The Long Way There (Chapter Three)
Title: “The Long Way There (Chapter Three)”
Genre: Alternate Universe
Pairing: Eventual SeungRi/TOP, TOP/DaeSung, G-Dragon/YoungBae
Side Cast: Park Bom, Kim YooBin, Min Sunye, SO-1, Seven
Rating: NC-17 (Sexual Content, Language, Substance Abuse, Violence)
Brief Synopsis: SeungHyun is trapped in a gang he can’t escape from. JiYong, the new transfer student, finds himself becoming the loner of his new high school. SeungRi finds ecstasy in a blue pill. YoungBae meaninglessly hops from one girl’s bed to the next. DaeSung can’t shake the feeling that being content with his average life is enough for him.
Five boys on drastic paths will find comfort and solace in each other and in music.
Authors Note: I know I took a little bit longer to update this chapter, but that’s because the plot’s beginning to thicken and merge. Much thanks to the readers who left me such positive encouragement! I was able to squeeze another chapter out of my muse.
***
DaeSung hadn’t realized how far the local pharmacy would be from the local inn. By the time he’d found the small store of medical supplies, DaeSung was beginning to feel the drain of the entire day weigh down on his hunched shoulders. The adrenaline rush was beginning to fade and DaeSung’s back also started to hunch accordingly. At this point of his journey, all DaeSung wanted to do was peel off the damp clothes off his back and hop in to a nice warm shower.
DaeSung openly cursed his older cousin under his breath as he charged the cart-full of medical supplies on his credit card. Bandages, butterfly stitches, ointments, pain killers, the list of stuff DaeSung purchased on his sliver of plastic went on and on.
Armed with a plastic bag worth of first aid goodies that would make the Red Cross envious, DaeSung fished his cell phone out of his pocket.
His mom had called three times. All calls had gone to voice mail. DaeSung was pretty sure he was royally fucked. He’d have to text Bomi and ask her to cover his absence somehow. Bomi would have to bluff about studying for a class test together or something along those lines.
It would rouse suspicion, but thankfully his parents wouldn’t question Bomi’s sincerity in depth. However, DaeSung would end up owing Bomi a life supply of coffee and cheesecakes.
DaeSung made a mental note to look for a part time job.
On the road back, the damp mop of brown hair stopped by a small street stand to pick up a plain t-shirt, remembering that SeungRi had thrown the ripped up material in the trash. Unfortunately, the vendor only scoffed at his credit card and had demanded cash.
It’d taken another precious few minutes of wandering around in the cold to find the nearest ATM. By the time DaeSung had purchased the shirt and begun his trek back to the inn, even whistling his favorite tune couldn’t uplift his drenched spirits.
It had been a long and exhausting day. And DaeSung couldn’t shake off the feeling that everything was far from over.
***
“So you think she’s just trying to jerk us around?” Sunye asked as she huddled against YoungBae’s side for warmth. The days were getting decidedly cooler and Sunye had traded in her trademark fall coats for a thicker winter parka.
“Why else would she invite us to her party?” YoungBae mumured, zipping up his leather jacket to insulate himself from the growing cold. School had gotten out a few hours ago, and the new couple had decided to grab coffee and dessert at a café not too far from school.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s really over it. YooBin might be trying to make amends,” Sunye shrugged.
YoungBae fought off the urge to roll his eyes.
“Sunye, she’s not over it. She has something planned. YooBin’s a bitch like that,” YoungBae replied without batting an eyelash. For the last two days, YoungBae had been unable to rid his mind of YooBin and her ploy. A part of him was definitely intrigued in this game that YooBin was playing with him. He constantly reminded himself that he wouldn’t allow himself to be toyed with by one of his exes.
Especially not YooBin.
“Then we shouldn’t go. Why deal with her drama?” Sunye asked. She nudged the side of her boyfriend with her elbow, trying to get him to take the ridiculous scowl off his face. Ever since YooBin had SMS messaged them about the party, YoungBae had been disturbingly focused on the activities that swirled around YooBin.
It was wearing thin on Sunye’s patience. Sometimes she wondered if it was YoungBae and not YooBin who was still hooked on the past relationship.
