Between Truths ║Dahkook║K.DH J.JK

a veil of a smile

CHAPTER XXV

HE circled the long winding path as it meandered around hills, and cut through the campus. She felt fleeting—a single piece of snowflake that turned into nothing on his pal­m. The more he grasped, the less of her he held. Her thoughts were even more elusive.

When he rounded by his dorm again, the sky was grey with dusk. Or dark from rain clouds. Or both. Mingyu leaned against the wall on its front, still in his red and black jersey. He hated having grime on him. Yet, he had come all the way here without washing first. They stared long at each other.

"If you're here to tell me off—" Jungkook started.

"Easy," Mingyu cut him off, "Are you always this impatient?"

"You look a mess. It's throwing me off."

"You haven't seen yourself, have you? I just finished a long game. You snagged yourself a girl. Between the both of us, you still managed to look worse."

"You never look less than made."

"There's always a first for everything. There's no better day to look unsettled than today, is there?"

He paused. Had he underestimated the depth of Mingyu's contempt for him to be affected so? His unease grew into dread.

"There isn't," he said.

They walked in silence after that. Down the street, first alive with students, it grew sombre the longer they trudged on. Further than their hideout too. Wordless. The familiar wooden signboard swung above them in the breeze. They did not stop. Until they wound up on a waterfront. Just as the last of daylight plunged into the horizon. They shuffled into a stop by the empty bench. The trifling peace ending.

"What exactly is it that's making you upset?" Mingyu troubled the waters finally.

"I could ask you the same."

"A tie," Mingyu said. "We are the reigning champions—they're not even seeded. We trashed them last year, but we couldn't even one them up by a point this year."

"You were leading three to zero at half-time." Jungkook pointed out.

"Curious, isn't it? Their strategy didn't work in the first-half, but it did wonderful in the latter. We would have lost, probably, if the coach had not taken Eunwoo out." He glanced at Jungkook.

"Why?"

Mingyu shrugged. "He made mistakes he shouldn't have."

The same Eunwoo who the coaches had grand plans for? The awarded MVP last season? It did not feel possible. And yet, the first game ended in a draw. It was as good as losing. What would that mean for him? To be the reason for such unprecedented lost.

"They were picking on him, hard, from the start. He was bound to make mistakes. Anyone would."

"You didn't see him, Jungkook. He was distracted after half-time; everyone could see it."

"You saying it's because of me."

"It crossed my mind." Mingyu said, truthful.

"They won't kick him out for messing up once."

Mingyu was grave next to him. "You don't get it, do you? That's not his greatest concern. Not when he's in lov—"

"Don't say it," Jungkook warned. "I know you don't want to. I don't want to hear it either."

For a while, silence was their friend again. Until Mingyu felt like he needed to chase it away. If simple words were too painful...he could draw a long picture.