underaged drinking

⛓️

Seonghwa had woken up the next morning with nothing but the two pairs of earrings from Flora, a bright red lollipop, and his phone sitting on his bedside drawer, which had a million missed calls from Mingi by the way.

Seonghwa groaned, rubbing his forehead in order to numb the ache that lingered there. Fuck. He'd almost gotten hurt yesterday by that shadow-Mon-thing. Or was it even a Mon?

Either way, that thing had been out to get him, but Hongjoong...

Seonghwa's jaw clenched as pain ravished his head like wildfire. But with that came some clarity, and he soon remembered the shorter boy rushing to him and holding him close. He could also remember that scorching whip in the distance, its flames gradually dying out.

What'd that been all about?

Seonghwa didn't know. He didn't feel good either.

He stared at the ceiling, the gentle breeze seeping through his window steadying his racing thoughts. He wondered how Hongjoong had brought him home, or if he'd laid him on his bed himself. He couldn't even remember Hongjoong carrying him, although he was pretty sure the shorter had to have done so.

Seonghwa's cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment. He couldn't imagine just how he'd looked in Hongjoong's arms, the other boy holding him like some dead-weight while they all transported back to Earth. God, Seonghwa only seemed to make a fool of himself whenever Hongjoong was around.

Seonghwa slowly reached out for the lollipop across from him, deciding on blaming his next actions on the fact that he was (kind of) in a delirious state and all he could feel right now was physical discomfort.

He unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth, the sweet taste of strawberries drowning his senses all at once. But for the first time ever, he liked it. The knots in his joints relaxed and loosened, and as he continued to lie inside his dark bedroom, all his worries seemed to disappear with the fickle wind...

⛓️

As soon as Seonghwa entered the school bus, he opted for the seat closest to the back and where the early morning sunlight from the windows wouldn't get to him. He still didn't feel too good, so he just wanted to hide away in the corner for a little bit and get some rest.

He soon spotted Mingi, and when the taller excitably waved him over, he internally braced himself for all the questioning that was to come.

"Good morning, Seonghwa," his friend greeted.

"Hey," Seonghwa replied, his voice coming out a little tired. "Uh, can I sit at the corner?"

"Sure," Mingi moved to let him sit, his eyes never leaving his face. Despite his smile, his eyes reflected worry.

Seonghwa leaned into his seat with a sigh, staring out the windows at nothing.

"...I know you really dislike it when I keep asking if you're okay," Mingi started, his voice on the lower side to keep any third-party from listening. "But I just really wanna know if you're fine."

Seonghwa glanced at his friend, which turned out to be a mistake. The taller wore red again, and images consisting of Hongjoong's smile and that lollipop of his burned in Seonghwa's mind. And worst of all, he remembered that eerie silhouette and the flaming whip.

"Seonghwa?"

Seonghwa forced himself to look away, only to wince when direct sunlight hit him head on. It was pale orange, reminding him of last night's events once again. "I'm fine."

"You know, I came to your house yesterday night."

Shock filled Seonghwa at that second, and it wasn't the good kind. Obviously, he couldn't stop Mingi from going to his house when the taller had been probably only worried he wasn't picking up his calls, but that didn't mean Seonghwa was suddenly okay with it.

"Why?" He asked. He didn't like the thought of Mingi showing up at his house without letting him know first, especially when his father was around.

Mingi exhaled, face mirroring concern which only made Seonghwa feel worse. "I..." His hands clenched repeatedly, like he was thinking hard about what he wanted to say next. "I wanted to see you, Hwa. Seriously, when I called and you weren't picking up, I got so alarmed and I just -- I needed to know that you were okay."

Seonghwa frowned, but hid it from Mingi. "I am okay. I'm not a kid."

"I know, but I -- " Mingi abruptly stopped himself.

"But what?" Seonghwa asked, noticing that Mingi's gaze wasn't even directed at him anymore. And for a second, he was relieved, only to realize that the other students inside the bus were staring in the same direction Mingi was looking.

Once Seonghwa decided to look as well, the first thing he saw was smoke on the east road, dark grey and thick. Then the smoke slightly cleared off, revealing crushed, disfigured metal and mangled tires.

They belonged to two cars that had fatally collided, wrecking destruction on each other. It was a gruesome, surreal image, because Seonghwa had only seen stuff like this on the news and not in person.

But here he was right now, and for some odd reason, he just couldn't look away.

"What the fuck happened?" Mingi whispered, but he wasn't the only one in the bus questioning things. Accidents like these were rare in the small town Seonghwa lived in, especially so early in the morning.

"Maybe the people involved were drunk driving," Mingi said as the distance between the bus and that accident site got wider. "If they were though, then shame on them. I mean, it's Wednesday morning. Who the hell gets drunk on a Wednesday morning?"

