Jisung

For as long as I could remember, Minho was the sunrise to my morning. He'd rouse me from sleep just in time to make it to class, and when my nights ended in drunken chaos which was totally under my control hadn't it been for Changbin who kept pouring soju into my shot glass, Minho had been there with a steaming bowl of hangover soup, laughing at my pitiful state. Even when he couldn’t stay until I woke up, he made sure I didn’t starve, leaving behind notes that said, “Heat up the food my mom sent, unless you want to starve and die.” which was godsent because his mother's cooking tasted like the food was making out with my tongue. That's how much I loved her food.

Moving on, his presence was stitched into the very seams of my everyday life, so much so that I never realized how tightly I was bound to it until he stopped doing so. He started being careful around me when he dated Chan and I respected that but his absence in my morning was then more prominent ever since the whole dating charade— painfully so. Worse, I couldn't complain because that was exactly what I needed. Some space before my love melted brain explode and does the unthinkable.

If you asked me when I fell for him, or what moment made me love him, I wouldn’t have an answer for you. It wasn’t some grand, sweeping gesture, or a single, breathtaking moment that stole my heart. Love, I think, is more of a slow burn, a gentle accumulation of moments that build up over time.

Sure, I’d joked that all it takes is one of his smiles to turn me into a puddle, but that’s just scratching the surface of what I feel for him.

What I feel for him? It's a lot, honestly, but after years of pining, I’d managed to find a way to keep my cool around him—or at least I tried to.

I was fifteen when I first attempted to confess, and though I didn’t succeed, I wouldn’t call it a failure either. Our friendship continued the way it was. So, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure.

“You’re still raking in the gifts, I see,” I teased, leaning casually against the locker in his empty classroom. Everyone else had gone home, leaving him behind to finish cleaning duty. I suspected his classmates had bailed on him, or worse, were giving him a hard time. He was well-liked, sure, but that kind of popularity came with its own set of problems.

Minho never let it bother him. He’d shrug it off, saying they were just full of crap and if anyone dared to mess with him, they knew they’d get it back tenfold. Even so, I knew Minho like the back of my hands. He endured everything simply because he didn't like to make a big deal of things. He was a fighter, sure, but never quite the troublemaker (On the contrary, I was the troublemaker. With the troubles I had caused, I got myself the title "little shit" which was popular among my teachers).

“Want some?” he asked, pulling out a handful of candy from his locker and dumping it into my hand before I could even respond, knowing full well I’d never turn down free treats. I was a foodie through and through.

I unwrapped one and popped it into my mouth. “With all this attention, there’s gotta be someone at school who’s caught your eyes, right?”

I’d rehearsed this moment for weeks, planning exactly how I’d confess. It took a lot of courage to do something this terrifying. Even at that young age, love was already something I considered taboo and confiding my feelings towards the one I dedicated my affection for was absolutely horrifying but I pulled through. I decided to trust myself for once that I wouldn't mess it up and even if I did, the least I could do was maybe cry myself to sleep and hope my bed swallowed me alive to the core of earth.

Being alone with him after school seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Despite going to a different school, I’d pedal like crazy from my middle school to his high school every day, just so we could walk home together. It was our time, our little pocket of the day where it was just the two of us. It was a precious time, so I couldn't help but be greedy of it. We hardly ever spend our days together with the different schools, schedule and what not.

“Not really,” he shrugged, tossing the wrapper from his own candy into the trash. “They just leave this stuff in my locker. I never even see who it’s from.”

“Well,” I started, forcing my voice to stay steady, “Have you...I don't know, consider dating anybody?"

Minho paused, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. He wasn’t the type to shy away from direct questions, but this one seemed to be a hurdle for him. I could see the gears turning in his head, the little furrow of his brow that meant he was genuinely thinking about it.

"No." It was a short adamant answer and I found my resolve wavering at how resolute he sounded. I was also briefly taken aback by how quick he turned the possibility of dating down.

"But why??? Now that you're in high school, shouldn't you want to date anybody? That's what all the older kids had been doing." I whined like a child.

