章 22: A Tight Hug

No one cared about Hyun Joon liking men. Even though the news surprised them, they did not feel uncomfortable or weird about it.

They all knew nothing had changed between them. After all, their baby love Hyun Joon would always be their baby love Hyun Joon. Their cherished Maknae.

"Thanks, guys!" Hyun Joon smiled at everyone and looked at Lee Yong anxiously. He hoped his coming out from the closet for Lee Whan did not backfire and cause more issues for the man of his dreams.

Yun Soo also caught on to what was going on. He tried speaking to their band leader but did not know exactly what to say. "But CEO Lee also did not say he is gay. So there is a possibility that he is…"

"Maybe you should call your brother." Na Hyun Joon held his breath as he spoke. He was anxious, and he could not even hide it anymore.

He was worried for Lee Whan.

Lee Yong smiled at Hyun Joon to express his thanks. He picked up his phone and started calling his brother as if his life depended on it.

Everyone noticed how Hyun Joon came out for CEO Lee and how their band leader had zero comments about Hyun Joon's sexuality.

As much as Chung Seok wanted to smack their band leader's head, he wanted to wait and see how he treated Hyun Joon. If there were an issue, he would take matters into his hands and throw a fist even though he knew he did not stand a chance of winning. But he knew he could cause some damage.

Lee Yong called his brother constantly. The phone rang, but no one picked it up. He did not give up for the next hour and did not care about his ears tickling due to the constant ring sound.

Everyone stayed by his side and tried to give their moral support even though they felt their band leader deserved it for always treating his little brother like trash.

Soon they saw the desperate Lee Yong calling his brother like a mad man ignoring the tears running down his cheeks.

Hyun Joon wiped their band leader's tears softly. The action finally got Lee Young's attention. He looked at Hyung Joon with teary eyes. "He is not picking up!"

Lee Yong resembled an abandoned puppy.

Before Hyun Joon could say something, he found himself with an arm full of Lee Yong, who was hugging him for his life.

"What if something happened to him?" Lee Yong hugged Hyun Joon tightly as if that helped him from falling apart. The hug was firm, as if his life depended on him.

Hyun Joon pat the band leader's back - a little confused and a little suffocated by the tight hug, but still tried his best to give comfort.

"Hyung! CEO Lee said he was going to stay with his friends. He will be fine. Believe his words." Hyun Joon blindly trusted Lee Whan's words, and he knew it was one of the shortcomings due to his adoration. But he hoped it was right to Lee Whan's word in this matter.

Lee Yong felt like a child who had lost everything dear to him at the moment. "What if I never get my brother back?"

"Lee Whan Hyung is not that cruel." Hyun Joon always believed Lee Whan was the loveliest person in the world, and no one could change his view.

If only he knew the truth about Lee Whan's anger and the actions he did in the moment of anger in the past, Hyun Joon would reevaluate his opinion. Or maybe not.

The man was far too deep in love to consider the possibility like Lee Whan could be brutal. Even if he witnessed Lee Whan beating someone to a pulp or murdering someone, he would still say Lee Whan was the loveliest person.

"You have no idea how cruel he could be. Trust me!" Lee Yong knew how cruel his brother actually used to be.

His younger brother's personality was more bounded by brutality even when they were kids. Lee Whan lived on the principle of 'tit for tat.'

But everything changed, and his brother became nice after he moved to the boarding school. When he realised the change, Lee Yong distanced himself from his brother, hoping the other would be himself.

The new Lee Whan felt strange and weird that he could not accept it.

He longed for his little brother, who threw a fist before he asked questions.

The honest Lee Whan vanished under the understanding smile.

The spontaneity and anger had always belonged to Lee Whan's real personality.

The kind smile and calm diplomacy facade of Lee Whan was a facade he learned after moving to the boarding school. It was part of his survival there, and he quickly learned it in the first year with the help of his father's friend's sons in the school.

It protected Lee Whan in the long run, including within the family and society. But Lee Yong did not understand that change was necessary for his little brother's survival.