Seonghwa's eyes were still trained on those destroyed vehicles. The poignant smoke they emitted made him remember yesterday night again, and hell, it scared yet fascinated him.

Were the Mons involved in this?

"Hwa, you're thinking again. What's up?" Mingi nudged his arm, effectively dragging Seonghwa out of his thoughts.

"Our shitty school work," Seonghwa lied, shutting his eyes again. Even with the sunlight, the atmospheric temperature was still on the lower end of the scale. He rubbed his hands together to generate some warmth, before feeling something soft on his fingers.

Mittens.

"Dad said the weather's gonna be quite weird for the rest of the week," Mingi explained, scratching the base of his neck. "So I brought another pair for you so your skin won't get too coarse. And look, it even matches with your grey sweater."

"Mingi..." Seonghwa muttered, not knowing what to say. "Thanks. You're such a great friend, while I'm so shitty."

"You're not a shitty friend," Mingi countered, his face showcasing pure honesty. "But there is a way you can make it up to me."

Seonghwa put the mittens on, his hands immediately feeling cozier. They fit him perfectly. "How?"

Mingi grinned, a bit sly. "We go to a party."

Seonghwa groaned, his shoulders hunching. "You know I don't like them."

"But please, Hwa. It isn't anything huge or crazy," Mingi begged. "Changbin's the one hosting it. He's the friendly guy from my music classes, remember? He hosts great parties and I wanna go with you for once."

Seonghwa bit his lip, still unconvinced. He'd never seen the big deal with parties, getting drunk and whatnot. The idea of letting so loose with alcohol and trashing everywhere didn't sit right with him, no matter how much he thought about it. He'd rather sleep than get caught up in all of that.

You're boring. Hongjoong's words replayed in his mind like a mantra.

Seonghwa shook his head. "I just... I'm not really into it. You can take San with you instead."

Mingi looked disappointed, but like always, he didn't pressure Seonghwa any further about it, which Seonghwa immensely appreciated. But he couldn't help but wonder if Mingi sometimes felt... burdened or frustrated by him.

⛓️

Hongjoong was already in the biology lab when Mingi had opened the door for him and Seonghwa to step in.

His and Seonghwa's eyes met, and his expression was as impenetrable as ever, looking away before Seonghwa even had the chance to make his next move.

Hongjoong didn't once look his way for the whole class, and while that usually wasn't enough to bother Seonghwa (he needed to pay attention and get good grades after all), all it did was distract and irk him to no end.

Whenever he copied down his notes, he spared Hongjoong a glance. Whenever he sharpened his pencil to draw a diagram, he spared Hongjoong another glance. Whenever he solved a problem, he spared Hongjoong yet another glance. It was a repetitive, tasking cycle, one Seonghwa couldn't step out off that easily since he continuously kept mulling over Hongjoong's behaviour and why he was, yet again, pretending as if Seonghwa didn't exist.

His and Mingi's shared test tubes caught on fire.

"Shit!" Mingi cursed rather loudly, but it was quickly buried under the squeals and numerous exclaims of surprise from the other students.

Seonghwa took a hurried step back as the biology teacher quickly sprayed the test tubes with the fire extinguisher, the harsh sound meshing with all the chaotic noises in his head.

Luckily, the teacher wasn't as temperamental as his AP calculus teacher, so he and Mingi only got off on a simple warning for the mess the burnt tubes had caused. But Seonghwa couldn't get it all out of his head.

"I have no idea how that happened," Mingi had been saying when Seonghwa caught Hongjoong staring at them. "But that was lowkey fucking amazing. Probably one of the most interesting things to ever happen in this anticlimactic class."

But Seonghwa was far from amused. In fact, he didn't find anything about what'd happened this far entertaining in the slightest.

Did Hongjoong do this?

Seonghwa didn't think the shorter was able to pull this stunt, but it seemed highly probable. After all, Hongjoong was the one who wasn't even fully human, and maybe, maybe he'd done this to poke fun at Seonghwa.

He knew it sounded ridiculous, but his thoughts couldn't help but wander in that direction. And Hongjoong wasn't making things better with the way he'd kept blowing him off during class.

In about five minutes, the bell blared through the school. Before Seonghwa could blink, Hongjoong was already gone.

⛓️

It continued for the rest of the week; Hongjoong avoiding him totally, seeming like he'd evaporated into thin air whenever Seonghwa was around.

And even when he wasn't around, Seonghwa could still feel his presence at every corner, and that was the most aggravating thing.

Safe to say, it didn't go down well with the dark haired male.

"Have you seen Hongjoong?" He'd asked San on Friday during lunch. Mingi'd gone to the bathroom which meant he could finally ask about Hongjoong.

