A Key To Mend A Scared Heart. Chpt. 5 !
Chapter Five.
Bitter Release
The next day was different. Jonghyun's friends were shocked when he walked past them to sit in the seat that was directly behind the new students desk. No one asked questions; they only stared in confusion as Jonghyun waited, focusing on the door. Inside, he found himself strangely excited to see Kibum at the start of his day but he knew he had to act the same as any other day infront of his friends in order to keep his image.
Finally after what seemed like hours, Kibum walked into the classroom with both shoulders slouched then fell into his seat clumsily; his head hitting the desk lightly. Jonghyun just stared with concern, unsure as to why there was no smile or even a hello. Something must have been wrong. "Kibum? You Okay?" He asked in a whisper so the other classmates couldn't hear. Just then, a paper ball hit the boy at the back of the head and Jonghyun glanced back to see his friends laughing from the prank. Kibum said nothing. Instead, he grabbed his things and stood up from his desk then made his way out of the classroom with both arms clutching his stomach. Without hesitation, Jong got up from his seat aswell and followed out of the room. It wasn't like Kibum to miss classes. Jonghyun however, skipped many times.
"Yah. Kibumah." The older male called out just before sneaking up to the boy sitting in the middle of the hallway, knees to his forhead. "What's wrong?" He asked with concern and kneeled down in front of him.
Surprised to hear Jonghyun's voice of all others, Kibum slowly lifted his head and stared at the older male with pale cheeks. "Hyung...My stomach hurts really bad." He whined and brushed his tears into his uniform sleeve. "I didn't eat yesterday....I forgot to." Kibum remembered last night when he passed up dinner just so he could text Jonghyun and get to bed early, but he refused to tell Jong the reasoning on why he 'forgot'.
"Lunch is coming soon. You can eat then. If you don't have enough, I'll give you mine." Jonghyun offered, again in a low tone.
"Yeah..I'll hold on tight." Kibum said before fixing his hair. "Did you continue to study after I---" He looked around the halls then leaned in to whisper. "After I left..?"
Before Jonghyun could answer he felt a nudge on his hip and lifted his head to stare up at his friend Sungjun who had both arms crossed. "You actin' friendly with this dirt now?" The boy said rudely before snorting with disgust. Jonghyun rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing Kibums wrist to help him up aswell. "Yah! I was talking to you!" Sungjun called out once again as Jonghyun continued to ignore. Kibum was confused as to why Jonghyun was assisting him directly infront of those people he call 'friends'. With an arm still glued to his stomach, Jonghyun helped the boy to stand properly, brushing off his uniform jacket once.
"Hah. So that's how it is. You gunna go gay for this piece of shit?"
Unable to control his anger, Jonghyun stopped his movements and without words, swung one arm to fist the other male across his cheek. Sungjun tumbled backwards as students began to crowd around them. "You wanna fuck off?" Jonghyun cussed as he gripped onto the others shoulders and threw him up against the locker. Surprised by the sudden violence, Kibum reached out and gripped onto his hyungs arm to pull him back with the light amount of strength his body had left. "Please! Let's just go ...." He pleaded and continued to tug lightly. Sungjun was lucky. That's all that went through Jonghyun's head once he pulled off him and yelled out in a firm, serious tone. "You all can stay the hell away from me. None of ya are my friends no more. So stay...away." He warned then gripped onto Kibums wrist, dragging him out the back doors into the cold air. It was snowing lightly; small bits of white covering the ground as they walked down the small path leading to attached homes. "I'll just take you home so you can eat." Jonghyun said quickly then slipped both hands into his front pockets.
The walk was silent. Kibum hated silent walks. He continued to glance back at the other male every few minutes to make sure he was still following behind. He managed to catch a glimpse of his hyungs expression. He must have been thinking about something important since he looked so focused. "It's here..." He said quietly and guided Jonghyun up to the front door. His home was fairly small compared to the others on the street since he didn't have much money. "I'm sure there will be some leftovers in the fridge for us to eat." Kibum offered once he opened the door and welcomed the other inside. "Make yourself at home!" He said happily and slipped out of his shoes, making his way to the kitchen.
Jonghyun followed inside and looked around, kicking his shoes off messily as usual. "Wow." Was all he could say until he remembered Kibum's comment the night before. "I thought the smart kids were only poor in movies. Guess it's reality too." Jonghyun said with a smirk curled at the corner of his lips.
