STRAWBERRIES AND CIGARETTES || PARK JIHOON

🍓 SIXTEEN 🚬

The weight of the gazes of Yn and Seungmin seemed almost tangible as Jihoon and Junkyu struggled to maintain their composure under the intense scrutiny. Their penetrating stare sent a chill down Jihoon and Junkyu's spines, and they were forced to fight the urge to squirm under the pressure of being held in such powerful, unyielding gazes.

Despite the distance between them, the stench of cigarettes clung to the boys' clothes like an unwelcome shadow. For Yn and Seungmin, the fragrance of cigarette smoke was far too familiar and unwelcome. They could practically taste the bitter, acrid smoke that clung to their nostrils, and it made them both frown in annoyance.

Seungmin's words were sharp and biting as he spoke, his eyes fixed angrily on both Jihoon and Junkyu. "You guys stopped smoking a month back," he said, the frustration clear in his voice. "And yet here you are, stinking of cigarette smoke. Don't tell me you've started again after finally quitting?"

Junkyu and Jihoon looked abashed as Seungmin chastised them, both of them shifting uncomfortably under the weight of his disapproving gaze. They both knew they had promised to quit smoking, and yet here they were, failing to keep their word.

As Jihoon's gaze involuntarily turned to Yn, he was immediately met with her disapproving gaze, and his heart sank in his chest. The disappointment in her eyes was tangible, and he could practically feel the weight of her judgment settling onto his shoulders.

Junkyu spoke up, his voice low and regretful. "I had a fight with my dad and brother and it stressed me and i... i smoked" he muttered, shame written all over his face. He avoided the gazes of both Seungmin and Yn, knowing that he had disappointed them both.

The words hung heavy in the air, as Junkyu's admission landed like a stone. Seungmin and Yn exchanged a look, both of them silently expressing their disappointment and frustration. They had both been under the impression that Jihoon and Junkyu had quit smoking for good, and to hear that Junkyu had given in to stress was a bitter pill to swallow.

Seungmin frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "You couldn't find any other way to handle your stress? You had to resort to poisoning yourself just because you had a fight with your family?"
Junkyu hung his head, avoiding Seungmin's gaze. "I know, I should have handled it differently," he mumbled. "But at the moment, it just seemed like the only thing I could do to numb the pain.

Seungmin's gaze turned towards Jihoon, his expression stern and demanding. "And what's your excuse? You can't tell me you caved in to his peer pressure," he said, his voice laced with skepticism.

Jihoon hesitated for a moment, his mind wandering back to fight he had had with his dad that morning. He could still hear the harsh words and loud voices echoing in his ears, and the memory of it sent a wave of anxiety through his body. Finally, he spoke up, his voice soft and shame-filled.
"I had a fight at home," he muttered, his eyes dropping to the ground.

Seungmin's expression softened in understanding, his anger replaced with a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. He knew that fights at home could be just as stressful as anything else, and he could see the burden of it written all over Jihoon's face.

Yn turned and walked away, a heavy sigh of disappointment passed through her lips. Her shoulders were slumped, and her body language screamed of her discontent with the situation. She clearly wasn't happy with the fact that Junkyu and Jihoon had started smoking again, and she was making her feelings known by walking away without another word.

Jihoon's expression fell as he watched Yn walk away, the disappointment in her eyes clear as day. He felt a pang of guilt in his stomach, knowing that he had let her down. He had promised her that he would quit smoking for good, and yet here he was, faltering at the first sign of stress.