At this point of life, Minho was so used to my antics. He probably thought I was a curious middle schooler going through puberty. I'd say, I did well covering the fact I was very nervous when I started interrogating him.

Rolling his eyes at me, he pushed me aside to reach for the broom behind. He walked to the back of the room where they put all the cleaning essentials. "I don't know. I'm just not interested. I don't even know them well. Just because they like me doesn't mean I will like them back." He shrugged, dusting off his hands. His answer was so like him. Minho, despite his popularity, maintained a small circle of friends. It consisted of me, a few people from his dance crew and maybe two of his classmates. He didn't open his heart easily to people outside the circle.

Thinking about it, I hated how I got my hopes high just from those statements and thinking how I had less competition outside his circle. It was clear as the day that Minho was just trying to answer me without putting too much entail.

"Then...what if it's someone you know?" I carefully asked.

"Depends,” he finally said, tossing his bag over his shoulder. “I guess if I felt the same way, I might.”

He might? That was it? Just a maybe?

I bit back my frustration, knowing this wasn’t the fairytale confession I’d dreamed of. I wanted something more definitive, something that would either let me leap for joy or bury my feelings once and for all.

“Hypothetically,” I pressed, trying to sound casual, “if someone from your dance crew said they like you...what would you do?"

"Huh? I don't think that will happen."

"Come on, what would you do?"

"I- I don't know. Thankful maybe?" His answer made me restless. Maybe beating around the bushes wasn't the best method to get an answer out of him.

Swallowing my saliva, I took a deep breath and said it as nonchalant as I could. "If I were to say I liked you, what would you do?”

The silence that followed was deafening, a heavy weight in the air between us. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, every beat like a countdown to whatever was about to come next.

He shook his head, letting out an awkward chuckle. “Hypothetically? I’d say you’re messing with me.”

I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Who the hell said I was messing with him?! From the smirk on his face, he was the one messing with me. I knew he was 2 years older than me and he was in high school while I was in middle school but I hoped he stopped viewing me like a little kid.

“But if you’re serious,” he added, his tone shifting just slightly, “I’d say you’re brave, and I’d probably tell you that I’m not sure if I feel the same way. Now, did you ask this because someone from your school confessed to you? Who is it? Someone I know?"

I blinked, and then the absurdity of it all hit me like a ton of bricks. The seriousness of the moment, the tension I’d been building up in my head for weeks—it all crumbled in the face of Minho’s deadpan delivery. Before I knew it, I burst out laughing, the kind that came from deep within my chest, the kind that made it hard to breathe.

Minho raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by my sudden outburst, but I couldn’t help it. This whole thing was ridiculous. Here I was, sweating bullets over the possibility of confessing, and he just... nonchalantly shot it down. Obvious, because he thought I was kidding and because I seemed like a child in his eyes.

“Wow, how did you know?!” I finally managed to say between laughs, waving my hand dismissively. “I'm not telling you who it is though. Can't have you embarrassing me in front of them when you come to my school."

I watched as the tension in his shoulders eased, his expression softening into something almost resembling relief.

“Yeah, well, I didn't think you would tell me anyways by how secretive you asked me those questions. Almost had me thinking you were serious. ,” he muttered, though I could see the corners of his mouth twitching.

“Please, like I’d ever seen you that way,” I said, the lie rolling off my tongue with practiced ease. “Besides, we both know I'm way out of your league.”

Minho shook his head, finally letting the smile break free. “Idiot,” he said, but there was no malice in his tone. Just the easy, familiar warmth.

I laughed again, this time softer, more genuine. The moment had passed, my heart was still pounding, but for now, the pressure was off. I’d live to pine another day, to keep my feelings safely tucked away behind jokes and laughter.

Because at the end of the day, what mattered most was having Minho in my life, even if it meant keeping my real feelings locked up tight.

WOOF!

A bark from Bbama pulled me out of my trance. The white fluffball was circling my leg, asking me to pick him up. How could I resist him when he was being this adorable?

I picked him up and allowed him to lick my face. He had been very clingy ever since I returned home. If only the dorm allowed us to keep pets, I wouldn't be missing this little guy so much. Maybe I should start looking into places to rent.