“No. We’re definitely going. Why let her play around with us? Everyone at the school probably knows we’ve been invited. There’s no point in hiding,” YoungBae reasoned. It sounded like YoungBae was trying to convince himself more than he was actually reasoning with Sunye.
Either way, Sunye was tired of the subject and wanted to shift subjects.
“Yeah, I guess your right. I just don’t like how it’s bothering you so much,” Sunye pouted. She grabbed YoungBae by the tip of his chin and forced the distracted playboy to look at her.
Confronted by his girlfriend’s gaze, YoungBae forced himself to smile. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Sunye’s lips, only lingering for a fraction of a second. Unlike most of the other girls that YoungBae had been with, Sunye was far more dependent than the others.
She was coy at demanding his attention without actually demanding it. Sometimes YoungBae couldn’t tell if Sunye was genuinely naïve or if she was just an expert at playing off his own set of emotions.
“It’s not bothering me, I just don’t want YooBin to start any shit at school over me… or us, I mean.” YoungBae said, his scowl returning.
Sunye only rolled her eyes and sighed.
***
SeungRi hadn’t budged from his position on the bed when he heard the door handle begin to turn. While any normal person might have scrambled up to see who it was at the door, SeungRi was only too well accustomed to strangers barging in while he laid in bed. It was this desensitization that allowed him to feel so comfortable sitting in a room that belonged to two complete strangers and not feel a tinge of hesitation.
After DaeSung had headed out to buy supplies, SeungRi had ushered SeungHyun into the bathroom and then had trekked downstairs to ask for a new set of linens. SeungHyun had bloodied and mucked up the original set.
The man at the check-in desk had stared back with boredom and irritation laced in his eyes. It was something SeungRi pestered the night shift clerk for on a near daily bases.
New bed sheets.
Once SeungRi had retrieved clean whites and returned back to the room, the young call boy had stripped the thoroughly wet clothes off to keep away the cold that clung to his skin. Leaving just his briefs on, the ebony haired boy had huddled the massive bed sheets around his figure and had settled on watching television. Who was he to turn down free entertainment?
“How’s has he been doing?” DaeSung inquired as soon as the door pulled open. Kicking off his shoes, DaeSung rushed into the room and observed the surrounding. SeungHyun was no where to be seen and the other stranger was clearly without clothes under the blankets.
“Dunno. The shower turned off about twenty minutes ago. I think he’s just soaking in the tub,” SeungRi guessed, still not bothering to look away from the television set.
“Where are…y-your clo-cloths?” DaeSung stammered, alarmed at the sight of SeungRi’s clothes scattered about the room. The brown haired boy settled for staring hard at the carpeted floor.
“I was cold. I need to dry them,” SeungRi replied with an air of nonchalance, sparing only a brief look up from the television set to place his gaze on DaeSung. The younger boy chuckled softly before returning his gaze back to the show which had just returned from commercial break. “You look like a drowned rat.”
“Heh… yeah,” DaeSung mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He let the moment of awkwardness pass while he reassessed the current situation. He had allowed the unusual sight to distract him from the question that he had originally intended to ask. Tossing the bag of medical supplies on the floor, DaeSung peered at the closed bathroom door.
“Twenty minutes… you think he’s okay in there?” DaeSung nibbled on his bottom lip, his voice laced with uncertainty.
“If you’re that worried, I can check,” SeungRi sighed.
DaeSung grunted in the affirmative.
SeungRi tossed the thick blankets off his shoulders and swung his legs off the bed. Gingerly pulling himself off the soft mattress, the youngest of the trio headed to the bathroom door and tested the door knob. SeungHyun had never locked it after SeungRi had unceremoniously dumped him in the shower.
As SeungRi approached the restroom door, DaeSung kept himself occupied by rummaging through the bag of medical goodies that he had purchased for the severely bruised and battered SeungHyun.
Without really having bothered knocking, SeungRi pushed the bathroom door wide open.
DaeSung jumped and swallowed a yelp when a clearly startled baritone voice cursed heavily and began yelling. DaeSung dashed over to SeungRi’s side and peered over the boy’s shoulder wondering what exactly had gone wrong.
DaeSung immediately felt his face flush in embarrassment.
“Don’t you fucking know how to knock, you brainless twit,” SeungHyun admonished while he used the shower curtain to cover his nudity. SeungRi only commonly shrugged.
