granny

8//cupboard

the two were woken up by loud banging on the door. the sun wasn't up yet so when jisung lifted his head from minho's chest, he was unable to tell whether this was granny's creepy night mode or if she was actually trying to wake them up.

the older woke up right after and smirked at jisung's sleepy yawn as he was stretching in his bed. he yawned too but didn't want to get up yet.

"wake up," granny shouted as she knocked on the door so harshly that jisung wondered if she could break it, "we need flour again, get up," she violently screamed out, probably aware that she could wake up the dead in that voice.

minho took his head in his hands tiredly. jisung's face scrunched.

"i'm coming, granny, give me a second," the taller shouted back to get her to return downstairs, "sorry," he rubbed jisung's arm up and down, seeing that his sudden shouting was unpleasant.

"i don't get it," jisung sighed and lied down again, turning his face to minho and their noses were almost touching, "i promise you we have enough flour, olive oil and whatever she'd want you to buy. i don't get why she wants you to shop every day."

"maybe she's stacking up on those things because when we're gone she will only have to shop once a week," minho thoughtfully stated.

"maybe. but isn't there like a bus or something that you can take?"

"not that i know of," the older giggled, "it's fine, i'm used to walking a lot to uni. but i should get up before she comes again," he sighed and lifted himself on his elbows. jisung pouted, "what? you don't want me to go shopping?"

the shorter shook his head, "i don't want to be alone with them.."

"sorry. but i'll be quick," minho smiled and put his hand underneath jisung's chin, "if she wants you to do something that you think is unsafe just refuse. okay?," he stood up and went to get his clothes.

jisung pensively nodded. what else could she make him do? clean the chimney?

minho went downstairs to receive the shopping list, then took the tissue bag and went out of the door reluctantly. jisung sat down in front of the window and watched him leave the house, headed for the meadow that he had to go through to leave the village.

he was so fit and strong, even in those sweatpants that didn't do his legs justice, and his hair was shining with golden highlights as the sun was going up. he looked ethereal and jisung leaned over the ledge, his hand on his cheek, daydreaming of lying down in his arms and sniffing his luscious hair and kissing his neck.

"stop lazing around and come downstairs."

the statement was simple, the voice-sharp, and once again jisung jumped. he rubbed his neck uncomfortably, asking himself whether she knew what he was thinking or suspected it.

she left without another word and he followed after her.

"did he tell you to do it?," granny suddenly spoke up as jisung was peeling potatoes.

"do what?," he fearfully returned, reflecting over what she may mean.

"brothers don't do that," she continued, clenching her jaw as if she was trying to fight the urge to hit him.

"minho and i haven't done anything wro-"

"you shouldn't call him by his name," granny furiously interrupted, lifting her hand up, "he is older than you, and you should address him accordingly," she lowered her hand regretfully and shut her lips tightly so that deep wrinkles formed around her mouth.

jisung shivered at the admonition and nodded.

"open this now," she took a jar, filled with tomato sauce and handed it over to him.

he tried to loosen the lid and held the jar in all possible ways but his hands got red and he sighed. granny who watched him struggle, stood up abruptly and closed the distance between them, snatching the jar from his hands.

"you can't, can you?," she tartly hissed, "what was i expecting of you?," she squinted at him and he trembled shamefully, "you're just a good-for-nothing rag," she spit out and grabbed his wrist.

jisung was then pulled to the vestibule and watched as granny opened a cupboard next to the clothes hanger and told him to get in.

"g-granny, please don't make me stay here," he lamented, "i'll do well, i promise.."

"this is what you deserve," she pushed him in harshly and closed the door, "you'll stay here until i say that you can leave," she muttered and put the latch on.

*

"here," minho dropped the products he'd bought on the table and looked around, "is jisung here?"

"does it look like it?," granny taunted.

"where is he then?," the boy interrogated again, "did he go out?"

"leave that," she replied, "he's a fully-grown adult."

minho gritted his teeth and left the room. he went upstairs to check the rooms, then the bathroom, and finally the garden but the younger was nowhere to be found. maybe he was taking a walk. minho took a book from his bookcase and tried to read it but it was hard because his mind kept going back to jisung.

could he have gone back home? it wasn't bus day yet, and there were not many other ways he could've used to get out of here. also, he didn't think jisung would do that without telling him. he stood up and went to check his stuff. everything, including his phone, was in the room.

minho tried not to be overdramatic but he felt alarmed. he ran downstairs, planning to insist that granny told him what happened to jisung. she was not in sight though and he was going to go see grandpa in the shed and talk to him.

"granny? c-can i go out now?," a small voice timidly questioned when the floor below minho creaked.

the older shook his head. was he imagining things now? he licked his lips exasperatedly but still asked, "jisung? where are you?"

"hyung, please let me out," jisung sobbed and sniffled, having lost hope of getting out of his prison.

minho listened to his voice and looked around, quickly finding the source of the plea and unlocked the door, immediately opening it to reveal a distressed little boy, curled up in a ball inside.

"hey, it's okay, come here," minho quietly prompted, getting hold of the shorter who clung onto him right after the door opened.