I'd heard the door bell jingle a few times today, but the shop remained quiet as usual. Our customer never stayed too long; they merely left their attire and told me when they were going to pick it up.

Now that I looked at myself and the surroundings of our shop, my casual clothes were really out of place. In contrast with the neatly organized clothes.

I looked at the clock on the wall. It was 10 O'clock and my old man hadn't come down to take over the shop yet. He was probably still tired after drinking all night with uncle Chunjae. I told him many times to not overdo it but he won't listen.

"Jisung, your dad's still not up yet?" When the doorbell jingled again, I put Bbama on the floor and he circled my leg again, barking up at me. "Oh, mom. I already went upstairs but dad is still having a bad hangover."

The familiar old woman grumbled, putting the grocery bag she had on our counter. "This won't do. I need to ban your dad from drinking."

I laughed, propping my elbow on the counter as I rested my cheek on my palm. "You know alcohol is not the problem here mom. You need to ban uncle Chunjae from meeting dad. Every time they meet up, either of them ends up drunk like a sailor. Aunt Misook even came by just now and complained about her husband."

"Ha! Ban them from meeting? You think I haven't tried to do that? I grew white hair trying. Those two are stuck like stubborn gums. Anyways, Misook was here? Was she looking for me?"

I shrugged and pulled out the clothes Aunt Misook dropped off. "She asked if we could dry clean this by tomorrow noon. Something about a wedding. I don't know much but it looked urgent." The dress was pretty much in good condition if it wasn't for the big coffee stain on the hem of the skirt. I didn't touch it yet and waited for my mom since she would know better what to do.

Grabbing the light pink dress, my mother scanned the stain on the dress and hummed. "Apparently, her friend from the town over is marrying their daughter to a rich man. It's all she talks about all week. You don't need to understand, just know that rivalry between middle aged moms is no joke." After checking the entire attire she nodded, "It's doable. Ah, right. You're not doing anything right now, are you? You're never at the house nowadays when I look for you."

My mother meant nothing sarcastic by her statement. She was offering her observation and I felt a bit guilty that my days had been occupied by Hyunjin. Today we promised to take a break from all the craziness and do our own business. So, I figured I would be helping out at the shop like a filial son should.

"Yeah, I'm not. I've already ironed all the clothes for today." I pointed at the back of our shop with my thumbs, my mom took a peek and nodded with satisfaction. "Do you need me to do anything?"

"One of our customers is supposed to pick up his suit today but he called me and  said he doesn't have the time to come pick it up but he really needs it today. He would appreciate it if we deliver it to his office. You can do that, right?" My mother said as she went through her bag, looking for something that was most likely the address to the office. Although people nowadays send their address through the phone, my mother was still not used to it. She liked writing things on paper better than using her phone.

"Of course. I'll be taking dad's motorcycle if he asks." I took the note from my mom's hand and waited until she came back with the suit I had to send.

"You don't have to rush back home. I know you're on your break. I'll wake your dad up. So, don't worry." She patted my head even though she had to tiptoe to reach my head. In return, I lowered myself and crushed her into a warm bear hug. "Ok, text me if you need me to buy anything."

I patted Bbama on the ground before leaving the shop. I stepped out of the shop, carefully holding a freshly pressed suit encased in a garment bag. I took a moment to inspect the bag, ensuring the zipper was fully closed and the suit inside was perfectly smooth.

I slipped the garment bag’s hanger through a loop on my backpack's strap, letting the bag hang vertically down my back.

"Yup, we're good to go." I mumbled only for myself to hear, swinging a leg over my father's motorcycle and settled into the seat, the suit now hanging securely behind me. I pulled on my helmet and gloves, then started the engine, the familiar roar bringing a smile to my face.

Along the way, my mind was alert of all the turns and bumps. Yet, I still managed to trail away from my focus. Just the night before, I called Minho and asked where he was. He told me he was hanging out with his friends. There was silence at the end of it as though he was waiting for me to say that I wanted to join him as usual but I didn't.

As much as I wanted to join him and as much as I also enjoyed the companions of his friends, they...saw too much. A few times they had jokingly asked me if I was in love with Minho by how much I loved to come to their little meets up. They might have been joking but it still stung the same.