San's legs were crossed as he rested against the bark of the sturdy oak tree. "Uh, yeah? I mean, I talked to him this morning. Woah -- slow down there."

Seonghwa stared down at his nearly crushed bag of chips, and released a sigh. "Sorry. I'm just not in the best mood today."

"Oh. Well, it happens."

"Hongjoong really talked to you?" Seonghwa questioned. His chest constricted at the fact that Hongjoong chose to ignore him, only to engage in conversation with his friend like nothing was happening.

"Yes. What's up? Did something happen between you guys?" San looked genuinely curious, which could only mean he didn't have a clue as to what was going on.

Seonghwa casually waved off his question, staring at the clear blue skies. "Nothing happened."

A single leaf swirled from above and onto his lap, brown with brilliant orange flecks at the center. Hongjoong's golden eyes flashed behind his eyelids.

He held it for a while, and then tucked it into his pocket.

"I'm back," Mingi announced a few minutes later. "Did you two miss me?"

"I miss your snacks," San teased. "That count?"

"You fucker." Mingi opened his mouth to say more when Seonghwa cut in, his voice low but understandable.

"I changed my mind about the party. I want to come."

⛓️

Seonghwa shouldn't have come to this party. He should've stayed home and rested, but he knew staying in that environment and counting down the hours until his father remembered to show up would've done no good for him mentally. Not to mention, he'd undoubtedly think about Hongjoong again, because the shorter boy was almost always on his mind now.

And that was why Seonghwa decided to be here in this downright claustrophobic place, wedged in between San and Mingi who looked a lot more natural than he ever could.

"I'm feeling for some of those cocktails," San shouted over the music, gesturing to the array of drinks inside the large and dimly lit kitchen. "You guys want some?"

Seonghwa was about to decline just as Mingi uttered a: "Yeah, sure!", which promptly resulted in Seonghwa downing a little too much alcohol for his tastes.

He only allowed himself three shots, but even with that, a serene sort of warmth began to swirl inside him, the thumping bass from the speakers easing into a dull hum.

It was good at first. The heat was welcome as it calmed his nerves down and allowed him to live in the moment, but as the seconds ticked by, his skin started to feel too hot for his body. His chest felt suffocated, extremely pressurized as if one little pinch would result in it blowing up.

The hair at the back of his neck stuck unflatteringly to his skin, the ghost of an headache worming its way into his brain.

His discomfort only worsened when he realized everyone else around him -- including his two friends -- seemed to be having the time of their lives, all except for him.

"Guys, I'm gonna head out for some fresh air," Seonghwa told San and Mingi who'd been laughing hard about something funny that had happened in one of San's math classes.

"That's okay," San replied. "But you know your way out, right?"

Seonghwa nodded, facing Mingi who was now watching him.

The taller's cheeks were a faint pink, his eyes sparkling due to all the alcohol he'd consumed. And now he was pouting, which was so unlike him.

"Awe," Mingi whined as he grabbed Seonghwa's hand, his unsolicited touch slightly taking the shorter boy aback. "Why do you have to leave now, Hwa? Why can't you stay with meee? I want you with me..."

Seonghwa knew Mingi was drunk, so he tried his best not to feel so weird about it. "Uh..."

San quickly stepped in and yanked a ditzy Mingi towards him, a nervous laugh leaving his lips. "Fuck, he's clearly drunk. Don't mind him and go get your fresh air, hm?"

Mingi shook his head, still pouting at Seonghwa. "I am not drunk."

"Yes you are," San insisted, before casting an apologetic look Seonghwa's way. "We'll be at the back, okay? You can go now."

As soon as Seonghwa left the confines of the house, he began to think more clearly, the crisp night air filling his lungs. Deciding on just taking a walk to clear his head, he made his way down the secluded street, hands in his pockets.

Then he felt it.

He felt someone there, someone who he was almost one hundred percent sure was Hongjoong. He didn't know how he knew; he just did.

Seonghwa continued to walk. Maybe he was just imagining things.

But the air got colder, goosebumps rising along the surface of his arms. His ears picked up on a light tip-tap behind him, which made him freeze entirely.

Seonghwa didn't know what he was feeling, but he wasn't scared. Hongjoong didn't scare him, he never really had in the first place.

Seonghwa stopped in the middle of the road, the light drizzle of rain from the dark skies pricking his skin. "...I know you're here."

He didn't get a response, so he kept walking, relishing in the feeling of the cold rainfall on him. "I know... I know you're following me and just choosing to stay silent because you're sadistic."

Silence again.

Seonghwa sighed, trekking along until his clothes started getting soaked by the rain. Impatience ate away at him as he turned around, expecting to see something there, but there was nothing. Only him.

"Hongjoong," he breathed, wiping his drenched face with his sleeve, "stop doing this to me. Stop fucking with my mind. Why -- why are you being like this?"

