SKZ Writing prompts

Atychiphobia - Jisung (pt.2)

[^^ GO STAN ENHYPEN!! Member: Jay]
(Video creator:☆𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖☆)

Do I love what I love or do I love what you love?
~

Jisung tumbled in his room, slamming the door. Unable to process much still, he flinched at the sudden noise. He was only vividly aware of the papers in his hands, and in a snap of frustration, crushed them. The once smooth sheets crumpled together and to others, it would seem a normal thing. A coping mechanism for some.

But to Jisung, it was his world. The words he painstakingly carved into the paper with his pen, were his world. He curled his fingers into his palm so tightly, the corners of the crumpled paper dug into his skin. Jisung winced and flung the ruined paper to the ground. 

His vision was a blur, the floor merging into one brown colour, the papers being the only white thing in his sight.

~

5 years later

Jisung swallowed the gathering spit in his mouth, staring at the slip of paper his teacher had just handed out.

It read: 

Name: Han Jisung
Class: Class 2
Rank: 5th in class
Overall grade this month: B-
Remarks: Behind in his assignments sometimes, a few late arrivals, but an overall good attention span in class. ~Mrs. Sim

Jisung fiddled with the paper, pressing it between his fingers and nearly tearing it. He sighed. Being the fifth in class wasn't all too bad but he felt like his mother would definitely have some cutting words to say about that. And a B minus was practically a death sentence. Anything lower than an A was automatically disappointing.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He fumbled to get it and unlock it, seeing the message from Felix. His brother had texted: Heyyy hyung, wut score u got??

Jisung's breathing halted for a moment, collecting himself before tapping into the chat. 

He quickly wrote: B-
ik, kinda terrible

Bubble Lix: omg that IS terrible
mom's gonna kaboom
praying 4 u hyung

Jisung: ...well aware of that
idk man i'm scared 2 go home

Bubble Lix: gee i'd be too
i meannn...B- can't be too bad right

Jisung: with mom? even A- might be bad

Bubble Lix: tru

Jisung had no idea how to reply so he just shut his phone off and exhaled with a heavy heart.

He couldn't do anything else but simply pack everything up and head home.

~

His heart pounded as heavily as his knocks on the main door. He'd tried to open it but it had been locked. He was halfway to getting his phone out when Felix's face appeared when the door swung. Jisung let out a slight sigh.

Which did not last long as he spotted his mother's stormy expression right behind Felix's nervous one. He froze in his spot. Felix stepped out of the doorway and stood behind the door, leaving Jisung to meet his mother's eyes.

She pinned Jisung with an expectant stare, "Well? Come in."

Jisung removed his shoes as slowly as he could, dragging out the time. "Hurry up!" His mother snapped. 

His shoulders jumped. He tossed his shoes off and shuffled into the house. He heard Felix gulp and shut the door. Both of them turned to face their mother.

She turned to Felix, a smile on her face, "Darling, where's your report card?"

Felix produced a similar slip of paper and handed it to her. She examined the contents and nodded, a tight smile not matching her eyes. When she looked back up she simply said, "Good job, Felix. An A- is alright, but next time please aim for A or A+, alright?"

Felix swallowed and croaked, "Yes, mom."

"Take the report card and head to your room. I'll take you out for dinner as celebration for doing so well in your academics and sports."

Felix removed the paper from her hands and glanced back once more at Jisung before leaving hesitantly.

"Now," she crossed her arms, "show me your report card."

Jisung's hands were unsteady as they stretched out to give her the card. She snatched it from his grasp and scanned it critically. Jisung could tell at what moment she read the grade he'd received from her expression turning dark. It was the exact expression she'd given Jisung those 5 years back.

She inhaled sharply and rolled her eyes. She refused to look at Jisung for a good minute, letting the living room fall into thick silence. There was an underlying current of electric tension, a wrong move would send this place into chaos.

When she finally released a breath, she whispered cloyingly, "So, want to let me know why you've gotten this grade?"

A fake nicety before she absolutely unleashes hell upon him.