The last time I saw them, it was before Minho and Chan started dating. I wasn't so sure how I would act around Minho's friends now that things were different. I wasn't ready to unpack another thing and this was my very effort on trying to move on.

I told him that I had a plan and he subtly hinted if it was with Hyunjin to which I answered with a maybe. "Jungwoo saw you yesterday but he wasn't sure if it was you."  Honestly, I was surprised because Hyunjin and I never planned to appear in front of any of Minho's friends. That had been totally a coincidence. It looked like heaven was on our side for once.

Before I knew it, I arrived in front of a four level building. On the very first floor was an apparel store, the second floor was some sort of studio, the third was a BBQ store and finally, the office was on the fourth floor.

I sighed when I realised there had been no elevator for me to ride on. I was not willing to go up but the customer was adamant that he couldn't get out of the office.

With a quick motion, I unhooked the hanger from my backpack strap and adjusted the garment bag before walking up to the stairs and climbed up. Upon arriving at the top floor, I called the customer and moments later, the door opened to reveal a man in his late 30s, looking relieved.

"There it is—my lucky suit. Thanks for bringing it by so quickly."

"No problem." Accepting his thanks, I quickly went down again and that was when my phone buzzed with an incoming text from Hyunjin.

A clear line of frowns drew on my forehead. I clearly told him that we wouldn't contact each other at all until there's a movement from our friends. It's barely been a day since we last went on a fake date.

Moron:
Where are you?

Jisung:
Whats that to you?

Moron:
🙄🙄🙄
Just come to 📍location attached if you’re nearby.

Jisung:
no

Moron:
Aw, don’t be like that. You know you can’t resist me

Jisung:
resist what? your endless stupidity?

Moron:
don't be mean

Jisung:
don't be dumb then 🙄
we're supposed to do our own thing tday

Moron:
Yeah, well, I got bored doing my own thing
Thought you might want to entertain me

Jisung:
Entertain you?
I’m not your personal jester

Moron:
I don't have high expectations, so don't worry
But seriously just come

Jisung:
why? So you can waste my time with whatever nonsense you’ve cooked up?

Moron:
who says it’s nonsense?

Jisung:
cuz it’s always nonsense with you.

Moron:
True, but this time it’s… less nonsense

Jisung:
That’s not convincing

Moron:
I’m not trying to convince you
Just come

Jisung:
If this is some elaborate prank, I’m going to murder you.

Moron:
Noted. But it’s not

Jisung:
So why can’t you just tell me what it is?

Moron:
Where’s the fun in that? 😇

Jisung:
You’re impossible

Moron:
And yet, you’re still talking to me

Jisung:
Against my better judgment

I shouldn't have obliged and went to his location because now that I was sitting with him inside a food stall, it was obvious that he simply wanted to gloat to me that he was right. I didn't actually care about the bet and if anything, it only served as a medium to pour all my worry on. A way to fool my head somehow.

My mind went back to his acting in front of Felix and it gave me goosebumps. How was it so easy for him to say those things?

He was paying for my food, so I thought I should just shut my mouth. This fool was already getting drunk from a few shots. I wasn’t particularly fond of Hyunjin, and the idea of playing babysitter to someone I didn’t even like wasn’t exactly appealing but there I was, sitting across from him, watching the signs of alcohol taking over him.

Hyunjin had insisted on drinking right after lunch. It was weird, and honestly, a little concerning. "So tell me already why you want to drink right now?" I had asked, hoping for a straight answer but all I got was a vague response about being happy the plan had worked. I told him that if he won the bet, I would give him money and I would grant him a wish but out of all things, he wanted to drink alcohol right after lunch.

As if I would buy that. I knew Hyunjin better than that, better than most people maybe, and that smile plastered on his face wasn’t fooling me.

I can recognise Hyunjin's kicked puppy look anywhere.

I sighed, picking up a piece of Gopchang with my chopsticks. "I'm warning you, if you get too drunk. I'm not carrying you home," I muttered, trying to distance myself from whatever emotional mess Hyunjin was going through.