"Well it's amazing how our lives seem to be ripped off of movies, huh?" Kibum laughed and began scooping up some leftover kimchi into two bowls. "I hope you're hungry. I don't want you skipping school for no reason." He said in a motherly tone.
"You didn't make me skip off for nothing. I always skip. I don't care."
"This negative attitude of yours really has to stop you know." Kibum sighed and placed one bowl into the microwave for it to heat up.
"Peh. You sound like my father, you know." Jonghyun furrowed his brows and stared with an irritated look on his face.
"Well, today is the last day I'll let you skip school. Unless you're truely ill. Sick with cancer or something. Otherwise, I must see your face there everyday." Kibum said with a nod and handed the warm bowl to the other. "Careful, it's a little hot."
Still irritated, Jonghyun just took the bowl and leaned back against the counters as he began to blow on the noodles and eat them slowly. He stood in thought as he chewed the food; narrowing his eyes. Kibum was oblivious to the anger forming in his hyungs chest and so he mindlessly continued prancing around the kitchen to prepare his lunch. Suddenly a loud noise startled him and he gasped, staring at Jonghyun with widened eyes.
Jong's bowl was forcefully slammed against the counter and he started to raise his voice, speaking in an angry tone. "How dare you." He said and stepped out of the kitchen, pointing one finger at Kibum. "How dare you come to my school---ruin my reputation, boss me around like I'm some kid, try helping me when I don't need it. How dare you?!" He yelled as he clumsily began slipping his uniform shoes back on. But before he could leave, Kibum ran out to the hall with annoyance written all over his face.
"Wait! I didn't ruin your reputation. You did that on your own. In class, you sat behind me on your own--I didn't ask you to. When you asked me if I was okay, I didn't ask you to worry. You did that on your own. I chose to be 'the new kid that Jonghyun picked on' rather than the boy who tutored him the night before. When I was out in the hallway, I didn't ask you to approach me with concern; you did that on your own. I didn't even ask you to punch your friend and declare your friendship with them was over. So, why are you blaming me? I didn't do anything to you. I was just being me. It's you that keeps changing your personality when everyone else is just being themselves." Kibum then let out a deep breath after releasing that lecture and stared at the boy across from him who said nothing. Waiting in silence, Jonghyun just grabbed the handle and left the house, slamming the door behind him; leaving Kibum there with guilt quickly piling up in his chest. "...Jonghyun...."
Bitter Release
The next day was different. Jonghyun's friends were shocked when he walked past them to sit in the seat that was directly behind the new students desk. No one asked questions; they only stared in confusion as Jonghyun waited, focusing on the door. Inside, he found himself strangely excited to see Kibum at the start of his day but he knew he had to act the same as any other day infront of his friends in order to keep his image.
Finally after what seemed like hours, Kibum walked into the classroom with both shoulders slouched then fell into his seat clumsily; his head hitting the desk lightly. Jonghyun just stared with concern, unsure as to why there was no smile or even a hello. Something must have been wrong. "Kibum? You Okay?" He asked in a whisper so the other classmates couldn't hear. Just then, a paper ball hit the boy at the back of the head and Jonghyun glanced back to see his friends laughing from the prank. Kibum said nothing. Instead, he grabbed his things and stood up from his desk then made his way out of the classroom with both arms clutching his stomach. Without hesitation, Jong got up from his seat aswell and followed out of the room. It wasn't like Kibum to miss classes. Jonghyun however, skipped many times.
"Yah. Kibumah." The older male called out just before sneaking up to the boy sitting in the middle of the hallway, knees to his forhead. "What's wrong?" He asked with concern and kneeled down in front of him.
Surprised to hear Jonghyun's voice of all others, Kibum slowly lifted his head and stared at the older male with pale cheeks. "Hyung...My stomach hurts really bad." He whined and brushed his tears into his uniform sleeve. "I didn't eat yesterday....I forgot to." Kibum remembered last night when he passed up dinner just so he could text Jonghyun and get to bed early, but he refused to tell Jong the reasoning on why he 'forgot'.
"Lunch is coming soon. You can eat then. If you don't have enough, I'll give you mine." Jonghyun offered, again in a low tone.
"Yeah..I'll hold on tight." Kibum said before fixing his hair. "Did you continue to study after I---" He looked around the halls then leaned in to whisper. "After I left..?"
