Youth; Jeongchan

5. small talk, no conversation

There's something therapeutically wistful about driving. The quiet mumbling of the radio that fades into the background as one watches the scenery change. The cars pass by with complete strangers living their own individual lives. Paths of life cross for just a few seconds when people happen to make eye contact. Rolling fields that stretch as far as one can see, with lanes and trees winding through them. In the distance, tiny houses dot the green.

Chan turns up the radio about an hour in, ripping Jeongin from his thoughts.

"I love this song", he explains. The song that plays is obnoxiously bright, and if it had signature color, it would be bubblegum pink.

"Really?", Jeongin raises an eyebrow. This is what Chan listens to?

"Hey. You're in my car, you don't get to judge me", Chan laughs.

"Ok then"

Jeongin continues watching Chan, who is moving his head from side to side in time with the beat, and realizes that Yeri is a pretty damn lucky girl for having her very own golden retriever energy boyfriend.

"Instead of judging me silently, if you think your music that much better, you can play it", Chan offers, pointing at the aux cable.

"No, it's just- you don't seem like a pop kind of guy", Jeongin admits, still trying to piece together dark grunge aesthetics and bubbly love songs.

"What type of guy do I seem like then?"

He can't possibly not realize what vibe he gives off, can he?

"Rap, probably. Or something with a really strong bass."

Chan wrinkles his nose.

"And why?", he asks, genuinely looking confused.

"It's just your... look I guess. You know, the leather jacket, the booze, the cigarettes."

"I don't smoke."

Jeongin wasn't expecting that, but it does fit to Chan, when he considers it.

"Changbin does", he counters, not wanting to lose this conversation.

"Yeah, well, Changbin's a fucking idiot", Chan sighs, ever the long-suffering mom friend," don't tell him I said that though."

Jeongin snorts. They slip into a comfortable silence.

Turning to look out the window again, he watches a couple of horses on a paddock.

He learned to ride a few years back, on a Shetland pony. Bucky must have been the most stubborn horse on the goddamn farm, but damn, if he wasn't fast for such a small pony.

"What are you thinking about?", Chan asks, glancing at Jeongin.

"Shetland ponies."

That makes Chan laugh.

"Why are you thinking of Shetland ponies?", he asks.

Jeongin shrugs.

"I'll give you a penny again if you tell me", Chan continues wheedling. Jeongin sighs.

"I used to ride one. His name was Bucky. He was great."

Chan nods.

"Shetland ponies are always great", he says, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

He accelerates to pass another car, then slows down again.

"Can you tell me what the argument was about?", Chan asks.

"What argument?", Jeongin asks, caught off guard.

"The one that made you run away."

Ah, that argument.