Hyunjin’s reply was as flippant as ever, "I won't wish you to. The idea of kissing a camel is better than the idea of you carrying me. What can you even do with your scrawny body?" I could poke his eyes and make him blind with my scrawny fingers if he wished. Even when drunk, he never failed to be obnoxious.

I stared at Hyunjin, who was now slumped over the table, his head buried in his arms. The words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected: “Do you know…my heart is broken.”

I blinked, my chopsticks freezing mid-air. “What the hell are you saying now?” This wasn’t what I signed up for. All I wanted was to have my meal and get on with my day. Dealing with a drunk and emotional Hyunjin was definitely not part of the plan.

“Hyunjin, seriously…” My voice came out more irritated than I intended, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t equipped to handle this. “Don’t go all soft on me now. If you start crying or something, I’m outta here.”

He didn’t respond, just mumbled something incoherent into the table. Panic started to creep in. I wasn’t good at this kind of thing—emotional crap was not my forte, especially not when it involved Hyunjin. Telling Hyunjin that his crying face was ugly? Trolling Hyunjin about this the next time he's sobber? The possibility of saving a picture just to blackmail Hyunjin later? Yes, it was possible for me to do all of that but being the bigger person during emotional time with drunken Hyunjin? No, I wasn't up for it.

“Damn it, Hyunjin.” I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my hair. I didn’t want to deal with whatever was going on, but leaving him here alone wasn’t an option either.

“Listen, if you’re gonna talk, make it quick. I’m not your therapist, and I don’t have all day.” My tone was more impatient now. I nudged him with my foot, trying to get him to snap out of it. “If you want to cry or whatever, do it when I’m not here, okay? Or at least while you're sobber.”

Hyunjin stayed silent, his face still hidden. I sighed, frustration mounting. I wasn’t sure how to navigate this—I didn’t want to comfort him, but I also didn’t want to leave him like this. After all, last time I embarrassingly cried in front of him, he'd not make fun of me (not that he comforted me either. He stood there like an idiot still not grasping the situation because just like me, he didn't know how to handle an emotional me either. He was so damn awkward when he said he won't make fun of me and he was so stiff when he told me I shouldn't suffer just because of my one sided love.) Yeah, I made a mental note that the two of us should prevent from being too emotional around each other since we're not used to it and most probably not the best person equipped for such situations.

“Great,” I muttered. “Just great.” I was caught between wanting to bolt out of the restaurant and the nagging thought that leaving him here, drunk and vulnerable, would somehow come back to bite me.

So, I did the only thing I could think of: I sat there, tapping my fingers on the table, waiting for Hyunjin to snap out of it. I’d give him a few more minutes, and if things didn’t improve, I’d drag him home and pretend this never happened. A little reminder to me that when I had my own little outburst, I had also hoped Hyunjin just forgo everything (this little shit of course didn't let it slip away easily and that's how we ended up in this predicament.)

Hyunjin's head lolled to the side as he mumbled, “She is a cruel woman, you know?" No, I don't and I didn't want to know either. I was trying so hard to ignore him and finish my food in peace but it suddenly downed to me that maybe he was so into this whole shebang because he needed me to fool someone too.

"She just left like that." I knew Hyunjin had a fucked up view on real life dating but it made sense if someone dumped him, right? I didn't want to comfort him but to be honest, I was getting nosy as well. Who's this woman anyways? I had never seen him with anybody romantically. I just assumed that he might be an ace or something (yeah, I know you shouldn't assume someone's sexuality but I also assumed that Hyunjin was a secretly flat earther 'cause why else would he glare at every earth globe he came across like they offended him? and I assumed a lot of other things.)

It never came to my mind that he was interested in anybody whether it be a dude or a lady. The thought of Hyunjin being with someone was weird as fuck and I didn't think I wanted to dive into that particular rabbit hole. It gave me the shiver thinking of a lovelorn Hyunjin.

Hyunjin started murmuring again and I leaned closer to hear better. Perhaps if I knew better, I could handle situations like this in the future.