“You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. I have a cock too dumb ass,” the youngest boy rolled his eyes as he turned around to look at the heavily flushed DaeSung. “He’s obviously still alive. Happy?”
SeungHyun’s mouth gaped open, unable to find words to counter SeungRi’s blunt statement. The badly bruised boy was thinking exactly the same thing DaeSung was. Such casualness in regards to a stranger’s anatomy must’ve meant the kid was very accustomed to seeing it, or had incredibly thick skin.
SeungRi raised one elegant eyebrow, observing a tomato colored DaeSung.
“Just close the door,” DaeSung muttered.
***
JiYong had perfected the art of talking on his mobile without using his hands. With the phone tucked between his shoulder and his tilted head, JiYong browsed the elaborate array of shops that seemingly stretched into the horizon.
“I don’t see you. You’re on third and what?” JiYong asked into the electronic device. In order to hear above the rather loud hustle of the street, the skinny boy attempted blocking one ear with his hand. The process was rather difficult because both JiYong’s hands were occupied at the moment.
“I’m on third and sixteen,” a static filled voice replied.
“What? You are? So am I,” JiYong shouted into the phone hoping the connection wouldn’t break. It was hard trying to navigate through the traffic of the street with his hands occupied with drinks and the phone tucked so awkwardly against his shoulder and head.
“Look for the orange tent with the neon lights that says…” the static grew louder than the voice and a moment of silence passed before the phone went completely dead.
“Aw, crap,” JiYong cursed. He’d have to stop somewhere and set the drinks down before he could redial the previous number on his phone. But before JiYong had the chance to consider where he was going to place the drinks, a sharp tap on his shoulder sent him twirling around.
“JiYong-ah,” an elated female voice greeted him.
“YooBin,” JiYong smiled in relief. Finally, it seemed that luck was returning to him. JiYong had been afraid he’d never find YooBin amongst all these street vendors and pedestrians. Handing one of the two milk teas with boba to YooBin, JiYong sighed. “Here take one. This one’s for you.”
“Aw, JiYong thanks,” YooBin replied taking the offered drink.
“So did you find the shirt you were looking for?” JiYong asked. The two of them had been shopping together for the last forty minutes when YooBin had started complaining about thirst. The two of them had decided to split up. JiYong went in search for drinks while YooBin continued looking for a cute outfit for her own party that was tomorrow.
Finally having freed one of his hands, he removed the cell phone from its awkward niche and massaged his neck. Had it taken him any longer to find YooBin, JiYong would probably have developed a cramp in his neck.
“No not really... Hey but I did find this really cute shirt for you,” YooBin’s voice rose in pitch as she suddenly remembered why she’d been standing at this particular location. Taking JiYong’s by the wrist, YooBin dragged him to the street vendor under the orange tent she’d been at just a second ago.
“Which one?” JiYong asked, his curiosity peaked.
“This one!” YooBin shouted like she’d struck gold. Her slender digits held up a cute graphic t-shirt in a light blue color. The light blue shirt on the front and back had the depiction of one wing outlined in black. “Isn’t this so cute?”
“Yeah, I like it. But it’s a couple’s shirt. See that pink one with the opposite wing on the front and back?” JiYong pointed to the female version of the shirt that JiYong was holding up.
“Bah, who cares? It’s only a couple’s shirt if the person next to you is wearing the other version,” YooBin said, waiving off JiYong’s critique.
“Yeah, I guess your right,” JiYong shrugged.
“Hey, you should wear this to my party tomorrow. It’ll be my treat since you bought me the tapioca drink,” YooBin chuckled.
“Okay, sounds good to me,” JiYong laughed. YooBin’s giggling was becoming infectious.
***
“Oh no. You can’t be serious,” DaeSung groaned, refusing to look up from his SMS inbox. Bomi had just sent him a text message. Seeing how the entire text was written in bold, DaeSung knew Bomi meant it was urgent business.
“DAESUNG-AH. I TOLD YOUR MOM THAT YOU WERE WITH ME AT THE LIBRARY. BUT SHE WANTS YOU HOME RIGHT NOW. YOU OWE ME A LONG EXPLAINATION.”
