KIDS WILL BE KIDS

02. what's the matter?

i didn't know why suddenly jungwon showed up that one day, he had brought a chair with him, and then he proclaimed that he'd be the leader from that point on out.

do you still remember that day? i realized just how childish we were. it was just a petty issue but why did it affect our friendship so much? if we were having this conversation right now as in you are sitting in front of me, you'd have explained your opinion in the wisest way possible with a subtle smile permanently staying on your lips and i'd take a guess... you'd have your fingers intertwined around your mug, i'm not sure though what drink would you choose off of the menu, but it definitely goong to be something hot because it's winter now.

you'd tell me, "that's just how kids function," or "heesung-hyung was a bit too far, i mean, he was just a kid after all, we all were..." or other things i can't seem to come up with.

back then, i didn't have any issue with jungwon's uncalled for proclaim. i was more confused rather than declining his claim. i think i didn't have anything against his decision but why would he do that all of a sudden? did he really want to be the person in charge of choosing what games were we going to play every day, or was there something else he was aiming for? but i doubted the latter.

it was then heesung, let's just not call him hyung here, raised his hand and objected. at first, he came in with a cool head but his facial expression failed to convey that. it was clear that he didn't like the idea and came up with an argument that he was better suited to be the leader of the group considering he was the oldest among us. then he crossed his arms, his weight was on his left leg.

jungwon, on the other hand, got off from the chair and approached heesung with a gangster walk, his hands inside his shorts, with his chin tilted up a bit. his eyes were sharp and narrow, i still remember that, i was behind heesung all along rising a brow, questioning the whole situation.

it was at that moment when i realized, our group had divided to two parts. one behind jungwon and the other behind heesung. 4 to 3. you were behind jungwon.

jungwon asked heesung in an informal way did he have a problem with that? that if not then better for him to shut his mouth and follow suit. it was a shocker for all of us, just how could jungwon be like that? to heesung out of all people.

we couldn't imagine how heesung would feel but now i understand why heesung was mad and through his gritted teeth he demanded for an apology from jungwon which in return he got a smug smirk and a roll of eyes, which then... it turned out to be a fist landed on jungwon's face.

jungwon was crying, of course, and had ran away to his house. later, the remaining six of us were called to jungwon's house where his mom was demanding us for an explanation and it better be something smart.

heesung, though he was the oldest among us, and was the person who said that he was the better figure to be a leader, shuddered in fear and bit onto his bottom lip. he refused to say any word. and jungwon was busy crying behind his mom's back that he didn't see it. if he did, that'd be a victory for him.

none of us spoke a word that evening. i was also in no place of explaining, i felt it that way, i was still ridiculed by the situation and i didn't know what to do. maybe, my brain wasn't capable of thinking that far and decide a heroic action to save the day.

this was where the loverboy stepped forward, breaking the crowd of six kids with all their hands behind their back laced in trepidation. you stood there, loverboy... looking at jungwon's mom in the eyes. although your words wavered, you managed to clear up the situation.

jungwon's mom made her son and heesung to shake hands and call it truce. it was then awkward when his mother walked away while massaging her temples. but you, cut the silence by breaking down to crying.

you told us, while you grab my sleeve and i hold your back, that "i don't want our friendship to break apart just because of a dumb reason!" you wailed. then through of your hiccups you continued, "you guys are all i have! what would i do in this summer break if it's not with you guys?!"

when i looked up, i swore i could see heesung, jungwon, jake, niki, and sunghoon all had their eyes like glass. they were glistening under the streetlight. i was also beginning to get mosquito bites but upon the rest of the crew jumping into a bear hug with us, those bites weren't even a thing anymore.