Strawberries & Cigarettes || Nyukyu

Chapter 2

"This is the hundredth time Mr. Ji, I need you to sit up." A male with short black hair groaned as he stared up at the teacher with a disturbed expression before rolling his eyes and sitting up in his chair with crossed arms and an uninterested expression. "Thank you. Now class, turn to page nineteen as we read the poem." The teacher said as she walked away from the male's desk. "That wasn't even the hundredth time...." Changmin murmured to himself before lazily opening his textbook to the page his teacher ask.

"Dude, what's got you so tired?" His seat mate Seungcheol asked him as he lightly hit Changmin on the shoulder. "Didn't go to bed until three in the morning." Changmin simply replied as he rest his head down on the desk again. Seungcheol just nod in understanding as he refocused on today's English lesson. Changmin was quite happy that the older didn't question him any further as he didn't have the energy to explain to him that he sat on his roof and smoked about three cigarettes each hour just staring up at the sky and wondering if maybe his life was different.

If maybe he had chosen a different decision than the one he had chosen. Then maybe his life would have been so much different from the one he was living right now. Changmin wasn't always this gloomy his whole life, but after the incident that occurred a few years ago, he couldn't help but slip into unhealthy habits such as smoking and staying up til late. He sighed as he started to pack up his supplies and threw his bag onto his shoulder. "Changmin, may I speak to you for a bit?" His English teacher asked once everyone left the room.

"What's up?" Changmin said as he tried not to sound rude, "what's going on? You're usually at least half awake in my class?" She said with softness in her tone. Changmin secretly rolled his eyes as the teacher questions before speaking in the most polite way possible. "I'm fine Ms. Choi. I just couldn't sleep last night." Changmin wanted to leave so bad as he started to tap his foot impatiently against the floor. "Alright then, get some rest when you get home." She said before rounding her desk to sit down in her chair. "Got it." Changmin nodded softly and headed out the classroom.

'Why she acting so concerned? She never was like that before?' He thought with confusion mixed with disgust written all over his face. He was just glad that school was over and he can go home and eat all the junk food he wants. "Hey Min, wanna go to the park?" His jock friend asked as he swung an arm over Changmin's shoulders. "If it means I can get a smoke and food out of it then sure." Changmin replied with an unbothered expression displayed on his face. "Sure, we can head to the store and grab some snacks first." Juyeon said and they continued to walk out the school's gates.

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"What about.....Yeji? She's pretty." Juyeon said as he looked over to Changmin who blew smoke out from his mouth. "She's pretty, but not my type. I'm also not really into girls." Changmin said with a bored expression as he put the cigarette between his lips again.

"Alright then....." Juyeon said as he trailed off most likely thinking of people to set Changmin up with. Changmin didn't care, he was going to reject everyone Juyeon recommends. To Changmin, everyone at school is a copy and paste of each other. No one truly has a different personality from the next. They all think, look, and act the same.

And that just wasn't for Changmin. He wanted someone real, someone who could and will understand him through his ups and downs. He wanted someone who wasn't a copy and paste of another person. But unfortunately, that person doesn't seem to exist in this world full of fake faces.

"What about Jeonghan? He's angelic looking." Juyeon said clearly not giving up. "He's also taken by Seungcheol." Changmin said with an eye roll as he looked off to the side. "There has to be someone at school you're interested in." Juyeon said with a thinking expression as he began to think long and hard about who can be the right fit for his friend.

"Well sadly, there isn't." Changmin said taking one more hit of his cigarette before putting it out and standing up. "I gotta go now. See ya tomorrow." Changmin said holding out his fist. "Right. I'll keep thinking." Juyeon said giving Changmin a fist bump before they parted ways.

Changmin just sighed and shook his head. Could there really be anyone at school that's the 'right fit' for him. Or was it all just a fantasy made up for Changmin to keep dreaming and never wake up. Surely there can't be someone who could understand Changmin the way he wants.

They're all just fake people living in a plastic covered world.

Nothing is truly real as Changmin wish it was. People say they understand, but do they really know what's one going through? Do they know the feeling of being at the bottom of the bottle? Feeling trapped or sheltered away. The feeling of being lost and having no where to run to. Do they see it and understand it? Or do they just say they understand to make you feel better about yourself?

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Upon entering the house, Changmin kicked off his shoes by the door and headed upstairs to his room. He threw his school bag in the corner of his room along with his shoes and changed into some sweatpants and a hoodie. He grabbed his stash of snacks from under his bed and headed up to the roof. Other than his room, Changmin spends most of his time on the roof, either smoking his feelings out or stargazing at night as it gives him a sense of comfort and warmth.

Some things he's been yearning for.

With a sigh he crack open a can of soda and took a long gulp from it. "I wonder what a real person looks like?" He said as he wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve and looked around at the other house with another sigh.

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This chapter is Lowkey kinda deep. Changmin you good there bestie?

Lowkey put some of my overthinking thoughts into this and I'm not mad about it. This chapter came out so well and I really enjoy it.

So with that

I hope you enjoy this chapter

I hope you are doing well, eating correctly, and drinking water and staying healthy.

Anyways, vote, comment, and follow if you want to. Good morning, night, or afternoon. Love you <3