“What’s up?” SeungRi asked, actually taking his gaze off the television. SeungHyun also stopped applying ointment to a cut on his upper arm and stared at DaeSung’s sudden outburst. It seemed that the protest from DaeSung had been loud enough to draw the gaze and attention of both boys.
“I have to go. As in like… right now. I’m so screwed,” DaeSung sighed, shoving his cell phone back into his pocket. Dashing over to his backpack, the brown haired boy grabbed a small piece of paper and pen out of it and began scribbling something in a flourish.
“Wait. What? Did another one of your friends get beaten up?” SeungRi asked a bit confused. SeungHyun remained silent.
“No, no no. It’s nothing like that,” DaeSung stated as he ripped the piece of paper in two and handed one to SeungHyun and the other to SeungRi. “That’s my cell number. You guys should call me tomorrow. SeungHyun… I’ll explain all this once I…”
“Talk to DongWook? How do you know him,” SeungHyun finished DaeSung’s sentence.
“I....I have to go,” DaeSung muttered, not answering the question. He shrugged on his school back pack and smiled warily at SeungRi while avoiding SeungHyun’s seething gaze. “Thanks for today.”
SeungRi shrugged and went back to watching the television. DaeSung didn’t understand quite frankly how SeungRi could be so comfortable in his position. If he didn’t look so young, DaeSung might have found his behavior a tad bit creepy.
SeungHyun was actually the one who looked rather uncomfortable out of the two.
“Bye guys,” DaeSung called out as he heaved the front door open and slipped out once again into the night rain.
***
Authors Note (Part Deux):
It was brought to my attention that the past three chapters might be a bit confusing in terms of time order. DaeSung/SeungRi/SeungHyun’s scene actually takes place and finishes before JiYong meets YooBin in chapter two. If you’re a very observant reader, you’ll notice that the rain begins just before SeungHyun gets battered by Seven.
At the beginning of JiYong’s scene in chapter two, it states that the outside lunch area of the school has been flooded due to three straight days of rain.
I also decided to divide DaeSung/SeungRi/SeungHyun’s scene into three chapters because I didn’t think I could write the entire encounter in one sitting. Even if it meant screwing with the timeline ^-^
This chapter will also need some major edits in the coming days.
Genre: Alternate Universe
Pairing: Eventual SeungRi/TOP, TOP/DaeSung, G-Dragon/YoungBae
Side Cast: Park Bom, Kim YooBin, Min Sunye, SO-1, Seven
Rating: NC-17 (Sexual Content, Language, Substance Abuse, Violence)
Brief Synopsis: SeungHyun is trapped in a gang he can’t escape from. JiYong, the new transfer student, finds himself becoming the loner of his new high school. SeungRi finds ecstasy in a blue pill. YoungBae meaninglessly hops from one girl’s bed to the next. DaeSung can’t shake the feeling that being content with his average life is enough for him.
Five boys on drastic paths will find comfort and solace in each other and in music.
Authors Note: I know I took a little bit longer to update this chapter, but that’s because the plot’s beginning to thicken and merge. Much thanks to the readers who left me such positive encouragement! I was able to squeeze another chapter out of my muse.
***
DaeSung hadn’t realized how far the local pharmacy would be from the local inn. By the time he’d found the small store of medical supplies, DaeSung was beginning to feel the drain of the entire day weigh down on his hunched shoulders. The adrenaline rush was beginning to fade and DaeSung’s back also started to hunch accordingly. At this point of his journey, all DaeSung wanted to do was peel off the damp clothes off his back and hop in to a nice warm shower.
DaeSung openly cursed his older cousin under his breath as he charged the cart-full of medical supplies on his credit card. Bandages, butterfly stitches, ointments, pain killers, the list of stuff DaeSung purchased on his sliver of plastic went on and on.
Armed with a plastic bag worth of first aid goodies that would make the Red Cross envious, DaeSung fished his cell phone out of his pocket.
His mom had called three times. All calls had gone to voice mail. DaeSung was pretty sure he was royally fucked. He’d have to text Bomi and ask her to cover his absence somehow. Bomi would have to bluff about studying for a class test together or something along those lines.
It would rouse suspicion, but thankfully his parents wouldn’t question Bomi’s sincerity in depth. However, DaeSung would end up owing Bomi a life supply of coffee and cheesecakes.
