Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, names for Bum's uncle and granny, and Sangwoo's auntie and uncle. everything canon belongs to Killing Stalking and is the property of Koogi. I make NO money off writing this fic.
000
Bum didn't know what to do when he heard his uncle angrily storming up the stairs. He dropped the crayons he was coloring with and rushed into his closet, jumping in under the trash bags from the foster home to hide. The door to his room opened while he covered his mouth with his hands, trying to hide his breathing and stop himself from crying in fear. Soundless tears streamed down his face.
"Bum!" His uncle called, speech slightly off. "Where the fuck are you, you little shit? Come out of hiding and face your...hic...Uncle...!"
Bum squeezed his eyes shut and trembled, not realizing it was making noises as he moved against the bags. His closet door was angrily ripped open, and a bag was yanked away from him. Bum cried out in surprise when he spotted his uncle leering at him. He reeked of something Bum didn't recognize, but the smell made him sick.
"What are you doing in there?" Uncle wondered. "God damn kid...I'm not in the mood for hide and seek. Get out here. Now."
Bum scrambled to his feet, toying with the end of his shirt as he stood there under his Uncle's gaze. He looked at the floor as he fidgeted his feet against one another. Uncle just stared at him, swaying a little as he stood.
"Tch, filthy brat." He complained. "Go take your damn bath, would you? You're stinking up my house."
"S-Sorry...uncle..." Bum bit his lip.
"Better be." Uncle snorted, ambling to the doorway. "And get your ass in bed."
"B-But its only six...!"
Uncle glared. "Did I stutter?"
"N-No..."
"No, I didn't. That's right. Get your ass in bed after your shower." Uncle slammed the door so loudly, it felt like the whole house shook.
It took Bum a moment or two to realize that it was him shaking, not the house. He saw a light dancing on the wall of his room. Confused, Bum followed its path to look outside. At the window, he spotted Sangwoo sitting on his window sill, flashing a light in his room. Bum lifted the window with some difficulty.
"Sangwoo?" Bum wondered.
The older boy shut off the flashlight. "Heard yelling. You okay?"
"I-I'm fine...! I don't know why Uncle is mad, though..." Bum sniffled.
"Wipe your nose, would you? You're sensitive..."
"But...I..." Bum wiped his face with his sleeve. "Uncle says I have to have a bath and go to bed."
"This early?"
Bum nodded. "S-Sorry, Sangwoo...I wanted to play..."
Sangwoo shrugged. "It's fine." He stated. "Early bedtime. Boring." He sighed. "We can play tomorrow, okay, Bum?"
"Y-Yeah...tomorrow!"
"Bum!" Uncle called. "Who the fuck are you talking to? Don't make me come up there!"
Bum winced. "I have to go. Sorry, Sangwoo!" He pushed the window shut as quickly as he could without slamming it and pulled the curtains closed.
Sangwoo watched his friend's window until he couldn't see his shadow moving around anymore. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back as his arm holding the flashlight dangled uselessly to his side. How boring.
000
The first thing Sangwoo noticed when Bum showed up on his doorstep the following morning was the one thing the younger boy hoped he wouldn't pay any mind to.
"That lady won't let you live there anymore if she sees that." Sangwoo warned. "What happened?"
Bum put a hand over the bruise on his cheek, pulling back when Sangwoo reached to touch it.
"N-Nothing..." Bum replied. "I just made Uncle mad and..." He sniffled. "I ran away and tripped on some toys I didn't put away."
"You and I both know you don't have any toys."
"No! I have Bun-Bun. And my coloring books and crayons." Bum objected, shaking his head. "A-And other stuff...! But I can't bring them outside, and Uncle says you can't come over..."
Sangwoo rolled his eyes. "Always following the rules. Boring! Come on, Bum. Live a little."
"I live enough!"
Sangwoo chuckled as Bum stuck his tongue out at him. "Put that away. I don't know what you've been doing with it."
"I've been talking with it."
Sangwoo blinked, a lazy smile crossing his face. "Say, Bum, can you ride a bike?"
"Duh, of course I can ride a bike!" Bum boasted. "I...just...don't have one..."
"My old one is too small for me." Sangwoo pulled Bum towards the tool shed by the wrist. "You can use it."
"A-Are you sure...?"
Sangwoo nodded. "Just leave it here so your Uncle won't be a jerk."
"He's a jerk no matter what I do..."
"Good, you know that!" Sangwoo laughed, pulling the shed open.
Two bikes sat inside, one bright red and new, while the other was worn and blue. To Bum, it was the best thing he could have ever seen.
"I-I get to use that...?" He wondered, taking a cautious step closer. "But...it's so cool..."
Sangwoo cocked an eyebrow. "It's just a bike...an old bike."
"It's still cool." Bum wrapped his arms around Sangwoo's middle. "Thanks, Sangwoo!"
Sangwoo threw his arms in the air, a little surprised when the other launched at him. He just stood there, unsure of what to do next. Should he hug the other boy back? Shove him away?
"Uh..."
Bum let him go, breaking into the biggest grin the other boy had ever seen on his face. "Where are we going to go?"
"There's a big hill down the road." Sangwoo nodded right. "I like going down it. Let's go."
"Okay!"
Together, they wheeled the bikes out onto the grass and down to the sidewalk. Sangwoo brushed dust off his bike's seat.
"You sure you can ride a bike? I don't have to teach you?"
"Dad taught me." Bum huffed, going silent after that.
Sangwoo didn't say anything more as the ravenette hopped onto his bike and started pedaling.
"C-Come on." Bum put a foot down to stop himself. "I don't know where I'm going..."
Sangwoo laughed, getting onto his bike. "Follow me. Oh, and Bum?"
"Y-Yeah...?"
"Try not to fall too far behind."
"Huh?"
Sangwoo raced off, laughing. "Come on, slow-poke!"
"H-Hey, no fair!" Bum hopped onto his bike and began chasing the older boy, laughing all the way as the wind blew his hair from his face.
For the first time since he moved to his Uncle's house, he felt like he was soaring.