Strawberries & Cigarettes || Nyukyu

Chapter 8

"Staring into space isn't one of my lessons, Mr. Ji. But I'm happy that you're not sleeping this time." The teacher said as she lightly tapped on Changmin's desk, shaking him from his daydream. Changmin mutter foul words under his breath as he flipped to the page the class was on.

"Hey Min, what's got you zoning out? Met someone last night?" Seungcheol asked as he teased the younger. "You can say that..." Changmin said trailing off a bit. "But they're just a friend. Don't think too much of it." Changmin said warningly.

"That's what they all say. Trust me, sooner or later, that feeling you're feeling will get bigger and more addicting." Seungcheol said sounding like a father to Changmin. As much as Changmin didn't want to agree with Seungcheol, the older had a point.

The feeling Changmin was feeling was already growing addictive and Changmin was scared, but excited for what the future holds. And that's surprising for Changmin to think like that. Before meeting Chanhee, he wanted nothing to do with the future, not after what happened a few years ago. But now, he was hoping that maybe, just maybe something out there was worth waiting for.

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"Hey Min, where did you go? We wanted to play truth or dare with you, but we couldn't find you." Sunwoo said as he sat down at their lunch table. "I told you not to run away." Juyeon butted in as he sat next to the male in question. "I met someone..." Changmin said, trailing off as he played with his food.

"Oooo! Someone?" Hyunjun teased as he sat next to Sunwoo, Eric sitting next to Hyunjun. "Shut up, you just came back from Busan. How was vacation actually?" Changmin said as he tried to change the topic. "Don't try to change the topic. Who is this person?" Eric said as he pointed his finger at Changmin who shy away. "His name is Chanhee-"

"What?"

All four stared at him with a shocked expression at the mention of the school's angel. "You ran away with Chanhee? Choi Chanhee? Our school's angel?!" Hyunjun question in shock and disbelief that his friend was able to hang out with the school's angel. Chanhee never hung out with anyone who wasn't in his friend circle, so hearing that Changmin hung out with him was really that shocking.

"Yea, I didn't believe it at first. But it's true and he's more than just a pretty face. He's kind, caring, a good listener, and he's understanding." Changmin excitedly spoke as he had the most brightest smile on his face. It's been awhile since he has smiled like that.

Juyeon watched in awed as the boy talked about the school's angel with so much excitement. As much as Juyeon doesn't show it, he deeply cares about his friends, especially Changmin. He misses the happy and bubbly Changmin, he missed Changmin smiling from ear to ear. But ever since the incident, Changmin was never the same. So seeing that smile Juyeon oh so misses, brings a tear to the older's eye. He quickly wipes the tear away and clears his throat.

"That's impossible! He had to be lying about that! There has to be someone he's in love with!" Sunwoo declared with a determined rage. Changmin just shook his head. "He said people only likes him because of his pretty face. And I can see that." Changmin said as his voice dropped while saying the last sentence.

The three youngest just frown as their trains of thoughts took off. "Hey, don't frown y'all. He probably didn't find the one yet, you never know." Juyeon butted in as he tried to cheer the four boys up.

"Maybe you're right, Yeon." Eric agreed with the older.

"It's still upsetting." Hyunjun countered and Sunwoo just nodded to Hyunjun's statement.

Juyeon sighed and shook his head, "these three."

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"Thought I'll find you here." Changmin said as he ruffled the small boy's hair. "Stop!" The young boy said trying to fix his hair. Changmin just laughed and sat next to the younger. "How was school Jeong?" Changmin asked after his laughing fit, giving the boy a bag of chips.

Jeong took the bag and opened them, "school was okay. My teacher gave me a gold star for getting a question right." Jeong said with a shrug as he ate some chips. "Ooo! Look at my smart baby brother!" Changmin said as he nudged his brother with his shoulder.

"Don't call me that Min." Jeong whined with a pout. "But you are my baby brother, I gotta remind you that you are." Changmin said with a fond smile as he messed up the little boy's hair again. "Min!" Jeong exclaimed as he fixed his hair again, Changmin laughed before sighing and laying back on the bed.

Jeong was a miracle baby, he was born one year after the tragic accident that happened. The doctor's said that Jeong is the recantation of the life that passed and Changmin believed that. Jeong looks and acts so much like them, it's heart breaking. Changmin blames himself for the accident actually, it's his fault that he was too late.

If he wasn't too stupid then maybe he would have been able to save them. Maybe if he actually answered his phone then maybe they'll still be here next to him and Jeong, laughing their butts off and have the biggest smiles on their lips.

Maybe then Changmin would stop smoking and actually cared about school and his body. Maybe Changmin would still be his happy and bubbly self. Changmin sighed as he looked over to Jeong eating his chips and watched the cartoon that plays on the tv.

Changmin wonders how different it'll be if Jeong was able to meet them, but thanks to their parents removing anything that resembles them of their lost child, Jeong was oblivious to all of their aching hearts. Everything truly changed after the accident, Changmin's parents became more depressing than ever, they paid less attention to their kids, and focused more on work.

That's why Jeong relies more on Changmin than anyone and you can only blame their parents for ruining yet again another one of their kids lives.

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This chapter seems so depressing, am I ok?

Also I'm sorry for not updating this sooner, I was supposed to earlier but I forgot then my friend came over so I was barely on here. But here it is now!!!!!

So with that

I hope you enjoy this chapter

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

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