DaeSung made a mental note to look for a part time job.
On the road back, the damp mop of brown hair stopped by a small street stand to pick up a plain t-shirt, remembering that SeungRi had thrown the ripped up material in the trash. Unfortunately, the vendor only scoffed at his credit card and had demanded cash.
It’d taken another precious few minutes of wandering around in the cold to find the nearest ATM. By the time DaeSung had purchased the shirt and begun his trek back to the inn, even whistling his favorite tune couldn’t uplift his drenched spirits.
It had been a long and exhausting day. And DaeSung couldn’t shake off the feeling that everything was far from over.
***
“So you think she’s just trying to jerk us around?” Sunye asked as she huddled against YoungBae’s side for warmth. The days were getting decidedly cooler and Sunye had traded in her trademark fall coats for a thicker winter parka.
“Why else would she invite us to her party?” YoungBae mumured, zipping up his leather jacket to insulate himself from the growing cold. School had gotten out a few hours ago, and the new couple had decided to grab coffee and dessert at a café not too far from school.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s really over it. YooBin might be trying to make amends,” Sunye shrugged.
YoungBae fought off the urge to roll his eyes.
“Sunye, she’s not over it. She has something planned. YooBin’s a bitch like that,” YoungBae replied without batting an eyelash. For the last two days, YoungBae had been unable to rid his mind of YooBin and her ploy. A part of him was definitely intrigued in this game that YooBin was playing with him. He constantly reminded himself that he wouldn’t allow himself to be toyed with by one of his exes.
Especially not YooBin.
“Then we shouldn’t go. Why deal with her drama?” Sunye asked. She nudged the side of her boyfriend with her elbow, trying to get him to take the ridiculous scowl off his face. Ever since YooBin had SMS messaged them about the party, YoungBae had been disturbingly focused on the activities that swirled around YooBin.
It was wearing thin on Sunye’s patience. Sometimes she wondered if it was YoungBae and not YooBin who was still hooked on the past relationship.
“No. We’re definitely going. Why let her play around with us? Everyone at the school probably knows we’ve been invited. There’s no point in hiding,” YoungBae reasoned. It sounded like YoungBae was trying to convince himself more than he was actually reasoning with Sunye.
Either way, Sunye was tired of the subject and wanted to shift subjects.
“Yeah, I guess your right. I just don’t like how it’s bothering you so much,” Sunye pouted. She grabbed YoungBae by the tip of his chin and forced the distracted playboy to look at her.
Confronted by his girlfriend’s gaze, YoungBae forced himself to smile. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Sunye’s lips, only lingering for a fraction of a second. Unlike most of the other girls that YoungBae had been with, Sunye was far more dependent than the others.
She was coy at demanding his attention without actually demanding it. Sometimes YoungBae couldn’t tell if Sunye was genuinely naïve or if she was just an expert at playing off his own set of emotions.
“It’s not bothering me, I just don’t want YooBin to start any shit at school over me… or us, I mean.” YoungBae said, his scowl returning.
Sunye only rolled her eyes and sighed.
***
SeungRi hadn’t budged from his position on the bed when he heard the door handle begin to turn. While any normal person might have scrambled up to see who it was at the door, SeungRi was only too well accustomed to strangers barging in while he laid in bed. It was this desensitization that allowed him to feel so comfortable sitting in a room that belonged to two complete strangers and not feel a tinge of hesitation.
After DaeSung had headed out to buy supplies, SeungRi had ushered SeungHyun into the bathroom and then had trekked downstairs to ask for a new set of linens. SeungHyun had bloodied and mucked up the original set.
The man at the check-in desk had stared back with boredom and irritation laced in his eyes. It was something SeungRi pestered the night shift clerk for on a near daily bases.
New bed sheets.
Once SeungRi had retrieved clean whites and returned back to the room, the young call boy had stripped the thoroughly wet clothes off to keep away the cold that clung to his skin. Leaving just his briefs on, the ebony haired boy had huddled the massive bed sheets around his figure and had settled on watching television. Who was he to turn down free entertainment?
“How’s has he been doing?” DaeSung inquired as soon as the door pulled open. Kicking off his shoes, DaeSung rushed into the room and observed the surrounding. SeungHyun was no where to be seen and the other stranger was clearly without clothes under the blankets.