"She told him she’d wait, but then she walked away, leaving him standing in the rain. Can you believe that? He gave up everything for her, and she just left!”

I squinted, trying to place the situation. “Wait...what?” He started to speak in third person which confused me. Did he have a habit of talking like this when drunk?

Hyunjin continued, his voice thick with emotion. “And when he finally found her at the train station, she said she couldn’t be with him because of his brother! His brother! Like that makes any sense. It’s just...so unfair.”

My hand slipped from the table as the realization hit him. This bitch was talking about a drama and here I thought he was drinking because he was drowning in real sorrow.

Hyunjin snapped his head up, and pointed at me. "I actually went out to drink today but Felix came out of nowhere..."

Crazy bastard.  All this ruckus, and it’s over fictional characters. I could barely believe I’d actually started seeing him as a normal human being capable of loving someone else.

Right at that moment, my phone suddenly rang, breaking the intense glare I was sending Hyunjin's way. "Hello?" Consider it his saving grace because I was not far away from poking him in the eyes for making me flustered.

Hyunjin wailed in the background and I physically face palmed. "Jisung? Are you with Hyunjin?" I probably needed to somehow explain that nothing bad was happening.

"Yeah, uh... do you need anything hyung?" I couldn't focus on the phone, not when Hyunjin was actively trying to kill himself by swaying around. Just as Minho said something, Hyunjin suddenly stumbled forward and almost fell off his chair. In a quick swift, I threw my hand forward and caught his forehead with a loud slap that attracted the attention of people around us. Fuck, Hyunjin was handful when he's wasted. Slowly, I pushed his head forward to save him from slamming onto the floor.

"What was that, Hyung? I didn't catch that," I said, sighing as Hyunjin finally stopped swaying and wailing. I kept my palm pressed against his forehead, just in case he decided to start moving around again. It looked like he'd fallen asleep. More than embarrassed, I felt sorry for the people inside the tent.

"I asked if you're alright. Jeongin and some of the kids came to me yesterday, asking about you two. You're still keeping things down-low, right?" So, that was Minho's concern. Hyunjin's little scheme had played out well, and thank goodness he was drunk; I’d rather not listen to him bragging about being a great mastermind. His ego was already big enough.

"We might’ve been too careless when we went on our dates," I said tiredly, my brows knitting as the drunken man suddenly opened his eyes, looked upward and started a staring contest with my palm. "Felix told Hyunjin that the others might’ve already found out."

"So, how are you guys holding up?" Minho’s concern was obvious, even though he tried to mask it with nonchalance.

"We didn't fight, if that's what you're asking. We talked it out, and now he's drunk. But more importantly, how did they react?" With Hyunjin being useless right now, it was up to me to control the situation. Felix was probably excited about this shocking news, but the others might not feel the same.

I tried to pull my hand away from Hyunjin, thinking he was sane enough now not to throw a tantrum, but he caught my hand. I shot him a look, silently telling him to stop pestering me, but he only pulled my hand closer, staring at it before putting it back on his red forehead. I slapped him too hard when I caught him.

What the hell is his problem?

I tried to tug my hand away again, but it was stuck there, with his hand acting as glue. An imaginary angry vein popped on my forehead before I grabbed his bangs and tugged it. "You better behave; I'm on the phone with Minho hyung," I whispered, pulling the phone away.

"You know them. Jeongin was laughing and crying because he didn’t put two and two together. He thought it was an elaborate prank, but then he remembered the breakfast we had together when Hyunjin was mad. Seungmin was quiet but I know he's mad and he looked mildly shocked as well. He'll probably come to Hyunjin's later. Changbin, well, his shocked face was hilarious. It looked like someone just poured cold water on him and told him that elephants could fly."

Finally managing to pull my hand away from Hyunjin's stubborn grip, I couldn’t resist the urge to shoot him a middle finger but before I could even blink, he leaned forward and bit down on my middle finger, hard.

"Ow! What the hell, Hyunjin?" I yanked my hand back in shock, my eyes widening at the unexpected attack. His expression was of drunken satisfaction and defiance, as if he'd just pulled off some kind of victory.

Is this brat really laughing in this situation?!

