102: Epilogue Part 6: Not So Bad

Inho knew Lucas was an asshole, and a homophobe. He knew that from what Stephen had said, but he was still curious. When Lucas passed him a tall can of craft beer from a local brewery and leaned back into his chair with a sigh, Inho couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he’d changed. A lot of time had passed, perhaps he’d grown, maybe he and his brother could be close again.

He just looked so much like Stephen, fast-forwarded by seven years, that Inho felt connected to him in an odd way.

Inho took a sip, and resisted a cringe. The beer was an IPA and bitter as hell. “Um, so where d’you work?” he asked, unsure how to proceed now that Lucas was with him, but not speaking.

“I’m a paramedic.”

“Oh, wow, that’s so cool! It must be hard work, and I guess you save a lot of lives and stuff? Very cool, very cool.” Inho clicked his jaw closed. Shut up Inho, you’re babbling.

Lucas blinked at him a moment, then smiled a terribly familiar 1000-watt smile, “Yes, well, it is hard. And we do save a lot of people,” he scrunched his nose in distaste, “Not that they’re grateful half the time. People are always cussing us out or attacking us. Someone swung a needle at me today.”

“What?! That’s horrible!”

“I know! And nobody cares! Look,” He pulled up his white undershirt on the right side, and Inho had a shock of deja vu. “Look, I got stabbed here once, by a fucking junkie, while I was holding his guts in too.” There was a thin pink scar on his tanned abs.

“Wow...” Inho didn’t know what to say, so he gulped down his beer instead. His eyes watered at the taste.

Lucas shrugged and dropped his shirt, “Well, you get used to it… The work that is, not getting stabbed. That still feels fresh every time.”

Inho choked a laugh, then immediately suppressed it, but Lucas was grinning. Inho wiped a hand across his lips, his shirt had beer on it now too, and he suddenly couldn’t stop burping nasty bubbles.

“Anyway, you’re one of Connor’s friends? A classmate? You look a bit older than the others.”

“Ah, yeah. I’m 25. We graduate university later in Korea, ‘cause of military service, and also cuz I’m a bit of a fuck up…” Why did I say that? Inho’s cheeks heated and he quickly swallowed some more beer to cover. But Lucas looked markedly more interested.

“Military, huh? You served?”

“Yeah, for about two years. Everyone does. Guys anyway.”

Inho could almost see the veil of polite indifference raise as Lucas re-evaluated him. He felt a small rush of warmth at the obvious approval on his face. “Does that mean that–”

The front door opened and a woman’s voice called out, “I’m home!” followed by footsteps on the stairs.

Lucas’ face lit up, and he excused himself from their conversation. When Connor’s mother appeared on the landing, he scooped her into his arms, where she giggled happily. He kissed her cheeks and her lips, and beamed down at her. Inho shifted, uncomfortable observing such an intimate scene, and stared down at his empty can. From the circle of Lucas’ arms the woman suddenly spotted Inho, and startled, before pushing Lucas lightly away. “We have a guest?”

“One of Connor’s friends from school,” Lucas answered simply.

She clapped her hands together like a child, and came over to greet him, “I’m Lynn, so nice to meet you! Connor never brings friends over!”

She was tiny and beautiful, like a pale little bird, or a delicate fairy tale princess. She looked exactly like Connor, she could be his older sister– except for the drastically different personality.

Inho didn’t have the heart to tell her that he and Connor weren’t friends… That Connor probably hated him, and had definitely tried to bully him more than once. So instead, he leaned over the table to shake her hand, making sure to keep the top of his boxers hidden under his shirt.

“Yes. I’m Inho Kim. It’s nice to meet you.” He prayed she’d leave before he had to stand up again.

“Are you staying for dinner? Please do!” She chirped in her sing songy voice, “I’ll get it started right away.” She raised up on her toes to peck Lucas on the cheek once more, “Sorry you had to wait so long, Honey. You must be starving.” She bustled about, taking off her coat, and chattering about her day as she went. It seemed she worked at a preschool or something to do with children. It suited her. Lucas sat back down, but his eyes tracked her, and there was a soft smile of adoration on his face.

“I can’t stay, but thank you so much for the offer,” Inho interjected weakly, when she finally paused for breath. She looked crushed at his answer, and he tensed up guiltily. Even Lucas turned on him, his accusing stare cutting to Inho’s core.

Before he could crumble under the pressure of her disappointment, Connor saved him. He appeared from the hallway at the base of a second flight of stairs, and he was visibly annoyed. “Inho get up here, I texted you like three times Jesus. H. Christ!”

“Watch your mouth, kid,” Lucas snapped, and got up to throw out their now empty cans.

Inho stood as well, folded his hands over his groin, and scuttled over to Connor with a muttered, “Talk to you later,” In Lucas’ and Lynn’s direction before fleeing up the stairs. Connor’s bedroom was unexpectedly neat for an eighteen-year old boy. Full bookshelves lined the walls, and everything was meticulously organized. The bed was made, and, but for a small cluster of incongruous stuffed animals on top of the sheets, the whole space was oddly devoid of personality, like a staged room at Ikea.