“Dunno. The shower turned off about twenty minutes ago. I think he’s just soaking in the tub,” SeungRi guessed, still not bothering to look away from the television set.
“Where are…y-your clo-cloths?” DaeSung stammered, alarmed at the sight of SeungRi’s clothes scattered about the room. The brown haired boy settled for staring hard at the carpeted floor.
“I was cold. I need to dry them,” SeungRi replied with an air of nonchalance, sparing only a brief look up from the television set to place his gaze on DaeSung. The younger boy chuckled softly before returning his gaze back to the show which had just returned from commercial break. “You look like a drowned rat.”
“Heh… yeah,” DaeSung mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He let the moment of awkwardness pass while he reassessed the current situation. He had allowed the unusual sight to distract him from the question that he had originally intended to ask. Tossing the bag of medical supplies on the floor, DaeSung peered at the closed bathroom door.
“Twenty minutes… you think he’s okay in there?” DaeSung nibbled on his bottom lip, his voice laced with uncertainty.
“If you’re that worried, I can check,” SeungRi sighed.
DaeSung grunted in the affirmative.
SeungRi tossed the thick blankets off his shoulders and swung his legs off the bed. Gingerly pulling himself off the soft mattress, the youngest of the trio headed to the bathroom door and tested the door knob. SeungHyun had never locked it after SeungRi had unceremoniously dumped him in the shower.
As SeungRi approached the restroom door, DaeSung kept himself occupied by rummaging through the bag of medical goodies that he had purchased for the severely bruised and battered SeungHyun.
Without really having bothered knocking, SeungRi pushed the bathroom door wide open.
DaeSung jumped and swallowed a yelp when a clearly startled baritone voice cursed heavily and began yelling. DaeSung dashed over to SeungRi’s side and peered over the boy’s shoulder wondering what exactly had gone wrong.
DaeSung immediately felt his face flush in embarrassment.
“Don’t you fucking know how to knock, you brainless twit,” SeungHyun admonished while he used the shower curtain to cover his nudity. SeungRi only commonly shrugged.
“You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. I have a cock too dumb ass,” the youngest boy rolled his eyes as he turned around to look at the heavily flushed DaeSung. “He’s obviously still alive. Happy?”
SeungHyun’s mouth gaped open, unable to find words to counter SeungRi’s blunt statement. The badly bruised boy was thinking exactly the same thing DaeSung was. Such casualness in regards to a stranger’s anatomy must’ve meant the kid was very accustomed to seeing it, or had incredibly thick skin.
SeungRi raised one elegant eyebrow, observing a tomato colored DaeSung.
“Just close the door,” DaeSung muttered.
***
JiYong had perfected the art of talking on his mobile without using his hands. With the phone tucked between his shoulder and his tilted head, JiYong browsed the elaborate array of shops that seemingly stretched into the horizon.
“I don’t see you. You’re on third and what?” JiYong asked into the electronic device. In order to hear above the rather loud hustle of the street, the skinny boy attempted blocking one ear with his hand. The process was rather difficult because both JiYong’s hands were occupied at the moment.
“I’m on third and sixteen,” a static filled voice replied.
“What? You are? So am I,” JiYong shouted into the phone hoping the connection wouldn’t break. It was hard trying to navigate through the traffic of the street with his hands occupied with drinks and the phone tucked so awkwardly against his shoulder and head.
“Look for the orange tent with the neon lights that says…” the static grew louder than the voice and a moment of silence passed before the phone went completely dead.
“Aw, crap,” JiYong cursed. He’d have to stop somewhere and set the drinks down before he could redial the previous number on his phone. But before JiYong had the chance to consider where he was going to place the drinks, a sharp tap on his shoulder sent him twirling around.
“JiYong-ah,” an elated female voice greeted him.
“YooBin,” JiYong smiled in relief. Finally, it seemed that luck was returning to him. JiYong had been afraid he’d never find YooBin amongst all these street vendors and pedestrians. Handing one of the two milk teas with boba to YooBin, JiYong sighed. “Here take one. This one’s for you.”
“Aw, JiYong thanks,” YooBin replied taking the offered drink.
