50.
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The whole room was loud. Laughter filled and echoed of the walls as the voices of guests rang through his ear, everyone he came across had a statement. But he kept his promise to his mother, he behaved, he strolled silently through the house. Watching guest with intense stares, but smiled as soon as they glanced back at him. A facade. He had to keep it up, but he was getting sick whenever he looked or found his family members, those who should've have passed a long, long, time ago. Their wrinkled faces scrunched up when they forced their laugh to sound realistic enough infront of other people.
When he spotted his grandparents, he simply avoided them. He didn't want to communicate with someone as sick as his father and his father's parents. They all disgusted him deep down to his core. He could feel the side glances whenever he glared at someone, and when they turned to look back at him, he forced his own stupid smile to show them how..friendly..he wasn't.
He wanted to find Seungmin, and has just spotted him a few feets away from him. So he casually strolled over, knowing that Seungmin's parents haven't been very fond of him, since that incident at the dinner. He figured that a perfect excuse for him to steal Seungmin for a moment or two, would somehow work out. But when his eyes met Seungmin's, he could see the boy shake his head, trying to tell him not to come near.
But, trouble was indeed his middle name after all. He couldn't deny it, he promise to stay behaving, but this isn't breaking any rules. He was just going to borrow Seungmin with an excuse, that wasn't exactly true. But what else should he be able to do to get the older boy's attention.
"Hi Mrs. And Mr.Kim..you wouldn't mind if I borrowed Seungmin for a while?" He asked, innocently flashing Seungmin's parents a bright smile. As he clapped, Seungmin's shoulder, he could feel the boy's tension through his skin and muscles, looking at both Seungmin and his parents with expectant eyes.
"Depends on what circumstances. Yang, you haven't really had the smartest mouth around the neighborhood..I don't think I'd want my son near you because of your potentially bad influence" Mr.Kim spoke, a glare stuck on his face.
"Oh I apologize sir. I haven't been feeling well recently, and has been having quite the irritable mood. I have just felt like sitting in my room alone and study or read, I haven't been to interested in all these events happening...you see, it's quite stressful" he spoke smoothly, putting as much sincerity as possibly. "I just need his help with a math problem...I'm staying in my room for the rest of the night, I can't injure my foot any further right" Jeongin continued to excuse, looking at Mr.Kim with a soft smile.
"Oh, we didn't know that. It's fine Yang, Seungmin, go help him with a math solution..can't you see his injured" His mother spoke, pushing Seungmin towards the staircase as Jeongin followed behind.
"Ma'am it might take some time..so I'll just send Seungmin down when we're finished" he smiled, turning away once he got a nod in reply.
The two of them didn't mutter a single word. Silence flew over them when they stood on the top of the staircase, looking down at all the fine looking people. Which noticeably irritated them both. Neither of them obviously wanted to be there. And so, they continued their path towards Jeongin's room, closing and blocking the door behind them while doing so.
Jeongin didn't want to risk anyone eavesdropping to their conversation, so he motioned for Seungmin to follow him into his walk-in closet, sitting down on the floor in the hollow space that were left on the floor. Not minding the clothes that scattered almost everywhere in his closet.
"You're really bad at taking hints you know that?" Seungmin spoke slightly annoyed, looking at Jeongin with a softer glare. Before leaning against the closet doors behind him.
"I'm not..I just chose to ignore the hint" Jeongin spoke with a heavy sigh. "I need to talk to you..it involves my mother" he continued as he shifted his gaze to the floor, eyes unsure on how he should word his explanation upon the new arrival of an inconvenient situation, that could eventually benefit not only him, but perhaps Seungmin too.
"Does she...know?" Was the first thing Seungmin muttered out, actually, the first thing he even thought off.
"She does" Jeongin breathed in, leaning his head against the wall of closet doors behind him, his eyes closing as he tried to find more words to speak out. "But..not in the way you would believe" he couldn't help the urge to chuckle, looking at Seungmin who now had a confuses frown decorating his face.
"Then what?" He mumbled, trying to brace himself for the worst that could happen.
Jeongin knew Seungmin feared the possible words that could come through his mouth. He feared if his parents knew and would punish him..but Jeongin wasn't trying to scare Seungmin, he wanted to reassure him..Seungmin meant a lot more to him than what he have realized.
"I...I told her".
And there it goes, the room went completely silent. The music from downstairs could be heard sipping into the room. The sound of laughter and speech could be heard aswell. But these two was far to deep into their conversation to give up on it, they had other plans tonight now. And this, might take longer than what he expected.
"Innie..why? Did something happen?" Seungmin asked unsurely, cold sweat could be seen forming on his skin, that got paler and paler as seconds went by. Fear. Seungmin felt fear. And Jeongin understood.
"I sat in my room earlier tonight. My mom came in, started demanding to behave. I switched the subject a bit, towards my situation with them and this family. First she tried to manipulate me into believing they weren't bad. But she came to a realization, that I knew more than what she could manipulate me with, I had arguments, she didn't. So. I started begging her to help me get out of this house, I started venting about how bad I felt in this family..she broke down crying, telling me about how she was never ready to be married, how she aborted her first pregnancy, how she got pressured into having a child that she tried killing herself. I felt so sick when I heard it" Jeongin spoke, meeting Seungmin's eyes immediately. "I don't plan on forgiving her ever..but I need her help to get out of this house, and after begging her, we made a deal. Since she told her secrets, I felt the urge to tell mine too. So I did. I told her about Chan, Jisung, Jungso, Minho, Felix, and you. I told her about me, I told her everything that has been and is going on" Jeongin explained. Hiding his face in his hands as he tried to not tear up. He was getting stressed from the situation, he started doubting if his mother was a safe person to tell.
Jeongin 10 hours ago would yell no. But Jeongin 5 hours ago would say maybe. So he hoped, he crossed his fingers so tight, that his mom, wouldn't betray him.
Either way, he will be getting out of that house no matter what.
"That was stupid.." Seungmin whispered, his eyes leaving his friends sight as he looked down at his hands. "But if your mom was telling the truth, don't you think it could be safe? I wouldn't trust them because of what they did to you. But I would feel not so well, if my mother broke down crying infront of me, telling me all the things your mother told you" Seungmin tried to reason, properly to prevent himself from going absolutely insane from the new information.
Jeongin was just relieved that Seungmin kept his cool, and tried to actually listen instead of flipping out on him.
"We should discuss this further.." Seungmin spoke.
"Can we...I don't know..cuddle while doing so" Jeongin spoke unsurely, his eyes dropping close to prevent tears from falling from his eyes.
"Of course Innie".