Without thinking, I slapped him on the head—maybe a little harder than I meant to. The impact sent his head crashing onto the table with a dull thud. For a moment, everything went still.

"Hyunjin?" I leaned closer, waving my unbitten hand in front of his face. No response. His eyes were closed, his cheek squished against the table. "Oh, crap. Hyunjin?"

I poked his shoulder, but he was out cold, his breathing steady and slow. He'd actually passed out.

"Great," I muttered, glancing around to make sure no one else had witnessed this little fiasco. As if things couldn't get any worse, now I had an unconscious Hyunjin to deal with. I rubbed my sore finger, grimacing at the slight sting.

With a sigh, I carefully lifted Hyunjin's head off the table and leaned him back against the chair. "You’re lucky I didn’t knock you out completely," I mumbled, shaking my head as I tried to figure out how I was going to explain this to Minho.

I grabbed my phone, still connected to Minho on the other end. "Hyung, I might’ve... uh, knocked him out. By accident."

The silence on the other end was deafening before I heard a barely-contained laugh. "Jisung, what the hell did you do?"

"Just... don’t ask," I replied, running a hand through my hair. "But know that Hyunjin is an idiot. That's all."

Minho chuckled, the sound light and a bit bewildered. "And here I thought when you guys start dating, the bickering would stop."

"Oh, if only you know. It got worse actually.," I said, rolling my eyes, even though I knew Minho couldn’t see it. "But seriously, Hyung, remind me to never let him drink this much again."

"Noted," Minho said, still chuckling as he ended the call, leaving me alone with the unconscious troublemaker slumped in the chair.

I sighed, staring at Hyunjin’s peaceful, albeit slightly bruised, face. "You’re gonna owe me big time for this, you know that?"

No response, of course. Just the soft, steady breathing of someone who was out for the count.

Hyunjin was an enigma I’d never solve. I couldn’t figure out why he was putting so much effort into this if it was really just about keeping things smooth in our friend group. But then again, I never understood him. Not when he offered me a piggyback ride on a hike a few months back, promising not to make fun of me for injuring my leg, only to ditch me halfway up the trail because I was “too heavy.” Not when he sent me a text at 3 AM saying if I didn’t forward it within an hour, I’d be cursed to look like a squid forever, and then told me the next day I must have ignored it. Definitely not when he claimed that inanimate objects have feelings, so when a vending machine ate his money, he insisted he’d talked it out of swallowing his drink (I just kicked the damn thing, and two cans came out).

After countless attempts to figure him out, I’d finally given up and decided to just go along with it.

Trying to dive into a lunatic's mind felt like volunteering for insanity. I might need therapy afterwards. "Crazy bastard." I murmured at his unmoving body.

˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

Oof, sorry for taking my time to upload this. It's been a busy week.

How was the chapter?? It's a dive into Jisung's mind and his view on Hyunjin.
Next chapter could be a bit chaotic (I don't know tbh, I just started planning it. Haven't wrote it down).

I have been occupied because of the ticketing for the dominate tour in Bangkok. So, I actually paid two ticketing assistants to get me my ticket but one of them bailed on me one day before the ticketing which is really annoying 'cause at that point other ticketing assistants already close their slots for booking.

My other ticketing assistant said the first day of ticketing is only for people who have the UOB bank card. So, I'll have to wait for day 2 but he miraculously said he managed to get the second most expensive seat on day 1 and asked if I wanted it although I wanted the VIP seat. I was like alright then, I don't want to wait till day 2 cuz maybe I won't get any tickets anyways. So, I secured a ticket!

Come day 2 of the ticketing, I was disappointed I didn't get the VIP seat so I just wanted to try my luck. Of course, every time I clicked on the damn seat they said someone already chose it and I was going to give up. I even played with my phone while clicking stuff on the laptop when suddenly it showed ✅ instead of saying the seat is unavailable. Yeah, shit. I got a damn VIP ticket. I got two damn tickets now.

SO I'M SEEING THEM IN DECEMBER GUYS!!! I even bought a nachimbong in a hurry lol.

aight enough if my rant. I do hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave a vote and comments! - Hunny