“So did you find the shirt you were looking for?” JiYong asked. The two of them had been shopping together for the last forty minutes when YooBin had started complaining about thirst. The two of them had decided to split up. JiYong went in search for drinks while YooBin continued looking for a cute outfit for her own party that was tomorrow.
Finally having freed one of his hands, he removed the cell phone from its awkward niche and massaged his neck. Had it taken him any longer to find YooBin, JiYong would probably have developed a cramp in his neck.
“No not really... Hey but I did find this really cute shirt for you,” YooBin’s voice rose in pitch as she suddenly remembered why she’d been standing at this particular location. Taking JiYong’s by the wrist, YooBin dragged him to the street vendor under the orange tent she’d been at just a second ago.
“Which one?” JiYong asked, his curiosity peaked.
“This one!” YooBin shouted like she’d struck gold. Her slender digits held up a cute graphic t-shirt in a light blue color. The light blue shirt on the front and back had the depiction of one wing outlined in black. “Isn’t this so cute?”
“Yeah, I like it. But it’s a couple’s shirt. See that pink one with the opposite wing on the front and back?” JiYong pointed to the female version of the shirt that JiYong was holding up.
“Bah, who cares? It’s only a couple’s shirt if the person next to you is wearing the other version,” YooBin said, waiving off JiYong’s critique.
“Yeah, I guess your right,” JiYong shrugged.
“Hey, you should wear this to my party tomorrow. It’ll be my treat since you bought me the tapioca drink,” YooBin chuckled.
“Okay, sounds good to me,” JiYong laughed. YooBin’s giggling was becoming infectious.
***
“Oh no. You can’t be serious,” DaeSung groaned, refusing to look up from his SMS inbox. Bomi had just sent him a text message. Seeing how the entire text was written in bold, DaeSung knew Bomi meant it was urgent business.
“DAESUNG-AH. I TOLD YOUR MOM THAT YOU WERE WITH ME AT THE LIBRARY. BUT SHE WANTS YOU HOME RIGHT NOW. YOU OWE ME A LONG EXPLAINATION.”
“What’s up?” SeungRi asked, actually taking his gaze off the television. SeungHyun also stopped applying ointment to a cut on his upper arm and stared at DaeSung’s sudden outburst. It seemed that the protest from DaeSung had been loud enough to draw the gaze and attention of both boys.
“I have to go. As in like… right now. I’m so screwed,” DaeSung sighed, shoving his cell phone back into his pocket. Dashing over to his backpack, the brown haired boy grabbed a small piece of paper and pen out of it and began scribbling something in a flourish.
“Wait. What? Did another one of your friends get beaten up?” SeungRi asked a bit confused. SeungHyun remained silent.
“No, no no. It’s nothing like that,” DaeSung stated as he ripped the piece of paper in two and handed one to SeungHyun and the other to SeungRi. “That’s my cell number. You guys should call me tomorrow. SeungHyun… I’ll explain all this once I…”
“Talk to DongWook? How do you know him,” SeungHyun finished DaeSung’s sentence.
“I....I have to go,” DaeSung muttered, not answering the question. He shrugged on his school back pack and smiled warily at SeungRi while avoiding SeungHyun’s seething gaze. “Thanks for today.”
SeungRi shrugged and went back to watching the television. DaeSung didn’t understand quite frankly how SeungRi could be so comfortable in his position. If he didn’t look so young, DaeSung might have found his behavior a tad bit creepy.
SeungHyun was actually the one who looked rather uncomfortable out of the two.
“Bye guys,” DaeSung called out as he heaved the front door open and slipped out once again into the night rain.
***
Authors Note (Part Deux):
It was brought to my attention that the past three chapters might be a bit confusing in terms of time order. DaeSung/SeungRi/SeungHyun’s scene actually takes place and finishes before JiYong meets YooBin in chapter two. If you’re a very observant reader, you’ll notice that the rain begins just before SeungHyun gets battered by Seven.
At the beginning of JiYong’s scene in chapter two, it states that the outside lunch area of the school has been flooded due to three straight days of rain.
I also decided to divide DaeSung/SeungRi/SeungHyun’s scene into three chapters because I didn’t think I could write the entire encounter in one sitting. Even if it meant screwing with the timeline ^-^
This chapter will also need some major edits in the coming days.