If another person was here right now, they would've thought he belonged in a mental hospital. But Seonghwa didn't gave two fucks about what anyone else thought, not when he was too busy feeling enraged by this whole situation.

At that moment, he discovered two new things about himself. One: rain didn't always make him feel better, and two: he was a fucking lightweight on alcohol.

So when he stumbled over a freaking misplaced pebble, he'd already prepared himself to trip and probably injure some part of his body.

And that was exactly what happened.

"Shit!" he yelled, droplets obstructing his view and making everything much more slippery. He laid there in the middle of the road for a while, trying to figure out how he'd gotten himself into this mess.

As if they'd been put on rewind, the raindrops paused in motion, looking like tiny bubbles that glimmered under the fading moonlight. The cacophony of rain ceased; only silence and a sequence of steady footsteps remained.

Then a boy was peering over Seonghwa, eyes the colour of the setting sun. And for a while, Seonghwa continued to plainly stare at him, his features distorted by rain that'd stuck to his eyelashes.

"Get up, dumbass. Stop lying in the middle of a public road."

Seonghwa didn't move; only rubbed his eyes to make everything more visible. The first thing he noticed was Hongjoong crouching next to him, their faces mere centimeters from each other. His brown mullet cascaded down his neck in extra fluffy waves, and his pastel blue umbrella complemented his tie-dyed jeans and knitted cyan sweater.

"Get up, Seonghwa," Hongjoong urged. Unlike the other times they'd talked, his lips weren't glossy and didn't have any sort of makeup on them. But they were still pink, and they were still daintily curved at the corners. Just like always.

Seonghwa stretched his hand out to touch Hongjoong's chest, noting how quiet and stiff the shorter had gotten. And then he pulled and sank Hongjoong on the road.

Hongjoong swore in alarm, and Seonghwa couldn't contain himself anymore. He laughed out loud, the sound racking through his entire body.

"Now you're wet," Seonghwa cackled, his cheeks warm and his head light. "Just like me!"

Hongjoong looked less than amused, but he didn't say anything as the taller boy continued giggling to himself like what he'd done was the funniest thing in the world. He only stared at Seonghwa, his gaze moulded with warmth and affection.

"Why did you ignore me?" Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong sat up, adjusting his umbrella. The frozen raindrops swayed with every movement he made. "I didn't ignore you."

"Bullshit."

Hongjoong began to stand, but Seonghwa grabbed his wrist.

"Tell me what I did wrong."

Hongjoong looked away and stood up. "You did nothing wrong, believe me. I..." He pursed his lips. "I put you in harm's way, which I never should've fucking done. You're not cut out for this."

Seonghwa got up as well. "I am."

"No you're not. Don't try to convince me otherwise." Hongjoong opened his umbrella. "Goodnight."

Seonghwa's fists clenched, heart racing intensely. He didn't know what it was, but he disliked seeing Hongjoong walk away from him like he was doing now. He didn't want the younger boy to leave.

"Don't go!" he yelled, but Hongjoong continued to walk. "You -- you can't just leave after everything we've done together. You can't just leave after everything you've showed me, after everything you've said and done for me. You said you'd keep annoying me from now on, so why are you changing your mind now, huh?"

A foreign sensation squeezed his chest once he realized Hongjoong wasn't stopping, and Seonghwa gritted his teeth, following after him.

"I know you care about me, Kim Hongjoong!" Seonghwa exclaimed, hoping that it'd finally stop the shorter.

It did.

Hongjoong swiftly turned around, glaring sharply at Seonghwa's soaked form. "Stop shouting my name."

"Then stop ignoring me."

Hongjoong paused. Suddenly, he was racing rabidly towards Seonghwa, forcefully knocking into the taller and slamming him against the ground.

"Hongjoong -- " Seonghwa gasped, eyes wide with shock as Hongjoong held him down with so much power it made him lose his breath.

The shorter's irises were yellower than ever, pulsing with venomous intensity. "Stay the fuck away from me, Seonghwa!" His grip loosened on Seonghwa's shirt.

Seonghwa sputtered, trying to catch his breath. But even with this, he flashed a closed-mouthed smile. "...You're still here."

Hongjoong continued to glare at him, but it didn't affect Seonghwa anymore.

"You're still here, holding me even when you just threatened me to stay away. That's because you care. You don't actually want me gone..."

Hongjoong's jaw clenched, his eyes softening. "Seonghwa -- "

"You should stay with me, Hongjoong. I don't wanna leave, not yet." Seonghwa knew the alcohol in his system was the thing allowing him to say all this, but he didn't mind it. For once, he liked not having to worry about saying and doing the right thing.

It was a nice feeling.

⛓️

a/n: thoughts?