lollipop ➹ jaywon

THE TREE. 002

a/n ::

just a heads-up,, this will be a short book :>

➹

4 o'clock.

They met again at what Jay named The Tree. Both wearing the same uniforms, both just coming home from the first day of school.

Throughout the day, Jay stuck to Jake's side, and they spotted Johnny in the school's playground, holding hands with another boy. The boy was short, but he seemed to be the same age as Johnny. Full, thick bangs covered his forehead entirely. He had a fair complexion and an eye smile, but his fox-like eyes was a prominent feature that was sharp, different— very different from his overall looks; whoever he is, he looks fluffy.

Jay hadn't talked to Johnny and so did the latter. They were both too caught up with making new friends.

As if they've shared a secret message to each other, they find themselves staring, with Johnny having leaves stuck on his hair after passing through the entrance of The Tree.

"You're here," he blinks, and sighs, regaining his composure. "I didn't expect you'd be here." He makes his way to the swing beside Jay.

"Yeah," the corner of Jay's lips tug upwards into a lopsided smile. They don't speak to each other for a while, only the birds chirping and the squeaking of the swing as Johnny sways back and forth with his feet in the air. The boy glances at Jay who doesn't move his swing at all, the soles of his feet never detaching an inch from the ground.

"So... Who was that guy you were with the whole day?"

Johnny tilts his head and smiles. He seems to be fond of this boy. "Sunoo-hyung."

Sunoo? That name rings a bell in Jay's head. He's sure he has heard it somewhere. "He's the friend I met yesterday! The one who played with me here in the park. I'm lucky enough to go to the same school as him," bingo. He knew that name sounded familiar.

The older nods, and he clutches on the chains of the swing he sat on. He's not a big fan of having the metallic smell smeared on his palms, but now, he couldn't care less. Johnny stops swinging himself as he reaches for something in his pocket. "Want a lollipop?" His cat-like eyes stare at Jay widely. Jay shakes his head, making Johnny shrug his shoulders and unwrapping the candy as he plops it in his mouth, "suit yourself."

Jay giggles as he stares at Johnny whose one side of his cheeks bulge because of the sweet. The younger holds on the stick, the bulge in his cheek disappearing when takes the candy off his mouth— pressing the lollipop against his lips. Jay is stuck between thinking what flavor of candy it was, whether it was raspberry or strawberry, either way, the lollipop was red, and in terms of color, he has no idea how to tell the two flavors apart. The red hue of the candy taints Johnny's lips, leaving a faint red pigment.

He pulls his gaze away and clears his throat. Before he can manage to murmur something out from his mouth, Johnny says something.

"Should we tell Jake-hyung?"

"Hm?" Jay tilts his head, watching the younger rock himself on the swing gently with his lollipop grazing his glossy lips.

"About The Tree," says Johnny.

"Leave me to it," Jay tells him. "I'll be the one to tell him."

Johnny nods his head and smiles, "Jake-hyung will love it here. Jay-hyung? When will you tell him?"

The twelve-year-old hums in response before answering his question. "Maybe tomorrow."

The next day, Johnny doesn't go to The Tree. They met each other at school, anyway, but they only had a few interactions, not like how Johnny clung on Sunoo. After 4:20PM, he's been waiting for Johnny for twenty minutes when Jay leaves The Tree and accidentally stumbles upon Jake who was skateboarding. Unlike him, Jake is already wearing a t-shirt and some shorts with a snapback over his head.