more than you when we were kids."
He chuckles, sitting down on their couch next to me, leaving a decent space in between. "Yeah, she probably did. You always came to visit me in our former house, and my mom's face always brightens up whenever she sees you waddling inside our house."
"Little Minhee was cute, I remember how chubby I was back then," I chuckle, thinking back to when we were still young. "Oh! I still remember how your dad would always lift me up in the air whenever he sees me coming into your house."
At the mention of his dad, his face hardens, his eyes are glassy and distant, and his posture stiffens. "Yeah.." he breathes, and my eyebrows cross in concern.
"How's he doing now? I missed him," I sigh with a nostalgic smile, but it quickly falters when Joochan doesn't give a reaction. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen his face in one of the picture frames here. Why?"
"I guess my mom didn't tell you. I knew you came here months ago," the sounds he made were barely a whisper, and it took all my willpower to understand what he muttered to his ass.
I didn't even get to react, but first I was surprised. I don't even know if ever Mrs. Hong told Joochan everything we had discussed last time (which was just pretty short, by the way) but of course, it was bound to be revealed to him sooner or later.
"He died from drug and alcohol abuse," he looks down at his fidgeting fingers sitting on his lap. A tear falls down to his pants.
I didn't know how to react to that. My mouth is slightly parted, thinking carefully as to how I'll react. "...I thought he was only an alcohol user, since I remember you telling me his episodes before."
Joochan was a really scared boy, he would flinch at everything even if it's just a little tap on his shoulder or even if it's just an insect that has landed on his skin. And it was all because of his alcoholic father. Mr. Hong had episodes of him beating up both Mrs. Hong and Joochan whenever he was under the influence of alcohol, and from time to time, Joochan would escape and seek shelter at our house, where he'll pretend he's happy and where he's temporarily safe.
[start of flashback]
The sight of a young Joochan going inside my house was a normal occurrence, but today was different.
He had bruises covering his face, decorating his arms and calves. His eyes were red from crying, his nose stuffed, his mouth was quivering.
And yet, he entered with a smile. "Hi, Minmin."
My eyebrows curved in worry and I rushed to hug him. "...Did it happen again?"
I felt him nod into my embrace. "I'm used to it, don't worry."
"Being used to it doesn't mean you're okay with it." I sighed.
He was silent.
"Wait here, I'll ask my mom to go and tend to your wounds. This day's pretty serious than last time."
Joochan's eyes widened. "No–no, please Minmin, don't. I don't want your parents to find out about my dad."
I tried to reason out, "But my mom's an expert when it comes to first aid."
"You're sloppy but it still helps. Besides, when you do it, it makes me happy." Joochan smiled at me, pained, but it was adorable.
"I don't know, Chanchan," I proceeded to walk towards my closet, opening one of the drawers and grabbed the little old box hidden deep in the sea of clothes. I pulled it out and opened the lid. "My parents would definitely help you and—"
"But I don't want them to judge dad..." he mutters, more to himself than to me.
"If that's what you want, I'll just help you for the time being." I proceeded to treat his wounds, remembering clearly Joochan's instructions when he first taught me how to do first aid, and how to treat bruises.
"You're actually getting the hang of it," Joochan grinned a bit. "First time you did this to me, you made my bruise worse."
I chuckled. "At least I tried! Give me points for effort." After wrapping it up, I slightly patted the bandaged wound. "Alright, it's done."
"Ow!" he winced. "Why'd you have to do that?"
"To check if it's working." I laughed. "Clearly it hasn't."
[end of flashback]
I can't even count how many times he came to me just for me to tend to his bruises. I was wary of Mr. Hong because of his episodes, but he was so kind to me before that I sometimes forget he was hurting Joochan.
I look at Joochan, not knowing how to comfort him. With a sigh, I close up our distance and gently pull him into an embrace, patting his hair. "I'm sure you miss him."
He nods, and slowly starts to cry into my shoulders. His arms tighten around me. "I do."
We stay like that for a long time. We didn't talk. Words aren't enough to comfort a person. But I hope my hug will be enough.
"It's okay, Joochan, I'm here."
"I know. Thank you." And he holds me tighter.