Unnecessary Enchantment || 2ho

11. One Strange Man

A week came and went.

After that evening with Wooyoung, Jongho couldn't stop his brother's words from seeping doubts into his mind.

With his family, Jongho fell into a rhythm, a rhythm which he felt a little outside of. He spent his days differently than before, for he has no phone to distract him. Instead of headphones he listens to the wind and the birds in early morning; he listens to Kyungmin learn piano and Eunmin playing her despised violin.

He didn't see much of Woohyeon in their rhythm.

Eomma acted as if not much had happened.

"The school board and I had a discussion," she told Jongho. (A discussion from a corporate lawyer isn't your average discussion; Jongho knew this well.) "They still have your slot open, and your scholarships are still yours. This will be available until next semester, okay?" She rubbed his shoulder. "But let's not waste time."

This morning, San had been hanging around a little longer than usual. The man wore his heart on his sleeve; Jongho could easily see his worry, the nibbling lips and twisting hands only made it that much easier.

"You know, you can just ask me." Jongho said, looking up from his book.

"Choi..." San started.

"Just call me Jongho," he smiled.

San doesn't believe he's ever seen Jongho smile.

"Okay... Jongho." He started again. "I know it's super unlikely and he might even be like... dead, by now but maybe you even heard his name mentioned or maybe-"

Jongho's recently warmed heart couldn't take the nervous rambling, so he cut San off. "I saw Mingi."

And San's eyes grew huge in relief and wonder. He barely reacted when Wooyoung came up behind to bite his shoulder.

"You... did?"

"Yeah," Jongho smiled again, brighter this time. "We became friends. He's so funny," here, to Wooyoung and San's great surprise, Jongho laughed. "Speaks his mind all the time, is afraid of nothing - well, except bugs, which is unfortunate. But yeah," he looked up, meeting San's eyes. "He's pretty cool."

"Doesn't sound like my little brother."

But San left it at that.

•°°｡☬⁠｡°°•

While Eunmin was at the doctor, Kyungmin became horribly bored. And what does one do when your playmate is MIA? You find a new playmate. After all, seven makes one team.

So Kyungmin brought Jongho to the park with him. (An easy task, actually. Jongho was far more inclined to be spending time outdoors, now.)

After a few rounds of tag, Jongho retires to a shady bench as Kyungmin plays with his new friends.

It was so easy to make friends as a kid... now no one wants to talk.

Jongho ponders on whether it's for the better or worse that one has the habit of becoming hardened with age.

But I guess... I did make friends easily in the mountains.

Pulling Jongho from his thoughts, a man walking past catches Jongho's attention. He holds a shopping bag. Jongho wonders what is in it.

Jongho's heart recognizes someone in him, someone who his features look nothing akin to.

Yunho encases his mind.

And Jongho has no idea why, for where Yunho is significantly taller, this man is Jongho's same hight. Where Yunho has a beautiful tan, this man is porcelain.