Boy across the street (KSM/HHJ)

eight

Seungmin PoV

I didn't feel like going into my next class. I wasn't bad at math per se, but I didn't have the strength for it at that moment and I didn't have it with Changbin or Minho.

Minho wasn't in the same school year as us anyway and Changbin was only with me because he was at a different school for one year, had to start here again and then had to repeat a year.

It was break time and I brought my books to my locker where the two were already there. "Guys, I can't do this anymore, I'm skipping school with you today," I said and dropped my books into the locker and swung it shut a little loud.

The two older ones exchanged looks and then grinned at each other.

"It's a miracle that we don't have to force you for once," said Minho and grinned even wider.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we left the school building. Changbin leaned his arm on my shoulder and said, "A part of the station is deserted, that's where Min and I usually go." I nodded in understanding and we headed there.

I had the urge to smoke a cigarette, even though I've never smoked one before, I had a strange gut feeling.

Maybe today is the day I smoke my first cigarette. And I hope I don't like it.

When we arrived, the two of them leaned against the wall and I sat cross-legged across from them.

Changbin took out a new pack of cigarettes and opened it. Then he tapped it a little, which I didn't understand until one of the rods stuck out a little further than the others.

Then he mumbled something like it was his lucky cigarette and put it back in the packaging the wrong way up.

Strange.

He took one, put it between his lips and gave one to Minho too. I watched as the two lit it and started smoking.

I hesitantly asked, "Can I try it?"

The two looked at me speechless but then the second oldest took his out of his mouth and held it out to me.

"I don't want to give you your own because if you don't like it I don't want to waste any."

Slightly trembling, I reached for it and took it the way I always saw the two take it. Between the index and middle finger.

"Uhm what? Just puff?"

Minho nodded, puffed on his, inhaled the smoke and said, "Like you're breathing, except that the air is smoke."

I nodded in understandment and took a drag on the cigarette. I inhaled the smoke and felt like I couldn't breathe. My whole body felt like it was burning and it tasted terrible.

I coughed loudly and felt a little dizzy, so dizzy I had to blink a few times. I coughed out the smoke and gasped for air.

That felt terrible.

"That's nothing for me. How can you do that, I'll stick to alcohol," I said, handing the cigarette back to Changbin and coughing a few more times.

"I'm a little dizzy, do you have any water?" Minho nodded, reached into his bag, pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to me.

We stayed there and talked about this and that like I always could with the two of them. I could talk to the two of them about anything, almost anything. I confided so much to them and they did the same.

"Do you remember how we met?" asked Changbin out of nowhere.

"Of course do you think I'll ever forget," Minho said taking a sip of the water.

I smiled a little and remembered the time we met. 

I had just started this school and didn't know anyone. I had already seen a few because they lived nearby, like Hyunjin, but I had never spoken to them before.

 In my first few days in a completely new environment I didn't know how to deal with these people, some were loud, mean or quiet and calm, so many different personalities but it didn't feel like I was finding anyone that would fit my vibe. 

And people talked about me, who was constantly alone and I quickly became the topic of conversation. I wasn't a quiet or completely introvert person. I normally tended to approach people rather than wait, but in those first few weeks everything felt different.

 One day in the middle of the first year, Changbin and I were at our lockers at the same time. Suddenly he tapped me and held out my cell phone, which had fallen out of my pocket without me noticing.

 I thanked him and he just smiled at me. I found this a little strange but just continued as I always did for the next few days. He often smiled at me after that what was really confusing but what I found out later was that he wanted to befriend me with that.

At some point Changbin came up to me in the cafeteria with Minho, who was unknown to me at the time, and asked if I wanted to skip school with them. I was confused but agreed anyway.

 And for some inexplicable reason, a friendship began that has lasted until now. Even though we were often a topic of conversation at school and were known as the three gays, we didn't care at all. I felt comfortable with them and wouldn't change any of my decisions.

And talking to them often felt like time was going by so quickly that we would soon be graduating, like all of my problems were gone and I just loved that feeling.

I hope that our friendship holds on for a long time. I don't want to say forever because that sounds so unattainable and everything has to stop at some point. Still, I don't want to give it up any time soon.

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