home ∣ jinsoo

chapter 2

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J I S O O   P O V

jin's jokes had me laughing for hours. i haven't laughed like that in years. it was nice.

"how does a cow laugh? moo-hahaha!" he started laughing and i noticed he constantly hits his hand against the surface of the table as if to express how funny the joke was. i don't know what's funnier, him laughing at his own jokes or his actual jokes. the librarian smoothly inches closer towards our table as she glares at me and jin whilst he continues to disturb the silence in the building.

"jin, i know it's funny but you're gonna get us kicked out, keep it down." i whisper desperately, hoping he'd pick up the message that everyone was starting to get bothered by the noise he was making.
"well we're done anyways, might as well leave."
i look at the clock that hung by the main desk that read 8 pm. that was considered too early for me to go home as i often waited for my parents to go to sleep first to avoid any trouble but as much as i didn't want to go home, staying here with him any longer would've just been weird. we only just started talking more after all.

heading out onto the main roads, i learnt that jin's way home was to the left and mine was to the right. he paused in his tracks and asks, "do you need me to walk you home? it's late and i have some time." the question obviously made him nervous seeing as he kept trying to avoid eye contact and kept his view on his sneakers kicking small rocks to the side. i would've said yes but the slightest chance my parents see him or jin witnessing the ruthlessness of my parents during their constant bickering isn't something i'd take my chances on and so i had to turn him down.
"um no, don't worry. you wouldn't want the kids and and your caretaker to wait for you."
he doesn't insist on taking me home thankfully and i let out a sigh of relief.

"that's true, but i could just give them a call." i exhaled too quickly.
"i'll be fine, i walk out here all the time. you should head home first, okay? i'll see you around."
"fine but next time i'm not just gonna leave you alone. see ya!"
i laugh nervously, "we'll see about that, bye."
i turn away and walk home.

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i stand at the entrance of my house and am greeted with yells and shouting. no surprise to see my parents are fighting once again but no matter the myriad times they argue, i still manage to shudder at their increasingly strident voices. it's what happens when two hotheads are placed under one roof, they rip and tear each other apart until they have a temple to release their temper. that would be me, with no way to reason with them, even if i did nothing wrong.

"why are you always like this?! it's ridiculous! when are you going to start working again?! i'm always looking out for the family, working my bones to the core!" my mom screams at my dad as he takes a sip of henny from the glass bottle he holds in his right hand and calmly replies, "move out the way honey, i'm watching tv." he moves to the sofa, beginning to tire from hours of biting each other's heads off and giving in to the downs of alcohol.

my mom grabs the glass bottle and throws it to the wall nearest to him. she doesn't plan to end it soon until the solution of the argument satisfies her. i take it as my time to head to my room quickly. gently placing my shoes on the shoe rack, i quietly walk across the hallway, tiptoeing as i slowly past the room where my parents are fighting and just when i think i'll make it, my mom calls out for me.

"how dare you ignore me?! we should just divorce for all i care! i'm not dealing with a slob like you anymore!"
dad scoffs and stands up from his seat, looking at mom straight in the eyes. he starts yelling even louder than her, "you throw my alcohol at the wall and then call me slob?! who do you think you are? you're the whore that cheats on their own husband with men from work!" he lets out a long groan of frustration. "now get out of my face before i beat you so that no men would want to look at you"

she just glares at him, standing her ground. "as if. jisoo come here."

i'm so dead.

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S E O K J I N   P O V

fumbling through the pockets of my jacket, i search for the key to the front door of the orphanage. it was pretty late and i assumed cathy, the owner of the orphanage had already helped some of the kids get tucked in bed. it's important i keep quiet as i enter. jamming the key into the keyhole, i make my way inside and head to my room, dropping my bag to the floor.

i flop onto my bed about to snooze off when a knock causes me to keep my eyes wide awake. it was cathy bringing a tray of food in for me.

"cathy, you don't have to make my dinner anymore. i'm old enough to look after myself now. you must be tired, looking after the rest of the orphans all day."
" oh, it's alright." she reassured me. "you'll be leaving this home soon, i'll miss making you dinner."
i'm grateful i grew up with such a warm hearted guardian, "you know what? i'll make you dinner tomorrow. i gotta repay you someday for putting up with me all these years."

"you've grown up to be such a man, i'm impressed. the only thing i'm sorry for is that we couldn't find anyone appropriate to adopt you..." she mumbles the end. that was an immediate buzz kill but it's not like i'm giving up on the idea of family. i evade the awkwardness by changing the subject,
"thanks for making me dinner, i'll treat you tomorrow, you can count on it." i wink at her and she chuckles while leaving the room.