Cactus 『Lee Jihoon』

여덟

13:02 // Thursday

It wasn't too long until Soyeun's mother finally took her back home from Jihoon's house. Oh, she had a lot of questions in mind, yet not of them were answered due to her daughter's non-stop pouring of negative emotions. Arriving at their home in Seocho, the woman of the house impatiently sat before noticing that Soyeun has kind of stopped crying when she was given a glass of water by her maid.

"You really have nothing to say but to just cry your eyes out the whole day?" She asked, obviously agitated. Their house was as bright as before, but the mood gets darker every time the mother's piercing eyes drill on her daughter's figure.

"Mother, Jihoon isn't a bad person." She said in between hiccups. She shifted into a more composed position indicating that she was serious. Although her heart still stings in anxiety, she still tries.

"What do you know, Soyeun? What do you know about people when you've been lying all this time about your photoshopped friends!" She yelled, before standing up to pin point her anger towards her . Bewildered, Soyeun pursed her lips. How did she know about this? She thought. Until it clicked. Of course. It was her maid all along. Her heart shattered in pieces from all this betrayal. She stared at the woman, wondering why of all people?

"It was for your own good, Soyeun. I asked her, and she answered, simple as that. And she's never seen Jihoon until that day." She finished. Now, Soyeun tries to think for an excuse. Think of a new thing she hasn't told her mother. But she can't. She realized she's trap and all she knows is that she has to get out of this hell.

"It's a good thing your phone had location settings. It was an easy task finding you, my dear daughter. So don't try anything, ever again." She finished babbling, giving Soyeun a really stern look. Crossing her arms, and sitting back down on the sofa.

"I'm sorry mother. I will not do it again." She said earning a nod from her mother. For the years she had spent lying to her mother and father, she has already mastered in pressing the right buttons to calm them down and convince them that she's a good girl. She doesn't want it here anymore. She's been itching to get out. Itching to get away when they keep on prickling themselves with her thorns.

"And?"

"I will never meet with Jihoon and just focus in school." She looks at her mom as if she's serious with this life decision.

"Good. You'll be back in school tomorrow. Your father will certainly hear about this." She stared coldly, before taking her bag and leaving for work. Now Soyeun and her maid are the only one's left in the house. She glares at the woman and went straight upstairs. Instead of crying her will to live off, she decided not to waste time and packed her things, clothes, shoes, notebooks, leaving her gadgets behind to ensure that her parents won't follow her. She doesn't like it in her home anymore. Her parents has always been tight knits and all she hears are negative judgements and her legacy as an heir of her father's company. Unfortunate for her parents, she's not into business. It's a risky thing to do, but she finds reassurance and peace when she's with Jihoon. It's all she has ever wanted in her life.

13:14//Thursday

Jihoon sighed and stared at the ceiling as he thought about what just happened earlier. Police were even involved. Was it wrong to do the right thing? To return a stupid school girl's bag? That was his only goal since the beginning, not to befriend a depressed high schooler. But then again, she understood what he felt, and he understood her. They're two different people but same beings that knows how it's like to be forced away from their dreams. To become distant from real people. To hurt people without even wanting to. To be like.. cactuses.

Jihoon stood up and decided to shower, washing away the negativity and pretending he didn't cry by imagining that all of his tears were water from the shower. Once he was done, he decided to wear a striped sweatshirt and a pair of jeans. For today, he thought make up wasn't really necessary as he pulled out a disposable medical mask. He slipped on the same shoes he has worn from the past few days and got out to head to the pub. Whilst walking by the alleyway, he was glad no one he knew was there. He noticed a familiar bicycle chained into a pole, no one has touched it nor tried to remove it from last night. Jihoon scowled at the thought of bringing back the bicycle to whoever the owner was. It's what brought him to this situation.

In his frustration, he stormed in the empty pub since it was early in the afternoon, and was greeted by nothing but silence. No one was inside and he was wondering why the doors weren't locked. He shrugged at the thought, making his way behind the bartender's counter and taking a bottle of Jack Daniel's. He went out of the pub with the bottle, making sure no one's there to see him. Unfortunately, Seungcheol was there and his mouth were agape, seeing his best bud holding a bottle of strong alcohol. His eye brows switched into a frown as he dropped the trash bag he was holding.

"Jihoon? What the fuck are you doing?!" He stomped towards the shorter boy and attempted to take the bottle from him.

"No, what are you doing here, hyung? Leave me alone." He pushed his hyung off before walking away. Cheol fell to the ground and was infuriated with Jihoon's constant drinking tantrums. He was like a protective big brother to him and yet he's being the bratty little brother.

"Yeah, go on! Go ahead and drink your problems away! Coz it helps!! Don't mind the people trying to help you!" Cheol yelled and threw the trash away before walking away in frustration.

Jihoon returned to his apartment, not letting anything that came from Seungcheol go up to his head. He closed his door, and proceeded to drink his pain away. He wants to forget, to forget everything, to end things. It's such a cruel life, somehow he wants to hug his parents again, but since he's a dishonor to his family, he's too cowardly to return to his mom and dad. He's ashamed to be seen by them. To be seen by anyone. He belonged nowhere. Even the nicest thing he could do would turn into a fiasco, a life ruiner, a way to make an enemy instead of a friend.

He's so tired.

---

(A/n) 안녕!! I'm so sorry I took like a month before this update comes out. I was pretty busy with my school works and I was a transferee to a "prestigious school". DUDE, IM NOT BRAGGING OK, I JUST WANT TO BRING UP HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO STUDY THERE. I'm currently undergoing culture shock and since it's also an ALL GIRLS school,,, err.. Let me just say, I like someone in there and I'm always zoned out... BUT ANYWAYS, THANK YOU FOR STILL SUPPORTING CACTUS!! ;u;

Will be updating later because I feel bad for leaving you in such an ugly cliff hanger.