Before Jonghyun could answer he felt a nudge on his hip and lifted his head to stare up at his friend Sungjun who had both arms crossed. "You actin' friendly with this dirt now?" The boy said rudely before snorting with disgust. Jonghyun rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing Kibums wrist to help him up aswell. "Yah! I was talking to you!" Sungjun called out once again as Jonghyun continued to ignore. Kibum was confused as to why Jonghyun was assisting him directly infront of those people he call 'friends'. With an arm still glued to his stomach, Jonghyun helped the boy to stand properly, brushing off his uniform jacket once.
"Hah. So that's how it is. You gunna go gay for this piece of shit?"
Unable to control his anger, Jonghyun stopped his movements and without words, swung one arm to fist the other male across his cheek. Sungjun tumbled backwards as students began to crowd around them. "You wanna fuck off?" Jonghyun cussed as he gripped onto the others shoulders and threw him up against the locker. Surprised by the sudden violence, Kibum reached out and gripped onto his hyungs arm to pull him back with the light amount of strength his body had left. "Please! Let's just go ...." He pleaded and continued to tug lightly. Sungjun was lucky. That's all that went through Jonghyun's head once he pulled off him and yelled out in a firm, serious tone. "You all can stay the hell away from me. None of ya are my friends no more. So stay...away." He warned then gripped onto Kibums wrist, dragging him out the back doors into the cold air. It was snowing lightly; small bits of white covering the ground as they walked down the small path leading to attached homes. "I'll just take you home so you can eat." Jonghyun said quickly then slipped both hands into his front pockets.
The walk was silent. Kibum hated silent walks. He continued to glance back at the other male every few minutes to make sure he was still following behind. He managed to catch a glimpse of his hyungs expression. He must have been thinking about something important since he looked so focused. "It's here..." He said quietly and guided Jonghyun up to the front door. His home was fairly small compared to the others on the street since he didn't have much money. "I'm sure there will be some leftovers in the fridge for us to eat." Kibum offered once he opened the door and welcomed the other inside. "Make yourself at home!" He said happily and slipped out of his shoes, making his way to the kitchen.
Jonghyun followed inside and looked around, kicking his shoes off messily as usual. "Wow." Was all he could say until he remembered Kibum's comment the night before. "I thought the smart kids were only poor in movies. Guess it's reality too." Jonghyun said with a smirk curled at the corner of his lips.
"Well it's amazing how our lives seem to be ripped off of movies, huh?" Kibum laughed and began scooping up some leftover kimchi into two bowls. "I hope you're hungry. I don't want you skipping school for no reason." He said in a motherly tone.
"You didn't make me skip off for nothing. I always skip. I don't care."
"This negative attitude of yours really has to stop you know." Kibum sighed and placed one bowl into the microwave for it to heat up.
"Peh. You sound like my father, you know." Jonghyun furrowed his brows and stared with an irritated look on his face.
"Well, today is the last day I'll let you skip school. Unless you're truely ill. Sick with cancer or something. Otherwise, I must see your face there everyday." Kibum said with a nod and handed the warm bowl to the other. "Careful, it's a little hot."
Still irritated, Jonghyun just took the bowl and leaned back against the counters as he began to blow on the noodles and eat them slowly. He stood in thought as he chewed the food; narrowing his eyes. Kibum was oblivious to the anger forming in his hyungs chest and so he mindlessly continued prancing around the kitchen to prepare his lunch. Suddenly a loud noise startled him and he gasped, staring at Jonghyun with widened eyes.
Jong's bowl was forcefully slammed against the counter and he started to raise his voice, speaking in an angry tone. "How dare you." He said and stepped out of the kitchen, pointing one finger at Kibum. "How dare you come to my school---ruin my reputation, boss me around like I'm some kid, try helping me when I don't need it. How dare you?!" He yelled as he clumsily began slipping his uniform shoes back on. But before he could leave, Kibum ran out to the hall with annoyance written all over his face.
"Wait! I didn't ruin your reputation. You did that on your own. In class, you sat behind me on your own--I didn't ask you to. When you asked me if I was okay, I didn't ask you to worry. You did that on your own. I chose to be 'the new kid that Jonghyun picked on' rather than the boy who tutored him the night before. When I was out in the hallway, I didn't ask you to approach me with concern; you did that on your own. I didn't even ask you to punch your friend and declare your friendship with them was over. So, why are you blaming me? I didn't do anything to you. I was just being me. It's you that keeps changing your personality when everyone else is just being themselves." Kibum then let out a deep breath after releasing that lecture and stared at the boy across from him who said nothing. Waiting in silence, Jonghyun just grabbed the handle and left the house, slamming the door behind him; leaving Kibum there with guilt quickly piling up in his chest. "...Jonghyun...."