Fluorescent Adolescent - Minsung

05

They climbed down from the roof of the house upon witnessing a very fuming Jackson Wang walking in on them, something about the rooftop being 'totally not fly'.

But upon getting back down to the lawn, Jisung immediately wanted to get out of there. A bunch of girls had started a 'cannonball into the pool contest' and his spidey senses told him this would definitely end up bad with him.

"Do you wanna, perhaps, get away?" Minho winced at the sound of another body hitting water in the pool "I don't vibe with water." he shuddered, "What the fuck? Me too!" he grinned, grabbing the boy's wrist.

"Let's get away,"

Minho laced their fingers together, tugging at him and leading the way out.

Out in the street they left the house behind as the booming music drained and grew faint with each step.

They found themselves on the swings at the playground. Jisung has faint memories of playing here as a child.

He remembers burning his butt on the metal slide on hot summer days. It used to be yellow, but was now repainted to be red.

He chuckles to himself thinking of the time when he scratched his knee, it was barely anything but the sight of tiny red scratches made him run home sobbing.

Among the blur of childhood, he has a few treasured memories of this ground, like the monsoon of 4th grade when he went home head to toe in mud. (His mum wasn't really pleased by it.)

But he doesn't remember anyone playing with him there.

"You grew up here?" Minho could see the way his eyes were taking in everything around them, eventually settling on the sandpit.

Jisung nods, "Born and raised." "I moved in freshman year, from Gimpo."

"What was it like?" he subconsciously asked. He'd seen him in the hallways, but only a year later. He was always surrounded by that familiar group of friends whom they played games with earlier that night.

The first time he had seen Minho, it was during lunch. He was sitting at his regular table in the cafeteria , when a loud shrieking laughter rang through the entire room, causing everyone to drop to silence.

He'd whipped his head around, to be met with a sight of a guy with bright hot pink hair red in the face and holding a palm against his mouth, embarrassed at his own loud laugh. Beside him, his friend was doubled over, snorting and laughing like one could only call, as a madman, while his other friend bowed and apologised to everyone about the sudden commotion.

After a bit of snooping around, he'd found out that Mr.Mad man's name was Lee Minho, and said hot pink head was his best friend (and as people said, partner in crime), Hwang Hyunjin.

"It was a funny experience, because on my first day I walked in on two senior guys eating each other's faces off in the hallway, and for an innocent young dude, who didn't even know the concept of homosexuality, I was pretty shaken up."

Jisung laughed, breath catching in his throat as a snort "Thats one way for a gay awakening." "I mean, I was a whimpering virgin honestly, no idea about the world, or myself, for the matter."

"Then came Hwang Hyunjin, that bastard," he chuckled. "Ruined my innocence and what not." Jisung shook his head, a playful way of disapproval. "One should always choose their friends wiseley, or you'll end up gay and emo."

Minho was taken aback, "Me, emo?" he scoffed, holding a hand up to his chest "Speak for yourself, you're the pinterest definition of grunge."

"Yeah okay, skater boy with tattoos and daddy issues." Minho rolled his eyes "Mhm? Run down converses, black eyeliner and artic monkeys with mommy issues?"

Jisung ignored the way he turned a light shade of red at that, "Fine, we're both emo and gay." "You're wrong again," he smiled , turning to him "I'm pansexual."

He blinked at him, mischief glinting in his eyes that Minho must've noticed, for the way he groaned throwing his head back and said, "Don't you fucking dare Han Jisung," Jisung smiled, cocking his head to the side, "What? You're embarrassed about wanting to fuck a utensil?"

(Minho threw him off the swing.)

From the moment they first talked, Minho was on his second beer, complementary shots and drinks excluded.

His eyes sub consciously kept gazing towards the way his lips wrapped around the bottle, while his fingers left their imprints on the bottle's cold neck.

Maybe Jisung wanted to be that bottle.

He occasionally scrunched his nose at the retching smell, the smell of his mother. The smell of alcohol with his cologne though, the Minho smell, was inviting.

His Adam's apple bobbed a bit every time he swallowed, and he squinted his eyes as the liquid burned down his throat. Every swallow was followed by a tiny sigh.

"I do speak you know," he said, turning to him, "Staring really doesn't answer questions." Jisung turned red, and so did the end of his cigarette as he inhaled, "I wasn't staring."

"Lies."

"When did you first drink?"

Minho hummed, not surprised at the question "I think I was like 16? At a party, I hated the taste but loved the feeling." he chuckled, "But at the same time, I hate myself everytime I even look at alcohol."

"Then why'd you drink?" he knew it was a stupid question yet it escaped his lips and Minho smiled, "Why do you smoke?"

Jisung shrugged, "Makes me forget," "There we go."

"I was young, and it was easy to get used to and long for." he kicked the sand beneath them, dragging patterns with his feet. "When was the first time you smoked?"

Jisung blinked at him, "Weed, or this?" he held up the cigarette and Minho snickered, "Both, I guess?"

"Smoked when I was 15, exam season was heavy on me and I saw it in movies you know? That people smoke when stressed and then boom everything goes well."

Minho burst out laughing, messing up the pattern he was working on "Oh my god typical teenage shit." Jisung giggled, "I know, and I remember when I bought my first one, yes bought." he stuck out his tongue at him, "The guy said to me, 'What are you stressed about, Roblox?' "

"Kind of messed up he didn't stop you." he commented and Jisung nodded, "Can you imagine selling cigarettes to a face like yours, though? It's like Cocomelon is doing cocaine."

Jisung was puzzled, "What the fuck are you on about?"

"Have you seen the Cocomelon kid? The white blondie in a blue onesie? Y'all are basically twins."

Jisung scoffed, "That's a baby you're talking about." "Yeah? Give him a couple years to grow into and you can sue Cocomelon for stealing your face."

"And get me a portion of the compensation, I was the one who gave you the idea, okay?"

"Do you always spew bullshit, or is today a special day?" Minho gave him a lopsided smile, "It's an everyday thing for me, is it new for you?"

"Yeah, because I never found anyone like you." Jisung made a kissy face, pursing out his bottom lip that Minho swatted away with a hand giggling.