𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙩 | 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘮

001 | cigarettes

YEDAM

It's two in the morning and here I am, making my way on the convenient store to buy my comfort.

Cigarettes.

They give me such relief and comfort that people couldn't provide. I can't go on a day without finishing three sticks of cigarettes at least.

"Good morning, Yedam!"

I smiled at the energetic and warm welcome that I received after entering the entrance of the store.

"You seem so happy today," I told him as I approached the side of the counter to get two packs of cigarette.

"Am I?" I heard him mouthed out.

I chuckled at his own question before handing him the packs of cigarette and my payment.

"Don't bother to pack it. I'll just put it inside my pocket."

"Got it, sir," he responded weakly as he handed me the packs of cigarette.

I looked at him before stifling a laugh. Junkyu is definitely one of a kind.

"Bring back that energy, come on," I told him as I opened one pack of cigarette after keeping the other one inside the pocket of my hoodie.

"But it's only two in the morning," he reasoned out. "I shouldn't waste my energy this early."

I shrugged my shoulders. "If you say so."

Taking one stick of cigarette in between my lips, I was about to light it up, but Junkyu stole the lighter from my hand. I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you shouldn't smoke here inside?" he asked before handing me back my lighter.

"Geez, calm down your ass," I told him, the cigarette stick still stuck in between my lips. "I already have the owner's permission to smoke here only during this time of the day because there are less customers walking in."

"You might have blackmailed the owner," Junkyu whispered, in which made me laugh.

"Shut up," I chuckled, finally lighting up the cigarette.

I saw from the corner of my eye how Junkyu looked at me while I was inhaling and exhaling the smoke.

"You wanna try?" I asked him, handing one stick of cigarette.

"Never," he said out of disgust. "You better clean the floor after you smoke."

"Don't worry, I always do that," I reassured him. "By the way, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Do you have friends on the village where you live?" I asked before inhaling on the cigarette once again.

"I have one childhood friend and I am close with that guy who lives next door."

I only smiled at his answer. What can I expect from a Kim Junkyu anyway.

"Why are you wearing that face? You also have friends and I am one of them," he told me. He must've noticed that I was frowning slightly.

"In our place, I don't have friends," I confessed as I finished off my cigarette with one last huff before dropping it on the tiled floor.

"It is not necessary to make friends in every place. It is quality over quantity."

I smiled at what he said. He is indeed right.

Walking quietly, I headed to the back door of the store and took out the broom and dustpan behind it.

"That was a pure fact," I told Junkyu, referring to his statement.

I started to sweep the ashes and the remaining piece of my cigarette and threw it by the trashcan after.

"I know that I am right," he grinned. "What's the use of having many people around you if they are not even worth it to be called friends," he added.

I nodded in agreement as I leaned myself by the counter.

"They are transferring out," I mumbled, referring to our group of friends.

"What?!" Junkyu bursted out. "They are leaving us?! How dare they to do that─ wait, are you even telling the truth?"

I looked at him straight in his eyes, proving that I am not playing around.

"My sister will also transfer out with them after summer," I added with a shrug.

"That would be good for Yejin, but to those guys, I just don't know."

"It is the school's decision, we can't do anything."

"It doesn't suck that this city has only two schools, right?" asked Junkyu.

I nodded my head. "We can visit them after our dismissals if we are not that busy."

"It's a good thing that we don't go to that school," he whispered.

"Why though?" I asked, preventing myself to chuckle.

"We don't fit there," Junkyu responded. "They are decent, we are delinquent. A complete opposite."