The Painting

Four:

Jisung didn't say much in first period, or on the bus for that matter. Felix knew something was wrong. He had been distant all week, starting after they departed from the bus after school on Friday. He knew better than to ask so early in the morning, so he decided to wait until lunch. By the time art class came, Jisung hadn't raised his hand in class once. His friends worried for him. Every time they asked, Jisung waved them off. The boys had suspicions about the reason for the boy's behaviour, but they knew that it was dangerous to ask. 

On the way to class, Jisung was tripped by an upper-classman, causing him to wince in pain and cry. The elder laughed, walking away. Jisung just got up and silently went to class, taking a seat quietly next to Minho, like normal. He buried his thoughts in his sketch, finishing up the minor details like Felix's freckles. As the bell rings, Minho stands up, noticing smudged concealer, a large purple bruise, and a gash on the younger boy's cheek, reaching up to his eye. 

What the hell happened to him?  "Jisung."

Jisung's head snaps up at the mention of his name from the older boy's mouth. Damn, his voice is angelic. "Uh.. um yeah?" Why do I always have to fucking stutter in front of him?

"What happened to your face?" The older brings his hand up to Jisung's chin without thinking, assessing the younger. This takes Jisung by surprise, but he snaps out of it, pulling away and accidentally bumping into the desk with his ribs, causing him to let out a cry. 

"N-n-nothing." The younger grabs his stuff and runs out of the classroom. He puts on his mask, making it to the cafeteria. 

"Jisung-" Felix starts, causing the squirrel boy to start crying.

"They're back, Lixie." 

"Oh shit."

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Last Friday:

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?" The woman who gave birth to Jisung screams, after the beer bottle smashes against the door frame. Jisung whimpers as a shard ends up in his cheek. He takes it out, looking at the ground. 

"I-i." Suddenly, a fist connects with his face, throwing him into the door. 

"Answer your mother when she speaks to you, you worthless fuck." Comes the voice of Jisung's father. 

"School." The boy answers, knowing they don't care about the answer. He prepared himself, knowing what was coming. His father growls, pushing Jisung onto the glass, causing him to wince in pain. 

"Shut your mouth." He yells, starting to punch the boy on the ground. His mother just walks away, grabbing another bottle to drink. 

By the time his father was done beating him, Jisung could barely stand. He forced himself to do so, going up to his room and cleaned himself in his bathroom, getting the glass out of his back. As long as Jisung stayed in his room, his parents forgot he was there. The moment he came home from school every day, the beatings started until he could escape to his safe haven. 

Jisung's parents, as full time alcoholics, didn't have jobs. They disappeared for months on end, probably in jail. When they returned, it was only for a week. Then, they were gone again. Why they returned? Jisung honestly had no idea. He just knew it was always the worst week of the half year, since the pair only returned every six months. Nobody outside of his friend group knows. The only person who knew that he doesn't talk to on a daily basis, is Chan.

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Felix engulfs the older in a gentle hug. "Jisungie... why didn't you say anything... you could have come over..."