It's Just A Picture (BL)
Chapter 134: Please, let it stay dry. Your tears

Chapter 134: Please, let it stay dry. Your tears

(I Was listening to Dynasty by Mia while writing this and for the first few paragraphs, I’m being honest when I say, I got teary eyed and tears actually rolled down my cheeks. I don’t know why though. It’s like I was actually watching Dongwoo while he was doing what he was doing. It hurt me too, y’know. I didn’t want him to suffer but... Let me not bore you with my long author’s note anymore and leave you to read.)

While they were talking, Dongwoo decided to leave and he headed for the restroom.

He washed his face. He washed it a couple of times, splashing water till he successfully washed off all the emotions that were gritting in his face, but they wouldn’t come off. The emotions that he didn’t want to have wouldn’t come off, no matter how much water he used.

He rubbed his cheeks roughly, rubbed his forehead as well, and splashed water on it once more.

He cleaned his face with a towel and put it down, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

What was it? He was crazy.

He couldn’t tell what the feelings cramping in his chest were and what that sadness was doing pasted in his face.

It was too much to bear that his eyes grew teary, portraying the hurt he denied himself of feeling. His expression contorted and he bit his lip.

Why? He already said he wasn’t his twin and didn’t want to think about it but no matter how... No matter how much he tried to deny it, the words still weighed in his heart and his head was telling him to think it over if he wanted answers.

But he didn’t want to think it over. He didn’t want to think of it at all.

There was such a thing as coincidence in this world. There was such a thing as a mistake and... This was a mistake so why... Why was he feeling so battered up?

He had no family and no brother. The only family he had, the only one who was there, sharing her warmth and the little she had with him, was dead and that would never change. It would never.

He had no family. He didn’t have them then and he wouldn’t have them now.

But... Even with these words of affirmation in his heart, it didn’t stop hurting. It didn’t stop. It only kept hurting, more. It only...

The door opened, and Dongwoo turned to see Seojin standing at the door, staring at him in shock.

His teary eyes gave way to more tears and he cried.

Seojin wasted no time going to him and hugged him. He hugged him tight, pressing his head to his chest, and pursed his lips as Dongwoo’s muffled cries echoed in the restroom.

"It’s a lie. It’s all a lie." Dongwoo said, clutching onto Seojin’s jacket. "It’s a lie. I have no family. I..."

He cured so bitterly that Seojun could not hold back anymore. It was too much to beat and so he took Dongwoo’s lips in his, kissing him softly and passionately, hoping it would help him calm down. That... Was the only thing he knew how to do calm him down.

That was the only thing he could do for him even after seeing him cry so bitterly. It hurt a lot.

A drop of tear rolled out of Seojin’s closed eye, the left to be precise and fell on Dongwoo’s cheek.

Dongwoo felt the drop and opened his eyes, only to see Seojin’s wet eyelashes. Then, he broke the kiss and asked,

"Why are you crying?"

Seojin did not respond but instead hugged him.

"You probably saw it wrong." He said. "I’m not crying."

Dongwoo didn’t know why he was denying it but he suspected that he cried after seeing him cry.

"Hyung, are you okay now?" Seojin asked and Dongwoo nodded.

"Hm."

But Seojin hugged him tighter, refusing to let go. He became protective. So protective that his eyes grew dark in anger and a hint of fear.

Dongwoo wasn’t supposed to hurt like that. He wasn’t supposed to shed tears so bitterly that his heart broke at the sight of it.

"Is he the reason you’re crying?" Seojin asked. "Is that lookalike the reason you were so bitter in tears?"

"It’s... Complicated." Dongwoo answered, rolling his eyes down.

Seojin released his arms around Dongwoo a bit and looked down into Dongwoo’s eyes, gently and softly stroking his cheeks.

"It’s dried." He said and kissed the corner of his eyes. "Please, let it stay dry. Your tears."

Then, he kissed Dongwoo’s forehead and Dongwoo forehead.

"Don’t let the world or anything in it make you cry so bitterly, Hyung. I will try to keep it all away from you, so please, never cry like that again. It hurts." He said, his saddened eyes boring into Dongwoo’s. "I felt it so much that it broke my heart. Please, Hyung."

Dongwoo, surprised by the emotion he was watching in Seojin’s eyes, blinked and then smiled softly.

"I can’t make promises." He said. "I’m quite the crybaby, you see."

"Then only cry in front of us and never cry in front of anyone." He said. "Let us be the only reasons why you cry."

Dongwoo was a bit confused. What did he mean to cry only because of them? He didn’t understand.

But the sadness in Seojin’s face, not just his eyes, made his heart grow so weak that he didn’t know when he accepted and said,

"Alright, I’ll try."

"Thank you, Hyung." He kissed his cheek. "God, I was so scared."

"Why?" Dongwoo asked but he did not answer and simply hugged him again. But Dongwoo did not give up and persisted. "Why were you scared, Seojin?"

"Because you looked so sad. It was as if you were tired of living and just wanted to end it all."

"What gave you that impression?" Dongwoo asked.

"It was your expression." Seojin said and for a moment, Dongwoo felt he was talking based on experience.

It must’ve been a bad experience.

The expression that was on his face while he cried... He looked towards the mirror. He couldn’t remember but he was sure it had been bad, just like all the other times where he cried alone till his heart got better.

For a normal person, crying like that was probably not normal.

But that was the only way he was able to relieve any hurt he felt in his heart.

"Are you okay, Hyung?" Seojun asked, walking in.

He looked like he had been waiting for a chance to walk in.

Dongwoo suddenly realized they were in a public space. Anyone could walk in at any moment.

But he did not have time to think of that as he saw the expression on Seojun’s face.

He looked at him with a bitter and more saddened expression than the one Seojin had when he walked in like his heart was broken... Like he was guilty.

Seojun took Dongwoo into his arms and hugged him, but instead of burying Dongwoo’s head in his chest to comfort him, he crouched his back and dropped his head on Dongwoo’s shoulder, like he was the one in need of comfort.

"I’m sorry." He said.

"For what?" Dongwoo asked, unaware of his reason for apologizing but Seojun shook his head and tightened his arms around him.

"Everything."

(And then, I heard ’Only love can hurt like this’ towards the end. Gosh, I have such an emotional playlist, y’all)