Sanity vs. Soulmate | JeongCheol

10

I just stared at Soonyoung. How many times today am I just going to stand there and watch my jaw drop to the floor??

"You... know... sign language?"
That's all I could come up with. I swear. My mind had gone completely blank.

"YES! JIHOON TAUGHT ME! HE SAID I WOULD NEED IT SOME DAY WHEN I FINALLY GET TO MEET YOU!!"

I'd never met anyone who literally signed in caps. Like, howwwwwwww??
This boy already amazed me to no end...

My gaze wandered to Jihoon. He taught Soonyoung sign language? Because... of me? He really believed I would come back one day. How did I deserve a friend like Jihoon? My eyes started to water once again.

Is that really all I'm going to do today? Stare, run, cry, procrastinate? Not necessarily in this order.

"Oh no!! Did I mix up the signs? I am so sorry!! I made him cry. Jihoon!! I MADE HIM CRY!! NOW HE HATES ME! JIHOOOON!"

So the boy could sign normally as well. Good to know.

"No no! You did well!! And I don't hate you!! I'm just... overwhelmed. It's not often that I meet people who know sign language... And my emotions are a mess already... Today is just... a lot", I chuckled nervously.

"Oh. I'm glad you don't hate me!"

And with that he just started waddling in my direction to give me a very tight and loving hug.
I just helplessly patted his back. I'm getting more hugs in one single day than in the last couple of years. But I'm certainly not complaining. Hugs have such a big healing power!!
I told you I would like Soonyoung!

Suddenly a slightly aggressive waving of Jihoon's arms got my attention and made me release Soonyoung from my embrace. "I get it. He's all yours, you jealous dwarf...", I mumbled. Going by the glare sent my way, Jihoon heard it though... ups...

"SOOOOOO, WHAT SHOULD WE DO UNTIL THE REST ARRIVES?"

That's a good question Soonyoung. I drained all my imagination by coming up with the "let's bake a cake" idea.
I looked at Jihoon. He seemed just as clueless as me. Or maybe he was just to busy staring at Soonyoung to actually register the question. Cute.

"I don't know... Any suggestions?"
This time I looked at Soonyoung. At least he wasn't spacing out so maybe he had an answer to his own question.
"Mmmmmmmhmmmmmmmm"
And in case anyone was wondering, yeppppp, that mf signed every single letter... He looked like a chinese Lucky Cat!!
And that's exactly what I told him.

"Soonyoung, please stop. You remind me of a Lucky Cat, shaking your fist like this. I get it. You're telling me that you're thinking about what we could do. No need to spell it out like this."
I laughed. I hoped he didn't take it the wrong way and thought I was ungrateful or making fun of him.

"Well, if anything I look like a Lucky Tiger!" He grinned widely from ear to ear and made a funny hand gesture at the end after the sign for tiger. It wasn't anything I was familiar with, but it looked like a claw I would say? Probably his own tiger sign. That boy really was something else...

"OH I KNOW I KNOW!! I KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO!!", Soonyoung suddenly scream-signed, jumping up and done excitedly.
What did this boy have for breakfast??? How can anyone be this energetic??

"And what might that be?", Jihoon questioned barely suppressing a smile and the cuteness of the tiger boy. Oh, he was whipped!!

"WE COULD PLAY THAT ONE GAME YOU HAVE. WITH THE GEESE!!"
"Ohhhh, I remember that one as well. We used to play it a lot when we were younger and Jihoon was such a sore looser..."
My thoughts traveled back to our countless gaming nights. I used to love them. We would stay up late playing round after round of the goose game, because Jihoon lost again and again, demanding a revenge. He really was a sore looser.
Sometimes it was just me and Jihoon, sometimes the rest of the group would join us. However, we always had the fun of our lives and would hide under a blanket whenever Jihoon's mom neared the door. I had forgotten all about those memories. Remembering brought a warm feeling to my chest. The last years had been quite lonely indeed...

"What do you mean by I was a sore looser???? YOU were the one who cheated all the time!!"
"Pfffff... cheating? Me? Come on Jihoon... Just because you can't stand loosing, you don't have to call me a cheater!"

Oh and there it was again: The death glare. And I gave it the only appropriate answer: A half sided grin and a wink.

"Well, I don't care whoever is a sore looser or a cheater. WE ARE GOING TO PLAY THAT GAME NOW!! COME ON GUYYYYSSSS!!"
With that Soonyoung grabbed Jihoon's sleeve and my hand and dragged us to the living room.
"SIT! I'LL BE BACK IN A SECOND. DON'T KILL EACH OTHER WHILE I'M GONE!!", he signed and rushed out of the room again.

I glanced at Jihoon and couldn't help but burst out laughing. He followed shortly.
Really, it was too funny!! Only hours ago we had deep talk after deep talk and were emotionally cuddling. Then we had an amazing time trying to make an eatable cake and having a food war. And now Soonyoung told us not kill each other.
Today really had been a rollercoaster.

At some point the laughter died down. "It's nice to have you back."
And here I go again. Smiling like a maniac while crying madly. My body really tried making up for years worth of emotions...

The next thing I know I found myself in another tight embrace. But just as quickly as the warmth had come, it was gone again. I barely had time to register what had happened when I saw a large, orange something lunge at Jihoon and roll to the ground with him.

That must be the tiger boy...

They kept rolling around while Jihoon tried to dodge Soonyoung's attacks who kept on hitting him. It really looked quite funny so I decided to just lean back and enjoy... I mean watch.
No use in stopping my children when they were having such a great time, right?

Finally Jihoon managed to push Soonyoung away and they started what seemed to be a heated discussion. Furiously waving about their arms, shaking their heads and making funny faces...
I quite enjoyed the scene even if I couldn't understand what all of this was about. It was like watching one of those old black and white slapstick silent movies.
Slowly their emotions seemed to calm down and Soonyoung turned in my direction.

"You weren't crying because Jihooni was mean to you?"
So that's what all of this was about. Amused by his protective behaviour over me I shook my head no.
"On the contrary. I was crying because Jihoon was saying something really nice."
"Oh that's good then. I was ready to fight him for you! Can't have my Hyung upset after all!"

This boy didn't even know me for half an hour and yet he was ready to protect me. I love him.
"Thanks Soonyoung. I appreciate you looking out for me."
"Jeonghan hyunggg, you're way of speaking is so..." "...educated?" "...POSH!!"
I glared at him. "At least I can use proper grammar..."

"Guys!!", Jihoon interrupted. "Should we start playing the Geese Game or not?"

———
Hiiiiiii,
I just have a few comments. It won't take too long.

1) Thank you for reading. I love you guys!

2) Something written in italics means that either someone uses sign language or Jeonghan is reading lips.

3) I don't have any knowledge of sign language etc.
I'm trying my best to research the stuff I write properly but I am no expert so I might make mistakes. If have a greater knowledge about sign language, lip reading, sicknesses etc. feel free to correct me!!

4) Fact of the day: You're awesome!

Okay, that's all. Also, I'm super happy bc Ateez is coming to Europe and my friends and I got a ticket akskhshakakakagaj!!!!