the placebo effect ✘ jaywon

8: HISTORY

Jungwon was seven years old when he had first met Jay.

His best friend, Riki, had tears in his eyes when he arrived at the school's playground. Surrounding him were a bunch of boys bigger than him, and Jungwon gasps, running towards them as he approaches Riki. "What are you doing?!" He yells out, and one of them turns his head to see Jungwon.

He had tanned skin and slightly chubby cheeks. His uniform was tucked well and neatly.

Before he even knew it, Jungwon had thrown a punch to this boy's face. A loud smack was heard and the boy immediately holds on to his nose, and Jungwon does a roundhouse kick but the boy dodges it with widened eyes and a bleeding nose.

"Jay!" "Oh my god!" "What the-?!" They immediately cowered over Jungwon, protecting the injured stranger.

No one bullies my friends! Jungwon grits his teeth angrily, hand grasping Riki's wrist, but his friend looks shocked.

"J-Jungwon-hyung!" Riki exclaims while Jungwon's free hand forms into a fist. "They didn't do anything wrong!"

Cue the action music transitioning into an abrupt halt like in the comedy movies. Jungwon looks at Riki with wide eyes, jaw dropping comically, and his hands letting go. He catches sight of Riki's wounded knees.

Oh... They were patching him up.

Jungwon turns to the group of friends with a sheepish, apologetic look. "I... Am..." So sorry, is what he wanted to say, but he was cut off immediately by the stranger- Jay, apparently, as he walks past him, shoulder purposely bumping Jungwon's as he glares angrily at him.

Jungwon just sighs, looking down in shame, and he rushes up to him to properly apologize. "I-"

"Go away!" Jay hisses, palm covering his nose. His eyebrows looked like they were permanently knitted together as he stormed off, but Jungwon's following after him.

He opens his mouth to say sorry but Jay stops and turns to him, looking angrier than before. "Stop following me around like some leech!" He yells, stepping forward. "People like you better stay away. You're lucky enough I won't ask for your money to pay back what you did!" He glares, eyes narrowed as he looks down at Jungwon. Like he's judging his entire existence. His voice is less aggressive as he says the next words, rather quiet, but still firm. "I bet you can't even afford it."

Then, he runs off without Jungwon following him anymore. Jungwon stays still, eyes wide and his lips slightly parted. How can he even say that? He's speechless, and it definitely left a pang to his chest. His eyebrows crease into an angry frown.

The next time Jungwon saw him, it was the same day. They were all headed home, and as he's waiting outside the school, he sees Jay walking to an expensive-looking car. The latter opens the car door and they make eye contact. Jay rolls his eyes at him. His nose was already bandaged, and he went inside the car.

Jungwon's crossing his arms, glaring as the car zooms away. "Entitled brat," he mutters under his breath. He was only trying to apologize! "He deserved that punch."

The third time they meet, Jungwon's walking to his first class. Jay looked guilty and ashamed. He walked up to Jungwon, wanting to say sorry for the mean words he uttered out during the heat of the moment yesterday, but Jungwon quickly glared at him, a look so threatening that he had to step back and shut his mouth. Jungwon walks off without sparing him another glance. So much for apologizing.

There were a lot more interactions after that. A constant series of running away and arguments. Jungwon hated Jay for what he did. Jay hated how Jungwon never wanted to listen to him, how Jungwon kept on consistently mocking him. One time, Jungwon calls Jay a leech since Jay kept wanting to apologize to him. The look of hurt was evident on Jay's face and Jungwon was smirking as he walked past him with their signature angry shoulder bump.