golden boy

chapter 5

"okay," minho exhaled and took a sip of his juice, "so we basically have everything except for.. examples," he summed up as he was looking at his notebook.

"well, what examples do you want? like, from the movies?"

"yeah. i don't know which one we could do though. maybe my neighbour totoro."

"uh, yeah but that's not going to get anyone to actually listen to us. everyone's watched this, we need to attract attention, not repeat things that they know," jisung reasoned. his tie was now lying next to him on the couch and he was in his socks, with his heels on the couch.

"you're kind of right. i'd love to do kimi no na wa.. it's not ghibli but it fits with the 'surrealism in japanese popular culture' theme.. and i can talk about it a lot.."

"yeah, me too. tenki no ko too. it might be more interesting cause we can include things we know a lot about.. should we change up the plan so that it fits the examples better then? maybe use the movie for an example at each point we're making?"

"you know what? yeah, let's do that," minho returned. he didn't expect his partner to be such an active and resourceful planner, "now we need to analyse our movies," he licked his lips and picked up a sheet of paper.

"wait, wait," jisung interrupted with a lifted brow, "this presentation is 10 minutes. we might not even have the time to describe the plot.."

"what? no way we're not describing the movies! that way we can prove we actually know what we're talking about. the deeper we go the better," the host reasoned and added in order to convince the other, "we'll just go through it quickly.."

"pff, what do you think i can do? write the plots in rhymes and then rap it in front of the class? that's surely gonna save time," the shorter ridiculed with a smile.

"no, but at least.. watch the movies again," minho responded, "and maybe we can.. meet to discuss them? maybe next week, like this again?"

"oh? yeah, i mean, sure," the guest replied reluctantly, "why are you so concerned about this? like, analysis, research, meeting once a week? is that a 'straight a student special' that i haven't had the opportunity to witness yet?"

"we only have a month to do this. the presentation's in three weeks," the taller simply said, "and i don't like failing, or counting too much on improvisation."

"why though? it's liberating to just go with the flow," jisung returned. minho didn't need liberation. what if he fucked up? he shook his head no.

"if she catches us improvising she'll think we didn't do the work."

"oh, god save us if she thinks that," the shorter let out a mocking laugh, "last semester i only met up once with my partners. we did some plan and split the thing into three. and that was a few days before presenting."

"and what grade did you get?"

"c. the efforts were worth an f though," jisung admitted and saw the other's eyes widen in shock, "don't worry, golden boy, that can't happen to us. you're hardworking, this presentation will be amazing."

"yeah, but we need to keep working. maybe not today but, you know, not leave the project halfway.."

"damn, why are you so pressed? i thought you're a stoner but you're still such a nerd too."

"one thing has nothing to do with the other," minho shrugged and licked his lips.

"nah, just smoke a joint and loosen up. i told you the presentation will be done and it will be good, relax. you got so much space here to just hibernate and the maid is making you a cake, just chill," jisung proceeded with a scornful grin, "honestly, i don't blame you for being stuck up, that purple is unsettling."

minho couldn't help but chuckle when he heard the comment, "yeah, it's my mum's wish. the part of the house that's suitable for guests is in white, wooden and purple. it's not my favourite either but that's okay. i don't spend a lot of time here anyways."

"oh, so you stay in your room?"

"well, on my floor, yes. it's the third one," the taller explained, "this is usually my parents' space but we do family activities here..," by 'family activities' he meant to say dinner.

"ah, so when you want to gossip about the poor and how annoying people on scholarships are you sit down on this very couch to do it?," jisung mocked again.

"no, we don't gossip. and i assure you we don't think about that at all."

"oh yeah, i'm well aware that i'm not worth being thought about," the guest giggled, "this is so adorably neat. i feel like i'm in wonderland and the queen of hearts will be mad if the roses are anything else but.. well, purple."

minho wanted to laugh and agree. he remembered his mum get super angry at the workers who were doing the bathroom on that floor about the shade of the tiles being wrong. they ended up painting them over in the right colour, just like the gardeners in the tale. but it was disrespectful to agree. so he didn't.

"okay, well, i need to go now," jisung continued when he didn't receive an answer, "it's getting late, i'll miss my bus."

"uh, mr song can drive you-"

"no need," the shorter returned immediately and sprung to his feet to put his shoes on, "and next friday we'll be coming on foot. that ride was so tense."

"tense? he didn't even speak.."

"exactly," jisung agreed and zipped his bag, "give me your phone."

minho furrowed his brows but went over to the coffee table to pick up his device.

"faster, pretty boy. i know you're a dancer, not an athlete but i don't want to have to walk all the way home in this rain if I miss it," the shorter urged and minho hurried up to unlock the phone and handed it over.

seconds later, he received it back, "here, now you have my number, text me so i have yours and we can share some materials."

minho nodded. he was receiving a lot of information and it was messing him up. he felt like he knew more about that guy's interests than about any of the classmates he actually hung out with. suddenly, he realised that there was a hand pinching his upper arm and he blinked rapidly.

"yah, you fell asleep or something? walk me out, golden boy, those pretty legs aren't just for show. make them work for me, huh," the short boy tsk-ed and started walking, trying to see with his peripheral if the other was following him.

"i'm here, don't worry. damn, nobody's going to eat you in this house," minho exclaimed as he trailed behind the small figure.

"ugh, i don't want to run into more of your agitating servants."

"do they really bother you?," minho asked with surprise as he opened the front door.

"of course. how are you supposed to feel comfortable at home when there are so many strangers around the house at all times?," jisung returned with a look of dissatisfaction and turned around to go.

minho went back into his house, and got startled when he almost ran into the cleaning boy who was wiping a cabinet. wow, they really were creepy now that he thought of it. he smiled politely and quickly greeted, then went upstairs to his room.