Thinner

72

This.
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"Hajun?" He knocked on the door, opening it slightly to peek in. He saw the older lay flat on his stomach, in just a pair of boxers, the blanket fallen half off of his body as his hair was a mess.

"Hm?" He hummed out, groaning as he looked up at the younger.

Jeongin smiled as he stepped in, sitting on the side of the bed as he placed a glass of water and a painkiller on the bedside table. He turned to ruffle the latter's hair, looking at the hangover man beside him with a soft gaze.

"Have you showered yet?" He asked as he played with a few strands of hair on the other's head. Humming to himself as he clenched his jaw.

It was no lie that Hajun spent a lot of his energy on partying during the night after school hours. On weekends, he spent his time hooking up all day. But today was Saturday, and Hajun was still laying in bed, and not on his phone finding a girl with nice tits to ram into later. It was unusual, and all Jeongin could assume was that the latter could have possibly fallen ill during last night's activities.

"No.." he huffed out as he turned, cuddling up to the younger's side and wrapping his arms around his waist. "Last night might have been the dead of me. Am I growing old?" He groaned as he exhaled the words.

"I mean, sometimes things can take too much out of your energy, and you kind of shut down? You've been irregularly more out and about the past two weeks than usual".

"I guess so..I just don't wanna take a break. Partying is the only thing I have to cope with my miserable mindset. And I'm constantly getting ringed up by your whatevership person" Hajun sat up, pushing the younger down on the bed, only to reach out for the pill and water that Jeongin had previously just put down.

Jeongin gulped, nodding as he understood what Hajun was talking about. It has been a bit over a month since he last spoke to Hyunjin and Chan. And for the past two weeks he really haven't been thinking much about them.

Things had changed a bit. He hadn't seen them for 5 weeks, and he remembered the first few weeks drowning himself in alcohol to avoid the thought of them prior to recently, where he hadn't had the need to think about them, not even once.

Hearing them mentioned just brought back unwanted memories. But he couldn't really deny it. He needed to reach out to them. He didn't want them coming and creating chaos again. He really didn't feel like drinking more than what he was supposed to, and he really didn't feel like only eating pizza and ramen for his meals just because he was too busy thinking about them.

"Can I-".

"Man, do whatever you want" Hajun shrugged, throwing his phone to the younger who muttered a quick "thank you" before unlocking the device and searching for Hyunjin's contact.

He hesitated in pressing the button, many thoughts running through his head. He looked back at Hajun, who now sat supported against the headboard, rubbing his temple in an attempt to soothe the immerging headache.

He sighed, pressing the button as he tucked the pillow to support his neck, listening to the annoying sound of the phone beeping.

"Hello?".

The voice alone sent him into a spiral of never-ending thoughts. His eyes shifted side to side, blinking between each breath he took.

"Hi, it's me" he muttered, playing with  his fingers as he took a deep breath.

"I've called. No one ever answered?".

"Hyunjin..uhm, we've been a bit busy. I hope you have time now?" It came out more of a question rather than a statement.

He once again looked back at Hajun, who whispered "dickhead" beneath his breath.

"I do have time...how have you been?" Hyunjin asked.

"Fine, I suppose?".

There was a brief silence and a small chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Have you eaten?".

Jeongin took a deep breath, eyes darting back to Hajun, who mimicked what Hyunjin said with a funny expression. Making the younger smile, he turned back around.

"Plenty" he answered, scratching the nape of his neck.

"That makes me proud, I suppose it wasn't easy".

It surely wasn't. And he never believed it would be. But he couldn't speak for his future self..he had already learned that lesson a long time ago.

"When is stuff supposed to be easy?" He snickered, rolling his eyes as he rolled up in a fetal position.

"Nothing is easy, and no one will have it easy. But we can only hope for the easiest outcome in certain situations" Hyunjin stated, his voice rather flat this time and less optimistic.

Jeongin felt the situation turning serious again, and he couldn't help but feel unsettled.

"I feel like you are putting out unnecessary references here" he mumbled into the phone, feeling his demeanor switch so quickly.

He felt bad again. The kind of bad where he wished their was a bottle near him, in which he could empty to only fill up his own.

"I apologize for that-".

"You said if you didn't hear from me, that you will come. You heard from me, do I need to stay on this any longer?" He asked, feeling himself slumped down against the bed, feeling a wave of twisted emotions that hit him all at once.

And he felt like shedding out of his own skin. But he still didn't have the confidence for that.

"Yes..uhm..have you, thought things through? Sorted things out? I assume by your previous words that you most likely aren't ready to come back".

"Hyunjin..I don't think I'm ready right now..I think I need to figure myself out first" he explained, once again looking back at Hajun, who gave him an encouraging thumbs up, making him smile briefly.

"I don't want you to rush things..I'm trying not to put pressure on Chan-".

"How is he feeling?" His curiosity spiked, more or so, his worrying. He didn't think much about them for a few weeks. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss them dearly.

"He got accepted for a job interview tomorrow..it was one he fought very hard for to get during the time you stayed here. But he hasn't been sleeping well, and I don't want to make you worry..I'm sure he is just settling himself down too".

Jeongin bit his lips, breathing in heavily as he released right after.

"He likes the ocean".

"What?" Hyunjin asked.

"He likes the ocean..you should take him" Jeongin smiled, remembering the time he was in the car with Chan. Back then when things seemed to get better even if it felt worse. Back then where Chan spoke for the endless hours about how much he loved the ocean. "Promise me you'd take him".

"I promise".