When Minho Was There • Minsung

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Jisung tried his best to make do with what he had, using his backpack as a neck pillow and his hoodie as a blanket. He'd taken his shoes off and slid them under his seat, his pineapple socks on full display. Sure, it was a bit eccentric for a soon-to-be adult, but Jisung didn't really care. He knew no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn't fit in.

Saying he felt anxious was an understatement. On the outside, he looked calm and collected, a little bit of an emo funk, but on the inside? On the inside, he was trying his best not to feed into a self-deprecated rage. He wasn't sure where he was going or who he was going to meet. This so-called "treatment plan" was what he was most worried about. Would they kill him and use his body for science?

No, don't overthink it.

He shimmied his feet underneath him, keeping himself warm. It was summer, but the inside of the train felt as though he'd been blasted into the arctic with only a hoodie and a pair of sneakers.

Jisung rested his chin in the palm of his hand, leaning against the window. He could feel the vibrations of the wheels against the track and the glass thumping against his forehead. He thought about what would happen if the glass gave out. Maybe he'd be sucked out and left to starve in the empty fields. Possibly then his auntie would feel some remorse.

Jisung thumbed the phone in his hand. It had remained silent for the entirety of his journey. Not that he had any friends who'd text him asking why he wasn't in school. Removing his auntie from the picture, Jisung realized he had no one. Soon enough, he felt the device buzz, and that could only mean one thing.

auntie ( ^▽^) :
The air where your uncle and aunt live is clear; spending time there will help your condition.

Jisung stared at the message silently. He didn't feel like responding, but his fingers hovered over the keyboard. A few seconds later, he was typing.

traitor 〴⋋_⋌〵:
The air where your uncle and aunt live is clear; spending time there will help your condition.

You need to get off once you reach the wetlands, they'll welcome you there.

There, perfect! The contact name was now befitting her. And with that, Jisung powered off his phone. His uncle and aunt? He vaguely remembered his auntie mentioning them, but that was some time ago. This'd be interesting.

Jisung was lured out of his thoughts by a grumble. He peered down, patting his stomach as if to soothe it. He hadn't eaten anything since last night. Jisung's eyes wandered over to the plastic bag, and before long, he'd finished an entire pack of strawberry-shaped gummies. As he gnawed on the last one, he decided he should be wise and ration his "meals" accordingly.

✧

It was easy to get bored when you were stuck on a train for hours on end. Jisung thought he might turn schizophrenic and have conversations with himself. As he faced his reflection in the window to do just that, he paused. He was perplexed to find himself staring at his own face. The very face his auntie had called ordinary. When he caught sight of himself, he couldn't hold back a snort. He looked so unbelievably stupid with his tear-stained cheeks and pouty lips. His hair was a jumbled mess of yellow straw and frizz, his black roots showing hints of reappearance. He must admit, it was quite a sight.

Then he started to giggle. His giggle morphed into a rather peculiar laugh, a laugh that caused other passengers to eye him strangely. They must've thought he was a nutjob. Maybe he was. Maybe he was truly going insane. Jisung continued to laugh until there was no more pent-up emotion inside of him, and the laughter faded to blissful silence. He apologized to the passengers, assuring them he was in the right state of mind and simply remembered a joke his friend had told him. They took it with a grain of salt.